Dobell 2011

Wow what a feast for pencil pushers. The finalists certainly seved up an excellent array and variety of large scale drawings using pastel(featured medium this year) charcoal and graphite. I absolutely loved the offering from winner Anne Judell "Breath". As a follower of her beautifully delicate style, I was thrilled she finally made it to the winner's circle. Her deft and subtle use of pastel and grahite was second to no other and the subject matter was so creative and topical she deserved the meritorious accolades. I was totally inspired and believe the standard achieved this year was absolutely outstanding and definitely moving forward in concept and technique.
http://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/exhibitions/dobell-prize-drawing-2011/

Yiwarra Kuju The Canning Stock Route

Colourful, cultural and contemporary, yet the artists involved could not be further from this description. Plucked  from isolation and virtual non recognition, their artwork is so innovative and thought provoking. The historical account of torture and capture by white cattlemen of the stock route punctuated by harsh barren landscape and waterholes. This story is only captured by those who have direct experience with these conditions and their resulting artworks are so imaginative and symbolic, vibrant and alive. The pain and hardship, the myths, such as the story of the cannibal spirit that dwells in the river, reminiscent of when the earliest and most remote nomads were cannibals makes for a fascinating exhibition unlike any Indigenous exhibition preceding it. See it until 29/4/2012 at the Australian museum.
www.australianmuseum.net.au

Picasso !

Finally the wait is over-while people all worldwide are waiting for the arrival of Santa, I was awaitng Picasso posthumously. He seemed quite at home at the Art Gallery of NSW. But the word in the corridors is that there was not enough of him, and the choice of works exhibited.
I was suitably impressed by the clarity and purity of the maestro's presentations, indeed a true innovative experience so imitated and appropriated that to the non art aficionado, this exhibition would just seem like a visit to a Modern School of Art. Something was missing to complete the experience, and I found that in the antitheatre, where I waited in a queue to enter the main arena.  Videos and photographs showing the aartist at work and at play, his associations with the women in his life, his friends and his peers, and, of course his beloved family. Picasso the man, needed to be present to add some life and extra pizazz to an exhibition celebrating his life not his death. I really did leave with the impression that I had been to a funeral, and not a celebration of one of the most notable artists and personalities of the 20th century.
P.S. I did purchase Francoise Gilot's book "Life With Picasso" and a book of Picasso's most famous life works by Phiadon Press-the exhibition catalogue was way too heavy......

SADE...

Sultry, sassy, silken tones and incredibly classy, Sade at the Sydney Entertainment Centre was the first adult concert I have been to for years. Perhaps it was the intimate rapport Sade successfully achieved with the audience and her band. Perhaps it was the rhythmic movement and seamless background/foreground curtain/digital image set changes. Perhaps it was the inner city,'Sin City' style night scape interlude complete with narration that provided the atmosphere for an impeccable concert where special effects, light shows, massed choirs and multitudes of dancers were not required as distractions. The Nigerian diva and her musicians provided pure showmanship and such an enjoyable evening. It was all about Sade, her sensuousness, her youthful grace and her love of life, beautifully presented and a show I will not forget. Colour, empathy, subdued sadness in struggle and life changes...city/country existence