Art on Building

At 247-249 Collin Street is Newspaper House. When you look up, you will see a beautiful glittering mosaic on the building's facade.

The Newspaper House mosaic was designed by Napier Waller in 1932. Waller was the leading neo-classical mural painter of the period. The mosaic was commissioned as part of a new facade for the original 1884 building. The new facade was designed by architects Stephenson & Meldrum for the Herald and Weekly Times Limited, who had recently acquired building. The theme of the mosaic was suggested by Mr. Theodore Fink, a director of the company, with the text, "Ill put a girdle round about the earth" comes from Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream 

It is located at first floor level and is affixed to slate panels fixed to the brickwork with copper dowels. It is in three sections divided by two windows. There are only two other mosaics by Napier Waller, who studied, lived and worked inMelbourne - one in Temple Court, Collins Street and the other at Monash House, William Street.

Tuesday My World

Stanford Fountain

By William Stanford

Bluestone fountain, 1870

Gordon Reserve, corner of Spring and Macarthur Streets

William Stanford's bluestone fountain features a boy on the upper tier, encircled by birds and fish on the lower tier. But this scene of innocence was created in a far less naive setting.

Stanford was apprenticed to a London stonemason before coming to Australia to try his luck on the Bendigo goldfields. When he failed to make his fortune, he turned to horse stealing, and in 1854 was imprisoned for 10 years. He was released after six on ticket-of-leave, but was soon found guilty on two charges of highway robbery and another of horse stealing. The sentences amounted to a total of 22 years, two of which were served as hard labour in irons after Stanford broke out of a supposedly 'escape-proof' gaol in 1861. In Melbourne's Pentridge Prison, Stanford's talent for drawing and carving was recognised - he carved bones left over from stews - and the prison governor allowed him to turn his hand to carving stone. Local sculptor Charles Summers tutored Stanford, who soon set to carving a fountain from bluestone from the prison quarry, which was the only material available to him. He modelled the fountain's avian adornments on a stuffed eagle-hawk and modelled the boy on the governor's son.

The fountain was installed in Carpentaria Place (now known as Gordon Reserve) in 1871, following Stanford's release after he - and his friends petitioned for this on the grounds of his ill health. The Illustrated Australian News claimed the fountain was 'not only a work of great beauty but...executed under circumstances of extreme difficulty [which for] most men would have been insurmountable'. Stanford received no payment for the fountain but in time became a respected citizen; he established a business in Windsor, which had a reputation for creating fine headstones.

Stanford died in 1880 from 'stonemasons' disease', having inhaled a surfeit of fine dust while creating his beautiful fountain.

The look of Australian Centre for the Moving Image

Tim Burton: The Exhibition is still on at the Australian Centre for the Moving Image ( ACMI ) till Sunday 10-Oct-10. The exhibition is all about Tracing Burton’s visual imagination from his earliest childhood drawings through his mature work in film, the exhibition Tim Burton: The Exhibition brings together over 700 examples of rarely or never-before-seen drawings, paintings, photographs, storyboards, moving-image works, puppets, maquettes, costumes, and cinematic ephemera, and includes an extensive film series spanning his 27-year career.

The exhibition follows the course of Burton’s career, with childhood ephemera, juvenilia, and amateur short films from his youth in Burbank, California; cartoons and drawings from his time at California Institute of the Arts; and examples of his first professional work at The Walt Disney Studios.

Theme day : Bright colors > Click here to view thumbnails for all participants

Better view

Public Metal Art on Elizabeth street. For adults, we just have a look but for kids, they can have fun.. they jump up and down on that stone. But I got no ideas about this public art .

Art Centre in the cloudy day

The Victorian Arts Centre is in the Southgate precinct of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Located by the Yarra River and St. Kilda Road, the main thoroughfare of the city, the site befits its purpose, for it is at the heart of Melbourne, Australia's art capital. The city's status as a metropolis of art and culture is confirmed by the Victorian Arts Centre.

A 115m high lattice-work spire made of aluminum and steel, a feast of fantastic effect when illuminated at night, is an imposing and towering landmark of the Victorian Arts Centre. Designed by architect Roy Grounds, the Arts Centre is a complex of theatres and concert halls. The complex's master plan including the National Gallery of Victoria was approved in 1960. Construction of the centre began in 1973 after some delays. The complex opened in stages. Hamer Hall opened in 1982 and the theatres building opened in 1984.

At the Victorian Arts Centre, art and culture come alive hand in hand. The Victorian Arts Centre is Victoria's complex for the performing arts. Inside the Centre is not just one, not two, but four separate theatres that have all played host to some of Australia's most popular shows. The complex comprises the National Gallery of Victoria, the Melbourne Concert Hall and the Theatres complex, which includes the State Theatre, Playhouse and George Fairfax Studio. Among the companies that perform opera in the State Theatre are Opera Australia and Melbourne City Opera.

At the Victorian Arts Centre, art and culture abound. Visitors can even spend a whole day without watching a featured performance and still feel the art all around. The Centre offersguided tours on all artistic matters, from Front-of-House tour to the Backstage Tour, visitors get to see behind-the-scene places that only cast and crew normally get to see. A highlight of the tour and a treat for aspiring actors is walking out on stage. The Arts Centre has one of the ten largest stage areas in the world.A visit to the 'Be a Star' room is very entertaining as visitors enter a dressing room set up for stars on their opening night. It's a great treat for children on their birthdays as they can enjoy trying on the costumes and props after the tour.

Victorian Arts Centre is where both art and culture are both contained and set free. Melbourne Concert Hall, now known as Hamer Hall, is Australia's largest stage with a seating for 2700 and is used for symphony concerts. The State Theatre (which seats 2085) is used for opera performances. In the future, Victorian Opera, created November of 2005, is anticipated to also make an appearance. The Centre is unusual with its theatres and concert halls built underground.

The complex's landmark attraction is its massive steel spire and its wrap-around base. The original spire as designed by Roy Grounds was 115 metres high. In the middle of the 1990s, signs of wear and tear were observed on the original structure. The Arts Centre Trust decided to replace the spire. The new one was completed in 1996, and it reaches even higher to 162 meters. The new structure though is still based on Roy Grounds' original design. The spire comes full to life with fantastic lights of about 6,600 metres of optic fibre tubing, 150 metres of neon tubing on the mast and 14,000 incandescent lamps on the skirt of the spire. The spire's metal webbing draws inspiration and influence from the Eiffel Tower and the billowing of a ballerina's tutu.

See another view of Art Centre Please click this link : Beautiful Art Centre

The window display of Thai restaurant on Brunswick

At the front's display of Thai restaurant on Brunswick Street. They show Khon Masks which I really like it. This beautiful Khon masks comprise part of the costume of performers of the classical dance-drama of Thailand called " Mask Play " A Khon performance involves singing, dancing, acting, acrobatics, and music. The singing is accomplished by an offstage chorus which also recites the narrative and dialogues. The majority of actors are-unable to do this because of the masks they wear. Some forms of the masked-play, probably older forms, did not use singing. Stories for the drama are based exclusively on the Ramakien, the Thai version of an Indian epic. 

Traditionally, performers in the masked-play were men only; men played all the female roles. Supposedly, this had to do with the fact that the masked-play was performed inside the court exclusively. Actors must start training at an early age. The early stages of training are akin to gymnastic training. Although at times much muscular exertion is required, the dancing is still very graceful and expressive. Actors must learn the gesture language of the dance. Certain hand gestures and body movements indicate different emotions or responses. In recent times, changes have occurred and women are now playing the female parts.

And if you are interested to see the play, please click this link : Mask Play

My world

Picasso's influence

Not a nice sunny day but shall we see " angel " before rain. This is one of Melbourne's iconic landmarks. Called " Angel " The 10 metre high, two-head sculpture was recently relocated from the National Gallery to the north bank of the Yarra River at Birrarung Marr. It can be seen from as far away as Princes Bridge.

Deborah Halpern’s public sculpture, made from colorful ceramic mosaic tiles, pushed the boundaries of ceramic art with Angel, creating a semi-abstract work that resembles a three-legged llama in form and on which more than 4000 individually cut and hand-painted tiles are fixed to its concrete and steel armature. The colourful images adorning this work reveal Picasso's influence on Halpern's art.

From 1988 until 2005, Deborah Halpern's ceramic sculpture was sited in the southern moat of the National Gallery of Victoria on St Kilda Road. With its joyful spirit and arresting form. 

Then Angel has been sited on the banks of the Yarra in Birrarung Marr since 2005, where the viewers can see it from all sides for the first time. It remains part of the collection of the National Gallery of Victoria, which commissioned the work in collaboration with the Australian Bicentennial Authority. 

What kind of the bird ? ( II )

This guy can't take his eyes away from the painting wall on Collin street.
See the first picture in this link : What kind of the bird ( I )

Aboriginal Art

This Aboriginal Galleries of Australia is located on Spring street and not far from parliament house. Aboriginal Art always amaz me. Their art look like abstract art but their works are so rich and varied art form and they always have a good story to tell about their life, their land and their country. For me, the most interesting is about " Traditional Aboriginal art symbols "  which the artist applied to their art works and all have meaning !

Brunswick Street's Bees

A unique sculptural feature of Brunswick Street art the decorative excentric sculptural signs above many of the shops. And this is my favorite flowers shop “Flowers Vasette”  Look so cool with bees and carnivorous plant. 

This street is amazing with the most vibrant venues – arty, music-filled cafes, restaurants and bars as well as second-hand and young designer stores. check out this link : Brunswick Street  ( it's really cool website )

Get ready for European Masters

Today, This guy has been installed the text on the side wall of NGV ( National Gallery Of Victoria ) to get ready for European Maters : Städel Museum, 19th – 20th Century is the seventh in the NGV’s popular Melbourne Winter Masterpieces series.

The exhibition will be drawn from the collection of one of Europe’s finest and most respected museums, the Städel Museum in Frankfurt, Germany, and will present a superb survey of the key artistic movements of the time through the works of over 70 artists.

 This is the first time this collection of works has travelled outside Europe and it will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for art lovers. It's on 19 June - 10 October 2010

Coffee break at Leicester street, Fitzroy

Fitzroy is one of suburbs in Melbourne where I really like it. There is rich with street art and unique people same as this lady who have a coffee and enjoy looking the art on the wall.

You are in a safe city camera area

I confessed, I walked on Burke street Mall so many times, I've never notice there is Union Lane runs between Bourke Street and Little Collins Street ( between David Jones and 'The Walk Arcade' ) since I started this blog, I learn more about Melbourne.

This is the street art project ( The mural in Union Lane will be conducted under the City of Melbourne's legal street art permit system , so all street artists don't get caught for A$1000 ) 

That's why when I got there, I saw the sign " You are in a safe city camera area " with City of Melbourne's logo. It look weird for me, and more weird...I saw someone leads a group of tourists into This alley way. Of corse, I found out later.

In now day, Have some one runs a walking tour in Melbourne called " Walk to Art " see more If you interested someone to guild you  : walk to art 

But If you want to learn street art by yourself click this link : Melbourne Graffiti

Sculpture after rain

The Court Favourite 

Paul Montford 

Bronze statue with granite pedestal, date unknown 

Flagstaff Gardens (Melway ref. 2F, A1) 

Paul Montford was born in London in 1868. He studied at London's prestigious Royal Academy of Arts and immigrated to Australia in 1921. Montford was responsible for a number of commissions in Melbourne, including the statues of Justice George Higinbotham and poet Adam Lindsay Gordon. For the latter he was awarded the gold medal of the Royal Society of British Sculptors. 

Montford's The Court Favorite captures the action of a lithe youth playing with his boisterous pet lion cub. The cub crouches low and tugs fiercely at the youth's cloak. In his right hand the youth clasps a decorated baton, its handpiece a carved elephant head. 

Councillor Baron Marks donated the statue to the Melbourne City Council. He had initially donated £200 towards statuary for Melbourne's parks and gardens, but when The Court Favorite became available he increased his donation to £400. The work was unveiled at a formal ceremony on 6 February 1930.

Get off the bus when not supposed to

I was on the way go home but this graffiti on Nicholson street make me get off.

Sculptures near Batman Park : Constellation I

when I first lived in Melbourne 10 years ago. It was not far away from here, all of sculptures located at one end of Yarra river ( between the King and Queen street bridges ) Not so many people walked pass this area but I like the sculptures and I didn't see for long time.

This is Melbourne’s historic Turning Basin, five large figureheads reflect upon the ethnic and cultural diversity of those who worked in the turning basin during the early years of settlement. Admire the dragon, woman, man, bird and lion that represent this period in Melbourne’s past. All this five sculpture name " Constellation " by Bruce Armstrong and Geoffrey Bartlett

Constellation II

Clear look of one of them

Constellation III

It's funny to say I like the back of all sculptures more than the front