Serbian artist Marina Abramovic has been called the grandmother of performance art. Her works have often involved pain and endurance. In Art Must Be Beautiful, her iconic 1975 performance-for-video, she agressively combs and brushes her long hair, teasing it up, while repeating ‘art must be beautiful, artist must be beautiful’. Her voice and expression betray her pain. In watching the video, one senses that the camera has taken the place of a mirror. Abramovic’s simple act is open to interpretation. It has been seen as exemplifying a feminist critique of expectations on women to be beautiful, and yet it is compelling viewing precisely because the artist is so beautiful. The work can be read as masochistic, but also as ascetic—with the artist entering a trance-like state, ‘freeing body and soul from the restrictions imposed by culture and from the fear of physical pain and death’.
Circle Gallery is hosting an exhibition called “Identity & Emotion”, opening this Friday, January 29th at 6pm. Circle Gallery is upstairs at 274 Montague Rd, West End – click here for a Google Map.
The exhibition features the work of local artists Genevieve Robey, Sally Ryhanen, Elzunia Rejmer, Jeremy Saxon Oxley, Isabelle Falconer, Graeme Gough, Mia Manson and Richard Taourei.
Here are examples of work from some of the artists:
The Brisbane Anime Society is having a screening this Saturday January 23 at QUT Gardens Point campus. The screening starts at 4pm and goes to 8pm, and it costs $3 – only $2 if you’re a member of the BAS; you can sign up as a member at the screening for $10. The screening is in D Block – see below for a link to a Google Map showing how to get there.
The best way to get to QUT is to catch a City Cat to the QUT Gardens Point ferry terminal, then walk along Alice St, turn right past Parliament House then turn right when you get into the QUT grounds – click here for a Google Map. The other way is to catch a bus to Adelaide St in the City and walk down George St till you get to Parliament House and turn right to get to D block – you can also see that route on the Google Map. If you want to look up City Cat or bus timetables, click here to use the Translink journey planner.
The West End Film Festival is looking for Australian short films to show at the Festival on Sunday March 28th 2010 at the Rumpus Room in Russel St, West End. Films need to be submitted by Friday February 12th 2010. They say they’re looking for all genres and they encourage you to enter if it’s your first time making a film, and they also actively encourage “Aboriginal, queer, political, punk, experimental, and creative filmmakers”.
The best way to get to White Canvas gallery by public transport is to catch a 300, 306 or 322 bus from Stop 23 in Adelaide St in the city, and get off at Stop 6 on Wickham St in the Valley, right near the Valley swimming pool. Keep walking 50 metres or so in the same direction that the bus was going and turn left into Church St – the gallery is at number 26, on the left hand side. Click here for a Google Map showing the bus stops.
Last night I went to the Troubadour in the Valley Mall to see Anna Weatherup launch her new album “After the Storm”. This vid shows her performing her song “Ova U” as part of her encore last night:
Anna Weatherup plays tonight, and also next Thursday January 28th at the Beach House Bar and Grill in the Myer Centre, Queen St Mall in Brisbane City. She’s also playing at the Portside Wharf, in Hamilton after midday on Australia Day, Tuesday January 26.
Brisbane artist Braidy Hughes is opening her exhibition “the painted girl” at Inspire Gallery Bar, 71 Vulture St West End, at 7pm this Thursday, January 21st. The exhibition runs until Wednesday January 27th.
On Sunday January 24th 2010, Brisbane City Rollers are holding a Fresh Meat day – a day for people (ages 18+ only, sorry) new to roller derby to come and try the sport out and see if they’d like to join a serious league. Brisbane City Rollers is unique in Queensland as they have a league for men and women – most roller derby leagues are women-only.
The Fresh Meat day is from 4.45 pm – 6.45 pm, and it’s $12 for the session. If you don’t have skates or protective gear you can hire them for an extra $10. (You have to wear the protective gear to train).
The show is set at St Love Hospital, and each night’s performance is based on suggestions from the audience. Impro Mafia says the show is
A cross between Grey’s Anatomy and The X-Files – with a dose of 1950s schlock horror and a good measure of fake blood
Apparently Season Two
saw St Love’s intrepid doctors & nurses battle Greek Sirens, ancient Aztec curses, drag queen aliens, voodoo puppets, phantoms and their own tumultuous love lives. What twists of fate will Season Three hold?
This video made up of photos and music from Prognosis: Death! Relapse (Season Two) shows you more of what it was like:
The Lifeline Bookfest opened yesterday at the Convention Centre in Merivale St, South Brisbane, and it runs till Sunday January 24th. It’s an enormous second-hand book sale which happens twice a year and it’s about the best way to get your hands on second-hand books in Brisbane.
