Tag Archives: art

Iconic Graffiti-Covered Laneway Gets A Makeover in Melbourne

I was surprised to read in this morning’s newspapers online here in Australia that Hosier Lane, a rather well-known graffiti-covered spot in the heart of Melbourne, has had a makeover this week.

This tiny but historic street is amidst the old garment district of Melbourne and the laneway’s name tells you what was once there — hosiers — makers of socks and stockings. I was just there last week taking the photos below, but now it has had a fresh ‘undercoat’ placed on the brick walls and laneway paving so that the graffiti artists can come back and create fresh artwork on a ‘blank canvas’ of blue paint. Curious, or perhaps intentional, that blue was chosen as the background colour since the laneway has a distinct blue overtone due to the quality of light that sifts into the narrow street as the taller buildings loom over it.

Interesting idea — or simply strange? Some of the previous ‘artwork’ was surprisingly well done. It’s all a matter of individual taste and some people will never enjoy the tiny slice of over-the-top-colourful Melbourne across Flinders Street from Federation Square on Hosier Lane.

Graffiti covered Hosier Lane in the heart of Melbourne, Australia

Graffiti covered Hosier Lane in the heart of Melbourne, Australia with the Federation Square entry to the NGV Ian Potter art museum at the end of the laneway across Flinders Street

Graffiti covered Hosier Lane in the heart of Melbourne, Australia

Totally Transfixed in Melbourne, Australia

Had to share this with you. As I was pressing the shutter, I knew I had captured a unique moment. The three men sitting motionless on the bench and the woman standing as still as a statue were all completely mesmerised by the same thing — an art installation at the NGV museum in Melbourne, Australia which consisted of a long strand of what appeared to be metallic tape as it was blown back and forth between two large electric fans. It was an interestingly silent moment!

3 seated men & 1 standing woman are mesmerised by metal tape blowing between 2 large electric fans at the NGV art museum in Melbourne, Australia

4 Things To Do On A Sunday in Melbourne, Australia

We’ve been back in Melbourne, Australia for a week now, so it was definitely time for one of our favourite pursuits — a day out and about in the city for a few hours of food and culture. Seriously, Melbourne is such a vibrant city that even if it is a gray-sky and gloomy day, if you are bored — you just need to get up and get OUT of the house!

Glistening even on a gloomy autumn day, a partial skyline view of Melbourne, Australia across the Yarra River from Southgate.

Here are 4 things to do on a Sunday in Melbourne.

1. Arrive at your destination without the hassle of finding an overpriced parking place if you travel by train for an easy way around the city. The comprehensive train network makes Melbourne such a joy to travel throughout!

Turnstiles inside the Flinders Street Station in Melbourne, Australia

2. Eat a reasonably priced lunch in an eclectic food court inside a beautiful building at Southgate. There are also some wonderful luxury stores and full service restaurants in this multi-level building complex.

One of the multi-level entries to the Southgate shopping & dining complex alongside the Yarra River in Melbourne, Australia

Diners at the food court on the lower level of the Southgate shopping and dining complex in Melbourne, Australia

3. Go to the Sunday Market at the Melbourne Arts Centre to see quality handcrafted art, craft, and food items. The row of glass-overhang-covered artists has an enthusiastic audience each weekend.

Sunday Market flag indicating the weekend event outside the Melbourne Arts Centre in Australia

Artists and craft vendors lined up alongside the Melbourne Arts Centre each Sunday

4. Spend an inspiring afternoon at a world class museum — the NGV on St. Kilda Road. There were hundreds of people milling around inside this large art museum, but there was a very happy and relaxed vibe. Autumn leaves were swirling around outside of the beautiful bluestone facade and the people strolling by were dressed appropriately for the cooler temperatures.

Autumn leaves falling outside the NGV art museum in Melbourne, Australia

The current winter blockbuster show at the NGB is Monet’s Garden, a travelling exhibit from France. But since we have seen so many of these works at various venues worldwide, we chose to visit several of the permanent exhibit galleries as well as one special exhibit — Dior and Yamamoto: The New Look

Dior sketches from the 1940s post-World War II “New Look” collection

Dior black wasp-waisted dress and black hat from the 1940s post-World War II “New Look” collection

The other enjoyable exhibit, in part as an observer of the effect of it on the audience as they either walked by or interacted with it, was Clinamen by Céleste Boursier-Mougenot, a sound and motion exhibit with round white ceramic bowls floating in a round pool of deep blue water. The gentle clink as bowl contacted bowl tinkled pleasantly in the atrium space.

Floating ceramic bowls in a pool of water at the NGV art museum in Melbourne, Australia create a ringing sound as each one gently bumps into an adjoining bowl

Floating ceramic bowls in a pool of water at the NGV art museum in Melbourne, Australia create a ringing sound as each bowl gently bumps into an adjoining bowl.

Photo Of The Day: Angles of Steepness in Melbourne, Australia

Taken from a bridge walkway down onto another glass bridge walkway, a photo of angles and steepness inside the contemporary interior space of the NGV art museum in Melbourne, Australia.

Taken from a high walkway overhead, a lone woman walks on a green-tinted glass bridge within the contemporary interior of the NGV art museum in Melbourne, Australia.

Inside The Pompidou Collections in Paris

As promised, here is a glimpse at some of the artwork within the Centre Pompidou in Paris, France. The collections are vast, so this is just a tiny snippet from a few galleries plus a few shots from a current special exhibition.

Any of the smaller versions of photographs will expand if you click on them and you will be able to see more detail.

The current special exhibit is devoted to the life and work of the artist and designer Eileen Gray. We have been admirers of her work for quite a long time and until we sold off all of our furniture in Australia prior to our 2-1/2 year round-the-world jaunt, we had one of those glass and chrome side tables that you see pictured in the museum shop photo.

The lines to purchase tickets at the Centre Pompidou in Paris, France

A photographic portrait of designer & artist Eileen Gray

Examples of the forward-thinking tables and chairs designed by Eileen Gray in the 1920s-1940s which are still relevant in today’s contemporary decor.

Curved leather divan designed by Eileen Gray in the 1920s

Authorized reproductions of Eileen Gray design pieces which are for sale in the shop at the Centre Pompidou in Paris, France

And here is a tiny selection of some items in the permanent collection inside the Pompidou.

A red metal man sculpture by Olivier Mourgue

Hanging neon sculpture at the Centre Pompidou in Paris, France

A selection of colourful paintings with sexual themes

A huge punched metal sculpture that practically fills a room inside the Centre Pompidou in Paris, France

A very large hanging sculpture named Fruits de la Passion

Pompidou Photo Essay — Part 2

Here we go with a continuation of the Pompidou photo essay!

Did you ever wonder what the inside of the Pompidou looked like? Or what all of those clear plastic tubes on the exterior of the structure were for? These photos should answer some of that.

The vast interior lobby of the Centre Pompidou

Walkway through one of the clear plastic tunnels at the Pompidou

Even the elevators between the exhibit floors go through the clear plastic tubes on the outside of the building!

View of the Parisian landscape from the VERY top of the Centre Pompidou in Paris, France

Come back soon for MORE from the Pompidou including pieces of artwork inside!

Perfectly Wonderful Pompidou

We simply adore Paris and from past experience I know that staying in just the right place makes all of the difference in how much you enjoy your visit. Our very small but simply wonderful apartment in the Marais which I had sourced from airbnb enhanced our brief citybreak in Paris on several levels. The neighbourhood was wonderful and a mere few blocks from our front door was the Centre Pompidou.

A few hours after our arrival in Paris, we strolled through a misty rain down the street at dusk and past the Pompidou. It is an astonishingly odd building and it continues to be controversial. Many people snicker at the exterior facade and the brightly coloured ‘plumbing pipes’ that look like nothing else in the neighbourhood. It grew on me!

Centre Pompidou at dusk

Close-up of Centre Pompidou in Paris, France

Then we walked around to an open plaza in back and took photos of the wonderful sculptural objects in the Stravinsky Fountain.

Stravinsky Fountain next to the Centre Pompidou in Paris, France

Moving elements within the Stravinsky Fountain next to the Centre Pompidou in Paris, France

Next up — photos of the inside of this vast museum and some of the wonderful artwork in the collections.

A Wanderful Life

The Neverending Journey