Wallism_Ruffling feathers

There is a lane way, well two lane ways in the inner west area of St Peters of Sydney called May Lane, 

and it is the venue for an art gallery of sorts, that has gradually appeared and grown in intensity and intent. 

This fantastic and organic art venue is full of the most beautiful and diverse contemporary street art.

From street knitting to old school type based graffiti murals to beautiful paintings of herons (as this one above), its Wallism at its finest.

Compartment Apartment

My friend lives in a disused 1930s office block in Sydney’s CBD. 

It is full of people who use the empty office spaces as photo studios, creative spaces, and living areas. 

It is somewhat of a warren with bridges and overpasses that lead up and down stairways,

around corners and down narrow corridors all of which are completely covered with graffiti.

He has made a disused office space into a compartment apartment with each small area,

within the empty room, have different but complimentary functions.  

He has put it all together on a shoestring budget.  

With lots of street shopping, otherwise known as stuff that has been dumped, 

he has created an apartment that is a welcoming, enjoyable, intimate home.

Clever him.

The art of the bearded tit

It is unusual that shiftazine would do a follow up article so soon after an initial article, but the Bearded Tit in Redfern Sydney 
has so many aspects to it that one article simply would not do.

The space used to be known as Legge Gallery and now it is known as the new bar in  town, the Bearded Tit. 

And while the type of business has changed slightly,it still provides Sydney artists with 

a wonderful venue to show their current work.  

Culture and cocktails all in one place...yes  please!  http://www.TheBeardedTit.com/ opened tuesday to sunday 4:00pm to midnight 183 Regent St, Redfern Sydney, Australia  (02) 8283 4082

A Mystery Box

No one knows where the box or the stuff within, religious in theme, came from. 

The boys from Seasonal Concepts bought it at an auction with no background details.

It just spoke to them, so they put their hand up. 

The wax hands that hold the sets of rosary beads are all too realistic and really remind us

of the wonderful Australian sculptor Ron Mueck.

Its likely that the box was a part of Cahill’s Matador restaurant, 

which was located in the CBD of Sydney in the 1940s and 1950s.

The Cahill restaurants were the first restaurant chain in Australia. 

And these supplied anyone growing up in Sydney in the 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s with

their first ‘going out’ experience.

Whatever the back story for this box and the collection within is, 

it is just a great thing or things.  

Something from Nothing

The sun came out the other day after a long, wet month. 

The shadows returned to the footpath. 

But something else was present upon the grey concrete...

a hot pink dot of paint that appeared about every metre along the slopping path. 

It was really nothing but it made shiftazine think it was actually something…

Something quiet beautiful.