An anthropological exercise_Queen Victoria Markets

Markets are a reflection of a city’s life and habits.
Each market or ‘agora’ or ‘mercato centrali’ or ‘souk’ reveals to the first time visitor what the populous of the area
eats, drinks, and wears or fancies a bit of nonsense.
The last surviving 19^th century market within the CBD of Melbourne, the ‘Queen Victoria Market is one such place. 

Melbourne is a place of fare delights.  And ground zero for all of this food ‘gleeness’ is the Lower Market (Deli Hall, Meat & Fish Hall and H & I Sheds).
It was originally set aside in 1857 for a fruit and vegetable market due to over-crowding and congestion at the Eastern Market.

Bread is the measure of a culture and in the Deli Hall every culture is represented well.
Stacks of middle-eastern flat breads. Bundles of crisp baked Italian pane in all its guises are dispensed with speed through ‘old school’ large steel shop windows.
In other windows the eatable delights such as vegetable antipasti gleamed like colourful gems.
All colour and movement. All hassle and bussell.
There is a camaraderie in this space where everyone shares the same secret pleasure…good food.

There is another rich palette present in this hall that feeds the soul of the designer and the lover of visual delights. 
The paintings found on the windows above the store fronts are naive and charming.
Don’t know the history of them, but gee their are an integral part of it market’s atmosphere.
And how about the  broad range of typographic treatments. ..Script, sans serif, mono-stroke, geometric, all in gold.
Love it all! Melbourne rocks.

Location

65-159 Victoria Street
Melbourne VIC 3000

Opening hours

Tue: 6am – 2pm

Thu: 6am – 2pm

Fri: 6am – 5pm

Sat: 6am – 3pm

Sun: 9am – 4pm

* Closed on Good Friday, Anzac Day, Melbourne Cup Day, Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.

Luxury Scraps

Using scraps leftover thread from her family’s carpet factory in Buenos Aires, artist Alexandra Kehayoglou embarks on a laborious hand-tufting process
to fabricate wool carpets and rugs that mimic natural textures like moss, water, trees, and pastures.

The carpets balance form and function and can powerfully transform an entire room into a lush meadow dotted with pools of water and tufts of grass.
Many of her works even function as part tapestry and flow from walls to floor, or work as covers for chairs or stools.

One-of-Kind Wool Rug Artworks by Alexandra Kehayoglou Mimic Rolling Pastures and Mossy Textures by Christopher Jobson on February 4, 2016

You can find more of Kehayoglou’s carpet creations on Instagram, Artsy, and on her website. (via Faith is Torment)

A Wallism that speaks a volume

While walking through Redfern, an inner city area of Sydney, shiftazine found this 'Wallism'.
It is a beautiful poster that sits on a very old green painted wall of a very old building in the heart of Redfern.
The sentiment of the poster struke shiftazine as an important one.
How does one define a nationality in this modern world?
Is it one of genealogy?
Is it one of history?
Or is it one of an attitude?
Here is some information found on Wikipedia about the contribution and association Afghanistan has with Australia.

Is it one The "Afghans" or "Ghans" were camel caravaners who worked in Outback Australia from the 1860s to the 1930s.
They included Pathan, Punjabi, Baluchi and Sindhi men from the region between the southern Hindu Kush in Afghanistan and the Indus River in what is now Pakistan, as well as others from Kashmir, Rajasthan, Egypt, Persia and Turkey.
Besides providing vital support to exploration and settlement of the arid interior of the country, these cameleers played a major role in establishing Islam in Australia, building the country's first mosque at Marree in South Australia.
Even though the Afghans' help was greatly appreciated they were also subject to discrimination because of their religion and appearance.

All I see is Purple_Vale Prince

A sad day...

ChalkTalk_by Jack

‘Life is like art done in chalk, beautiful but temporary, enjoy it while possible.’ www.searchquotes.com/search/Chalk/

Place: Redfern Park, Sydney Australia.
Time: early morning.

Evidence: play from the evening before.

Engagement: imagination and multiple coloured chalk.

Result: delight from all who come across the drawings.

The Sun shines and time passes

Just up the road from the Queen Victoria Markets on Elizabeth Street in inner city Melbourne lives a place known as the The Junk Company.

It does not have a wildly impressive exterior, blink and you might miss it as you zoom past.  

I think it might actually be a Tardis because when you enter through its portal you are transported to many other times and places.  
The chaos of the design universe awaits you.  Go see for yourselves.