Issue No. 14: Wallism

Redfern Biennale_This weekend! Oh Boy!

THIS SATURDAY MARCH 21, 2015  FROM 11AM – 6PM the Redfern Biennale will be happening.

Here's the back story: On Saturday the 8th of March 2014 the inaugural Redfern Biennale came to life. 

Organised by one of the movers and shakers of the Sydney art world, Damien Minton, the Redfern Biennale was an exciting experiment in taking art to the streets and 

just standing back and watching what that concept triggered. 

And man it triggered some ***t.  

But then again art is suppose to get people all thingy.

It’s all happening again this Saturday, the 21st of March in the same location of Redfern bound by the streets of Elizabeth, Walker, Cooper and Redfern. 

Do not miss it. It is a whole lot of fun, and a little bit of chaos, and a tiny touch of drama (maybe).

Some words from Damien himself: View for free ready-mades, sculpture, multi media, new media, painting, found object or even a cobweb on the street.

The Redfern Biennale is an outdoor, eclectic, democratic free-for-all happening that will just happen on the day.

There is no Council approval, we are just placing the work on the streets for 7 hours.

Alongside a list of over 40 Sydney based practicing artists we feature the display of artwork by local NSW Housing Commission residents.

American artist Mike Kelley inspired the notion of the Biennale as his cacophonous, 
disorientating agglomerations and sprawling stuff heaped upon other stuff installations were described by art critic
Jerry Saltz in the Village Voice 2005, as a pioneering example of ‘clusterfuck aesthetics’. 

Chalk Talk_Simple but effective

When chalk talks many things are said...Enthusiastic things.
Delightful images are drawn that speak to us on a universal level.

We have all drawn something in chalk on the footpath when we were but small and full of the zest of life. 
Full of the "Look what I did" philosophy that so sadly get pummelled out of most because 'you can't make a living out of being creative' attitudes.

Pick up that chalk again and have second bash at being creative for the simple sake of just being creative.
Look at the drawings on the walls and the footpath that you encounter, and enjoy them, for they are the results of someone's joyful enthusiasm. 

A second 'reason to be'

Glass jars are a perfect alternative to fancy or ‘designed’ vases. 

They re-enforce the concept and philosophy of an active recycled/upcycled thinking, with an ever-pleasing aesthetic thrown in as a wonderful bi-product. 

The way light refracts through the water that fills these jars is as beautiful as the flowers that the jars hold.  

Sometimes there is pressed or embossed type which adds to the backstory and visual interest of the old industrial jars.

 
Sadly the slightly disturbing trend of designing and producing vases that mimic industrial jars has emerged with the intent to cash in on to the whole upcycling fashion. 

This defeats the entire point of recycling or developing a second 'reason to be'. 

The point is not to create any more stuff...it is to use what already exists. 

Stores such as Seasonal Concepts in Redfern, Ici e La in Surry Hills and others spend their time hunting down these beautiful old industrial jars 

to ensure that they find new homes and have a second chance.

The simple things in life

Buying a new scrubbing brush or some bright steel or copper wool always delights me.

The stiff new bristles guaranteeing the job at hand will be completed quickly and thoroughly.  

The pots and pans shining bright is always a beautiful thing!

Celebrate the little things that bring you joy...remember JoyDay on the 25th November.

Feb's Wallism_Waiting

This month’s Wallism was found in Wynn Lane, Brisbane, Australia. I have no idea who is the creator of this wonderful piece of Wallism (a shame).
It made me want to say something about hanging around and sometimes having one’s time wasted waiting for 

people who are horribly late or for the bus that never seems to comes. 

So I found this little poem. It appealed to me. Not sure if it is entirely apt but it is amusing.

Standing is stupid,

crawling's a curse,

skipping is silly,

walking is worse.

hopping is hopeless,

jumping's a chore,

sitting is senseless,

leaning's a bore.

running's ridiculous,

jogging's insane...

Guess I'll go upstairs and

lie down again.”   

Shel Silverstein, A Light in the Attic

Urban Street Knitting_Delightful Strangeness

This kind of incredible urban knitting (or Yarn Bombing) has been appearing around the inner city areas of

Surry Hills, Darlinghurst, Redfern and Waterloo for the past couple of years.  

It is engaging and delightful to see, but who has time to find out where it comes from. 

Who generates these beautiful creative installations? 

After a bit of research Shiftazine found this site: srchtag.com/ex/Isr2r28jgga5of6.html 

please go have a look at it, as it is a wonderful trove of information about urban knitting and the knitters behind the installations.

Shiftazine thanks all Yarn Bombers for their energy, their time and the beautiful end results that go to making our areas so much better.