A bit of cultcha

Just got back from a few days in Melbourne.  It was time to catch up with a couple of exhibitions before they closed, enjoy good food, get tickets to a performance of something or other.  A bit of culture to drive away the winter blues.

Didn't do too well with the performance.  Couldn't find anything particularly inspirational at the ballet, theatre, concert hall or cinema.  However, even though I'm no fan of musicals, did catch a performance of Annie on Friday night.  Thought at first it would be an expensive snooze, but have to say I got into the spirit of it after the intermission, and enjoyed the accompanying sense of theatre (and pantomime).  Certainly worth it, and always good to hear Hard Knock Life.

Ben Quilty - Captain S after Afghanistan

Saturday was all about a trip up the Yarra valley to TarraWarra Museum of Art where paintings from the 2012 Archibald Prize were on display.  While the terms of the prize invites artists to submit 'portraits painted from life of men or women "distinguished in Arts Letters Science or Politics"', I'm always surprised how liberally the judges interpret that and how pretentious/wanky some of the artist's statements are.  Nonetheless, most of the art submitted is superb and well worth travelling to see each year. 

 Monika Behrens - The artist's practice

One of my favourite pieces was the life painting by Ben Quilty (who won the 2011 prize) - Captain S after Afghanistan - although, in terms of meeting the aims of the prize, I'd have probably chosen Monika Behrens' The artist's practice or Jenny Sages' After Jack. I particularly liked the use of light and shadows in Behrens' piece, and the theatre of the pose.

Jenny Sages - After Jack

The prize was won this year by Tim Storrier for The histrionic wayfarer (after Bosch).

 Tim Storrier - The histrionic wayfarer (after Bosch).

Excellent  eats were to be found at:

• Red Pepper Indian Restaurant, 14 Bourke Street, Melbourne (close to Parliament);
• Innocent Bystander, 336 Maroondah Highway, Healesville;
• La Camera Italian Restaurant, Southbank, Melbourne.