FEAST OR FAMINE

The Drill Hall Gallery of the Australian National University in Canberra is exhibiting the works of Sally Gabori from April 4 to May 5, 2013. The exhibition, A Survey Exhibition of Paintings: 2005-2012 highlights a collection of bold and colourful pieces. All her pieces are synthetic polymer paint on linen. All the Fish (2005) is one of her earlier pieces with masses of circles, more like fish eggs than fish. Sandbank in Dirbirdibi (2006) shows the dark sandbank in the river bend, depicting the vivid blue of the water and the rich red earth.   Thundi (2008) is a vibrant piece in stark white, with black, orange, and blue, while Dirbirdibi (2009) throws into her more commonly-used colours a mass of violet and yellow to depict the diversity of the landscape. Born in 1924, artist Mirdidingkingathi Juwarnda - Sally Gabori - has a strong unique sense of colour which has catapulted her to worldwide acclaim in contemporary art. Her wide flourishing brushs...

A free community event celebrated a day of all things French in the city of Canberra. On Saturday April 6, 2013, at Albert Hall there were activities such as music, dancing, French stalls, food, French cooking lessons, a display of French cars and petanque. Alliance Francaise de Canberra and Telopea Park School joined together in a day of “Vive la France” activities to celebrate their significant anniversaries and to celebrate the Centenary of the naming of Canberra. Alliance Francaise de Canberra—an organization dedicated to teaching the French language and promoting the French lifestyle—was formed in 1943, so this year marks their 70 th anniversary. Telopea Park School (Lycee Franco-Australien de Canberra) was established in 1923, and since 1984 it became a bi-national French-Australian school. Hence the school is celebrating its 90 th anniversary. Canberra celebrates its 100 th anniversary this year.

Three artists conversed with Karen O’Clery at the Drill Hall Gallery of the Australian National University in Canberra on Friday April 5, 2013, a day after the official opening of their collective ceramic exhibition. The exhibition, entitled Vessel as Metaphor, continues until May 5. Australian artists Elizabeth Charles, Simone Fraser, and Gail Nichols discussed their works to an audience of about 30 guests. Elizabeth Charles exhibited slip castings, a significant shift from her hand thrown works. Her piece, such as Shrine 1 (2013)—photographed—is an example of her slip casting with dry glaze on porcelain. All her works feature a layered appearance, with objects on top of each other, but evenly balanced. For her, the vessel as metaphor represents the “ubiquitous nature of the vessel” that everyone can relate to, rather like a “time capsule of mankind.” Simone Fraser’s works are all wheel thrown and textured as she works, starting upside down, and breaking bou...

Staying Put: Making a Home in a Restless World (1993) is primarily autobiographical. It is a reflection on the author’s home and neighbourhood, where he has lived for the past twenty years, in order to understand his life. It is not in an environment of magnificent splendour or history or nature or beauty. Instead, it is a fine township in farm country Ohio, and the chance of a fresh start with his wife.   In the place Scott Russell Sanders calls home, he explores his sense of community and sense of place. He describes the people he is connected to and why, and of his surroundings – the view from the windows, the seasons, the changing landscape, its smells and impressions, and what makes a house a home. From its purchase in 1974 to the traditional settlers, and to the township’s development, he writes of the construction of the channel that has made Ohio into a “chain of lakes.” He writes of the birth and development of his daughter, to tornado memories, to famil...

From March 24-28, 2013, the first ever Festival of Science was held at the University of Makerere in Kampala, Uganda (BBC, March 18, 2013). Hosted by the BBC World Service, it showcased examples of significant international scientific research and explored how African science has contributed to the global science agenda. The Festival of Science in Uganda provided a unique opportunity to showcase new innovations in a range of scientific areas, from agriculture to technology. Live daily radio broadcasts facilitated discussions on the changing nature of scientific research in an African context. The daily themes included: (1) Where is science in Africa? (2) Cutting edge science in Africa (3) Health in Africa (4) Agriculture and (5) The future – can Africa become a centre for global excellence in science?    Following on from the Uganda science festival is the upcoming International Scientific Conference: Inauguration of the Advancement of Science in Africa, in P...

Lincoln: A Novel (1984) commences with Abraham Lincoln’s “secret” arrival in Washington DC as President-elect on February 23, 1861 for his move into the Executive Mansion—the White House—before his official inauguration as America’s 16 th president. With support from the North, Lincoln was elected in November 1860. The southern states (the Confederacy) declared their secession from the Union, and it was Lincoln’s goal to defend and reinstate the Union. Vidal’s novel describes Lincoln’s leadership to take control of the border states at the start of the Civil War and to re-unite the North and South, eventually succeeding in 1865 through the efforts of General Ulysses S. Grant.   T he prolific author, Vidal, states in the Afterword that the novel is based on fact, reconstructed from letters, journals, newspapers and diaries. He writes of the lawyer and Republican that he was lean, angular, long-legged, arthritic, who never ate enough and never slept enough. ...

A three metre dinosaur is missing in Canberra. Canberra police are hunting a dinosaur, reported the Canberra Times (March 24, 2013). The missing dinosaur is a fibreglass Utahraptor statue stolen from the National Dinosaur Museum in Gold Creek. It was taken last week, on Thursday evening or Friday morning. The statue (brown with dark stripes) is 3 metres (10 feet) long and 1.6 metres (5 feet) high. The Utahraptor was named after a skeleton was found in Utah, America. It has large, “slashing” hooked claws to strike its prey. Relatives of the Utahraptor were made famous in Steven Spielberg’s film, Jurassic Park. The real dinosaurs were up to 6.5 metres (21 feet) long and 2 metres (6.5 feet) tall, weighing almost a tonne. So the replica stolen dinosaur is almost the same height as the real dinosaur, but only half its length. Anyone finding it is asked to contact local Crimestoppers. Update March 26, 2013: The statue was recovered by police at a Canberra home aft...

The annual World Water Day on March 22 encourages water consciousness with regard to safe drinking water, water resources, and water management. At the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in 1992, an annual water day was declared and commenced in 1993. Each year has a specific theme. The World Water Day theme for 2013 is water cooperation to coincide with the 2013 International Year of Water Cooperation (announced by the United Nations in December 2010). Water cooperation implies an understanding and tolerance of global cultural, educational, scientific, religious, ethical, social, political, geographical, legal, institutional, and economic aspects to build peace, reduce conflict associated with water and food security, promote fair distribution and sustainable development. United Nations has the following water facts: 85% of the world’s population live in the driest half of the planet; 780 million people don’t hav...

The Chief Minister’s Canberra Gold Award recognizes the unique contribution made by individuals and groups who have chosen to make a long-term commitment to the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) and the city of Canberra. Through the Gold Awards, the ACT government celebrates four residents who have lived in Canberra for 50 years or more. Four residents and two organizations are celebrated in the Canberra Gold: 50 Years in the ACT  exhibition at the Canberra Museum and Gallery from February 2 to May 19, 2013. The exhibition is part of the Centenary of Canberra activities to mark the capital’s 100 th birthday. Eddie Carnall, Janette James, Dick Redman and Petronella Wensing, the Canberra City Band and the Canberra Mothercraft Society have all contributed to Canberra life for 50 years—and their memorabilia appear in the museum’s exhibit. Edwin Carnall, called Eddie, (1924-present) worked in the Manuka swimming pool in Canberra for his first job. At 18 he enliste...

In The Bridge and the Fruit Tree: John Young – A Survey, the artist presents three bodies of work: (1) Safety Zone, (2) Abstract Paintings, and (3) Cardinal Paintings. Born in Hong Kong and raised in Australia, John Young (1956-present) explores universal themes of history, the human spirit, and culturalism—described as taking on the role of “cultural intermediary.” Safety Zone (2010) is the main feature of the exhibit—for its size, content, and message. It is a component of his recent series, Transcultural Humanitarian Projects, which examines historical episodes within the large-scale catastrophes of revolution and world war. Safety Zone obtains its name from the international safe zone in Nanjing. In 1937 a group of 21 foreigners saved the lives of about 300,000 Chinese citizens during the “Rape of Nanjing” by sheltering them in the international Safety Zone. Young’s work is a tribute to this little-known humanitarian event. Working on the Safety Zone projec...