Remembering Patrick White

 

2012 is the centenary of the birth of Patrick White, the Australian Nobel Laureate in Literature.

On Sunday 26 August 2012 I attended the MELBOURNE WRITERS FESTIVAL event
'Remembering Patrick White' at BMW Edge, Federation Square, Melbourne.

View from inside BMW Edge
© Barbara Oehring 2012
 

Last minute preparations before the show.

The panel: David Marr, Alison Croggon, Sophie Cunningham,

Rodney Hall and Peter Craven

© Barbara Oehring 2012



 

David Marr
Biographer of Patrick White
© Barbara Oehring 2012

KOOLAMARA WATERS WALK

KOOLAMARA WATERS in the foothills of the Dandenong Ranges is one of my favourite local birding spots.

 On Sunday afternoon I spent a little while observing birds and capturing on camera the following.


 Purple Swamphen on the alert during feeding.




Purple Swamphen
© Barbara Oehring 2012

 This Willie Wagtail stood still for the shortest time.


Willie Wagtail
© Barbara Oehring 2012



Galah
© Barbara Oehring 2012

  

The parklands were lush with green grass. It was August, the last month of winter.

Australian Magpie
© Barbara Oehring 2012

Red Wattlebird on the lookout.




Red Wattlebird
© Barbara Oehring 2012

It was time well spent.

Francis Reiss: War & Peace

© Barbara Oehring 2012

An exhibition of photographs by respected photo-journalist Francis Reiss is now showing at Whitehorse Art Space, Box Hill Town Hall until 1 September 2012.

This exhibition celebrates the end of the war and the beginning of peace in the 1940's.

Francis Reiss
© Barbara Oehring 2012

Images by Francis Reiss have appeared in LIFE, Time, Paris Match, the New York Times, The Australian and Good Weekend, amongst many other publications.


WAR & PEACE was officially opened by prominent literary and cultural critic Peter Craven on 9 August 2012.

Peter Craven
© Barbara Oehring 2012

Francis Reiss with visitor at his exhibition opening
© Barbara Oehring 2012

Francis Reiss: War & Peace
4 August - 1 September 2012
Whitehorse Art Space, Box Hill Town Hall
1022 Whitehorse Road, Box Hill

Floor Talk - Meet the photographer on Thursday 30 August, 2pm RSVP 9262 65250

CANCER COUNCIL VICTORIA

ARTS AWARDS 2012

I participated in this year's event with an image of my husband Rolf being prepared for radiation therapy.

© Barbara Oehring 2011



The Grand Exhibition Opening was held in the foyer of 120 Collins Street, Melbourne on 29 July 2012.

© Barbara Oehring 2012

St Michael's on Collins Uniting Church and 120 Collins St
© Barbara Oehring 2012

My work presented in the folio
© Barbara Oehring 2012

My image projected in the foyer of 120 Collins St
© Barbara Oehring 2012

I was pleased to meet writer and story teller Arnold Zable at the opening.

Arnold Zable
© Barbara Oehring 2012

Reconciliation Week Concert - Kutcha Edwards Trio

National Reconciliation Week is celebrated across Australia each year between 27 May and 3 June.

"The dates commemorate two significant milestones in the reconciliation journey—the anniversaries of the successful 1967 referendum and the High Court Mabo decision." (Reconciliation Australia)

The theme for National Reconciliation Week 2012 is 'Let's Talk Recognition'.

Whitehorse City Council in partnership with Reconciliation Victoria and Whitehorse Friends for Reconciliation presented a concert by the Kutcha Edwards Trio.

I attended this event on 1 June 2012 at Box Hill Community Arts Centre, Box Hill.

Stage for Kutcha Edwards Trio
Box Hill Community Arts Centre
© Barbara Oehring 2012

Story telling and music - a perfect way to 'bridge the gap'.

Kutcha Edwards told the audience how his life experiences inform his music.

  

Kutcha telling a story
with Alistair and Paul
© Barbara Oehring 2012

Kutcha performing a song

with Alistair and Paul
© Barbara Oehring 2012

Kutcha with Alistair
© Barbara Oehring 2012

  

Alistair McLean
© Barbara Oehring 2012

Kutcha pointing towards Paul
with Alistair
© Barbara Oehring 2012

Kutcha invited two ladies from the audience to join the Trio on the stage.

Finally everyone was asked to sing along.

© Barbara Oehring 2012

Age of Aquarius: the Photography of Paul Cox

I visited this travelling exhibition of photographs from Monash Gallery of Art at Whitehorse Art Space, Box Hill Town Hall.

The White Horse at Whitehorse Art Space
© Barbara Oehring 2012

On Saturday 21 April 2012 Paul Cox discussed his work with the MGA curator Stephen Zagala.

Paul Cox and Stephen Zagala
© Barbara Oehring 2012

Paul Cox is best known as an internationally acclaimed filmmaker.
Age of Aquarius: the Photography of Paul Cox celebrates his photography. Cox started out as a photographer in the 1960s and taught photography at Prahran College during the early 1970s where his students included Carol Jerrems.

Paul Cox studying his 1972 image "The Earth is warm (Queensland)"
and pondering its title
© Barbara Oehring 2012

Paul Cox told the audience that he dismissed and gave up photography to make films.

Since his illness in 2009 Cox took up and embraced photography again. He also wrote a book
Paul Cox Tales from the Cancer Ward about his journey from the start of his ill health to
receiving a liver transplant and beyond.

A signature trait of Cox's work is a deep humanism which is already apparent in his early
photographs taken throughout Asia and the Pacific in the 1960s.

During his floor talk Paul Cox met up with former fellow Prahran College lecturer Derrick
Lee and two of their students John (Wynn) Tweg and Graeme Horner.

Derrick Lee, photography lecturer Prahran College 1969- 1993 (VCA)

John (Wynn) Tweg, Paul Cox and Graeme Horner

© Barbara Oehring 2012

Age of Aquarius: the photography of Paul Cox, Whitehorse Art Space, Box Hill Town Hall

19 April - 26 May 2012



COLD EELS AND DISTANT THOUGHTS

COLD EELS AND DISTANT THOUGHTS is an exhibition at Monash Gallery of Art by eight Aboriginal male photographers on Aboriginal men.

On Saturday 14 April 2012 I attended the artist and curator talk which led to the opening of the exhibition by Gary Foley, Aboriginal Gumbaynggir activist, academic, writer and actor.

Welcome to country was performed by Wurundjeri Elder Colin Hunter jr.

Uncle Colin Hunter
© Barbara Oehring 2012

The exhibition includes work by Michael Aird, Mervyn Bishop, Adam Hill, Gary Lee, Ricky Maynard, Peter McKenzie, Michael Riley and Jason Wing. It explores many of the stereotypes associated with Aboriginal masculinity from a range of perspectives, including documentary and conceptual practice.

Legendary photographer Mervyn Bishop with his photograph of prime minister Gough Whitlam pouring sand through the hands of Aboriginal Gurindji elder Vincent Lingiari. Bishop's photograph symbolised the return of land to its traditional owners. It became one of the defining images of the 1970s.

Mervyn Bishop
© Barbara Oehring 2012

Jason Wing is one of the younger generation artists included in the exhibition. Here he is with his 'An Australian government initiative self-portrait'

Jason Wing
© Barbara Oehring 2012

Cold eels and distant thoughts is curated by Indigenous curator and writer Djon Mundine OAM. "The central intention of the exhibition is to see Aboriginal men as just normal males with varying attributes, attitudes, fears, and hopes and dreams for a better future."

The catalogue informs that the title for the exhibition comes from a statement by Afro-American boxer Jack Johnson (1878-1946). When asked why white women were attracted to black men, Johnson amusingly and cryptically replied: 'We eat cold eels and think distant thoughts'.

The exhibition opening was a joyous event with the photographers happily snapping each other. They asked me to do this group shot.

Michael Aird, Jason Wing, Djon Mundine, Adam Hill, Mervyn Bishop, Gary Foley
and friend Margaret
© Barbara Oehring 2012

Destiny Deacon, photography, video, installation & performance artist attended the opening of Cold eels and distant thoughts.

Destiny Deacon
© Barbara Oehring 2012

Cold eels and distant thoughts at Monash Gallery of Art until 3 June 2012.