Moving Galleries E-News July 2010
Welcome
This month, we celebrate the first five years of Moving Galleries. In that time, and with your support, we’ve transformed it from an idea into a reality, and we have produced five sensational exhibitions, which have been seen by hundreds of thousands of Melbourne commuters.
While it may be a few more months before the next exhibition of Moving Galleries is up and running, don’t think for a second we’re resting on our laurels.
As you’ll see from this issue, there has been plenty of activity at Moving Galleries. Firstly, we’ve tallied up your votes and we are delighted to announce the winners of the ‘People’s Choice Awards’ ... you’ll have to read on to find out who won.
We’ve also gathered a group of passionate Moving Galleries supporters to form an Advisory Board. They are helping us take the necessary steps to establish Moving Galleries as a separate organisation, with a clear and sustainable model for future operations.
At the same time, our Poetry Selection Committee has been knee deep in short poems, prose, rookus and haikus sorting through submissions for the ‘Observance’ exhibition, which we’re hoping to bring you in the coming months, with art from our arts partner, Arts Projects Australia.
Between now and the next issue, we’ll be letting the shortlisted poets know of their involvement and announcing the exhibition dates - so stay tuned.
And don’t forget, you can always join us at http://www.facebook.com/MovingGalleries.org or follow us at http://twitter.com/movinggalleries
Cheers,
Jack Walden and the Moving Galleries team
Program news
People’s Choice Award Winners
Did you see the announcement on the ‘Melbourne Life’ page of The Age today?
Moving Galleries is pleased to announce the recipients of the People’s Choice Awards for the Transformation exhibition are Sean M Whelan and Kirsty Hulm.
The Poetry Award goes to Sean M Whelan for his poem ‘everything we ever changed our minds about’. His poem about autumn and love was a standout among the final 30 poems displayed.
Kirsty Hulm won the Artist Award for her installation ‘Imagine Me and You I Do’, which featured on the city’s St Paul Cathedral. Her work was originally part of the 2008 Next Wave Festival.
Congratulations to Sean and Kirsty as well as all the wonderful poets and artists who were involved in the ‘Transformation’ exhibition.
Public prize
Congratulations also go to Daniel Donahoo who won a prize worth $500 for simply casting his vote in the People’s Choice Awards.
Daniel was a little taken aback by the prize, as he was unaware that with voting came a reward. So what does he think about receiving a prize for simply voting for the piece that resonated with him the most?
“Moving Galleries has provided me with so much enjoyment over the years. A Moving Galleries carriage demands that we commuters pick ourselves up from our seat and survey each poem and artwork before we depart for jobs or home or otherwise.
I think Moving Galleries is demonstrating the increasing connection authors and readers have with each other, and hopefully with this city. The Internet has emerged from its infancy and we are now capable of all simultaneously being producers and receivers of words, stories, poems, pictures and ideas.
Thanks for making the journey a little brighter Moving Galleries, and thanks to all those that contribute to a project that we hope prospers and thrives well into the future.”
Well done Daniel and thank you for supporting our poets and artists.
Advisory Board
An interim Advisory Board has been established to help take the necessary steps to set Moving Galleries up as a separate entity, and develop a sustainable business model.
We will be keeping you updated on the progress of the Advisory Board via our website.
Poetry Selection
Thank you for the overwhelming response to our call for poetry submissions for the next exhibition.
Our Selection Committee now has the task of sorting through hundreds of submissions of short poems and haikus for the ‘Observance’ exhibition. Selection is well underway and we should have our final 30 poems chosen in the coming weeks.
The final selection will be undertaken by veteran Moving Galleries selector Kevin Brophy from the University of Melbourne as well as Luis Serrano Gonzalez, the new director of Overload Poetry Festival and Elisabeth Williams from the Department of Transport.
Commuting with… Matt Hetherington
Matt Hetherington performing at the 2008 Overload Poetry Festival (Image courtesy of Michael Reynolds)
In each issue of our e-newsletter, we’re going to ask a poet, artist, sponsor or a member of the team about their experiences commuting with Moving Galleries.
What’s your role with Moving Galleries?
Along with Lia Hills and Myron Lysenko, I was the initiator of the poetry aspect of the project. So I see my role partly as looking after the artistic side of things, remembering where we started, and making sure the poets don’t get forgotten in the middle of this massive, many-sided enterprise. Officially, I’m one of the poetry editors, and also I’m on the Advisory Board.
What does the initial selection process involve?
LOTS of poems! Reducing the submissions down to the required number (usually from something like 1,000 to around 90 or so), which seems to involve open-mindedness, tact, and the ability to give up poems that one likes, too...Lia and I get on pretty well, and generally have fairly similar ideas of what good poetry is and isn’t, and are both able to compromise. Although, I’m the good guy, of course…
What is your overall reaction to the quality of poetry submissions, for this exhibition and previous exhibitions?
Funny, actually, this was the first time I thought ‘Wow, pretty low standard there’, and then later realised I was wrong. About half the people who submit obviously don’t read much poetry, but I think occasionally can produce a good poem anyway. I’d actually like to see even MORE well-known poets submitting, but the amount of input from the general public has been really large, which is what we were hoping for, and a big part of what we wanted the project to be about.
What’s your favourite part of Moving Galleries?
Seeing the work when travelling myself, the genuine gratitude from the writers (who are so glad to actually be read by people who may well not read poetry any other time), and hearing stories from folk who don’t know I’m involved, and tell me about this great piece they’ve seen on the train…
What’s next for you?
Coffee.
Have you got a tip to share with budding poets/writers?
Other than writing and writing and practicing patience? I think the other way to become a good writer is to read intensely and widely, particularly in the forms in which you’re writing.
Get moving and check out...
Henri ROUSSEAU
French 1844-1910
The avenue in St. Cloud Park (1907-08)
(Allée dans le parc de Saint-Cloud)
oil on canvas
46.2 x 37.6 cm
Städel Museum, Frankfurt am Main
Acquired in 1926
Image courtesy of the National Gallery of Victoria
Catch a train to Flinders Street station and walk or catch any tram along St Kilda Road to:
European Masters: Städel Museum, 19th-20th Century
19 June - 10 October 2010
National Gallery of Victoria
Tickets: $23 Concession: $18
European Masters brings together a remarkable collection of masterpieces from the Städel Museum in Frankfurt, one of the finest collections in Europe.
For more information, visit www.ngv.vic.gov.au
Get off the train at Melbourne Central and head along to:
Debut Mondays: Featuring Daniel Ducrou, Anna Dusk, Tess Evans and Andy Jackson
19 July 2010, 6.15 - 7.15pm
The Wheeler Centre Auditorium, 176 Little Lonsdale Street, Melbourne
Free event
For more information, visit www.wheelercentre.com
Also watch out for Melbourne Art Fair (4-8 August), Melbourne Writers Festival (27 August - 5 September) and Overload Poetry Festival (10 - 19 September).
Check out more arts and literate events you can head along to at www.movinggalleries.org/getmoving
And in other arts and literature news
Skype Slam
Melbourne poets will be taking on the cream of the crop from Singapore’s LIT UP festival in the first round of a Tri-Nations Skype Slam on July 18 at the Wheeler Centre. Representing Team Melbourne will be Emilie Zoey Baker, Maxine Beneba Clarke and Steve Smart. Ezra Bix will emcee the night.
May the best cyber-slammer win!
Tickets are available on the night. For more information, please visit http://www.overloadpoetry.org
What does $60 million buy you?
Did you know that Pablo Picasso’s Portrait of Angel Fernandez de Soto - also known as The Absinthe Drinker - sold for £34.7million? That’s $60million in Australian dollars. Painted in 1903 during Picasso’s blue period, the piece set a new record for British art sales.
At this stage, we can confirm this will NOT be featured in the next Moving Galleries exhibition 
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Thanks to our sponsors
Yandell Walton collaborates for Gertrude Street Projection
Moving Galleries artist Yandell Walton, who’s work ‘Cargo’ featured in the ‘Transformation’ exhibition, is part of an exciting collaboration which will feature in the 2010 Gertrude Projection Festival from this Friday.
Walton has collaborated with the indigenous communities of Fitzroy and the Melbourne Aboriginal Youth Sports Centre (MAYSAR) in a series of workshops to create a shadow projection titled “From All Over”.
The work is a cultural community art project funded by the City of Yarra and part of the 2010 Gertrude St Projection Festival opening this Friday night and running for 10 nights along Gertrude St, Fitzroy.
The festival’s theme “Me You Us” is reflected in the work. It is a shadow projection reflecting the coming together of the indigenous communities in Fitzroy from across Australia.
Over the last 10 weeks, Yandell and group met informally at community barbecues and at the recreation centre. Yandell said, “This was such an important part of the process, because by getting to know each other, the stories of the people and the importance of this area and street to the people came out.”
It was during this process that Walton ran the workshops at MAYSAR and at her studio in Collingwood.
“The idea was to engage, talk about the concept and develop a work that has deep meaning for the people involved”
Celebrating and encouraging the diversity that makes up the Gertrude St community is an aim of the Gertrude Association, the not for profit group producing the Gertrude St Projection Festival.
Gertrude St is an incredible mix of social community services, artists, restaurants, high fashion shops and it’s also a place where indigenous people have strong emotional, historical and cultural connections. This street saw the birth of many key developments of modern indigenous history.
‘From All Over’ is projected down a lane beside The Charcoal Lane restaurant, named in honour of the real Charcoal lane of Archie Roach’s song.
While it’s not an official part of NAIDOC week, the Festival exhibits it with pride and in the spirit of celebrating our remarkable indigenous Fitzroy community.
Jump on a tram and head along to the Festival from Friday.
Still on track
Moving Galleries may not be on the trains right now but don’t think for one second that we’re resting on our laurels.
As you may be aware, Moving Galleries is an initiative of the Committee for Melbourne’s Future Focus Group to foster Victorian artistic and literary talent. Currently, we’re working to establish it as a separate entity, including the development of a sustainable business model. We’ve also been in talks to Melbourne’s public transport operators and exhibition partners and hope to bring you another exhibition very soon. For more information about our Advisory Board, click here.
If you have any comments or feedback, please contact Jack or Maryann on .
Moving Galleries’ wheels are in motion so keep an eye out for us.
Sigourney Young Poets Interview
What drives you to write/create?
I draw a lot of inspiration from the everyday situations and the world around me. I think that too often people let everything pass by while they’re caught up in work and stresses. In my writing I want to capture a moment or an image or scene and just slow it down. I want to appreciate details and the depth that can be found in ordinary situations
How would you describe your writing style?
My writing uses a lot of imagery and often concentrates on the rhythm and sound of sentences through structure and word choice. I’m fascinated with the way that these elements can create mood and so enjoy working with them in my writing. I write usually in the third person because it gives me the opportunity to explore a number of characters in depth…
Who or what has influenced your writing?
My brother has had a lot of influence on my writing. While our styles are much the same he has the skill to easily manufacture situations in his writing that succeed in presenting a deeper meaning to reader. He encourages me to look more at the symbols and metaphor used in writing. I am also greatly influenced by social issues such as body image and human rights.
What good is poetry for the community/the world/trains/yourself?
I think that poetry is an incredibly thought provoking medium. The nature of poems to selective in words often means that they can relate to a larger variety of people as meaning can be subjective. I think that poetry is important to communities and those traveling on the trains in that they allow for engagement with the expressions of others and encourage expression in turn.
When/How often do you write?
I try to write as often as I can but because I am studying I write less than I’d like to. I’m study Short Fiction this semester and so am looking forward to exploring some new themes and styles in my writing. I think it’s important to remember though that writing doesn’t had to be about creating a whole story. Partial images and impressions of people or events are just as important in allowing expression and the continued development of writing skills.
Do you have a favourite poem of your own?
My favorite poem is actually a silly one that a friend wrote for me. One of the delights of poetry is that so much feeling can be expressed through so few words. Published poems though, my favorite is the German poem ‘Der Panther’ by Rainer Maria Rilke. I learnt the German version in high school in class and the beauty of the piece, and the rhythm and tone that the words created, have always amazed me.
Can we see your work anywhere else soon or at the moment?
At the moment you’ll have to ride the trains to see my work. However, I have been writing a number of pieces recently, both short fiction and poetry and will hope to get some more work out in the public eye soon.
What advice would you have for budding or withered poets?
The best advice I can give to others out there interested in poetry is just to keep on writing. Remember that there are all sorts of poetry styles and to just find your own, they don’t have to rhyme and they can be on whatever has caught your interest at the time.
Transformation Catalogue
Transformation exhibition catalogue is now available in the Collected Works Bookshop in the city and Avenue Bookstore in Albert Park.
Collected Works is at
Level 1 Nicholas Building
37 Swanston Street
Melbourne 3000
It will be available at more bookshops soon.
rrp $17.
Poets Interview - Sean M Whelan
What drives you to write/create?
Bunnies, broken hearts, line drawings, country music, trees at dusk, fifties dresses, skeletons, cowboy boots, rock and or roll, her handwriting, pushing back the waves of sadness, the memory of my father and a burning hole in my heart.
How would you describe your writing style?
I wouldn’t. Not unless I have to. I’ve never enjoyed trying to describe myself very much, perhaps because I don’t really have much of a plan to what I do. It comes mostly from a place of yearning, instinct and desperation.
I wouldn’t. Not unless I have to. I’ve never enjoyed trying to describe myself very much, perhaps because I don’t really have much of a plan to what I do. It comes mostly from a place of yearning, instinct and desperation.
Who or what has influenced your writing?
I’ve always loved melancholic works, in music, film or writing. There were two major schools of writing that influenced my work, that of the Dirty Realists and the Magical Realists. I guess I’ve been trying to pitch myself somewhere in between. Like ‘Dirty Magic’!
My two major writing buddies, alicia sometimes and Emilie Zoey Baker are always a big influence on my work too.
What good is poetry for the community/the world/trains/yourself?
Poetry is the pause button of life that gives us a chance to enjoy those fleeting moments of wonder just that little while longer. And trains just happen to be one of those perfect venues for such tiny sacred acts.
When/How often do you write?
Not as often as I feel I should. I don’t subscribe to the ‘writing when you feel inspired’ method. You just don’t get enough done if you go by that. You really have to treat it as a kind of job. And just try to be disciplined and get your bum down in front of a writing machine as often as possible.
Do you have a favourite poem of your own?
That changes all the time. At the moment though it’s a poem I was commissioned to write by the good folk at Going Down Swinging. It’s called ‘Slow and Pink and Gone.’ And it was a bit of a departure for me as far as the subject is concerned. I often write love poems, but this was a poem about the ultimate act of change; death. I wanted to write about death in a way that wasn’t morbid. Death after all, is one of the most natural things that can happen to us, but in the West it’s treated as an aberration. It all started for me with an image of a lion with the face of Harvey Keitel. It’s a long, languid dreamy poem that I really enjoy performing.
Can we see your work anywhere else soon or at the moment?
I have some very big shows coming up. Firstly at the Melbourne Writers Festival I’m performing in a show called Liner Notes. These have been a series of shows that are spoken word tributes to classic iconic albums. This one coming up will be covering Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller’ album. Ironically the album was chosen before he died. A different writer is chosen for each track, I’ve been allocated ‘Wanna Be Startin’ Something.’ We also have a band playing unique covers on the night. It should be a very special evening. That’s on the 27th August at The Toff in Town.
The next really big show after that will be part of the Melbourne International Arts Festival and will be held at the Planetarium. It’s called Elemental and will be a series of poems based on the origins of the universe. Emilie Zoey Baker, Alicia Sometimes and Paul Mitchell (all Moving Galleries poets!) are also involved as well as a bunch of very talented film makers and sound artists. We have three shows in Oct on the 15th, 18th and the 22nd. Check out http://www.elementalplanetarium.com for more details.
What advice would you have for budding or withered poets?
Treat it as a craft. Not just some form of venting or therapy. Give your potential audience some respect by not just offering your diary and calling it poetry. Dig deep but then polish the diamonds that you find down below.
Melbourne Transformed!
The Transformation Exhibition, the latest installment of the Moving Galleries travelling exhibition of art and poetry, was launched at Flinders Street station on a chilly morning in the middle of June. Peering through their winter woollies, artists and poets in attendance were able to view their work inside one of the trains that will usher the exhibition through the arteries of Melbourne.
The exhibition, the fifth in the Moving Galleries ‘Moving Melbourne through art’ series, features the musings of 23 poets and sublime creations of 26 artists on a series of posters dotting the walls of our city trains....
The artwork was curated in partnership with our art partner, Creative Spaces, an initiative of the City of Melbourne and Arts Victoria. Creative Spaces is a digital resource promoting the use of urban and rural locations for creative projects.
Transformation was chosen as the theme for this exhibition in order to showcase some of Victoria’s transient site-specific arts projects created in such diverse locations as Melbourne’s laneways, parklands, shops, racecourses, even a supermarket! A call also went out to the poets of Melbourne (both budding and withered!) to explore the theme.
Rob Hudson, Victorian State Parliamentary Secretary for the Arts officially opened the exhibition and talked about the importance of the Moving Galleries Project for Melbourne. It was noted that projects like Moving Galleries distinguish Melbourne as the cultural capital of Australia, providing a unique venue for artists and poets to showcase their work to a wider audience. Robbie Rowlands, an artist featured in the exhibition, also commended Moving Galleries to the arts communities of Melbourne and Victoria. He was especially enamored by the ability for the ephemeral works in the exhibition to be able to “live on” in the trains.
Moving Galleries hopes the audience will experience some form of transformation, big or small, by engaging with this current exhibition. Please visit the on-line version of the exhibition on this website and don’t forget to join, vote and comment on this website and let Moving Galleries know what you think and feel about the artwork you see and the poetry you read. Also let us know what you think of Moving Galleries?
The People’s Choice Awards were also announced for the Innocence exhibition. The People’s Choice Awards is a prize to the value of $500 given to the public’s favourite artist and poet at the end of each Moving Galleries exhibition period. Congratulations to artist Ella and poet alicia sometimes!
A 60-page catalogue of the Transformation exhibition is available for purchase – contact Jessie Doring Moving Galleries Project Manager through the website.
Transformation Media Release
MOVING_GALLERIES_TRANSFORMATION_Media_Release_17th_June_09.pdf
Transformation Launch at Flinders Street Station
The Transformation Exhibition was Launched at Flinders Street station on Wednesday morning the 17th June 2009. Artists and poets attended and were able to view their work on the walls of the carriages. Rob Hudson, Parliamentary Secretary for the Arts officially opened the exhibition and gave an enlighteing speech about the importance of the Moving Galleries Project for Melbourne. It was noted that projects like ours help make Melbourne the distinctive cultural capital of Australia, allowing a venue for artists to showcase their work and bringing art and poetry to a wider audience. Robbie Rowlands, an artist featured in the exhibition, spoke about the importance of projects like Moving Galleries to the arts communities of Melbourne and Victoria. In this instance, the ability for the ephemeral works that are within the exhibition to be able to “live on” and be seen by many more people than would otherwise be the case is of great importance to the artists in the exhibition.
Please Visit the on-line version of the exhibition on this website and don’t forget to Join, Vote and Comment on this website. Moving Galleries would love to know what you think and feel about the artwork you see and the poetry you read. Also let us know what you think of Moving Galleries?
Looking forward to your feedback....
Spring “Innocence” Launch Huge Success
The Spring Moving Galleries “Innocence” Launch was a wonderful success. The Launch was held at ArtPlay, Project Partners for the Innocence Artwork, in Birrarung Marr late November. The 18 junior artists’ panel paintings and the 23 poets’ poetry was displayed within the space and enjoyed by all.
Sally Capp, CEO of the Committee for Melbourne officially launched the new exhibition. An interesting speech was given by Rob Hudson; Parliamentary Secretary for Transport and the Arts and it was wonderful to hear of his enthusiasm for the Moving Galleries Project. Following was an equally engaging speech by Connex’s Executive Chairman Jonathan Metcalfe about how their support of Moving Galleries helps to captivate, amuse and engage the commuters that travel across the train network. Mr Metcalfe explained that supporting local communities and also the arts in Melbourne is of great importance to Connex.
Look out for the great chidrens’ artwork and inspiring poetry on your traintrips around Melbourne over the next few months. Connex is currently working hard installing the new exhibition onto another 40 trains in their network!
You can also peruse the new poetry and artwork on this website by clicking on the Artwork and Poetry links on the left side of this page and do not forget to vote for your favourite artist and poet!
Voting now closed for Autumn 2008 Exhibition’s Peoples’ Choice Award
The voting process has closed for the Autumn 2008 Exhibition’s Peoples’ Choice Awards.
Thank you to everyone who voted online. Winners will be announced in the near future.
Last chance to vote for Peoples’ Choice Award
Public voting will close in one weeks’ time on 12 Wednesday, November, 2008. Place your votes via the website before next Wednesday as one lucky member of the voting public to take away a prize, to the value of $500.
Follow the link to the Peoples’ Choice Awards, and follow the instructions to place your vote. Good luck to all artists, poets and Moving Galleries members! The winners will be announced in a few weeks!
Spring exhibition selection finalised and Moving Galleries appoints new project manager
The Moving Galleries Spring Exhibition selection is finalised and all the poets and artists are being notified. Moving Galleries is full steam ahead getting ready for the roll out of the new season “Innocence” exhibition on Connex trains and you should start seeing the exciting new exhibition on your way to work or play from late November. The art side of the exhibition feature’s children’s’ art made at Artplay in Birrarung Marr, and the poetry selections have been expanded to include longer form poetry in addition to the Rooku.
The move to longer forms is part of Moving Galleries ongoing commitment to keeping the project vibrant and introducing a broader range of forms of poetry to the community. Over the coming exhibitions we will have everything from sonnets to free verse and we encourage those submitting to be innovative in their work (as long as it will fit on a decal). Also, we remain faithful to our original beginnings with short form poetry, or rooku, even as we expand into different forms. Our aim is to be as representative as possible of the type of poetry that is being read and written by Victorians.
Due to the long absence of a Project Manager for the Moving Galleries recently, the Autumn 2009 Creative Spaces short-listed artists and poets’ selection process has had to be put on hold. Jessie Doring the newly appointed Project Manager would like to state her many apologies to all artists and poets who are awaiting the results of the selection process. The new Project Manager is working hard at bringing all projects up to date. Final decisions for the Autumn 2009 selection for Creative Spaces will be announced in the new year of 2009.
Autumn 2008 exhibition Launch
Art transforming trains seemed a recurrent theme as we launched the Moving Galleries 2008 exhibition last Thursday night at Art Play, the historical red-brick railway shed now converted to a cultural precinct. Located at Birrarung Marr Park along the Yarra, just a short work from the hub of trains at Flinders St Station, the launch was yet another reminder that art and poetry need not confine themselves to traditional spaces.
The party mingled around the 36 hanging rooku and 18 artworks – little lightning bolts of Melbourne inspired moments – soon to be scattered and dispersed throughout 40 Connex trains for the next 6 months.
As diverse and eclectic as the exhibition itself, the attendees not only represented the range of artistic personalities within the city, but its unusual blend with corporate identities celebrated the very nature of the Moving Galleries project; where business and art work together to ensure Melbourne’s emerging cultural capital status.
CEO of Committee for Melbourne, Sally Capp, highlighted the significance of this collaboration claiming that ‘what differentiates one city from another is the way in which culture moves within its structure, working to shape a city, ultimately giving it its own personality’.
Bruce Hughes, CEO for Connex Melbourne, acknowledged the unlikely partnership between art and trains, but put it simply that, when you’re able to catch a train and ‘enjoy example of cultural creativity provided by some of Melbourne’s best up and coming artists’ then its travel time spent well.
Winners of the 2007 people’s choice awards were announced as the collaborative art piece You know this isn’t the way home don’t you by Louise Jennison and Gracia Haby, and Rob Scott for the poetry.
At the end of the evening guests were invited to view Melbourne from the nearby ferris wheel, perhaps with a newfound perception of their city after having been immersed in so many creative interpretations.
Moving Galleries in collaboration with established art programs
In line with Moving Galleries’ incentive to support and strengthen Melbourne’s art community, its upcoming exhibitions will draw artwork from two established programs creating opportunities for artists. ArtPlay and Creative Spaces, in their differing approaches of assistance, will also reflect the diversity of Melbourne’s art organisations.
The spring 2008 exhibition will select it artwork from children’s pieces produced at ArtPlay, located in Birrarung Marr at Federation Square. In accordance to the theme of ‘innocence’, this exhibition will aim to inspire its audience through poetry and art that considers or reflects a sense of wonder at the world, new beginnings and fresh perspectives.
ArtPlay was chosen for its mission to enrich the greater community by involving families and their children in creative activities – to give anyone from any background the chance to become a creative citizen of the world. Beyond providing an exciting opportunity for Melbourne’s young artistes to have their work displayed someplace other than the kitchen fridge, we will be indirectly supporting the artists who run the programs.
The autumn 2009 ‘transformation’ exhibition will see Moving Galleries in collaboration with Creative Spaces. In consideration of our own project’s unusual exhibition space, we’re curious to see how Melbourne’s artists are also transforming everyday spaces into unlikely canvasses and showcases for their own work.
Creative Spaces is an online resource for projects that take place outside traditional spaces. It assists artists with the necessary information to get their projects running, providing a number of spaces just waiting to be inflicted with creativity. Our partnership with Creative Spaces will work as a means to document the selected projects in a photographic exhibition. In a city that’s sprouting with creative work in every uncanny corner, wall and crack, this exhibition will highlight what the wandering eye might miss and capture the transitory.
Connex finds beauty in the most unexpected places
Connex is well known for moving people around Melbourne, but did you know that they are also helping to move the profile of the arts in Melbourne?
As well as its collaboration with the Committee for Melbourne to deliver the Moving Galleries project (which you can read about in this e-newsletter), Connex has positioned itself as a key supporter of the arts through sponsorship of Heide Museum of Modern Art. The partnership enters its third year in 2008, and sponsors regular exhibitions by established artists.
Connex is eager to foster the talents of emerging artists, too by sponsoring the Australian Academy of Design poster prize competition, which is open to TAFE and year 10-12 students.
So why would a rail operator take an interest in the arts, you ask?
Bruce Hughes, Connex’s CEO, explains, “We don’t want to just trot out the ‘corporate responsibility’ line. It’s more than that. Melbourne is known for its vibrant arts scene, and Connex is an integral part of Melbourne… it’s a natural association.
“By supporting organisations like Heide Museum of Modern Art, the Australian Academy of Design and Moving Galleries, we are cultivating strong and healthy communities, fostering the talents of emerging and established artists, as well as engaging with people who enjoy the arts,” says Bruce.
Connex is engaging with the arts in Melbourne on every level – by supporting budding artists, as a moving exhibition space through the Moving Galleries project, and in its sponsorship of uniquely Melbourne galleries such as Heide Museum of Modern Art.
Not forgetting, of course, that Connex continues to transport art-lovers to galleries and exhibitions spaces all over Melbourne.
The Australian Poetry Centre
Coming up to its first birthday this June, the Australian Poetry Centre (APC) is feeling excited about its future, even though it is really only funded to the end of this calendar year, as part of a 2 year start up grant from CAL.
The Centre grew out of the vision of Ron Pretty and CAL (Copyright Agency Limited) and aims to be a national information and advocacy centre for the support of the art form of poetry.
In its first year it has developed a program that aims to support poets, poetry audiences, poetry publishers and poetry teachers. It aims to provide information for those coming from overseas and Australia about what is happening in poetry in Australia – where one could go for a reading, for poetry assessments and dialogue about poetry.
It’s Patron John Clarke, and Chair Professor Chris Wallace-Crabbe are committed to demystifying poetry and bringing it to a wider audience. One of the key programs the centre has is its upcoming national poetry festival to be held in Castlemaine this Anzac weekend. The festival brings acclaimed international poets, regional poets and poets from every state in Australia together to read discuss and breathe poetry. International poets this year include Sam Hammil and Lorna Crozier. The town itself will come alive over three days with travelling pedlar poets, Leonard Cohen films, late night troubadour’s crooning over cocktails, poetry readings at the dawn service, Poetry tattoos and the installation that the centre created at the last Melbourne Writers Festival – The House of the Tragic Poet - will be placed in the centre of town.
Apart from this festival, which will move to a regional town in a different state next year, the centre will be hosting the Festival Franco-anglais de poesie in October 2008 - for the first time in 30 years outside of Paris - along with a poetry publishers market.
The APC has developed publishing, residential and workshop programs with Varuna and Bundanon. It also publishes the leading Australian poetry journal, Blue Dog; Australian Poetry.
For more information on these or other APC programs see
http://www.australianpoetrycentre.org.au
How to write poetry
A few suggestions:
• The sound and rhythm of the words – the MUSICALITY – is important. ‘The sound should seem an echo to the sense’ (Alexander Pope).
• Write about what MATTERS most to you, right at the centre of yourself.
• AVOID clichés.
• DISTIL the language.
• SHOW, don’t tell, i.e. rather than saying “I feel happy”, describe the feeling (“I have a bird dancing in my chest”…)
• You can write poetry about ANYTHING.
• READ good poetry.
• Then forget all the rules and just WRITE.
Click here to go to the Moving Galleries Submissions page for information on how to submit your poem.
Experiences, influences and advice
A writer of poetry, short stories and novels, Michael de Valle’s poetry has featured in both the Moving Galleries pilot and the Spring 2007 Exhibition. Moving Galleries editor, and poet, Lea Hills, approached Michael to discuss his influences.
LH: What sort of experiences do you draw on in your writing?
MdV: Sometimes I draw on my own experiences as a starting point, but more often my writing comes out of human observation and circumstance - being open to those moments and details that make us truly human:
terminal
she starts to rewrite
her diary
nativity play
an angel
picks her nose
I also draw on my observations of nature because I’m interested in how we interact as humans with our environment, in particular how we relate to animals, insects, birds and plants:
hospital courtyard
told he won’t go home
he watches a butterfly
our old dog
buried in the garden
with all her bones
LH: Being a stay-at-home dad, how does this influence your work?
MdV: I’ve always been interested in writing about the extraordinary moments to be found in ‘ordinary’ life. Being a stay-at-home dad is great because I’ve been able to develop a deeper relationship with my sons and a better understanding of what is really important in our lives together. It feeds my writing because I get to observe my children at close quarters, the way they interact with the world, their relationships, their dreams and aspirations.
The horizon of his dreams
(for Jack)
He’s flying again
nose-diving
under cloud coloured ceilings
banking left
of the fluorescent sun
taking the room
with me
blowing raspberries
for an engine.
He casts an eagle shadow
across the archipelago
of furniture and toys
shoots down his mother
in a volley of giggles
circles the kitchen table
a reconnaissance above suburbs
of saucers, cups and plates
sets his flight path
for the horizon of his dreams
with me
following in tight formation
the holding pattern
beneath his wings
This is flight training
for us both
he knows I’d never let him go
just as I know
eventually
he’ll let go of me
LH: Thoughts on love?
MdV: To me, love is as much a choice as it is an emotion. And love is behind some of the hardest choices we make:
together again
under the bed
her shoes and mine
after she leaves
a hair on the pillow
curled into a question
LH: Have you any advice for aspiring poets?
MdV: I don’t know if I have any real advice for poets except that, like all artists and writers, right now we need them more than ever. In many respects they voice the conscience of the world. It’s no coincidence that when dictators come to power they go after the artists, writers, poets and intellectuals first.
A poet I greatly admire is Charles Bukowski. His poetry is written in the accessible language of the ordinary man and he wrote about his life with unflinching honesty. A few years ago I wrote a poem called ‘how to be a poet’ as both a send up and a salute to him:
How to be a poet
(with apologies to charles bukowski)
first get a job
no shame in that
it’s always good to eat
and pay the rent
with something left over
for paper, pens and beer
or a nice piece of ass
stay up all night
drink a lot
and then some more
and bathe when you can
no longer stand yourself
allow your heart
to be broken and fixed
again and again
make loneliness a friend
let the world crap on you
from a height
everything is
‘grist for the mill’
and write
you’ve got to write
but keep it in perspective
remember these are poems
they don’t have the power
of money, guns or bombs
if they did
bin laden would have
written bush a sonnet
look for the poetic instance
in the great works
the universe
late night tv
the supermarket
or a nice piece of ass
and when you find it
you must write it
like it’s never been written
or said
you must put the words together
again and again
for the first time
To see Michael de Valle’s poetry and biography click here
Supporting young, emerging and established artists: Kings ARI
Artists Siri Hayes and Victoria Bennett are representing Kings ARI in Moving Galleries Spring 2007 Exhibition
Located in the heart of Melbourne’s CBD, Kings Artist-run Initiative aims to present the best in contemporary arts practice. The gallery on the first floor comprises two large exhibition spaces, plus a purpose built video projection room with surround-sound. Kings ARI promotes ideas-based practices and curated projects. Proposals are accepted on artistic merit with a preference for showcasing emerging talent and providing a venue for established artists to experiment and take risks.
KINGS is currently looking for volunteers please contact the gallery to register your interest.
KINGS ARI: Level 1/171 King St Melbourne Vic 3000, phone: 03 9642 0859, email: info@kingsartistrun.com.au, web: http://www.kingsartistrun.com.au
Hours: 3 - 6pm Wednesday – Friday, 12 - 6pm Saturday and by appointment
Coming up at Kings….
Opening 6 – 8pm Friday 15 February. Exhibition runs 15 February – 8 March
GALLERY 1: Hadyn Salmon
GALLERY 2: Kelley Doley
AV GALLERY: Amanda Watson-Hill
Opening 6 – 8pm Friday 14 March. Exhibition runs 14 March – 5 April
GALLERY 1: Amanda Schembri (Moving Galleries artist 2007)
GALLERY 2: Andrew Gutteridge
AV GALLERY: Marian Tubbs
The iconic Melbourne Poets Union
Melbourne Poets Union (MPU) was formed in 1977 as the ‘Poets Union’, and other branches were subsequently formed throughout Australia. A non-profit organisation, staffed by volunteers, MPU promotes the writing of poetry by providing a meeting place for poets - through poetry workshops and readings - and a forum for news, discussion and publication via our newsletter POAM, our website and other publications.
Each year MPU conducts an international poetry competition, which attracts in excess of 600 entries. MPU has over 250 members including both emerging and established poets who write and perform in all forms of poetry, a number of its members living interstate.
We are an inclusive organisation with strong representation from culturally diverse sections of the community, the annual bilingual event proving very popular. All events are open to the public and non-member poets are encouraged to participate in the Open Reading section.
We have a commitment to encouraging the participation of young poets, and experienced members provide support to new members. We are proud that so far 22 members of MPU have had poems displayed on Melbourne’s trains as part of the Moving Galleries exhibitions.
MPU events are conducted on the last Friday of the month at the Victorian Writers Centre, Nicholas Building 37 Swanston St. For further details consult our website: http://home.vicnet.net.au/~mpuinc/MPU/Home.html or contact us at: mpuinc@yahoo.com
History blesses Moving Galleries
If an idea has a future, it often has a past.
The first decorated tram in Melbourne was painted for a First World War recruitment drive in around 1914. Trams have been painted for advertising purposes since then but poetry and art boarded the public transport system last.
Melbourne’s trams hosted a few photocopied poetry series from the 1970 onwards. In 1986, professional artists were funded to paint the exterior of 12, W-class trams. In 1993 and 1995, two printed collections of poetry and art were placed inside trams and across train station platforms.
It is a poetic coincidence that the first of these series was called Moving Words.
Like the coordinators of Moving Galleries, the coordinators of these earlier exhibitions - Richard Foxworthy, Dean Frenkel and I - were inspired by the sight of poetry on London’s Underground.
In 1993, Moving Words placed 150 self-adhesive, vinyl posters carrying 150 poems and extracts from contemporary Australian writers inside 150 trams, for six to 12 months.
In the midst of a mini recession, we persuaded 100 different businesses around Melbourne to sponsor poems. Cafes on Brunswick street chose a poem for route 112. Larger corporations, including Penguin Books, sponsored several poems scattered across Melbourne.
In 1995, Art on the Met was sponsored by the Met, the Australia Council and the Yellow Pages. It placed 50 x 4 types of self-adhesive posters inside 200 trams and 50 x 4, A2 posters on train station platforms around Melbourne for six months. Each different poster carried one art work and three or four poetry pieces.
The public transport corporation provided the space and placement but we had to raise money for the selection, design, printing and promotion processes. The Australia Council gave us money to pay the artists better. We donated our time.
We got positive feedback for years afterwards. Some posters stayed up for almost two years, I suspect because tramways staff liked them. Travellers loved them.
It only seems more important today to give people alternatives to advertising in public spaces. Art humanises public space. It gives without asking people to buy. It encourages people to raise their eyes. It gives travellers a more emotional journey.
I congratulate everyone involved with Moving Galleries and am delighted it has become a part of moving Melbourne.
Andrew Bock
andrew@oceancalendars.com.au
What is rooku?
Rooku is an Australian variant of the short Japanese form called haiku, but without the usual rules. Rooku also lends itself to humour. Want to learn how to rooku? Melbourne poet Myron Lysenko has created a wonderful guide to writing rooku.
Copyright © 2007 Moving Galleries.
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