When a moment of utter boredom strikes, it can of great comfort to know that people across the globe have collectively spend millions of hours compiling the vast collection of videos floating around on YouTube. A slightly different take on getting Rick Rolled, Forever Wild decided to start its own underground YouTube Interventions campaign to draw attention to the plight of the dwindling Rhinoceros population. With the goal to simultaneously draw more attention to its cause and increase signatures on its petition for the US Congress, the not-for-profit initiative turned to one of pop culture’s most popular mediums. By taking viral videos and remixing them with facts and images of rhinoceros poaching, the organistion increased the number of signatures on its petition by 400% without spending a single cent.…
While the cuisines of Thailand and Vietnam have garnered much praise, Cambodia, due to years of political and social unrest, has flown largely under the radar. With the Angkor Wat ruins, stunning islands and a wealth of palaces to explore, this is fast becoming the region’s hottest destination. So, what can you expect on your plate when visiting this small country in Indochina? Thankfully, something very special.…
‘The Doll’, as it is affectionately known, premiered in 1955 in Melbourne, marking a coming of cultural age for Australian theatre. Riddled with 1950s Australian vernacular, the Summer of the 17th Doll follows cane-cutters Barney and Roo’s annual frivolous summer with Nancy and Olive. Yet this year is to be the last, with the group facing crushed dreams and changing dynamics among wallpaper, doilies and pin-curled locks. Starring Robyn Nevin, the Queensland Theatre Company’s performance comes to QPAC from February 22 to March 11.…
On the scale of most desirable household items, an icypole mould is sure to merit a position towards the top of the list. It can instantly transport any household member back to a state of childhood bliss – playful recollections of summers spent frolicking under a sprinkler, icypole in hand, are fond memories for most. Futuristic and space-age in design, the fun ‘Rocket’ Ice Popsicle Moulds from Domayne Fortitude Valley (set of 6) are too inticing to use merely in the summer months.…
The summer holidays may be over, but travel is still on the cards. Whether you’re the next Geoffrey Rush or simply seeking a bit of a chuckle, this year’s World Theatre Festival will leave your cultural tastebuds satisfied. From India and Italy, to Ireland and back, the festival showcases diverse performances from seven countries. Free live music at the newly added Festival Lounge will be a must-visit for post-theatre banter. Experience the festival at Brisbane Powerhouse from February 16–26.…
Isn’t it curious how art can conjure up a sea of emotions in a matter of seconds? For Sydney artist Mikala Dwyer, the emotive realm of the paranormal serves as a source of endless creative inspiration. Her latest exhibition at IMA (from February 18 to April 14) showcases her unique depictions of the mysterious and the occult. From candles and Ouija boards, to clairvoyants and palm readers employed to address visitors during her exhibitions, Mikala explores a wide array of creative expression.…
Calling all local artists: sketchers, painters, photographers, poets, writers, designers, printers or creators of any ilk. Papergirl Brisbane wants YOU to join this cultural initiative and bridge the gap between the wider Brisbane public and the artists who inhabit this fair city. The first step of Papergirl is collecting the works from any creative soul who is willing to give. Secondly, the art is exhibited (currently at White Canvas Gallery). Finally, the pieces are rolled up and distributed en masse by bicycle to random passers-by in Brisbane’s CBD. The idea was first brought to life in Berlin and has since traveled the globe and finally reached the sunshine state. Anybody can participate by submitting art, spreading the good word, assisting the gallery, or helping with bicycle distribution. Perhaps if you are wandering around the city today you will be surprised by the art of giving.…
Abandoned buildings, darkened tunnels, the drains beneath your feet – these spaces are largely undermined by society. In Trespassers Welcome, Timothy L invites audiences to explore the creations of the inhabitants of these invisible dens. Street artists, birdwatchers, skateboarders and freight hoppers – the mixed-media exhibition is a tribute to outsiders and the beauty they create in the underground. Trespassers Welcome will be exhibited at the Judith Wright Centre until February 11.…
Pssst, we have a secret to tell you: there’s a bunch of secret people that go to secret locations and watch secret films. Sound intriguing? Secret Cinema emulates the buzz of a flash mob, but is exclusively invite-only, with details of the underground locations kept cleverly quiet until the last minute. The innovative minds behind these pop-up interactive screenings are aiming to change the way people experience film. Specialising in creating living, breathing cinematic events, Future Cinema is known for fusing film and improvised performance with curated design and multimedia to challenge people’s expectations of watching a movie. With its roots in London but growing globally, you can now register online to attend one of these exciting, mysterious silver-screen adventures in your country.
Image via Secret Cinema.…
Pamela Crane is just like any other tech-savvy academic, except that she has a dream – one of hope, health and healing for the people of Africa. There are millions of people in sub-Saharan Africa suffering from HIV/AIDS and struggling to find clean water for their families and their communities. But Pam and the passionate, thoughtful people behind Blood:Water Mission have made it their mission to paint a brighter picture for these communities. They’re committed to empowering local communities to work together against the HIV/AIDS and water crises in Africa by raising funds for the provision of clean blood and clean water. In the space of six years they’ve successfully provided water and healthcare to more than 600,000 people across 13 countries. But there are still millions of people in need of aid, so Blood:Water Mission has now expanded its promise to helping communities develop health clinics and sustainable water …
Whether you’re bound to The Bible or not, it’s easy to spend hours gazing upon the beautiful architecture of a church. You could spend an entire day gently running an eye over the intricate carvings of the Gothic Notre-Dame de Paris, with its delicate blackened steeple and Romanesque stained-glass windows, and not see every fine detail. Gijs Van Vaerenbergh, a collaboration between young Belgian architects Pieterjan Gijs and Arnout Van Vaerenbergh, has built a church with this visual experience in mind, transforming the design of a traditional church of Limburg into a piece of public art. Entitled Reading between the Lines, this incredible transparent structure is constructed of 30 tonnes of steel horizontal plates and 200 columns. Positioned amongst the rural landscape of Borgoloon, this majestic piece is part of the Z33 Gallery’s Z-OUT program, bringing art into public space.
Image via Filip DuJardin…
Imagine having the time to hunt down and discover a new, locally made delicious product each month that would enhance your recipe repertoire and spice up your go-to foods. Now measure out five of these products and add a pinch of ‘delivered to your desk’, and that’s what The Larder Box is offering the denizens of London. This monthly subscription service handpicks the latest foodie delights from local producers, supporting small business and broadening your palate with creative new flavour combinations and innovative offerings from the gourmet world. From the team behind online farmers market Love Your Larder, The Larder Box encourages discovering new tastes and meals as well as highlighting local fare. We have our fingers crossed that this new UK venture is a great success and expands across borders and oceans, so we can all add a little Womersley’s award-winning blackcurrant vinegar to our lives.…
Just like the smile plastered on Philippe Petit’s face in 1974, excitement dances in the bright wide eyes of this modern-day high-wire enthusiast. Self-taught filmmaker Seb Montaz captures the wild adventures of his friends tightrope walking between Parisian skyscrapers and jumping off the Norwegian fjords in his beautiful documentary I Believe I Can Fly (Flight of the Frenchies). Growing up in the French Alps, Seb took his childhood passion for winter sports and mountain climbing to the next level, qualifying as mountain guide and ski instructor. Then finding joy in photographing his clients, he strived to perfect his imagery, learning his incredibly vivid and inspiring filmmaking skills from the internet. The adrenaline rush from successfully traversing a flexible nylon line 1000 m above the ground is immeasurable, and it is this incredible achievement of mental and physical endurance – along with moments of fear, doubt, laughter, failure and strength …
Brisbane-based actor, director and writer Lucas Stibbard has a reputation for being darn funny. In 2011, audiences chortled their way through his smash-hit show, boy girl wall, where Lucas expertly played the roles of 25 characters, sharing the stage with only a sock puppet. The effort earned him a nomination for Best Male Actor in a Play at the 2011 Helpmann Awards, alongside industry heavyweights Geoffrey Rush, Richard Roxburgh and Toby Schmitz. Lucas is no stranger to riding the feast or famine seesaw that is an artist’s life and 2011 brought a banquet of roles, audiences and successes, but it also taught him that ‘balance’ is vital to his wellbeing.…
Resting beside a lagoon in an old coconut plantation on the Malaysian island of Langkawi, an ageing banyan tree sits stoically with a temple at its base. In the grounds surrounding this ‘Temple Tree’ are eight renovated colonial villas of Chinese, Eurasian, Malaysian and Indian descent, given new lives as boutique dwellings in a pristine tropical setting. But the beautifully ornate exteriors, awash with once-bright colonial colours subdued with age, are just the beginning of the magic of this unique resort.…
The rhythmic whirl of the printing wheel, the overwhelming smell of fresh ink, the tactile pleasure of running your fingertips over thick, cotton paper. These are all simple pleasures that compose the daily toils of Alischa Herrmann, the graphic designer who left a successful career as a corporate art director to explore her passion for the art of letterpress. Almost five years on since she made the decision to follow her heart rather than her head, her home-based studio Bespoke Letterpress is delighting people worldwide with its menagerie of carefully created paperie.…
Travelling the world on the back of a motorcycle can give you a wealth of thinking time, not to mention a distinct perspective on life. Spending two years intermittently traversing the African continent on two wheels was the impetus for Swedish entrepreneur Mats Wahlstrom to shift his focus in life to the realm of boutique hotels. In 2004, the rugged adventurer recognised an underlying spirit in an abandoned 14th-century palace in Palma on the Spanish island of Mallorca. With the deft touch of his entrepreneurial hand, the palace was soon brought to life as the hotel Puro Oasis Urbano, a member of Design Hotels.…
Melbourne-based product designer and maker Tim Fleming designs for the real world and also spends time lampooning design ideas in his imaginary land, Flatland. Tim makes actual limited-edition objects for Flatland on a miniature scale (think palm trees, skulls, crossbones and four-leaf clovers) and recently began tackling large-scale installations such as giant hand mirrors and escalators to nowhere, as well as crafting beautiful furniture. He also illustrates and self-publishes comic zines full of cynical characters and mock advertising that tell people how to live – although, he points out, he doesn’t expect anyone to listen.…
A mirror does not always reflect truth. In the eye of the viewer, it can show what they wish to see: who they aspire to be or perhaps who they once were. American photographer Tom Hussey created a set of advertising posters dedicated to a drug designed to treat Alzheimer’s dementia. The series labelled “reflections” offers a glimpse into the world of those suffering memory problems and the daily challenges they face. Through a highly emotive display, the images reveal how Alzheimer’s patients can be trapped by their youth. Another photographer taking a glimpse into the past is Irina Werning with her collection “back to the future“. Irina is a self-confessed old photo fanatic and has taken it upon herself to dig through the archives of family favourites and perfectly recreate the images, sometimes up to 50 years later.
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Since Al Gore stepped forward and presented us an inconvenient truth about the future of our planet, ‘going green’ is on the increase and change is on the horizon. The documentary was an entry in the 2006 Sundance Film Festival and has since encouraged heated discussion and spurred a call to action for greener living. Following in the footsteps of film-based awareness, an Australian co-op is calling for creatives to push their boundaries and give carbon the flick. Green Screen is seeking film submissions of up to 5 minutes that communicate a positive message about a clean energy future through any genre or style. This joint effort by the Climate Scientists of Macquarie University, The University of Melbourne and Monash Sustainability Institute, aims to promote positive change in the great climate debate. The deadline for submissions is Friday 10 February 2012 so get those cameras rolling.…
