Don't be fooled by this lorikeet - he is a fake one which Little Aussie likes to play with..
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| George Baldessin, Australia, 1939-78 'Three Pears' 1975. |
The Pears are back in the watermall at Qld Art Gallery.
I love them..
Everybody loves them...
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| Ah Xian, China/Australia, 'Human human - lotus, cloisonne figure 1' 2000-01 |
And everybody also loves this sculpture, by Ah Xian, who cast the figure of his wife. The lotus flower symbolizes rising from a dark place into beauty and rebirth, just as the lotus grows directly out of muddy waters to produce beautiful white and pink blossoms. It represents spiritual unfolding, purity and spiritual awakening leading to nirvana.
The porcelain form is decorated with traditional Chinese cloisonne enamel work, fired in a kiln.
The blossoms cling to the figure, reaching around and embracing it.
Ah Xian won the National Gallery of Australia's inaugural National Sculpture prize in 2001 with this beautiful sculpture.
Sadly there are no blossoms, lotus or otherwise, in the Red Cardinal Garden of Neglect these days. A few cooler days (under 30c) last week, and we are back into the hot weather again. Much of the garden is on the brink of dying..
But a few pretty leaves are always cheerful...
Who knew those brilliant black American women mathematicians were so key to the NASA space programme back in the 60s..
And I loved their fashions, just what women made and wore back in the days of JFK, the trips to the moon, and the Beatles...
Still decluttering - I gave away most of my decorative thimble and mini sewing machine collections. Except the above...
Have a good week
XXXXX
I could happily take those pears away - can they go outside? but I dont think that Ah Xian's figure would fit in with my style.
ReplyDeleteI have a Singer very similar to that - it was my mothers.
I'd bring the pears home too, if I could! This set are made of cast polyurethane, finished with shellac, so might be too fragile for outside in our climate. However there are seven of them made from steel, rusted to the brown pear colour, standing outside the NGA in Canberra.
DeleteIt is wonderful to have your mother's old Singer - they were incredible machines which could sew through anything.
It appears you can't get rid of summer and we can't seem to get rid of winter. If only we could work out a compromise! I'm hoping to rent Hidden Figures when it comes out in video. I love seeing the fashions from that time period too. It's been fun to see Call the Midwife move into the early 60s and see what their costume designers come up with.
ReplyDeleteYes, funny climate these days Kristie. I hope you find Hidden Figures - it has so much to enjoy. We used to love to rent the odd video but all our video shops have closed down, and we tend to miss out on many movies.
DeleteWhat a grand old sewing machine. I understand why it is a keeper!
ReplyDeleteNo flowers, but the leafy plants are still pretty, Trish.
Keep cool!
Debbie
It is a really pretty old machine - one of my sons bought it for me a few years ago. Unfortunately it no longer sews, but it is still a keeper :)
DeleteLove 3 Pears! Hasn't this humidity been oppressive. I think lots of gardens are suffering. You are so good to be decluttering some of your treasures x
ReplyDeleteWe all love the Pears - no wonder they reappear quite regularly, as they look so good in the Water Mall.
DeleteHave to keep decluttering, as we know we can't live here forever! x
HI Patricia...
ReplyDeleteLove your succulents and Coleus...
Wishing you a happy Autumn...
Cheers!
Linda :o)
Those succulents just love that little spot, and are growing really well. The same plant in other parts of the garden shrivel up and die. That's gardening!
DeleteI love Autumn - let's hope the actual appropriate weather turns up soon. Cheers and happy travelling to you!
Weren't those women amazing? I have begun reading the book and I can see that it is a feminist story too, not only a racial story. Up to 1,000 women were employed as human computers, all gifted at maths, and kept 'in their place' by the ideology of the times.
ReplyDeleteYou have rain? Send some up here, thank you :)
Dear Patricia
ReplyDeleteExquisite pears - I hope I can see them in person one day.
The last movie I saw was The Light Between Oceans, I was thrilled to see it followed the book. One of the best books I've read in a while too - I loved it!
Shane x
I hope you see the pears one day too! They are often on display. I have not seen The Light Between Oceans, but sounds good. I'll look for it on Kindle. Just started reading Hidden Figures on Kindle, so good. x
DeletePatricia, the pear display at the art gallery is very nice. Do you know that PEARS were my favorite fruit when I was little? The other sculpture is quite interesting. Oh, I love the fashion of the 60's. I'm so glad you kept one of your little sewing boxes. I smiled when I saw your Singer Sewing Machine, as my mom used to make alot of my clothes when I was growing up. She was such a talented seamstress.
ReplyDeleteHappy International Women's Day, Patricia. You are a special woman, indeed.
love, ~Sheri
I have always liked pears too, Sheri, and had a couple of pieces of jewellery in that shape. So many families had a Singer, it was so iconic. My mother also had a Singer treadle machine and made all our clothes, for six children! My father actually worked for Singer for a while and always enjoyed fixing sewing machines. Happy International Women's Day to you too, and I'm glad we met over the internet - an International Friendship :)
DeleteI liked Hidden Figures as well. Why do women look so much more elegant in period films?
ReplyDeleteAmalia
xo
Interesting question Amalia. I think it could be tied in with the fact that before stretch and synthetic fabrics, not to mention avoidance of ironing, became commonplace, clothing was more tailoredand made from natural woven fabrics like cotton and linen.
DeleteI must go see the pears again... I loved them when they were out before. Took my son to see hidden figures and he loved it. Love the autumn is not found pic. It's weird.. getting dark early, autumn like, but still sitting in a singlet dress at midnigh in the middle of March??
ReplyDelete