Sunday, June 11, 2017

RAIN, SUPER-HEROS AND A NEW SCULPTURE


Hello there.

Rarely for this locality, we have had a wet and drizzly weekend.
Just the kind where you keep cosy and warm, and watch TV movies..

or in my case, another couple of the Marvel Cinematic Universe films,
all in the interests of research...
The Marvel Exhibition at GoMA is attracting huge crowds.
Who knew Super-heros had such pulling power?


Oh yes, these guys do...



Seen on my walk in the drizzle...


Puddle reflections along the path...


I took Mr C out for breakfast at our local Wild Canary cafe and garden centre:

It is a month since his surgery, and the doctor is pleased with his progress.




Dreaming of sewing next Spring...


And it's time we looked at some new art:

'Tow Row', Judy Watson, 2016. Bronze. GoMA.
GoMA, the Gallery of Modern Art, is situated beside the Brisbane River.
To celebrate the Gallery's tenth anniversary, Indigenous artist Judy Watson was commissioned in 2016 to produce this bronze sculpture, now situated at the Gallery entrance.

Watson has responded to the site beside the river by referencing woven 'butterfly' nets once used by Aboriginal people of the area, acknowledging the traditional owners of the site.  The object was known in this area as a Tow Row, made from the fibre of the Cottonwood tree. 

The bronze sculpture was constructed by first manipulating a traditional model from the Queensland Museum into shape, so that the form looks as if it just emerged from the water.

The design was made up with jersey and raffia, which are very pliable, then the net draped and pinned over styrofoam shapes to give the appearance of a real net.  Sand molds were then used to cast the molten bronze.  This was done in sections, then the metal was pieced together, welded, and polished.


A traditional Tow Row is currently on display on Level 3 of the Gallery.

Judy Watson with 'Tow Row'
Aboriginal men fishing with Tow Row nets in the 1890s
On a sunny day, the sculpture gleams in the sunlight, and forms a beautiful shadowing.

The artist has said 'The shadow is almost like a heart that's spilling out onto the ground'...


Have a great week

XXX









21 comments:

  1. GOMA looks wonderful, I would really enjoy visiting someday. Thank you for taking me along. :) I'm so glad you got to enjoy some drizzly weather. That's one of the best kinds, I think. I look forward to it. I hope you have a good week ahead, Patricia. Take care.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think you would enjoy GoMA, Jennifer. Always lots of interesting shapes and textures there. Drizzly weather is a treat when you rarely see puddles, which I think might be the same around your area. Enjoy your long school hols!

      Delete
  2. I love the sculpture and the honor that it represents for the Aboriginal people. "almost like a heart spilling onto the ground", that is lovely.
    Glad your hubby is better!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Glad you enjoy the sculpture and its background story. I think it will always be very popular, and was a great choice. HB is on the mend, but must obey orders :)

      Delete
  3. I am so pleased your DH is doing well - in due course, he will be able to escort you somewhere nice so that you can wear the beautiful Style Arc Duchess Dress.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Now that is a Good Plan, Sarah Liz. I am being totally predictable in buying that pattern - had to happen!

      Delete
  4. Trish, I always enjoy my museum/art visits via The Red Cardinal. Funny how much the storm nature photos look like Turner School paintings. They are lovely to see, though not experience for real.

    I once worked in the editorial department, not at Marvel, but at its competitor, DC Comics. I wasn't crazy about comics, though I chatted with Neil Gaiman a couple of times when he wrote his series for DC Comics and came to hang out in the editorial offices. He was lovely to have a conversation with, but comics were not my thing. One of my editorial jobs was to draw the speech balloons on the comic board layouts -- i.e. decide where they would go, place them with a pen, then the board went to an inker, who colored them. I so hated this task, and bet with the advancement of technology, it's not done in the same tedious way nowadays. Sometimes an artist would draw so much in the panals, it was not easy to decide where to put the speech ballooms.

    As an American, I'm fascinated by Aboriginal people. I hope they have been treated with more respect then we have shown to our Native Americans.

    Looks like a delicous meal, and it's good to know that Mr. C has recovered enough to venture outside of the home to enjoy it.


    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Turner paintings are great! Thank you for sharing your story of working at DC Comics. I had never heard of them either, until the information sessions re the Exhibition. That sounds fun placing the speech balloons, but would soon become repetitive I think. The technology has changed everything, and plays a huge role in enabling them to create the Marvel universe of films.
      Unfortunately I have to report that the history of treatment towards Aboriginal people was no better than in other colonised nations. It is an ongoing issue, around land rights, and past and present injustices. There was an official Government apology by our Prime Minister in 2008.

      Delete
  5. Well done Val. It is amazing they could make a solid piece in the shape of something which is really a textile! We did not get a long weekend! :( So disappointing, as Qld Govt is being tricky, re-scheduling it to October, but fitting in with Grand Final. Just not the same to me. Love seeing HM at Ascot and Trooping of the Colour, around the same time as her official Birthday.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Good morning Patricia - loved this interesting post.

    I visited the 'top end', Kakadu and Arnhem Land in 2012 and was amazed by the art of the Indigenous people in the village we visited.
    Here are links to my posts from then - the beautiful painted/printed fabrics were what caught my eye.
    It was a place so different and I will never forget the people, especially the children - or that heat and those gigantic crocs!!!!!!!

    http://abreathoffreshair-mary.blogspot.com/2012/10/strange-day-in-arnhem-land-northern.html

    http://abreathoffreshair-mary.blogspot.com/2012/10/with-these-hands.html

    I spy burratta with grilled bread and tomatoes - my favorite for summer eating - I think I'd be happy at the Wild Canary cafe! Glad Mr. C is doing better - and those little guys are adorable!

    Happy week - Mary

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Mary, and thank you for your interesting comment. I enjoyed seeing your posts from the 'top end' - so much excellent art comes from there. I hope to visit one day too. Yes, I think you would enjoy the Wild Canary - not only nice food, but a great garden centre to admire as well.

      Delete
  7. The 'Tow Row' bronze highlighting the Indigenous people and how they fished is lovely.
    Delighted to learn that Mr. C is making good progress - what could be better than going to a cafe for breakfast, and those eggs look perfectly cooked with nice runny yolks.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The fragile appearance of the Tow Row belies its hidden strength, a wonderful metaphor for the resilience of the Aboriginal people. It looks beautiful in the sunlight.
      I love a perfect poached egg - especially if someone else is doing the work!

      Delete
  8. So glad to hear your husband is doing well after his surgery, Patricia. This art is interesting and very different. That coffee sure does look good. I bet it was nice for the two of you to get away and have a good breakfast at the café. My favorite breakfast is toast and eggs, like you have on here. The little ones look sweet watching tv in their super-hero outfits.

    I hope you are enjoying these June days, Patricia.

    love, ~Sheri

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I love those eggs on toast for a special Sunday treat, and it was good to get Mr C out of the house - especially as our son and daughter-in-law joined us.
      How those grandsons have grown! That was in 2012.
      June is an attractive month here - cooler weather and lots of flowers about.

      Delete
  9. Great to hear the OH is doing well, Patricia. How beautifully they present your food at that café, but shame about the drizzle though - or maybe it's much needed. Enjoy the cool of winter in any event!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cool and wet weather is fairly unusual here, so we can rug up and be cosy for once!
      Mr C is doing a little better every day, but would like it to all be finished soonish...

      Delete
  10. I actually have seen a lot of those Marvel movies and like them. ;) Thor is one of my faves - but Chris Hemsworth may have just a little to do with that (be still my heart). Lol!
    And a rainy weekend is perfect for them.

    Glad your hubby is doing so well! And I love that sculpture and scoop behind it. Very cool.
    Blessings to you. Almost TGIF! xoxo

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ah, Chris Hemsworth - there's an Aussie who is having a great career in Hollywood! Hoping to rent Dr Strange to see what that is all about this weekend. And it is still raining too..
      Glad you like the sculpture, it is so popular.
      Happy weekend Carrie.xx

      Delete
  11. A Marvel created universe sounds like a cool place to be. I love super-heroes. It is a secret vice, so just between us...
    Amalia
    xo

    ReplyDelete
  12. Aaah, and just between us, now I have watched a few Marvel movies, I am getting into the plots and characters, and want to see the next episode....

    ReplyDelete