Sunday Selections #281

Sunday Selections was originally brought to us by Kim, of Frogpondsrock, as an ongoing meme where participants could post previously unused photos languishing in their files.
 
The meme is now continued by River at Drifting through life.  The rules are so simple as to be almost non-existent.  Post some photos under the title Sunday Selections and link back to River.  Clicking on any of the photos will make them embiggen.
 
Like River I usually run with a theme.   This week I am continuing my obsession with Fiona Hall.  In 1996 she was approached to create a sculpture for the Sculpture Garden at the National Gallery of Australia.  Instead she offered to design a garden.  And the Fiona Hall Fern Garden was born.  This link will take you to an essay about the garden.

We went back to the Gallery yesterday to track it down.  It is not the way I had pictured a fern garden.  But then we are talking a Fiona Hall creation.

It can be viewed from within the Gallery, or within the garden itself.  We did both.

First, looking out of the picture windows and down on the garden...

And now for photos from the garden itself.  It is tucked away and not easy to find (doors from within the Gallery itself are only open on weekends).  I am glad we made the effort though.  Very glad.

Details from one of the pathways.

I am pretty certain this is a dandelion growing on the tree trunk.  Planted or windblown?  Considering the designer both are options.

It was raining when we visited but I can see just how inviting this space could be on a hot day.  Or even a cool one.  It was a remarkably peaceful spot.  A hidden gem.

Wrong Way Time:

Last week we headed off to the National Gallery of Australia (NGA) to see an exhibition (free) which had tickled himself's fancy.  As an aside, we really need to go to the Gallery more often.  Much more often.

To my shame I knew less than nothing about the featured artist, Fiona Hall.  She is one of our own contemporary artists and her repetoire includes photography, sculpture, metal work, textiles and more.  And I also learned that she designed the fern garden which features at the Gallery.

The exhibition 'Wrong Way Time' was brought to Canberra after being showedcased at at the 56th International Art Exhibition, Venice Biennale.  About which I also knew nothing. 

I loved this quote by the artist:

''The world is such an amazing place, yet sadly we are living in troubled times and that sense is reflected in a lot of the works. It was an honour to present the show in Venice and now to bring it to Canberra, especially as I have a longstanding relationship with the NGA'


I found the exhibition beautiful, confronting, sad and at times it was beyond my comprehension.  There were also pieces which made me laugh out loud.  We may go back so I can muse over pieces again.  

Less talk.  More images.  Lots of images.  The gallery has finally allowed visitors to take photos.  No flash though, which is a partial excuse for some of the images to follow.  And to my pleasure selfie-sticks are also banned.

  

These were constructed from shredded camouflage uniforms.

The leaves are laid over banknotes from the country they originated in.

This was part of 'Crust'.  Carved from loaves of bread, resting on world atlases open to sites of political, cultural and environmental crisis.   Some heart-breaking creations here.

More heartbreak.  Canned whale.

 
There were lots of clocks.  Which ticked and bonged and chimed.  And reminded us that time is ticking away...

Even by my standards this is getting photo heavy.  I think I will spread it out, and if you are interested put up more from this exhibiton next week.

Sunday Selections #280

Sunday Selections was originally brought to us by Kim, of Frogpondsrock, as an ongoing meme where participants could post previously unused photos languishing in their files.
 
The meme is now continued by River at Drifting through life.  The rules are so simple as to be almost non-existent.  Post some photos under the title Sunday Selections and link back to River.  Clicking on any of the photos will make them embiggen.
 
Like River I usually run with a theme.  Last weekend the eastern side of my very dry continent got rain.  Lots and lots and lots of rain.  Some places received too much and flooding, damage and deaths occurred.  

Here we got lots too.  But not too much.  Some minor damage, though sadly one person died when his car was washed away.

The garden and I loved it.

The next day we headed down to the dam to see if they had released any water down the spillways.  And they had.

We loved the rain.  The cats loathed it.  This is Jewel, claiming a box as her own. 

Sunday Selections 279

Sunday Selections was originally brought to us by Kim, of Frogpondsrock, as an ongoing meme where participants could post previously unused photos languishing in their files.
 
The meme is now continued by River at Drifting through life.  The rules are so simple as to be almost non-existent.  Post some photos under the title Sunday Selections and link back to River.  Clicking on any of the photos will make them embiggen.
 
Like River I usually run with a theme. Friday of this week was grey.  Rain was predicted (though none fell).  I went out into the garden early and weeded myself to a standstill.  Again.   So I came in for a rest.

I knew that I had done enough in the garden for the day.  I also knew that I was likely to find an excuse to do 'just a little bit more'.  So when himself got up I demanded an outing.  And said that a kangaroo fix would be nice.  He was happy to comply, and we took the twenty minute drive to the lake.

As well as the roos, there were other joys.

The clouds, the delicate filigree of bare branches against the sky, the water.  It was just after midday, but the clouds made it quite dark.  Moody magnificence...

Which we revelled in.

And when we came home again I managed to resist the lure of the weeds.  One garden photo only.    A japanese iris (iris ensata I think) which a neighbour (now deceased) gave us.  And despite the grey skies, it provided a splash of colour and brightness.

The promised rain finally arrived yesterday.  The garden and I are happy.  The cats?  Not so much.  And with luck the same happiness will fall from the sky today too. And it is.