17th Biennale of Sydney

Daniel Boud — Thu, 13 May 2010 23:40:21 +0000

Artist Roxy Paine's sculpture 'Neuron' sits in front of the MCA. I wonder how long till a child snaps a tendril off.

I went on a tour of the Biennale of Sydney on Tuesday, taking pictures for Time Out Sydney’s biennale coverage.

There’s so much on display i didn’t even see half of it. It spans lots of venues, but as usual, the highlight is Cockatoo Island which makes a lovely day trip on the harbour to browse some art.

Artist Kent Monkman with his painting 'The Death of Adonis'

A morbid sculpture by Jake and Dinos Chapman

What's a modern art show without fornicating cardboard figures?

Artist Newell Harry in front of his neon work at Pier 2/3. It's an anagram of 'The natives are restless'

Artist Brook Andrew sits on his 'Jumping Castle War Memorial'. It's a jumping castle that kids aren't allowed on. Only for over 16's.

Detail from a painting at the MCA. Love modern art.

Cai Guo-Qiang's 'Inopportune: Stage One' takes centre stage in the Turbine Hall on Cockatoo Island

Photographer Hiroshi Sugimoto

Choi Jeong Hwa's 'The unbearable lightness of being' in the Botanic Gardens. The NSW government must like this one as it so closely resembles their logo.

Peter Hennessey's 'My Hubble (the universe turned in on itself)' is a life size version of the Hubble telescope made of plywood

This isn't art, just the random old paraphernalia you spot around Cockatoo Island

Choi Jeong Hwa's 'Hubble Bubble' sits between the sails of the Opera House. The green colanders play havoc with your eyes. Choi told me the towers were intended to be 8 metres high, but customs withheld the colanders for 10 days, meaning the work had to be changed.

And then a couple of portraits that were done the month prior to Biennale at a bar in Woolloomooloo. First Korean artist Choi Jeong Hwa, then the artistic director of Biennale David Elliot.

Choi Jeong Hwa

David Elliot

All Tomorrow’s Parties in Sydney

Daniel Boud — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 03:55:45 +0000

For years i’ve envied other cities around the world that hosted the All Tomorrows Parties festival. Created 10 years ago by an english chap named Barry Hogan he describes the festival as,

"…kind of like an anti-festival. We want to have drinks at reasonable prices, decent bands playing a lot of sets, free programs and brochures, no sponsorship. We don’t have a merch rate for bands, parking is free, we treat people with respect, as you’d like to be treated. You know who I’m talking about, those out there who like to milk it to people. The way forward is to keep it boutique.

But also we want to try to make the line-ups different than everything else. If you look at the line-ups of those summer festivals–good God, Jack Johnson! Who wants to see him? I don’t even think Jack Johnson wants to see himself. "

What also makes it different is that the line-up is curated by a band or particular artist. Fittingly Australia’s first All Tomorrow’s Parties had Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds choosing the bands and performing.

True to other versions of the festival, the Sydney venue wasn’t your typical festival location either – it was on Cockatoo island in the middle of Sydney Harbour. Pretty bloody special.

I wasn’t familiar with most of the artists on the bill, but that didn’t stop it being my favourite festival experience in years.

An amazing venue, lots of space, well organised, no long queues, Nick Cave and most importantly – no aggro drugged up shirtless munters!

Here’s hoping ATP becomes an annual fixture on the festival circuit.

Loads more ATP Sydney photos in the gallery.

Boudist » cockatoo island

17th Biennale of Sydney

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All Tomorrow’s Parties in Sydney

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