Melbourne Series - Sculpting City Life With Art

 Now the trip was actually a work trip, so that meant that I didn't have much time to do my own thing. My evenings however were mostly my own. Mostly. So I'd walk around the city to check things out. And there's a lot to check out indeed. These fellows are famous in Melbourne (on the corner of Swantson and Bourke Street Mall)... what are they doing? I don't know. But they're truly captivating little fellas.The sculpture is called "Three Businessmen Who Brought Their Own Lunch", by Alison Weaver.

Street sculpture adds so much texture to a city - even if I'm sure they start to become invisible if you live there.  But even then I suspect it adds a lot at the subliminal level. And not that far - the other end of the Bourke Street Mall... a little bit of commercial street sculpture - though some might have thought this bad luck for the local traders. The purse being well and truly shut that is. Behind the Post Office... yet another grand old building from Melbourne's past. This sculpture is from Simon Perry and dates from 1994.

And it's not just sculpture - the city has had a wonderful development since it's founding in 1835 - yes, that's only one year before Adelaide was founded - but there's a huge difference in characters. The architecture has a good mix of European stylings, and the city has gone to lengths to make sure that the heritage is maintained, even as it has become a vibrant modern international city.

And here's yet another bit of Melbourne culture... Good ol Larry La Trobe... a wonderful bronze sculpture created by Pamela Irving in 1992.  A little known fact is that in 1995, the poor little fella went missing (thanks to some very enthusiastic supporters, with some major hardware). Actually - now keep this just between the two of us - the original statue was never found. And could indeed be sidling up to a lamp-post or hub cap near you. Larry's replacement is now a little more securely fastened.

Just down from Larry you'll find that rather grandly titled, Beyond the Ocean of Existence, by Loretta Quinn, sitting along side St Paul's Cathedral. The sculpture that has a fairy atop a rather dramatic bronze plinth is meant to be an all-things-to-all-peoples sculpture. Of course - if you're all things includes fairies. Which mine does (and no, not those sorts of fairies). It goes to show just how integrated Art is into the Melbourne landscape.

And this of course isn't a new thing - but back in the olden days (he says dropping his false teeth into a glass of water), statues were there to remind us of our glorious past, to inspire us to future greatness... or just to show that some of our most important founding fathers (to borrow an Americanism) were complete jerks. Take for example our viewpoint of Matthew Flinders - he nobly stood at the bow of his launch, whilst the poor schmucks had to to the hard work below. That was the times I suppose. We do however owe our modern coastline to Flinders - and if it wasn't for him, who knows what Australia would have looked like.

St Paul's Cathedral - by night and by day. This church was consecrated in 1891 - and sits on the site of the first Christian services in Melbourne. The gothic transitional style certainly makes for an impressive (though still subdued) feature on the famous Federation Square front, right next to Flinders Street Station. These old buildings cannot perhaps be described as 'public art' but they approach very close to it.

Flinders Street Station - it's one of the iconic locations around Melbourne's CBD. Both as an historic location, and also as the main commuter hub into the city. It's perfectly located on the edge of the city, alongside the Yarra River for an evening stroll. I understand that there's some future development due to take place here... fingers crossed they don't mess with it too much.

The one slightly disappointing thing was this evening was also the night of the Rugby World Cup - which New Zealand won on their home territory against the French (Australia came third). Even though the event was being held in New Zealand, there was a lot of interest here in Australia (of course). Following the match, there were large crowds of intoxicated youths walking the streets - and to be honest, it was a throwback to some of the less than civilised parts of Australia's drinking culture that was on display... That and it reminded me that the not-so-latent gang culture still very much exists here in Australia. As a result - Melbourne's over-worked Police force was very much on duty.

And from across the road, we see St Paul's with a new (construction) light... from Federation Square. One time site for the Occupy Melbourne movement (I suspect the world is taking a break from the whole occupy thing... and I wonder how we will view it in another 1-5 years... not that you will be reading this then).

Federation Square is very much a life-centre for Melbourne, and is the focus of many outdoor public activities. Not only do they have a lot of events here, you can also find the SBS studios (Australia's best multicultural tv station), and the National Gallery of Victoria to name a couple of things. It's also a really good place to just hang out - unless of course, you're looking for somewhere to occupy...

Interestingly, the Federation Square buildings themselves were given a rough time - being labelled as some of the ugliest buildings of all time. I for one, don't mind it's post-modernist cubist-come-camouflage look. It adds to the sense of energy to the city, and sets itself apart. 

Not far away is the Melbourne Arts Centre, with it's stylistic tower, adorned in night-sculptural lights...

It's a combination of rock and metal - lit up with light. Beautiful.

If you go for a walk off the road you'll find this wonderful sculpture - artist unknown, sorry - of a post modern tribe. Aboriginal or artistic? Still, it was nice to see the night-scape populated with art. I would very much like to know what this sculpture was for/about/crafted by.

Right next to the Art Centre is the National Gallery of Victoria... Not sure about the whole see-through shirt thing, but that was a crazy German art exhibit. I think that says it all.

However the gallery also has a wonderful water wall sculpture - and it's totally entrancing (and on all the time). It just beckons to run your fingers through the water.

Water + Light = Magic.

And when you slow it down - it just looks plain funky. Outside the gallery there's a number of fountains that just call out - fast shutter speed, fast shutter speed... but alas my hand-held technique could only go so far with the light I had.

The last sculpture I'll throw into the post is actually on the Sandridge Bridge over the Yarra river... and is called the Travellers (I've only shown a little bit here). It's an amazing steel sculpture. Part celebration of indigenous art, part celebration of migration, it's a stark but impressive sculpture by Nadim Karam.

I have to admit that I had a great pleasure in walking through the streets of Melbourne in the evenings... the weather, as is typical of Melbourne of old, was a little variable. Still, it was a fun time - and whilst I don't often get the chance to take out my camera on work trips, this was an opportunity I couldn't waste. By the way - if you're looking find what sort of public art there is in Melbourne, check out here. I wish I had something like this before. The streets of Melbourne are alive - and they also capture that life through it's sculpture. Hats off Melbourne. You are the cultural centre of Australia.

Twice Bitten.... Chaos in the Adelaide Skies

Well - I  posted last week about the difficulties for air travel in Australia due to the volcanic ash from Chile... well,  as it turns out, my foiled trip to Melbourne was re-scheduled to last monday... and everything looked set for a good trip. I arrived in Melbourne early, and had a productive day - only to hear around 6pm , that flights to Adelaide were being cancelled again due to volcanic ash. Thanks Qantas and the Bureau of Meteorology for warning us!... And yes - it turned out my return to Adelaide on Tuesday evening was cancelled... and the situation was looking grim for Wednesday. Actually, it wasn't only Adelaide, by Tuesday Adelaide, Melbourne, Canberra and Sydney were all cancelled.

Faced with the prospect of an indeterminate delay in Melbourne, myself and my boss decided to take drastic measures. To drive back from Melbourne to Adelaide... a small 750 km drive away.

View Larger Map

We set out around 4:30pm in the afternoon (just in time for peak hour) and a short drive later we were in Adelaide. By short, I mean 1am in the morning into Adelaide. A short 8.5 hour drive (including stops for dinner and coffees)...

Now, as it turns out we most probably could have returned to Adelaide around 8pm today (only 19 hours later), but we didn't know that when embarked on our mini-adventure. Still, it was an adventure, and whilst I complain about Qantas for their lack of warning, they were reasonably good. I heard that the disruption to Qantas on monday cost about 21million alone - though that wasn't dampening their profit estimates that much.

Despite the annoyance of driving home... I have to say that I was very happy to be sleeping in my own bed on Tuesday night. Whilst I might need to go to Melbourne again in the near future - this time I'll be keeping an extra keen eye on the ash cloud (which apparently has gone around the globe twice already).

Third time, they say, is a charm.... wish me luck for the third trip!

For She's a Jolly Good Fellow...er huh?

Well today is the Queen's Birthday here in Australia (well most of Australia - except Western Australia).... though it's not actually the birthday of Queen Elizabeth II, which is on the 21st of April. Instead this is our "Monarch's birthday", and is therefore re-cycled on the same day each year, the second Monday of June.

It may be a little surprising for non-Commonwealth countries to consider that the Queen of England remains Australia's official head of state (though some argue this is really the Governor General as the Queen's representative). Either way, this is largely a constitutional aesthetic legacy rather than a meaningful title. That's not to say we aren't influenced every day by the English laws, customs, morality, sensibilities and of course pomp... it's just that QEII remains a distant figurehead for most Australians, as she does in Antigua/Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Canada, Grenada, Jamaica, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, St Kitts & Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu and not forgetting of course, the United Kingdom.

It is however, always a good thing to give thanks to any one responsible for you getting a day off work. By the way, she's 85 this year...and still going strong. So Happy Non-Birthday Liz... I'll down a drink for you later on.

The Story of the Australian Sun Part 2

Protection From the Sun

The reality of summer in Australia is that if you go outside, then you really should be putting on a hat, sunglasses, a reasonable shirt and sunscreen (SPF 30+). Even though we do this, L-kun's hat (above) is not really kosher, as it should be a wide brimmed hat rather than the baseball cap style. Every time we go out for any time there's a family ritual of slopping on the sunscreen... 

Yet when I was L-kun's age (and a lot older) it was pretty well expected that you'd end up looking like a lobster (i.e. RED) from sunburn a few times over a summer. The whole skin peeling off your body was just a normal way of life. How the times have changed... and perhaps it's because the message has been drummed into us from a very long time ago thanks to years of anti skin-cancer advertising.

Skin Cancer... The Message and the Dark Side of Advertising Industry
The dominant message however that has occurred over the last 20-30 years is that the sun is bad, and we should get out of it at all costs (regardless of where you are). Indeed over that period of time, there has been a growing number of ad campaigns in Australia that started with the Slip Slop Slap ads in the 80s (slip on a shirt, slop on some sun-screen and slap on a hat). From those almost embarrassing early years, the advertising industry has become increasingly sophisticated, or at least aggressive in pursuing the skin cancer warning message.

I've just thrown together some of the classic television ad campaigns from Australia over this period...

WARNING - some of these adds contain graphic visuals, and might be disturbing to some people. It should be remembered however that all of these ads are/have been played on prime-time Australian television and including childrens hours.

The 1980's... The Beginning

This was the period where public health messages meant budget, and it also was the time when adds were aimed more squarely at families. This is reminiscent of the Life Be In It adds of the 70's. The message was simple - if you're spending much time out in the sun, cover up.

The 1990's... Sexy is Back

The advertising industry had finally come on board, and they knew that if you wanted to sell the message of skin cancer prevention, you couldn't go past the old classic. Sex sells. Who would have thought that skin care could be so hip. I guess they figured that the people they wanted to concentrate on were the 20-40's who were out having lots of fun in the sun, but who didn't want to be lectured (or sung) to.

The Late 90's... Shock is Good

By the late 90's the audience was becoming more sophisticated... and the medium of television was learning the power of the visual. And the power of shock. As with the anti-smoking ads of the same era, advertisers knew that things needed to be stepped up to grab our now ambivalent television viewer habits. The quick grab of something quite graphic was becoming the new in thing.

2004... There's Nothing Sexy About Scars - Or Is There?

We now have a different turn of events - the inclusion of computer graphics/animation to spice up things. There was a hint of the shock advertising, but for the most part it played on the smart "killer body art" line. Perhaps at the end of the day however, it seemed to detract from the seriousness of the disease and consequences... just a little scarring on what was otherwise a very healthy looking body.

2007 - If a Little Shock is Good, Then...

This advert featured a real story about Tanya, a 22 year old who was having a melanoma (aggressive form of skin cancer) surgically removed. The ad actually showed the surgery - and unlike the previous ad campaign there was an all too unattractive side of this ad. The message was this - this isn't about fashion and minor scars, it's about hospitals, surgery and ultimately life and death. Warning - this IS very graphic, but once again, shown during family viewing times. It's a powerful message, but I always wondered if these ads are counter-productive... making people retreat from the issue in fear and disgust.

2008... The Youthful Face of Death

Following on from the use of real people to bring home the reality of skin cancer, there were few campaigns that had the immediate chilling effect of the one that featured the young, beautiful Claire Oliver. This was now an all out assault on the fashion of being tanned (and especially solariums)... and it was no longer in terms of hospitals and surgery. It was about showing that youth was not only vulnerable, but that youth culture (and the cult of the beautiful) was fundamentally the greatest risk to getting skin cancer. It was an incredibly sad story... and one that reminded me of the old Yul Brynner ads of the 80's. Advertising has a few key strategies - but the memorial is one that can only be taken out of the cupboard every so often.

Current - The Threat Within

The current ad - actually this is the one that made me write this post - has now reached new depths in the use of fear. Now, no longer is the message about spending too long out in the sun, but rather spending any time out in the sun. The message, intentional or not, is that the cancer could be in you now... spreading... eating yourself from within. All because you took your shirt off for a moment. The dark side of tanning is as much a message on the dark side of advertising. Where the message of caring for your skin has now become one of fearing your skin (and your body). Or worse, fearing that it is already too late. Today's advertising moguls seem to have decided that when you cut through the sex, the sophistication, the shock and the sympathy - all you have to sell a message is fear itself.

The Reality... Is It Worth It?

Now in writing this, I don't want to currently about 2,000 people die in Australia every year from skin cancer related disease (or about 1.24% of all deaths per year, which is about 153,000). So it's not an insignificant cause of death (and for each death, there are many more people that have been seriously affected by skin cancer). And as I've written before, it's common for people to have skin cancers removed nowadays. My father has had many sun-spots removed... and he's pretty typical of people of his age that spent a long time working outside. The removal is normally done by a family doctor with a liquid nitrogen spray to effectively cold-burn your skin around the suspicious spot ...and no, it's not overly pleasant, but it's a helluva lot better than having large bits cut out.

So I acknowledge that whilst the advertising might be over-the-top, the risks are real, and so perhaps it needs to be done. And after all, the rates of death might be much higher. Yet - do we really know how effective these ad campaigns are, and what are the other costs to our lives?

My Own Experience

Last year, I had a scare where I'd gone to my doctor as I was worried about a mark on my face... which had been slowly growing over about 6-7 years. When I finally made a point of asking her to check it out she was worried enough to send me to the dermatologist that specialised in skin cancers. My advice - don't wait to see a doctor when you think something's wrong. Just do it. Anyhow - the specialists initial reaction was not good (in fact he indicated that he had initially been very worried about it). However, it had turned out to be nothing to worry about (yet he still froze it off - which kind of relieved me anyhow). He did however find another spot that I didn't even know about that definitely had to be frozen off because it could potentially turn very nasty. Sometimes it's not the things that are most obvious that are the most dangerous. So... skin cancer is something I do worry about, and it's something I don't take lightly.

Still, I wonder if we have not in our rush to get people to protect themselves, have we become so concerned at the advertising campaign and increasing the already massive budgets of our anti-skin cancer organisations? The message should not be one of fear, but of watchfulness and common-sense. Not to be afraid of the sun at all costs, but to respect it.

The story of the Australian Sun is, much like the sun itself, a harsh one. Yet it can't be separated from the other story of Australia. The joy of getting out and living with the world. Whilst we take care to look after our son, I definitely don't want him to grow up always being afraid to go outside - or too scared to play in the sun with his friends. Life needs still to be enjoyed.

The Story of the Australian Sun Part 1

The Story of Australia is also a story about our sunshine... especially in summer when we can suffer under days of scorching hot glare from our nearest star. Yet, without the sun, life on Earth (at least as we know it) would not be possible. However, the story of sunshine is almost told with the fear of one who names the demons in our dreams. Sunshine is the killer within... or at least that's how we see it through the lens of our society.

And even now that there's a cold change sweeping through South Australia (as in much of Australia in this very strange summer season this year), it's perhaps a good time to revisit the story of the Australian Sun.

The Sun

The Sun is a star...a pretty ordinary star as far as they go... it's name comes from Old English - but has connections to the Goddess Sunna (Germanic) and Sól (Norse)... and more distantly to the Sanskrit Surya. The light from the Sun is generated via a process of nuclear fusion where hydrogen atoms are fused to form Helium, which also releases a huge amount of energy as electromagnetic radiation (i.e. sunlight). This sunlight takes only about 8 minutes and 19 seconds to reach Earth. Once it gets here, it has the equivalent energy of about 1,368 Watts per square metre... although by the time it gets through the atmosphere it's closer to 1,000 Watts. Still, that's a good reason to get solar panels, even if they have at best only a 20% energy conversion efficiency.

Ultraviolet Light

Ultraviolet Light is just normal light that has a very low wavelength (which means it's beyond the violet end of the rainbow, in the part you cannot see with your eyes). This light has more energy than normal light, but less than X-rays. It is the UV rays (especially the UVB part) that are responsible for sunburns - not the visible part of the spectrum. It causes skin damage by breaking down collagen (which gives skin elasticity) and Vitamin A. It also generates nasty chemicals known "free radicals" which cause damage to your skin cells DNA.

Care of Wikipedia.

Most UV light from the sun never reaches the Earth's surface, as it gets adsorbed in the Ozone Layer...

The Ozone Layer

In fact, ever since the discovery of the Ozone Hole above the Antarctica in 1985, there has been a growing concern about the impact of ultraviolet (UV) radiation on Australia... and we often cited the ozone hole has being the cause of apparent increases in skin cancer and the almost universal opinion that the sun is hotter now than it used to be.

Now ozone is a form of oxygen (normally oxygen forms as O2, i.e. two oxygen atoms combined, whereas ozone is a form that combines three oxygen atoms, i.e. O3). Ozone is actually poisonous to people at ground level, but in the stratosphere around 15-40 km above us, it forms an important component in a chemical cycle that results in the absorption of harmful UV rays. This cycle sees normal O2 oxygen adsorbing light and splitting then recombining to form O3, which then adsorbs more UV light to break back into single Oxygen atoms before reforming with O2 to more O3. That seems pretty complicated... but what does all this mean?Well it means that the presence of ozone is important in the adsorption of UV light... and if that O3 is broken before it adsorbs UV then less UV is adsorbed... and the more that hits the Earth (that's you and me).

The global push to ban CFC (chlorofluorocarbons, a particular type of chemical structure that was often used in propellants and refrigerants, and which is one of those chemical types that breaks the ozone up) seems to have lead to a recovery in the ozone layer. However, the reality is that your latitude is the most important aspect of your UV exposure. The closer to the equator, the more you'll generally get, as shown below.

Care of The UN Environemtal Program and GRID-Arendal

UV Index

The current picture over Australia looks like the map where the numbers represent the UV index (Extreme  >11+ and you should avoid going out in the midday sun, Very High = 8 -10, High and you should wear protection and avoid any extended period in the sun, High = 6 -7 you should still wear protection and reduce time in the midday sun, Moderate 3-5 means you have a low risk but should still wear sunscreen if out in the sun for any length of time, whilst <3 represents no real danger to most people). Despite what a commonly held belief here in South Australia, it's generally much worse in the north for UV than down here in Adelaide. Yet, even here we'll start to develop a sun-tan after even 15mins in the sun during summer. Note - last year I spent a long time walking around in the sun in Japan, and hardly got tanned at all... and I have to admit that I loved it.... but the reality was that I was most probably still getting reasonable doses of UV.

The latest UV rating across Australia (care of BOM).

UV - The Untold Health Story

Something that is often overlooked with UV however is that it is critical in the production of Vitamin D (or D3 to be more precise) in people which is important in a range of biological factors. Vitamin D is important in the prevention of rickets which leads to the deformities of bones in young bodies. The related Vitamin D2 can however be obtained through food, although there is still no definitive determination whether these have the same physiological effects. In recent years there has been a push to increase people's awareness of the positive aspects of UV radiation, and it's recommended that people get at least 5-8 minutes (in Australia at least) exposure to the sun every day in summer, and up to 40 minutes per day in winter (obtained from a helpful articles here and here). The bottom line is that some sunlight is actually healthy - and therefore you shouldn't avoid it completely.

Care of the SunSmart organisation

Still - the message about UV has not been a happy one over recent times... and in today's world it begins and ends with skin cancer.... and that's a different story that's coming up next.

AFC Asian Cup 2011 Australia vs Japan

Congratulations Japan... and Commiserations Australia
I know that this post is a little late - but alas, a quick trip this week has kept me busy and away from the computer. As you may or may not be aware, the Asian Cup was recently concluded in Qatar, involving both Australia and Japan in the final. Well the first thing I should say is that I have yet to watch the Final between Australia and Japan (or should that be Japan and Australia?)... Unfortunately the AFC Asian Cup was NOT on free-to-air television, so our family missed out on all of the action. Still I've included a link to the highlights below... and it looks like it was a pretty gripping game.

Actually for those not familiar with Australian "Socceroos"... we only recently re-appeared in the world cup in 2006 after a 32 year absence (from 1974), and have been slowly rising up the rankings since then. However, in recent years it's been the same core team of Harry Kewell (mid-fielder/striker), Tim Cahill (mid-fielder) and Mark Schwarzer (goalie) that have really been the keys to many games... the next generation has yet to fully establish itself. The Japanese "Samurai Blue" have a similar list of set players like Yasuhito Endō (mid-fielder), Daisuke Matsui (mid-fielder), Keisuke Honda (mid-fielder), and Eiji Kawashima (goalie). Actually Japan had a tough entry into the final, defeating Korea on penalties after a 2-2 draw after extra-time.

The game ended in the 109th minute (last minutes of extra time) when Japan scored a great goal by Tadanari Lee. It was good that the game did not go to penalties, and a good demonstration that a team needs someone that can really strike the ball to win. A game well played Japan, and Australia.

Soccer (or more properly, football) is one thing that is always a point of contention for our family. Ever since the 2006 World Cup when Australia beat Japan 3-1 in the group round. It was a cold night that night in Adelaide (at around 3am), I can tell you. Since then, soccer has been the battleground-of-choice between our two countries. And I think that Australia playing Japan in the Asian Cup Final was a good reflection of their respective quality. Actually, there are not that many sports where Australia and Japan are equally competitive so football is always a good opportunity for both of us to get excited.

At the end of the day, I always feel somewhat happy that no matter the outcome, I can feel like we both sort of won. At least that's how I console myself now.

Australia Day 2011!

Well 26th January is Australia Day, where we celebrate the arrival of the First Fleet (commanded by Arthur Phillips) into Sydney Cove in 1788. As such, it's a day that remember the start of "Australia" as we know it today. Of course, for the indigenous community, the day may have a slightly different connotation. Yet, it is an inclusive celebration, and these days there's a reasonable focus also on the different cultures that make up modern Australia.  So, how do we celebrate Australia Day? We do this in a typical Aussie way, by having a holiday... having parties and for many people in Adelaide enjoying the Cricket at Adelaide Oval. So how did we celebrate Australia Day 2011... well, L-kun spent a good amount of time out in the inflatable pool.... and Daddy spent a very good amount of time outside with him (sometimes outside the pool, but increasingly inside the pool). We also started getting serious about our planning for our next trip to Japan... hope that isn't too rude...

After a big BBQ dinner (lots of meat... hmmmm Aussie BBQ), we got ready for a big evening out... we had missed the Australia Day Parade in Adelaide, but we were going to make it for the concert and fireworks in Elder Park in the city centre.  Just a few things to do before we head out... like dress up appropriately..

Actually, L-kun was a little unsure about the whole Aussie Flag on his face. He can be quite sensitive to how he looks. Hmmm - he was even less happy last night when we returned and couldn't get it off! Oops. Hope it comes off soon. Anyway - here's a few quick photos from the night...

The River Torrens

Elder Park overlooking the Convention Centre

Crowd enjoying the free concert, starring Jessica Mauboy

L-kun enjoying the atmosphere

A lot of flag, and a lot of patriotism

I just love the old Rotunda in the park

Fireworks finish the night...

It was a good night, though T-chan always is a little confused at fireworks (hanabi) in Australia (or specifically Adelaide). She always thinks the fireworks are too low, and I guess when I think about it, I'd have to agree. However, as it's AUSTRALIA DAY, and part of recognizing a country's uniqueness is appreciating that everyone does things slightly differently, and for our city, this is just how we do it.

Anyway, it was a long day, and we didn't get L-kun off to bed until nearly 11. It was a great night, and marks the end of the holiday season in Australia... although I bet there will be a lot of people taking Thurs and Friday off. And good on em!

Happy Australia Day!