The middle Bowerbird participated in two days of a wonderful Gateways program at the NGV recently. This meant two days of frolicking in Melbourne for the Bowerbird girls, travelling back home wasn't really an option as it's a decent journey. We visited three galleries, ate delicious Belgian waffles and average Sushi, decided we didn't really like shopping in the city, but we all loved gazing at art.
My phone pictures don't do this exhibition justice, the Torres Strait Performative Print exhibition at the Arts Centre was beautiful, and a wonderfully serene space to pause after battling the crowds and trains into the city. We sat and watched a video on how the prints were made which really brought them to life and highlighted the incredible skill in their production. The little Bowerbird had the kinder teddy in tow for some cultural education. Later in the week we attempted cutting cockatoo feathers in the pattern of the Torres Strait head dresses, very fun.
The artistic skill of year twelve students exhibiting at the Top Arts exhibitions never fails to astound me, and this year doesn't disappoint. This was one of ours (and teddy's favourites), at the NGV Fed Square.
No trip to the NGV would be complete without touching that magical wall of water.
Clinamen byCéleste Boursier-Mougenot.These magical bowls, balanced like porcelain lily pads, chime as they collide in a slow dance across a giant pool of water, its so wonderfully Zen. Each bowl makes a different sound depending on its size, and the velocity with which it touches neighbouring bowls. The kids and I were trying to watch a single bowl and predict when it would collide with another.
Two fans suspend two loops of tape mid air, the ever changing circles are hypnotic.
Kohei Nawa, PixCell-Red Deer enchanted the small Bowerbird so much that she dived in to touch it as I was taking a photo. Both the gallery guard and myself jumped to stop her, with looks of horror, and gave her a terrible fright, there were many tears. We had to lay down in the great Hall for a while to recover, talking about the colours and shapes we could find in the beautiful glass above us. I doubt there will be any attempt at touching again.
A brief stroll around the gardens also helped restore the little ones nerves.
Yang Yongliang. Phantom Landscape. This is a still from his animation that combines an old world Chinese landscape with today's China, the city bustles as waterfalls cascade.
There is nothing like a dose of art to make me feel human, to touch my soul. I'm inspired to take the kids into the city again soon to see Monet's Garden and Robin Rhode at the NGV, and Afghanistan's Hidden Treasures at the Museum.
