Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Nero Infinito by Stefano Curto

More from MONA. The above piece was not a favourite, I just like my photograph! 
I did admire this:

Formations of Silence: Freudian Flowers by Juz Kitson

and loved these ...

Loop Section Quintet by Conrad Shawcross

Tracing Time by Claire Morgan

from Artifact by Gregory Barsamian

Untitled by Balint Zsako

There was/is a better (fantastic) suite of small gouache pieces by Balint Zsako (above), which are indicative of the more modest and 'light' works that counterbalance the many big, bold, bizarre and dark works in the gallery. I'm afraid I just can't begin to name the pieces I liked but didn't photograph, as there are too many in the exceptional space.

Instead a quick Hobart dish:

MONA aside, and Mount Wellington aside - I really did love an afternoon traipsing around the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens (lunching on the beautiful balcony of the somewhat dated café, eating roast vegetables, and a buttery potato and pear soup) ... A very good morning is to be had, choosing a loaf of bread and exclaiming over the cleanest and prettiest purple carrots, silverbeets, radishes and such in the world at Salamanca Market, and coming across the little Hobart Book Shop inside Salamanca Square ... The one cute clothing and accessories store I saw in Hobart (and I wasn't looking) was also in the square, called Maro (I'm pretty sure that's it) ... From Salamanca, you'll naturally find yourself walking a loop up the hill to Battery Point and Hampden Road, where there are a couple of other second-hand book and bric-a-brac shops - as well as some highly recommended cafés (inc Jackman & McRoss), and bars ... 

Lark Distillery (near the waterfront) is an early evening treat (leading to an early night in) ... I wish I could nod to the best fish n chips joint in town but we didn't find it! I also wish I could recommend the Museum and Art Gallery on Argyle Street, but I'm afraid it's a sad old place. Even exhibits that are surely very valuable (such as the significant collection of preserved indigenous birds, bugs and mammals) are terrifically outmoded - thank goodness, it's about to undergo substantial renovation and, oh, I just read that all of the creatures from the Zoology gallery have been recently removed and 'gently' prepared for storage! ... In the area, Franklin Square held some strange charm for me ... Elizabeth Street is a central thoroughfare that boasts the underwhelming Mall (with a convenience store that opens lateish); follow it to North Hobart to find a good strip of restaurants and pubs, and the State Cinema. Sadly we didn't go, but my friend Jo loved Ethos café on Elizabeth, and Jo also suggested that the nearby Sunday morning farmers' market might just be the best thing ever. Oh dear, we also didn't go to Pigeon Hole café out west, favoured by my friend Nicole ...

...  merci/x x Pen & Emina, who visit Hobart relatively regularly and pointed in these and other directions, + bon voyage/x x Lana & Jill, who venture there soon...

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