Richard Avedon

Anna Mouglalis

Just, you know, indulgent pretty stuff.

Don't know, some ad campaign I guess...

In Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky (2009)

In J'ai Tourjours Reve d'Etre un Gangster (2007)

Second Hand Delights

I have nabbed a couple of lovely bits and bobs lately. Some glasses and a saucer at a antiques shop in Daylesford, photos below, and some new frocks from the Retrostar Warehouse sale on Saturday, photos once I finish washing drying and smartening them up.

New plate with delicious cake that mum made.

These reminded me of some glasses I inherited from my Nanna, they had some others in a slightly different pattern that I am tempted to go and look at next time I am up in Daylesford.

Running

Just went for a late afternoon run. It was pleasant, apart from having to dodge the hordes of footy fans spilling across the gardens from the MCG. I felt more warmed up than when I run in the mornings, no achey ankles. I also managed to run for 20 mins, then walk for 3 then run for 7, nearly ran 5k in total. I am kind of amazed. At the start of this year I absolutely struggled to run any longer than about 90 seconds at one go. I am so glad I finally managed to persevere and learn to run properly and to run regularly. Apart from the obvious (vain!) side of losing weight, it has also helped enormously with depression and anxiety. I always used to read that exercise helped but never really believed it. It is also great as I can just go out the fron door and do it for free.

Now I just have to learn how to do push ups and get upper body strength and I can be wonder woman.

Running fun times in Chicago c. 1960.

ps had fun at retrostar sale today buying frocks will put some pictures up soon.

Went to an art exhibition last night at Gertrude Contemporary Art. The main room has work by the artist Manuel Ocampo, who I have met a few times through J&T. It is a great exhibition, the main room is painted with monochrome murals.You can even have a tattoo of one of the works if you like.

The front space has an installation by Newell Harry of bottle and sort of pots, which made me think of a shipwreck. Then me and Greer got wine at the Enoteca, which was nice, except they only have one thing on the snack menu that doesn't have meat! Well two if you count the cheese platter but it was very expensive, so i don't. Still nice though.

Now I am off to the Retrostar warehouse sale to hopefully pick up a cheap frock and then back to the city to buy new sunglasses as mine broke and I can not bear the harsh light of day. Then I have to do a few hours work.

Nice threads

A fashion advertisement from the British Library c. 1880.

Back at uni today and feeling ok. I had though I might be getting sick but it seems not, which is good. Maybe I am just run down, I feel very tired lately, finding it very hard to get out of bed and to feel motivated. Blah. I have less than a month to the date I said I would have my whole thesis draft done and it is, of course, once again looking highly unlikely. Clearly I will never finish this stupid thing. The end.

My latest knitting project

Another scarf, I should try something else really. Though I don't really feel up for the challenge, and I have been wanting a scarf like this for absolutely ages. I think it needs to be twice as long, so I need some more wool. I like the colour combo of my magenta needles with the golden wool.

Mmmm cosy.

Print of the day!

I feel my life is dull at the moment, i.s. sleep, run, thesis, thesis, drink tea, eat biscuit, thesis, watch masterchef, watch British panel shows on youtube, read book, sleep, repeat. So I have decided to put up delightful but irrelevant (to my thesis) pictures that I stumble upon into my blog, possibly I will then also manage to add bits and bobs about what I am up to.

I have no idea what this cartoon is about, just stumbled across while I was researching (*cough* procrastinating *cough*). As far as I can gather, as it is in a Dutch collection (Het Geheugen van Nederland) and the information is all in Dutch, it is a flapper riding John Bull. It says:

Cherchez la femme - De Engelsche kiezerslijsten boeken reeds 11/2 millioen meer vrouwen dan mannen, dank zij het "flapper" kiesrecht - John Bull: "Dat me zooiets nog op mijn ouwen dag moet overkomen!"

I am reading the various jobs advertised at the NGV, just out of curiosity really. But they have a job for an education officer, which is always something I thought sounded like a job I would quite like. Unfortunately it is very much focused at school children's education and the gallery and requires various teaching qualifications that I don't have. I don't think the NGV has a tertiary education officer, which is a shame, I know most big galleries in the UK do, and it would seem like a good thing to have. But the other frustrating thing is that amongst all the various teaching qualifications and experience they ask for only an 'appreciation of the arts'. How bloody ridiculous. I remember as a primary, and especially a secondary school student finding the galleries educational activities frustrating and boring. Often I knew more than those conducting the activities. Obviously I have always had a very focused interest, but nevertheless surely it is students like me who love art that that should be nurtured by such programs, not left sitting up the back and rolling their eyes.

There have been various studies and pieces of writing in recent years about the fact that just because an academic, or similar, is an expert in something it doesn't mean they are automatically the best teacher. I agree, I think many academics would benefit from training in good teaching methods, how not to send students to sleep in lectures, how not to just talk themselves all through tutes. But the flip side of this is that someone who is a highly qualified and experienced educator/teacher can not necessarily teach well on any subject with just an 'appreciation' of the content. I found this with a course I tutored once where much of the content was developed by an 'educator' and tended to lack any real in-depth information on the topic at hand. We went through the motions of 'good teaching activities' but often neither I, nor the students, really knew what we were meant to have actually learnt. It is sad that the NGV only wants an 'appreciation of the arts'. A good teaching qualification is one thing, but I would have thought a tertiary qualification in art and art history was also essential. This type of narrow mindedness generally leads to educational programs that tend to engage only superficially with the art in the collection.

Anyhoo, that is enough ranting for now.

Some speedy procrastination. I am looking for some prints of Medici performances in the 17th century but one of the prints that came up was of a sleeping puppy. So adorable. An adorable Baroque puppy.

Hahahaha I was reading this article about Country Roads new 'mature label' for the 40+ age group and look at this!

Short shorts! ROFL. ROFL very much. I showed mum and said she should snap some up.

And these, and the tight white pants? Not that older women shouldn't wear whatever they want but still....

I love the way that fashion can't even bring itself to put slightly older models in a parade of clothes specifically for the older man and woman. NOOOOO not OLD PEOPLE ON THE CATWALK. MY EYES!!!! I find their inability to use models from an older age group more ridiculous than the suggestion of short shorts.

As an antidote I love this blog with pictures of older people looking stylish.
http://advancedstyle.blogspot.com/

The 'Hungarian Palace' from the Great Exhibition in Turin, 1911. From ICCD.

SO BORED OF MY THESIS. so bored. kill me. I feel so mentally exhausted this week, I can't focus properly. I realised I haven't had a break for over a year, just working on thesis 5 or 6 days a week. You think it would be bloody finished. Grr. Grumble. Grumpy.


We have a retirement party for my supervisor tonight, I spent yesterday making an ace card with funny pictures and witty art historical allusions, yes I am a dag and this is possibly why the thesis doesn't get finished. Have to walk home in the rain now. I feel too lazy. But I have tried snapping my fingers, and wiggling my nose and I even tried to tap my brooch Star Trek style and asked to be beamed up and none of those worked so clearly I am stuck with walking. At least I have some Russell Brand to listen to.

And as I wrote that it got HEAVIER. STUPID RAIN. Now not only will I get wet but I have to rethink my outfit and I think all my sartorial brain cells are dead as yesterday I walked to uni with my fly undone and today I put my top on inside out and didn't notice for three hours.

Had to get out of the house today. Was meant to go to a book launch at uni but it felt too much like work and I probs wouldn't have known anyone and would have ended up getting sloshed on champers in the early afternoon. So I went to Savers instead and got this cool green jacket, a pair of carla zampatti jeans which actually fit and I never find jeans that fit at Savers, a apir of Nine West ankle boots which also fit perfectly, and black high waisted skirt and a pale green pure silk scarf. All for $45. FUN.

This pic from The Sart makes me want to cut my hair short again. Carefree style.



I am also so glad he has finished with that ridiculous Australian visit. Honestly, it was like the blog version of Baz Luhrman's film. 'Ohh look at Australia, all sunny, laid back, the beach, yawn.' I want photos of stylish European people!

Jarrod and Tara opened their new gallery tonight, they just moved round the corner. Looks very good. Had a lovely meal of takeaway pizza and good wine afterwards. Now it is 2:05am, on a school night and I should be in bed.

I am so cold. I need a place to work that isn't freezing. I am in mum's office today and it was ok with the sunshine but now it is seriously shivery. My nose is cold. Maybe I should just start downing shots of whisky to stay warm.

Studied at uni today as I just kept procrastinating at home and drinking endless cups of tea, plus needed to get some inter library loans, one I have no idea why I ordered it at all, the other is very exciting, but only if you are interested in a particular Viennese garden around 1700, which I am *garden nerd*.

I am cosied up on the couch now drinking some wine and watching Father Ted.

I was reading this article on the fact that the names for the north and south islands of New Zealand were never legally registered, and I like this suggestion from one commenter.

Why not pick names from Middle Earth to get the tourist numbers back up?

Gondor and Mordor? Wellington should be changed to Hobbiton, Auckland Rivendell. The English names are ugly anyway.
Stephen McPhillips, Denmark, from New Zealand

I know it's immature, but it made me giggle.

I am feeling quite motivated at the moment, got back some feedback on my first chapter, which I re-wrote late last year and my supervisor says it is more or less right to go with a few small changes. And I looked at the draft and for the first time ever they were just small changes not huge re-writes. So one down seven to go!

I am just sitting here waiting for my apartment inspection. The place is so tidy I want to throw some stuff around, it isn't NATURAL. They sent us a letter with a list of things to do before the inspection which I thought was super patronising, but I guess some tenants are pretty hopeless. Though maybe they should consider a lost of things THEY should have done over the past year, like serviced my stove which sparked me and blew a fuse and the washing machine which still won't use hot water. They are meant to be here between 9:30am and 12, which is annoying, I wanted to go for a run earlier but thought they might arrive while I was still getting dressed. Plus I want to go to uni to work and now seems like I won't get there till 1pm-ish. Hey ho.

From Twitter.

darthvaderNote to @Alyssa_Milano - Tony Danza is not the boss. I am.

Haha.

Gustav Klimt, Nuda Veritas, 1899.

A Gustav Klimt painting from the Kunsthistorisches Theatre Museum in Vienna. You can see more of their collections here.

Cabaret Poster, 1907

Erstes Programmheft des Kabarett Fledermaus

Grafiker: Carl Otto Czeschka | Wien, 1907.
From the Theatre Museum of the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna.

I just ate a cadbury cream egg and now I feel sick. The first half is great, then you eat a little more, then it is more than half gone so I feel I should finish it all. Urgh. Too much sugar.

I am following Darth Vader on twitter, I wish he would follow me back as I really want to get the email "Darth Vader is now following you."

I am easily pleased.

Hot yellow jumpsuit.

The fashions! Good stuff.



Yes I am having a lazy Sunday watching random things on youtube.

Pizza vending machine?! i can't decide if I think it is excellent or terrible. Hmm.

Made my own hot cross buns

Made my own hot cross buns. Half have sultanas (none of the evil peel) and half have choc chips. Tried one, ever so good. I am ever so proud of myself.

I used this recipe from this wonderful blog http://ironchefshellie.blogspot.com/

Look at em! I know some of the crosses are a bit off, they are the atheistic buns.

Have printed out last 10 pages of chapter and I am ready for attack. God conclusions are hard. Need to wrap up all swirly ideas into something concise and punchy and full of wonderful delicious syntax.

Currently listening to Barack Obama reading 'Dreams from my Father' on the Book Show on Radio National. What an amazing voice. You can't podcast it unfortunately but maybe you can listen again online. Book Show Website.

Washed my cow rug today, wanted to keep the head dry and it made the bathroom look somewhat surreal.

Gosh I am so tired today. I went out with Greer for some wine and had about 6 glasses of wine over about 6 hours and it totally wrecked me. I have become a lightweight! I didn't have dinner but I had eaten masses during the day. Go figure. Am pretty annoyed as I had a lot to do today and have just sort of lain around drinking green tea and watching random stuff on youtube and trying to find funny people to follow on twitter. Just went out to get some shopping from Safeway on Smith St and they have put in those self check out machines, which I love. But there was this guy there trying to use one who kept shouting, 'what?' 'where's me money go?' 'what do i press?' I have a feeling that would happen a lot at that store. Now having some lemonade.

I did get sort of close at this point, but then he jumped down to hug someone and so ensued further hysteria at which point I left it to all those who were pretty much all 10 years younger than me.

P.s. I forgot to actually publish some stuff i wrote last week, just saved it, so you can look at more pretty pictures of random things below.

Had a good weekend, Russell Brand was great, cept at the end he promised to meet people so I waited around like a little fangirl and it was insane all these women just mobbed him and were pushing each other over .

On my way out these two guys behind me who were very blokey guys, probably there with their silly girlfriends, were seriously saying 'so maate could you be a sex addict?' 'Nah mate nah, sounds good but not for me' 'get expensive too if you aren't famous'

Didn't do much yesterday, had to return some library books so walked to uni and had an ice cream on the way. Painted my nails hot pink. At uni now trying to work, but so noisy, bloody students wearing their slap slap shoes going up and down the stairs.

At uni working today, pleasantly quiet after yesterday when they were jackhammering up the road outside, hopefully they won't start again. Mark is now coming home a few days earlier as they changed his flight, originally it looked like he might have to stay a few days longer, which would have been annoying as the place he is staying would have probably charged him $250 or something. It is really funny to think he will be home in about 10 days. When he first went it felt so strange and empty but I have gotten used to living on my own and have a nice little routine going, jogs, watching SATC, lining up all my shoes in the living room so I can admire them, having flowers in the house! I am a bit sick of cooking for myself every night.

Went to my friend's found sound event last night, sort of art/ contemporary music. It was interesting, less performative and more absorbed than the previous one, she decribed it as being abit like two djs had just heard about dj-ing and then tried to create it out of household objects.

Anyhoo must get back to writing.

Necklace I made, and then broke, well done (easily fixed though).

Tuesday seedlings

The seeds I planted a week or so ago are sprouting, I know some are basil but have no idea what these are. Lucky dip.

Rainy Day

Rain like this is so infrequent now it actually seemed photo worthy, I guess the view of our communal washing lines does add something though....
I thought I might start just putting a picture up for every day when I remember to take one. Will see how it goes.

Saturday Rain 14/3/09

Yes yes yes!

Or should that be oui, oui, oui!

I really want to see this film!

Doggies!

I am a baby.

Hamish looks a bit like a toy dog in this, and the camera fails to capture his brown-ish tinge.

Tweeting

Enjoying tweeting at the moment, I like the brief distraction which doesn't take away from my work. And the lack of obligation to write something deeply considered and thought through, which is what I am doing on my thesis.

One of my favourite tweets so far is by Tim Minchin

Going jogging. Sun shining. Church bells chiming. Birds singing. People laughing. Drifting breeze. River meanders. Fucking Adelaide.7:20 PM Mar 12th from web

My twitter is here, just a fledgling.

Also my favourite bird at the moment.

That will do for now I guess.

I have been making jewellery.

I'm thinking of making a new blog background instead of doing footnotes. Actually I am thinking of doing a lot of things instead of footnotes. Currently feeling excited about the washing, cleaning the fridge, vacuuming, lunch....

I went for a jog this morning, my new route takes me past 1 Treasury place, usually it is pretty quiet as it is the weekend or around 8am, but I was bit later today and there is something amusing about running past all the smart people in suits.

Right, back to work, though maybe another nice cup of tea first, and there were some biscuits around too...

I love this. there was a story about it on Late Night Live last week that I just caught up with on podcast. Basically it is a protest that involved 40 000 women sending pink knickers or chaddis to the offices of religious extremists.Those who staretd it belong to a group called the 'Consortium of Pubgoing, Loose and Forward Women.' They are staging protests against violence toward women in the context of of moral/cultural policing and religious intolerance and I think they are AWESOME.

Read their blog here.

I just found an article on the Art Newspaper about new rooms that have opened at the Beijing Palace Museum. I am trying to find out more about them (yes yes I know it is procrastination) but I can't help enjoying the name of the Emperor’s personal rooms—the Juanqinzhai, literally “the studio of exhaustion from diligent service." I think we all need one of those.

This is the theatre with views of gardens and landscape.

Style tip for Autumn. Helmets are sexy.

I should write more in here, I just forget and then I feel bored and frustrated with life and have no desire to record it. Mark is going to Lucca this weekend, I am very jealous, though I do remember feeling a bit bored there and writing something about it being the Tuscan Romanesque equivalent of a sleepy country town.