People who know Brisbane might be familiar with le Forme del Mito sculptures, created by Arnaldo Pomodoro in 1983. Pomodoro was born on June 23, 1926, in Morciano, Romagna, Italy. These sculptures were originally theatre set pieces for Agamemnon, a classical Greek tradgedy, which were brought to Brisbane during Expo 88. The Brisbane City Council purchased them, and they were set in King George Square, later moving to their current resting place at the bottom of Jacob’s Ladder in the centre of the city.
photo credit to Carlo Orsi
Each figure is created in bronze, and represents a principal character from the play. From left to right above:
La macchina – Machine – Aegisthus
L’ambizione – Ambition – Clytemnestra
Il potere – Power – Agamemnon
La profezia -Prophecy – Cassandra
The one that really spoke to me when I came upon them at the bottom of Jacob’s ladder a little while ago was Clytemnestra. I’m sure it’s heretical to say this, but the sculpture really reminded me of nothing so much as a Dalek. And Daleks are cool, so that makes this a very cool piece!
If you had read my recent post on the ring that I just made, you see where my mind has been lately. Very industrial scuplture! 🙂
Reading – it’s probably my number one favourite thing to do. Ever. Who doesn’t love to curl up on the couch with a cup of tea and a good book? I read morning, noon and night. It’s a miracle that I get anything else done in a day, really!!! Anyway, at the moment, I’m devouring reading “Twenty Chickens for a Saddle” by Robyn Scott. It is a memoir of Robyn’s life as a child, growing up in Botswana, Africa.
As well as many entertaining and amusing anecdotes about her family (swimming in crocodile infested rivers? Being home-schooled in a most unorthodox fashion by their mother? Running an egg selling business, using rescued ‘past their use by date’ battery hens, to fund a new saddle?), Robyn manages to impart – in a way that is completely engaging and without overloading you -a great deal of information about a number of potentially politically touchy subjects, including the AIDS epidemic, and the scary and dangerous beliefs that some of the African people have about HIV.
I haven’t even finished the book yet (plans for that later today!) but I just had to let you know that I was excited enough to tweet about it yesterday, and was surprised and thrilled to receive a tweet from Robyn in reply, letting me know about a great organisation she helped found, Mothers For All.
Mothers For All are non-profit, supporting women in Botswana and South Africa who care for children orphaned or made vulnerable by HIV and AIDS. Mothers For All has this to say:
“Every mother hopes, should something happen to her, someone will be there to both care for and love her children as she did. But in sub-Saharan Africa millions of mothers have little or no means of ensuring this. Of the 15 million children under 18 years who have been orphaned as a result of AIDS worldwide, 12 million live in sub-Saharan Africa.” (figures from 2009).
I think this probably resonates with all of us – I can’t think of anything more awful than not being there for my children, and not knowing that they would be safe and cared for if I were to die. So, what started as a gentle book read has morphed into a worthy cause to support. Like me, perhaps you could take a few minutes to read the website, and perhaps make a donation or purchase one of the lovely bead pieces, handmade by the mothers of the project.
Perhaps you could become an activist for Mothers For All, or simply use whatever social media you’re comfortable with to promote this very worthy cause!
The oldest surviving structure in Queensland is right here in Brisbane, in the City. It is a windmill, built by convicts from the penal settlement at Moreton Bay.
There is an interesting story behind this structure. I think many a convict would have rued the building of it; not only would it have been hard slog to create it, but it was, in part, powered by a treadmill trodden by convicts as punishment!
The Moreton Bay Song, a traditional Australian song from the pen of convict, Frank McNamara, was written in celebration of the death of Captain Patrick Logan, former commander of the Moreton Bay convict settlement, who oversaw this windmill. I remember singing the song in choir in primary school. Little did I know that one day I would be living in the area and seeing this fantastic old building!
So, a thought for those who came before us, and their hardships and trials – especially those pioneers, both intentional and through circumstance, who shaped our country into the great place it is to live today!!
I came across the most divine pieces pictured in ‘Jewelry Concepts and Technology’ by Oppi Untracht, a fantastic book that I bought recently. I was inspired to research John Paul Miller, the artist who created them.
Miller was born in 1918, and started his career as a painter. Inspired by the creations of a fellow student, he started making silver jewellery of his own. After receiving advice from the director of his school that “we don’t need any more good watercolor painters. Why don’t you concentrate on jewelry?” he turned his full attention to the craft.
Miller rediscovered the lost Roman art of granulation. He immersed himself in enamelling. I love his work, it is so intricate and organic. I can only dream of aspiring to be one hundredth as good as this!!
From the interviews I have read, he seems, at 94, to be a humble and gentle man, who has lived an interesting life – well worth reading more about. Thank you, John Paul Miller, for providing such beautiful, inspirational works to the world!
While walking through the Brisbane Chinatown Mall in Fortitude Valley one evening, I was delighted to discover this divine sculpture, “The Carp Leaps Over The Dragon Gate”, designed by Catherine Chui. According to the legend, the carp faces challenge with great courage to undergo metamorphosis from fish to dragon, and so represents a spirit of initiation, exploration, persistence and willpower. The shape of the Brisbane River forms the Carp’s spine. It is part of the revamping of ChinaTown, and is designed and situated with good Feng Shui principles in mind. I love his silvery orangeness and his innards!! 🙂
My sister first introduced me to the fantastic architectural works of Antoni Gaudi i Cornet, blogging photos of his creations she visited when she was in Spain. I think he is the master of all things when it comes to architecture. His use of fluid, organic lines and beautiful mosaic tiling just blows me away!
I love that he didn’t just design amazing buildings, he had input into everything that went into or onto them. He was skilled in various arts: ceramics, stained glass, carpentry and wrought iron forging, all of which he incorporated into his beautiful works.
Born in 1852, he was unique, especially in a time which had probably never seen anything remotely like this before!
A truly inspirational man, well worth spending some time immersing yourself in his story and works.
Oh, for a visit to Barcelona to see his work!! It’s on my list of one day dreams….
photo credit to Carlo Orsi
