Jonathan Jones and Ruark Lewis: HOMELAND ILLUMINATIONS

10/11/07 • 26 min

Drawing on the rich cultural history of the CarriageWorks building, the surrounding suburb of Redfern and his grandfather's heritage as a labourer, Jonathan Jones collaborates with Ruark Lewis to create a striking installation piece from raw materials, mounted lighting, and reconfigured text. Ruark: "We have designed this work as a lightly installed architectural installation. It is a floor work almost 7m long. Each of the 40 coloured planks are inscribed with descriptions of the wool industry in New South Wales. We have been working with Jonathan’s grandfather recording his oral history which tells of the 85 year old’s early life as a wool classer. Beneath each plank we are planning to install rows of fluorescent lights. The lights will form a sequence of patterns by tilting the planks recto & verso. We have constructed something like a hovering mid-twentieth century night harvester." Jonathan and Ruark have also recently exhibited in Singapore.

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Amanda Penrose Hart : NEW PAINTINGS

Talking with artist Amanda Penrose Hart about her exhibition, New Painitngs, at the King Street Gallery in Sydney's Darlinghurst. Travelling in her portable studio, a classic Aussie ute, Amanda discovers and paints exquisite landscapes in oil, depiciting the parched brown hills and valleys of the central west in New South Wales. In 2006, Amanda was an artist-in-residence at Haefliger's Cottage in the historic mining town of Hill End. Like many Australian artists before her, including Russell Drysdale, Donald Friend, Brett Whiteley, and John Olsen, Amanda is drawn to the eroded and raw landscape of this rural area, but she brings her own unique vision. Amanda is particularly attracted to the ubiquitous holiday caravans that sit dotted about in empty paddocks, frying in the midday heat. Although people are absent in these paintings, their presence is felt. A fascinating conversation with a rapidly rising contemporary Australian painter. Amanda's exhibition was sold out. Enjoy. To check out Amanda's work while listening to the interview, first hit play, then click this link: http://www.kingstreetgallery.com.au/artists/penrosehart.html

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Ted Harvey: PHOTOGRAPHING LED ZEPPELIN, 1972

The Led Zeppelin World Tour is an exhibition of documentary photographs and contemporary artworks. Rarely-seen images by freelance photographer Ted Harvey documenting Led Zeppelin's legendary 1972 Sydney concert feature in this exhibition. I spoke with Ted on site at Sydney's SH Ervin Gallery, where the exhibition is running from 19 Jan-2 March 2008. In this 35 minute interview, Ted speaks in-depth of his experience photographing Led Zeppelin in concert, meeting the guys in Sydney's infamous Sebel Town House Hotel, and strolling around Kings Cross with Robert Plant. Ted also speaks eloquently of the Australia of the early 1970s - a more conservative time, but in some ways a much freer society than today. Led Zeppelin played the Sydney Showground in an extraordinary three-hour concert, their only-ever Sydney gig. Notoriously camera shy the band were almost inaccessible to the media and few photographs of their live performance exist. Robert Plant has said that Ted Harvey's images are the best ever taken of Led Zeppelin. First hit the play button to hear the interview, then click this link to check out Ted's website at http://www.rockphotoaid.com SH Ervin Gallery: http://www.nsw.nationaltrust.org.au