day sixty four

i tried not to; tried not to get caught up in the bill henson thing; i don't particularily like his work; i was introduced to his work in 1991; final year of high school; i have scanned a few images of his from a book i purchased about him in 1992; i rang roslyn oxley gallery (henson's sydeny dealer) to ask whether the works confiscated were recent/new work; they replied asking me why i wanted to know; i told them; they didn't advise; understandably

bill henson
untitled sequence 1977
1977





















bill henson
untitled 1983/84
1983-84





















bill henson
untitled 1983/84 (panel 2 of 3)
1983-84
















yesterday i received a letter of support for bill henson via tolarno galleries (henson's dealer in melbourne) from creative australia 2020 summit representatives; quite lame indeed; what i did find hilarious was this "The allegations that he (henson) is making child pornography have done more to promote his work to possible paedophiles than any art gallery, where the work is seen in it's proper, contemplative context."

as long as it's in a gallery it's safe. oh the gallery, paedophiles don't go to art galleries, do they? the world has gone nuts! i mean the guy's been doing it for years. oh god! The bourgeoisie. if i'm poor and mad, i'm a crazy. if i'm rich and mad. i am eccentric.

day sixty three

as the clock strikes 8pm i will go to studio and develop a working relationship with "polymer paint" rather than the swollen, ingrown hair on my jaw bone

day sixty two and a half

central australia; beginning in alice; 32 degrees; escaped the grey 9 of a autumn melbored day; thank you tiger; 149 dollar return flights; stayed at a hostel; 2 nights; night 1 realised we were at the racist hostel; click here for article; went to the opening of the alice prize; dud; set off for The Resort; mingle with the gayas group; rocked up to the bar; glasses of wine on bar; asked bar attendant if the drinks were free; affirmative response; 30 people or so; 95% men; ainsley remarks everyone is checking me out; smell of fried delights permeate the bar; head for the tempura delights; hoeing out; bloke approaches; who are you?; i reply; where are you from?; i reply; thinking that the scene is very underground i stumble around in conversation trying to allude to that i know that this is the gay drinks night; i had researched it on the net; the poor guy has no idea as to what i am talking about; nor the people i am referring to; it;s his work farewell party; apologise profusely; abscond to table by the pool; tempura fish & wine in hand; further discussing embarrassment with ainsley; decide to ask reception if the queers meet here; responds, no not here; i go back to the pool; finish our drinks; leave; receptionist charges out; excuse me sir, friday afternoons; wink; fuk!

we head to bo's; alice's answer for a all-in-one-bar; get sloshed; end up in taxi; with 2 strangers; crash party; pissed fuckers everywhere; kids too; pinata; met and chatted to the hosts; fun guys; sebastian with ebay wrestling mask; man after my own heart;
















checkout of racist hostel; hungover; walk to car rental; to pick up 4WD; pictured below; well not quite what we had in mind; but beggars can be choosers now, can they? try and get lost in that camper; didn't make it to the ute muster; not sure i wanted to turn up in the japanese-esq runabout;

we ran out of petrol on the first day; hailed a passing camper van; frenchies; happened to have 20 litres of fuel; opal fuel infact; paid them 20 dollars; off we went; 40 kms from curtain springs; refueled and bank down there for the night; where ainsley and two other tent occupants were harassed all night by a randy emu; tents were ripped.
















uluru, kata tjuta and kings canyon; mindblowing; i didn't think i would connect; didn't think i would get it; but, fuck what amazing places; so much to learn; so little time;

on the last day; arrived back in alice; headed to emily and jessie gap; again what can i say; other than amazing; rocks rock; the rock paintings below; taken at emily gap; paintings depict caterpillar dreaming
















and heres me on the last night; in me 27 dollar tent

day sixty two

boo hoo; i didn't win the alice prize; disappointed naturally; i understand why; it was time the alice foundation had a digital a/v-based work in their collection; as the award is acquisitive; the work that won; is of this ilk; a simple projection; at bad resolution; all the gallery needs to do is plug in and turn on; mine-too much fiddling; i stood around my work; listening to punters comments/reactions; repulsion; interest ; amazement being the commonly heard; was chuffed that some people were so disturbed that they couldn't look at it; for this presentation of the installation i projected into sump oil filled 44 gallon drums; the oil was filled to 3/4 so people had to look in; was a very different aesthetic; causing very different response to the initial presentation in Melbourne back in July 2007 where i had projected into water-filled wooden hot-tubs;

best thing was ainsley and i went of 3 day road trip in the desert; uluru; kata tjuta; kings canyon; annes gap; jessies gap; fucking amazing!

below is a still of the wining work; Icus; Pip McManus; DVD; 55 mins; Pip is an Alice Springs local; the work is a ceramic piece placed in water and she filmed (video) it's disintegration; i remember seeing this type of work in 90's by an american ceramicist;










35th Alice Prize 2008 - Judge's Review (excerpt)

Pip McManus’s DVD Ichor [The ethereal fluid flowing in the veins of the gods, but poisonous to mortals], was for me, the stand out work. In this hour long DVD, an androgynous ancient-looking ceramic figure, to the perfect accompaniment of a cello, slowly fragments until it collapses into the earth from which it derives. Transformational and compelling, Ichor is also a work of great beauty, integrity and lasting visual impact and one which demonstrates McManus’s practice as a ceramacist developing in new and exciting realms. It is a very fine work of international standard.