David Jones, artist and poet (1895-1974) begins his PREFACE TO THE ANATHEMATA :

'I have made a heap of all that I could find.' (1) So wrote Nennius, or whoever composed the introductory matter to Historia Brittonum. He speaks of an 'inward wound' which was caused by the fear that certain things dear to him 'should be like smoke dissipated'. Further, he says, 'not trusting my own learning, which is none at all, but partly from writings and monuments of the ancient inhabitants of Britain, partly from the annals of the Romans and the chronicles of the sacred fathers, Isidore, Hieronymous, Prosper, Eusebius and from the histories of the Scots and Saxons although our enemies . . . I have lispingly put together this . . . about past transactions, that [this material] might not be trodden under foot'. (2)

(1) The actual words are coacervavi omne quod inveni, and occur in Prologue 2 to the Historia.
(2) Quoted from the translation of Prologue 1. See The Works of Gildas and Nennius, J.A.Giles, London 1841.


31 October 2021

Halloween : Our Bewatching



Theatre of the Actors of Regard   
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 A Person Looks At A Work Of Art/
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28 October 2021

Coming Soon



Theatre of the Actors of Regard   
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 A Person Looks At A Work Of Art/
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27 October 2021

Les Artistes

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Theatre of the Actors of Regard   
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 A Person Looks At A Work Of Art/
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26 October 2021

Vale Nigel Lendon (1944-2021)


The first work I experienced by Nigel Lendon was Inventory in Brian Finemore's Object & Idea at the National Gallery of Victoria, 1973. 

Inventory, 1973, various media, 6000 x 6000 mm   
Nigel's contribution to that significant (after The Field) NGV exhibition was very much both object and idea : the material object engaged and impressed upon me, and I have never forgotten the effective work of that title.

these images from www.nigellendon.art    
 Inventory (How do I see thee? Let me count the ways.) 

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of being and ideal grace.
I love thee to the level of every day's
Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.
I love thee freely, as men strive for right.
I love thee purely, as they turn from praise.
I love thee with the passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints. I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life; and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.

Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806-1861)


 Nigel Lendon with one of the 200+ plastic cameras he collected.
 photo Brenton McGeachie / CMAG

Theatre of the Actors of Regard   
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25 October 2021

The Expanded Field

    



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22 October 2021

Minister for Education, Alan Tudge MP re. National Education Standards

  
In the morning, this broad discussion on The Art Show (ABC RN) re. about Public Art.

In the afternoon, at Question Time in the House of Representatives, the Minister for Education re. National Education Standards. Hansard (20 October 2021) :


Photo of MP

Mr ALEXANDER (Bennelong) (14:51): My question is to the Minister for Education and Youth. With many students in my electorate returning to school this week, will the minister outline how the Morrison government is ensuring the national curriculum will help our kids roar back and instil a factual, positive view of our history and love of our country.

Photo of MPMr TUDGE (AstonMinister for Education and Youth) (14:51): I thank the member for Bennelong for his question and his contribution to his electorate and indeed to our nation. It is fantastic that kids are returning to school in Melbourne and Sydney, and it is such a relief for parents and for kids. As they return to school, we are absolutely backing them in to roar back. We're doing that through record funding to every single school; we're doing that through additional mental health support; we're doing that through keeping the economy strong so that there are opportunities for them post schooling—and, of course, we're also doing this through revising the national curriculum to ensure that standards are high and that we instil that love of country which the member for Bennelong referred to.

Mr Speaker, as you'd be aware, the national curriculum is presently under review. But I've got to say that I would not support what the independent Australian curriculum authority has presently put out, the reason being that, in some cases, standards haven't been lifted but have in fact gone backwards. The clearest example of that is in the teaching of the times table. Presently, kids are being taught that in year 3, but under the revised national curriculum, which ACARA, the independent body, has put out, it would be taught in year 4. In some other countries it's actually taught in year 2. But I'll tell you what is suggested to be taught in year 2, and that is to suggest or to analyse whether a statue is racist. So you can't learn the times table, but you can do an analysis of a statue in year 2, when you are seven.

My biggest problem, though, is actually in the history curriculum

Opposition members interjecting

Photo of MPThe SPEAKER: Members on my left!

Photo of MPMr TUDGE: and it is in this history curriculum where I have the greatest problem. As you know, we live in the greatest, egalitarian, freest, wealthiest country that has ever existed in the history of humankind, but if you read that national draft curriculum on our history, you wouldn't think this. It has such a miserable view of our history. Frankly, we're not going to stand for that, because there is a reason that we are the greatest country in the world, and kids need to learn about that reason so that they can defend it, so they can be proud of it and they can do what previous generations have done.

I notice whenever I talk about this topic, whenever I talk about pride in Australia and I talk about pride in our history, the Labor Party opposite get so upset, because they equally have such a miserable view of our history and they want that miserable view imparted to kids. Well, we don't on this side of the House. We are proud of our country. We know that mums and dads are proud of their country, and we want to ensure the kids are equally proud.

Culture Wars 101 (continued) : He did the same thing in Question Time yesterday. Again, he had one of his own backbenchers set him up with a Dorothy Dixer. 

Mr STEVENS (Sturt) (14:27): My question is to the Minister for Education and Youth. Will the minister outline how the new draft national school curriculum proposes to teach Australian children about our rich history and our successful democracy?

Mr TUDGE (Aston—Minister for Education and Youth) (14:28): 
I thank the member for Sturt...
...I am not satisfied with the current draft which has been presented, because some of those core things which underpin our democracy are not there. It has a negative view of our history. It has a negative view of Australia. It omits some of the great people in Australia's history. It omits even things such as Christianity, more or less, even though it's one of the great influences on modern Australia.  

Opposition members interjecting— 

Mr TUDGE: Again I speak about this desire to instil love of country into the national curriculum and into students, and again the Labor Party get so upset when we dare to suggest that kids should learn about our democracy, should have pride in our country, should absolutely celebrate our democracy and should make a contribution to it. I don't understand why. The only reason I can suggest is that they share that miserable view of our nation and want our kids to equally have that miserable view of our nation. We won't stand for it.

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Theatre of the Actors of Regard  
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21 October 2021

TAR and the Wheel of Life


Yesterday's drawing by Josh Bowes is dreadfully and personally familiar.


by Josh Bowes 
TAR and the Wheel of Life, made in response, 
"as driven by desire/attachment." 
Bingo! 
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Theatre of the Actors of Regard  
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20 October 2021

some thank yous


Last week, a nip by a pug to the tip of your correspondent's little finger, thirty hours later brought on rigors and sepsis - From Little Things Big Things Grow - and, later, streams of IV antibiotics and micro surgery to flush out the resistance. A rare invader with a long name. "One case per year," he said.
 click image to enlarge 

 FIAPCE 
Grateful thanks to the doctors and staff at Springs Medical Centre and Daylesford Hospital; to Jo and Michele who at a moment's notice served as long distance ambos; to the doctors, nurses and all at Geelong Hospital; to Gill for bringing hot meals and general checking; and to Josh Bowes who, unaware of the developing bite saga, left this "Glad to see you back in general circulation" drawing on the chair by the front door.

 Josh and Boots 

by Josh Bowes 
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19 October 2021

New Stock Expected Soon

for Susan  

Theatre of the Actors of Regard  
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 A Person Looks At A Work Of Art/
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10 October 2021

Title, even


Titles in general interested me a lot. At the time I was becoming literary. Words interested me; and the bringing together of words to which I added a comma and ‘even,’ an adverb which makes no sense, since it relates to nothing in the picture or title. Thus it was an adverb in the most beautiful demonstration of adverbness. It has no meaning . . . . In English too, ‘even’ is an absolute adverb; it has no sense. All the more possibility of stripping bare. It’s a ‘non-sense.’

-  Marcel Duchamp to
 Pierre Cabanne (publ. 1971)

Theatre of the Actors of Regard  
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 A Person Looks At A Work Of Art/
 someone looks at something...
  
 LOGOS/HA HA