Over Your Cities Grass will Grow: Directed by Sophie Fiennes
Like Hi! Yeah I know, I'm a slacker. Don't you know it's MIFF time! MIFF in Melbourne is my favourite time of year. I was too far up my own hiney to get there last year and too fricken broke with the small business caper but am back with a vengeance this year. Proudly I would boast that this spectacular festival is quite seriously world class. I should know as it is the only Film Festival I have ever been to so this gives me authority to make wild sweeping statements like that.
So I've seen lots, nothing's managed to bowl itself into my top 10 or anything like that but some goodies have been viewed (and we're only half way through so stay tuned!).
The pick so far was 'Over Your Cities Grass Will Grow', a doco come experimental-soundscape piece by Sophie Fiennes on prolific German artist Anselm Keifer.
What grabbed me by the shirt collar here more than anything, truth be told, was the scope of the subject matter itself. The documentary style was pretty clumsy, with the sound and visual sequences of the works probably the most triumphant, albeit long for some it seemed(many people were walking out.. Boredom? Short attention span??).
This picture has nothing do do with anything- I didn't even see this doco but I like the forboding Toad dude and it's nice to have pics in your post.
What eventually took my breath away was the combination of seeing the processes applied, materials used, man power needed to develop the too many to count or comprehend, pieces in Anselms' manufactured landscape. I am not even going to try to explain... It's beyond me..
What else...?? Hah! I am bored with this post! Point really was to say how awesomely life consuming and fulfilling I find MIFF and to urge you if you're in Melbourne to go to there. It will most definitely be worth your while checking out the program.
Trash Humpers: Harmony Korin
My hot tip is to see as much obscure stuff as you can as it might be the only time you'll get to see it. The 'good' films will be at Nova soon enough. This is risky as it means there's probably more chance that it will suck then blow your mind BUT you'll feel good for going all arthouse and trying new things. And despite the shitfull reviews I've heard about Harmony Korines Trash Humpers I AM going to see it, love it or hate it, because he is a genius. Eff-off naysayers for urging me not to bother.
Go and see a movie before it's back to Knife-point shopping centre for shit Rom Coms for the rest of the year!
Love, Love x
Melbourne International Film Festival/ Check the website for all the details you require for your film adventures. And go and see Trash Humpers/ Greater Union Cinema Wed 4th 915pm & Sat 7th 445pm: If you hate it you can blame your damn self for going- How shit does it look in that picture (&by shit I mean awesome! Maybe we have different tastes). I'm so going to regret this I can feel it!
Once again, the Melbourne Design Market managed to deliver a stupendous day for all involved. If you came by you would know what I mean. My sister and I worked our butts off selling OK OK tights like maniacs. It was fun!
What's news for OK OK? Well, I have just got a new lot of the Spring socks in store for y'all. Very exciting. Kind of a bit of a tease really. These are going to look so, so great with our summer frocks and skirts and shorts and cute sandals and... Please be over Winter. I'm bored with you (not really- winter is Rad I totally jest). Pics soon. For now, I blog whilst 10 boxes of socks sit in a changeroom and all over the shop (pardon the pun- HA!). Also for now, we will have to do the ankle sock and tights combination (which is by the way my favourite look this winter). As far as what's on offer, think bright thoughts and candy 'cos that's what these puppies are...
What else.. Man, OK OK's friend SATU dropped off some stock yesterday for the ladies. So cute! We only have 2 dresses, a skirt and a jacket but don't trust this 'only' business, these 4 pieces are amazing. Love it all, but how good is the pic above of the Country Girl dress?
Also, just picked up a selection of knitted goodies from Brunswick made Otto & Spike yesterday which I spent half the morning merchandising. I almost lost my shit at their knitting factory yesterday- just down the road from OK OK! I am such a nerd- the machines these guys have! The stuff that was being made! Freakin' awesome. Am so happy to have more great products from clever kids in Melbourne.
Incidently, I wish I'd gone to the Loon Lake gig BEFORE going in to Otto&Spike to pillage the factory of it's wares. I was standing there scratching my head amongst guys beanies wondering what the boys were wearing these days (because I am old and out of the loop clearly). To be honest I was kind of going aren't beanies a bit daggy? Yeah; No! Young boys in long beanies looking pretty great last night at THE WORKERS CLUB I have to say.
Totally unrelated, but I typed 'condom looking beanie' in google to find out what you call this particular type of beanie (cited above unimaginatively as 'long beanie') and came across nothing very helpful but I did find this picture of Damian Marley:
It disturbed me to no end. I will end this post by saying please, please boys and girls. No more dreads.. Please. It's 2010. Please dear god no.
Seriously, how good is Melbourne? For two weeks, back to back, I've had besties who've moved away, re-visit Melbourne and of course much gallivanting about town has ensued.
Last night was no exception. Sydney bestie and I kicked it in grand style. We dinnered at Wooden Spoon in Smith street, I had the Dengaku Don- YUM! On our way to destination 2, we walked along Gertrude street and caught some of the Projection festival stuff by accident (I'll be back tonight with a glass of red and layers to check it proper). We then checked out Loon Lake at The Workers Club to sample a bit of an unearthed treasure from Geelong. Nothing like seeing a packed out band room at 8pm on a Thursday night! Apparently Beanies are in in a big way amongst the young male folk.
Next stop, Price Band Room St Kilda. I effen love this venue. I know there are a lot of haters but I always enjoy my night over on the other side of the world. Perhaps it's because I probably make the trek about as often as I visit Sydney (twice a year) so it feels like if you're going to make the effort, you want to make the most of it.
We made it just in time to see the start of Big Scary. Holy Shit! I was blown away (am obviously about 1000years behind as it was the first time I'd heard them). Anyway, Tom & Jo killed it.. Jo played the goddamn cymbals like they were a goddamn instrument I'd never heard and rightly so when you're playing songs with 2 people where 1 instrument is a drum kit and the other a keyboard (piano).. [Insert Cymbals as instrument here]. Occasionally I am so overwhelmed by the sheer fabulousness of people that I fantasize about actually being them (Patti Smith, Thea from Blonde Venus in Brisbane, Mel Bower etc.. etc..). I want to be Jo from Big Scary right now more than anyone else in the world. She is that good.
Then Little Red came on and did little to overturn my internal Jury's decision that they are the most overrated band I have ever seen. Big call I know. I don't mean to be a hater by saying this... Clearly I am completely on my own here as they had a seriously booked out, totally raucous crowd losing their proverbial shit over every song like it was THE best song ever written. Girls were in red dresses, hipsters were generally out in full force in support and love for them. I don't think the lads would lose any sleep over not winning me over.
While I appreciated the experience (as a +1), I won't be camping out for tickets or buying the album anytime soon. Sydney Bestie is suitably disturbed by my indifference and vows to put their 'hit' from the new album on a mix tape for me in an effort to turn me. Not that I'd admit it to anyone but I did go to bed with a 'Rock it' ear worm thrashing about incessantly like a soundtrack for my insomnia.
Thursday night in Melbourne in the middle of winter with a good friend = WIN!
Wooden Spoon, 88 Smith Street Collingwood. The Workers Club, 51 Brunswick st Fitzroy. The Prince Band Room @ Prince of Wales, 29 Fitzroy st St Kilda.
AOK5 OK OK Nylon Opaque tights in Plum $23
Also happening this weekend and also not to be missed (If I have to be there, then you do too dammit!) is the 50billionth Melbourne Design Market @ Federation Square. Are you joking that you have not been to one yet? Seriously? Do you live under a rock in the Dandenongs?
I will be selling tights. TIGHTS! Tights! TIGHHHHHHHHHTS! Come and say hi, maybe bring me some water and punch out people who aren't waiting their turn for me will you?
I'm scared. This thing gets crazy but is SO FUN & SO WORTHWHILE!
By the way, where is everyone today? Did y'all think this thing was on today?
Ok. Enough said. Get there.
Melbourne Design Market @ Federation Square Car Park, Level 3. 10-5. If you don't know where Federation Square is and you'd like the address for that too, then don't bother.
If I have not gone on enough about how much I HEART BRUNSWICK then I have not bared my soul to you yet. Everyone goes on about it, Brunswick is the new Fitzroy but it's not even that. Brunswick is now what Fitzroy and Collingwood were 20years ago. Not to mention the uncanny resemblance between the arts scene in Melbourne around Flinders Lane 15years ago. Brunswick is IT. NOW. Not, 'give it five years', it's NOW. In five years you'll have totally missed the boat. Moreland City Council will have managed to completely fuck it up by then. It'll be gentrified and artless and clean.
The scale of awesome shit happening in the grid of streets once a hub of major manufacturing activity is not to be underestimated. Closed down apparel warehouses are homes for artists and musicians, actors, performers, environmentalist and designers unparalleled anywhere else in this city at the moment. There are galleries sprouting like little magic mushrooms all over the place and offering the same sort of experience. They're independent and lacking the usual pretension you see in many art establishments in Melbourne. They're put together by communities of people who rally together and support each other, live together, party together. They make our coffees, serve us our beers, adorn our buildings with art and colour and vibrance and add a diversity to the personality of our streets.
Are you getting the picuture?
Well people, tonight, there is an event on in the city at Donkey Wheel house, to launch The Brunswick Show. You should check it out. It basically represents everything and almost everyone I have just blabbed about, not the least of which are 2 Archibald prize peeps, Sam Leach and my favourite creative entity in Brunswick, miss Carla Fletcher (big call I know but this lass is WILD!). The show is taking Brunswick to greater Melbourne. I love it. I love the hard work and effort put on by people like the lovely Belinda Wiltshire who also runs the Pea Green Boat studios in Tinning st which houses many of these artists studios. It should totally be called I LOVE BRUNSWICK.
The Brunswick Show Opening 7pm Saturday 10th of July, running till the 23rd of July. At Donkey Wheel House: 673 Bourke St Melbourne (near Southern X station yo!)
Over Your Cities Grass will Grow: Directed by Sophie Fiennes
This picture has nothing do do with anything- I didn't even see this doco but I like the forboding Toad dude and it's nice to have pics in your post.
Trash Humpers: Harmony Korin
