My Second Biennale in Two Years!

Last time I attended the Bienalle, I was in Venice, 2006.  Although the Venice Biennale is...in Venice, and the one I went to last time was specifically for architecture, the Sydney Biennale was still very amazing.  Basically, think MoMA meets Alcatraz meets a wintertime high of 70 degrees.  The whole exhibition is set on Cockatoo island which has many old factories and warehouse sheds but used to also house a prison.  The funny bit about it is that they haven't bothered to take out any of the factory fitout so the modern art is juxtoposed with 50s heavy machinery, cranes, boilers, industrial shops, etc.  You've got 5 days to see it, so start planning your vacations now!  I took some pretty cool video while I was there too, and will try to upload it if i get the chance.

Modern Sculpture + Retro Machinery

A life sized Hubble telescope made entirely of plywood

Look Familiar?

CBD Bees

I told you guys before that Melbourne has amazing public sculpture!  These gold bees sit at the base of the Eureka tower across the river from our apartment.  

Richard Stringer, December 2007

Sculpture made from anodized aluminum sheet and cast aluminum for all the antennae and small bees legs.

As A Matter of Defacto

we're getting married. 

well, not really--but we will be having a defacto wedding soon to celebrate not only our new defacto relationship status with the Australian government but also our shiny new Temporary Business Entry (Class UC) Business (Long Stay) (Subclass 457) visas.  what this all means is that my visa through work is automatically extended to kara and that we can legally work and live in this country for the next four years provided that I am continuously employed with an approved sponsor.

don't worry guys, we don't have any plans for staying forever.  at least not yet.  we're lucky to have the flexibility now to choose where and when we want to be.  especially having just recently visited seattle i think our friends and family will reel us back in eventually or perhaps its the lingering parental grad school guilt trip that brings me/her/us back.  phew.

so that's the news guys.  for those of you who still have not yet visited, you get a year and a half extension to visit.  we miss you all a lot!

by the way, please please let me know if anyone finds a tuxedo tshirt in melbourne