Showing posts with label Exhibitions. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Exhibitions. Show all posts

2 October 2024

Pharaoh at NGV


"The British Museum is delighted to present Pharaoh - Our first collaborative Exhibition with National Gallery of Victoria"

 500 Items spanning 3000 years on exhibition in Melbourne.

Having been privileged to see the Tutankhamun Exhibit at the Melbourne Museum in 2011 (and not permitted to take photographs) I was excited to attend this exhibit.


It was awesome - 

From the Grandest Statue. 

(Statue Pharaoh Ramses II as a High Priest.)
1279 - 1213 BCE




To the smallest bead, 

(This Spacer Bead - used to separate several strands of Beads). 1069 - 656 BCE


And QR Codes to See the Back of things...

(Which BTW still works - so try it!)

The Kids also had easier to understand explanations.


Eyes that gaze across the Centuries.
Mentuhotep II
c 2055 - 2004 BCE

Hoping for Immortality after death.

He lived and died 2000 years before Christ.

To have His Name and deeds not forgotten. 
Surely this is immortality.

* * *



With so many exhibits
I couldn't read all the detail plaques, so decided to buy the souvenir book.

267 pages of Photos, Maps, History and in-depth background information. It complimented the Exhibit perfectly.



30 April 2024

APRIL

The AQC (Australian Quilt Convention) is on at the Beautiful Royal Exhibition Buildings in Melbourne

And Once again I am on deck for White Glove/Quilt Angel Duty.  This Year we had Quilts designed by the Incredible Kate Ceberano.  


- And on the Home Front ...



Spike has a Heart Murmur.  

Whereas he is not phased by it, the Vet said his NT-Pro-BNP levels were Way too high and required an ECG. 

(He wasn't quite so relaxed when he realised that meant GOING to to the Vet!)



AND - We went Up The Wall with Tiling Our Bathroom.

Finally placing the last tile on April 24. 






27 March 2024

Leonardo da Vinci - 500 years of Genius

The Leonardo Da Vinci Machines: 
an Exhibition of Genius began in 2006* as a small exhibit of 64 models in the Spiegeltent at Docklands Melbourne.

AND We were there!

Since then it has expanded, touring the world.  

Returning to Melbourne to the purpose built 3,000m² multi-sensory gallery  THE LUME 
(The worlds largest digital Art and Cultural Venue).



From the Display of full scale Flying Machines in the Foyer

(Hangliding anyone?)

Past Facsimiles of Note books with such precise documentation of every idea.

Including comments like:
"..and if the above effect is not obtained, 
waste no more time on it."
Once inside the Exhibition space we headed to The Caffè Medici where we dined on tastes of Florence, Milan & Venice.

As we sat we watched the Artwork come alive while listening to the Music of Puccini, Verdi, Vivaldi .....


We were in awe of the extent of the exhibits which included Four Original Pages from the Codex Atlanticus, of which no pages have been seen before in Australia.

This section had extra security but Photography was allowed as long as there were No Flash used.

Upstairs, as well as full scale Models of da Vinci's War Machines, 
were the working - fully playable models because the prime reason for this exhibit is to engage the Children, bringing Art and History out of the Museums into Their World.


There was so much more to see that I won't include - 
Have to leave you something to discover - IF and when the exhibit returns 
- Go, It is an amazing experience.

* * * 






*The Journey began in 2006, when I introduced an exhibition of Leonardo's machine Inventions into Australia for the first time, displayed within a temporary pavilion at Waterfront City (Docklands). 

The success and overwhelming public reception of this exhibition ignited a personal desire to create a more comprehensive experience....
Bruce Peterson 
Founder & Chairman




19 December 2023

Newcastle

Today's Off Train Excursion was our choice of activities in the Hunter Valley NSW. 

Alighting the train at Maitland station we Bussed it to the City of Newcastle.  Situated on the Mouth of the Hunter River, it is famous for it's Coal.



We enjoyed a Tour by a Local Guide who fitted in an enthusiastic 2 hour snapshot of the town and it's History.


before Lunch at Scratchleys Restaurant where we watched the Shipping Traffic on the Hunter River.


After which we had some Free time which we spent perusing the exhibits at the Museum including the Potions and Pestilence Exhibit which made very interesting reading indeed!

We can't leave Newcastle without mentioning  Nobbies Lighthouse. Just the 3rd Lighthouse built in NSW after Macquarie and Hornby Lighthouses.

At just 10 meters high it is dwarfed by the Signal Station and Port Watch buildings.

The rest of the day was, what Long Distance Train Travel is all about...
Watching the scenery go past.

The driver slowed down as we crossed the 785 meter Heritage Listed Hawksbury River Railway Bridge "So you can get Photos".


Tomorrow is ... another day another adventure!





27 July 2018

Vic Quilt Showcase 2018 - 25th Anniversary

It is Craft and Quilt Show in Melbourne, and my favourite time to renew old acquaintances, stock up on necessary 'Quilty' products and pat the beautiful fabrics before succumbing to their charms.

Weaving my way through the maze of Vendors I arrived at Quilt Showcase and Two hours of White Glove/Quilt Angel duty.
Apologising that I couldn't give more time I was told -"If everyone could spare just two hours it would make a huge difference."

The Quilts were many and varied - I didn't have a quilt finished for this year and (I couldn't resist taking this photo) maybe I was missed?

It was a temptation to add a sign "Reserved for YOUR Quilt 
next year"

Without Quilts to put on display - There would be no Quilt Shows.

And at just 92cm x 134cm "The Apprentice" by Julie Adamson proves that it does not have to be a BIG Quilt to win Best of Show.

Congratulations Julie!





7 April 2018

Australian Quilt Convention 2018

Never say Never!



Not so long ago I said I would never
 'Be good enough' to enter a Show. 

But I got brave enough, 
took a big deep breath 
and did!



And of course I said I would Never win a ribbon.
But..... 
Someone liked my Quilt and - I did!






And not so long ago I replied to a friend's question saying I would NEVER have a Quilt on display at the AQC.


(The Australian Quilt Convention - Held in Melbourne Australia, is the largest Quilt Show/convention in the Southern Hemisphere.)




And the Moral of this Post is . . .

Never say NEVER.



I will admit that I was 'blown away' when I received a letter from the Victorian Quilters requesting My Istanbul for display in the
 "Best of the Best" 
at this year's Australian Quilt Convention. 

(There was a bit of scrambling to be done - Retrieving it from my DS & DIL.  Having it Valued etc which was all a bit nerve wracking.)

And here it is, hanging in some awesome company.

And standing back, just another quilter in the crowd - watching and hearing snippets of conversations and wonderful compliments.... Made me feel Happy that other people liked it too!


Thank you!!!






29 October 2016

Making the Australian Quilt Exhibition



I have wanted to see the Rajah Quilt ever since I first heard of it - and I was delighted when I discovered it would be in Melbourne as part of the National Gallery of Victoria Exhibition.

"Making the Australian Quilt 1800 - 1950"







The Quilt is named after the convict ship "The Rajah" which set sail from England in 1841 for the penal colonies in Hobart Tasmania.

From 1817 - 1843 Mrs Elizabeth Fry supervised a total of 12,355 female convicts by teaching them Patchwork skills as a respectable trade and occupation for the voyage.

These women were all given:-
a Bible, 2 Aprons, 1 small bag of tape, 1 Once of pins, 100 needles, 9 balls of sewing cotton, 24 hanks of coloured thread, 1 small bodkin, 1 thimble, 1 pair of scissors and 2 pounds of patchwork pieces.

At least 29 of the 179 women prisoners on board the Rajah put their gifts and newly learnt skills to good use by contributing to the making of this remarkable quilt.
It is the only known example of a convict quilt made during transportation to Australia.



The exhibition was well worth the visit and my DD & I spent ages peering at the construction of the blocks and applique and admiring the tiny stitches that held them together.

This incredible quilt was made in 1857 by Mary Jane Tolman and sent as a gift to her brother James, in Hobart.


I could not resist including a close up of the blocks - so vibrant they could have been pieced yesterday!

The quilt contains 6063 paper pieced hexagons and being held with 120 stitches per hexagon - there are three quarters of a million stitches in the quilt!

A letter from the maker to her brother asks if his female friends liked it.....

There were so many beautiful examples of hand worked quilts on display I cannot mention them all (you will have to go and see it for yourself - or buy the book!).


I will leave you with some photographs of just one last exhibit -




How beautiful is this....



Wonderful work
and exceptional fussy cutting...












Put away at the end of the day's sewing,
never to be finished.










Footnote:
Having done white glove duty I know just how fascinating the reverse of a quilt can be I was delighted to discover a photograph of the BACK of the Rajah quilt. This link will take you to further information.





Making the Australian Quilt
National Gallery of Victoria
(Ian Potter Gallery - Federation square)
22nd July - 6th November 2016

20 April 2016

I have been to the Quilt Show ...

Australian Quilt Convention time again and I happily take the 'scenic route' to the main entrance of the Royal Exhibition Centre.










I love these buildings and the historic gardens that surround them, and find the walk through the gardens, past piles of Autumn leaves, in the early morning refreshing.






For those who are reading from outside of Melbourne Australia, these buildings were opened in 1880 for the Melbourne World Fair.





In 1888, Electric lighting was installed for the Melbourne Centennial International Exhibition making Melbourne the first city in the world to offer night time exhibition viewings.

The Exhibition building is the only 19th Century Great Hall to survive (largely intact), still in its original Landscape setting and still used as an exhibition venue.

Last month it hosted the International Garden and Flower show.
Next will be a Tattoo Convention and Arts Festival, Dog Show, an Antiques Fair, Food and Wine Show before holding the Melbourne University mid-year Exams - Quite a busy schedule!

I often wonder just how many people from different walks of life and interests that flock to its many exhibitions take the time to STOP and just look up!
And what treasures did I come home with?

Leesa Chandler's new fabric range - Melba.
Inspired by our very own Exhibition Buildings!!


17 April 2015

Australian Quilt Convention 2015

It was a very early start to the day
But there were others before me


Many of whom didn't stop to admire the glorious Autumn morning
or drag their feet through the crisp, newly fallen Elm leaves.


This is the World Heritage listed
 My destination, and the venue for the 
2015 Australasian Quilt Convention and expo.



Once inside I had a list of people to say "hi" to
like Jan-Maree from Aussie Hero Quilts


and I had a list things I needed to buy or research
(which I actually stuck to!)
some of which I will be reviewing in future posts.


Then I pulled on a pair of White Gloves and a very bright Yellow Apron for Victorian Quilters 
and spent an interesting 2 hours chatting with show visitors
about the quilts on display...


including Lily Rose by Esther Aliu.
Although I have the pattern for this quilt and I have watched it being made, 
I was still surprised by how big it was!


So, if you are in Melbourne (Australia) this weekend - why not come into town and visit this wonderful building while it is full of all things "Quilty" and maybe we could end up sharing the same table and chat over a cuppa tea.

(because I'll be back to do it all again on Saturday!)