13 July 2005

We're craving blockbusters?

| johnboy
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Member for Yarralumla, Richard Mulcahy, has put out a media release claiming that Canberrans have been unfairly deprived of “blockbusters”.

Later in the release it turns out that he’s talking about big shows at the National Gallery. Far from the remit of local government even if the Liberals were ever to stop acting like a bunch of losers and win an election.

I’ve sure Wollongong, Newcastle, Geelong, Townsville, and other cities of similar size would also like to have “blockbusters” too.

But personally I think so called blockbusters are incredibly corrossive to local arts (why see the work of a talented local when the whole of human creativity is being cherry picked and curated for your benefit?).

Best left to the NGA to figure out for itself IMHO.

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the way i hear it that with the (unreleased, but impending) plans for the redevelopment of the gallery and its entrance, there would be several new galleries, to show more of the collection.

And I have seen many different shows in the temp exhibitions spaces this year, its just that the main galleries dont seem to change that much.

Samuel Gordon-Stewart6:03 pm 16 Jul 05

In case you missed it, I was being sarcastic.

It would, however, be interesting to see if any gallery would be willing to take our blue sheep and strange mono-, duo- & trio-liths.

Samuel

Street art needs to be a bit more durable than say a Cezanne.

And blue concrete sheep aren’t exactly a Rodin.

Samuel Gordon-Stewart4:41 pm 16 Jul 05

Why do we need an art gallery when the government is committed to filling our streets with “art”?

Samuel

Correct you are Thumper; I recently went for the NGA for the first time in about five years and saw exactly the same stuff. The only eye opener there was the Asian Collections Gallery.

I wonder what Mr Mulcahy proposes to do about the NGA’s ‘unfair’ treatment of his constituents? I wonder how the Member for Yarralumla will take his fight to a Federally funded Institution? I wonder what his answer will be when the NGA suggests that maybe the ACT Gov’t would like to contribute towards the Gallery’s budget? (Does anyone know if the ACT Gov’t does, in fact, conrtibute to the NGA?)

If anyone is to blame for the falling quality of our National Institutions (Yes, we have more than the AWM and NMA!) it’s the Federal Government. Lack of funding is seeing collections and building standards compromised.

The little whinging Mr Mulcahy is doing to curry favour with the (primarily) elitist Yarralumla residents will get him sweet FA.

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