City of Sydney Cultural & Creative Sector Forum

*Image is mine from Instagram

I just thought I'd do a quick post on this. Last Wednesday I attended the City of Sydney's Cultural and Creative Sector Forum representing the Big Fag Press. I thought it was a really interesting couple of hours, and I was inspired to know how invested the council is in listening to the thoughts and ideas of people who work in creative fields, in order to see how best to help them be able to use the city as a canvas for their creative endeavours.

Furthermore, it couldn't have been a better place for networking - my table had a guy who works for the City of Sydney outdoor event management, a woman from ArtsHub, a woman from the Red Room Company, a guy who works in the youth music industry, one of the founders of the College of Event Management, and a woman from Waverley Council.

At the beginning I wasn't really sure I would have anything to contribute, but the discussion led to many things I had ideas about. Our table came up with a few collective agreements. One was that Sydney is very much a lively place in terms of art and culture. "Top down" events like Vivid Sydney, the Biennale, Chinese New Year and the NYE fireworks are very successful. We also agreed on the fact that the government does a lot to support smaller initiatives, but that maybe these efforts could be slightly better directed. In terms of "grassroots" initiatives, there was much talk on making it more accessible to individual young artists or smaller collectives wanting to just get out there and express creativity. I spoke of how, last year with my Ivory Tower posters, there was just no place to go out and put them. The dedicated City of Sydney poles for posters just get covered by advertising, and anywhere else they got ripped down. It would be so great if there was just spaces around for spontaneous public art. Places where you don't need to be a verified "emerging creative" to use. The Guerilla Photography project on Elizabeth St by Fairfax photographers was something that was brought up - but nobody really knows if doing something like that is okay. Is it considered defacing public property? If Clover Moore hadn't particularly liked those photographs installed in that place, would they have received fines for doing it?

Another thing I brought up was along the same lines - to me, at least when I'm walking around the streets instagramming things, it's the oddities, the interesting graffiti, the chic little cafes, and the funny coloured walls that get my attention. I like things that are different, and provide an alternate to a cookie cutter town of gloria jeans, lowes and perfectly arranged front gardens. A point was brought up about spaces being unused at certain times - there are many places that, for example, are in use Monday to Friday 9-5pm, but completely useless at other times. So here is where my idea comes through - why can't artists be the ones to decorate the city - to make the boring interesting. Why can't we designate it a business carpark by day and a pop-up art gallery by night? Why does a wall have to be a brick wall - getting a company building wall graffitied by local artists could attract valid attention to your business.

And thus brings up another point. About legal, OH&S, and regulatory council hoops to jump through. I remember when I was doing my Open House project in Foley St in 2010, we had a lot of forms to fill out and information to gather, like making sure people had their RSA's and everything. I know it's a lot to do with people's safety, which definitely should be put above all else. But getting through all that bureaucracy is a major hurdle for an artist or a small collective wanting to set up a guerilla pop-up gallery.

Much of our other discussion was about live music venues and making sure under drinking age teenagers also have access to entertainment, which I think is equally important.

Many of the other tables came up with similar points about reducing the "red tape" for artists and giving more opportunities to "grassroots" programs. Overall I found the forum had a very positive outcome, especially if some of these ideas are taken on by the City of Sydney. They could even have a direct impact on ARI's like the Big Fag Press, like Runway, like Firstdraft. Very exciting!

Art & About 2012

Art & About is holding a photography competition for its exhibition this year.

Sydney Life promotes contemporary photographic practices. The judges are looking for works that make an original and striking statement about Sydney life, images that will engage and intrigue the audience, invoke new perspectives and thoughts about Sydney lifestyle and culture.

Works should incorporate the photographer’s skill, individual concept and style to reveal a unique observation. You may portray any aspect of Sydney – an every day occurrence, an unusual or particular moment or place, the diversity of culture/s or subcultures, individual differences, celebrations or rituals, a natural or man made environment. We welcome work in a number of styles including documentary, portraiture and contemporary art.

I was thinking of entering some of my street photography. Fingers crossed I suppose!

 

Street Photography

I took Photography 1 as an elective a few summers ago even before the year I spent in France. I just took a look at one of my assignments from that subject and discovered that I've been interested in the ideas of individuality and "masks" for quite some time.


"In the many odd experiences I had in photographing strangers on the streets of Sydney, I realised
that each person, whoever they may be; has a mask or masks which they essentially show the
world. My desire to break down the masks was difficult. I soon realized that my best photos were
the ones where built up a small rapport with my subjects and got them to trust me enough to work
with me in showing what I wanted to portray. And whether or not they intended to, this meant
that in some way, they were posing for me even if they were pretending not to."

I was inspired very much by Weegee and Mary Ellen Mark, Henri Cartier-Bresson, and Robert Doisneau who seeked to, through their photographs and using varying photography philosophies, tell truths about events or people or things.

Here are some images that tell me some truths or stories:
*Images taken from respective photographers' published work or websites.

 

I must also mention the inspiration that came from my photography teacher Jon Lewis, inspiring not just through his own photography but through his enthusiasm, passion and humour, not to mention his activism in anti-whaling, promoting the detrimental effects of climate change, and of course being one of the founders of Greenpeace Australia. A big cheers and thanks to Jon Lewis.

My love of portraiture led me to taking photos of the homeless and buskers on the streets of Sydney. I would talk to these people, bring them cupcakes, give them some change, and tell them about my projects, and in return I got their stories, some hugs and smiles, and the chance to take their portraits.
*Photographs are mine.

I went to high tea at the QVB a few months ago. At the end of the occasion I took some left over little cakes and tarts with me in a box for a homeless man on Pitt st I'd seen while walking to the QVB that morning. The people I was with reacted in a way that admired this act, as if it would have been difficult for one of them to do it, even if they had wanted to. I guess maybe, I just don't see any boundaries. Nothing about handing a box of delicasies to a homeless man frightens me. But I guess people (even kind people) do feel a certain amount of apprehension. Which is maybe why I like talking to these people. Taking their pictures. I don't see a whole lot of difference between them and me, just possibly a series of unlucky circumstances. And I think everyone has a desire to "tell their story". To feel heard is one of few fundamental human needs along with food and shelter. I hope my photography helps tell their story.

As part of my pozible project, I'm hoping to be able to print some of these on the Big Fag Press.