Sunday Arts Magazine

19 Mar 2017

TOR, MQFF, What’s Happening Here?, Louise Hearman, Summerfolk

Arts, LGBTIQ, Performing Arts, Training, TV & Film, Visual Arts

LISTEN TO PODCAST NOW

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:33:55 — 43.0MB)

Everyone’ is in today–David, Brendan, Neil and Taste Of Radio (TOR) students Fiona and Peter. The show starts with an Adele song in tribute to her amaaaazing Australian concerts. The Melbourne Queer Film Festival (MQFF) has already started and Brendan reviews I Am Michael- 3stars, Paris5.59:Theo & Hugo- 4.5stars, Being 17– 4.5stars, Below Her Mouth- 3.5stars and The Nest- 4stars. Brendan then reviews mainstream film Loving about an inter-racial rural couple in the late 1950s whose marriage was considered ‘illegal’ in their home state, and the unprecedented legal battle that ensues–4stars. Next is A Cure For Wellness–a big budget horror film–2.5stars.

This is the last week of the course for TOR students Fiona and Peter. David gets their opinions and experience of the course and what they got out of it. Also their future plans.

There are 3 interviews this week and our guests talk about their own journey to where they are now as well as a current event, show or exhibition. Along with inside stories, interesting anecdotes and descriptions.

Special guests this week include:

32:56 to 55:57 mins–Artist Elyss McCleary is part of an Abstract art Exhibition featuring 8 female artists called What’s Happening Here? at Town Hall Gallery, 360 Burwood Rd, Hawthorn and on from 18 March to 7 May. Elyss sees the exhibition as a look at abstract art and people asking ‘What is that?’ ‘What does that mean?’ which she sometimes asks herself because there is a lot of experimenting and letting go of control & uncontrol. Elyss explains her painting processes such as doing 6 to 8 works at once and doing research and interviews before starting paintings which involve interior spaces. Elyss has seen and admired the other artists’ work before, in other exhibitions throughout Melbourne, and having it all grouped together makes for an amazing show. Like all artists she’s curious about others’ works and draws inspiration from other artists. She talks about the stunning work of one of the other artists in the exhibition. Elyss also takes photographs but hasn’t exhibited them for a long time. She has been in Melbourne for 12 years and has a great community of people involved in the arts around her. She regards this as very important.

56:59 to 1:13:36 mins–Artist Louise Hearman is here to talk about her first major Museum Survey show at the TarraWarra Museum of Art in the winery–10 minutes out of Healesville in the Yarra Valley–and is on until 14 May. It features Louise’s ‘paintings and drawings from across her 25-year practice’. In contrast to our previous guest, Louise is a bit insular and doesn’t seek out other artists. But on the occasion that she does see them they have a lot of fun. Louise paints what she’s interested in and feels she often finds out more about herself. Inspiration comes from everyday life and there are certain things that interest her consistently such as light bouncing off eye glasses or teeth! Louise had had a big show before at the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) in Sydney–curated by Anna Davis who loved Louise’s artwork and had contacted her. After culling (to get a ‘best of…’), there were 90 works shown on the whole ground floor of the museum. Louise was overjoyed with how Anna put the paintings together, and it was also the first time she’d had a professional catalogue of her works. This show is touring, which is why it’s at TarraWarra Museum now. The Museum is grand and beautiful and no expense had been spared putting the show together. Louise is also very grateful to the founders of the museum who are also very generous benefactors– Eva and Marc Besen. The show goes to Qld Uni of Technology next.

1:14:43 to 1:31:16 mins–Director Rob Johnson and actor Elisa Armstrong are here to talk about their play Maxim Gorky’s Summerfolk presented by Burning House and on at Theatre Works from 23 to 26 March. Both Rob and Elisa talk about why they were keen on doing a classic play like Summerfolk. Reasons for the appeal of classics is that they– see the human spirit in its extremity, come from a very clear place, have excellent dialogue and also have richer and more multi-dimensional roles for women. The story is set in 1904 just before the first Russian Revolution where a group of newly bourgeoisie people don’t want to deal with their imploding world. They escape to a secluded summerhouse and talks about love, life and wealth but underneath there’s a sense of ennui and lack of understanding that the world around them is gearing up for revolution. They try to ignore it but are forced to come to terms with it when it erupts. It is timely play for now. Bits of the text has been’ contemporarised’ but not very much. There are 15 actors in the production, 6 of which are women. The female characters are fascinating and distinct and also not perfect. Also, despite the subject matter, there is a lot of comedy in the show.