I recently spent a week in the National Capital, bumming around the galleries and sights. I had a great time. I accompanied Kim while she was attending a week long workshop at ANU. It was the third of three weeks of a well earned rest before facing a new job and new management structure at work.
As my undergraduate degrees are in visual arts and photography I make it a point, when visiting Canberra, to visit as many galleries and exhibitions as I can. On this particular occasion i was fortunate enough to be able to visit the Renaissance exhibition at the National Gallery. Although a bit under-whelming as compared to all the hype that was surrounding it, i nevertheless enjoyed the experience. i saw many of these works back in 1978 when visiting Italy, but those memories are probably more faded that the pictures themselves.
There is something enduring about work that is so vibrant and at the time so meaningful. We look at these images in the light of history, but really this was the artists reality, they lived and breathed this stuff, not unlike those artists of today.
I was also fortunate enough to see the Handwritten exhibition at the National Library. This exhibition featured handwritten works dating back to the first century AD up to the recent past. The works were by famous figures throughout history; scientists, philosophers, musicians and artists. a fascinating collection.
I did a lot of walking also while in Canberra, something that tends to give me a bit of an appetite for food that is probably a bit richer than i should be indulging in.
This particular delicacy was a bit excessive, but I think I exercised most of it off by the end of my trip 🙂
From there I went to the High Court. Last time I was in Canberra the court was closed so i was unable to visit. i must say i was taken by the internal dimensions of the building and the use of space. I was also taken by the sense of pomp and correctness.
Enough for now. Stay tuned for my second blog on my trip to Canberra.
Michael Sankey 