Council heavies quash Barons action

An informal public action protesting the demolition of the Barons Building was shut down by Council heavies but not until it had made its point and a small crowd had enjoyed a bit of afternoon fun in the Roslyn Street park.

One resident had complained because he could hear music, apparently preferring a year or so of full-on construction noise opposite his flat.

Even the Police had come by and decided the volume was too low to merit interference.

The action was opened by Jill McKay, bar manager on Baron's first night ever (pictured below). She railed against the insensitivity of indiscriminate development and urged people to get others active, before being interviewed on community radio.

A revolving line-up of musicians then presented an impromptu concert featuring improvised songs about life before the Barons demolition, some soaring violin from Peter and a crunchy rock 'n' Roll set from Paul, with yours truly on percussion.

Since Council has decided to approve the demolition nothing short of mass public action is seen to have any chance of stopping it, and in these days of self-interested indifference there is little chance of that.

Also pictured are Peter, Chris Dussledorp and Vashti Hughes serenading the street.

Gormly exhibits himself again

It's true. The kind folks at Gallery 26 in Milsons Point have given me a whole wall to exhibit works. It's a new gallery, run by a collective of artists. Several rooms over two floors are now full of a superb variety of paintings, stained glass, photography, sculpture (both metal and wood), etchings and dioramas.

I am featuring some new work, notably three from a new series Steel on steel which comprise large black-and-white prints on metallic Kodak stock and mounted on galvanised steel sheet.

There is also one piece from another series I am working on -- the Fractal Coast series which I plan to show in its own exhibition when I find the time and the right venue, and ANOTHER series, Gothic Sydney, which feature Sydney's famous fruit bats.

The images here show Corrugations from Steel on steel and Honeycomb dream from Fractal coast. The two others from Steel on steel have a Kings Cross connection. Resurrection in the lightwell of the Carousel refers to the still-missing Juanita Neilson, and The roof of the Bourbon with Darling Point in the distance shows a surprising perspective on this local landmark. 

There are also several smaller pieces from my neo-surrealist collection as seen on myphotoart.com.au.

The grand opening is this evening, 11 December 2007 at 26 Alfred Street Milsons Point (from the pedestrian or bike ramps off the Bridge, head down towards Luna Park)

Closing date for the exhibition is not set.