MonthMay 2021

Australian Haydn Ensemble – Beethoven’s Pastoral

Wesley Uniting Church, Forrest ACT
Thursday 3 June at 7pm
Wait list for tickets

AHE continues its exploration of large-scale works in 18th century chamber versions with a premiere of Beethoven’s Pastoral Symphony by Watts along with Masi’s chamber version of Mozart’s Haffner Serenade, arranged for a septet with flute, string quintet and double bass. The ensemble also performs a beautiful, dark and moving string sextet in F minor by Luigi Boccherini.

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The Song Company – Burden of Truth

Albert Hall, Canberra
Thursday 10 June 2021 at 7pm

Fifty years ago, English composer Gavin Bryars was struck by a tape loop of a homeless person singing a fragment of a hymn tune. He added harmonies and instruments and created Jesus’ Blood Never Failed Me Yet – a hypnotic piece that has since gained a cult following around the world.

Barbie spoke with The Song Company’s Artistic Director, Antony Pitts
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Andrew Vukosav – Longitude, Latitude, Solitude +

Humble House Gallery, Fyshwick ACT
June 2 – 27 2021
Open Wednesday to Sunday 10am to 4pm

Andrew Vukosav’s sublime aerial images of the Australian landscape would improve any public building or corporate foyer. They are large works appropriate to the vast country they capture.

Shot from his single-engine Cessna 182, using a professional digital camera mounted over an inspection port, the photographs are mostly of pristine, if not untouched, places in Western Australia and South Australia. The images are inland and coastal, though his preference is for inland.

Andrew Vuikosav talks to Barbie at Humble House Gallery about Longitude, Latitude, Solitude +
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BAD Sydney Crime Writers Festival Monthly Podcasts

Hosted by authors Suzanne Leal and Andy Muir

All about Crime podcasts will examine the hot topics and themes in crime fiction – true crime, psychological thrillers, domestic crime, spy thrillers, police procedurals and more with crime writers and readers, both Australian and international.  

Suzanne Leal talks about the new BAD All About Crime podcast, an initiative of BAD Sydney Writers Festival
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Felicity Green and Colin Grant – Illuminations

M16 Artspace Canberra
Until 6 June 2021
Open Wednesday to Sunday 12pm to 5pm

The marriage of Colin Grant’s dreamlike figures (mostly women) and Felicity Green’s almost hyper-real forestscapes may seem unlikely, but in fact the works sit very comfortably with one another. Both bodies of work simultaneously occupy a real and an imagined space, one in which light is the dominant element.

Barbie spoke with Colin Grant and Felicity Green about Illuminations
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Canberra PhotoConnect – Connections

M16 until 6 June
Wednesday to Sunday 12 to 5pm

PhotoConnect is a collaborative photography association which aims to encourage connections between photographers and other artists and the community at large. It is a membership organisation open to all artists regardless of medium, experience and skill level.

Barbie discusses the exhibition with coordinator, Helen McFadden
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Emma Batchelor – Now That I See You

Allen & Unwin, Australia, 2021
Winner of The Australian/Vogel’s Literary Award in 2021 for unpublished manuscripts by writers under the age of 35

This debut novel by Emma Batchelor charts the breakdown of her relationship with her partner who discloses that ‘they’ are transgender. Whilst this narrowly specific scenario is not one that readers might automatically identify with, that of relationship breakdown and loss is certainly very common.

Emma Batchelor talks to Barbie about Now That I See You. Content warning – contains reference to suicidal thoughts
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Jazida Productions – Decadence and Debauchery

Verity Attic (formerly The Private Bin) Canberra
Saturday 29 May 2021

Decadence and Debauchery is the premiere event for Verity, the newly refurbished space of the once notorious nightclub, The Private Bin.

Barbie speaks with Rachel Reid from Jazida Productions
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Kathy Mexted – Australian Women Pilots: Amazing true stories of women in the air

NewSouth Publishing, 2020
Review and interview by Richard Scherer

It was a speech in 2016 by former New Guinea bush pilot Patricia Toole at a women pilots’ conference which inspired writer, photographer and private pilot Kathy Mexted to put together this collection of 10 stories of women pilots from the 1930s until the present day.

Richard spoke to Kathy Mexted at her hotel in Canberra about Australian Women Pilots . End music is by Kristina Olsen.
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Prototype 2021 – digital presentation of moving image and short films

Curated by Lauren Carroll Harris, the collective also comprises Alexandra Burke and Georgina Wills.
Weekly via free online newsletter
Until 14 July 2021

Prototype is a digital platform that commissions artists’ moving image and experimental short film. Its focus is on engaging and expanding audiences outside traditional galleries, theatres and festivals, through innovative, digital exhibitions and lively arts writing.

Since its foundation in 2019 with partner Arcadia Films, Prototype has commissioned and exhibited more than 20 experimental video works from living artists and filmmakers across the world. For more detail and to subscribe to the weekly free newsletter visit: https://youaretheprototype.art/

Barbie speaks with Lauren Carroll Harris about Prototype 2021
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Milk by Dylan Van Den Berg

The Street, Canberra
Thursday 3 June (preview) to Saturday 12 June 2021

On the precipice of something life changing, a young Palawa man plunges into an exploration of self and Country. Carried on the winds of a metaphysical Flinders Island, the land of his mob and the place where it all happened, he is drawn back to the dawn of colonisation.

Barbie spoke with the director of Milk, Ginny Savage
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Saffron Howden and Dhana Quinn – Kid Reporter: The Secret to Breaking News

New South Publishing, Australia, 2021

Known as the co-founder of the national newspaper for children, Crinkling News, long time journalist and educator Saffron Howden has worked with journalist and TV presenter Dhana Quinn to produce this media literacy handbook, equally useful for children, teachers and parents.

Saffron Howden talks about Kid Reporter: The Secret to Breaking News
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Australian World Orchestra – Beethoven, Schumann and Dean

Wednesday 2 June 2021 at 7.30pm
Llewellyn Hall, ANU, Canberra
Directed by Alexander Briger AO

Fifty-two players will be on stage for the return to live performance for the Australian World Orchestra.

Celebrating the 250th anniversary of Beethoven’s birthday last year, the orchestra presents the Coriolan Overture. Schumann’s 2nd Symphony , a much loved piece from the Romantic era is also on the bill.

Barbie speaks with Symphony 2021 composer, Paul Dean
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Kate Bolscheid – A Celebration of Colour

Bungendore Fine Art
Until 24 June 2021
Open 10am to 4.30pm (visitors should check opening days by phoning 02 6238 1640)

Kate Bolscheid interests herself in a variety of mediums – painting, photography, textiles, lino printing and clay modelling. She now paints full time and likes to experiment with diverse media and new techniques.

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