February 25, 2009

i have a thing for early 20th century australiana

Posted by dogpossum on February 25, 2009 4:56 PM in the category digging | Comments (0)

We went to see the modernism exhibition at the Powerhouse a little while ago. Well, we actually went to have a look at The Museum, and this exhibition was on. It was, overall, dull. And not terribly well curated, I don't think. But it had some fully sick stuffs in it. I was, of course, captured by the 20s stuff. But also by the late 19th century bits.
I have the beginnings of a full blown Thing for olden days Australiana. I like the stylised kangaroos. Flipping through a design/architecture magazine at the sports specialist a little while ago, I was struck by the set and prop design for the ill-fate Lurhman 'Australia'. Gorgeous. There's something about the super-kitchness of Australian animals (with their utterly bizarre physiology) done up by art deco or modernism (don't really know the difference between the two, I'm afraid). I like the way the bizarre is made streamlined and beautiful. The way a kangaroo is styled up like a greyhound.

Posted by dogpossum on February 25, 2009 4:56 PM in the category digging