Posted by kluster on August 24, 2010
Last September we ventured down to Allen & Unwin’s Sydney headquarters for the announcement of the 2009 Australian Vogel Literary Award. Much to our surprise, two burgeoning writers were declared joint winners of the illustrious prize – Lisa Lang for her Utopian Man manuscript and Kristel Thornell for Night Street. Yes, literature is still alive and kicking (hard) in Australia.
A few weeks ago we spied a copy of Lang’s winning manuscript – converted as it was to novel form – atop a pile of books awaiting eyes. We unhesitatingly selected it for visual consumption post haste, interested as we were to find out what exactly it was about this particular offering that set it apart from the 200 other entries received for last year’s award.
Utopian Man, set in 19th Century Melbourne, fictionalises the life story of Melbourne entrepreneur, Edward Cole and the successes and failures that surrounded the world-renowned Coles Book Arcade. It’s a deftly written, humanistic tale of grand ideas and courageous vision. Lang is no stranger to Cole’s ambitions, having previously penned the non-fiction work E W Cole: Chasing the Rainbow (2007), and in this her newest offering she skilfully interweaves this terrific true story with presumedly fictional accounts of life behind the Coles family’s closed front doors. The resulting novel is deserving of the prestigious award bestowed on Lang late last year.
Utopia Man is published by Allen & Unwin.
allen & unwin, australian vogel literary award, utopian man, lisa lang, night street, kristel thornell, coles book arcade, e r cole: chasing the rainbow
Posted by Petra Zlatevska on August 24, 2010
The darling of the Prenzlauerberg coffee scene, Bonanza Coffee Heroes pays the ultimate homage to the humble flat white. Buying a decent cup of coffee is like a game of Russian roulette in this country (and city) but Bonanza owners Kiduk Reus and Yumi Choi are leading a major caffeine coup to overthrow the rule of the drip coffee filter. More espresso bar than café, Bonanza offers only seven styles of coffee (ranging in price from €1.70 for an espresso to €3.30 for a doppio), with the flat white taking pride of place. There are also freshly baked goodies such as New York cheesecake or Oma’s berry cake. So seriously do the owners take their coffee that adorning the wall is a manifesto of sorts explaining the process from bean to cup. According to Choi, “coffee is like wine”. The coffee beans – sourced from Ethiopia, Sumatra and Brazil- take centre stage.
As though in a twenty-first-century apothecary’s lab, almost all of the Bonanza floorspace is occupied by the roasting and grinding machines, large vats of beans and a bean roasting quality chart. Produced with a Synesso Cyncra - the Rolls Royce of coffee machines - the coffee here is excellent, perhaps not surprisingly given there are only three of these machines on the continent. The interior design is minimalist chic with unpainted walls, vintage furniture pieces and light bulbs dangling from their cables. In its prime position on the creative pilgrim’s route from Mauerpark to Kastanienallee, Bonanza Coffee Heroes will delight Aussies in dire need of a flat white fix and will ensure that devotees from all over the world are never far from a quality cuppa.
Bonanza Coffee Heroes
Oderberger Straße 35
10435 Berlin Germany
Mon – Fri 8:30am – 7pm and Sat & Sun 10am – 7pm
Transport: Train U2 Eberswalder Straße; Tram M1 Eberswalder Straße or M10
Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn-Sportpark
preziauerberg, bonanza coffee heroes, kiduk reus, yumi choi, synesso cyncra
Posted by Penny Cropper on August 24, 2010
As part of the Melbourne Spring Fashion Festival, the Australian Centre for the Moving Image will be screening a controversial documentary on the life and work of Yves Saint Laurent, the last documentary to portray the couturier at work.
Director Olivier Meyrou’s film, Célébration, was banned in France because it was considered too biting, but will be showing at Melbourne’s Federation Square during August and September as part of the ACMI’s season of documentaries celebrating fashion from around the world, titled Fashion Icons on Film.
Made of a two-year period and following Sain Laurent’s working and private life, the film reveals the man behind the legend, digging deeper than the designs that made him an icon, to expose a tortured artist and a fragile man.
Check the ACMI’s website for more info and don’t miss this fascinating film delving into an extraordinary, mysterious man.
melbourne spring fashion festival, celebration, yves saint laurent, fashion icons on film, ACMI
Posted by Audrey Lee on August 24, 2010
Teenagersintokyo are no strangers to us. From their humble beginnings as a little-known band to the acclaimed success they are today, the Sydney quintet is proving to be an everlasting dark-pop stronghold. Following the celebrated-release of their eponymous EP in 2008, the band continues to steal hearts all across the UK and is now fast-becoming a firm favourite in the indie scene of both sides of the world. And they’ve done pretty well for themselves, with their debut album, Sacrifice (which dropped their single ‘New Day’), landing the number one spot on the Independent Record Store charts. Earlier this month, we hit up front-woman Samantha Lim for the lowdown on what’s been happening in their world.
Covered: Not aiming for hype, open air festival in Basel, Switzerland, eclectic tastes, touring in Australia and a weird tax scheme in London.
Audrey Lee: You guys have been pretty busy making waves around London and the rest of Europe of late. For the sake of our readers who weren’t privy to the history of the Sydney-gigging band that existed prior to the move overseas, fill us in: what’s the story behind Teenagersintokyo?
Samantha Lim: We're a five piece originally from Sydney, playing together for a number of years now. We released our EP in 2007, toured a bit and then decided to move over to the UK in 2009 after a mini-tour here gave us a taste for broader pastures. So now here we are a year later and we've finished our debut album with David Kosten. It's out in the UK and Europe, so now we're excited to release it back home where it all started.More...
teenagersintokyo, sacrifice, new day
Posted by Audrey Lee on August 20, 2010
Last Wednesday night saw the launch of Paddington Alive at The Australian Centre for Photography. We stopped by to get an eyeful of local art and design, including Robyn Beech's London Calling, Zeitgeist Becomes Form curated by German fashion photographer, F. C. Gundlach, and The Birthday Suit, a clothing label by Sydney artists Técha Noble and Emma Price of The Kingpins. Australian fashion with a splash of red was the name of the game here, with guests conforming to the event’s dress code.
In its second year as part of the Rosemount Sydney Fashion Festival, Paddington comes “alive” in this six-day public event to recognise the local talents and celebrate the cultural diversification that has made it the fashion hub of Australia. The festival has an awesome line up all ready to be consumed and relished by both the young and young at heart. Highlights include the Fringe Bar Emerging Designer Market dedicated to a new generation of works from rising fashion cats in the local scene, and the William Street Laneway Festival, which features an array of its unique boutiques and champions the fashion and music community – and that’s only a tiny fraction of the itinerary.
Paddington Alive runs until August 28. Visit their website for an official list of events that runs throughout the festival.
paddington alive, the australian centre for photography, london calling robyn beech, zeitgeist becomes form, the birthday suit, rosemount sydney fashion festival
Posted by Audrey Lee on August 20, 2010
Sydneysiders: unless you were raised by wolves – and are currently cohabitating with them still – you’ve probably already caught wind of the eagerly anticipated Sydney Fringe festival. Taking over more than 20 venues in the Inner West of Sydney from September 10 till 26, the festival program boasts a generous mix of live music, musical theatre, theatre, comedy, poetry, dance, art exhibitions and festive cheer all presented over the course of 17 exhilarating days.
Cabaret meets comedy in It’s Time to Sparkle Darlings. The show takes you through the life of an old washed-up singer, towing along an evening of old Vegas show tunes that will make you laugh and cry at the same time. Or perhaps you’re feeling a little “Picasso”, why not get those creative juices flowing? Kluster's friends at May Street Studios are throwing open their doors to the art-curious public; meander through the Artists Open Studio and 'Have-a-go' Workshops and engage in a creative technique or two. As we recently announced The 4th Annual Sydney Underground Film Festival returns this year as part of the official festival program, with 18 delightful sessions and over 100 films for you to watch till your heart’s content.
The Sydney Fringe is popping up in venues across Newtown, Marrickville, Enmore and Surry Hills. Hop over to their website to purchase tickets or to download the program guide.
the sydney fringe, it's time to sparkle darlings, artists open studio and 'have-a-go', the 4th annual sydney underground film festival, newtown, marrickville, enmore, surry hills
Posted by Audrey Lee on August 18, 2010
Belinda Jackson, a creative jewellery designer of unique talent, passed away at a tender age of 29. Her life may have ended way too early, but the memory of her continues to live on.
As a way of commemorating Belinda’s artistic achievements, Primavera will be presenting its 19th annual exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) in Sydney. Founded by the MCA, Dr Edward Jackson AM and Mrs Cynthia Jackson AM and the rest of Belinda’s family, the exhibition is a celebration that gives rise to emerging Australian artists who are of 35 years and under.
Primavera invites Katie Dyer, Curator of the National Art School, Sydney, as this year’s Guest Curator. With creativity and individuality being the common language, Katie’s selection highlights a collective range of wily imaginative work by young budding artists. If Belinda were here, she would have been proud of these young lads.
Get set for Primavera opening this Thursday, August 19 through to November 11. The exhibition is part of the MCA Spring Season 2010, and is located on level 1 and 2 of the museum.
belinda jackson, primavera, museum of contemporary art, mca, dr edward jackson am, mrs cynthia jasckson am, katie dyer, national art school sydney, mca spring season 2010
Posted by Penny Cropper on August 17, 2010
The brilliant cycling tour that was Small Stories Big Picture, where punters armed with Lomo cameras and pushbikes took to the streets of Surry Hills to capture the secrets that lie within, is now finished. But it won’t be forgotten just yet, with a closing party tomorrow night (Wednesday, August 18) at the Beresford Hotel to show off the amazing images taken during the three-day event.
The tours started and ended at Cloth and Metalab, and along the way, participants collected stories from retailers, cafes and designers, and went their own way looking for the essence of Surry Hills.
The pictures will be on display for a few weeks, so if you can’t make it to the party, make sure you get on down at some stage for a peek and see if you can’t discover something you didn’t know about the creative streets of Surry Hills, as depicted by these valiant camera-wielding enthusiasts as part of the Sydney Design 2010 festival.
small stories big picture, sydney design 2010 beresford hotel, cloth, metalab
Posted by Penny Cropper on August 17, 2010
One of our newer Surry Hills favourites and sister store to the most highly excellent Paris Texas, Bourke street shop The Candy Store is turning one this September and sure has picked a great way to celebrate. They’re introducing a bunch of new labels to the store, having handpicked them from Fashion Week earlier this year, with standouts including Karla Spetic, Ellery, Konstantina Mittas and Micahel Lo Sordo.
Candy Store and Paris Texas owner Annette Verrusio has been fostering young Australian design talent for years with this kind of thinking, and we hope she keeps at it.
Check the website and blog for news on how the they’ll be celebrating the introduction of these up-and-comers to their stable.
candy store, paris texas, surry hlls, annette verrusio, karla spetic, konstantina mittas, ellery, michael lo sordo
Posted by Penny Cropper on August 17, 2010
Attention motorcycle enthusiasts: get yourself and your faithful ride to Deus Ex Machina’s Festival of the Parallel Twin Motorcycle in Camperdown on Saturday 28th August. Infinite riches await you in the festival’s show and shine contest, as well as door prizes including a dinner for two at the Deus Café.
For those with no steed but a desire to drool at others’, the unveiling of the Tagand Springer W650 edition could well make your Saturday and/or whole year.
Sure to be a fun and testosterone-filled day.
deus ex machina, festival of the parallel twin motorcycle, tagand springer W650
Posted by Petra Zlatevska on August 17, 2010
A Nevada boy at heart, photographer Just Loomis´career has taken him to New York, via Milan. In between photographing shoots for Harpers Bazaar and snapping various music icons, including Madonna in the early 80s, he met the man who would take him on as an assistant and, in the process, became a life-long friend: Helmut Newton. Spanning more than thirty years, Just´s body of work- ethereal portraits of characters that embody the hopes and broken dreams of the American way of life - are now published for the first time in As We Are by Hatje Cantz. In an Australian exclusive, we talked to Just about what inspires him and his work as he shares some of his personal archive with us. Check out the gallery Just hand-picked exclusively for Kluster.
Covered: Working with Helmet Newton, understanding American history and observations of Australia.
Petra Zlatevska: As We Are documents more than just 30 years of your career accomplishments – a career producing images that reflect the Zeitgeist of American society. June Newton was quoted as saying, “No one is doing Americana like Just”. Do you consider yourself a photographer naturally drawn to capturing American subjects and themes or an American photographer simply photographing images and people?
Just Loomis: That´s a great question, I think the latter. I lived in Europe for four years (during the 80s). Since moving back to the US from Europe, I came back and took a lot of photographs of where I live. So obviously those are American photographs. However, I don’t consciously set out to do an ‘American photograph’ - I don’t do that. I am simply drawn to things that I see and that I connect with. I recently took a to Paris and other parts of Europe and I realized that despite the years I lived in Europe and this recent trip, I don’t know a lot about living there or about European culture; it is a culture that truly isn’t mine. I have a greater understanding of American history, American people and children, how children grow up and the things that they go through. I feel I understand this better than what European adults or children experience. We have a different set of issues we deal with here in America and I am very in tune with that.
PZ: Your photo subjects, whether in fashion, documentary or portraiture, have that sense of timelessness. How do you manage to capture that in a single shot?
JL: I think it has to do with something that I am drawn to and that is a fairly consistent thing that is inside of me. It has to do with many, many years of developing what I want to look at, what I feel is interesting and what touches me emotionally. Certain things really draw me in, these are fairly simple things, I guess that’s where the consistency comes from. I am glad that people say timeless, although I don’t particularly try to do ‘timelessness’.More...
just loomis, helmet newton, as we are
Posted by Audrey Lee on August 16, 2010
Lako Bukia may be one of few words, but her arresting taste in style speaks volumes. Collections that are striking, deep and unique seem to come effortlessly to the 23-year-old Georgia-born designer. With a BA degree in Fashion Design and Textiles from A. Kutateladze Tbilisi State Academy of Arts under her arm and a positive attitude to match, Lako has already made her way across international borders and now there’s no stopping her.
Describing her personal style as “feminine, stylish and classical”, Lako takes her bold signature look to shape-shifting new heights for her latest collection, Cubart. Fusing geometric shapes and linear lines into one tasty black-and-white blend, it was inspired by artworks of the cubism period, including those of Pablo Picasso.
Currently studying at the London College of Fashion for her second BA degree in Fashion Design and Technology Womenswear, the young designer also busies herself styling projects with fellow fashion designer, Katie Burnett. When asked of the reasons behind her success, Lako says it was through hard work, passion and her education in different universities that cemented her footing as a fashion designer.
“Being in the fashion industry is already very hard. Every step is getting harder and harder. Fashion is already a big challenge. [But] if you love your work and believe in yourself, you will definitely succeed.”
The runway at the Vauxhall Fashion Scout during the London Fashion Week, she says, is next on her list. With her constant drive and artistic talent, we know it’s only a matter of time before she gets there. Go Lako!
lako bukia, a. kutateladze tbilisi state academy of art, pablo picasso, kate burnett, vauxhall fashion scout, london fashion week