Tuesday, 29 March 2011

It's been a while between drinks...

Hi Art Lovers

Well - you may have wondered where we've been. It has been a little quiet on the Art in the Library front. After the fabulous Power of Language exhibition last year, we're having a little break. In case you haven't heard, the Baillieu Library (the programs main exhibition space) is currently undergoing redevelopment of it's ground floor. In case you're interested, here's their blog. So, due to building works the library has decided not to use the main exhibition space on the first floor, or the circular staircase to showcase the collection or artworks.

The redevelopment is planned to take six months, and the ground floor reopened in time for second semester. So, if you've got an idea for an exhibition, now is a great time to contact us. With everyone coming to check out the new facilities in semester 2, there will be a captive audience for your artwork.

If you'd like to discuss your ideas, drop us a line

Morfia Grondas: 8344 6823 morfia@ unimelb.edu.au
Andrea Hurt: 8344 9582 andreash@ unimelb.edu.au

Monday, 22 November 2010

The Power of Language

Hello Art Lovers

It's been a little while since our last post. That's because we've been busy installing and launching our latest exhibition - The Power of Language: die Macht der Sprache. As part of the Berlin Dayz festival, we're hosting part of a travelling exhibition of photographs. A worldwide competition was held asking for people to submit an image that captured 'the power of language'.

If a picture is worth a thousand words, what better place to host an exhibition about language, than a library. Each tells a story, sets a scene or makes a statement in one single image.

Be inspired and see for yourselves. The exhibition runs until the end of November and can be found in the Baillieu Library (central staircase, first floor atrium and Percy Baxter Collaborative Learning Centre). For more info: http://www.library.unimelb.edu.au/art/exhibitions/current

Enjoy!

Monday, 20 September 2010

Movie magic

Greetings Art Lovers

The Art in the Library co-ordinators had to give a presentation at a staff forum recently. So what better way to spruke our program than to create a short movie. The presentation version didn't have music, but here's our new improved version.

Hope you like it...

Art in the Library from Andrea Hurt on Vimeo.

Friday, 17 September 2010

Nobody told there'd be days like these...

It was with a heavy heart that we took down the Banned Books in Australia exhibition. We received many phone calls from people asking if it was still up, but alas the next exhibition from Cultural Collections has taken it's place. If you are interested in the topic, the bookshop is selling the catalogue. A second addition will be coming later in the year, which will include the speeches made from the Censorship forum. Just in time for Christmas!

Art in the Library is now turning it's attention to the next exhibition. In conjuntion with the School of Language & Linguistics, we are presenting a photographic exhibition in November entitled 'The Power of Language'. It is part of the Berlin Dayz festival from the Goethe Institut Australien. It's an Australia-wide Arts festival. For more info you can see the whole program at www.goethe.de/australia

We'll bring you more information as it comes to hand.

Monday, 30 August 2010

Listen online...Censorship in Australia Forum

Greetings all

If you couldn't make it along to the forum, we have a treat for you. We were able to record the evening, and it is now available to hear online from our website Photos of our speakers will be coming soon.

The discussion covered quite a number of viewpoints and showed the vast array of issues that involve censorship. The questions from the audience, at times, pushed our pannel of speakers into interesting areas. It certainly hightlighted the complexity of this issue, the diversity of opinions and even the mechanisms behind getting items classified.

I, for one, came away thinking, not just about 'right' or 'wrong' concerning censorship, but about the grey area. And afterall - that's where the interesting thoughts and conversations reside.

Hope you enjoy it.

Thursday, 12 August 2010

The debate continues...

You know this subject just keeps snowballing. Kind of fitting really, when you think how cold it is outside.

Jenny Lee, the main academic curator, was been interviewed on ABC 774 by Hilary Harper, and also on 3RRR on Breakfasters, talking about the exhibition and Banned Books in general.

But it doesn't stop there. Tonight we have a sold out forum to discuss the issues surrounding censorship. Associate Professor David Bennet (another key contributor to the exhibition) is the convenor. Our guest speakers include:
  • Dr Donald McDonald, Director, Classification Board
  • Dr Philip Nitschke, author of the currently banned book, The peaceful pill
  • Associate Professor Robert Nelson, Monash University
  • Associate Professor Richard Pennell, University of Melbourne
  • Dr Lauren Rosewarne (University of melbourne)

It's a who's who of speakers, to cover the range of topics from current censorship policies and in particular internet censorship, an individuals right to free speech, censorship in art, banning jihadist literature for research and sexual perversion and the politics of censorship.

Sounds like a cracking evening. Can't make it along? Fear not - our fabulous guest speakers have agreed to be recorded, so hopefully there will be a podcast available from our website. So watch this space.

Monday, 12 July 2010

A little off the topic...

I noticed today that the University of Melbourne has a former Prime Minister speaking soon as part of the Public Lecture series. OK, so this doesn't have anything to do with books or their banning, but is does have to do with privacy and freedom. And when thinking about things such as internet filters, is this nearly restricting access to things for our own protection? Hmmm.....where have I heard that before?

Taken from the flyer for the public lecture:

Should we have laws that protect our privacy? What would constitute a breach of privacy? How do we balance the ‘free speech and the need for a free media’ argument against an individual’s right not to be subjected to intrusions on their privacy by journalists, photographers, television crews, bloggers and social networkers? In his first public lecture at the University of Melbourne, former Prime Minister Paul Keating will provide his views on these important questions.


Admission is FREE. Bookings are ESSENTIAL.

To book please register at

www.unimelb.edu.au/public_lectures/


The Privacy Imperative in the Information Age Free for All
delivered by The former Prime Minister of Australia, The Honourable Paul Keating

Date: Wednesday 4 August 2010

This lecture will be streamed live on the night at live.unimelb.edu.au/


It may be a little off the topic, but it's still part of the bigger picture - freedom of speech. I thought it sounded interesting anyway. Check out the streamed lecture if you can't make it there in person.