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GOMA Turns 10

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It’s no secret that the Gallery of Modern Art is one of my favourite places in Brisbane. If you’re in need of a dose of inspiration, entertainment, or bemusement (because hey, modern art) GOMA is currently running some excellent free exhibitions in celebration of their 10th birthday.  These include Sugar Spin: You, Me, Art and Everything and A World View: The Tim Fairfax Gift. As well as newly commissioned artworks, if you’ve been a regular visitor over the past decade, you might recognise some artworks from previous exhibitions. These are just a few of my favourites from a recent visit to the gallery.

Sugar Spin: You, Me, Art and Everything 




‘Nervescape V’ 2016 / Hrafnhildur Arnardóttir a.k.a. Shoplifter (Iceland/USA). This bold installation is probably the major drawcard for the gallery right now. Made of synthetic hair,  this multicoloured landscape cascades down the gallery’s cavernous walls. Best of all? You can totally touch it. If you look closely you can also see Left/Right Slide by Carsten Höller in the photo above which are, yes, slides you can ride down. Cheers to interactive art.


‘HEARD’ 2012 / Nick Cave (USA). These wearable sculptures are so fun to look at. While they’re mostly stationary, they do function in a performative manner. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to witness a performance but there’s a video in the gallery that shows them in action.


‘from hear to ear (v. 13)’ 2010 / Céleste Boursier-Mougenot (France). This musical installation featuring live finches is such a unique experience. Around 20 people are allowed into the space at a time to observe the birds. During peak times you might have to queue for a while to gain entry. I went on a  particularly busy weekend and waited about 20 minutes.

A World View: The Tim Fairfax Gift

A collection of works including ‘I Never Stopped Loving You’ 2010 by Tracey Emin (the neon sign that you can’t read up there, but I’ve taken a photo of it previously here) and the hyper-real ‘Bad Dad’ 2013 painting by Michael Zavros.

‘In Bed’ 2005 / Ron Mueck (England). 

‘PixCell-Double Deer #4’ 2010 / Kohei Nawa (Japan).

‘Biosphere 02, Biosphere & Biosphere cluster 05’ 2009 / Tomás Saraceno (Argentina).

Pip & Pop ‘ Rainbow Bridge’   


‘Rainbow Bridge’ from ‘We Miss You Magic Land!’ 2011 / Pip & Pop (Australia). I’m a sucker for all things Pip & Pop and couldn’t resist squeezing them into this post. These little dioramas have been featured in different parts of the gallery over time however nothing will ever beat the full room installation for ‘We Miss You Magic Land!‘ a few years back.

Minimalist Beach Essentials by My Life Aquatic

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Living in coastal Australia, it’s always important to have some beach gear handy. I recently came across beachwear and accessories label My Life Aquatic and quickly became enamoured with their simple edit of beach essentials (bonus points if the name is in any way a nod to Wes Anderson’s The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou). While my own wardrobe is not at all what you’d describe as minimalist, I do appreciate the need for quality basics. My Life Aquatic’s current offerings include a minimalist edit of breezy linen dresses, roomy carry-all bags, plain linen towels, and shady beach umbrellas. They’re perfect for those all about that minimalist aesthetic or just looking for versatile, fuss-free accessories.





[Images via Flaunter]

I Spy: Eyelet Details

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Eyelets have long been a functional part of clothing but over the past couple of seasons we’ve seen them come to the fore as a decorative measure. Take Proenza Schouler’s Fall/Winter 2015 Ready-to-Wear, Sportmax’s Spring/Summer 2016 RTW, and Ellery’s Spring 2016 RTW collections for example. While the oversized eyelets evoke a sense of corsetry, the garments themselves appear to be far less restrictive. I don’t think I could ever pull off an edgy Proenza Schouler look but these are a few eyelet-embellished pieces that I could easily incorporate into my day-to-day wardrobe.

1. House of Cards eyelet midi dress from their ‘Body Shop’ collection
2. Joseph eyelet-embellished tee
3. Lover ‘Rover’ culottes (also available as a skirt and romper)
4. Staple the Label wrap top
5. House of Cards ‘Max’ mini skirt from their ‘Femme’ collection

New Year, New (Blog) Look

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Hello there! Happy New Year! I hope 2017 is treating you well so far. To kick things off around here I thought I’d treat the blog to a bit of a makeover. Fresh starts and all that. It’s nothing too drastic but the main change is that the blog is now (should be) responsive on mobile devices. If you’re reading this on your phone or tablet then you’ve probably already noticed the change. Yep, I’m finally getting with the times. I’m still working out a few things but if you notice any glitches please let me know. I was waning with the blog posts the past couple of months but I’m looking forward to getting back into the groove of things this year. Here’s to an excellent twelve months ahead!

Last Minute Xmas Shopping in Brisbane

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Who else is panicking that Christmas is this Sunday? As in only a few days away Sunday. If you’re a leave-it-to-the-last-minute kind of person when it comes to present shopping, and you live in Brisbane, then don’t worry because I’ve got you covered. Avoid the madness of the big shopping centres and support these smaller stores instead.

Avid Reader
193 Boundary St, West End
What’s in store: books on books on books on books. Grab a gift for the bookworm in your life and some summer reading material for yourself.

The Botanist
Shop 5, Bakery Lane, 694 Ann St, Fortitude Valley
What’s in store: all of the plant things! Think potted plants, planters, cut flowers, vases, and an assortment of decorative bits and bobs.

Flower Lovers
11 Hynes St, Fortitude Valley & 385 Sherwood Rd, Rocklea
What’s in store: more flowers than you can poke a stick (or branch) at. Give the gift of flowers this Christmas or pick up some greenery for last minute table decorations.

The Happy Cabin
58 Vulture St, West End
What’s in store: an edited selection of men’s and women’s clothing, accessories, and gifts. They stock brands such as House of cards, Kester Black, Status Anxiety, and Saltwater Sandals. If you can’t decide what to buy then you could always try one of their lucky dip prizes.

Molten Store
Shop 1, 49 James St, Fortitude Valley & Shop1070C, Ground Floor, Westfield Carindale
What’s in store: a glittering trove of jewellery and precious trinkets. Think celestial-inspired earrings, delicate rings, and ornate hair accessories. If you’re after a bit of Christmas sparkle, then this is the place to go.

Nook
19 Browning St, West End
What’s in store: if you’ve ever attended the Finders Keepers Markets then Nook stocks the kind of stuff you’d find there, only you can shop it all year round. Think fun jewellery, handmade ceramics, colourful accessories, and quirky greeting cards. If you’re lucky you’ll also encounter a shop cat.

Showroom
104 Edward St, Brisbane City (above Le Bon Choix)
What’s in store: a thoughtfully curated selection of keepsakes for the home. Falcon Enamelware, PF Co Candles, Once Was Lost, Fog Linen, and Bondi Wash are just a few examples of brands you’ll find adorning the shelves of this very beautiful store.

Sunday Social
5d Winn St, Fortitude Valley
What’s in store: modern and vintage clothing, funky jewellery, and colourful accessories. It may be small in size, but this shop is brimming with goodies.

Violent Green
1/105 Albert St, Brisbane City
What’s in store: men’s and women’s streetwear, shoes, and accessories. You’ll also find things like prints by local artists, a range of pins and patches (including some favourites of mine by Georgia Perry and Coucou Suzette), Lomography cameras and accessories, and more.

Of course, there are plenty of small businesses that you could support in Brisbane (and as I’m wrapping up this list many more are coming to mind) but these are just the few that I frequent. And if you’re not in Brisbane, go out and support small businesses in your area anyway, no matter where in the world you are.
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