About Art And

The fence along Prince Alfred Park is looking truly splendiferous! I especially love the dancing girls: extraordianry detail. And across the road I've made my own contribution to the visual scene


And further on toward town, another boring beige construction hoarding has been saved from the ravages of graffiti tags... well, at least for a few days. This one was covered in tags before I started. I've spent the last week painitng the site over three successive nights and overnight there would be additional scrawls across the fresh paint. No respect...



You can probably see that the aim with the Belmore Park site was more architectural in concept. The Chas Clarkson Building above was, by contrast, quite spontaneous. although exhausted when I was done down at Belmore Park, I had quite a bit of paint left in the pot and really felt the site was crying out for attention, especially with such creative work going on across the road along the fence. Well worth a walk!

About Art And

It's that time of the year again: Art and About has hit Sydney. Quite a number of historical sculptures around town are currently under wraps, being dressed for the occasion by the crew of Tendril and associates. Very much looking forward to seeing them unveiled.

And up the other end of town, where Prince Alfred Park has been getting a landscape makeover for the past few months, Jess Cook and her team have done a number on the safety fence. It's looking fantastic.

I'm making my own contribution to the Festival also, but more about that later...

Vale Mandy Rollins

The news of Mandy Rollin's apparent suicide has sent shock waves throughout the GLBTQI and dance club community. I'm still realing from the news, only discovered last night via FaceBook. I can't claim Mandy as a personal friend but she was a close member of our very close and connected community and I held her on the highest regard. On more than one occasion she has carried me and thousands of others to the edge of ecstasy through magical combinations of dance beats, taking is all to a place where we lose ourselves in the rhythm and pulse and "become one with the music". Sounds clichèd but that IS how it happens and it is amazing when it does. Mandy was a master.

Her partner DJ Feisty published a statement in this week's Star Observer

This is a quote from her website:
DJ Mandy Rollins, Sydney / Australia, percussive, tribal house moulds with hands of technical wizardry and spine-tingling accuracy to produce the sound dominating the Sydney underground. Headlining residencies and events including the unique, intimate underground, Oxford St venue Phoenix, the internationally famous Hellfire Club or Sydney Leather Pride's Inquisition, Australia's largest Leather event.
Playing music that has stimulated and mesmerized crowds for over ten years, Mandy Rollins has created her own distinct movement in the Australian dance music community. Her unforgettable sets have been heard in the most respected and desirable clubs around Australia.

So long Mandy. Such a waste. Such a sham when someone takes this course of action. It strikes at the core of our reason for being here and doesn't really make it any easier.