Canberra
general :: posted on June 19th, 2010
So our first stop on the holiday journey was Canberra where we went to all the well known attractions starting with the War Memorial. Craig and Abi, my oldest and youngest children (seems odd to call a 30 year old a ‘child’!) came on the adventure and we spent hours going through the displays of war memorabilia and artwork. The gardens around the building have a number of interesting sculptures too, including this one by Bertram Mackennel, the first Australian artist to be knighted.
I was very naughty and didn’t write down the name of the sculpture, but what I thought was interesting was the masculine portrayal of the women in battle as opposed to the monument work that I have written about earlier. It seems to me that perhaps the female attributes were added to a male form, but that is just speculation.
Next stop was the zoo where Craig and Abi enjoyed feeding all the animals. Unfortunately the camera batteries died just before they got tot he snake feeding where a large snake was draped over their shoulders… mmm they had a good time, I stuck to trying to draw the furry friends.
Craig and Averill took us to dinner at the Telstra Tower where we got a 360 view of Canberra as the revolving restaurant slowly offered the view as the night fell. I couldn’t resist playing with the slow exposure!
Judy Watson’s Fire and Water makes a bold statement situated near the National Library (where we enjoyed an exhibition of works and memorabilia by the Dunera Boys) in the afternoon light. The National Library quotes says “Judy Watson’s fire and water is a sensorial journey which begins at the hearthstone, passes between the bower, to rest on and listen to the sounds of the gathering stone, and continues among the sinuous lines of reeds towards the misting pool, where fine sprays of cooling water cleanses and refresh–(Launch brochure.)” Walking through this work was a highlight of the visit to Canberra for me.
But the final moment goes to the fountain that dominates Lake Burley Griffin (which incidentally was a farm owned by my forebears prior to the dam being built) and a quiet moment to contemplate to spaces and galleries and parks and calm of the Capital City of Australia. Thank you Craig and Averill for looking after us!
