Doodle Brain

Eko Nugroho

Saturday was People's Day at the brand new Queensland Gallery of Modern Art. Being that my parents and sister were in town, we went down in the evening and sat on the grass outside, watching the James Morrison Quintet against the backdrop of the city skyline over the river. Indoors, the gallery was hosting the Asia Pacific Triennial. Many highlights in my brief perusal of the show, including textile comic panels by Indonesian artist, Eko Nugroho, which initially struck me as very similar to the Pure Black Tattoo comic book that I picked up whilst in Yogyakarta (and which was actually drawn during Athonk's residence in Melbourne). Turns out that Eko Nugroho is also based in Yogyakarta and also releases his own comics. I wish I had been more effective at exploring this subculture while I was there. Anyway, go the the new gallery in Brisbane to see some of his strange little drawings turned into embroidery, which I heard another gallery-goer liken to drink-coasters. Link: http://ekonugroho.or.id

le chien noir

The Popular Beer

Last week, at Toowong Village shopping centre for some forgotten reason, I spied Nick Earls (iconic Brisbane author) running a very ordinary domestic errand. And just the week before I had the immense joy of spotting Ranger Stacey (of Agro's Cartoon Connection and Totally Wild fame) in a similarly mundane scenario. These seem to me to be signs that my time in Brisbane is near expired. That I've had every quintessential Brisbane experience there is to be had (a few months back I ran into Bruce Paige [channel 9 news] coming out of the treasury casino around midday - seedy...). I've been immobilised by heat-waves and caught in torrential downpours. I've had my bike stolen by chromers, and been subject to the charity of a drunk. I've been inconvenienced by road closures, and braved countless journeys by bus, train, and citycat. I've wandered hilly streets through foreign suburbs filled with strange houses on stilts. I've seen canetoads, mango trees, and geckos. Shared my back deck with possums and bush turkeys. Drank fourex until I thought better of it (never did get around to the brewery tour). These are the images that fill Nick Earls' books and have made him a champion of Brisbane's public face. I read a couple of his novels when I first moved here (to get a feel for the place), but was disappointed (I'm not going to elaborate my criticism). John Birmingham's felafel book and its sequel give a more accurate (or at least more entertaining) portrayal of the city and its underbelly. At the heart of it, Brisbane is just another patch of Australian high-density housing, becoming evermore homogenous. Nick Earls will tell you different. And of course, like any iconic author should, he has his own website... http://www.nickearls.com

Sad Dad

The thesis ordeal is over, and so I have much more time to draw funny pictures. Here are a few (click it for big):

Naomi Robson Caught on Cannibal Hunt

Naomi Robson is about to be deported from Indonesia for trying to sneak a camera crew into West Papua to film a story about the native cannibal tribes. Silly girl. I love to read about glamour-journalists being humiliated, but the best thing about this is the title of the article in the Australian: "Seven's Robson and crew in hot water over cannibal hunt"

Tim Rogers & Tex Perkins

Who would have known that my two favourite Australian songmen would team up to release a soulful little acoustic album, under the deceptively rock'n'roll guise, TNT. Tim Rogers and Tex Perkins (hence T 'n' T) are leading lights in Australian rock, each coming out with an album every year or so, leading bands of various constellation. Last time we saw these two guys together was when Tex and You Am I covered AC/DC's "Dirty Deeds" as a promo for the Australian film of the same name - Tex barking the lyrics over very dirty guitar. So, I had in mind something of this nature when I first heard news of the current project. However, the album cover for "My Better Half" features the two dudes in bed together, apparently naked, which is the first hint that this is a more intimate affair than you might have expected. Vocal responsibilites are shared equally. The songs are akin to those on Tex's solo albums - which themselves are haunting and beautiful, a world away from the rollicking grooves of the Cruel Sea. Tim's songs are in the spirit of "Heavy Heart" and the acoustic tracks he recorded with the Temperance Union ("Some Fella's Heartbreaker", "Damn Songs", etc.). It's only a shame that Tex is a little bit too liberal with his upper register on this album. Nevertheless, they're touring right now, and apparently doing some shows with orchestral accompaniment, which would be great to see. As luck would have it, the only show they're doing in Brisbane is for FREE, at the Valley Fiesta next weekend. Link: http://www.tnt.net.au