Sunday Arts Magazine

At the NGV we’re continuing our Live Studio Visit series on Instagram, which we commenced back in May. For three months now, each week an NGV Curator joins an artist, designer or architect on @NGVMelbourne Instagram to virtually visit their studio, as well as discuss their work in the NGV Collection, and what they are currently working on. You can view a few of the artists chats which have passed here: https://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/playlist/live-in-studio-artist-visits/ including interview with Iris Van Herpen, Christopher Boots, Darren Sylvester, Lisa Waup and more.

Melbourne-based artist Nikos Pantazopoulos will be joining the Live Studio Visit series on Wednesday 9 September to chat with NGV Senior Curator of Contemporary Art, Simon Maidment about his practice which explores LGBTIQ+ politics through an immigrant CIS GAY LENS. His work remediates art history and popular narratives that are influenced by hegemonic culture. Nikos’ current research is engaged in Ancient Greek legacies and its influences’ on modernism, minimalism, relational, outsider art activities and on Labor and its economic values in our society. Nikos’ materials critique the classical traditions of the arts to repurpose them through a photographic data and technologically driven lens.

Nikos works as a lecturer in Photography at RMIT and is currently working on a commission for UNSW Galleries which continues his ongoing investigations into the architectural and aesthetic histories underpinning Queer culture today, rediscovering and repositioning these lost or hidden languages. The UNSW commission involved paintings bought from a nightclub on Oxford street that has shut down. They are Tom of Finland men (pictured below) posing in the Australian Urban space i.e on the Harbour and in a cafe on Oxford street. Nikos found the artist who now works as a trader on the stock exchange after he went through a difficult period in the 90s in gay Sydney as a successful artist. Nikos and the artist exchanged conversations leading to Nikos deciding to reframe the work for an online presentation in October.

During the Live Studio Visit, Simon will virtually visit Nikos in his studio to hear more about his practice and his current project.

St Martins is launching 40:40 as a homage to the thousands of young people who have walked through the doors of St Martins since 1980, immersing themselves in the performing arts, with professional directors, writers, teachers and producers.

Comprising two parts, 40:40 Online showcases 40 stories on our socials throughout the year from current participants and alumni, and 40:40 Live activates the entire St Martins site in a once-only interaction with 100 children in December. Both formats will boast storytelling and artistry at its finest – intimate, engaging, confronting and entertaining. 40:40 invites artists, young people and community members to ponder the small moments that have shaped who they are, as St Martins celebrates the people who have shaped it.

The Victorian and Australian artistic community is populated with high-calibre alumni across performance, directing, production, stage management and design, including Ben Mendelsohn, Noah Taylor, Julia Zemiro, Catherine McClements, Jane Turner, Gina Riley, Frank Woodley and musicians such as Angie Hart and Tim Rogers. The significance of St Martins as a springboard for robust artistic careers cannot be underestimated and 40:40 is an important community commemoration.

During this critical time, St Martins is staying connected to its community, encouraging conversations, sharing stories and ideas, and rolling out a suite of digital workshops from young people aged 7 – 18. In line with their inclusive methodology, online workshops are run by a Lead Artist, in partnership with an Inclusion Artist.  St Martin’s Artistic Director, Nadja Kostich, acknowledges the celebration of its 40th birthday during one of the most testing times in the arts as an occasion for the community to proudly celebrate its value and impact.

“We want to sensitively and joyously share the milestones and achievements of this vital arts company working with young people. St Martins was and will continue to be a disrupter, one performance at a time, creating and delivering dynamic and thought-provoking art with children and teenagers to adult audiences. We want to shout out for the voices of young people today, to honour the voices of those whose shoulders we stand on, and together to step courageously into our future.”

Celebrating four decades of bold, artistically vibrant theatre making with young people, 40:40 is an invitation to the curious, the arts lovers and all those who have been through the doors of St Martins to reconnect, re-enter and re-discover.

Long time Joy supporter Maree talks to David how they are showcasing the Visual Arts during the current Melbourne lockdown.

Stephen is back this fortnight talking to David about the latest films

Eric talks to David why he loves this old old favourite album from many years ago…..

Karma Dance (Govind Pillai and Raina Peterson) creates moving experimental dance works that respect and challenge both traditional and contemporary dance. With a substantial body of new work including four full-length company productions, Govind and Raina‘s works draw on their training in classical Indian dance and are critically acclaimed for their subversive and visceral approach to exploring the diasporic experience, cultural identity, colonialism, gender diversity and sexuality.

John has been a versatile actor, voice over artist and presenter since the 1990’s. He has many film, television and voice over credits. He has an uncanny ability of dramatically changing his voice and character at will. Not surprisingly, character acting roles are a specialty, as are voice overs for radio and television commercials. Documentary narrations and animation character voices are other strengths, largely due to his voice training and experience as an educator dramatising stories with students. He’s also an experienced public speaker. John is a Civil Celebrant and former assistant school principal and drama teacher. On camera presenting, then, comes naturally. John has done various things and with all his life experience, has a great deal to draw upon in his roles as an actor, voice over artist and presenter. His backgrounds and work history give him ‘the edge’ as a performer.