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WE'RE SUPPORTING

When photographer Sasu Tei and his team showed us their images created as an expression of their ongoing fears for the future after the Japanese earthquake, tsunami and subsequent radiation meltdown, we loved them. But we also thought it would be interesting to ask the four artists to give us some personal thoughts on their experience, on their ongoing anxieties and their thoughts for the future. [Read these interviews on Flux here] Read more

WE'RE THINKING

Baltimore-based artist Rita Minissi is an amazing designer, and puts forth an incredibly consistent and highly composed aesthetic with her photos and images that involves riding gear, horses, and dark, transgressive female sexuality. She plays with identity, obscuring her own with masks, wigs, and hidden faces. Read more

Having originally sprung from the Shaky Isles (otherwise known as New Zealand), I can appreciate the humour in the New Zealand cartoon series, Bro Town, the first homegrown animated series to screen during local prime time. It’s simply brilliant, a real play on the ‘thuck’ accent and small town ways of our Kiwi brethren.

WE'RE TRAVELLING TO

As a child, I took piano exams in over-sized white rooms, on baby grand pianos that felt unfamiliar and echoed strangely as someone across the room observed me in silence. It felt clinical, intimidating and completely devoid of warmth. Last week, I started noticing upright pianos, some painted haphazardly, others respectfully untouched plonked in the most unlikely places throughout Sydney. There was one on the edge of the baby pool at the local swimming pool, with a young girl in a rainbow striped dress tapping out a happy but disjointed melody; another shaded under a tree at the park on the way home. Read more

WE'RE READING

Vintage Kids Books My Kid Loves is a great resource for people looking for gift ideas or simply for those who dig the artwork in out-of-print and esoteric children’s books from years past. The author provides reviews from the perspective of a parent, not merely a hobbyist.

WE'RE LISTENING TO

I’ve heard whispers that Kings Of Convenience, the Norwegian duo of folkloric proportions, have split. I hope they’re unfounded, but like all good rumours, where there’s smoke, there’s fire. Perhaps Erland Oye is enjoying the unlimited scope of his solo career too much? And then there’s his new submorphic guitar pop project, The Whitest Boy Alive, to keep him occupied. The whitest boy alive? Indeed he is. But damn the guy can sing.

WE'RE WEARING

My boyfriend is your typical guy who likes wearing nice clothes, but has no patience for shopping. So when a recent shopping trip in Byron Bay went into its second hour, I knew I was heading into dangerous territory. I knew I only had about two more minutes before he’d reach his man-shopping threshold, so you can imagine my surprise when from across the store he called out: ‘babe, do you like these shorts?’ And sure enough there he was, elbow deep in a stack of brightly printed boardies by Aussie label, Toggs. Read more