NOT to be outdone by the Art Gallery of New South Wales’s current exhibition, “Theatre of dreams, theatre of play”, which focuses on the refined Japanese theatre forms of nō and kyōgen, the National Gallery of Australia has today launched its own Japanese exhibition.

Ichikawa Sumizo VI as Shirai Gonpachi in ‘The floating world’s pattern and matching lightning bolts’ 1926

“Stars of the Tokyo stage: Natori Shunsen’s kabuki actor prints” is drawn entirely from the NGA’s collection and turns its attention onto the exciting world of Japan’s Kabuki theatre through actor portraits created by artist Natori Shunsen (1886–1960) in the 1920s and 30s.

A selection of spectacular Kabuki robes from the NGA collection further illustrates the extravagance of the theatrical form.

Kabuki? It’s the extraordinarily dynamic and not so refined theatre form that still draws huge crowds from the general public in Japan.

Ichikawa Sadanji II as Narukami in ‘Narukami’ 1926

I’ve always loved the Kabuki – the larger-than-life stories (though drawn from real life) of murder, love-suicides, plots gone wrong and mass revenge performed by larger-than-life actors, many of whom have had their craft down handed down to them over generations.

I love the dramatic entrances, the face-painting, the exquisite female impersonation, the arresting, static poses that the actors strike, and best of all – it’s like going to a football match here – the fact that audience members shout from the stalls and actively barracked for their favourite actors.

And those actors are still adored, just like the ones in the NGA show.

Nakamura Utaemon V as Yodogimi in ‘A sinking moon over the lonely castle where the cuckoo cries’ 1926

An inspiration to artists for centuries, kabuki draws on Japan’s rich folklore, literature and history, as well as violent, romantic and scandalous events, to present lavish dramatic performances. Kabuki actors – the movie stars of their day – were wildly popular for flamboyant portrayals, extraordinary characters and colourful personal lives. Shunsen’s prints provide a fascinating glimpse into this glamorous world, while demonstrating consummate mastery of traditional Japanese printmaking techniques.

“Stars of the Tokyo stage” explores kabuki and modern Japanese printmaking in the context of the astounding changes taking place in Tokyo as the 20th century unfolded. The exhibition is accompanied by a richly illustrated catalogue and primary and secondary education resources are available for teachers too.

It’s a knockout show.

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IN the world of glass and printmaking, it’s common to see artists positioning themselves at the opposite ends of the spectrum—two dimensional print vs. three dimensional glass, and never the twain shall meet.

Professor Charlie Cohan from the University of Hawaii is not like that. With an almost schizophrenic attachment to both forms, he was trained in printmaking in Oakland California and Detroit, but as a native of Washington State, home to the Pilchuck Glass Centre, he is a convert to glass too.
“CityNews” popped on Cohan yesterday at the Canberra Glassworks, just before he headed for Megalo Print Studio + Gallery to do an artist’s talk.

Kirstie Rea

He’s been at both neighbouring institutions this week conducting workshops on “The Glass Matrix: intersections of Cold Working and Printmaking,” with three glassmakers, one photographer and five printmakers.

Cohan cheerfully admits to split loyalties, though printmaking was certainly his first love.

Now head of printmaking at the tropically-located University of Hawaii, he is a native of Washington State in the cold north-west of the US, but he consoles himself with the though that he’s only a five hour plane trip away fromhome, and anyway, being in Hawaii has opened up to him a new world perspective. This is his first visit to Australia but he’s been 5 times to New Zealand and has done workshops in South Korea.

A great advantage of having come from the Seattle area is that he easily embedded himself in the Pilchuck, just near that city and the Mecca of world glass.Stop.
That grounding in glassk he says, has made him the multidisciplinary practitioner and lecturer he now, and made him aware of what he calls “glass opportunities.”
At Pilchuck, where he curates the print collection, he has met many Canberrans, including Kirstie Rea, his collaborator on the program he’s been here and Scott Chaseling, who is features in the current crossover exhibition “Glint” at the Glassworks.

And the crossover is not so much schizophrenic as a process revealing a dichotomy. Collaboration between printers and glass makers, he says, “yields some unexpected and really surprising results.”

To a printer used to working in two dimensions, it opens ‘the possibilities of three-dimensionality, something more sculptural.” Glassmakers, on the other hand, being what he calls “volumnated,” have in they past looked down their collective noses at print, seen as being “in a literal tradition”.

But that was in the bad old days. The glassmakers who enrolled in the workshops Cohan is running this week have been more than welcoming as they see the possibilities of glassmakers deepening the content of their work and printers moving outside the pictorial world into the sculptural world.

“I see it as a very interesting intersection,” he says of the 60-30 print and glass composition of the classes. “I think they’re curious about that intersection.”
Cohan believes that glass makers are now accepting and embracing print, a phenomenon he partly puts down to individual personalities like glass makers Mel Douglas, Rea, Chaseling and Jeremy Lepisto, all of whom, and especially Lepisto, can relate to picturesque images while still fully “volumnating”.

“I believe Jeremy has very printmakerly sensitivity,” he says, introducing me to another word I’ve never heard before.

Some of these artists are if anything quicker to collaboration than he has been. “I’m a died-in-the-wool printmaker, but I love glass even though it’s come secondarily to me, to me it becomes an extension of printing,” he says by way of explanation.

In the workshops they’ve been looking at glass, ink, and pressure in the form of engraving, sandblasting, and mono-printing techniques. Around me art artists scratching away at glass plates with their styluses. More particular has been the preparation of images for translation into photo-resist sandblasting and photo screen printing. They’ve been doing a mixture of freehand drawing and resistant printing onto glass plates.

Cohan tells me that in the bad old days when the only way you could do etching (the most traditional intersection of glass and print) on glass was by using hydrochloric acid, known in the trade as “leukaemia in a bottle.” Happily, advanced technology has assisted the process and he shows me the Rayzist film mask that allows the students to print on glass, opening up technique the potential for more imagery on glass.

After the weekend, Cohan is off to the University of South Australia for a residency and then to Brisbane to Impress Printmakers in Queensland. But with chilly Washington State-like temperatures and simpatico colleagues in Canberra, his first visit to Australia has so far, he says, been “a happy experience”.
“Glint”, at Canberra Glassworks, 11 Wentworth Avenue, Kingston, July 2-August 3.

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ACT Acting Chief Health Officer, Dr Andrew Pengilley is alerting Canberrans to be aware of measles symptoms after a case was notified to ACT Health on Friday 18 July 2014.

“The Health Protection Service is following-up identified contacts in line with national guidelines,” Dr Pengilley said.

“This includes contacts in a GP surgery located on the north side of Canberra and Canberra Hospital Emergency Department where the case attended. These contacts have been identified and are being followed up directly.

“Members of the public may also have been exposed to the case at the Kaleen Plaza Shopping Centre and Kaleen Supabarn between 10am and 12noon on Wednesday 16 July 2014.

“We’re advising anyone who attended this shopping centre at these times to be aware for symptoms and to seek medical advice if they develop symptoms.

“The symptoms of measles may include fever, tiredness, runny nose, sore eyes and a cough, followed by a rash which appears 2-7 days later. People generally develop symptoms 7-18 days after being exposed to a person with infectious measles, with 10 days being more common. People are infectious from 5 days before they develop a rash until 4 days after,” Dr Pengilley said.

“Measles is a potentially serious disease and is highly contagious among people who are not fully immunised. The virus is spread from an infectious person during coughing and sneezing or through direct contact with secretions from the nose or mouth.

“Anyone with symptoms of measles should advise their health provider before they arrive at the medical clinic so that appropriate infection control precautions can be put in place to stop the spread of the infection.

“The most effective protection against measles is vaccination. Two doses of Measles Mumps Rubella vaccine (MMR) are recommended and are normally given to children at 12 months and 18 months of age. However the vaccine can be given at any age after 9 months,” Dr Pengilley concluded.

ACT Health has information about measles online.

[Photo by Dave Haygarth, attribution licence]

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ACT Policing has taken two men into custody after they fled police on two occasions last night (Friday, 18 July).

About 10pm, police detected a red Nissan Pulsar travelling along William Hovell Drive, Hawker and attempted to perform a traffic stop. The car failed to stop and fled from police. The car travelled through a number of streets in the Cook and Macquarie area before police stopped following the car.

The car had earlier come to attention in Woden after it was seen travelling through a number of intersections against a red light.

A short time later, police in the area located the Nissan Pulsar. Police attempted another traffic stop but the car failed to stop.

The car travelled along a number of streets in Macquarie before it stopped in a car park on Bowman Street. The driver fled from the car and was pursued on foot before being apprehended.

The driver, a 19-year-old man with no fixed abode was identified as having a first instance warrant for his arrest. He returned a positive road side screening test and was conveyed to the ACT Watch House in relation to the outstanding warrant and charged with further traffic offences.

The passenger, a 20-year-old Phillip man was found to be in breach of his bail conditions. He was apprehended and conveyed to the ACT Watch House.

Both men are expected to face the ACT Magistrates Court this morning.

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NSW’s Traffic and Highway Patrol Command are warning that a vehicle fire on the Federal Highway has blocked the northbound lanes with traffic being diverted via Yass.

The good news is they hope to have it re-opened shortly.

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Firefighters are investigating the cause of a fire that began in the roof of a Theodore home.

The occupants called Emergency Triple Zero (000) after noticing the fire and self-evacuated.

The house is located on the corner of Louis Loder Street and Lawrence Wackett Crescent.

ACT Fire & Rescue has three pumpers, a Hazardous Materials Unit, Breathing Apparatus Van and a commander in attendance. Units will remain on scene for some time.

Crews have contained the fire to the roof space.

Update to follow.

4:04 PM

The fire was been determined to have been caused by down lights overheating.

ACT Fire & Rescue crews conducted salvage operations after significant heat and water damage to the house.

Damage is estimated at $50,000.

An electrical and structural assessment will have to be completed before the occupants are allowed to re-enter their home.

Firefighters will soon leave the scene.

4:36 PM

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By Michelle Grattan, University of Canberra

THE continuing bitter fight over the budget has seen Labor maintain a strong two-party lead and Tony Abbott regarded as trustworthy by only just over one third of voters, in the latest Nielsen poll in Fairfax Media.

After his broken election commitments Abbott is seen as trustworthy by 35%, which is fewer than Julia Gillard’s 36% in April 2013 after she broke her carbon tax promise, and compares with 45% who regard Bill Shorten as trustworthy.

The poll also contains bad news for Treasurer Joe Hockey, who leads his opposite number Chris Bowen by only a whisker as preferred treasurer – 43%, down 8 points since March, to 42%, up 8 points.

Labor’s primary vote has risen 3 points in a month to 40%, the same as immediately after the budget, and the Coalition’s is steady on 39%, in the poll of 1400 taken between Thursday and Saturday. The Greens are down a point to 12%, while Palmer United Party is on 5% and others are 5%.

The government trails Labor 46% (down a point) to 54% (up one) on a two-party basis.
There is a swing of 7.5% against the government since the election.

Last week saw the repeal of the carbon tax on Thursday, after some chaos about the process in parliament the previous week. Also last week Hockey threatened to seek more spending cuts if the Senate did not play ball with budget items.

Despite the fall in the Coalition’s vote, Abbott’s approval rose 3 points to 38%, while his disapproval fell 4 points to 56%. Shorten’s approval was down a point to 41%; his disapproval increased by 3 points to 44%.

Shorten leads as preferred PM for the third month running: 46% (down a point) to Abbott’s 41%, up a point.

PUP leader Clive Palmer gets an approval rating of 37% but 51% disapprove of the job he’s doing.

When people were asked about the leaders’ attributes the results were mixed.

Apart from on trustworthiness, Abbott also trailed Shorten on being competent (52-57%), open to ideas (38-58%), and having a firm grasp on social policy (34-58%).

Despite the Coalition’s constant attacks on Labor over its “debt and deficit” legacy, Abbott and Shorten were rated equally as having a firm grasp of economic policy.

Abbott was ahead of Shorten in being seen as a strong leader (47-40%), having the confidence of his party (64-63%), having a clear vision for Australia’s future (54-38%), having a firm grip on foreign policy (43-38%), and having the ability to make things happen (58-36%).

Abbott was much less likely to be seen as influenced by minority groups than Shorten (28-42%).

The continued bad results federally for the Coalition coincide with the Newman government in Queensland losing its second byelection this year with a two-party swing of around 18.5% against it in the seat of Stafford. The Queensland LNP government faces the people in the first half of next year.

Hockey’s rating fall comes as he is quoted in a biography of him out this week saying he had thought when Abbott became leader in 2009 he wouldn’t last long and he, Hockey, would then get the job.

Hockey thought he had an agreement that then leader Malcolm Turnbull would not re-contest if there were a spill but this was not Turnbull’s understanding. When Turnbull did stand, Hockey was knocked out on the first ballot.

The book, Not Your Average Joe by Madonna King, quotes Hockey: “I was filthy. But I was a bit relieved, too. I thought, ‘We are going through all these people. We’re clearing the decks. Abbott won’t last long and at least that gives me a free run. I’m next, and if I’m next, I’m not going to have all these people undermining me.’”

Asked whether he had learned to trust Turnbull again, Hockey said, “I’m still going through that process, but I won’t write anyone off forever”. His wife Melissa Babbage said: “There will always be distrust there”.

The book also reports that when Hockey, a supporter of an emissions trading scheme, asked John Howard at the time of the leadership contest what stance he should take, Howard told him they had to have an ETS because that was what the Coalition had promised. Hockey proposed a conscience vote on the issue, which was seen within the Liberal party as unacceptable and cost him support.

Michelle Grattan does not work for, consult to, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has no relevant affiliations.

This article was originally published on The Conversation.
Read the original article.

[Photo by Troy. Attribution Licence]

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AS the years go by, governments of all persuasion and all levels are finding new and despicable ways to tax people. That’s the certainly the case here in the ACT.

Mark Parton

Would an ACT Government really tax a sporting club for the rain that falls from the sky? Yes, it does. For some years ACT golf clubs have been paying large bills for using the water from their own dams.

Last month Treasurer Andrew Barr wrote to golf clubs in the ACT advising them of a thing he’s calling the Market Equity Scheme. He suggested that this amazing new scheme would provide a 50 per cent discount on water abstraction charges for the water that the golf clubs take from their own dams. It’s my understanding that this doesn’t occur anywhere else in the country.

I find it bizarre considering that, during the recent drought, golf clubs were encouraged by the powers-that-be to invest in water-saving infrastructure.

I know that, in particular, the Murrumbidgee Country Club spent a lot on dams and water-saving hardware that is now biting it on the bum. The investment has become a shallow one with the Government’s decision to apply the water-abstraction charge to the water the club’s collecting.

Any ACT club that draws water from an on-site dam pays $250 per megalitre. In NSW that water is free.
Ron Shepherd, president of the Murrumbidgee Club, is ropable, telling me that the club “harvests stormwater from the surrounding residential area, and our golf course.”

“The ACT government are responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of the waterways and the storage dams that store water that we will now be charged to extract,” he says.

Ron points out that if Murrumbidgee draws its 130 megalitres a year from a potable water source it would cost $663,000 versus $182,000 for a NSW (Yass or Queanbeyan) user. And for drawing from its own dams that 130 megalitres cost $32,500 compared with $0 for a NSW user.

This all seems a little odd because, on the one hand, we’ve been encouraged to find ways to save and store water, and now golf clubs are being charged for it. Am I to assume that a water abstraction charge will soon apply to domestic tanks?

I’m unsure where this will end, but I know that the Murrumbidgee Club is keen to stand firm and simply refuse to pay the charges. This could get very interesting.

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AT the end of June we marvelled that Canberra’s City Rangers had somehow only impounded 94 shopping trolleys in the first half of the year.

So we’re thrilled to be able to help them out, noting that this handsome pair are in Civic Square, directly outside the Legislative Assembly, the very source of all the legislating on the subject of shopping trolleys.

It looks like there’s at least a dollar in it for someone to take them back to whence they came.

It does, however, make one wonder if the bristling nests of security cameras mounted on the Assembly building might have picked up the perpetrators?

UPDATE: In the meantime the good folk at Trolley Tracker have been in touch to let us know Lina Blair of Nicholls is going to collect a $1,000 prize for reporting a wayward shopping trolley from Woolworths Gungahlin through Trolley Tracker.

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After a short hiatus our pictures of poor parking around Canberra returns.

1) Sarah has sent this in:

He/she could’ve parked anywhere else along a 500 metre road and not blocked the walkway. But they chose this park to be most appropriate.

2) I spotted these visitors from NSW in the Bailey’s Corner carpark struggling with faint lines and angled parking.

3) Jonathan had this contribution for us:

I thought this one warranted a submission. Taken at Lyons Shops this morning. And that’s effectively 3 spaces by the way.

4) A reader who wishes to remain nameless wanted to share this one:

ACT Police encouraging others to park illegally…

5) And finally Cape Street in Dickson remains a hot spot for people who can’t read metre high letters, or just don’t care.

If you see something like this around town do be a sport and email a picture in to john@citynews.com.au .

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ACT Policing is advising motorists that 40km/h speed limits will be enforced in school zones for the start of the new school term on Monday (July 21).
Traffic Operations Superintendent Ben Cartwright said the restrictions are in place between 8am and 4pm and warns that motorists who chose to ignore them will face tough penalties.

“Children are our most vulnerable road users who can be unpredictable around traffic and are not always aware of road safety. The 40km/h speed limit is necessary in school zones because it gives motorists extra time to stop in an unexpected situation,” Superintendent Cartwright said.

“Speed limits in school zones are there to ensure the safety of our children and we will continue to proactively target these vulnerable areas to make sure the message is getting through.”

ACT Policing is also reminding drivers about their responsibilities at school crossings following reports of drivers failing to stop or give way to pedestrians using school crossings when the flags are raised.

“When flags are up at school crossings drivers must stop and allow pedestrians to cross the road. Only when the pedestrian has left the crossing area may they then proceed,” Superintendent Cartwright said.

During last school term 257 drivers received Traffic Infringement Notices (TINs) and 179 drivers received cautions for speeding in schools.
Of the 257 drivers that received TINs, two drivers were caught speeding between 30km/h and 45km/h above the 40km/h school speed zone. One driver was caught speeding 45km/h more than the 40km/h speed zone.

ACT Policing will continue to focus on speeding during the months of July and August as part of its multi-agency safety strategy.

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ACT Fire & Rescue are working to extinguish a fire at a property on Wittunga Crescent, Banks.

Update to follow.

12:38 PM

Firefighters are continuing to extinguish the fire in the two storey residence.

Fire is on the second floor and well alight.

Firefighters are conducting a search of the premises.

The property has also sustained a partial roof collapse.

Update to follow.

12:53 PM

Firefighters are continuing to extinguish the fire.

Crews have gone to a defensive strategy due to the structural collapse of the property.

Update to follow.

1:08 PM

Three fire pumpers on scene along with the Breathing Apparatus Van, the Bronto Skylift Hydraulic Aerial Platform and one Commander.

Multiple Emergency Triple Zero (000) calls were received from 12.19pm.

Fire in under control.

No injuries have been reported.

Update to follow.

1:29 PM

Firefighters have the fire under control and are working to extinguish hot spots.

House has sustained extensive damage. No-one was home at the time of the fire.

No neighbouring properties have been damaged.

2:09 PM

Fire has been extinguished.

Estimated damage $400,000.

ACT Fire & Rescue will shortly begin to investigate to the cause of the fire.

3:23 PM

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CANBERRA CBD have sent word that this year has set a new benchmark for their Skate In The City event in Garema Place.

Close to 20,000 skaters graced the ice over the course of the event.

Jane Easthope, CEO of Canberra CBD Limited was really happy with the turnout at this year’s event and the support from the surrounding traders.

“Our overarching goal was to attract people to Canberra’s City centre and the increased patronage shows we were successful,” Jane said.

According to the economic data from the Skate in the City surveys, we conservatively estimate that skaters have contributed $1.5 million to the surrounding traders throughout the event.

“It was great to see all the surrounding traders get involved this year,” Ms Easthope said. “We hope that all traders were happy with the increased foot traffic in their stores as a result of the event.”

“We are thrilled with the success of this year’s event and hope to continue it again next year to establish Skate in the City as a permanent part of Canberra’s calendar,” Ms Easthope said.

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THE Royal Society for the Blind (RSB) and Canberra Blind Society (CBS) have formally announced their partnership.

The RSB in association with the CBS have come together to deliver an increased range of services to people who are blind or vision impaired.

CBS has been a major provider of services in the ACT for 55 years, and with the RSB’s long history of 130 years, both partners will now work together as RSB | CBS to offer a broader range of blindness services in 2014 and beyond.

The new partnership will also enable both organisations to work more effectively under the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and Aged Care Reform, to ensure people who are blind or vision impaired in the ACT secure adequate long-term funding support under these new schemes.

To meet increasing client needs in the ACT, the RSB | CBS office has welcomed an Occupational Therapist, a Counsellor, Adaptive Technology Specialist, Recreation Leisure and Volunteer Coordinator and a Fundraising and Public Relations Officer to the team, supported by Coordinator ACT, Deb Quinnell.

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ACT Policing is seeking to speak with the driver of a car involved in a collision with a young cyclist on Friday (July 18).

About 2.30pm, a teenage boy was riding a bicycle across the intersection of Iron Knob and Newcastle Street, Fyshwick, and was involved in a collision with a silver car. As a result, the teenage boy was knocked to the ground. The female driver of the car exited the vehicle to check on the boy’s welfare.

The driver did not provide their details to the young cyclist or report the collision to police.

A statutory reporting requirement is in place in the ACT, which means that a collision in the ACT must be reported by both parties within 24-hours.

Police hope to speak with the driver of the silver vehicle or anyone who may have witnessed the incident in Fyshwick. If you have any information about this incident please contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000, or via www.act.crimestoppers.com.au. Information can be provided anonymously.

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THE ACT Legislative Assembly has let it be known that you can sign a condolence book for the victims of the Malaysia Airlines flight MH 17 in the Assembly foyer.

A condolence book is open for people wanting to pay their respects to victims of Flight MH17. The book is located in the public entrance of the Assembly building, 196 London Circuit, and doors are open to the public from 9am to 5pm on weekdays.

Thoughts are of course with the friends and families of the victims, particularly Canberra’s own Liliane Derden.

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