Tag Archives: Kerrie Pacholli

Macnamara Candidates’ Forum, 30 April 2019 Memo Music Hall

Text & Images © Kerrie Pacholli

The entire two hour event was filmed by Henry Greener producer of THE SHTICK

JoJosh Burns (ALP), Steph Hodgins-May (Greens) & Kate Ashmor (Liberals)
Josh Burns (ALP) & Steph Hodgins-May (Greens) & Josh Burns (ALP), Steph Hodgins-May (Greens) & Kate Ashmor (Liberals)

The Macnamara Candidates’ Forum was held on the 30 April 2019 in the heartlands of St Kilda at Memo Music Hall and there was standing room only.

Serge Thomann_5819
Serge Thomann from unChain Inc. event organiser
John Daley Moderator © PationPics_5643
John Daley Moderator
Michelle Foster © PationPics_5722
Michelle Foster inaugural director of Peter McMullin Centre
Lyn Allison © PationPics_5747
Lyn Allison, last former federal parliamentary leader of the Australian Democrats.
Stephen Armstrong © PationPics_5777
Stephen Armstrong for the Sustainable Australia Party.
Ruby O'Rourke © PationPics_5786
Ruby O’Rourke Independent for Child Protection
Helen Paton © PationPics IMG_5796
Helen Paton from United Australia Party
Chris Wallis © PationPics_5806
Chris Wallis for Macnamara on Sustainability & traffic congestion.

Produced and organised by Serge Thomann of unChain Inc. and sponsored by Memo Music Hall and the Vineyard the proceedings started at 7pm sharp and the race was on.

Local candidates’ Steph Hodgins-May (Greens), Kate Ashmor (Liberals) and Josh Burns (ALP) had an initial ‘timed’ four minutes to share their prospective party’s Policies on many issues across the board.  

Moderator for the night, John Daley captained a well oiled and rhythmic flow which made for a fast paced delivery from our three Macnamara Candidates for this coming Federal Election on the 18 May 2019.   

The pressure was on and all three candidates held their positions; perhaps breaking a little sweat at times, as they were succintly probed by a couple of highly distinguished keynote speakers.

Professor Michelle Foster inaugural director of the Peter McMullin Centre on Statelessness at the Melbourne Law School lead the charge; raising the bar from the get go about respective party policies on refugees and social-economic rights. The Greens call for a “Charter of Human Rights”, The Liberals were more about growing “The Pie” to allow small business to accommodate and Labor assured us that Penny Wong,  Minister for Foreign Affairs will be all about sorting out the mistakes from the past and pushing for a closure of Naru.

Next keynote speaker was Lyn Allison the last former federal parliamentary leader of the Australian Democrats. She delivered pointed questions on policies around corruption, secrecy and accountability.  Stating that Policies across the board are usually decided by a hand full of long time colleagues and it is not good enough.  There needs to be Indigenous representation and protection of the natural environment.  She is calling for a National Integrity Commission.  All parties did there best, however the Greens shown bright with enthusiasm aligning themselves toward Labor, maintaining a cautious eye on accountability.

We then heard from four independents in Stephen Armstrong for the Sustainable Australia Party.

Ruby O’Rourke for children’s rights. Helen Paton from the United Australia Party and Independent Chris Wallis proudly single and all for sustainability and easing traffic congestion.

Staying on schedule, there was an equally fast paced Q & A from the audience to the candidates via Slido.com through the evenings Moderator.

In summary the ALP want to stop politics of fear and move toward innovation and collaboration. The Greens see fossil fuels as ‘got to go’, wanting to move toward 100% renewables. The Liberals are wanting to continue to grow “The Pie” through standard support to private enterprise and small to large business.

Henry Greener from The Shtick filmed the entire two hour event. You will have the opportunity to hear from the main Candidates but also from a few of the unprecedented Independents bidding for a seat and voice at the Policy table. He all also be interviewing organiser Serge Thomann on THE SHTICK.

 

Stephen K Amos – Athenaeum Theatre – MICF 2019

Review and images © Kerrie Pacholli

I was again privileged to be part of a very appreciative audience for the fabulous Stephen K Amos at one of my favourite venues The Athenaeum Theatre in Melbourne. Stephen is back in Melbourne, of course, as part of this year’s Melbourne International Comedy Festival 2019 or MICF 2019 which I prefer to scribe.

Stephen K Amos MICF 2019 Athenaeum Theatre © PationPics
Stephen K Amos MICF 2019 Athenaeum Theatre

Let’s face it, this man has charisma and stage presence that the Queen would envy.

From what I heard, he travels the world, communicating with audiences from many, many countries and cultures. I suppose the Queen does too…Yet, this man is truly funny. Just thinking about him on stage makes me laugh as I am writing this, this review.

Clearly, he has well oiled jokes up his sleeves for comfort, but the man comes across mostly as spontaneous.

Stephen K Amos MICF 2019 Athenaeum Theatre © PationPics
Stephen K Amos MICF 2019 Athenaeum Theatre 

Engaging with the energy of the audience, particularly probing a few special targets in the first rows. Nothing better in this world than natural quick wit and spontaneity. Except perhaps, very large sums of money to compensate for the lack there of.

Stephen is an artist, a true artist who shares his life’s stories on stage with us. Transforming soul wrenching experiences into bare able positives through humour and generosity. I was so chuffed to get a selfie with the man himself, in the alley, on the way out of the theatre, where he and this friends collected donations for palliative care organisations, inspired by his own family experiences.

It was a true pleasure to experience this man doing his thing. I predict a Knighthood in the not to distant future. But then I do carry on like an over intuitive oracle at times.

It makes all this hard work of creating a MICF 2019 Open Media Review Feature all the more worthwhile. And a special thanks to generosity of Alexis Lalios from Hatching Communications and artist manager  Mary Tobin

Stephen K Amos & Kerrie Pacholli 2019 MICF
Stephen K Amos & Kerrie Pacholli 2019 MICF

ART LABYRINTH – Pick My Project – We Need Your Vote!

Think Attenborough, think Truman, think science lab, peep show, theatre, movie studio.
Constructed in the studio space of the Alex Theatre, spectators follow a labyrinthine passageway past enclosed artist spaces where, through peepholes, they can anonymously observe artists engaged in a studio environment. Showcasing highly specialist art forms, chosen St. Kilda Artists will offer a rare and intimate view into their sacred creative space.
A painter, performance artist, a letterpress printmaker, sculptor, an installation artist, a photographer, a ceramicist. The darkened labyrinth passageway will be covered but the studios not. The spectacle will be documented using multimedia from every conceivable angle.

GAS (Grid Art Space) is the dynamic collaboration of St Kilda based artist in residence, master printmaker and sculptor Adrian Spurr and media producer / publicist Kerrie Pacholli.

GAS champions artistic achievement that enriches the St Kilda community and welcomes the creative endeavours of film makers, visual artist, performing artists and art enthusiasts across the City of Port Phillip.

Over the last year GAS has successfully produced, curated and promoted several dynamic pop up art galleries showcasing the works of 18 St Kilda artists as part of the St Kilda Art Crawl incentive hosted by the St Kilda Arts Community Inc.

We are now bidding for your voting support for our next collaborative project ART LABYRINTH to be held at the  Alex Theatre in St Kilda in January 2019 as part of the Pick My Project, a Victorian first community grants initiative.

Pick My Project is a Victorian-first community grants initiative, with at least $1 million in funding available in each metro and regional area.

Now It’s time to vote! Pick your three favourite project ideas in your local community and help make them a reality.

WE NEED YOUR VOTE!

Voting ends 17 September 2018

click here: PICK MY PROJECT

Creativity, art, power & politics

by Kerrie Pacholli © pationpics.com

St Kilda Identities Serge Thomann, Johnny Iodine & Henry Greener image by Kerrie Pacholli © pationpics.com
St Kilda Identities Serge Thomann, Johnny Iodine & Henry Greener at the Vineyard during the inaugural SKAC launch image by Kerrie Pacholli © pationpics.com

Back in mid August 2017 I joined the ranks of the community minded, consisting mainly of a small group of residents.

Over a number of years these individuals had watched their beloved St Kilda in parts, become a barren wasteland. Business in pockets throughout St Kilda had taken a nose drive. Large numbers of the artistic community that had once elevated St Kilda as the artistic epicenter of Melbourne had fled to Brunswick.

Inspired by the strategies of local businesses in other withering cities around the world this group set about igniting creative spirit into the city they loved. The non-for-profit charity The St Kilda Art Crawl was born.

I came on board quite late in the piece, by invitation from one of the founders; it was about 4 weeks before the date of the September art crawl. My first impression was this creative movement has legs. I noted the commitment of the organizers and decided to jump on board boots and all as a volunteer.

My job was to assist with online publicity. The second thing I noted was that the galleries, local businesses and established artists although expressing interest in this event were dragging their heals to officially commit. The main difference between this St Kilda art event and other cities around the world were individuals who were not local property or business owners were organizing this. The pressure was on.

I was way out of touch with the St Kilda art scene and only knew of a couple of galleries that had decided not to participate at that time.

Local artist Marko Maglaic was among the first to commit his time, talents and name on the dotted line in curating a collective pop up exhibition in Christ Church in Acland Street.

A chance meeting with local artist Salvatori Lolicato at 95 Acland Street Café lead me to produce a filmed and written interview with another Shakespeare Grove Artists Studios artist Adrian Spurr and then I was in the business of publicizing local artists in reference to the September 2017 St Kilda Art Crawl.

Two weeks to the crawl date we met Freddie Warschauer owner of a big chunk of real estate on the sunset side of Fitzroy Street. We asked him about the potential of using his window spaces for art and straight up he was keen as punch to put his time, resources and properties to work for a successful Fitzroy Street art crawl contribution.

Property owners Jenny Li and Rob Semple also decided to contribute and gave us the keys to 33 Fitzroy Street and we proceeded to produce what eventually turned out to be two pop up gallery’s showcasing the works of 18 artists over two crawls.

The St Kilda Live Music and St Kilda Comedy Club became proactive and the Espy opened their doors for the first time in years to support them and the crawl with local council deciding to give some money to make this happen.

The seeds of enthusiasm and positive creativity took flight among the arts community.

May 2018 saw the second St Kilda Art Crawl come to life with over 32 galleries including five pop ups stretching from Fitzroy Street, Barkly Street, St Kilda Road and Carlisle Street. With a 60% increase in community participation the event is considered a success by the organizers.

I asked Serge Thomann Photographer and Deputy Mayor of the CoPP between 2012 – 2016 his perspective about art in St Kilda.

How do you feel power, politics and money can assist the St Kilda Arts Community?

It is not known by many that Local Government is the government body that spend the most money on culture and art, from running libraries (Port Phillip has got 5), providing spaces (Gasworks, Linden, Multicultural Arts Victoria, Save the ABC, Carlisle Streets The Gallery, Shakespeare Grove Artists Studios, etc) to supporting local organisations (Red Stitch, Theatreworks, Rawcus, Phillip Adams Ballet Lab, MAV, Brightspace, The Torch, just to name a few) and individuals through various grants. There are also staff members who help artists and companies and mentor them. Obviously, the funds provided by a Council can make a big difference in the cultural landscape of a city. St Kilda has been an art hub for decades and we need to keep some of the creative juices flowing through our village. I believe artists are much better in running art programs – but they need to be funded, e.g. the importance of a Council. After due diligence, of course.

 How do you feel the St Kilda Arts Community can further give voice and make room for artists, art and creative pursuits?

As St Kilda is getting more gentrified, it is always more difficult for artists to find a voice and a space in our village. Artists have always had to fight for survival. And some artists are good, and some not so good. Or should I say popular or not so popular. St Kilda still has got great artists living here – painters (Peter Booth, Andrew Taylor, Lewis Miller, Ann Middleton, Alan Mittleman, Chris Beaumont, just to name a few), film makers and actors, fashion designers, sculptors, photographers, writers, comedians, etc… but most are a bit older and have been in St Kilda for many years. I agree, probably most of the young and up and coming artists live on the other side of the Yarra. There are several artists studios and spaces, but at the end, people should buy more art so more artists can live from their work. The St Kilda Arts Community does provide exposure for artists, creates a buzz around them. Being an artist can be a lonely world but SKAC brings them together and creates a family. This can only be encouraged. I am right behind it. Money can help, but it is not the only valuable ingredient for growth and prosperity.                                            

 

 

PUFFS opening night at The Alex Theatre

images & text by Kerrie Pacholli © pationpics.com

Opening night of PUFFS at the Alex Theatre was a roaring success with a full house of Potter enthusiasts and a red carpet soiree that attracted Melbourne’s stalwart theatre buffs.

Among the many dignitaries to attend where Master printmaker and sculptor Adrian Spurr who currently has works in the piano room of The Alex Theatre for the duration of the PUFFS session, as well as artist Tommy Langra who has been exhibiting his works at Punchinello Pop-Up at 33 Fitzroy St, St Kilda.

Artist's Tommy Langra, Susan Popov & Adrian Spurr image by Kerrie Pacholli © pationpics.com
Artist’s Tommy Langra, Susan Popov & Adrian Spurr 
Host Alex Vass with resident artist Adrian Spurr
Heidi Victoria, Alex Theatre Aleks Vass with resident artist Adrian Spurr
Artist Emily Jane Pappas with local identity Freddie Warschauer image by Kerrie Pacholli © pationpics.com
Artist Emily Jane Pappas with local identity Freddie Warschauer
Shooters Jim Lee, Matt Doller & the man with the moves Sam Tabone
Shooters Jim Lee, Matt Doller & the man with the moves Sam Tabone

 

 

Soul of St Kilda

St Kilda seems to have it all, spectacular sunsets and beach side boardwalks. A rich history of vice and crime, art and culture. Trams that connect to the four corners of Melbourne and beyond. Palm trees, parks, lots of heritage buildings, three outstanding theatres as well as eateries, pubs and bars that play live music to a reasonable hour.

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Emily Humphries St Kilda based artist image by Kerrie Pacholli © pationpics.com

Why has the centre of Fitzroy Street turned into a tumbleweed zone? No one seems to be able to pinpoint the answer to that.

Legend has it that when the artists colony that was Chronicles Bookshop was unceremoniously closed down due to relentless external pressure for dubious and nebulous reasons Fitzroy’s street’s soul had been ripped out.

Or when the toilet block was demolished in what was nationally known by the indigenous community as Koori Park a spookily vacuous and resonating effect was left on the street. Who knows for sure?

What we do know is that the culmination of many quickly imposed plans devised to reinvigorate Fitzroy St. have predominantly failed.

Sadly, despite heavy investiture the area still has issues. Many people including local and state governments are looking to local Arts & Culture as a potential remedy..

I asked local St Kilda resident, mentor, writer and visual artist, Emily Humphries to comment on how the area and local Art and Artists might be able to lend a hand, and if she has any insight into a problem that many wealthy residents and investors have failed to solve. This is what she said.

…“ When Dolores San Miguel opened the doors of the Crystal Ballroom in 1978 it dragged St Kilda groaning and kicking from its post war malaise as Melbourne youth awoke with a yelp. What had once been the terrain of wealthy seaside residents, the area that spans from the juncture of Barkley St and Alma Rd. was held high with grand mansions, which scattered like in any European seaside town, over the hill and down to the sea.

The Ballroom was a cultural incarnation of what had been a once vibrant area, yet with quite another face and sadly Melbourne failed to truly celebrate the relevance or recognize quite the qualities of the

power house of talent destined to largely desert not just St Kilda, but our shores. Thus there is no real mystery to its decline.

A failure to support or invest in the arts and artists is deadly. There is the organic folding process of any place or thing as it reshapes into another, as a fairly natural phenomenon. St Kilda has never really reformed since the late 80’s and since the large flight of junkies and drug culture to the North of the river there has been a slow process to rocked St Kilda’s heart.

St Kilda is loaded with potential however sometimes the grander enterprises spit people back onto the street with their exclusivity and frosted windows. The general public walk by with nothing much to grasp onto. Where is the soul in this?

The recent rise of the St Kilda Art Crawl in the city of Port Phillip was a really exciting thing. Despite our craft run along the Esplanade there is a chance here to bring back some of the vitality St Kilda now lacks. Why, because it brings a focus back to the expressive, the ‘street tongue’. If you want the street to resound you need to give it a voice and how better to do it than to support and invest in those who make the area their dialogue not just their economy. I really believe it is in the interest of the local businesses to invest in those who make a kind of “noise” about and around them.

There is a reflective quality to the neglect we have given our artists being played out in our deadly streetscape. We have Rowland Howard Lane but where is Rowland Howard? Despite being one of our precious jewels of cultural input Rowland died way too young and although some point the finger at a kind of lifestyle, artists very often have little choice in how they live as they medicate to navigate a culture which undervalues and fails to support them financially or even expressively.

Often our greatest talents end up in housing commissions on disability pensions or are forced to be educators. Without the support or security to simply weave their magic alight and contribute en force, artists in this country are robbed of their esteem by a culture which puts too much emphasis on convention and economic prowess.

I believe, with all my heart, that local business would benefit by investing in local Art & Culture artists that live in every St Kilda block, our heritage alive yet buried,

If we bring in some respect, some heart back into the heart beat of our culture of our area the vigor will return and our street and geography will not be left desolate and reflecting a kind of grief that no end of designer shops or fancy restaurants can stuff”…

Emily Humphries

Adrian Spurr’s ‘me human’ exhibition opening the Gallery St Kilda Town hall.

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Bell’uono (Handsome man) $4,500 by Adrian Spurr image by Kerrie Pacholli © pationpics.com

The opening of Adrian Spurr’s ‘me human’ exhibition at the Gallery St Kilda Town Hall along with Ann Ryan’s Cacophony exhibition was attended by hundreds of supporters and art enthusiasts.

Comedian and MC Brian Nankervis kick started the night with an entertaining session of Rock Quz evoking an atmosphere of unity,  fun and celebration.

Between the two artists there was over $30,000 of sales on the night leaving  the artists and the Gallery staff feeling very satisfied with their efforts.

This joint exhibition will be open to the public Monday to Friday 8.30 to 5pm. The address is 99a Carlisle Street St Kilda.

This is an extraordinary exhibition not to be missed.

by Kerrie Pacholli

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Charles Makula at ‘me human’ exhibition at the Gallery image by Kerrie Pacholli © pationpics.com
Freddie-Warshauer-Josephine-Celeste-Adrian-Spurr-image-by-Kerrie-Pacholli-©-pationpics.com_.jpg
Freddie Warschauer, Josephine Celeste & Adrian Spurr image by Kerrie Pacholli © pationpics.com

 

 

 

Punchinello Art Gallery, 33 Fitzroy St, St Kilda Open 2 – 6 Oct. 11 – 5pm

 Salvatori-Lolicato-@-Punchinello-Art-Gallery-33-Fitzroy-St-St-Kilda-copy.jpg
Salvatori Lolicato @ Punchinello Art Gallery, 33 Fitzroy St, St Kilda

Where: Punchinello pop up art gallery 33 Fitzroy St, St Kilda

When: Thursday evening from 5.30 pm on 5 October.

Why: Closing celebration

Punchinello pop up art gallery located at 33 Fitzroy St, St Kilda will remain open from 2 – 6 October for your viewing a buying pleasure.

The exhibiting artists include Salvatori Lolicato, Pamella Dias, Faye De Pasqualie, Dino Damiani, Josh Birtwistle, Charles Mikula and curator and exibiting artist Adrian Spurr.

Donated by owners Jenny and Rob Semple in support of the inaugural St Kilda Art Crawl this amazing space is a successful vehicle in bringing dedicated and talented artists back to Fitzroy St and the heart of St Kilda.

We invite all art lovers, investors and local supporters to join us on Friday evening starting at 5.30 to celebrate this dynamic period in the history of Fitzroy St, St Kilda.

produced by Kerrie Pacholii © pationpics.com

filmed and edited by Andre Le Coz

St Kilda Comedy Club at the Espy 24 Sept 2pm

ITS HERE!!! Yes you read it right at the The Esplanade Hotel part of StKildaArtCrawl.com

Sunday 24th Sept 2pm

CJ Fortuna, Andy Goodone, Brad Oakes & Dave O’Neil at Espy image by Kerrie Pacholli © pationpics.com

The line up includes:

MC Brad Oakes, Pommy Johnson, Dave O’Neil, Bob Franklin, Elliot Goblet, Chris Wainhouse, Christine Basil, C J Fortuna, Wayne Deakin, Michael Shafar. Supported by Mark Hughes and the Temple of Blues PLUS MORE

Book Now @ www.trybooking.com/book/event?eid=317727

Remember back in the day when the Espy hotel was in full swing? Back when stand up comedy ruled the Gershwin room every Sunday afternoon?

A glorious mix of new and seasoned comics would strut their stuff in front of a packed enthusiastic crowd.

Back in the day when Hughesy was on the dole, Rove was in a double act with his old mate Duff and Pommy Johnson’s song Psycho Chicken could be heard bellowing through the sacred hall to an eruption of applause; the punters getting drunk off laughter alone.

Those were the days. It was a comedy show with a rock’n’roll vibe. Espy comedy was the best thing in town.

Imagine if ‘back in the day’ was back tomorrow or more specifically back on Sunday the 24th of September at 2pm.
That’s right the Hotel along with the St Kilda Arts Crawl and St Kilda Comedy Club are opening the doors to the Gershwin room.

For a one off special event bringing back the glory days of comedy in Melbourne.

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CJ Fortuna, Andy Goodwin, Dave O’Neil & Brad Oakes at the Espy image by Kerrie Pacholli © pationpics.com

Symmetry’s Shadows Exhibition launch 22 – 24 Sept hosted by St Kilda Art Crawl

 Location: Christ Church St Kilda (Anglican), 14 Acland st. St Kilda. 160+year old building.

Curatorial notes:

“We have to remember that what we observe is not nature herself, but nature exposed to our method of questioning.” – Werner Heisenberg.

It seems humanity is stuck on repeat cycle, spinning round and round with no real clue as to the true nature of things.

Symmetry cannot be broken since all events are one with the cycle of birth, life, death and resurrection. This is one of the many truths of our existence.

It is apparent that through symmetry, the Hidden and the Un-seen shape our daily reality. Or; on a deeper level, the collective experience referred to as living.

Time to Re-Invent Life through ART.

by Marko Maglaic

Poster design by Christine Ritter (Westside Circus) / Theatreworks
Poster design by Christine Ritter (Westside Circus / Theatreworks) 
Co Curator's Rina Ritter (Theatreworks) with contributing artist Marko Maglaic at St Kilda Anglican Church image by Kerrie Pacholli © pationpics.com
Co Curator’s Rina Ritter (Theatreworks) with contributing artist Marko Maglaic at St Kilda Anglican Church image by Kerrie Pacholli © pationpics.com

 

Contributing Artists : Marko Maglaic ~ Visual Artist

Andrew Hustwaite ~ Visual Artist & Sculptor

Glenn A. Cannon ~ Published Author

Jackie Ralph ~ Artist & Sculptor

Anthony Breslin ~ Visual Artist

Phil Voodoo ~ Visual Artist

Michael Blamey ~ Photographer

Emmanuel Santos ~ International Photographer

Cal the Stoner ~ Sculptor & Stone Mason

Including special guest musicians, fire spinning and circus performers

Hosted by St Kilda Anglican Church in association with St Kilda Art Crawl (SKAC)

Sponsor of pationpics.com
Sponsor of pationpics.com