June, 2012

New York Times: Rupert Murdoch confirmed Thursday morning that News Corporation … will proceed with a plan to divide the company in two — separating newspapers like The Wall Street Journal, The New York Post and The Times of London from the fast-growing entertainment unit. …the entertainment group, which would include cable channels like FX [...]

KEN WHISSON: AS IF Heide Museum, Melbourne, concludes 15 July. Opens MCA Sydney, 28 September. + + + NOTES ON KEN WHISSON (Is that a thin black camel?) (In memory of D. G.) 1) “Some would argue that Whisson’s work is too much of an acquired taste to be classed as a promising investment. On [...]

It’s been over a week since a friend texted to ask ‘Have you seen that Alan Saunders.’ In her unsettled haste she neglected to add “… has died.” That’s Alan Saunders, the longtime ABC broadcaster. Like her message, my feelings of disconsolation are still unresolved. I had no idea you could so simply, so shockingly [...]

“The [Spanish] bailout has spooked the markets.” — ABC RN, 26 June 2012

Linseed oil and varnish — the bouquet of freshly painted portraits: the slashing virtuosity of Whiteley; the fury of Bacon; the destabilising deconstructions of Picasso! Unfortunately it’s the Archibald 2012 — when I visited the show in its Sydney home a month ago, there wasn’t a single picture that insisted on time spent in its [...]

“They were careless people, Tom and Daisy — they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness … and let other people clean up the mess they had made.” — F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, 1925 “Rinehart has become Carelessly Rich.” — Alan Kohler, Business Spectator, [...]

. Après moi, le déluge In today’s Age: “Long-time Gina Rinehart friend, businessman John Singleton, says the mining magnate should be free to hire and fire editors should she take over Fairfax Media if that’s what it takes to keep the company profitable.”

You have until end of the month (July 1, but) to catch the most exquisite show in town, no contest. Love and Devotion (free) at the State Library on Swanston presents nearly 70 illustrated manuscripts from Persia, and India and Turkey, on loan from Oxford’s Bodleian library — it’s the ne plus ultra of interlibrary-loans. [...]

Unexpectedly, unimaginably, I find myself very interested in Neil Young’s new album Americana. Ie, Neil Young reunited with Crazy Horse. Positively excited. It’s been ages (well, April) since anything has had as much rock in it as, oh, Jack White’s Sixteen Saltines. “I eat sixteen saltine crackers then I lick my fingers.” I haven’t cared [...]