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  • THE BIG BLOG

    Well the 17th Biennale of Sydney has been declared a huge success. With over half a million visitors it has eclipsed all previous records and Cockatoo Island has proved particularly popular as a venue. I’m not surprised the island was such a hit – it’s the most incredible place to display art. With the camera in hand there’s so much you’ll want to have a nose at – the artwork was amazing – but the old industrial buildings and docks are quite fascinating too. And I now know where are the seagulls around Sydney go at night!

    And here'a a little fact - The Biennale of Sydney is the third longest running biennale in the world after Venice and São Paulo, and was the first biennale to be established in the Asia Pacific region.

    Imagine if being an artist could save your life. While watching news of the trial of the Khmer Rouge’s top prison warden, Kang Kek Ieu, the story moved on to Vann Nath, who’s life had been spared to paint portraits. Nath is one of only seven prisoners known to have made it out alive from the infamous Khmer Rouge prison and torture center S-21. While later doing research Nath came across his name on an execution list – “keep” was written next to his name – no one else from the list survived. Chilling!

    Stephen Vitiello's The Birds opens at the Art Gallery of NSW - go to Time Out Sydney to see my article on this dark and intriguing sound installation.

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  • THE BIG PICTURE

    ELLES@CENTREPOMPIDOU AT THE CENTRE POMPIDOU IN PARIS

    Just flagging this up, as it was supposed to end earlier this year but has since been extended until February 2011. With this exhibition they’ve promised to give us something we’ve never seen before – the first time in the world a museum has exhibited the feminine side of its collection. This presentation is given over to women artists from the 20th century to the present day. Inequality still exists in all areas of our lives – by giving extra focus to these artists the gallery is taking part in trying to readdress the balance which has seen galleries pay more attention to male artists. Sometimes we think we live in an enlightened equal society -but you don’t have to look very far to see that there’s still a way to go. If you'd like an example, local authorities in the UK have been struggling to put pay on an equal footing between men and women – they can’t meet the costs. There is outrage that there may be redundancies as a direct result of finding the extra money. What's really outrageous is how they've gotten away with paying women unfairly for so long. I am sympathetic to people losing their jobs - but I do wonder how we'd react if it were other groups (Africans, gays?) being paid less.

Art is the means by which life reflects on, transforms and indeed creates its values; human life without it would not properly be human at all.

Antony Gormley

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