Melbourne alleyways: a photo essay

     Having only recently started this blog, and even more so, having written blogposts, it has only just dawned on me that it takes a bit of effort! I spend hours and hours on paragraphs for the essays I produce for university (literally I will spend over five hours on the INTRODUCTION) and whilst some will call that a little crazy, a little obsessive, and a little over the top, it's my usual attention to detail that allows me to fully explore and realise my ideas and arguments in academia. I think blogging needs a bit more attention, as I keep realising I leave out words and add ones in that don't belong! Argh- just preaching my efforts to be a better writer!

    Well, I have posted quite abit about my trip to Melbourne and coming back I have been able to talk about and recount those memories to all my wonderful friends, family and the strangers I pick up on the streets. Melbourne is a great city and it was wonderful to be down there again. We drank at many wonderful bars and ate at even more brilliant food stops. We shopped along Brunswick St in Fitzroy and down along Smith Street. We found a costume shop and spent hours trying on costumes and hair pieces and having the staff have a good ol' laugh with us. We chilled out along the very italian main stay that is Lygon Street, enjoying bucket loads of pasta, pizza, gelati and fro-yo. We saw the Great Ocean Road, the Yarra Valley and so many great things. We visited numerous art galleries and museums, like the Australian Centre for the Moving Image in Federation Square. As well as the incredible Ian Potter Gallery- the Aboriginal art collections were phenomenal! I have such a budding interest in Aboriginal culture but specifically material culture. I study art theory at University as well as cultural history, so material culture, I find, compelling and insightful because it addresses people- and we all know I love my people ahhaha. Also worthy of important mention, the Koorie Centre- which showcases Victorian Aboriginal culture and looks at things like the Stolen Generation, white invasion as well as including contemporary art exhibitions (and it is curated amazingly!). We went to fabulous market places, all around the city, we got to enjoy Chinese New Year, and ate along the Acland "the French place" street in St Kilda, and walked along the beach and oh my. We had a fabulous time.

    One highlight was finding the backalleys of Melbourne and documenting the changing artistic face of these walls. There is something wonderful about this city that reminds me strikingly of my time in Berlin. I attribute it to the open counter culture atmosphere that Melbourne so proudly badges upon itself. Seeing graffiti and so many tattoos demonstrates this visible attack upon the prevailing status quo and there is something humbling about being involved in a city that openly considers other ideologies and experiences, assaulting the forced and assumed 'naturalness' of so many things.


So here is just a few bits and pieces to summate my time in Melbourne: