Recently, a friend invited me to spend the day with her exploring some free exhibitions in the city of Melbourne. I’m on school holidays I thought, why not.
After navigating my way out of the eastern suburbs on bus and train, the wonderful steps of Flinders St were before me. First stop: ACMI (Australian Centre for the Moving Image) and the video installation, The Raft by Bill Viola http://www.acmi.net.au/bill-viola-raft.aspx We came in halfway through the video, which having seen the whole thing I was glad about as I could go back and think about what had happened. The video is less than 10 mins but what the people go through in the one shot scene seems to go on forever. I found it really powerful and thought provoking.
From ACMI, our journey continued to the State Library of Victoria. After a coffee at Mr Tulk, the library’s café, we ventured upstairs to the exhibition, Mirror of the World: Books and Ideas http://www.slv.vic.gov.au/event/mirror-world It was enchanting to be walking amongst books of such importance and which such history. It’s prompted me to investigate the Penguin Great Ideas series further, though I must confess it’s the type of reading I aspire to but seldom engage in.
The library was followed by a photographic and text exhibition at the City Gallery http://www.thatsmelbourne.com.au/Placestogo/Galleries/Public/Pages/4919.aspx. It explored the presence of religion in Melbourne with an emphasis on the monotheistic religions and their places of worship in the CBD and inner suburbs.
Transport and Movida Next Door provided nourishment of a more physical kind and rounded off the day perfectly.
