As part of Melbourne Festival 2011 large sculptures have appeared around the city. The sculptures of “mischievous monstrosities” are by AES+F (Russia).
We enjoyed wandering around the city today getting photos of most of the sculptures.
Angels-Demons - mischievous monstrosities outside the National Gallery of Victoria
Angels-Demons - mischievous monstrosity outside NGV in Melbourne
Angels-Demons - mischievous monstrosity
Angels-Demons in Federation Square, Melbourne
Melbourne is frequently used for filming. On the weekend we moved here, a feature film had half of Flinders Street covered in a 1940s era facade and the other half in black cloth to hide modern lighting and fittings.
Feature film crew masking out street
Feature film lighting rig
Feature film props in place on Flinders Street
Filming gear on the street
Film crews often appear overnight with their array of trucks and vans. They stay one day or two at most and then move on.
A couple of weekends ago our street was used for the filming of a car advert. This was not the first time our little street has been featured in a car advert. It means some interruption to the local residents’ routines, but offers some fun photo opportunities.
Camera and rig
Front mounted car camera rig
We have planned and tried to visit the Royal Exhibition Building on more than one previous occasion. Each time our plans were stopped in their tracks by building renovations or ticketed events.
With 2011′s Open House weekend we finally got our chance to see inside this incredible building. The building itself is World Heritage listed and continues to be actively used for events.
I had assumed the inside would be subdivided but that proved to be a poor assumption. The building consists of a single exhibition space with the odd room at the far ends for ticketing and other facilities.
Outside the Royal Exhibition Building
Royal Exhibition Building
Looking up from the centre of the Royal Exhibition Building
Ceiling detail within the Royal Exhibition Building
Painted columns supporting the second floor of the Royal Exhibition Building
Ticketing windows inside the Royal Exhibition Building
Lights and windows within the Royal Exhibition Building in Melbourne
Near Flagstaff Gardens, Melbourne, sits a beautiful building that once housed the Royal Mint. The Royal Mint has since moved to a modern building further down the road and the original building has become the Hellenic Museum.
Former Royal Mint in Melbourne
Garden door leading into the former Royal Mint
Pottery on display at the Hellenic Museum
Beautiful religious artwork on display at the Hellenic Museum
Inside the Hellenic Museum
The Plaza Ballroom in Melbourne feels like a gothic theme park. The ballroom’s entrance is located on Collins Street. There is nothing on the outside to suggest what lurks inside. The ballroom is a large space decorated in a medieval fashion.
Sadly my photos can not do the room justice. The low light and dark ceiling ensure most of the photos are too dark.
Lobby leading to the Plaza Ballroom
Light and shadow in the Plaza Ballroom
Plaza Ballroom in Melbourne
Corner of Plaza Ballroom
Melbourne’s former Capitol Theatre is part of the RMIT campus. The theatre was recently open to the public as part of Melbourne Open House.
To get to the theatre you walk off the busy main street into a white marble lobby and up a run of stairs. Given the small exterior, the inside of the theatre is a surprisingly large and beautiful space.
The staff mentioned that the theatre was once three times its current size. Today Capitol Theatre is a lecture theatre for RMIT’s students.
Inside the Capitol Theatre building
Capitol Theatre is part of the RMIT campus
Inside Capitol Theatre in Melbourne
We recently got the chance to explore a working electricity substation. Thanks to Melbourne’s Open House weekend, Megan and I took the opportunity to take a tour around the bunker like facility.
The JA Substation is part of Melbourne’s electricity grid. The substation was once a small part of a larger coal based power station. At that time, the city council owned and operated Melbourne’s power supplies.
Today, electricity generation is in private hands and has been moved out of the city centre. What remains in the city centre are a handful of substations distributing and stepping down power for the local grid.
The windowless JA Substation exterior
Tour group wearing safety gear
Staff are protected by metal cages
View into equipment room including industrial scales fuses
Switches
Danger High Voltage
Mimic board overseeing substation control
Paper strip over control panel
Massive power cables running out underneath the streets
Storey Hall is part of the RMIT campus and forms part of a visually fun building in the heart of Melbourne. The green roof and quirky facade continue on inside.
Outside Storey Hall in Melbourne
The entrance and stairs to the hall are no less impressive. A spiral concrete staircase leads up to the hall’s entrance. The way is lit in a mix of white and green. It makes the potentially cold concrete space feel playful.
A concrete sprial staircase bathed in green light
Spiral concrete staircase leading to Storey Hall
Storey Hall lobby from above
Detail of Storey Hall lobby
Inside Storey Hall
Each Friday night during July, the Docklands in Melbourne held a free fireworks event. As the month passed, the crowds that gathered each Friday night increased.
The firework show was impressive and surprisingly lengthy. The fireworks are launched from a boat moored in the Docklands.
Below is a short film and photos showing the fireworks.
Docklands Winter Fireworks
Fireworks over the Docklands in Mebourne
Beautiful pastel colour fireworks
On one windy day in Melbourne I managed to take some footage of a fun and playful wind sculpture. The sculpture is part of the Docklands, Melbourne, and situated within a children’s playground.
Watch the film in High Definition on YouTube.
The sculpture appears to be referred to as the “Blowhole” and “Docklands Playground Sculpture”. An earlier form, or variation, appeared as part of the “Sculpture by the Sea” exhibit in Sydney in 2000 with the title “Windy”.
Update October 2011: A metal plate in the near by children’s playground explains all. A photo of the plate appears below.
Blowhole by Duncan Stemler - Click for a larger version
Windy, Docklands Playground Sculpture, Melbourne
Looking through to the Docklands playground wind sculpture
The artist credited with “Windy” at the “Sculpture by the Sea” and this sculpture “Blowhole” is Duncan Stemler, and the engineers of this sculpture appear to be Design Stainless Industries Pty Limited.