To the wall

Saturday afternoon, miscalculation of plans... no plan, no idea, no patience.

I wasn't sure what to do, I did have chores and a responsibility to fulfill a commitment to a friend but I just wanted to fly.

Decided to go to the museum.

I totally recommend going, there are some really great exhibitions on at the moment. 

A beautiful collection of art relating to space, moon and stars from a range of cultural and creative perspectives. (Worth visiting on its own)

There is a collection of indigenous and Macasan smoking pipes. 

Smoking - The shameful vice of modern times, Lung cancer, chemicals, disease, anti social, obnoxious, imposition in public spaces, emphysema, broke poor, stupid expensive, death!

But, once an exquisite pleasure of the privileged elite, warriors, elders traders and pirates. In Arnhem Land this must have been more true than anywhere. 

In Queenscliff I found this really old tobacco pipe in the shape of a Sultan's head and I thought, 'I want that'. I would smoke again with that in my hand and I'd imagine myself some time else. 

The Sydney Nolan collection.

Although I was familiar with some of the paintings, seeing such a large collection I finally got the humor and the seriousness of this art. It is good!

And the one that really grabbed me. A huge exhibition of Therese Richtchie's amazing work.  

https://thereseritchie.com/

Now the exhibitions were all brilliant, but what capped it off for me was another one of those magical experiences. 

So I've got my headphones on and I'm listening to my extensive collection of tunes on random play and wandering slowly through a room full of the most colourful, politically pertinent, outrageous and totally familiar creations. 

I'm feeling kind of elated, in a rapture of belonging and totally connecting with the images on the wall, I've got a warm fuzzy feeling and I'm looking at an image of a woman yelling at a line of NT coppers and Elvis Costello chimes in with a beautiful song 'Veronica' (look it up on YouTube, I can't embed it) before the song is over I glance down at the plaque...

The lady's name is Veronica!

Nothing more I can say about that.

Make life ART!