Today on Smart Arts

DON'T FORGET - Artist Registrations @ Fringe are open NOW and close 5pm, Friday June 16 June. www.melbournefringe.com.au or (03) 8412 8788

9.30am

“Anonymous” - IDENTIFY @ 69 Smith Street

IDENTIFY - ARTIST HAS NO PRICE AND NOTHING TO SELL

Melbourne - Why are we confronted, at every turn, with images designed to make us want something, designed to make us feel lacking somehow? Phd candidate Grace McQuilten explores this question in the form of an exhibition and free magazine entitled Identify opening at 69 Smith Street Gallery on Wednesday, June 14.

Both magazine and exhibition set out to subvert fashion and design advertising. Unbranded and completely anonymous, Identify has no price and nothing to sell, with only a website linking the magazine back to the art project and inviting feedback from consumers.

Identify will be distributed in music, clothing and book-stores throughout Melbourne to invite shoppers to question systems of consumer culture.

The accompanying exhibition at 69 Smith St Gallery presents images from the magazine, outside of its designed space, to create a forum for discussion and debate. Viewers are also invited to participate by distributing copies of the magazine, IDENTIFY

Exhibition Dates: 14 June – 2 July 2006
Gallery: 69 SMITH STREET GALLERY, 69 Smith Street, Fitzroy Vic 3065
Phone: (03) 9689 5860
Email: smith69@vicnet.net.au
Web: www.vicnet.net.au/~69smith
Gallery hours: Wed – Sat 11-5pm, Sunday 12-5pm

10.00am

Sydney artist Lucas Inheim – SQUATSPACE, THE SHAM

SquatSpace was born from the energy of artists and activists of the Broadway Squats.
The organisers cleared out an old locksmith shop and launched a dynamic art and event space in December 2000. The gallery played host to political film screenings, free dinners, durational performances, experimental sound nights, site-specific installations... (see details)

www.squatspace.com

“Bilateral Petersham,” aka “my Petersham project,” aka “The Petersham Lockdown.”

For two months (well, a bit less actually) I will not leave the suburb borders of the mighty Petersham. Petersham is a smallish neighborhood in the “inner-west” of Sydney. It runs between Parramatta Road (at the north end) and Addison Road (at the south end), and is surrounded by such glamorous destinations as Leichhardt (north), Lewisham (west), Marrickville (south), and Stanmore (east). And I will remain entirely within it until the end of May, as (self-appointed) artist-in-residence of Petersham.

www.thesham.info

10.30am

Anita Larkin, Festival Director & King Marong, performer

EMERGE Refugee Festival - 16 June – 1 July 2006.

A stunning two week cultural festival that is a joyous celebration of the richness of cultures and talent from Africa, Afghanistan and Kurdistan that have recently come alive in Melbourne from 16 June – 1 July 2006.

One of the many events features Gambian artist King Marong & Super Afro Mandike, a highly accomplished percussionist and musician, who is involved in both the world music and contemporary music scene.

11.00am

Natalie Cursio – WITH A BULLET: THE ALBUM PROJECT

Remembering what it was like to push the furniture aside and bust a few moves. Eight Melbourne choreographers have been asked to recall the first song to which they ever made up a dance, and then use this song to create a new piece of choreography. The result? A compilation of diverse and infectious short dance ‘singles’.

Natalie Cursio is an independent choreographer, creating live performance work but also exploring dance in the context of public space, film, photography and fashion. Her work has been presented in Taipei, Seoul, Busan, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Singapore and Australia.

Concept/curator: Natalie Cursio
Choreographers: Shannon Bott, Natalie Cursio, Simon Ellis, Phillip Gleeson, Michelle Heaven, Luke Hockley, Jo Lloyd and Gerard Van Dyck.
Dancers: Shannon Bott, Natalie Cursio, Simon Ellis, Shona Erskine, Jacob Lehrer and Gerard Van Dyck.

Venue: Arts House, North Melbourne Town Hall – 521 Queensberry Street, North Melbourne
Dates: Preview: 21 June at 8pm, all tickets $15. Season: 22 – 24 June at 8pm, 25 June at 5pm, 27 June – 1 July at 8pm
Cost: $20 Full/$15 Concession
Bookings: (03) 9639 0096 or www.artshouse.com.au

11.30am

Cerise Howard joined us for our regular fortnightly screen culture segment A FISTFUL OF CELLULOID. She discussed MIAF, MUFF and MIFF, and reviewed the latest film based on the work of American writer Charles Bukowski, FACTOTUM.

There was no SHOOT THE MESSENGER today as Lucinda was stuck in a queue in our public health system…