I must say the Australians are quite impressive with the intensity of gratitude they pay to their people in service. EVERY town we went thru had a memorial for their fallen soldiers. ANZAC (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps) 
Day seems to be celebrated much more seriously and traditionally than I myself have ever celebrated Memorial Day. April 25 is their day of remembrance which is the date the ANZACs landed on the Gallipoli coast of Turkey in 1914. What was supposed to be a quick overthrow of Turkey turned into a bloody stalemate resulting in the deaths of 8,000 Australians and 2,700 New Zealanders. After WWI, ANZAC Day became a day of remembrance for fallen soldiers from all wars. Each April 25 begins with a Sunrise ceremony
at the war memorials of every town in Australia. My favorite sculpture was of John Simpson Kirkpatrick and his donkey. He took part in the landing on Gallipoli and became famous for his bravery and compassion. Under constant fire he and his donkey carried water into the front line and wounded men off. He was killed in action and has become the embodiment of the Australian spirit of self sacrifice in war.I must say there was also a very nice security guard at the war memorial. Well, you all know how much I love animals. If you could see the wild birds here...they are so beautiful! Trees are FILLED with wild cockatoos. Well, at the memorial Matt and I spotted some Ro
sellas and Galahs. I popped out of the car armed with my camera and a nacho flavored rice cake (very popular with native Australian birds) determined to get a decent picture. As I headed off to snap some photos of the Galahs I yelled at Matt to make sure he locked the car. As far as my nature photographs went I failed miserably but we can all pretend I took this picture and not someone from Wikipedia. So Matt and I walked around the sculpture garden until he noticed someone hanging out around his car. For all my yelling about locking the car I just happened to leave my window WIDE open with my purse and passport and phone sitting right there on the front seat. Luckily for me the WONDERFUL, FANTASTIC security guard stood by Matt's car until we came back. Silly CB!
sellas and Galahs. I popped out of the car armed with my camera and a nacho flavored rice cake (very popular with native Australian birds) determined to get a decent picture. As I headed off to snap some photos of the Galahs I yelled at Matt to make sure he locked the car. As far as my nature photographs went I failed miserably but we can all pretend I took this picture and not someone from Wikipedia. So Matt and I walked around the sculpture garden until he noticed someone hanging out around his car. For all my yelling about locking the car I just happened to leave my window WIDE open with my purse and passport and phone sitting right there on the front seat. Luckily for me the WONDERFUL, FANTASTIC security guard stood by Matt's car until we came back. Silly CB! I had a bit m
ore luck on the way to the National Gallery. We spotted a big group of wild roos. I should probably wait for Matt to stop the car completely before I get out to take pictures of them...what can I say? Animals make me very excited!! Especially the mama roos with their Joeys. The third roo from the left has a baby in her pouch.
ore luck on the way to the National Gallery. We spotted a big group of wild roos. I should probably wait for Matt to stop the car completely before I get out to take pictures of them...what can I say? Animals make me very excited!! Especially the mama roos with their Joeys. The third roo from the left has a baby in her pouch. Canberra itself, as Matt had warned me is a bit sterile and devoid of character. It is really modern and minimalistic. I am sure some people would love it but the city was a bit cold feeling for me (the temperature was pretty cold too). However the view from the war memorial to Parliment house was quite beautiful. Another little interesting fact about Canberra, the city was actually designed by Chicago architect Walter Burley Griffin and his wife, Marion Mahony Griffin. They won an international contest for the city's design and construction commenced in 1913.
Now, for the real reason we came to Canberra...Otto Dix. For those of you that don't know Otto Dix has been my favorite artist since I used his work as inspiration for a costume design project in college. I have missed his exhibits in New York and in Europe many times. One show
in New York closed a few hours before my plane landed. Matt discovered The National Gallery had acquired a large collection of his work in 2003. Unfortunately for me the work was not on display but was going to be packed up for moving. Matt, my wonderful boyfriend, contacted the gallery many times and was able to organize a private viewing of Dix's work. HAPPY HAPPY CB!!! And just for fun a few George Grosz(a close second to Dix as far as my favorite artists) prints got thrown into the mix.
in New York closed a few hours before my plane landed. Matt discovered The National Gallery had acquired a large collection of his work in 2003. Unfortunately for me the work was not on display but was going to be packed up for moving. Matt, my wonderful boyfriend, contacted the gallery many times and was able to organize a private viewing of Dix's work. HAPPY HAPPY CB!!! And just for fun a few George Grosz(a close second to Dix as far as my favorite artists) prints got thrown into the mix. I was mostly familiar with Dix's paintings. He like Toulouse-Lautrec had a focus on the underbelly of life...nightclubs, prostit
utes, gambling halls. He captures these scenes brilliantly in his self considered masterpiece, METROPOLIS (my personal favorite). He was also a veteran of WWI and after his experiences there very out spoken against war. His work became increasing political. So much so that when the Nazis came into power he was removed from his teaching post in Dresden. He was arrested in 1939 accused of being involved in a plot on Hitler's life. He was released and continued to paint until his death in 1969.
utes, gambling halls. He captures these scenes brilliantly in his self considered masterpiece, METROPOLIS (my personal favorite). He was also a veteran of WWI and after his experiences there very out spoken against war. His work became increasing political. So much so that when the Nazis came into power he was removed from his teaching post in Dresden. He was arrested in 1939 accused of being involved in a plot on Hitler's life. He was released and continued to paint until his death in 1969.The work that Matt and I were so privileged to see was a collection of intaglio prints entitled Der Krieg (WAR). I found it fitting since we had just been to the war memorial that morning. Both Dix's art and the sculptures in the memorial garden were an individuals way of not forgetting what had happened during times of war. Granted Dix's work was by far more disturbing while at the same time unbelievably beautiful. We were able to see every little detail in these pieces. I always knew Dix was an incredible painter but never
knew he was such a master print maker. The detail in the work was so delicate and intricate. It doesn't read over the computer or in books and I really do feel privileged to be able to get so close to one my biggest inspiration's work.
knew he was such a master print maker. The detail in the work was so delicate and intricate. It doesn't read over the computer or in books and I really do feel privileged to be able to get so close to one my biggest inspiration's work. It is always very overwhelming to me when I have admired an artist for so long to actually be in a venue where the artist performed or be right in front of a piece he or she physically touched and worked on. When Angela and I were in Prague and went to the theatre where Mozart premiered Don Giavanni I bawled like a baby. This time I started to cry but just visualized big tear drops plopping on the I am sure very valuable prints and quickly pulled it together.
I also just wanted to say a HUGE thank you to Rose at the National Gallery!!! Rose organised our viewing, showed Matt and I all the pieces that were not on display then took us upstairs to show us some other pieces. She could not have been nicer!! THANK YOU ROSE!!!!
The titles of the Otto Dix pieces shown here are Suleika the Tattooed Wonder and Stormtroops Advancing Under a Gas Attack.
