The Centre Of Art - Brisbane (Raucous Laughter)

Once upon a time, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia was a laughing stock.

Now it's just so cool, you could get intimidated just by walking around that big old country town. Um sophisticated city, I mean.

Now in my day...

Brisbane was regarded as a backwater

And in my day...

Joh Bjelke-Petersen was premier of the state of Queensland, at the time unhappily referred to as "The Police State".

But in my day...

I was a uni student doing street arts and hanging with the people who were doing things. Really interesting things that southern art cultures ( Oh! Like Sydney darling!) would enjoy snickering about.

Of course, all that good stuff was kinda forced underground, because you could get arrested for certain political pursuits, even if they were (art, darling).

Hey you could get arrested for lots of pursuits. Legal was illegal lots of happy times!

But in the underground we thrived and so did the Brisbane arts scene.

30 years on, and a long 30 years, Brisbane is just now downright sexy in the arts thing. So there.

"Bugs In Love" promotional poster from current exhibition of Silly Symphonies (Walt Disney 1929 onwards). I wanna see "Practical Pig" from 1939. You know, the only one of three pigs who built a decent house that even the big bad wolf couldn't shake. That's one practical pig alrighty! Phew!

at

GoMA .

Comments

[HP]

There isn't a huge exodus from Sydney to Brisbane for nothing!

I found Sydney to be like a country town when I first arrived from London. People actively talked me out of Brisbane and other capitals.

Sydney doesn't thrill me though....I prefer Melbourne and would relocate if the circumstances were right. Brissy would be too hot for me.

[Alison Tuck]

Now in my day... there was a huge exodus from Brisbane to Syd, mainly due to the political climate - that's how I ended up living there for 10 years.

However, I found Sydney ultra conservative and a closed shop when it came to the arts. It didn't come near the quirky energy of suppressed Brisbane. Nowadays, like you I prefer Melbourne over Sydney.

Since I've lived country for 8 years it would be hard for me to live in any city to be honest. But it's great that Brissy's just up the road for me (just over an hour's drive)and that it's evolving in the way it is.