Art – Emisiaband

A resurrection in contemporary Australian art of an obsession with the afterlife reveals more than a fascination for morbidity. PRUE GIBSON takes a walk on the dark side.

The gentlefolk of the 19th century were obsessed with the afterlife. In 1850, when the life expectancy of a 10-year-old was 58, preparing for the spirit world was a priority. This resulted in a collective morbidity and a fascination with ghosts, seances, hypnotism and objects belonging to the deceased. Sinister and menacing though these hobbies were, they reveal the counter-point of death, which is the rapture of being alive.

Along with the rage for hypnotism, teleporting, illusionism and spirit communing was a more serious scientific interest in neurology and the tenuous lines between life and death.

Popularity: 28%

Tags: afterlife, art, contemporary australian art, death, fascination, gentlefolk, ghosts, GIBSON, hypnotism, illusionism, life, life and death, life expectancy, morbidity, neurology, obsession, point of death, PRUE, rapture, resurrection, side, spirit, spirit world, walk
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KEN SCARLETT travelled to Cottesloe to see how a west coast version of Sculpture by the Sea would fare. He reports on its success.

Sculpture by the Sea began in 1997 at Sydney’s Bondi Beach as a one-day wonder, with sixty-four works on the beach and along the spectacular cliff-side walk. In subsequent annual exhibitions over the last twelve years, a remarkable 1186 sculptures have been displayed.

Popularity: 4%

Tags: beach, Bondi Beach, coast, Cottesloe, exhibitions, KEN SCARLETT, scarlett, sculpture, sculpture by the sea, sculptures, Sea, spectacular cliff, success, Sydney, twelve years, version, walk, west, west coast version, wonder
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