Universal Magazine Edition 53: The Arts

THE ARTS

From The Editor

The arts are integral to our everyday lives. Think about it, how often do you listen to music in your day-to-day life? How many times have you hopped on the train only to feel devastated when you remember you forgot to bring headphones? What would a red-eye flight be like without the option of in-flight cinema? And how dull do you think the city would be without the existence of murals and graffiti art?

The arts touch every aspect of our lives, they provide outlets for our emotional wellbeing, soundtracks to every silly thing we do, and most importantly, they pass on history and culture across borders and generations.

For this edition, we’ve included aspects of the arts that reflect the stories and interests of our amazing team. From Eurovision, to AI art, plus the wise words of a beloved music teacher - there’s something here for everyone.

If the arts interest you, why not consider joining our wonderful team at Universal? We’re always welcoming new artists, designers, photographers, and writers - if that sounds like you, please reach out. We’d love to work with you!

Until next time,

The Universal Team

Acknowledgement of Country

The City of Kingston proudly acknowledges the Bunurong People of the Kulin Nation as the Traditional Owners and Custodians of this land, and we pay our respect to their Elders, past and present and emerging.

Council acknowledges the Bunurong’s continuing relationship to the land and waterways and respects that their connection and spiritual identity is maintained through ancient ceremonies, songlines, dance, art and living culture.

Council pays tribute to the invaluable contributions of the Bunurong and other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island elders who have guided and continue to guide the work we do.

Interested in joining the team?

Or looking to submit some work?

Please contact Kingston Youth Services on P: 1300 369 436

E: youth.services@kingston.vic.gov.au

Info: kingstonyouth.org.au/universal

Read previous editions:

Available for your reading pleasure at any time!

Read online at: issuu.com/universal_kingston

Cover Design by Naketra Mendes

The views and opinions expressed in these articles are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect or represent the views, values and official position of the City of Kingston or any of its officials, representatives or employees

Kingston Youth Services and the Universal team acknowledge the support of the Victorian Government

4 A Chat with Jerome Walles

Words by Anne Liu and design by Naketra Mendes

10 The Art of China

Words by Sofia Nikitina and design by Sofia Nikitina and Naketra Mendes

24

Word Search

Words by Ella Keele and design by Naketra Mendes

12

Why is Australia in Eurovision?

Words and design by Harley Lorenzo Wood

26

The Painter and the Princess

Words by Caitlin Keele and design by Naketra Mendes

8 Inspirational Australian Artists

Words by Ella Keele and design by Naketra Mendes

18 Iconic Eurovision Song Contest Performances

Words and design by Naketra Mendes

30

The Art of Bookshopping

Words by Ann Moir and design by Harley Lorenzo Wood

32 AI Art: Beneficial or Detrimental?

Words by Sofia Nikitina and design by Naketra Mendes

34 Kingston Beats! Kingston Youth Services

35

Universal: Join The Team! Kingston Youth Services

A Chat with Jerome Walles

Dear reader,

I am your host, Anne Liu, and today I have invited, one of, if not the most loved and admired teacher from my school to have a little chat with us. He is the esteemed Jerome Walles, regarded by students as ‘Mr Walles’. However, his little fan club (aka the music kiddos) have dubbed him Wally. Or Mr Wally, as he prefers.

Mr Wally resides in a small room within our music precinct. Inside is a sleek piano, a desk scattered with trinkets and random sheets of paper, a whiteboard filled with hundreds of loving messages and quirky drawings from students, 2 wheely chairs and a few regular chairs to account for the masses of students who wish to dwell in his presence.

This man brings light into our days with his gentle demeanour, subtle humour and kind soul. He has taught at our school for over 30 years, and we simply cannot imagine Firbank without Wally. I hope you enjoy this snippet of his wisdom and are just as inspired by his story as I am.

Words by Anne Liu and design by Naketra Mendes

Who are you and what do you do regarding music?

My name is Jerome Walles, and I work as an accompanist and instrumental piano teacher.

The workplace where I spend the most time is Firbank Grammar in Brighton. The duties of an accompanist are to play the piano for the choirs at the school during their rehearsals, and also for any concerts and eisteddfods in which they may take part. I also accompany any solo instrumentalists and singers for any concerts and exams (VCE, and AMEB) for which they need an accompanist. I also accompany musicians away from Firbank. This happens if someone needs an accompanist for an audition or to be accompanied at a wedding or some other function.

Why do you play music and what do you love most about music?

I play music for a rather mercenary reason, Anne: it is my living! I did not seek or aim to be a professional musician of any kind; life circumstances just guided me in that direction.

My first work as a professional musician was as an Organist for church weddings. I was asked to play for a wedding of one of my high school teachers and she gave me a box of Cadbury chocolates and $5.00. That was in May 1969, and to give you an idea of how much $5 was worth, a one-hour driving lesson from RACV was $4.75. I bought a recording of Beethoven’s 5th Symphony with that $5 and I still have the record! It’s called a “vinyl” nowadays.

This event and a few subsequent, similar events brought me the realisation that my musical contributions gave people much pleasure and provided me with the same. I was also asked to play the piano for my mum’s school’s choirs and their Grade 6 productions. I also became involved with my own school’s theatre productions. Musical Theatre and my music-making have been interlocked since I was about 16. That is a very long time, Anne! These all led, gradually, and almost inevitably, to working in professional and amateur musical theatre and opera.

The accumulated experience now helps me to provide guidance for any of the instrumentalists and singers at Firbank should they ever seek to ask for it.

What is the most difficult thing about music and how are you overcoming it?

This is a tricky question to answer because there is an infinite number of aspects to consider. The hardest part of music-making for me is basically learning and trying very hard to keep my mouth firmly shut and my opinions to myself unless I have been asked to contribute. One of my important “life practices” is never to go anywhere uninvited. That way, disappointment is avoided, but I am a long way from overcoming a willingness to over-comment, Anne, I do not have any tips or “life hacks” to guide me, other than observing people around me and how they go about maintaining their judicious silence(s). Of course, this does not apply to my teaching where my guidance is expected.

Where do you honestly see yourself in the next few years regarding music?

I see no change in my music-making in the next few years. Luckily, so far; my organ-playing at St.Patrick’s Cathedral in the city is appreciated and in demand, and my piano work at Firbank gets busier and busier.

Any advice for beginners or other people looking to start music?

Some years ago, I heard a radio interview with Sir Derek Jacobi who was asked why he was an actor (a quick Google search of him may help). His reply was, “Because I have to”. To him, it was as essential as having to breathe. So, to anybody of any age who wants to be involved in music in any way or form, I would say, “Do it because you have to”, not because it is fashionable or lucrative or appears glamorous; do it because you cannot imagine not doing it. And avoid comparing yourself to others doing the same thing. It is pointless, a waste of time and not the purpose of making music. We make music to have fun, share in a good time, hopefully in a memorable time, and to relax.

I hope you enjoyed reading this little interview and a great big thank you to dear Mr Wally for your time. You have impacted so many of us and are greatly appreciated; I’m honoured to have met you. To the reader, take this advice as you wish, but we look forward to seeing the wonderful things you’ll do.

Our best and choicest wishes, Anne

Liu and Jerome Walles

P.S. here is some extra advice from our peers for people looking to start music:

LILLIA: If there is an instrument you really want to starteven just because you think it sounds cool - just do it! Make sure you give yourself at least one achievable goal that keeps you motivated to practice, and just be grateful for your teachers - they’re the ones helping you improve, so listen to them!

ANGIE: It’s very scary but a lot of fun and I highly recommend trying something that you enjoy. Even if you aren’t the best at it, that’s what practice is for.

LIV: Music is an amazing part of my life and I believe playing an instrument is a valuable skill. If you are struggling with playing a piece or hitting a note I would say not to give up, building up skill takes time, be patient, it will happen eventually!

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised that the following article may contain images and names of deceased persons.

Inspirational Australian Artists

Australia is home to many talented and inspirational artists. Here’s a list of some of them:

Ella Havelka is a Wiradjuri woman and the first Indigenous ballerina to join the Australian Ballet. She is also a member of the Bangarra Dance Theatre. Raised by a single parent, Ella walked a difficult path towards becoming a ballerina, applying for many scholarships to fund her dream, but always receiving the strong support of her mother.

Dr Mandawuy Yunupingu was the lead singer of the Aboriginal band Yothu Yindi, and a member of the Gumatj people, one of 16 groups of the Yolngu people. He was also the first Indigenous Australian school principal. Posthumously, he was given a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC).

Ella Havelka Mandawuy Yunupingu

Chloe Hayden is one of the first autistic actors to play an autistic character, having played the role of Quinni in the Netflix reboot of Heartbreak High. She is also an activist and the author of the book Different, Not Less. She was diagnosed with autism when she was 13 and ADHD at 22.

Richard Bell is an Aboriginal Australian activist, artist and member of the Kamilaroi, Kooma, Jiman and Gurang Gurang communities. He won the Telstra National Aboriginal Art Award in 2003 and was a finalist in the Archibald Prize in 2015. His art has been a part of various exhibitions, solo and collaborative.

Miles Franklin was an author and feminist. She wrote multiple novels including her most famous, My Brilliant Career. When she moved to Chicago, she worked as a secretary for the National Women’s Trade Union League.

Sources:

https://www.ellahavelka.com/

Mitch Tambo is an Indigenous singersongwriter and proud Gamilaraay man. In the semi-finals of Australia’s Got Talent 2019, he performed a cover of John Farnham’s ‘You’re The Voice’ in Gamilaraay language.

https://fashionjournal.com.au/life/what-its-like-to-be-the-first-indigenous-dancer-in-the-australian-ballet/

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Miles-Franklin

https://www.sl.nsw.gov.au/stories/miles-franklin

https://www.portrait.gov.au/people/mandawuy-yunupingu-1956

https://www.smh.com.au/national/how-chloe-hayden-became-one-of-the-first-autistic-actors-to-play-an-autistic-character-in-amajor-tv-series-20220921-p5bju6.html

https://richardbellart.com/about/

https://www.chloehayden.com.au/about-chloe

https://www.mitchtambo.com/bio

Words by Ella Keele and design by Naketra Mendes

Chloe Hayden Richard Bell

Miles Franklin Mitch Tambo

The Art of China

Words by Sofia Nikitina and design by Sofia Nikitina and Naketra Mendes

Calligraphy: Was probably the most valued art in ancient Chinese history. Calligraphy is more than just writing. Not everyone could utilise the unstable thickness of a brush for fluid strokes, painted at delicate angles. Nor could just anyone pressurise such an imbalanced medium with unreliable, pitch-black ink. Only a few could masterfully paint beautiful Chinese characters full of meaning and display depth in a matter of strokes. Such an art proved the need for extreme hand-eye coordination and was considered a sign of intellect among educated people. Calligraphy would be used to contextualise a painting, give it meaning, a title or to even express the artist’s true feelings.

Collectors and owners of scrolls would even add their own forms of calligraphy and seals onto an existing painting, symbolising ownership and the value of a piece of art.

Painting: The most well-known art. Pretty much all ancient Chinese paintings were either of people or of landscapes, made with many kinds of formats on all sorts of materials. The more popular ones were on coffins, plaster walls, book covers, silk scrolls, folding fans and screens. As with calligraphy, brushes would be made with animal hair tied to a long stick of bamboo or wood, and inks would have to be handmade with dried substances of animal and vegetable matter, mixed with glue and other minerals.

Paintings would also have the context or title written in intricate Chinese characters, which displayed the painter’s skill in calligraphy

People: When painting people, artists would have to take extra precaution as to not butcher the poses, emotions and faces of their subjects. Typically, most human paintings were of nobles, scholars, court officials and emperors, who were treated with great respect, so facial expressions were normally painted strong and powerful to represent such importance.

Nature: Painting nature was also very common in Chinese culture. They typically painted large, vast landscapes, filled with huge pointy mountains and long, beautiful trees – all in a panoramic view. Colours were quite limited for these landscapes, mostly consisting of one or two colours in many hues and shades, which gave a great sense of depth in these paintings.

Pottery: The art of pottery was very widespread, and was seen everywhere in ancient times. From a simple teapot in a plain kitchen, to a delicate, porcelain vase standing on display in the Emperor’s throne room. Naturally, like with other art forms mentioned previously, the art of such meticulous paintings on an uneven surface was truly difficult. At first, the cobalt blue on the paint isn’t visible, it just appears as pure black. However, only after the long and tedious painting process would be finished, glazed, and put into a kiln did the beautiful blue colour show. It is said that some emperors, when presented with these porcelain creations, might not be satisfied with the newly dried blue colour (which could be just one hue off), and simply smash the hours of work put into a singular vase on the ground.

Pottery was also commonly seen in a regular house, however not nearly as fancy as what was seen inside the home of a noble. Clay would also be used to create small houses which would be set into tombs to accompany the dead.

AUSTRALIA IN THE

Why isAustrali a in Eurovision?

of Australia’shistoryatEurovisio n.

The Eurovision Song Contest is an annual music competition organised by the European Broadcasting Union, which began almost 70 years ago in 1956.

What started as an experiment in live, transnational broadcasting across Europe is now the world’s longest-running annual international televised music competition! Member states of the EBU and invited associate members (see: Australia) are eligible to compete in the event, and a total of 52 nations have participated in the competition’s history.

Before we go any further, it’s common knowledge that Australia is not at all situated in (or even near) Europe. So, why on earth are we involved in Eurovision? The European Broadcasting Union’s biggest annual music event.

The short answer is, we were invited for a one-time gig, and they liked us so much that they wanted us to stay! The long answer, however, involves other details.

For that, here’s a sweet timeline of Australia’s involvement at Eurovision.

Words and Design by Harley Lorenzo Wood

Atimeline

Edinburgh, UK

1972

Australians take to the Eurovision stage for the first time.

Australians Peter Doyle and Marty Kristian compete in Edinburgh as part of band The New Seekers, representing the UK with Beg, Steal or Borrow. This is the first time Australians make it to the Eurovision stage.

1974

Olivia Newton-John represents the UK. Beloved Australian star, Olivia Newton-John represents the UK with Long Live Love. Olivia was born in the UK, but migrated to Australia with her family at age five. She finished 4th, behind ABBA who won with ‘Waterloo’.

Brighton, UK

Stockholm, Sweden

1975

An Australian represents the UK again. UK band, The Shadows represents the UK in Stockholm with Let Me Be the One, among them is Australian John Farrar.

Hague, Netherlands

1979

SBS joins the EBU.

The Special Broadcasting Service (SBS) was founded in 1978 to serve Australia’s growing migrant communities with multilingual programming. The following year, they joined the EBU as associate members.

1980

Australian-born Johnny Logan wins the Eurovision Song Contest.

Johnny Logan wins for Ireland with What’s Another Year?. Logan was born to Irish parents in Frankston, Victoria, Australia before migrating back to Ireland at age three. He is the first and only Australian to win the competition.

1987

Johnny Logan wins Eurovision a second time.

Johnny Logan secures another win for Ireland with Hold Me Now, becoming the first artist in history to win Eurovision twice.

Oslo

1996

1983

SBS broadcasts

Eurovision in Australia for the first time. Eurovision is hosted in Munich, Germany and is aired by SBS for the first time on Australian TV. SBS has continued to broadcast Eurovision to Australian audiences for 40 years now.

1992

Johnny Logan wins again as a songwriter.

Linda Martin wins with Why Me written by Logan, bringing him to 3 total wins - 2 as an artist and one as a songwriter.

Australian Gina G competes for the UK.

Brisbane-born Gina G goes to Eurovision, representing the UK with Ooh Aah… Just a Little Bit. Although it didn’t win in Oslo, the song went on to achieve commercial success, hitting no. 1 in the UK and no. 5 on the Australian charts.

2006

An Australian represents Germany. Jane Comerford from Newcastle competes for Germany as part of the band Texas Lightning.

2009

, Russia

Athens,

SBS sends Australia’s first full commentary team, Sam Pang and Julia Zemiro.

SBS sends Australian commentary team Sam Pang and Julia Zemiro to Moscow, covering Eurovision on the ground for Australia for the first time. They would return as SBS commentators every year until 2016.

2013

Australia appears for the first time with ‘Greetings from Australia’.

Australia makes its first broadcast appearance at Eurovision via a pre-recorded Greetings from Australia video that aired during the interval of the first semi-final in Sweden. The presentation marked 30 years of broadcasting the Eurovision Song Contest in Australia.

2014

Live Australian interval act with Jess Mauboy. Host and Danish broadcaster, DR gave SBS permission to perform as an interval act in the second semi-final of the 2014 competition. Australia sent Jess Mauboy who performed Sea of Flags live after a comic Down Under skit during the interval.

V ienna Austria 2015

Australia makes their competition debut! In commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the competition, Australia was officially invited to compete for the first time in 2015. The appearance was intended as a one-off, however Australia was later approved to participate until 2023.

2015

Guy Sebastian makes the Top 5. Guy Sebastian was chosen to compete for Australia with Tonight Again, placing 5th. He progressed straight to the grand final due to the special circumstances of Australia’s participation so as not to ‘reduce the chances’ of the existing semi-final entrants making the final.

2015

Mary-Jean O’Doherty competes for Armenia.

American-Australian Mary-Jean O’Doherty represents Armenia as part of the Armenian diaspora group Genealogy with Face the Shadow

penhagen, Den ark

Vienna,Aus

2016

Dami Im places second with Sound of Silence. Australia is invited to return to Eurovision, sending Dami Im with Sound of Silence. After an incredible live performance, the song won second place behind winners Ukraine. Dami Im’s runner-up finish is the highest Australia’s ever placed.

2017

Anja Nissen competes for Denmark. Winner of The Voice Australia, Anja Nissen represents Denmark with Where I Am

Kyiv, U kraine

2017

Isaiah secures another Australian Top 10 result. Isaiah Firebrace is chosen as Australia’s third representing artist. He places 9th with Don’t Come Easy.

Kyiv U ine

2017

Joel and Myf replace departing Julia and Sam.

After eight years, Julia Zemiro and Sam Pang pass the commentator baton on to Joel Creasey and Myf Warhurst. The pair remain Eurovision commentators for SBS today.

2018

Jess Mauboy returns as a competitor. Jess Mauboy returns to the Eurovision stage, but this time as a competitor with We Got Love. Mauboy secured enough votes to progress to the grand final where she placed 20th.

2019

Kate Miller-Heidke defies gravity. After winning the first Australian public Eurovision selection Australia Decides, Kate Miller-Heidke took her gravity-defying staging to Tel Aviv. She finished 9th with pop-opera song Zero Gravity while flying around the stage on a giant bendy stick.

2021

Montaigne performs remotely.

After the 2020 contest was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many 2020 hopefuls recompeted in 2021 with different songs. Montaigne was no different, representing Australia with Technicolour. Due to travel restrictions at the time, Montaigne performed remotely via live video from SBS’s Sydney studio in 2021, but did not progress to the grand final.

Turin, It

2022

Sheldon Riley brings us back to the Grand Final Sheldon Riley wins the second edition of Australia Decides and goes on to perform Not The Same in Turin. He brought Australia back to the grand final for the first time since 2019, finishing 15th on the night.

2023

Andrew Lambrou competes for Cyprus. Competing for Cyprus with Break A Broken Heart, Andrew Lambrou was born in Sydney to Greek-Cypriot parents. He competed in Australia Decides in 2022.

2023

Voyager takes a Promise to Eurovision. Australia sends its first ever group act to Eurovision: Perth band Voyager, who took the runner-up spot at Australia Decides 2022. They went on to place 9th in the grand final with their song Promise.

Will Australia be back again?

2023 marks the final year of Australia’s multi-year agreement with the EBU to compete at Eurovision. An official comment from the EBU on Australia’s future at the contest is still pending as of May 2023. Fingers crossed they want us back for more!

eurovision.tv/story/australia-to-compete-in-the-2015-eurovision-song-contest en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurovision_Song_Contest aussievision.net/post/australia-s-history-with-the-eurovision-song-contest en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australia_in_the_Eurovision_Song_Contest eurovision.tv/country/australia

Iconic

Eurovision

The Eurovision Song Contest is a global music competition that has been running for over six decades, showcasing the talent and diversity of countries from Europe and beyond. Known for its iconic performances, flamboyant costumes, and fierce competition, Eurovision is a cultural phenomenon, attracting millions of viewers annually.

First beginning on May 24 1956, it was established by the European Broadcasting Union with the aim of showcasing live television broadcasting and fostering unity among European nations through music. The contest debuted in Lugano, Switzerland, with the participation of seven countries. Over the years, more countries have entered, and the voting system has developed to what it is now. The Eurovision Song Contest has been instrumental in launching the careers of many renowned artists, and launched a whole range of popular music that is loved by many.

After running for over 60 years, it’s difficult to narrow the range and number of songs to a comprehensive list that truly represents the song contest. So, I have created a small list of iconic songs that I believe represent the contest the best and a rather long list of honourable mentions.

Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (Volare) by Domenico Modugno – Italy 1958

Coming third in the 1958 competition, Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (Volare) by Domenico Modugno was the first song to not win Eurovision, but still become an international hit. Still today, this song is well known by many, and is associated with old Italian classic songs.

Song Contest

Performances

ABBA first rose to international fame after winning the Eurovision contest back in 1974 with the song Waterloo. The iconic song was actually the first song to be sung in English, as up until 1974, countries in the contest were only allowed to sing in their native language. Waterloo refers to the 1818 Battle of Waterloo, but is a metaphor for a relationship. The 2024 Eurovision Song Contest will happen in Sweden, which also coincides with the 50th anniversary of ABBA’s Waterloo win!

Hard Rock Hallelujah by Lordi – Finland 2006

Being the first win for Finland, this hard rock/ heavy metal song came as a surprise win in 2006. They were not the predicted winner despite their highly theatrical performance, in which the band members wore monster masks and included horror elements. At the time the win broke a lot of records, being the first rock song to win the competition, and the first time Finland placed in the competition’s top five.

This drag act representing Ukraine came second in the 2007 competition. Despite representing Ukraine, this song was not approved by all Ukrainians, with even some members of Ukraine’s parliament disapproving of the choice. The song is sung in German and English, however the term Lasha Tumbai is completely made up. After the competition, this song became the first non-UK, non-winning Eurovision entry since 1974 that made the UK singles chart.

Words and design by Naketra Mendes

Dancing Lasha Tumbai by Verka Serduchka - Ukraine 2007

Waterloo by ABBA – Sweden 1974

Party for Everybody by Band Buranovskiye Babushki - Russia 2012

Made up of eight grandmothers originally from the village Buranovo in Udmurt Republic. The song is written by the grandmothers themselves, in the Udmurt language. Their performance included a giant wood fire oven which they used to bake a tray of cookies over the progression of the song. They came second in the 2012 competition.

Fairytale by Alexander Rybak - Norway

2009

Winning the 54th Eurovision song contest in 2009, this isn’t the only time Alexander Rybak participates in the competition. In 2018, he performed his song That’s How You Write a Song, however he didn’t have as much success the second time round only reaching 15th place in the finals.

Heroes by Måns Zelmerlöw– Sweden

2015

This performance is amazing! The song is simply Måns Zelmerlöw singing in front of a small screen, however he interacts with various elements, such as small stick men. which makes an effective and impactful performance. It was so effective that it won the 2015 competition.

Rise Like a Phoenix by Conchita WurstAustria 2014

This song won the competition back in 2014 making it Austria’s first win since 1966 and the first time a singer has won without any backing singers or dancers since 1970.

Sung by the drag queen, Conchita Wurst, the song is about combatting prejudice by rising up against oppression.

Even though this song won the 2019 competition, it became viral in late 2020, becoming the most streamed Eurovision song on Spotify by early 2021. In April of the same year, this song was the first Eurovision song in 25 years and the first Eurovision winning song in 45 years to reach the US Billboard Hot 100.

Winning the 2018 competition this song is about the empowerment of women. The song is mostly in English, but with a Hebrew phrase and a Japanese word. It became the most viewed song on the official Eurovision song contest’s YouTube channel until July 2020, with currently over 170 million views.

In 2020 the Eurovision competition was cancelled due to the COVID -19 Pandemic. As a result, this song was never performed on the big stage. Despite this, it is the most streamed song to date on the official Eurovision Song Contest YouTube channel with over 270 million views.

Toy by Netta – Israel 2018

Arcade by Duncan Laurence – Netherlands 2019

UNO by Little Big – Russia 2020

Shum is sung and performed by a Ukrainian folktronica band called Go_A. This Ukrainian folk song is about the spring harvest and is sung completely in Ukrainian. This performance ended up in fifth place overall in the 2021 competition.

Give that Wolf a Banana by Subwoolfer

Travelling from the moon, the duo Keith and Jim make up the group Subwoolfer that represented Norway in the 2022 Eurovision Song Contest. Performed with DJ Astronaut, this song is about how providing a banana to these wolves can protect the elderly from harm. This act was made up of Ben Adams and Gaute Ormåsen whose identities were revealed after the competition came to an end.

Sung and rapped in Finish, this song is about letting go of everyday stresses and enjoying life with a carefree attitude. The song fuses rap, electronic music, metal and schlager genres with a performance that combines ballroom dancers and wooden pallets. Coming second in the 2023 competition, this song won the audience vote with 376 votes.

Tattoo by Loreen - Sweden 2023

This is the second time Loreen has won Eurovision, previously winning in 2012 with her song Euphoria. She goes down in history as the first woman and the second artist to win the competition twice. The only other artist to win more than once was Johnny Logan, who represented Ireland in the competition, but was actually born in Frankston, Victoria, Australia. This win is also the seventh for Sweden in the competition’s history, making them tied with Ireland for most Eurovision victories.

– Norway 2022

Cha Cha Cha by Kȁȁrijȁ - Finland 2023

Shum by Go_A - Ukraine 2021

Honourable mentions

Poupée De Cire, Poupée De Son by France Gall - Luxembourg 1965

Long Live Love by Olivia Newton John - UK 1974

Ein Lied kann eine Brücke sein by Joy Fleming - West Germany 1975

Hallelujah by Milk and Honey – Israel 1979

J’aime La Vie by Sandra Kim – Belgium 1986

Ne Partez Pas Sans Moi by Céline Dion - Switzerland 1988

Flying on the Wings of Love by Olsen Brothers - Denmark 2000

My Number One by Helena Paparizou - Greece 2005

Wolves of the Sea by Pirates of the Sea - Latvia 2008

Satellite by Lena - Germany 2010

Run Away by Sunstroke Project & Olia Tira - Moldova 2010

Tonight Again by Guy Sebastian – Australia 2015

Sound of Silence by Dami Im – Australia 2016

You Are The Only One by Sergey Lazarev - Russia 2016

Don’t Come Easy by Isaiah – Australia 2017

Amar Pelos Dois by Salvador Sobral - Portugal 2017

Yodel It! By Ilinca feat. Alex Florea - Romania 2017

Fuego by Eleni Foureira – Cyprus 2018

We Got Love by Jessica Mauboy – Australia 2018

Zero Gravity by Kate Miller-Heidke – Australia 2019

Spirit In the Sky by KEiiNO - Norway 2019

Soldi by Mahmood - Italy 2019

Think About Things by Daði og Gagnamagnið - Iceland 2020

Don’t Break Me by Montaigne – Australia 2020

Voilà by Barbara Pravi - France 2021

Mata Hari by Efendi - Azerbaijan 2021

10 years by Daði og Gagnamagnið - Iceland 2021

Technicolour by Montaigne – Australia 2021

Loco Loco by Hurricane - Serbia 2021

Zitti e buoni by Måneskin – Italy 2021

Stefania by Kalush Orchestra - Ukraine 2022

SloMo by Chanel - Spain 2022

Not the Same by Sheldon Riley – Australia 2022

Space Man by Sam Ryder - UK 2022

Évidemment by La Zarra - France 2023

Promise by Voyager – Australia 2023

Queen of Kings by Alessandra - Norway 2023

Word Search

Words by Ella Keele and design by Naketra Mendes

The Painter and the Princess

Words by Caitlin Keele and design by Caitlin Keele and Naketra Mendes

Once upon a time, in a kingdom that mustn’t be yours if you’ve never heard this tale –

Actually, I’m not sure why this story begins with ‘once upon a time’. I suppose it is a traditional way to begin tales of this kind, but this is not a traditional tale. This is, in fact, a story where traditions go to ruin, among other things. This is a tale not like many

Still, this is how it begins. With ‘once upon a time’. So – let’s get back to it, shall we?

Once upon a time, in a kingdom that mustn’t be your own if you’ve never heard this story, there lived an artist of great renown by the name of Pietre Lorrenswick.

At the time, most people didn’t know a single painter by name. Painters were simply people who drew portraits, preserving the memory of important and rich figures in the homes of their descendants. Not one of those portrait artists were genuinely famous, at that time, in that kingdom.

Unlike them, though, Pietre Lorrenswick was the first (notable, at least) artist to paint anything other than portraits.

He painted things no one had ever seen before instead.

Lorrenswick was bringing something new into the world. Something incredible that people could only describe using words like ‘creativity’ and ‘expression’ and ‘imagination’. His paintings were as strange and exciting as a dream to them. That was why the paintings of Pietre Lorrenswick were more commonly ascribed the description of ‘magnificent’ and ‘exquisite’, rather than trying to name what was so different about them.

So, Lorrenswick had brought something beautiful into the world. Perhaps you think this means he was a good person, especially because he is presumably the protagonist. Unfortunately, that was not the case. Lorrenswick was, at his root, a very strange man, but he was also rather conceited. He was not grateful for the adoration of his supporters; he didn’t think much of it. In truth, Pietre Lorrenswick was rather cold and apathetic –and confusing, in terms of why he did everything he did.

However, the people did not know this, and many were beginning to think Lorrenswick was possibly the most brilliant man who ever lived. He was impossible to ignore because of that. Of course, this meant that the king and queen of his kingdom, the Kingdom of Clarrit, were aware of who he was – which began to cause them trouble.

You see, this king and queen were usually very traditional. They believed in keeping the kingdom as it was. They believed in all the rules, such as artists being portrait painters only. Unfortunately for them, however, Lorrenswick was beginning to make them question this idea, because of his popularity. Their trust in their people and their own judgement of the man’s art was confusing them and they weren’t sure what to do. So, what do you think they decided upon?

They thought it might be a nice idea to go visit a nearby kingdom, making Lorrenswick their daughter’s problem by instating her regent while they were gone.

Just as the artist Pietre Lorrenswick was not a good, morally sound protagonist like a knight in shining armour, Princess Emilie of Clarrit was not a fairy-tale princess who was stuck in a tower, under a hundred-year curse, eating poisoned apples or losing magical footwear after meeting a prince at a ball. In fact, she knew what she was doing with her power as the princess regent, and she was certain of what to do with Pietre Lorrenswick. However, once again, just as with Lorrenswick, I must again stop you from jumping to conclusions. This assuredness did not make the princess a hero either. Her role is hard to define.

I suppose the best you’ll get is ‘victim’.

Princess Emilie banned all of Pietre Lorrenswick’s paintings from being displayed, requesting but not ordering them destroyed, so as to respect the money paid for the pieces. Then, she ordered that Lorrenswick be arrested.

However, when they got to his estate, the strange, cunning man was nowhere to be found.

A few months later, though Lorrenswick was still missing, trouble began brewing with his supporters, which was most of the kingdom, including more than half of Clarrit’s painters. Unbeknownst to the princess, they were finally organising themselves, and in time, a great meeting was held.

Administrated by an organisation of several of the most talented and Lorrenswicksupportive painters in the kingdom, the meeting was called to arrange a most clever plan: since only Lorrenswick’s paintings had been banned, all the painters – and people who’d like to try – would use their own imaginations to paint like Lorrenswick.

Soon enough, wonderful paintings of curious creations were appearing across the kingdom of Clarrit. An uprising was happening in the form of art. Portraits were no longer as important, and on occasion one would turn up horribly disfigured in the street as part of the movement. There was nothing the princess could do. Her kingdom had turned against her. Eventually the people realised this too, and decided it was time to do more. They were going to take over the kingdom for their hero who had set this all in motion, and if he could be found, they would make him king.

It was exactly four months after the disappearance of Pietre Lorrenswick that his dedicated followers marched on the castle and successfully ousted the princess regent. Miraculously, Lorrenswick suddenly reappeared and claimed his throne within the day. Some of you may even be wondering if he had engineered the whole thing.

Pietre Lorrenswick technically only reigned over Clarrit for about a week before the king and queen returned and, considering there was still some support for the rightful rulers, negotiations were held.

In the end, Lorrenswick agreed to give back the throne if he could have the princess hand in marriage. As a result, the king and queen ended up using the oldest trick in the book to avoid war: marrying off their daughter to the offended party.

I hope you have gathered already from the information provided, that Princess Emilie did not like Pietre Lorrenswick one bit. His art went against all that she believed in, so as you can tell, she did not like him, trust him, or at all want to marry him. The only real reason we can possibly supply for why Lorrenswick wanted to marry her is that Lorrenswick was a very confounding man. There is just a little more, though: at their wedding, Lorrenswick allowed himself to be painted for the very first time, sitting beside her. The adoring masses who idolised Lorrenswick truly believed he did it for love, because they knew nothing of his true self. When the king and queen mysteriously gave up the throne not long after the aforementioned wedding and Lorrenswick’s first act as the new king was to banish his wife, I suppose it really let everyone down.

On that point, I believe I should summarise and explain. Lorrenswick got rid of his wife extremely soon after he married her, solving the last problem in his life and practically proving he only wanted to be painted beside her. After Princess – actually, Queen Emilie was removed from the picture, he was rich and famous…everything one could

want, surely? One might even say it sounds like happily ever after – for him at least.

You might’ve figured this out already, reader, but I will let you know anyway: this story may have started with once upon a time, but Lorrenswick won’t just take a happily ever after, and this story won’t just end here, where it should. There was still more for Lorrenswick to do. He wasn’t satisfied yet, not when everything wasn’t completely ruined… and he certainly wasn’t satisfied when his art was not being challenged.

As I have mentioned more than once, Pietre Lorrenswick of Clarrit was a very, very strange and confusing man. His final strike began when he invited his queen back to the castle and his kingdom a few months after her exile.

Of course, she was suspicious and initially didn’t want to go, until she was informed that her husband had painted her portrait over and over for days. It seemed like he missed her, maybe loved her after all. Maybe he was finally going to conform to the ways she was so passionate about. Whatever it was, Emilie wanted to find out, and to see these portraits for herself.

When the Queen of Clarrit returned to her kingdom, she was welcomed by a Pietre Lorrenswick most unlike the one she had known. He seemed like he actually cared – about her – and was sorry for what he’d done. He showed her the portraits he had painted of her, and they were created with a skill that Emilie had never seen before. They astounded her.

The queen was beginning to feel something very peculiar.

She eventually realised she was softening towards her husband. Over a number of weeks, Pietre Lorrenswick continued to seem like a new man, and his wife began to find herself in love with him. She loved his portraits. She loved that he seemed to have changed just for her.

Really, it was her vanity that made this plan of Lorrenswick’s so easy to execute. When she was truly in love with this false Lorrenswick, he began to drop this fake persona. He became who he truly was again. Queen Emilie’s heart was going to be broken.

When she realised what he had done, that he was lying the whole time, she was furious. She was enraged at the man who had the audacity to try and take her heart as well as everything else he’d stolen from her.

Actually, she was mad enough to kill. So, one night, she entered the king’s bedroom with a knife in hand. She was stopped by guards, and locked in a tower for the rest of her life. Pietre Lorrenswick lived and remained king for many, many years.

That is how this tale ends.

So why? Why does it matter? Why tell this tale now?

Well, technically, this is the story of where all creativity in art comes from, in our world. This is why we don’t just have portraits today, and this is why paint and other mediums can be so much more.

When you see a beautiful art piece next, think about this, reader. This is how art came into being here.

BOOKSHOPPING THE ART OF

Words by Ann Moir and Design by Harley Wood

The art of bookshopping is a form of art that should be done by all, but is mastered by readers - who turn the pages and experience a glimpse of what could be a riveting adventure. To master the art form, there are a few things that must be taken into consideration.

CAUTION

BOOKSHOPPING MAY CAUSE BACK PAIN (FROM BENDING DOWN AND LOOKING AT THE BOOKS), HEADACHES (FROM CALCULATING THE PRICES) AND SINUS INFECTION (FROM SMELLING THE NEW PAPERS).

IF ANY OF THESE SYMPTOMS OCCUR. LEAVE THE BOOKSTORE WITH YOUR PARTNER, OR BUY THE WHOLE STORE FOR THEM. THEY WILL APPRECIATE IT. GOOD LUCK, YOU’LL NEED IT.

Firstly, a bookshopper and an onlooker are two very different things. An onlooker will simply walk a lap around the shelves and decide that there is nothing to purchase. Whereas a bookshopper is so different. The individual would start at the high table in the entryway, scan the covers, and read two or three blurbs - if the cover really attracts their attention. The table is such a stupid invention for this purpose, as the height is all wrong. Some tables are only tall enough that they go to the waist of a person, resulting in the bookshopper having to bend over.

The second thing that should be noted is that complete, pin dropping, jaw dropping, can’t-believe-it’s-this-quiet silence. The only thing that can be heard is an occasional sniff and faint sounds of shuffling - as BookShoppers are trying to walk past you. All bookshoppers are polite. You will never meet a rude, sniffly, sour faced reader or bookshopper. It is impossible for bookshoppers not to nudge you, or accidentally bump you. For that, they will apologise and move to the next shelf.

Thirdly, patience is key. To be a bookshopper, you will stand there in front of a shelf for at least an hour before deciding which of the four books you and your bank account are willing to purchase. And finally, bookshopping is only mastered when you force your brother or sister to hold out their arms and hands to hold the pile of books you are collecting. It’s one of the most important aspects of the art form. Once you have mastered all these qualities, only then are you an official bookshopper.

AI Art: Beneficial or Detrimental?

AI Art – maybe you’ve heard of it, maybe you haven’t. Either way, the topic of artificially generated art is a relatively controversial topic right now, with many pros and cons to consider if you ever plan on using it. Hopefully this article will help you understand both the benefits and detriments of this revolutionary technology.

The main idea of AI art is to allow a regular person to open an AI Art software, type in a few words as a prompt for the desired outcome, and the AI engine does the rest – generating a completely unique image that will match your desired prompt. For example, say you wanted a drawing of a tall cherry blossom tree, perhaps with some small hills in the background and a few wispy clouds in the sky - all in the style of an impressionist oil painting from the 1970s. Just type in the prompt into a small box, wait a couple of minutes, and BOOM, a beautifully detailed painting of your exact request, effortlessly created by an AI machine.

How does it work?

Another thing that is crucial to understand is the technological process of these AI art generators. How can artificial intelligence create such images, without the artistic capacity of the human mind? Artificial intelligence is, after all, artificial. Well here comes the problem. You see, the way these generators work is by machine learning algorithms, which are computer programs that begin to generate an image based upon existing data. The more the AI uses this data, the more it remembers and implements it into future artwork. This existing data is what caused the controversy that we speak of now. See, the “existing data” that the AI learns from is the wide range of images from the digital library known as the internet, meaning that artificial intelligence takes real life drawings, photos and designs made by real people.

How is this bad?

Seeing as AI has legal access to all digital images on the internet, it happens to memorise and learn from artwork that real people have spent hours upon hours creating, and implements pieces of this artwork into its “uniquely generated” image. Not only do artists not give permission for AI to use their personal images, but they also do not get any financial compensation from them.

Image created by the AI, NightCafe

Prompt: Gingerbread House in Epic Origami

Image created by the AI, NightCafe

Prompt: 1950s Diner in Charcoal

Words

by Sofia

Nikitina and design by Naketra Mendes. Images created by the AI, NightCafe

Word Search

Another problem is that artificial intelligence also takes the faces of real people and puts them into their images. Say, a selfie you took of yourself and posted on social media, could easily be recorded into the AI data, and your very own face could be plastered over somebody else’s generated prompt. Not only does this violate your privacy, but now other people can view an image of you that you have no idea even exists, and they could even post it online for other people to see.

Words by Ella Keele and design by Naketra Mendes

When artificially made art is so easily accessible, one may ask, what happens to human creativity? When artificially generated art creates such highquality images in a matter of minutes, in whatever style you want, artists, photographers and designers will naturally start to feel let down. They have spent hundreds of hours perfecting their craft, finding their own unique style, studying techniques, and showing off their hard work, only to be beaten by an AI software that doesn’t require nearly as much time or effort to create the same art.

Professions are at risk, too. Say, a concept artist for a video game company gets paid to draw detailed artwork of potential game characters, and this is the artist’s main source of income. Then there’s the AI art generator which can come up with the same ideas, only it is free and much faster. As a company looking to optimise its finances, what artist would you pick: the free, fast, and robotic one, or the human, professional, paid and time-consuming one?

What are the positives?

- Regular people can now turn their creative idea into an image.

- Creates high-quality images.

- Faster than handmade art.

- Doesn’t take practice or training to generate images.

Negatives?

- No financial benefit from creators of original artwork.

- May put real professionals out of their jobs.

- Inhibits human creativity.

- De-motivates aspiring artists hoping to work professionally.

In conclusion, AI art has many advantages and disadvantages. It can be used for many different purposes and helps generate beautiful art much faster and at a cheaper price than before. At the same time, it also harms real-life artists who created the artwork that was used to train the AI in the first place. In the end it’s up to you.

What do you think?

Image created by the AI, NightCafe

Prompt: City Skyline Across the Water at Sunset in Colour Painting

Image created by the AI, NightCafe

Prompt: Beautiful Flower Meadow in Gouache