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A different view of the street LOCAL LENS WINNER ANA GARCIA

Speakers’ Corner making a comeback Essence of your suburb in a Gin bottle

Daughter’s Sisters and Mothers. Women who shaped Australian art

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Regular Columns 3 Photos: Queenie Colquhoun

Sydney Mysteries

Sydney (a) Sider By

Lachlan Colquhoun

erhaps it is Sydney’s curious geography, full of dozens of small bays and inlets built around low hills, but it seems to have a big problem with public transport. Not for us the surety and logic of the Melbourne tram network, or the London or Paris underground. We have been told we haven’t had enough people to justify investment in a major underground rail system, and our miles of tram tracks were ripped up under Premier Cahill in the 1950s in what now seems like an act of urban vandalism. Sydney once had nearly 300 kilometres of tram tracks and 2500 trams, many of which were ceremonially burned in the late 1950s in some bizarre equivalent to a witch trial. The hegemony of the automobile has ruled over Sydney for more than half a century, and the results are appalling. Huge commuting times and inequitable tolls, and not to mention the pollution. It all seems on the wrong side of history as we strive for Net Zero by whenever it is, but no-one with any real influence seems to care. So while the monstrous roadworks of West Connex continue at Blackwattle Bay, resembling the marshalling yards for Hitler’s Operation Barbarossa, and houses through the inner west crack and it’s no-one’s fault, the public seems to be the victim of cruel joke. Our new ferries don’t work, so we’ve brought the old ones back into service. Some new ferries are too tall to go under bridges. We should have a ferry to Blackwattle Bay, and they’ve only brought them back to compensate for the trams being out of action. But this single ferry doesn’t operate on weekends, and can’t go up the bay to Annandale due to speed restrictions. Which brings it back to the trams. Has there ever been a tale of greater incompetence than the new Sydney tram network? The line to Randwick, with a raison d’etre to take people to the Randwick Races and placate

The Faces of Central Tunnel Sydney once had nearly 300 kilometres of tram tracks and 2500 trams, many of which were ceremonially burned in the late 1950s in some bizarre equivalent to a witch trial.

the racing lobby, sent dozens of small business people to the wall during its construction. It might be lovely now it’s finished, but up until now we’ve been told that these trams are a different gauge than the inner west trams and can’t be used. But more recently we’re told they are trialling these trams on the inner west line. So what is actually going on? Regardless of the answer, the two lines are totally unco-ordinated. I once attempted a journey from Annandale to the SCG to the cricket, changing at Central. A 90 minute exercise, and one I won’t repeat. Which is just as well, as I won’t get the opportunity to do that for at least another 18 months with the trams off the road due to cracking.

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Wouldn’t it be great if we had a local workshop churning out these trams and repairing them. But that expertise left Sydney decades ago, when we embraced the god of outsourcing and Australia stopped employing people to make things. If you want to see a locally made tram, go to the Tramsheds for coffee. Meanwhile, there’s a Viking longboat moored at Blackwattle Bay, just near the Fish Market. I kid you not. Originally I thought it was some joke substitution for the Blackwattle Bay ferry, but lately I’m hoping its evidence of a Viking invasion. We could do with a big strong dose of Nordic efficiency and logic. They at least get their public transport right.

Queenie Colquhoun

ENTRAL Tunnel, particularly between Railway Square and Devonshire Street is a strange place. No matter what time of the year it’s always hot, there’s a mass echo and it is full of weird art. Throughout my high school and university days I would frequent this part of the tunnel, and there was always one part of it that really stuck out. Part of the tunnel’s decorations include some almost transparent faces in the walls, barely noticeable. When looking at the artwork, there’s no explanation of who these people are, who the artwork was created by, or an explanation on the choice to include this in a tunnel that an estimated 270,000 people use daily. I have been obsessed with it for a while. Once you see the faces you can’t unsee them. The obsession with the face’s spreads. Honestly, nine times out of ten, those creepy faces are what’s keeping me up at night.

I reached out to Sydney Transport, to see if they had any information. The great people who I’ve been in contact with have been digging hard to try and find any information, and they were able to tell me that the artwork is named Material World, was installed in 1999 as part of an upgrade to Railway Square and that it was made by Marylin Fairskye. But, still no information on who the faces belong to, or why they’re there. It only fuels my curiosity more. Why so much digging? How far does this mystery go? Is this some sort of illuminati conspiracy theory hidden in (almost) plain sight? Next time you’re passing through Central Tunnel, please, have a look around. I need to know I’m not insane. Or better yet if you know anything about the faces, please, call the Urban Village office. I’ll be sitting by the phone waiting to hear any information that’s out there.

ELIZABETH LANE REDFERN BY TIM RITCHIE

ENTER NOW at urbanvillage.com.au

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4 Local News Photo: Laverty Pathology

Photo: John Carnemolla

History Returns at the Speakers Corner By

Words from a Frontline Worker Had a Covid test lately? With Omicron running rampant, the answer is probably yes. Queenie Colquhoun reports on the frontline workers – who you wouldn’t recognise because they were masked up – who have been on the frontline of the pandemic.

INCE the pandemic began in March of 2020 so many of us have suffered fatigue. If you think you had it bad, spare a thought for some of the frontline workers. For Matthew Wilson, a respiratory collector at Laverty Pathology, fatigue has been a constant, but he’s been able to stay resilient thanks to the great people he has met on the job. Matthew has been working in his role since the Avalon outbreak in January 2021 and has worked in several locations throughout Sydney since. He was spurred to work as a respiratory collector as he watched the Avalon cluster begin and wanted to assist the community during the difficult period. He was also drawn to the job due to his desire to gain

practical experience in the medical field. “Working during a pandemic isn’t always easy as the demands change daily, but the positive interactions with patients and fellow collectors make every day enjoyable. I would say I have stayed resilient due to the supportive team we get to work with,” says Matthew. “There hasn’t been a time that I’ve wished I didn’t come into work because I know that I work with such positive people that support and keep me motivated.” For the most part, Matthew says that the public have been great to deal with, and incredibly understanding of the difficulty of his job. Although Matthew says he wishes people knew just how long he and his peers worked during their shifts. Whilst respiratory collectors are

involved in the COVID-19 protection process, they don’t hold all the answers. “We as respiratory collectors are front line workers who are always questioned about many things that we do not have answers to such as vaccinations but are always questioned about it,” he says. “I would also like to say that all respiratory collectors including myself understand how frustrating and difficult this pandemic can be and we are all doing our best to help you to the best of our ability.” Working in a safe and pleasant environment with great co-workers and excellent managers and supervisors who work hard, Matthew says it’s easy to be inspired and motivated. When things begin to return to normal Matthew hopes to continue his career at Laverty Pathology as a phlebotomist. He thanks his employers and his coworkers for creating the atmosphere to fuel his ambitions, recognising that – for him – something positive has come out of the pandemic disruptions.

HE Speakers Corner has been a rich part of Sydney’s history for almost 150 years, and there was a time when Sundays in the Domain were full of vigorous arguments on everything from communism, anarchism and warnings about the end of the world. The recent COVID-19 pandemic has had a disappointing impact on the tradition, but in recent months the speakers are back, continuing a tradition which goes back to the 19th century. The Speakers Corner began in 1878 when Pastor Allen, a Baptist social reformer, took to speaking there after the Government had closed Hyde Park as a venue for public speaking in 1874. The Domain became a place where people could spend their Sunday listening to or discussing current affairs, philosophies, politics, and life. Some of it was funny, other speakers were totally serious, and it was often a place for outspoken heckling and barracking. Mark Avery, or Mr. Bashful as he goes by at The Speakers Corner, has been a speaker for 12 years, speaking every week. Originally taking to the Speakers Corner as a way of improving his public speaking, Mr. Bashful has spoken on over 300 different topics, from resilience and happiness, Aboriginal affairs and Zen Buddhism. Mr. Bashful says that COVID has had a significant impact on audience turnout at the Speakers Corner.

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“COVID stuffed it up. We were slowly growing, getting regulars every week, slowly growing an audience. At some point you get a snowball effect. Once there’s 20 then it easily becomes 40.” “But it’s hard to get 20, especially now because of COVID, there are no tourists. Once I had around 100 people. Once you get 60 or 80 people then it just grows, because people want to know what’s going on. Then you get really good discussions” says Mr. Bashful. Mr Bashful believes that the Speakers Corner is not only important as a Sydney tradition, but as a venue to give people and opinions a voice and for the exchange of ideas. He says: “I think that the Speakers’ Corner is important for some people because it’s a social interaction for some.” “Everyone wants to be heard one way or another and I think there are a few eccentrics who are prepared to be heard in a park. I think that the ultimate motivation is to be heard, to be seen, to be felt.” Mr. Bashful hopes that in future the Speakers’ Corner will be promoted by local council to better advertise the event. Something to ponder as we look to preserve out traditions and cultural heritage. The Speakers Corner is held every Sunday at The Domain.

Feature 5 Photo: Rob Harley

URBAN VILLAGE PROFILE

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Guy Morgan. Creating a magnet for artists. Guy Morgan, an artist who has recently opened a new gallery on Crown Street, talks with Lachlan Colquhoun.

HEN Guy Morgan downsized recently the lack of wall space was a major problem. Where was he going to hang all of his paintings? The solution he chose was to take space at 531 Crown Street and establish the Guy Morgan Gallery to show not only his own work, but that of the artists in exhibitions and at events such as a series of upcoming private art dinners. “It seemed worth a try to see if I could open a gallery in a village in a high street and sell my own work and also involve other artists and local businesses,” says Morgan, who will kick off his series of Friday Nights in the Gallery from January 28 running through to May. Morgan has received significant accolades and recognition for his art. He was selected in the Archibald Prize in 2013 and 2015, a year he also exhibited in the Moran Prize. He was in the Archibald Salon des Refuses in 2017. “I had a nasty accident in 2011 and nearly went blind in one eye,” he says. “I had distorted vision so I took up portraiture to show people what I was seeing.” Stylistically, Morgan’s art is diverse and this may have been the “kiss of death” for hopes of a relationship with a commercial gallery. “What they want is a recognizable style, and I don’t want to paint like that,” he says. “I want to do something different every time I put my brush to the canvas.

“I had a show in Darlinghurst a few years ago, and people who didn’t know my work thought it was a group show, because everything is so different.” Originally from the UK, where he studied art at the St Martins school before moving on to the London College of Printing to study graphic design, Morgan left Thatcher’s Britain behind and moved to Australia in 1981. On the plane he decided he’d look for a job in advertising, and got one on his second day in Sydney. It led to a 35 year career which has now led back to his first love, painting. The Guy Morgan Gallery is not just about Guy Morgan, however. He sees it as a magnet for other artists and like minded people to come together and create something fresh and re-animate Surry Hills post-lockdown. There are plans for Life Drawing classes from early February and already some well recognized artists are joining Morgan for his series of Private Art Dinners, conceived as intimate evenings for groups of no more than 12. On February 11, for example, the two artists to be featured are Shane Smithers, a Darug man of the Burraberongal clan with unique insights into Aboriginal art, and Tania Wursig, a figurative artist who spends much of her time painting in Tahiti. The Friday evening events are supported by the City of Sydney under a night time diversification grant. “I’m looking forward to lockdowns

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Find out more at: igssyd.nsw.edu.au ending and getting involved with local businesses in projects centred around the gallery, because there’s such a village feel in this part of Crown Street and we can create something very exciting here,” says Morgan. “I know that’s a risk, but I’m going to give it a go.”

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To find out more visit www.guymorgan. com or wander past the gallery at 531 Crown Street www.urbanvillage.com.au

6 Feature Photo: Joe Antonio

TANYA PLIBERSEK FEDERAL MEMBER FOR SYDNEY

HERE TO HELP As your local representative, I can assist with enquiries or problems you have with Federal Government departments and services like Centrelink, immigration, superannuation, Child Support payments, Medicare, the Pharmaceutical Benefit Scheme (PBS), Veterans’ Affairs, the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), the National Broadband Network (NBN), universities, employment, training, Commonwealth funding and grants.

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Waste not, Want not, Wastewood Queenie Colquhoun visits a recycled wood warehouse in the Inner West, and is a convert.

FTER taking six months off work, carpenter Joe Antonio found himself collecting abandoned wood out of skip bins without realising it. As the collection grew, he leased storage containers, workshops, and warehouse spaces to house this reusable yet forgotten wood. From December 2018 he operated what was formally known as Recycled Timber Summer Hill, where people could come to buy recycled wood and low costs or drop off materials to avoid them being sent to landfill. Moving to Marrickville and then to Annandale in June 2021 to open what is now known as Wastewood, he has created an affordable and accessible space to give these materials another chance at life. Joe says: “The point is to just make enough money to survive.” To do so, Wastewood offers affordable one on one sessions, low-cost materials, and access to work benches and machines to work on projects. You can work on your own project or have them create something for you. Construction accounts for 16.8% of Australia’s waste. Joe says: “It’s important to me because we’re realising that, and it’ll be greater and greater, that if we keep throwing away the stuff that we need we won’t have enough of what we need.”

What was supposed to be a quick 20-minute interview ended up becoming three hours of Joe teaching me to make a side table for my living room. I’m so glad it did because, really, I get it now. There’s something meditative about the space and making something with the materials on hand. Everything around you has the potential to become something new, something great. And there is something so special about making an item yourself. There’s a certain type of love and pride that it creates. When I started this interview, Joe was adamant that he, and even Wastewood, shouldn’t be the centre piece of this story. Rather, that it should be a recognition of the wood itself. The versatility of it, it’s ability to foster creativity and connection and the fact that it represents so much potential. Wastewood is located in a huge warehouse in Annandale, which is full to the brim with rescued wood. Behind every utensil, every material there is a story of where it was found or where it came from. To me, that makes it more unique. You can find Wastewood at 69 Whites Creek Ln, Annandale NSW 2038 or at wastewood.com.au

Feature 7

Sustainable Clothing Boom

Photo: The Corner Shop

Alexandria pop-up store The Corner Shop and Argy’s Tailoring in Redfern are riding the strong momentum for sustainable fashion. Queenie Colquhoun called in to say hello.

RGUMENTS at COP26, turbulent weather and daily news reports on climate change can get to be a bit much. It’s always important to find the silver linings that inspire hope, and our area has plenty of that. I had the pleasure of speaking with Gavin from The Corner Shop, a new popup store in Alexandria that has stemmed from their past Crown St Project market stalls, and Joanne Fiorio from Argy’s Tailoring in Redfern about the importance of sustainable fashion. Gavin and his business partner began their market stalls together six years ago. With a background in art and fashion, the two have been collecting and sharing beautiful second-hand garments which are not only functional, but sustainable too. “We look at it from a perspective of everything needing to be reused. We must find a way to make things sustainable, to reuse, to reduce waste, to reduce plastic and textile waste. Starting this business changed my perception on fashion” says Gavin. Gavin also notes that buying vintage and second-hand clothing often means that the clothes are better made and will last longer. Clothes nowadays, particularly cheaper clothes aren’t made as well and are more prone to losing their quality and even developing faults like holes, more quickly, whereas second-hand items are more durable. Argy’s Tailoring is a third-generation family business located in Redfern that emphasises the importance of repairing and maintaining clothes to last longer. For Joanne Fiorio and Argy’s, there’s a need to show customers that buying wellmade and quality garments, while more expensive, means more wear in the long run. Joanne says: “Re-educating people

that if you buy quality, stuff that you fit in and stuff that you love, you’re going to feel good and keep those clothes and they’ll last longer.” Argy’s Tailoring hosts vintage pop ups to encourage slow fashion and collaborated with other businesses interested in sustainability by hosting brainstorming initiatives on the issue. Argy’s Tailoring has also introduced ‘Mending Money’ in their shop, a gift voucher to give to one another to spend on tailoring services, rather than buying new. The Corner Shop also have plans to collaborate with sustainable stylists and run workshops in house on the importance of sustainable fashion.

Argy’s Tailoring is located at 658 Bourke Street, Surry Hills 2010 and can be reached in store or at (02) 9232 1905. The Corner Shop is located at 202 Henderson Road, Alexandria 2015.

CONGRATULATORY MESSAGES My office can arrange messages of congratulations for people who live in my electorate and are celebrating their golden (50th) and diamond (60th) wedding anniversaries; and 90th and subsequent birthdays. Please allow for 6-8 weeks for congratulatory messages from dignatories.

JUSTICE OF THE PEACE My office offers Justice of the Peace (JP) services on Mondays (2pm-4.30pm); Tuesdays (10am-1pm); and Thursdays (2pm-4.30pm). Please contact my office to make an appointment.

Photo: Joanne Fiorio

TANYA PLIBERSEK MP

www.urbanvillage.com.au

8 Stage & Screen Photo: Brett Boardman

BELL GIVES HAMLET THE NORDIC NOIR TREATMENT Bell Shakespeare will revive their 2020 production of Hamlet for the third time in 2022. By

Queenie Colquhoun

FTER receiving rave reviews the production closed in 2020 after only a week and a half of shows due to the Sydney COVID-19 lockdown. It was rescheduled for August 2021, before being postponed again due to the most recent Sydney lockdown. Directed by Bell Shakespeare Artistic Director Peter Evans, Hamlet has been reimagined for contemporary audiences, set in 1960s Denmark. The 2022 production will see the return of Harriet GordonAnderson as Hamlet. Peter Evans says that giving Hamlet a female voice through the work of GordonAnderson, presents an interesting and new emphasis to aspects of the story. “There is a gender thing that comes into it, particularly with Harriet, is that we are

Final Bows for Class of 2021 at NIDA By

Queenie Colquhoun

Photo: Rob Harley

www.urbanvillage.com.au

looking at a young man who when he’s angry turns to misogyny. His anger turns to fear and hatred of women.” “When Harriet is exploring it, you can see the fragility of that. It’s always interesting but I think it has become particularly interesting in the last 10 years and as we look more deeply at gender and the behaviour of men” says Evans. For Peter Evans, Hamlet has remained a relevant play throughout time due to several factors, such as Hamlet’s antihero persona. Evans says: “Shakespeare manages to put the revenge drama in the hands of a character who shouldn’t be in a revenge drama. I think something about that appeals to us… In fact, he has a moral objection to what he’s been cast with and that’s a tension in the story that I think is genius storytelling.”

“Shakespeare manages to put the revenge drama in the hands of a character who shouldn’t be in a revenge drama. I think something about that appeals to us…

ibby Kay has always wanted to be an actor. Now, as she approaches graduation, she can go into auditions not as Libby from Melbourne, but as Libby from NIDA. “There’s no doubt it gives us a selling point,” she says, as she contemplates the ultracompetitive industry she is about to join. Libby and her classmate Alfred Kouris are two of the students finishing their three-year Bachelor of Fine Arts (Acting) degrees at the National Institute of Dramatic Art. Like many, Libby and Alfred were attracted to the idea of studying at NIDA because of the opportunities it can open up. Many of the students have been in talks with productions and agents throughout their schooling, although they are generally unable to be officially ‘picked up’ until after graduation in 2022. Should a big opportunity arise however, the institution will try to help students as much as possible. Alfred says: “There is an expectation that sometimes during third year things will happen.” Libby adds: “The verbal rule is that if it is career

Evans also believes that the theme of nostalgia has kept the play as a relatable story over time. He says: “There is something about that nostalgia which I think is really prevalent nowadays, in these hyper times. I’ve really enjoyed exploring that aspect of it. I think the appeal is universal in the sense that it has very simple moral questions at the centre of it, and the questions Hamlet is asking we all ask.” Bell Shakespeare’s Hamlet will be performed at the Sydney Opera House from March 4 – April 2, 2022. Tickets are available via the Sydney Opera House website. sydneyoperahouse.com/events/whatson/bell-shakespeare/2022/hamlet.html

defining then you’re allowed to take time out of school.” Libby and Alfred are aware that a degree at NIDA allows emerging actors to be taken more seriously and recognised for their commitment to their art. “The duration of it also speaks about how you’re taking it seriously, and that you know how to work really hard and sustain yourself,” says Alfred. After three years at one of the nation’s most celebrated and prestigious theatre schools, both Libby and Alfred are ready to embark on a new chapter of their careers. Alfred says: “A bunch of agents say the same thing which is that when you finish drama school you have your white belt. It’s not that you finish drama school and you’re this fantastic actor. You finish drama school, and you start again. I’m really looking forward to starting again in what is, using the umbrella term of ‘the industry’ – a different world.” Libby and Alfred are itching to get out there and embark on their careers. Take note of their names, and remember you may have first read about them in Urban Village.

Stage & Screen 9

FURNISHING

Photo: She’s an Artist

FABRIC

A NEW CHAPTER AT DARLINGHURST THEATRE COMPANY

CLEARANCE

Darlinghurst Theatre Company has gained a new Artistic Director and is emerging from lockdown with a renewed commitment to diversity and inclusion. By

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Queenie Colquhoun

ORMER Co-Artistic Director Amylia Harris has been promoted to the sole Artistic Director, whilst founding CEO Glenn Terry takes on a new role as Executive Director as he segue-ways into retirement. New artistic director Amylia Harris grew up backstage. The daughter of a TV and theatre producer, Harris was always drawn to a life in the performing arts. For her, the recent Sydney lockdown has provided Darlinghurst Theatre Company with the unique opportunity to analyse, revaluate and structure who they are. “We’ve been using this pause to really evaluate our identity, really evaluate our values and ethics, processes and practices. What do we stand for? And why do we do what we do?” says Harris.

Darlinghurst Theatre Company is now committed to 50% of their content showcasing and representing people of colour creatives, stories, and cultures. The theatre is also devoted to showing impact driven work, rather than form driven work. Harris says these are stories or messages have more meaning, rather than consistently following ‘classic’ theatre forms, such as plays or musicals. Part of this is to give voice and representation. Harris says: “The classic cannon is very male and very white. If we’re going to have equality on our stages, we must do new work. Plus, there’s way more interesting voices who deserve that space. I think that it is our responsibility to share our stage with those voices.”

Harris and her team are also emerging out of lockdown with a new commitment to accessibility. “I really want the space to feel a space. I want it to feel like a theatre for everyone. I keep hearing time and time again that people don’t think that theatre is for them and that it is elite – and that is true largely. Historically that is accurate.” “I’m trying to break down those barriers so that all Sydney humans know that they can come and partake in this cultural space and know that this space is for them and that it is safe for them to enter and enjoy and they will recognise themselves when they get in there” says Harris. You can find more events at: www.darlinghursttheatre.com/

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10 Local Lens

Local Lens Competition //

Round One Winners // Street Photography

woman screams into her phone as she sits on a bollard on the footpath. Is she screaming about the Sale! Sale! Sale! Signs exhorting her, or is it something else? A couple scoot past, a man pushing a woman in a wheelchair while other randoms move purposefully through the frame. This image by Ana Garcia has captured the essence of street photography, according to judge Tim Ritchie, and has been awarded first prize in the first round of the Urban Village/ CameraPro Local Lens Competition. Ritchie, a Surry Hills resident who has become well known for his street photography, judged Garcia’s photo from around 70 entries. “The senior winner’s use of B&W added to the drama and story,” says Ritchie. “A moment in time, a glimpse at us.... and even the lone foot on the left included as if to say this was just a section of the greater story of this scene.

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The diversity in the scene was a gift to the viewer.” There were two runners up. Geoff Forrester’s evocative rendering of a typical Surry Hills laneway, a man in a doorway. He seems slightly slumped. Is he exhausted, sad, pensive or just plain fed up? It can happen sometimes, even in Surry Hills. Tonina Ryan was the other runner up, with a photo in a completely different mood which is also pure Surry Hills: a cavorting Drag Queen with Dog. It is a photo which encapsulates the diversity and fun of our streets, the very essence of our hood. Tim Ritchie explains what he was looking for: “Photography generally is about drawing with light, from the Greek, photo meaning light and graph meaning to draw. And for me, street photography relates to what we see on the street, it is a broader definition compared to some photographers who feel it must include people. All agree it should not be contrived beyond what the photographer is presented with.

ABOVE: Photo by Ana Garcia. RIGHT: Photo by Jensen Blum.

Local Lens For the competition, I was looking for subject matter that showed the area around Surry Hills, and was interesting in the use of light and angles. Something that was not a holiday snap, something that spoke to Sydney and diversity of form and people.”

The theme for the next round of Local Lens is Portraiture. Entries close on March 31. The judge for the next round is celebrated rock photographer Tony Mott, another Surry Hills resident.

Local Lens 11

RIGHT: Photo by Tonina Ryan. BOTTOM RIGHT: Photo by Avalon Blum. BELOW: Photo by Geoff Forrester.

n the junior section, the winner and runner up were from the same family, with siblings Jensen and Avalon Blum taking out the prizes. Judge Tim Ritchie said Jensen’s winning photo “used light magically.” “My eye was instantly drawn to the sky and then floated down the wall of the internal space to note the details,” he said. “The shot showed the isolation and age of the area, and both hopeful and sad at the same time.” Avalon Blum was the runner up with a classic Sydney photo of the Opera House from the Botanic Gardens foreshore. Chris Field, who manages the CamerPro store at 507 Crown Street which is sponsoring local lens, said he was inspired to see the array of images entered into the competition. “It is a unique experience to be able to see familiar places captured from a different perspective. I saw so many great photos and images. I can’t wait to see what the next round will bring!” said Field. “Seeing various entrants was really pleasing as it shows that there’s a great passion for Surry Hills and the surrounding areas.

It’s a very attractive location for photography, and there is a clear desire from the shooters to get out there and learn more whilst practising their craft!” So its time for photographers to get out there and get snapping for the next round of Local Lens. “At CameraPro, we are all about inspiring and enabling photographers to get out there and use their gear more,” said Chris Field. “This competition is a great way to empower individuals and get the great creative minds of Surry Hills out there shooting again and interacting with their local environment and community!”

“At CameraPro, we are all about inspiring and enabling photographers to get out there and use their gear more,” Chris Field, manager, CameraPro Surry Hills, 507 Crown Street. Proud sponsors of Local Lens.

www.urbanvillage.com.au

12 Music & Gigs

Live music after lockdown?

Photo: Sophie Otton

The MacGuffins, one of Sydney's new and exciting bands, made their debut at the Moshpit in December. But when can they play again?

Sydney’s most active gig goer, and one its most prominent bass guitarists Keith Claringbold ponders the live music scene as we move into 2022 with the Omicron variant raging.

FTER the four months of lockdown, it was hoped that the reopening would see a revitalisation of Sydney’s live music seen, buoyed by people keen to get that experience they had been unable to partake in during that time. Is that what happened? Initially it was hard to get a true picture as venues were still subject to the one person per 4 sqm restriction on capacity. After a few weeks, this was changed to a more reasonable and feasible one person per 2 sqm and it was around this time that I attended three gigs at Marrickville Bowling Club. Even with the 2sqm restriction, the MBC is a big club and could hold 150 maximum. It was disappointing then to see that the largest crowd for these three shows was 75, with 45-50 attending the other two. What was the reason for all these shows, which were heavily advertised and promoted, not reaching closer to 100 punters at each gig? Two were on a Thursday night , so possibly the “ school night” factor played a part. The other show was on a Friday night though, so the school night factor wasn’t at play. Was it post lockdown hesitancy, reluctance to return to social situations

just yet? Both? At Moshpit, where the 4sqm rule inhibited the venue capacity to 25, INCLUDING band members, the movement to the 2sqm rule was very welcome and most of the gigs there have been well attended since then. Woy Woy’s Link and Pin has been able to operate with less restriction because all of their shows take place outdoors and most shows have been well patronised. Since I first had this article in mind, the situation has changed markedly as Omicron appears to be spreading rapidly, a situation not helped by the removal of mask mandates. QR codes and allowing unvaccinated persons greater freedoms. Over the last week, running up to Christmas, several gigs and festivals have been postponed or cancelled as yet again , the live music industry takes a hit. Venue owners, hospitality staff and musicians are choosing not to expose themselves to potential risk of illness and many have been identified as close or casual contacts of a person with Covid. NSW has reached the 3000 + daily cases mark and the only thing certain seems to be uncertainty.

Dancing of the highest calibre // Dance, Parties and Electronic

Lovejoy producer Jack Colquhoun previews the January/February dance scene, with his fingers and toes crossed that planned events can actually go ahead. www.urbanvillage.com.au

T’S been a hot minute, but as we slowly settle into a “new” normal of going out in our fair city, promoters are slowly sneaking their heads out of the few clubs that have survived & gesturing for people to come inside, albeit incredibly cautiously. This might feel a bit like Groundhog Day, given the last time we spoke was just as we got used to the last “new” normal. But we’re here, & we’re excited to distract ourselves from just about everything, with some top quality music among top quality company. So, let’s get straight to the point. At the time of writing this, there’s not all too much filling the calendar for January & Feb 2022, but the dancing occasions that have are of some of the highest calibre. To kick the year off Translate Sound are finally holding Lost In Translation. After postponing it due to the last lockdown, there’s been few events that have felt as momentous as this one. Like some kind of “real life” radar to let us know that everything is back to being alright, this is an evening sure to make you feel as such. The Eora-based crew responsible for building the much loved sound system of the same name, is still not one not to miss. A powerful lineup made up of Nectar’s Andy Garvey & DJ Scorpion, alongside Melbourne label Animalia’s founder Kia, & Canberra’s own Hei Zhi Ma, ‘Lost In Translation’ is hot property. I’ve still got my ticket. On January 15, Kato, legendary local DJ & promoter, is holding the first Sydney show of the much talked about Guy Contact. Responsible for one of the most widely loved & appreciated electronic records of 2021, ‘Drinking From The Mirage’ released on Melbourne’s Butter Sessions, this is one of the hottest dates on the dancing calendar thus far. Joined by the likes of Kato himself, aka Barney In The Tunnel, as well as rising stars Tangela & Reenie, Guy will

be gracing the stage at perhaps one of the most exciting venue developments in recent memory. The long forgotten Standard Bowl, once a thriving venue, then a kind of (?) bowling alley, has been redone with an outrageous looking sound system & decor makeover. I’m very excited to be back on Taylor Square with purpose, and even more excited to see where the venue goes with such a strong launch under its belt. In a moment of self-promotion, on January 28, I’m very happy to share that local promoters Lovejoy are returning for their first show in several months, again based at Rozelle›s Bridge Hotel. With doors opening at 11pm on Friday, and closing at midday Saturday, this is a long haul that while not for the feint of heart, couldn’t be a better hand to hold if you’re interested in getting your feet wet. With three rooms, including an all-in courtyard session from 9am - midday, Lovejoy’s Mass Affinity will play host to some of the country’s most exciting selectors. With Melbourne’s Chomley, Boiler Room alumni & rising star Caitlin Medcalf, Douglas Street mama bear Tangela, Velodrome Recordings’ PZ Specialist, Canberra name to watch Zara, Nomad Radio host Kendal, minimal master Raquel, soul queen Evie Weily & Lovejoy themselves, this is a stacked bill, if I do say so myself. Hope to see you there. In February, we’re back above Kinsela’s for a night of hard hitting techno with RAW X PACE. These two powerhouses of the local techno scene have dipped their hand across the sea, and been lucky enough to

bring the UK’s Rebekah here for a visit. The Standard›s brand new system is sure to be getting a workout from her, alongside the likes of Esteé Louder, Sveta & Zac Walls on the support. Finally, while it wasn’t meant to be the first time around, iso stream turned podcast series turned promoter Douglas Street is gracing us with their first event on February 19th, entitled RECESS. Sadly postponed in December due to the rise in COVID cases, this reschedule to late February has me chomping at the bit for what I know is on offer. With Merch, PZ Specialist, Lazy Susan & Andreas all footing a beautiful inaugural bill, we›re sure to be in good company come recess. Throw in the revered Prion Audio sound system, alongside the always astounding design work of OUROBOROS, this is truly the hottest ticket in town. While there’s plenty to choose from here, no matter what might tickle your fancy, there’s sure to be plenty more events popping up at a moment’s notice as we emerge from such a tumultuous summer break. & yes, it must also be said, that with the changing climate of our city, any or all of these events may be postponed or cancelled. Fingers & toes that it doesn’t come to that. Be sure to follow everyone on their social channels to keep up to date, & to show support. They need it now more than ever. Until next time, Jack

Lovejoy is the lovechild of Jack Colquhoun and Morgan Huggins – childhood best friends who rediscovered each other through a shared hunger for music and hedonistic hijinks. From bunkers to warehouses, found spaces to club nights, their shindigs have created an intimate community of dancers that places the music at its centre.

Music & Gigs 13

LOL. Sydney’s Comedy Scene is emerging from the lockdown. Get out there and have a laugh, says Angela Stretch.

don’t feel so confined as of yet. There are things I think about when I’m sitting home alone. If something in the future is cancelled, what is cancelled? What has really happened? Something that didn’t occur yet is now never going to occur at all. Does that qualify as an event? Most of us take life much too seriously and worry about all the wrong things: security, advancements, health and prosperity when we would be better of having a little more fun. Here we are on a big rock careering around a bright star. Do you ever stop to think about all this detail? Artists differ from each other in many ways, and stand-up comedy is a reactive conversation between the audience, and single microphone performer. Last year the Arts Council England had the last the laugh when they termed comedy as a form of theatre in their Cultural Recovery Fund. Stand-up was classified as a form of art. Less controversial is the growing trend for business schools integrating acts of improvisation into their professional

practice as a way to increase wellbeing and make something out of nothing. Humour is both a source of entertainment and a means of coping with difficult, or awkward situations and stressful events. It’s vital to understand the job comedy can do in actively providing a counterbalance to negative stereotypes. Making people laugh has the potential to make the joke teller feel a bit better, too. As of yet is simply stupid. As yet, I’ve seen no progress on events, but of course I’m thinking as of now. There are many replies you can make when you hear a statement you agree with: “Tell me about it.” I just did! And can humour, as comedy, change how we feel, what we think or even what we do? You know why I stopped eating processed foods? I began to picture the people who might be processing them. On that note, here’s a list of Sydney comedy nights. Get out there and laugh, heckle, and grab that open mike if you think you’re hilarious. You’ll soon find out if you are.

Wonderland Comedy at Wonderland Bar, photograph courtesy of Explore Hidden.

COMEDY NIGHTS: BonkerZ Comedy: Thursdays, 7.30pm Agincourt Hotel: $10 Giggle Pig: Every 3rd Tuesday, 7-8.30pm Giant Dwarf Theatre: $15 Harry’s Comedy: Mondays, 7.30pm Hotel Harry: $10 Magic Mic Comedy: Wednesdays, 7.30pm - Potts Point Hotel: FREE

Powerbomb Comedy: Saturdays, 7pm - Staves Brewery: $15 The Running Joke Comedy Club, Wednesdays, 8-10pm Mary’s Underground: $24 Underground Comedy Club, Every 2nd Thursday, 7.30-9.30pm The Imperial: $20 Wonderland Comedy: Tuesdays, 7.30-9.30pm Wonderland Bar

Keeping our Third Eye on Sydney. Each month Richard Snowden from Sydney label Third Eye Stimuli Records reports on new releases and events.

When long time fans sign one of their favourite acts

It was 2013 and Josh and I had returned to Austin Psych Fest (now called Levitation Festival) after the unforgettable experience we’d had the year prior. Third Eye Stimuli Records didn’t yet exist, but we were on a research trip of sorts. While the experience may have been hazed by a number of Lone Star Ales, I still remember the set. Their eyes squinting to better read the indicator lights of their extravagant pedal boards obscured by the afternoon Texan sun. The sound was huge, the crowd was feeling it. We were proud standing there in the dirt, front row, supporting our fellow Aussie psych contingent. Fast forward to the here and now and I’m revisiting their 2012 debut album ‘Plains’. Ten tracks, as relevant as ever. ‘Tidal Wave’, ‘Changing The Timeline’, ‘This City Is Coming Down’. Angsty, driving, infectious. They might be a few of my highlights, but with so much to unpack within their decadespanning back catalogue The Laurels have something for everyone, every mood and every occasion. Flowing vocals used as melodic motifs just as often as they provide textural conduit in their wall of sound, the relentless splashing drums bookended by dynamic fills, guitars that fuzz, jangle and echo off into some ethereal void. Tonal perfection. I didn’t know this until I read their bio, but the band actually formed way back in 2006. Side note: You won’t find their very first single ‘Art School Girl’ on Spotify, but a quick dig through

Youtube and you’ll have it spinning – and it’s worth it. These days keeping a group together for more than two years is admirable. To this day the band have been through a few lineup switches, had a handful of years apart and released two full length albums. They’ve toured internationally and played alongside the likes of Tame Impala, The Brian Jonestown Massacre, The Black Angels and Swervedriver. I’ve seen them perform live several times now and they’ve delivered a memorable, ear-shattering show every single time. What I see in The Laurels, above the genius arrangements, brilliant songwriting and powerful live performances is what they represent for underground music in the modern era. I see a band who simply creates the kind of music they enjoy listening to. They don’t follow a formula, a trend, or please bigwig A&R scouts (unless said scouts have great taste or a penchant for 90’s inspired music). I see a band who doesn’t need to score rotation on mainstream radio to play really awesome festivals on the other side of the globe. They’re an example of what any band could achieve if they can remain persistent and authentic. They’re now signed to Third Eye Stimuli, with a mastered album sitting on our drives and Josh and I couldn’t be more thrilled. Juicy details? Well, the album is called ‘Homecoming’, it has ten tracks and is marked in our calendar for a March release. I didn’t wish for this piece to become a press release for upcoming drops, and we’ll save the hype for those on our mail list or socials, but I will say that their new album has all the

Photo: tomwilkinson__

Local underground heroes The Laurels have a new label after their recent signing to Third Eye Stimuli. With a new album ready to drop, TES cofounder Rick Snowden reminisces about the Laurels not just as a new signing but as a long time fan.

makings of another cult package from The Laurels with modern production, vintage textures (tickling the fancy of an audio nerd such as myself) and their signature timeless guitar-lead approach. Birthed in Parliament Studios with help from producer Lachlan Mitchell, the setting allowed for some interesting instrumental experimentation and a neatly polished final product. If you haven’t yet heard them, singles ‘Sound System’, ‘Ex Sherpa’ and ‘Ten Thousand Years’ are up and streamable on all platforms and provide a solid introduction as to the feel of the record. Personally I think my favourites are yet to hit the airwaves, so exercise patience. With the live scene kicking back into gear, I strongly recommend getting to one of their upcoming shows. Bring plugs if you value your hearing, stand in the center of the room (equally spaced from the speakers) and soak it up. Oh, and keep an ear out for more details on this album. Until next time...

Rick Snowden - Third Eye Stimuli Records thirdeyestimuli.bandcamp.com Instagram: @third_eye_stimuli / @_the_laurels_

www.urbanvillage.com.au

14 Arts

Daughters, Sisters and Mothers. Australian women shaping Australian art

Angela Stretch delves into a major new book which tells the story of 156 women artists spanning the last 150 years who have made significant contributions to our culture.

ummer emerges from art history in Gwendolyn Grant’s Winter Sunshine, 1939 (fig. 1). A young female is poised on an outdoor porch between a red brick beam, plant barrel and magazine, in a moment hovering somewhere between early morning and eternity. Frontal, but barely swiveling to catch the light that streams along skin, she is the focal point of a composition remarkable for its balance and harmony. Positioned in a domestic exterior, her body itself with limbs bent is the link between the interior worlds of reading and the external objects of her environment. The personification of an artist’s story during a summer holiday in the early 20 th century is the inspiration for the title of a book that celebrates the pivotal role Australian women artists have had in shaping our modern culture. Odd Roads to be Walking: 156 Women who shaped Australian art spans 150 years of influential female artists who have made revolutionary changes in Australian society. ‘It was an odd road to be walking, this of painting. Out and out one went, farther and farther, until at last one seemed to be on a narrow plank, perfectly along, over the sea.’ This is a passage from the classic novel To the Lighthouse, (1927) by Virginia Woolf. It is an expression of the distance that exists between people as they are left to wonder what may have been, to examine the pieces and to find meaning in the light as an enigmatic metaphor for the preservation of life. For those of us living in holiday chaos, Grant’s young female is a representation of both personal and domestic peace. Serene and beautiful as she is, the painting offers a still point in a turning world, the centre of a vortex that expands outward to bathe in sunlight. Radiating between realities, she

ABOVE: Thea Proctor, The Rose, 1927, Woodcut, printed in black ink, hand-coloured on thin ivory laid tissue, 22.1 x 20.8 cm, Art Gallery New South Wales. 1975 AGNSW, Photo: Jenni Carter

resolves within her body, within her selfpossession and solitude. Almost all artistic practices mobilise visualisation and memory. Often artists also evoke the structures of the dream and historical narrative. Produced in a present moment, the resulting works often give tangible form to aspects of the past in ways that inspire thought, reflection. This harmonious balance between the public and the private, the internal and external was evident in Grant’s art criticism, which questioned conventions of art practices, encouraging feminist principles and ambition. Twelve of her portraits were finalists in the Archibald prize and in 1939, when she produced Winter Sunshine, she had two works hung in the finalists exhibition including a landscape painting in the Wynne Prize. The connection between meaning and power, and the attendant to sexual and cultural differences have corroborated

the relations of how culture is organised. Contemporary women artists engage the world around them by developing ways of working that document and express aspects of loss, trauma, and reconciliation or renewal. ‘Neither bohemian nor bushman, this generation created a new creative subjectivity from scratch: the modern woman artist’. Dr Catriona Moore, University of Sydney, writes in the book’s Foreword. The book functions as a meeting place for the many roads travelled by these notable women artists. Co-authored by two-regional medical professionals of Irish decent Paul Finucane and Catherine Stuart, the collection connects us with 156 meaningful intersections beyond the roles of daughter, wife and mother. “As these richly talented women gathered around their easels and shared their dining tables, their courage, energy and generosity shone through,” said Finucane. Emerging from an extraordinary history of community engaged contemporary art practice is a bold commitment to standing firm against the difficulties of not knowing the outcome. While our future is rooted in

FRIDAY NIGHTS in the GALLERY

until 10.00pm 28 JANUARY to 27 MAY 2022 EXHIBITIONS

SPECIAL ART DINNERS

MUSIC

LIFE DRAWING & MORE

Every Friday night we’ll present exciting events in conjunction with local businesses, including Acme Framing, Urban Village, Kurtosh, Crust and the Mega Gyros as part of City of Sydney’s 2022 Night Time Diversification Initiative. If you’d like an invitation to the openings, to attend a private art dinner or the life drawing sessions email:

guy@guymorgan.com or call (02) 8021 4781.

531 Crown St SURRY HILLS www.urbanvillage.com.au

local aesthetics and traditions, it is sensitive to time. The level of innovation in the work produced by these women extends exponentially as a collection.

A founding member of the Sydney Contemporary Group of 1926, Thea Proctor was instrumental in compositional design in fashion and decorative arts. For many years she had a studio in George Street, Sydney where she would occupy her interests that also extended to interior design and flower arrangements. Her woodcuts and linocuts are widely collected, the AGNSW is in ownership of 58 works. 300 illustrations have been selected, one of which is Proctor’s iconic, The Rose, 1927. The print is also featured in the Know My Name project, at the National Gallery of Australia. Lara Nicholls, is completing a PhD at the Australian National University on the professionalisation of British and Australian women artists (1885 – 1915), writes of the work, ‘The Rose beckons us to enjoy a fleeting moment of intimacy. Two women, their painted faces drawn together towards a plum-coloured rose, are surrounded by vivid garden flowers.’ Significant ideas of interest to artists in today’s changing environment is that of cultural distance and how the gaps in understanding between people, cultures and countries can be closer. The cacophony of ideas and information contribute to the ongoing reshaping of our perception of everyday life. The authors have partnered with the Sheila Foundation, and all profits from book sales will go to Sheila. Sheila was founded in 2019, following the release of the benchmark research on gender equality in the arts, Countess Report. Sheila has a mission to overturn decades of gender bias by writing Australian women artists back into our art history and ensuring equality for today’s women artists. Their philanthropic principle focus is to provide opportunities and support for contemporary women artists, one of their projects, Into the Light, is painting women back into our national archive. Odd Roads is available in Sydney at the following locations:

ABOVE: Gwendolyn Grant, Australia 1877-1968, Winter sunshine 1939, Oil on canvas, 71.8 x 61.5cm, Acc. 1:0266, Purchased 1939, Collection: Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art

AGNSW Shop S.H Ervin Gallery Woollahara Bookshop Gleebooks The Burns Bay Bookery Also, online bookstore www.oddroads.com.au

Exhibition Openings from 6.15pm: 28/1/22 25/2/22 25/3/22 22/4/22

LANDSCAPES ABSTRACTS & DECORATOR PORTRAITS & STUDIES NEBULA to be openied by Prof. FRED WATSON and coinciding with the start of Dark Sky Week.

20/5/22 PORTRAITS

Special Art Dinners from 6.30pm: 11/2/22 11/3/22 8/4/22 6/5/22

Prof. Shane Smithers & Tania Wursig TBC – Duncan Meerding & Imogen Yang TBC – Kim Leutwyler & Blak Douglas Artist Participants TBA

LIFE DRAWING from 7.00pm:

4/2, 18/2, 4/3, 18/3, 1/4, 15/4, 29/4, 13/5, 27/5.

To find out more visit www.guymorgan.com

Arts 15

Community and History Link at NAS Poetry

The Old Warden’s cottage on Burton Street opposite NAS was rented by art students in the past. Now, four NAS students are reprising that tradition, as Queenie Colquhoun reports.

TEENA MC CA RTHY Lecto Divina (Fait Relationship to JCCountry) For Brett Whiteley, Thirroul 2014 Place of black duck dreaming. Place of cabbage tree palms. Place of ancients – Wadi-Wadi humpies red and tin shed kangaroo and whale. The great white shark of that DH Lawrence is serenity, a hunt for sharper life and a resting for Brett. A dreaming site of magic men. Women splice their peace.

Photo: Peter Morgan

Teena McCarthy is a Barkindji Italian woman who is a descendant of the Stolen Generations. She is a visual artist and poet who works in painting, photography and performance art. Her work documents her family’s displacement and Aboriginal Australians’ loss of culture and their hidden history. Her book is Bush Mary, Cordite 2021. poetrysydney.org

“The last lockdown was really hectic, so we were just here making art every day. It was so good! Because now we have so much art.

OME to the former Darlinghurst Gaol, the National Art School has a rich history, both in its architecture, it’s students and the decades of art created at the school. Four NAS students have a unique link to that architectural history, living, and making art in the old Gaol Warden’s cottage directly across the road from the school. The original gaol was designed by the famous convict architect Francis Greenway and construction began in 1821. The building has been the home of the National Art School since 1922, so the school is approaching its centenary. Urban Village spoke with residents Brodie Cullen, Oliver Scherer, Oscar Sulich and Nima Ahmadian, one ex NAS student and three current students approaching their graduation.

Brodie says: “As soon as we met the real estate agent and he told us that this was the Warden’s cottage, we were keen. It wasn’t until we lived here for a few months that people told us that old art students used to live here. We found all these old sculptures in the backyard while we were cleaning it!” The housemates have found their creativity flourishing in their home environment. “It was definitely amplified by us living together. And living in a house where everyone is a painter, we constantly, and I think unintentionally spur each other on a drive each other to do better and do more, paint all the time, go in after hours. Especially in lockdown, it really came together” says Oliver. The most recent Sydney lockdown created a silver lining in the share house. Brodie adds: “The last lockdown was really

hectic, so we were just here making art every day. It was so good! Because now we have so much art.” The art produced reflected this sense of community created at NAS. Inspiration and materials of most of the student’s work were taken from NAS experiences, Darlinghurst bars, and local streets. Many of the pieces produced at NAS and at the Warden’s Cottage will be available for viewing and purchase at the National Art Schools Grad Shows in early 2022.

www.urbanvillage.com.au

16 Food & Drinks Photos: @JIMMYWONGEATS

RECIPE: KINGFISH CRUDO by jimmy wong

@jimmywongeats

JimmyWongEats The Surry-Hillian

S a food photographer, cook and the content creator, I couldn’t live or be more inspired than in Surry hills. Everyday is an adventure, exploring the exciting food & beverage scene, being pampered by the many wonderful small businesses that cater to my every whim and desires. If that is not enough, filling my day by discovering and enjoying the many quirky nooks, parks, arts and culture that make up this vibrant microcosm this Surry-Hillian calls home. As lockdowns fade into a distant memory, Surry Hills is back in business and our businesses need your support. Come and enjoy our many restaurants, cafes and bars. Don’t forget to treat yourself with your Dine and Discover vouchers at most of our venues. Walking down the streets you will also see that many of the venues have collaborated with the City Of Sydney to create the additional

external streetside seating areas, creating a safer environment and giving you a truly Urban Village experience. Living here also means cooking alot at home. When cooking, I tend to generate more food scraps than I want to. One kitchen hack that I have been obsessed with is with vegetable scraps. If not using it to make stocks, you can simply put the scraps in a large pot and fill with water. After a few hours, use the strained water on your plants, watch them grow! After so many months of solitude, having friends over has been something I have really enjoyed. I get a kick out of cooking for my friends and I try to capture clean flavours with a textural element to many of my recipes. I have an easy recipe of Kingfish Crudo with potato hay and chili threads to share with you. Delightfully fresh and super easy to make for your next get-together.

Kingfish Crudo with potato hay and chili threads

Dab potatoes dry with paper towels and fry in oil until golden brown.

Ingredients 200g Kingfish sashimi ½ tsp Lemon zest 1 tsp Chives Pinch of Chili threads Pinch of Sea salt 1 tsp Dashi 1 tbsp Lemon infused virgin olive oil 1 tsp Chardonnay vinegar 1 Potato 1 cup canola oil for frying

For the kingfish crudo, slice the kingfish loin into 3-5 mm thickness. Place in a medium sized bowl. Add finely chopped chives, lemon zest and seasalt. Finally add the dashi, chardonnay vinegar and lemon infused virgin olive oil and gently toss through the kingfish. Note, lemon infused virgin olive oil can be replaced with virgin olive oil and lemon juice. The chardonnay vinegar can be replaced by white wine vinegar

Method For the potato hay, heat oil in a small pot to 180°c. Peel and run the potato through a fine spiralizer or japanese mandoline with the fine julienne blade.

To plate, place the kingfish in a small overlapping flower pattern on a plate. Top with potato hay sprinkled with chili threads and sea salt and serve immediately.

For this and more recipes, head to JimmyWongEats.com

www.urbanvillage.com.au

Food & Drinks 17

Essence of your suburb, in your gin glass A unique distilling project creates signature gins from local botanicals, with some of the revenue going back into the community, as Lachlan Colquhoun reports.

OT many Annandale residents would know that the suburb’s native vegetation comprises black and white mulberries, native lemongrass and pineapple sage, but that is what a lot of them are drinking this holiday season in their exclusively made bottles of Ginnandale gin. Along with a twist of Seville Orange, the batch of 600 bottles of Ginnandale has almost sold out and already Christian Young and his partners in the Lowe Howe Island Distilling Company are planning for next year, as well as creating signature gins using botanicals from the Inner West, Mt Colah and Mosman. The story goes back to when Annandale resident Young lost his job in IT in 2021. After a few beers commiserating and pondering his next move, he casually asked a friend if he thought other Annandale residents would buy a gin made from local botanicals, with a portion of the revenues given to a good local cause. The friend said why not and from one single post on a local neighbourhood Facebook page the idea took off and all of a sudden Ginnandale was the must have drink for Christmas and New Year. Young already had a history in brewing and distilling. He has a connection with

Lord Howe Island from regular summers there with his family, and had created the Lord Howe island Distilling Company and a Brewing Company, both of which have won awards. For the Annandale project, Young approached the White Creek Community Garden and the Rozelle Bay Community Native Nursery to talk about sourcing appropriate native botanicals. “Once they understood we weren’t going to take every piece they had, and that we only needed a few handfuls they were in,” says Young. The first run of 400 bottles sold out so quickly that another 200 were produced, all of them personally delivered by Young or his wife. From those sales, around $3000 was given to the community organisations which look after White’s Creek. A similar project in Mt Colah, where Young’s sister lives, is giving to the local firefighting organisations and the concept is that a percentage of all revenues will go back into relevant community organisations and projects. The gin itself is distilled on a contract basis in St Peters, so it doesn’t travel far at all from creation to the consumer.

Young created the gin project as a “side hustle”, but given its success and his prospects of resuming his IT career he’s planning on giving the distilling and brewing a good go. On Lord Howe Island he and his partner plan to set up a gin school, where visitors can forage for botanicals in the morning and then learn about gin making and drink the results. “There are 114 endemic botanicals that don’t occur anywhere else on the planet,” he says. “We’ve started to use them but there are plenty more that we haven’t.” Lord Howe Island has been closed for 11 months out of the last two years due to Covid, while the rest of Australia has also spent much time in lockdown. Hoping that 2022 will see more of a return to normal, Young and his partners are looking forward to getting their unique business moving in 2022. “We are really looking forward to bring more of these projects to life,” he says.

Each month Sophie Otton, proprietor of ‘She Loves You’ bar in Newtown, offers a suggestion on a new drink to try.

I Sophie’s Drink of the Month

Martinis. Are they really ‘as perfect as a sonnet’. Some top quality Australian gin can help.

N the history of cocktails and bartending, the martini occupies a hallowed place. Immortalised in films and novels, eulogised by the rich and famous, it really has no peer. Its magic moves people to poetry, but is it really ‘as perfect as a sonnet’? Gin and vermouth, what’s all the buzz about? Look a little closer. The martini’s allure comes from the apparent contradiction of it being both powerful and subtle. The power comes from two ounces of virtually unadulterated gin. That’s quite a kick. The subtlety lies in the botanicals that infuse the spirit, delicate and understated. This is a killer combination that requires particular attention in its preparation. Think balance, temperature and dilution. The addition of 10mls of white, light vermouth to the gin produces a dry martini, more vermouth makes it ‘wetter’, less makes it very dry. A drop or two of bitters can work too. That’s sufficient, but instead of bitters, you can also add 10mls of olive brine, making it ‘dirty’ if you like, and vary that depending on your preference. What isn’t negotiable is temperature. It’s vital the martini is as cold as possible. It’s helpful therefore to chill the glass, mixing jug and even the gin itself if you can. The ice must be very cold, hard and dry and preferably in big chunks, which melt more slowly. Dilution is a factor, but it needs to be controlled. Too much and the power of the gin dissipates. Mix to your preferred ratio, add the ice and stir it down. Strain into the frosty glass and garnish, either an olive or a twist, take your pick.

Australian Christmas Gin Recommendations Lantana Gin Redridge, Queensland Distilled from wild fermented sugar cane and infused with lantana and finger lime (amongst others). Savoury shrub and bracken-like notes invite a dirty dash of olive brine. Garnish with a Mount Zero blonde kalamata. www.lantanagin.com.au mgc The Melbourne Gin Company Yarra Valley, Victoria This ‘Dry Gin’ has a wonderful complexity with

rounded depth and balance. Made using eleven botanicals including sandalwood and angelica root, finish with a twist of orange. www.melbournegincompany.com Süd Polaire Antarctic Dry Spirit Hobart, Tasmania ‘Glacial’ as its name suggests, triple-distilled and vapour infused with ten botanicals including grapefruit and pepper berries. The purity of this gin instinctively calls for a lemon twist. www.sudpolaire.com

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18 Columns & Community On the bright side

To look or to be wealthy, that is the question

Photo: Rob Harley

By Annette Tolhurst

he last two years have obviously been challenging for many small businesses. Fortunately, one of the benefits of being part of a group like Keep Your Local Alive is that you also get to hear the positive stories of people who have been able to pivot during lockdowns. So I thought this was a good time to raise a glass-half-full to thinking of Tommy’s and Arm’s Length for the very welcome takeaway margueritas and to First Drop, Café Bedda and Arthurs of Surry Hills for the delicious picnic hampers which appeared just at the right time. Who could forget The Weekend of Picnics, just as we were first able get together again in

groups outdoors, when it seemed every inch of Centennial Park, Moore Park was covered with checked blankets! Congratulations to those who started new businesses after losing jobs (Ross & his mates brought us Nashville Hot Chicken at Super Nash Brothers) or found new opportunities to collaborate (Buku Eatery with Klay Creations and Argy’s Tailor with charity Keith’s Closet). And please put your constantly sanitised hands together for those who decided to take the chance to turn their passion into a business, including Rhiannon Dale, a marine biologist with a fascination for nature who started making and selling beautiful jewellery.

If nothing else COVID has forced many of us to rethink long-held habits, to slow down and be a little more appreciative of the community we live in and think a bit more about the local businesspeople whose services we previously might have taken for granted. When I first started Keep Your Local Alive, I had no idea the group would still be needed this many months later. I don’t have a crystal ball for 2022 but after hearing from so many clever people in our community I’m confident we will meet any new challenges COVID throws our way. I would be keen for the takeaway cocktails to hang around though!

A dog’s Christmas in Redfern

FINANCE COLUMNIST GLEN HARE DISHES THE FINANCIAL TRUTH TO THOSE SUFFERING ‘SIX FIGURE SECURITY’.

YDNEY, I’ve got some bad news. You’re not as wealthy as you think you are. I mean, sure, there’s a lot of cash flying around. Flash bars, flash cars, it’s all very exciting until you look under the hood and realise most of the people around you are flat broke. They’ve got a six-figure salary, yet still can’t afford the repayments on the four maxed out credit cards they used to pay for Mykonos in 2019 – never mind the ridiculous loan for that brand new BMW (that’s already lost $20k in value). What is going on here? Who are we trying to impress? I’m not going to tell you that breakfast out once per week or takeaway coffee en route to the office will send you broke. We all know that’s rubbish. Do you want to know what will, though? Spending $36 per class at the gym, dropping $300+ weekly on ‘drinks’ and a brand-new outfit every time you step out the front door. There’s a lot of sympathy spent

in central and eastern Sydney for the malnourished, unrefined Western Suburbs and those supposedly condemned to live there, yet owner occupation rates in Blacktown are close to DOUBLE those in Surry Hills, Potts Point and Bondi Beach. Who’s really disadvantaged here? There’s a crisis looming in many of the Inner City’s trendy enclaves I call “six figure insecurity”. That is, professionals who’re earning the big bucks but still living pay cheque to pay cheque. They’ve all the potentials in the world but peeing it down the drain for the sake of looking wealthy. My question to them is always the same – is it worth it? What’s going to happen when the music stops and all that’s left is a pair of fallen apart Yeezy’s, car that’s more than halved in value and the rental receipts for an expensive apartment in Potts Point? IG: @Glenharefinancial

Editor Lachlan Colquhoun Words Tess Schofield-Peters, Queenie Colquhoun, Angela Stretch, Sophie Otton,

R www.urbanvillage.com.au

Emma Stubley, Jimmy Wong, Richard Snowden, Keith Claringbold, Jack Colquhoun, Lachlan Colquhoun

edfern resident Lottie Dog Colquhoun was showered with gifts by adoring family and friends this Christmas. In addition to some carefully selected delicious treats, Lottie also enjoyed receiving some spectacular bling, a gold chain which matches one worn by her owner. Look out for Lottie as she tears up the Redfern and Surry Hills pavements in style in 2022.

Images Rob Harley, Jimmy Wong Advertising Sacha Newell Design & Layout Jarren Gallway Design Publisher Urban Village Media Pty Ltd | ABN 68 623 934 609 Email info@urbanvillage.com.au Mail PO Box 644 Surry Hills NSW 2010 | ISSN 2208-6242

Urban Village is published by Urban Village Media Pty Ltd with co-operation from the Surry Hills Creative Precinct, Potts Point Partnership and the Darlinghurst Business Partnership. Our purpose is to strengthen relationships and co-operation between the business community, residents, visitors and workers of Surry Hills, Darlinghurst, Potts Point and the surrounding neighbourhoods. While all efforts are made to ensure information is accurate, Urban Village Media and our co-operating chamber partners, take no responsibility for errors or omissions.

Business Profiles 19

Partner Content

New restaurant at Rydges Sydney Central creates new dining destination Sydney Brewery Surry Hills, located within the Rydges Sydney Central hotel in Albion Street has proven to be very popular with visitors and locals, and the hotel will become even more of a food & beverage destination with the opening of a new restaurant. By

Lachlan Colquhoun

HE first floor space is being transformed into Manna Loft, a new restaurant experience under the direction of Executive Chef Kevin Weng. With a focus on fresh produce and exquisite cocktails, the family friendly Manna Loft will be open in the evenings from Thursdays to Saturdays from early February 2022. Under the ownership of Dr Jerry Schwartz, Rydges Sydney Central has become more than a haven for visitors. The Brewery has made it a local destination and landmark and it has become a go-to watering hole for residents and workers from nearby offices and residents. Only a short walk from Central Station, it’s a great spot for a casual lunch or after work drinks, where you can watch the brewers at work while you sip on fresh brews, enjoy amazing pub food, live music from local bands and DJs and take home a fresh growler of Sydney’s best beer. Just up the stairs from Sydney Brewery, Manna Loft will be a sophisticated addition to Rydges’ offerings, giving both guests and local residents a fresh new dining option. Grant Melville, the General Manager at Rydges Sydney Central, says Manna Loft is a natural extension of the success the hotel has found in the Brewery. “The Brewery has worked really well for us, and it has been a mixing spot for out of towners, locals and people from

the creative industries who work in our neighbourhood,” he says. “Up until now our upstairs space has been used for buffet breakfast and Meetings & Events, but we’ll be completely transforming the space to become one of the best new eateries in Surry Hills”. “The idea is that guests can continue to come into the brewery for a few drinks and then, as they get hungry, there will be a great new dining option for them just up the stairs,” says Mr Melville. The Sydney Brewery has already been well recognised for its quality beers, with a string of awards in 2021 including

Champion Beer in Show (Pilsner) and Champion Small/Medium Brewery at the Royal Queensland Food and Wine Show. The Sydney Brewery also recently took home 25 medals at the Sydney Royal Beer and Cider Show including 6 gold. With Manna Loft, the team at Rydges Sydney Central think they are on to another winner.

Rydges Sydney Central 28 Albion Street, Surry Hills www.rydges.com/rydgessydneycentral

Only a short walk from Central Station, it’s a great spot for a casual lunch or after work drinks, where you can watch the brewers at work while you sip on fresh brews, enjoy amazing pub food, live music from local bands and DJs and take home a fresh growler of Sydney’s best beer.

Rasoi Indian Lays Down the Challenge By

Queenie Colquhoun

Ashish Rana believes his restaurant offers the best Indian food in Sydney and wants the public to test it and see if he’s right.

ANA and his team have recently opened Rasoi Indian Restaurant at Zetland and have hit the ground running. This is the second Rasoi restaurant to open after the first in Wagga Wagga, which since its opening six years ago has developed a devoted customer base in the regional city. It has also enabled the Rasoi team to refine and hone their recipes based on customer feedback. “We want our customers to come and have the best experience possible,” says Rana. “We welcome feedback, and we’re always looking to see how we can improve ourselves for our customers.” Ashish comes from a strong chef background, as well as working in hotel management. In India, he built a wealth of experience over six years working as a chef for some of the country’s best hotel companies. Ashish’s cousin Jaspal Rawat, the owner of Rasoi Wagga Wagga, also has over a decade of experience, meaning that the two have hit the Sydney restaurant with an impressive arsenal of knowledge and passion.

Rasoi offers a large variety of food, offering a more Australian friendly take on Indian cuisine, which Ashish describes more like the type of Indian food one would find in the UK. Ashish says: “For those new to Indian food, we can suggest certain spice levels, certain dishes for first time customers to try and when they feel settled, they can explore further.” Rasoi are also happy to go beyond the menu. “We can go out of the way to do certain things for customers… If there is another dish that the customer wants but isn’t on the menu, if we can do it, we’ll make that for them” says Ashish. Rasoi Indian Restaurant comprises a passionate team who love their customers and what they do. Ashish is excited to start launching Weekly Specials within the next month, creating an exciting assortment of meals across a more varied menu. He is confident that Rasoi Indian will deliver the best Indian cuisine in the area, and perhaps in Sydney, and wants customers to put him to the test. “We want everyone to know that if you want Indian food, the best you’ll ever get is at Rasoi Indian,” says Ashish. Rasoi Indian Restaurant 30 Gadigal Avenue Zetland ph. 96622277

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Surry Hills Children’s Services We aim to inspire the children in our care to be creative and to enjoy discovery and learning!

A small family-oriented Long Day Care and Preschool located in a state-of-the-art purpose-built facility accommodating up to a maximum of 25 children.

Enrol Now Go to: childrenservices.shnc.org/expresions-of-interest or call us on 9331 8409 to book a visit

Surry Hill s Children’s Services

405 Crown St, Surry Hills, NSW W: childrenservices.shnc.org P: 9331 8409

Provided by the Surry Hills Neighbourhood Centre. Proudly serving the community for over 40 years.