Thursday, December 8, 2011

Woman’s Day Miss Country Girl Australia 2011 - SFS On-board for the Final

Woman's Day Miss Country Girl Australia 2011, thirty finalists, thirty Australian country girls putting their hopes on the line.. I am certainly getting the feeling that the beauty pageant has returned to Australia and is here to stay for the immediate future at least.

Yes this pageant has cast its net very wide indeed to let the girls who are not closeted in the city; a chance for country girls to shine and perhaps be the next Miranda Kerr, a country girl herself; top modelling talent is out there!

This was a very well run show (other than the inclusion of the very annoying steady cam operator who was everywhere-all-the-time); how so many young contestants managed this hours long final with its pretty complex E-on-its-back runway is a mystery to me but they did and they did it well. Or perhaps it had something to do with family support which I am pleased to say was very much in evidence on the night.

It is tough on the contestants, you do have to put your heart and hopes on the line. Congratulations to winner Belinda Adams and all the contestants; you are all winners in Street Fashion Sydney's eyes! I am very much looking forward to following the careers of those who made it through (and some who will make their own way). And I am equally looking forward to Miss Country Girl Australia in 2012.

Contestants before the final,  Woman’s Day Miss Country Girl Australia 2011 600-MCGA_Adj_21

Katie Jones Woman’s Day Miss Country Girl Australia 2011_26

Opera House in background, Woman’s Day Miss Country Girl Australia 2011 _110

Karlee O’Donnell Winner 2010 Miss Country Girl Australia 2010_5193_62

Picture by Soyoun Kim, 600-CountryModel14

Woman’s Day Miss Country Girl Australia 2011 Casual Wear, 600-MCGA_Adj_5251_119

Casual Wear, Woman’s Day Miss Country Girl Australia 2011 j_5280_148

Picture by Soyoun Kim 600-CountryModel13

Bikini Round, Woman’s Day Miss Country Girl Australia 2011_223

Bikini Round, Woman’s Day Miss Country Girl Australia 2011_252

Contestant in gown, final stage, Woman’s Day Miss Country Girl Australia 2011_307

Winner Belinda Adams in her Gown, Woman’s Day Miss Country Girl Australia 2011_270

Winners Group Photograph, Woman’s Day Miss Country Girl Australia 2011_387

Winners Group Photograph, Woman’s Day Miss Country Girl Australia 2011 _391

Belinda Adams, Winner Woman’s Day Miss Country Girl Australia 2011

The Adams, Winners Parents, Woman’s Day Miss Country Girl Australia 2011_Adj_5538_405Winners Parents, Mr & Mrs Adams.

Contestand and Mum, Woman's Day Miss Country Girl Australia 2011_396

Family Portrait runner up, Woman’s Day Miss Country Girl Australia 2011_402
All pictures copyright Kent Johnson and Soyoun Kim 2011 for Street Fashion Sydney.

Miss Country Girl Australia
www.misscountrygirlaustralia.com.au

Woman's Day www.womansday.ninemsn.com.au

Chic Management www.chicmanagement.com.au

Scoop Management www.scoopmanagement.com.au

Sea Folly www.seafolly.com

Forever New www.forevernew.com.au

Friday, December 2, 2011

Street Fashion Sydney's Photography & Art Roundup, Nov-Dec 2011

Looking at photography and art over the last 4 weeks; or something like that...

Well I clearly did not make it to every photography show in town in the last month but I did make it to a few and some other art events as well including Elodie Silberstien's White Ribbon Day performance piece which I had the pleasure of shooting the promotional photographs for..

But lets go back to the 11 11, always an important calandar day (forget fashion parades at Northies...) and the launch date for what I think it would be fair to call the most recent installment in North Sullivan's ongoing urban/community portrait project. This time titled 'Doorstop Portraits in Glebe' it was a porch project incorporating the immediate architecture or the 'sitters' front porch or veranda; all shot on an iPhone 4 (!!!) and beautifully printed. I have long admired much of the council housing of the Glebe area and North has captured this architecture as beautifuly as he has the residents themselves. Some of the shots are a wee tad on the sentimental side but what can I say, they work! Lovingly crafted community projects like this is something Sydney needs more of. You can still see much of the show online here, 'Doorstop Portraits in Glebe'.

North Sullivan Portrait Show

Next up I attended 'Round 2' A.R.P Artists Residency Program on Oxford Street. I am becoming a big fan of Rachel Park's work since first seeing her installation piece at SNO in 2010. lets face it anyone who can use that much toilet paper is MORE than a legend in their own bathroom and Rachel is taking it to the world!

I can't say I felt the same about Anna Laerkesen's photographs from her 'Strangelands' series, one of which you can see reflected in the mirror in the gallery shot below. It was the first of two occasions reported here where I was quite deeply conflicted over what I saw, on this occasion a fairly low technical quality & inconsistency of approach to the photography that seemed to undermine the artist's intent. Or perhaps it was just me... How can you love waving toilet paper and be deeply conflicted over a few photographic prints? Well it's all in how you look at it.
Photography and Art Patrons at Round 2 A.R.P Artists Residency Program Oxford Street _4875_815

I also took a look at Cherine Fahd's laneway text art which scopes about a modern paranoia; of course there were a few jokes made at the arts expense but I suspect Cherine would have been quite OK with that.
03 Cherine Fahd, Fear Of Parking..

04  Rachel Park at ARP Oxford Street 600-RachParkj_4869_809

On 26th November as part of White Ribbon day Memorium #2. This would have to be one of the first times where part of the art was the delivery of information about the death of women (and some men) from domestic violence! The procession began with Patricia rather aptly singing Summertime (and the living is easy) from Porgy & Bess "...It deals with his attempts to rescue Bess from the clutches of Crown, her violent and possessive lover, and Sportin' Life, the drug dealer."
05_ Elodie Silberstein, Memorium #2 performance Newtown _4961_901

06_ Elodie Silberstein and Patricia Alvarez Memorium #2 performance St Stephens  600-Adj_823

07_  Memorium #2 performance St Stephens Newtown _4972_912

08_Elodie Silberstein and Patricia Alvarez Memorium #2 performance St Stephens 4888_828

Next was Dan Stock's 'Echoes of Unknown Thought' at index space; large prints of Dan's photographs of rare (mostly military use) Valves; which for those of you unfamiliar with the history of electronics were the larger less stable precursor to the transistor-which eventually made portable computing possible! And this was the second look-at-photography this month that left me feeling a little uncomfortable with the technical side of the art process.

Still I got more of an impression that Dr Dan Stock was more of a fan of the Valve and the giant (or fairly large) prints were more of an Homage, a bloody big fanzine to 'The Valve' which was great as I am quite a big fan myself! Not to mention is was nice to talk to someone who knows that William Shockley (along with John Bardeen and Walter Houser Brattain) invented the first-world-powerhouse, the Transistor. And that Steve Jobs actually invented nothing at all...
09_Dan Stock's artist Portrait at solo show, Echoes of Unknown Thought

10_Alex Wisser portrait, solo show at MOP Gallery _5035_975

And on Friday night I attended Alex Wisser's first solo at MOP gallery in Chippendale. Alex's large scale giclée prints were as beautiful and intoxicating as the works themselves; empty rooms, a distant past 'found' in the present as these homes were placed on the market.

The A.R.P., Dan Stock's, and Alex Wisser shows are on NOW!

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Sydney Lingerie & Swimwear Launch, Freya, Fantasie, elomi, FAUVE - Up to JJ & K Cup Sizing

You might as well call this blog the 'Cityrail-blog' for the next week or so as all posts are behind-schedule and very definitely, out-of-timetable-order. Oh the hardship of the commuters life in Sydney!

But what the on earth could have possessed me to leave this fab Freya, FANTASIE, elomi, FAUVE lingerie & swimwear post on the back-burner for the past 2 to 3 weeks? Well I have been busy (yawn) and I have had a devilishly slow computer. Or is that a dervish-ly possessed computer that has had me spinning round-and-round - never mind I have come to my senses and here is what Kat & I saw at that Freya FAUVE FANTASIE and elomi launch which also spun us both round and round and round...

Sydney Lingerie & Swimwear Launch, Freya, Fantasie, elomi, FAUVE to JJ cup size 600_4334

Sydney Lingerie & Swimwear Launch, Freya, Fantasie, elomi, FAUVE to JJ cup  600b_4441

Sydney Lingerie & Swimwear Launch, Freya, Fantasie, elomi, FAUVE to JJ cup size 600_4363

Sydney Lingerie & Swimwear Launch, Freya, Fantasie, elomi, FAUVE to JJ cup  600b_4375

Sydney Lingerie & Swimwear Launch, Freya, Fantasie, elomi, FAUVE to JJ cup size 600_4355

Sydney Lingerie & Swimwear Launch, Freya, Fantasie, elomi, FAUVE to JJ cup size 600_4377

Sydney Lingerie & Swimwear Launch, Freya, Fantasie, elomi, FAUVE to JJ cup size 600_4351

Sydney Lingerie & Swimwear Launch, Freya, Fantasie, elomi, FAUVE to JJ cup size 600_4411

Sydney Lingerie & Swimwear Launch, Freya, Fantasie, elomi, FAUVE to JJ cup size Blue, 600_4408

Sydney Lingerie & Swimwear Launch, Freya, Fantasie, elomi, FAUVE to JJ cup size Red 600_4399
Sydney Lingerie & Swimwear Launch, Freya, Fantasie, elomi, FAUVE to JJ cup size 600_4427

Sydney Lingerie & Swimwear Launch, Freya, Fantasie, elomi, FAUVE to JJ cup  600b_4391

Fortunately I had the company of Miss Katerina Roth again & as always bow to her superior knowledge of all things under the outerwear. Both our opinions on the quality and style of what we saw was reinforced while chatting with Janine from Eveden Group after the show and it went a little like this; Quality, Fit, Quality, Fit; and of course beautiful and fabulous styles! And all this in real womens sizes; for, you know, real women! Apparently they did have some trouble finding the right /real sized models for the parade; but as you can see they triumphed in the end.

Thanks Eveden & Symbol PR for having Street Fashion Sydney again at a simply fabulous Sydney launch. And girls, ladies, women; click those links at the top of the page to visit the lingerie brand websites to see all the styles sizing and fitting information.

Elodie Silberstein, Patricia Alvarez - MEMORIUM #2

MEMORIUM #2

Performance 3pm to 4pm
26th November 2011

Camperdown Cemetery
189 Church Street
Newtown 2042

Free admission but RSVP essential:
elodiesilberstein@westnet.com.au

Memorium #2 White Ribbon Day, Silberstein and Patricia Alvarez , B&W PR Shot

http://elodiesilberstein.blogspot.com/
www.elodiesilberstein.com

Press Release

From 3pm to 4pm on the 26th November, a limited audience will take part in a Victorian funeral procession orchestrated by artists Elodie Silberstein and Patricia Alvarez in Camperdown Cemetery. As would have occurred during a mourning ceremony in the 19th century, the audience will receive a black rosette to wear and mourning cookies to share.

Memorium #2 is to be a part of White Ribbon Day, the Australian campaign which seeks to prevent violence against women. The project investigates the mortality rate arising from domestic violence in the developed world. Intimate partner homicides account for one-fifth of all homicides in Australia. Of these, four out of five involve a man killing his female partner.

http://www.whiteribbon.org.au/uploads/media/Fact%20Sheet%205%20Facts%20and%20Figures%20What%20is%20violence%20against%20women%202009.pdf

During the remembrance ceremony, Elodie Silberstein will position a clay sculpture in the cemetery; this sculpture will steadily decay and in so doing will raise issues of loss, rituality, humanity and collective responsibility. The highlight of the event will be the singing performance of Patricia Alvarez.

During her creative process, Elodie photographed historic cemeteries such as Cimetière du Père Lachaise (France) and La Recoleta cemetery (Argentina). She collected pearl memorial flowers; and post-mortem photography which was used to help people cope with grief. This theatrical celebration of death shows a drastic contrast with that of the contemporary post modern pragmatic and individualist society in which death has disappeared from the familial and social spheres to move into the medical one. Elodie’s creative process is documented on her blog: http://elodiesilberstein.blogspot.com/.

Patricia described the project as “a wonderful opportunity to honour death and the cyclical nature of life. Although the subject matter is sombre and sorrowful, to lead a procession that commemorates life and death is a noble act. The sharing of ritual immortalises the intangible and is a reaffirmation to those that have died, that we too will die, and perhaps see them again. To grieve with others, acknowledges and unifies our connection to nature, and how in life, death is an eternal phenomena”.

Memorium #2 White Ribbon Day, Silberstein and Patricia Alvarez Colour PR Shot

Photography by Kent Johnson

Sunday, October 2, 2011

Icon Brand - Hunky Dory - Pieces of Nowhere - Social Club !~)

Hip, Happening, with some restrained hipsterism meets surf culture (?) and inner city cool. Sure that's an unlikely culture-combo but the Icon boys seem to know how to make it happen. Or to put it another way, the Pieces of Nowhere, Icon Brand HS11 launch went off. As it did last time only this time more so! Yes its been a while since I went out and enjoyed myself quite like this.

So part in homage to the previous post 'its a mans world' I started this post with a series of portraits from the night, some of the people you may recognise, yes I'm sure you will. AND I am having a little Icon Brand giveaway-see the bottom of the page...

 Icon Brand Launch; Self Portrait, Hunky Dory Social Club Darlinghurst A_600-CrpAdj_3907

Portrait with Blonde Hair & Fur Coat, Icon Brands at Hunky Dory Social Club Darlinghurst B_600-Final-V5_3954

Portrait, with Black tee & facial expression , Icon Brands at Hunky Dory Social Club Darlinghurst C_600-Final_3958

Portrait, stripped orange top, Icon Brand at Hunky Dory Social Club Darlinghurst D_600-Adj_3953

The Doctor Radio JJJ Australia Portrait, Icon Brand at Hunky Dory Social Club Darlinghurst

 Bridgemary Kiss guitarist, Portrait with Mustache and Brown print shirt , Icon Brand at Hunky Dory Social Club Darlinghurst F_600-Adj_3955

Portrait in Profile, Icon Brand at Hunky Dory Social Club Darlinghurst G_600-V2_3957


And the bands played on, Jack Dawson, The Money Smokers - who seem'd to channel Mick Jagger and Angus 'Bon Scott' (lived and Drank) Young together..(last shot below). And Bridgemary Kiss all playing the very cool Darlinghurst rooftop venue, Hunky Dory Social Club!

Rooftop Gig, Hunky Dory Club,Jack Dawson plays for Icon Brand launch Pieces of Nowhere 2011 H_600-Band-4-upAdj_3937

 Pieces of Nowhere Band & Crowd, Icon Brand at Hunky Dory Social Club Darlinghurst I_600-Adj_3980

Photographers, Icon Brands launch  Pieces of Nowhere,  at Hunky Dory Social Club Darlinghurst J_600-Adj_3947

Icon Brands  Pieces of Nowhere Goodie Bags at Hunky Dory Social Club Darlinghurst K_600Adj_3912

Roof top Crowd, Icon Brand,  Pieces of Nowhere at Hunky Dory Social Club Darlinghurst L_600-Adj_3984

Icon Brand, Pieces Of Nowhere 2011 The Money Smokers play at Hunky Dory Social Club Darlinghurst. M_600CrpAdj_3965

If you see someone in the portrait shots you know, please get them to drop me a line; I think these shots may have a future well beyond this brief blog post. And- well, you-know; its nice to have a name on the picture if you get it hung in a major exhibition.. Well it would not be the first time!

Thanks to all the guys from Icon Brand, I don't know how you do it but do it you do! And thanks to the bands and DJs and the friendly barmen with the Sol beer and, well I din't try the Rekorderlig Cider but it looked very popular. and thanks guys for the goodie bag; mine contained not one but two little camera on chains! I cannot possibly wear two so I am giving one of the little cameras on a chain away, perfect for photographers; see T&C below.

Icon Brand
Jack Dawson
The Money Smokers
Bridgemary Kiss
Hunky Dory Social Club
Icon Brand on FB

All you have to do is 'like' my page and leave a comment under the Icon brands picture 'where you can buy Icon brand'. I will put your names in a hat at the end of the week (Sat 8th) and pull out a winner!



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