IN Masters

If you’re not a regular visitor to the Art Gallery of Western Australia, it’s time to change your habits. A collection of art’s modern masterpieces are spending the rest of the year in our city.

When was the last time you visited the art gallery? Reckon there’s nothing there for you?

Well, think again – especially when an exhibition of 20th century masters from New York’s Museum of Modern Art goes up on the walls.

The exhibition, called Picasso to Warhol: Fourteen Modern Masters, will feature more than 100 modern masterpieces by 14 of the most iconic artists of the last century. Ranging from Pablo Picasso to Andy Warhol the exhibition will also include celebrated works by Henri Matisse, Constantin Brancusi, Piet Mondrian, Fernand Léger, Marcel Duchamp, Giorgio De Chirico, Joan Miró, Alexander Calder, Louise Bourgeois, Jasper Johns, Jackson Pollock and Romare Bearden.

“These exhibitions are about making people feel comfortable in this space,” effuses Dr Stefano Carboni, the director of the Art Gallery of Western Australia. “Art is not for the elite. It’s not about not knowing anything but just being able to look at things. It’s about your personal feelings and reactions to a work of art.

“Whether you think it’s good or bad, any kind of reaction already means that you are in tune with it. You don’t necessarily need the help of experts to enjoy it because art is for everybody.”

Opening next month, the exhibition is a collaboration between the Art Gallery of Western Australia and The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) and is the first of six exclusive exhibitions from New York to be seen in Perth over the next three years. They will include a landscapes and still life show, iconic photography of New York, contemporary art through digital media, a design collection devoted to kitchenware featuring a complete kitchen, and post-impressionist masterpieces.

“The initial idea behind the collection is that instead of having a major show or an important international show every few years we would try to engage with a single institution once a year. In this case the public of WA could expect two such shows a year,” Stefano says.

Consisting of around 130 pieces, the exhibition starts in the 1900’s and ends with the work of the only living artist of the collection, 81-year-old Jasper Johns. Picasso will be represented by about nine oil paintings and six etchings while we’ll get to see three major works by De Chirico. Andy Warhol’s 32 legendary soup cans will be on display as will a self portrait and his Brillo Boxes.

The exhibition will be supported by a strong program of talks and activities. Stefano hopes this exhibition and indeed the whole series, will appeal also to tertiary students and the 18 – 35 age demographic alongside the dedicated and long-time lovers of the gallery. Because of the exclusive nature of the shows he also expects plenty of visitors from the eastern states.

Picasso to Warhol: Fourteen Modern Masters is at the Art Gallery of Western Australia from June 16 to December 3. Entry fees apply.

Image: Andy Warhol (American, 1928-1987) Self-Portrait, 1966 Silkscreen ink on synthetic polymer paint on nine canvases Each canvas 22 1/2 x 22 1/2" (57.2 x 57.2 cm), overall 67 5/8 x 67 5/8" (171.7 x 171.7 cm) The Museum of Modern Art, New York Gift of Philip Johnson © 2012 Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York

Perth's "tight" rental market

Unless you’ve had your head in the sand lately, you will have been hearing a lot about Perth’s “tight” rental market.

Like all property commentary, I think it’s important to take note of the statistics and then to ask ourselves why this might be so, as well as what does it mean for you; the buyers, sellers and investors.

My first point is that I believe that this isn’t a short-term phenomenon just brought about by Western Australia’s rapidly growing population and current market conditions.

Rather, I think it reflects a structural change in the residential market here and represents new investment opportunities for all participants in the property market.

Factors such as housing affordability, the more transient nature of work, the desire to live in urban centres with their associated urban village  culture and  services, and the experimentation with different lifestyle options ahead of making firm, future decisions are all, I believe, driving the surge in demand for rentals.

As such, we can see this spike in rental demand and low vacancy rates as being an indication of a structural change in the residential property market and one that market participants should recognise and jump on, to maximise investment returns.

In essence, it’s a positive time to consider developing  and purchasing properties for the rental market because I don’t see this so-called “rental squeeze” coming to an end anytime soon.

We’ve changed. Perth has changed, and there’s a lot going on. Not only that, there is a growing proportion of our population ready and willing to rent, and stay renting.

“We’ve changed. Perth has changed, and there’s a lot going on. Not only that, there is a growing proportion of our population ready and willing to rent, and stay renting.”

Demand for rental property is exceeding supply and doesn’t look set to be satisfied anytime soon.

On this basis investors can see a new investment with strong, stable returns and a good future, provided they make informed choices and engage a solid property management service to care for both their tenant and their property.

There’s definitely no longer an argument to stand on the sidelines in the Perth residential property market. Opportunity awaits.

IN Rainforests

A home in the middle of the Queensland rainforest was the perfect base for a stunning new nature photography book.

The pupa which hatched on Stanley Breeden’s desk is typical of how close to nature he is. Raising the butterfly from a tiny caterpillar has made it one of the stars of a beautiful new nature photography book.

Alongside his wife Kaisa, all they have to do is open the front door to be right in the middle of the Queensland rainforest. The pair have walked for hours, covering vast tracts of their Queensland property, which they have called home for more than two decades and the neighbouring national park.

Never without cameras on these walks, the couple have brought the images of their backyard together in a recently published book called Rainforest Country: An Intimate Portrait of Australia’s Tropical Rainforest. Combined with elegant and informative writings, the photos take you right to the heart of the rainforest. All that’s missing are the sounds and smells, but they’re easy to imagine when accompanied by page-sized photos.

For Stanley, digital photography opened up a whole new world of colour after a lifetime of shooting film. Never hugely satisfied with the colour spectrum of film photography he almost gave it away until his wife convinced him that using digital would change things.

It did and the results are evident in the book, as the photographs vibrate with life and texture. Whether it’s the perfect camouflage of a frog, the hard blue nuts which litter the canopy floor or the detail in the scales of a lizard, the colour is vibrant and arresting.

“Depending on the subject, it could take half an hour or we might have to come back over many weeks,” Kaisa says. “Sometimes, the subject might just get up and run away. Other times we have to wait for the right season, or just wait until we find something, which is why we worked on this book for about two years.”

The area Stanley and Kaisa photographed in northern Queensland is one of two international biodiversity hotspots in Australia, which are the richest and most threatened reservoirs of plant and animal life on earth. The other is in the south-west of WA where the Breeden’s did their last book.

“The patterns of nature and the sheer variety is something we are really captivated by,” says Kaisa. “For example a lot of flowers are like things from the ocean. We love getting up close to that. We are trying to encourage a renewed vision of nature and a view of it people have never considered before.

“Looking up close, like our photos, is something you can do anywhere, whether it’s a moth, a cricket or a blade of grass. Change your view, have some curiosity and have a close-up look.”

Rainforest Country ($75 RRP) is published by Fremantle Press and available at all good bookstores.

IN Mother's Day

Start Mother’s Day differently this year by tying up your sneakers and walking or running around Langley Park.

From toddlers to grandmothers, thousands of Perth people will be participating in the Women in Super Mother’s Day Classic next month.

“It’s a great way for people to start Mother’s Day,” says Kate Simpson, chair of the Perth event. “My whole family come down for the event and it has become a tradition for us and families we know.”

Happening around Langley Park on May 13, the Women in Super Mother’s Day Classic is Australia’s largest charity walk and run. Last year more than 120,000 people across the country participated and funds raised from the event go to the National Breast Cancer Foundation for research. Since its inception the event has raised $10.8 million and last year Western Australia boasted the highest fundraising team.

“Everyone has been touched by breast cancer in some way, whether it be through a friend or a family member. I lost an aunt to breast cancer so when the opportunity arose to be part of this event, I knew the event and the money it raises makes a big difference.”

Now in its fifth year in Perth and celebrating 15 years nationally, the course is 8kms or 4kms and you can walk or run either distance. The action starts at 7am and after your walk or run there will be plenty of entertainment on Langley Park featuring everything from a fashion parade to activities for the kids.
While it’s a family event, Kate says it attracts plenty of teams of all sizes and individuals. There are already a number of teams registered for this year’s event with more than 150 members. Realmark will once again be fielding a team.

Around 130 people also work as volunteers on the day and details to help can be found on the website.
“There’s a sea of pink on the day and it always looks fantastic. People can dedicate their walk to a specific person. There’s a tribute wall at Langley Park where people can post their dedications and it truly takes your breath away to read some of them.”

For more details and to register, go to www.mothersdayclassic.com.au.

To donate, go to https://register.eventarc.com/sponsor/view/82570

Your best advantage

At Realmark, our marketing expertise is your best advantage.

Admittedly, the right property in front of the right buyer or tenant will eventually sell itself.

However, an agent's job is not to merely sell your property but rather to market your property – quite simply we help you uncover the right competing buyer(s)* at the right time to accomplish a premium result for the sale of your property. The actual sale is just the transactional component at the end of a well targeted advertising and marketing programme that has been tailored to suit your property, showcasing its unique features and benefits.

Realmark’s multi-medium, multi-layered marketing approach is perfect for creating a distinct advantage in the very competitive real estate market.

There are many components to an effective marketing campaign and this often involves more than just using a ‘for sale’ sign and advertising online.

Yes it’s true, a strong online presence and the integration of all advertising materials are important, however what is more critical is a proper understanding of the market place and the principles that will guide the decisions of how your property is marketed to engage buyers or tenants for a premium result. This is how you avoid underselling your property.

At Realmark we have dedicated our efforts to understanding your needs and our multiple marketing awards show we have proven ability.

Our emphasis is on effective marketing. We specialise in attracting the right people to your property. We help sellers and investors achieve an oustanding, result. We delight buyers and tenants by helping them find their new home. And we win excellence awards for what we enjoy doing best – marketing your property for a premium outcome.

A happy outcome for all.

*Please take note of the plural – that’s an important advantage of selling your property with Realmark. If you would like to know more, feel free to ask about Realmark’s selling methods and our Buyer Engagement process which give you the advantage.

IN 80s

David Campbell dug out a pastel T-shirt, rolled up his jeans and channelled his enthusiasm for the 80s into an album of covers from the decade which brought us bands like Wham, Wang Chung and Spandau Ballet.

Don’t for one minute think David Campbell is having you on. The awarded singer and entertainer’s latest album might be a collection of 80’s covers but he’s delivered them with such style there’s nothing cheesy about it.

The recently released Let’s Go romps through a dozen 80s classics with gusto and makes for a perfect party for those who remember the originals and anyone else who enjoys fizzy pop with an injection of fun.

“The songs from this period were really great compared to many songs from the 90s which were cynical, ironic and often bitter,” David says. “There was a sense of hope about these songs, as well as a party. We’re all angry about something at the moment and I wanted to make something people could have a good time to.”

While supporting Tom Jones, the Australian performer says he and his band were playing the song Let’s Go on stage, which led to a discussion about doing an album of favourite 80’s songs.

“There’s usually a song which acts as a gateway for a project or an idea,” he says. “I remember loving Let’s Go as a kid. I hope people don’t think we just cracked out the keyboards and went for it. We really wanted to look at the songs as if they had today’s technology then. It sounds energetic because we had a lot of fun playing all these songs.”

The album includes songs like Wham’s I’m Your Man, Style Council’s Shout It To The Top, Hall & Oats' You Make My Dreams, Adam Ant’s Goody Two Shoes and crisp horns on Come on Eileen from Dexys Midnight Runners. Instead of Dance Hall Days by Wang Chung, David opted for Let’s Go plus The Human League’s mournful Don’t You Want Me also gets a sassy remake.

“I always want to try and keep it interesting and not make the songs too obvious. I wanted to change things up and make sure you could dance to it too. If we couldn’t find a way through the song to make it feel and sound like that, then we started with another song. With a song like Come On Eileen, we brought some swing to it and it’s a monster version which still keeps the feel and has a lot of fun.

“Let’s forget about our problems for 12 tracks and let this be the antidote.”

Let’s Go is out now. David Campbell performs at Mandurah Performing Arts Centre on May 16, Geraldton’s Queens Park Theatre on May 17, May 18 at Perth Concert Hall and May 19 at Bunbury Regional Entertainment Centre.

IN High Tea

Delicious morsels served on exquisite china. What is it about a high tea that makes us feel special and marks an occasion perfectly?

As a young woman, a visit to London’s Ritz Hotel made a huge impression on Fiona Thomas. The grandeur and gentility stuck in her mind and eventually provided inspiration for her Perth business.

“I started collecting mismatched vintage china a few years later,” Fiona says about Antiquitea, her vintage high tea company. “When I had enough pieces I did a tea party for my friends. Then my sister borrowed my collection for her 40th birthday, which was an afternoon tea.”

Those attending enjoyed using it so much, they suggested she hire out the set. Before Fiona knew it, hosting high teas became her hobby. Two-and-a-half years on it’s what she’s known for.

Antiquitea not only supplies Fiona’s collection of china but everything else you need to host a gorgeous tea party, from linen to working with her favourite caterer, Chica Catering. To date Antiquitea has hosted everything from sweet 16’s right up to a 100th birthday party alongside baby showers, kitchen teas and anniversary celebrations. For hen’s days, girls often start with a genteel afternoon tea and then head out for a night on the town or gather after a spa day.

“People say they have never experienced anything like it. It’s not just the china, but beautifully-set tables to sit at, vintage silverware, fresh flowers and the ceremony of it all. Somehow tea just tastes better in a bone china teacup.”

Fiona encourages her clients to post out physical invitations, rather than emailing them as there’s nothing like receiving a beautiful invitation in your letterbox. It sets the scene for what’s to come and creates a sense of occasion and anticipation.

“It all goes back to days gone by, when things were different. We really want to bring back the joy of high tea; and although there isn’t the time these days for ladies to gather in parlours each afternoon to drink tea with their friends, what Antiquitea does is perfect for very special occasions and it’s becoming more popular.”

For Mother’s Day on May 6, Antiquitea is staging a traditional English high tea called the Ultimate High Tea at Fremantle Town Hall.