Women in the gold mines

Kal history -1
Kalgoorlie 1890s to 2013 
WA Nov 2013 


As soon as we hear about Kalgoorlie and Women we think of Brothels & prostitution. To know a general view of the history please visit: 

http://www.womenaustralia.info/exhib/wikb/sexwork.html
&
http://www.questacasa.com.au/

In my visit i did a tour in Questa Casa- The Madame (Carmel) she took us around - i need to agree it was quite entertaining - she is a good story teller and the choice of stories is what the audience wants to hear - so i would give her that credit for a good performance. As she is doing this everyday i am surprised with her act - it is theatrical - but never you feel it is representative.  

yes the audience giggle in every sentence she says. it is exotic and curious for the audience - some people also asks quite a politically stupid questions like - did the girls have medical tests? of-cource they did......

what i liked about the space it is kept quite like a heritage tourist place though it is an active brothel. 
I wanted to know more about the Japanese Girls - i wonder with them did the Ukiyo-e woodcut prints traveled or not - like in Europe during the early 19th century many artists of that time got influenced by these prints. 

the stories about the "Containment Policy" and the 'Starting stalls' was quite a imaginative picture. 

I did see many Buddhist graves - recognized by the symbol. but one in particular i saw of a 21yrs old Buddhist women burred in 1895 - and her name is registered as: Okado Harry - it would have been difficult to bring a Buddhist monk for the ceremony.

The Girls definitely came for prostitution but it isn't right to even say all came for prostitution - they also came for different jobs...and the rest is the same story in every city. The lost identity - forgotten girls - unnamed - untouchables - but in the history the main thing remains is the Curiosity behind the Moralistic mind. 

few images of Questa Casa and the Buddhist grave.

 Okado Harry: 

'Starting stalls'

The Next door active Brothel - it is a new one so no "Walks"

Classical Landscape Oil Paintings

WA Nov 2013

Can these be passed as the Classical landscape oil paintings - confused between European or American? if European then 1700 to 1800? and if American then 1800 to 1900? and for me in WA it is 2013

Always refused to do Oil paintings on Canvas - it so Male marketed element of the 20th century especially when it comes to Landscape paintings- cant see myself standing in front of a easel and a canvas.
i don't know always preferred water-colour - i feel it is more fragile and feminine.  

though to tell the truth - in my final year (BFA Santiniketan) i did few Canvas oil paintings - i still have 3 of them which i gave it to my parents. and my parents feel those are the best ones i have ever done in my life - two decade passed still they think they where the best - yet to prove them. 

but the real story is i did 5 paintings on canvas and two of them got stolen from the Hostel - and i decided not to touch canvas and oil colours all my life. and i do daydream one day after 100 years they will be found and auctioned for millions of Rupees (i am sure by then Rupee will be higher than euro or pound or dollars) 

Frankly some student must have stolen it re-painted it on top of it - i am sure he would have done some bad oil paintings - no harm daydreaming. 

here there are few photographs which might remind you of the old school. 

 

Man made landscape

The Land Sculptures 
WA Nov 2013

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The Trail, which is remaining in beneath the red earth of WA horizon tells a story of a nomadic establishment of economy but also a loss of identity.  which follows a heritage trail of the Goldfields – The Gold rush to the Ghost towns.  

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The abstract stories and link to the identity is quite an amazing journey.

My research and trail has taken me to places like: cemeteries, most of the ghost towns, a few abandoned graves and mining pits, to many existing archives and also have peeped into personal photo albums.

The man made landscape is an amazing lookout here. The flat arid landscape sometimes gives you a vertical break - either it is the pits or the dumps - and i believe WA landscape has hills and mountains and blue lakes it isnt as flat as we assume. 

Once upon a time there was a town but now shifted - this used to be round about i suppose? 

This is not a hill nor a mountain it is called a dump - to make a hole in the ground you have to make a vertical sculpture. in many areas few dumps look quite artistic.  

The inward vertical hole has become a swimming pool or you could say a lake in which you can never drown. 

The Main inward vertical sculpture which is the pit - The gold mine - all the man made landscape has a strong golden ghost stories in WA

This is The Super pit - in Kalgoorlie

 

360 degree super pit - amazing site - it would be great to make a Science fiction film 

watch:

http://superpit.com.au/Portals/0/VR360/index.html

Sunset to Sunrise

Sunset to Sunrise 
Report of 12 hours:5.30pm to 5.30am
WA Nov 2013


It is fun to be out and record from Sunset to Sunrise - the drama of the sky- you could say the Sky is an exhibitionist in here.

Almost Summer time: mids of summer-winter-spring - everyday the weather is been unpredictable.

Sunsets here normally between: 5.45pm to 6.15pm
Sunrise here normally between: 4.45am to 5.15am

I have tried to be on the top of a small rock at those hours. yes been awake at 4.30am - believe it or not, but it is true. 

Sunset:

Moonlight:

 Sunrise: