POWERLINE

+ the magazine of the powerhouse museum winter 04

superb silver
+ 02 powerline winter 04

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03
From the director
Power picks
TRUSTEES
Dr Nicholas G Pappas,
President
06 New exhibitions: Engineering Excellence Dr Anne Summers AO,
contents 07 Sydney Design Week Deputy President

issue 74 08 New exhibitions: Contemporary silver Mr Mark Bouris

Ms Trisha Dixon
10 New exhibitions: Beirut to Baghdad
Mr Andrew Denton
JUNE JULY AUGUST 2004 11 Members news: Members annual dinner Ms Susan Gray
Professor Ron Johnston
12 Members calendar
Ms Margaret Seale
14 Members scene Mr Anthony Sukari
15 New acquisitions: colonial sideboard
SENIOR MANAGEMENT
16 Interview: Lunar men author Jenny Uglow
Dr Kevin Fewster AM, Director
18 From the archives: stories of our past Jennifer Sanders, Deputy Director,
Collections and Exhibitions
20 Profile: actor Nigel Sutton
Mark Goggin, Associate Director,
21 Regional news: Layers of lace Programs and Commercial Services
22 Observe: Legends and transits Michael Landsbergen, Associate
Director, Corporate Services
23 Corporate partners
Kevin Sumption, Associate Director,
24 New exhibitions at a glance Knowledge and Information
Management

+
from the
director
ABOVE: (FROM LEFT) MR PAN
ZHENZHOU, DIRECTOR OF THE
NATIONAL MUSEUM OF CHINA, DR
KEVIN FEWSTER, AND DR DONG QI,
DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF THE NATIONAL
MUSEUM OF CHINA.
From its earliest days the
Powerhouse Museum has seen
itself as a museum of the
world as much as a museum
of Sydney and its state.
Through contacts established
worldwide, we acquired
objects from all over the globe,
including such treasures as the
Boulton and Watt steam
engine. Today our international
collaborations take many
forms: acquisitions, loans,
collaborative temporary
exhibitions, conferences, staff
exchanges and virtual contact
via the internet. This year
promises an especially rich
mix of international
collaborations for the Museum.
Our place: Indigenous Australia
now opens in the new branch
of the famous Benaki Museum
in Athens on 1 July. The
exhibition is Australia’s
reciprocal gift to the people of
Greece, presented in
recognition of the Greek
Government’s generous gift in
2000 to New South Wales —
the exhibition 1000 years of the
Olympic Games: treasures of
ancient Greece. Our place has
been jointly developed by the
Powerhouse and Museum
Victoria with special funding
from both state governments.
The Australia Council and the
Australian Department of
Foreign Affairs and Trade are
supporting the involvement of
Indigenous performers and
artists. The exhibition
celebrates Australia’s unique
Indigenous cultures and forms
part of the Cultural Olympiad
program for the 2004 Athens
Olympic Games.
After Athens the exhibition will
travel to China to be shown at
the National Museum of China
on Tiananmen Square, Beijing.
This collaboration was the
result of a chance remark I
made to the Museum’s Deputy
Director in 2002 when I was
visiting Beijing for our Hedda
Morrison exhibition. He
expressed keen interest in
having the exhibition come to
Beijing, both because of the
subject matter and as a way of
linking the Sydney, Athens and
Beijing Olympics. Since then
we have discussed other
collaborative projects that we
hope to develop with leading
Chinese museums.
International touring of
exhibitions such as Our place
not only showcases the
Museum’s collection and
talented staff but also fosters
awareness and understanding
of the history and culture of
our state and nation. Such
programs sustain and build on
our already considerable
reputation as one of the
world’s leading museums.
Dr Kevin Fewster AM
Director

www.powerhousemuseum.com

FRONT COVER: FROM THE
EXHIBITION CONTEMPORARY SILVER:
MADE IN ITALY, VASE FROM THE
‘EVASIONI’ COLLECTION, DESIGNED
BY MARCO ZANINI IN 1997 FOR
PAMPALONI IN FLORENCE (H: 42CM)
COLLECTION: PAMPALONI. SEE STORY
PAGE 8. PHOTO COURTESY OF
GIANFRANCO PAMPALONI.
BACK COVER: PHOTO BY NAME TO
COME
Where to find us Powerline is produced by the Print Media Department
Powerhouse Museum, 500 Harris Street, Darling Harbour Sydney of the Powerhouse Museum
Opening hours 10.00 am – 5.00 pm every day (except Christmas PO Box K346, Haymarket NSW 1238
Day). School holiday opening hours 9.30 am – 5.00 pm Editor: Judith Matheson
Editorial coordinator: Deborah Renaud
Contact details
Design: Trigger
Postal address: PO Box K346, Haymarket NSW 1238
Photography: Powerhouse Museum unless otherwise stated.
Telephone (02) 9217 0111 Every effort has been made to locate owners of copyright for the images in
Infoline (02) 9217 0444, Education (02) 9217 0222 this publication. Any inquiries should be directed to the Rights and
Permissions Officer, Powerhouse Museum.
The Powerhouse Museum, part of the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences
also incorporating Sydney Observatory, is a NSW government cultural institution. ISSN 1030-5750 © Trustees of the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences

+ 03 powerline winter 04
IN SEPTEMBER 2004 THE POWERHOUSE MUSEUM
TURNS 125 YEARS OLD. CELEBRATE WITH US!
s GOGOMOBILE DART, 1959, PLATFORM SHOE BY MERIVALE HEMMES FOR THE HOUSE
brought
to light
The Powerhouse Museum’s
collection is like an iceberg –
about nine tenths of it is
hidden below the surface.
What you see on display is
only a small portion of the
entire collection.
In September 2004 the
Powerhouse Museum turns 125
years old. Over that time, the
institution has acquired an
array of treasures, marvels and
curiosities that can be
beautiful, precious, historic or
simply bizarre.
To mark its 125th year, the
Museum will mount a ‘special
display’ of favourite objects
that are not currently on show.
Curators will select a group of
objects from the Museum's
stores and these will be
displayed in an exhibition
called Brought to light.
OF MERIVALE, 1970S, COCONUT WATER BOTTLE CARVED BY LUCIEN HENRY, 1878-79
The Museum will ‘bring to light’ some
favourite objects from the stores for our
125th celebrations in September.
Objects that are in the running
for selection include a bright
red 1959 Gogomobile Dart, a
pair of pink polka-dot platform
shoes made in the 1970s by
the fashionable House of
Merivale, and a gold-washing
cradle built with advice from
Edward Hargraves, the man
who precipitated the gold rush
of the 1850s. There is also a
coconut decorated by French
artist Lucien Henry while he
was exiled in New Caledonia in
the 1870s.
Brought to light will open on 25
September as part of a
weekend of festivities at the
Museum to launch the 125th
celebrations. There will be
talks, tours, workshops and
activities for all the family.


FOR MORE INFORMATION OR A NOMINATION FORM
GO TO WWW.POWERHOUSEMUSEUM.COM/WIZARD
In September 2003 the
Powerhouse Museum
who will announced an exciting new
award to recognise
be the first achievement in Australian
society. Sponsored by Wizard
wizard? Home Loans, the Powerhouse
Wizard award seeks to nurture
local talent and support the
next generation of Australian
innovators.
Each year the program will
honour an individual making a
dynamic contribution in one of
the Museum’s areas of interest:
design and decorative arts,
Australian history and science
and technology. The
Powerhouse Wizard will be an
+
powerpicks
ambassador for their chosen
field. They will also have the
opportunity promote their work
through a public program at
the Museum.
Nominations for the inaugural
Powerhouse Wizard are now
open. The selection committee
comprises the Museum’s
President Dr Nicholas G
Pappas and a group of
notable Australians, including
John Moriarty, founder of
Balarinji Design Studio and
Professor Belinda Probert, Pro
Vice-Chancellor (Academic),
University of Western Australia.
The Powerhouse Wizard will be
announced in September.
+ 04 powerline winter 04
the game
of life
Exclusive to the Powerhouse
Museum, eight Gyuto monks
from Tibet will take up
residence and offer a series
of tantric rituals designed to
create harmony in the world.
Over two weeks from 3-18 July
the monks will construct
elaborate sculptures made
from butter and a beautiful
sand mandala, which they
believe to be spiritually
powerful creations.
It is Buddhist belief that
ongoing problems with
individuals or communities –
whether ill health, natural
disasters or human terror –
GYUTO MONK IN CEREMONIAL DRESS.
PHOTO COURTESY OF GYUTO HOUSE AUSTRALIA.
The Gyuto Monks of Tibet will perform a
series of tantric rituals at the Museum in
July to help create harmony in the world.
are an indication that the
underlying spiritual energy is
out of balance. Therefore
positive harmonising forces
are required before more
practical solutions can be
found. They invite visitors to
join them each day to add
their own prayers and hopes.
The Turbine Hall, where the
monks will perform, will be
richly decorated in the style of
Tibetan gompa, with wall
hangings reflecting their
monastic environment. As well
as ancient tantric arts, there
will be a range of daily
activities, including creative
www.powerhousemuseum.com
Launched in April, the
Powerhouse Museum’s
redesigned website is more
intuitive and dynamic than
ever before. The site structure
has been streamlined,
reducing the number of
mouse clicks you need to get
to the page you want, and the
number of menu items on
each page has been reduced,
making navigation easier.
workshops for children, a
series of lunchtime talks,
chanting meditations and
‘consulting the master’
sessions. Special prayers will
be offered for visitors’ health
and wellbeing and their
peaceful and prosperous
future. For the Chona Chupa
closing ceremony on Sunday
18 July, the monks will be
resplendent in yellow robes
and tall hats as they lead the
procession to the sound of
Tibetan long horns, elephant
drums and cymbals.
EcoLogic
‘a beauty’
And web visitors who want
email updates on what’s
happening at the Museum can
now subscribe to a monthly
email newsletter. Among plans
to develop the website, is an
online member-curator forum
planned for later in the year.
More than a million visitors
access the website every year
— whether they are planning
a visit to the Museum, doing
research, a school project, or
PHOTO BY SUE STAFFORD.
Peter Garrett AM, President of
the Australian Conservation
Foundation and former lead
singer with Midnight Oil, chats
with author and curator
Sandra McEwen (pictured left)
after the launch of EcoLogic:
creating a sustainable future,
a new book from Powerhouse
Publishing. Peter launched the
book and wrote its foreword.
simply surfing — so it is
important we meet the needs
of our users. Digital
communications company
MassMedia Studios worked
with us to create a website
which is more compliant with
the latest web standards. We
look forward to your feedback
on our revamped website.
Please visit us at
www.powerhousemuseum.com
and tell us what you think.
He describes it as ‘a beauty:
thoroughly researched,
informatively illustrated and
packed with the kind of
necessary knowledge that can
help all of us better
understand and take care of
our truly unique and wonderful
land.’ The book is available
from the Powerhouse Museum
shop and good bookstores or
phone (02) 9217 0129 for more
information.
 gambling
in focus

The Museum has broken new provided by Museum staff.

ground with an education kit
Also in May, writers and
about gambling issues for
commentators mined the
Years 7-10 secondary school
design, culture and history of
teachers and students. This
gambling genres and sites at
significant contemporary
a symposium at the Museum.
social issue struggles to find a
A Sydney Writers Festival
suitable place in the school
event, it featured international
curriculum. ‘What are the
speakers author Dr Gerda
odds? Understanding the
Reith and journalist Aniruddha
risks' is a well researched
Bahal plus Dr Charles Pickett,
resource which helps teachers
curator of Gambling in
discuss gambling in the
Australia and Dr Matthew
classroom. The kit has a
Cullen, Co-President of
Mathematics-focus, but in a
McKesson Asia Pacific Pty Ltd,
historical, technological and
which runs the G-line
social context. It was written
telephone gambling helpline
by Sue Thomson, Head
on behalf of the Casino
teacher in Mathematics,
Community Benefit Fund.
Hunter Valley Grammar School
Supported by G-line (NSW) a telephone
with research and support helpline for people with gambling
problems - 1800 633 635.

ALBERT TAYLOR (LEFT) AND DON FRENCH AT EVELEIGH. PHOTO BY MARINCO

KOJDANOVSKI.

honour to Congratulations to locomotive department,

Powerhouse volunteers Don
volunteers French and Albert Taylor, who
received the prestigious
Medal of the Order of
Australia (OAM) earlier this
year for their service to the
preservation and maintenance
of steam locomotives.
Don and Albert have done
volunteer work for a minimum
BISCUIT TIN RACING GAME MADE DURING THE 1950S BY THE PEAK FREEN of two days a week for the
COMPANY, FROM THE EXHIBITION GAMBLING IN AUSTRALIA.
past 12 years in the Museum’s
refurbishing the 38 class and
32 class steam engines. Both
men spent their careers
working with steam
locomotives. Don worked for
45 years as a boilermaker and
then boiler inspector and
Albert spent 45 years as a
fitter and then brake engineer.
Their expertise and
enthusiasm is an invaluable
resource to the Museum.

coming Experience the blockbuster

exhibition that takes you
soon! behind the scenes of the film
trilogy. The Powerhouse is the
only Australian venue for this
exhibition which has attracted
record-breaking crowds on its
international tour. Don’t miss
your chance to be
the trilogy’s award-winning
special effects and
experience an immersive
encounter with The One Ring.
Opening in December 2004.
Developed and presented by the Museum
of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa in
partnership with New Line Cinema. This
exhibition was made possible through the
support of the New Zealand Government.
©NLP, Inc.

transported to Middle-earth
and see props, costumes and
artefacts from the films.
Discover the secrets behind
Powerhouse members receive 10% off all Powerhouse Publishing titles in the Powerhouse Shop and by mailorder.
NEW RELEASES
CONTEMPORARY SILVER:
MADE IN ITALY
Eva Czernis-Ryl
Today, Italy leads the world in the
production and innovative design of
contemporary silverware. The book
showcases the work of major Italian
architects and designers such as Ettore
Sottsass Jr, Carlo Scarpa, Alessandro
Mendini and Robert Venturi and Italian
design companies such as Alessi.
Beautifully designed, this book is an
invaluable resource for collectors,
consumers and design historians.
Available in paperback or hard cover, 128
pages, with over 140 illustrations
RRP paperback $39.95/ members $35.95;
hardcover $55.00 / members $49.50
ISBN 1 86317 102 9 (PB); 0 85331 899 9(HC)
Available from August 2004
ALSO NOW AVAILABLE ARE TWO
INFORMATIVE NEW BOOKLETS:
Gambling in Australia:
thrills, spills and social ills
by Charles Pickett
published in association
with the Museum’s new
exhibition.
24 pages, full colour, RRP
$5.95/members $5.35
The transit of Venus by Nick Lomb, which
coincides with this astronomical event on 8
June 2004.
24 pages, full colour,
RRP $5.95/members $5.35
Remember! Members receive 10%
discount on all titles from the
Powerhouse Shop and mailorder.
Powerhouse books are available from the
Powerhouse Shop, good bookstores and
by mailorder.
To order or for more information contact
Powerhouse Publishing on (02) 92170129
or email phpub@phm.gov.au
www.powerhousemuseum.com/publish
SIX INNOVATIVE ENGINEERING PROJECTS FEATURE IN
THE ANNUAL ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE EXHIBITION.
everyday ingenuity
The exhibition provides a
unique opportunity to
appreciate the relevance and
significance of engineering in
the everyday objects around
us. This year’s display features
six project winners from
Engineers Australia, Sydney
Division, 2003 Engineering
Excellence Awards.
A device that combats
repetitive strain injury, an
innovative take on a multi-
media building, a sewerage
treatment system, a dual
clutch transmission system, a
transport research project and
a magnetic switch are all
featured in the Engineering
Excellence 2003 display.
The PosturePod was
developed by Ergoport to
combat the increasing number
of individuals who develop
INTERIOR OF THE NEW ABC HEADQUARTERS IN ULTIMO. PHOTO COURTESY OF LEIGHTONS PTY LTD.
muscular skeletal disorders
(MSD) from computer use.
The Australian Broadcasting
Corporation’s new 22-storey
building in Sydney’s Ultimo
was designed and built to
consolidate the ABC’s existing
television, radio, electronic
media, archives, and to
provide facilities for digital
television. It was constructed
by Leightons Pty Ltd.
A new car transmission system
that combines both automatic
and manual modes was
developed by Sydney
company Nautitech Pty Ltd, for
VW Germany.
The Gerringong-Gerroa
sewerage scheme connects
households and businesses in
these coastal towns to an
advanced sewage treatment
plant. Developed by Sydney
Water Corporation, Veolia
Water Australia, and Walter
Construction Group, the
treatment process allows most
of the treated effluent and
biosolids to be reused.
Sustainable Transport in
Sustainable Cities is a four-
year, $4 million research
project by the Warren Centre
for Advanced Engineering. It
demonstrates how Sydney can
become a more livable,
healthy and sustainable city.
MagswitchTM is a permanent
magnet device that can be
continuously varied between
an off and on position by
movement of a simple switch.
Engineering Excellence is on
display in Success and
innovation on level 4.
+ 07 powerline winter 04
SYDNEY DESIGN WEEK IS NOW IN ITS EIGHTH YEAR AND
THIS 10-DAY ‘DESIGNFEST’ HAS MUCH TO CELEBRATE.
story_ANNE WATSON, CURATOR DECORATIVE ARTS AND DESIGN
sydney design week
The Powerhouse Museum has
been a key player in Sydney
Design Week (SDW) since its
inception in 1997 and is now
the principal stakeholder. Over
that time the event has grown
to embrace an ever-increasing
range of design activities
across the Sydney community.
Significantly, design audiences
have also expanded as the
message that ‘design is for
everybody’ — to quote the
memorable 2002 guest
speaker Richard Seymour —
has more effectively engaged
the general public.
As well as bringing design to
the public, SDW events have
also provided important
stepping stones to sustained
careers locally and
internationally for a number of
young Australian designers.
The first design festival of its
kind in Australia, equivalents of
SDW are held in Perth, Hobart
and this year Melbourne.
At the Powerhouse, SDW 2004
will feature the landmark
exhibition Contemporary silver:
made in Italy, curated by the
Museum’s Eva Czernis-Ryl, plus
The best of the Blue Room,
which showcases
contemporary glass design by
architects, designers and
artists, sponsored by Bombay
Sapphire. There is also the
popular The Sydney Morning
Herald Young Designer of the
Year Award exhibition, the
Australian Design Awards
Powerhouse selection, and a
range of exciting public
programs featuring local and
international designers.
Exhibitions and link events are
planned throughout the inner-
city area, including the retailers’
initiative Buy Design and
Workshopped, an exhibition of
the work of emerging Australian
at the Strand Arcade.
The breadth and depth of SDW
would not be possible without
the contribution and
collaboration of its major
stakeholders: the Royal
Australian Institute of Architects
(RAIA, NSW Chapter); the
Design Institute of Australia
(DIA); the Australian Design
Awards (ADA); the Australian
Graphic Design Association
(AGDA); and the Interior Design
Educators’ Association (IDEA),
representing Sydney’s tertiary
design institutions. SDW
benefits enormously from the
individual and collective
expertise, the professional
contacts and the opportunity
for broad promotion that these
professional bodies contribute.
All stakeholders share a
common vision for SDW. ‘It’s a
vehicle to enhance community
understanding and
appreciation of design,’ says
the AGDA’s David Terrazas. ADA
director Brandon Gien believes
Sydney Design Week is
‘instrumental in raising the
awareness and importance of
what good design is all about.’
George Verghese of IDEA sees
SDW as a valuable opportunity
for ‘the cross-fertilisation of
design ideas practised in
Sydney’. In this Year of the Built
Environment the RAIA’s Caroline
A six-piece ‘silver tower’,
Pidcock welcomes SDW for its
designed by Melbourne
potential to link architects with
architects Denton Corker
other design disciplines in a
Marshall, features in the
collective effort to find ‘better
Contemporary silver: made
solutions for the design of
in Italy exhibition. DCM was
everything that surrounds us’.
one of 22 international
Apart from the range of architectural firms invited
expertise they represent, the by Italian company Alessi to
input of stakeholders to the design a tea and coffee
organisation and events of service for the Tea & Coffee
SDW is vital to the richness and ABOVE: TEA AND COFFEE TOWER SET Towers series. The Museum
DESIGNED BY DENTON CORKER
variety of the festival. With their MARSHALL IN 2003 FOR ALESSI. asked Alessi to produce
collaboration and that of our PHOTO BY CARLO LAVATORI DCM’s design, one of the
COURTESY OF ALESSI.
media partner The Sydney first examples of the
BELOW (FROM LEFT): GEORGE
Morning Herald, 2004 promises VERGHESE, IDEA; ROBERT SWIECA limited-edition series, for its
be the most dynamic, creative (SDW COORDINATOR); DAVID
TERRAZAS (AGDA); JENNIFER
collection. The set stacks
and inclusive SDW yet. SANDERS (PHM); MELISSA JONES up on a tray as an 87.5 cm
(RAIA); CATHY JAMESON (DIA); MARK
tall ‘leaning’ tower when not
Sydney Design Week runs from GOGGIN (PHM); STEPHANIE WATSON
(ADA); KEVIN FINN (AGDA). in use.
5 to 15 August 2004. PHOTO BY MARINCO KOJDANOVSKI
+ 08 powerline winter 04
+ 09 powerline winter 04
THE SUMPTUOUS EXHIBITION CONTEMPORARY SILVER: MADE
IN ITALY WILL BE THE HIGHLIGHT OF SYDNEY DESIGN WEEK.
story_EVA CZERNIS-RYL, CURATOR INTERNATIONAL DECORATIVE ARTS AND DESIGN
the brilliance of silver
Italian industrial design and fashion have long been
admired in Australia, but contemporary Italian
silverware is largely unknown in this country. In fact,
Italy is the world’s leading producer of high quality
silver articles for the home.
Until the 1970s, Italian silver was almost exclusively
hand crafted in a tradition that dated back to
antiquity. Silverware from Italian workshops mostly
followed classical and other styles of the past, but
during the 1970s and 1980s it underwent a radical
transformation. New studios were formed and old
workshops transformed as the traditional approaches
were questioned and challenged. Handwork was
supplemented with some industrial methods and a
range of modern objects, intended for limited and
serial production, developed.
This metamorphosis was engineered by a group of
forward-looking silversmiths and producers working
closely with noted architects, both Italian and
international, who provided innovative designs and
inspiration. The results were outstanding and fuelled
an ongoing interest in experimentation and stylistic
innovation.
This survey exhibition draws on the collection of the
Museum for Contemporary Silverware (MAC) in
Castello Sartirana in Pavia, Lombardy, and is
supplemented with generous loans from the Museo
Alessi and several leading Italian firms and studios. It
provides a unique opportunity to discover a
fascinating area of contemporary Italian design, as it
evolved from the 1970s to today. A beautifully
produced book of the same title accompanies the
exhibition (see details on page 6).
Beginning with early efforts to break from mainstream
revivalist designs (note the ingenious 1957 stackable
tea and coffee set by Olga Finzi Baldi which also
doubles as a vase), the exhibition reveals the
OPPOSITE PAGE: TEA AND COFFEE SET IN STERLING SILVER DESIGNED BY ZAHA HADID (UK), 1995, AND MADE BY SAWAYA & MORONI, 1997, MILAN. COLLECTION: POWERHOUSE MUSEUM. PHOTO BY PENELOPE CLAY. ABOVE (FROM
LEFT): CANDLESTICKS, ‘PETALO’, ‘MINIMAL’ COLLECTION, DESIGNED BY GABRIELE DE VECCHI, 1990, FOR DE VECCHI, MILAN. COLLECTION: MUSEO PER GLI ARGENTI CONTEMPORANEI (MAC). PHOTO COURTESY DE VECCHI. FRUIT
STAND, ‘MURMANSK’, DESIGNED BY ETTORE SOTTSASS JR FOR MEMPHIS, 1982, MADE IN ELECTROPLATED SILVER BY ROSSI & ARCANDI, VICENZA, ABOUT 1987. COLLECTION: POWERHOUSE MUSEUM. PHOTO BY SUE STAFFORD.
TEA AND COFFEE SET IN STERLING SILVER AND BAKELITE DESIGNED BY LAURA HANDLER (USA), 1985, MADE BY POMELLAT0, VENICE, 1990. COLLECTION: MUSEO PER GLI ARGENTI CONTEMPORANEI (MAC). PHOTO COURTESY
LAURA HANDLER. JUG, ‘MOULIN’, IN STERLING SILVER FROM THE ‘SLOW DRINK’ SERIES, DESIGNED BY GABRIELE DE VECCHI, 2001 FOR DE VECCHI, MILAN. COLLECTION: DE VECCHI. PHOTO BY LEO TORRI, COURTESY DE VECCHI.
dramatic changes that occurred in two Milanese
studios — San Lorenzo and De Vecchi — in the early
1970s. Independently of each other and through
different strategies, both firms offered an entirely new
vocabulary of clean, modern forms as a replacement
for tired historical shapes and elaborate
ornamentation.
San Lorenzo relied on its newly formed team of eight
outstanding architects, including Antonio Piva and
Tobia and Afra Scarpa, and Gabrielle De Vecchi
pursued his fascination with silver as a mirror. Both
firms introduced serial production, thus bringing more
affordable contemporary tableware, cutlery and
accessories into Italian homes.
The 1970s also saw the formation of the remarkable
collection of Cleto Munari in Vicenza. The self-
proclaimed Italian ‘dandy’ became a key patron of
modern silver. Munari’s collaboration with renowned
architects such as Carlo Scarpa, Gae Aulenti or
Studio Alchemia’s Michele De Lucchi resulted in many
sophisticated and ground-breaking designs. De
Lucchi’s playful design for Munari’s covered jug in
silver and colourful plastics, which resembles more a
cartoon character than a silver vessel, pioneered
colour infusion and humour in contemporary silver.
In the early 1980s, Italian-made silver conquered the
global market. Objects by Memphis, the famous
Italian design cooperative, and Alessi’s Tea & Coffee
Piazzas (11 tea and coffee sets designed by leading
Italian and international architects) became icons of
postmodernism.
While silver designs of Memphis mesmerised
consumers with their outrageously surreal forms,
Alessi’s sets demonstrated that innovatively designed
and perfectly functional silver tableware could be
both ground-breaking and attractive to the public.
Strongly architectonic, the Alessi series had a lasting
influence on late 20th century tableware design in
countries worldwide including Australia.
During the 1980s and 1990s, Italian workshops
manufactured a diverse range of silver table and
kitchenware in the modern idiom. Responding to their
customers’ unceasing demand for ‘signature’ pieces,
silversmithing firms and design companies continued
to engage renowned architects and designers as
creators of their silver products.
Contemporary silver showcases the designs and
work of about 50 Italian and international architects
and designers, which were produced in 20
silversmithing workshops mostly in Milan but also in
Florence, Verona, Venice and Vicenza. The exhibition
includes striking tea and coffee sets designed by
architects of international renown such as Zaha
Hadid, Jean Nouvel, Aldo Rossi, Kazumasa Yamashita,
Michael Graves, Charles Jencks, Richard Meier, Paolo
Portoghesi, Antonio Piva and Robert Venturi.
A selection of ‘designer’ vases, bowls, jugs and
candlesticks is also on show. A silver placemat is
Italian designer Rodolfo Dordoni’s homage to the
father of op art, Hungarian-French abstract painter
Victor Vasarely. ‘Eloquent’ jugs by Gabriele De Vecchi
make pleasing sounds when used, and San
Lorenzo’s pots and pans in pure silver are designed
for the efficient, environmentally friendly 21st century
kitchen.
Spectacular examples from Alessi’s most recent
offering, the ‘Tea & Coffee Towers’ series, provide a
glimpse into the future of tableware design. Will these
digitally designed, amazing objects influence the
‘look’ of early 21st century tableware as the ‘Tea &
Coffee Piazzas’ did in the 1980s? Visit the exhibition
and see silver design history in the making.
Contemporary silver: made in Italy opens 5 August.
+ 10 powerline winter 04

A NEW AUSTRALIAN COMMUNITIES EXHIBITION

REFLECTS CHANGING ATTITUDES TO THE
MUSEUM’S ‘MIDDLE EASTERN’ COLLECTION.
story_PAUL DONNELLY AND ALISSAR CHIDIAC, EXHIBITION CURATORS

Beirut to Baghdad
The countries of Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, Jordan and
Iraq form the dynamic centre of western Asia, more
commonly known from the European perspective as
the ‘Near’ or ‘Middle East’.
International borders in this part of the Arab world
continue to reflect the fall of the Ottoman Empire after
World War I — and a complex legacy of post-colonial
disorder and international political intervention.
It is an area that has long held a romantic and even
erotic fascination for the west. This is evidenced by the
Museum’s own collection. Since the 1880s the Museum
has acquired a wide variety of costumes, textiles, rugs,
ceramics, metalware, arms, coins, medals and
antiquities from this region that span three millennia.
Remarkable objects in themselves, they take on a
fresh relevance in their relationship to the
contemporary Arab-Australian community. Beirut to
Baghdad: communities, collecting and culture is a new
exhibition that will showcase these, as well as present
the stories and responses of Arab-Australians to them.
As part of the development of this exhibition, a critical
focus group of community members discussed ways
to link the local community with the Museum’s
collection. A number of Arabic and community
organisations also had input through the Museum’s
wattan project.
The exhibition will also reflect on traditional museum
practices of collecting, by examining the European
notion of ‘Orientalism’ or how the ‘Western’ world
fantasises about the ‘East’. Exquisite ceramic tiles from
Syria illustrate this multi-layered perspective. Taken at
face value, the tiles highlight the intricate development
of geometric and abstract design through classical
Islamic art. On an abstract level, as suggested by the
focus group, each tile is a small part of a much bigger
wall, taken out of its original context. In this way one tile
carries the ‘burden’ of representing a bigger cultural
picture.
The Australian Communities Gallery, where Beirut to
Baghdad will be on display from 18 June, will be alive
with community voices and images of the Arab world,
both ancient and modern.
Supported by Arab Bank Australia.

SELECTION OF TILES FROM THE MUSEUM’S COLLECTION IN GLAZED EARTHENWARE FROM DAMASCUS AND SYRIA,
ABOUT 1500 TO 1600. PHOTO BY MARINCO KOJDANOVSKI.
 +
+ 11 powerline winter 04

members
OUR ANNUAL MEMBERS DINNER WILL BE A
SUMPTUOUS EVENING OF FOOD, WINE AND SILVER.

 CAPTION TO COME
Just as Powerhouse Museum
exhibitions move and change
annual regularly, the annual Members
Dinner delivers a unique
members experience every year.
ground-breaking show is the
first survey exhibition in
Australia of modern Italian
silver. This event will be a
feast for all the senses.
+ news and photos
+ prizes to be won
+ exclusive events
+ family activities
+ special offers

dinner The fifth annual Members See the members calendar

Dinner on 7 August will be an for details and remember to
evening of fine wine, exquisite book early as tables fill
food and sophisticated quickly.
entertainment. Come along
and enjoy the night as we
explore the Museum’s key
Sydney Design Week
exhibition Contemporary
Silver: made in Italy. This BOOK NOW FOR OUR
MEMBERS DINNER!

+
We have some fabulous events
coming up on our calendar for
from the the remainder of 2004. The
most exciting news is the
members announcement that The Lord
of the Rings Motion Picture
manager Trilogy — The Exhibition is
coming to the Powerhouse
Museum in December.
Developed and presented by
the Museum of New Zealand
Te Papa Tongarewa in
partnership with New Line
Cinema, this exhibition brings
to life writer/director/producer
Peter Jackson’s epic trilogy.
Featuring film footage, sets,
costumes, props and special
effects from the films, the
exhibition is immersive and will
transport visitors to the world
of Middle-earth. You can even
cast yourself on screen as a
hobbit! Stay tuned for
exclusive members events
associated with this major
exhibition.
Powerhouse Members now
have the opportunity to attend
our exclusive exhibition
openings, which were
previously invitation only. Over
past months members have
shared the first night glamour
of Nineties to Now and the
thrills and spills of Gambling in
Australia (see page 14). Check
out the members calendar for
another two exciting openings
this winter.
Our annual Members Dinner in
August is one of the year’s
highlights. Tickets move like
lightening around here, so get
in quick. There are so many
reasons to renew your
Powerhouse Membership —
and remember — all
memberships current on 18
July have the chance to win a
fantastic home entertainment
system from Sharp.
Jane Turner
+ 12 powerline winter 04
+ It’s one of the biggest Museum events of the year and
Members are invited! Mix with international designers and
industry insiders at the opening of Sydney Design Week.
+ Tuesday 8 June
Sydney Observatory: observe the Transit of Venus
Be part of this historic event introduced by Dr Nick
Lomb, curator of astronomy at 2.45 pm, followed by a
viewing of the transit until sunset in the grounds of
june Sydney Observatory. Plus live webcasts from around
the globe. Bookings essential.
2.30 – 10.00 pm, coffee cart on-site.
Cost: members $20 adult/$16 concession/$10 children/$50 family (2A & 2C);
guests $22 adult/$18 concession/$12 children/$56 family (2A & 2C).
+ Monday 12 July
Sydney Observatory: space explorers workshop
NASA spacecraft Cassini-Huygens will begin its orbit of
Saturn on 1 July. Make a solar system model,
experience our new mini-planetarium show, and launch
july a water-fuelled rocket. Especially for children 5-10
years old with their parents/carers. Bookings required.
Sessions at 10.00 am, 12 noon and 2.00 pm
Cost: $8 member child/$10 guest child/accompanying adults free.
+ Wednesday 4 August
Exhibition launch: Sydney Design Week
Sydney Design Week will be one of the biggest
Museum events this year. Enjoy an exclusive evening
as the Museum opens the Young Designer of the Year
august Award and the Australian Design Award exhibitions.
See these before they open to the public.
6.00 – 9.00 pm includes refreshments
Cost: members only $45 adult
winter 04
Thursday 17 June
Exhibition launch: Beirut to Baghdad
Join us for the community launch of Beirut to
Baghdad featuring some of the Museum’s Western
Asian collection including costumes, rugs, ceramics,
metal ware, arms, coins, medals and antiquities
spanning three millennia.
Time: 11.00 am, includes refreshments
Cost: members only $10 adult
Sunday 18 July
Tea and Textiles: samplers
Join senior curator Kimberley Webber for an informal
lecture titled ‘Teaching girls to sew: a look at the
Museum’s collection of samplers and children’s
needlework.’
11.00 am – 12.30 pm includes refreshments. Meet at
the cloaking desk.
Cost: $5 members/$10 guests
Thursdays 5 and 12 August
Sydney Observatory: Greek legends of the
constellations
Get in the mood for the Athens Olympics by finding
out more about Greek legends of the skies in our 3-D
Space Theatre. View Scorpius, Sagittarius and
Centaurus through our telescopes and binoculars.
6.30 – 9.30 pm includes pizza supper
Cost: members $18 adult/$14 child/$14 concession/$50 family (2A & 2C); guests
$22 adult/$16 child/$16 concession/$65 family (2A & 2C). Bookings essential.
+
Join us for our Annual Members Dinner and indulge in an evening of
fine wine, good food, great entertainment and exquisite Italian silver.
Monday 21 June
Tour: The Mastertouch Piano Roll Company, Petersham
On our tour of the Mastertouch Piano Roll and Fancy
Box Company in Petersham, see rare mechanical
musical instruments, heritage machinery and the hand-
finished product as it is made.
Time: 10.00 am includes morning tea. Meet at the
factory.
Cost: $10 members/$15 guests.
Tuesdays 5 & 12 July
Soundhouse™ course: digital video
Discover the secrets of digital movie-making in this
two-part course, from shooting to editing, effects and
final output. Use one of our digital video cameras or
bring your own. Cost includes a copy of Digital
grassroots: a practical guide to digital video.
6.00 – 9.00 pm
Cost: members $100/guests $130
Saturday 7 August
Annual Members Dinner
Indulge in an evening of fine wine, delicious food and
great atmosphere at the fifth annual Members Dinner.
Enjoy a viewing of the exhibition Contemporary silver:
made in Italy without the crowds, and an after-dinner
talk by our guest speaker. It’s a great evening, so book
early, as places are limited.
Cost: $130 members/$150 guests/$1100 table for 10
coming soon...
ICOC down under
Members are invited to attend the International
Conference on Oriental Carpets, an exciting
regional event organised by the Oriental Rug
Society of NSW (ORS) in collaboration with the
Powerhouse Museum.
To be held at the Museum from 16-19 September,
the conference features both international and
Australian speakers on rugs and textiles from
Central and Western Asia, and textiles from
Southeast Asia and Indigenous Australia and New
Zealand. Two major exhibitions are associated
with the conference. Bright flowers, curated by
the Powerhouse Museum, features textiles,
costumes and ceramics from Central Asia.
Pathways to paradise, curated by the ORS, is an
exhibition of oriental rugs in Australian collections.
Social events in Sydney and an overnight trip to
Canberra to the National Gallery of Australia are
part of the conference.
For more information or a registration form go to
www.rugsociety.org.au or contact the Conference
Co-ordinator Rachel Miller on miller@phm.gov.au
members+
how to book for
members events
Due to limited places, bookings are essential for
every event. Please ring the Members hotline on
(02) 9217 0600 to make your booking before you
send in payment. For events at Sydney
Observatory, please ring (02) 9217 0485. Please
leave a message quoting your membership
number, what event you are booking for and the
number of members and guests. We will confirm
your booking.
Payment for members events
We accept: credit card payments by phone, fax or
mail; cheques; money orders; or cash at the level 4
entrance to the Museum. We pay for all events
once bookings are confirmed, so if you are unable
to attend your event, please let us know ASAP or
we will charge you to cover costs.
All events are held at the Powerhouse Museum
unless otherwise stated. All dates, times and
venues are correct at time of publication.
Members e-newsletter
If you would like to receive the regular Members
e-newsletter with updates on all new members
events please call (02) 9217 0600 or email
members@phm.gov.au with you membership
number and e-newsletter in the subject line.
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+ 14 powerline autumn 04

members LIAM WELLSTEAD (RIGHT),

STUDENT FASHION DESIGNER, AT
THE LAUNCH OF NINETIES TO
scene NOW.

GAI WATERHOUSE, ONE OF

AUSTRALIA’S TOP HORSE
TRAINERS, AT THE OPENING OF
GAMBLING IN AUSTRALIA.

Members are now invited to

attend our exclusive exhibition
opening nights. Here are MEDIA PERSONALITY TONY
some of the famous and SQUIRES (LEFT) WITH MUSEUM
TRUSTEES ANDREW DENTON AND
interesting faces snapped at DR NICHOLAS PAPPAS AT
the launches of Gambling in GAMBLING IN AUSTRALIA.

Australia and Nineties to now.

PHOTOS BY MARINCO KOJDANOVSKI.

MEMBERS OF THE WATERHOUSE MEMBERS (ABOVE) AND PETER

FAMILY WITH CURATOR JENNIFER DWYER AND FRIEND (LEFT) AT
CORNWALL( LEFT). THE LAUNCH OF NINETIES TO
NOW.

FASHION DESIGNER LISA HO.

SIMON LOCK, FOUNDER AND CEO
OF MERCEDES AUSTRALIAN
CARLA ZAMPATTI LAUNCHES THE FASHION WEEK (LEFT) AND
EXHIBITION NINETIES TO NOW: FASHION DESIGNER PETER
FASHION OF THE YEAR MORRISEY (CENTRE) AT NINETIES
RETROSPECTIVE. TO NOW.

For the Sport: more than automatically entered in the

win a heroes and legends exhibition,
Sharp Museum sponsor Sharp has
provided Powerhouse
system Members with a fabulous prize
to be won by a lucky member.
The Sharp home entertainment
system is valued at more than
$4000 and includes
+ LC20B4M AQUOS 50cm LCD
colour television
+ SDAT1000W digital audio
system
+ DVNC80X DVD VCR Combo
Unit
All Powerhouse memberships
current on 18 July 2004 will be
draw. It’s a wonderful incentive
for keeping your membership
current, and for giving a
Museum membership as a gift.
You can see the home
entertainment system on
display in the Museum’s foyer
throughout the Sport: more
than heroes and legends
exhibition.
For details of competition
terms and conditions go to
www.powerhousemuseum.com
/members
PHOTO FOR ILLUSTRATION PURPOSES
ONLY, NOT ACTUAL PRIZE MODEL.
IMAGE OF LOUISE SAUVAGE BY BRETT
FAULKNER/NEWSPIX.
+ 15 powerline winter 04
THE MUSEUM HAS ACQUIRED A RARE AND IMPORTANT
EARLY COLONIAL SIDEBOARD FOR THE COLLECTION.
story_ANNE WATSON, CURATOR DECORATIVE ARTS AND DESIGN
colonial masterpiece
COLONIAL SIDEBOARD, IN CEDAR, ACACIA AND PINE BY AN
UNKNOWN MAKER, ABOUT 1815. PURCHASED WITH FUNDS DONATED
BY DAVID ROCHE, 2004, IN MEMORY OF HIS LATE MOTHER, MRS J D
K ROCHE. PHOTO COURTESY ANDREW SIMPSON.
The cedar pedestal sideboard with cross-banding, antiques. Ron Radford, the Director of the Art Gallery
inlay and lion paw feet is a superb example of the of South Australia in Adelaide where Mr Roche lives,
adaptation of the English Regency style in early describes him as ‘Australia's most systematic
colonial furniture. It is one of the best examples of collector of Regency furniture’.
colonial furniture to have appeared on the market for
Mr Roche is no stranger to philanthropy. His earlier
over a decade. Its style indicates it is likely to have
gift of the only lifetime portrait of Matthew Flinders to
been crafted during Governor Macquarie’s time,
the Art Gallery of South Australia has an interesting
about 1815-20. This was a period of economic
parallel to this donation. The Flinders portrait was
expansion in colonial New South Wales when
gifted in memory of his late father JDK Roche while
increasingly affluent colonists demanded more
the sideboard honours the memory of his late mother
sophisticated domestic environments that reflected
DEA Roche, who lived for many years in Sydney.
their status. The sideboard is one of a small number
David Roche ‘is proud to be associated with items
of surviving examples of pre-1825 Australian furniture
that are so culturally important to all Australians and
which displays the stylistic elegance and high level of
which should be available for future generations to
craftsmanship of English precedents.
admire’.
Purchased in March, the acquisition of the sideboard
The sideboard will join other fine examples of early
was made possible following a generous donation to
19th century furniture in the Museum’s collection such
the museum by Mr David Roche, Adelaide
as the Thomas Hope Egyptian Revival suite, Governor
businessman, noted philanthropist and collector.
Macquarie chair, and James Oatley clock. They will
Mr Roche was immediately enthusiastic about the be displayed in the Museum’s new decorative arts
Museum’s proposal to acquire the sideboard. He is and design gallery, scheduled to open in July 2005.
familiar with furniture from this period, indeed, he has
devoted his life to collecting 18th and 19th century
+ 16 powerline winter 04
VISITING AUTHOR JENNY UGLOW TALKS ABOUT
MATTHEW BOULTON AND JAMES WATT, AND THEIR
EXTRAORDINARILY SUCCESSFUL PARTNERSHIP.
story_JUDITH MATHESON
‘what all the world desires’
British biographer Jenny Uglow has an intimate
knowledge of the lives and work of entrepreneur
Matthew Boulton and engineer/inventor James Watt.
As the author of the fascinating book The Lunar men:
the friends who made the future, she spent five years
researching the remarkable group of friends who
called themselves the Lunar Society and whose ideas
and inventions accelerated the industrial revolution in
the latter part of the 18th century.
But Jenny was unaware when she wrote the book
that at the Powerhouse Museum in Sydney, the oldest
remaining rotative steam engine made by Boulton
and Watt was in action almost every day. Jenny was
in Australia in March for the Adelaide Writers Festival
and she made a detour to the Powerhouse at the
invitation of Director Kevin Fewster to talk about the
Lunar men. It was also the first time she had seen a
Boulton and Watt steam engine operating under
steam.
‘When I first saw it I burst into tears,’ she says. ‘That
wonderful rhythmic sound, and the sinuous
movement … it’s just like an animal. Australia is
terribly lucky to have it. I think it is one of the most
significant museum exhibits in the world.’
It is certainly the most significant technological
artefact ever to reach Australia. Built in 1785, it was
one of Boulton and Watt’s earliest rotative (wheel-
turning) engines and is the oldest in existence. And,
as Jenny found to her delight, it still works regularly
under steam.
The engine has further significance. Jenny explains:
‘It’s not an experimental model. This engine has a
long working history. It worked at Whitbread’s brewery
in London for 100 years and it was a terrific spectacle
in its day. This was Boulton and Watt’s showpiece and
it was this engine that King George III was invited to
see.’
Boulton and Watt were two of five main players in the
Lunar Society, a loose-knit group of about 14 who met
in the English city of Birmingham. The others were
chemist Joseph Priestley who discovered oxygen,
potter Josiah Wedgwood, and Erasmus Darwin,
physician, poet and pioneer of evolution theory.
Researching their lives was a mammoth task. Jenny
had previously written biographies of English novelist
Elizabeth Gaskell (which led her indirectly to the
Lunar men – Gaskell’s father was inspired by them)
and artist William Hogarth, but she found covering so
many lives a challenge.
‘Everybody has their separate stories until they meet
but the really exciting stories are when their lives
overlap. They are all very big characters and they are
all trying to upstage each other. But it’s also a story of
friendship and cooperation and mutual support. They
were friends for life. The chances of such an
extraordinary group coming together must have been
extremely slim but it’s almost because they were part
of the group that they became such high achievers. It
actually helped them on,’ she says.
Jenny believes the informal nature of the Lunar
Society (so named because its members would meet
on the full moon and travel home in the relative
safety of its light) encouraged experimentation and
radical new ideas. ‘It was just before the period when
science acquired its own language and just before
the different disciplines split off and became
specialised. At the time it was called experimental
philosophy, whether you were collecting shells or
experimenting with gases. The society’s interests
were broad ranging — nobody thought it odd to be a
poet and a scientist at the same time — and in
order to explain their ideas to each other or the
general public, scientists like Priestley use very
ordinary language about taste and touch and smell.’
Jenny also explores the relationship between science
and commerce, which is perhaps best illustrated by
Boulton and Watt and the development of the steam
engine. Their partnership was established in 1774 and
lasted 25 years. Boulton provided the finance and the
workshop, Watt developed the engine and continued
to improve its performance over many years with a
series of inventions. Watt was dour while Boulton was
supremely confident, famously declaring: ‘I sell, sire,
what all the world desires — power’.
+ 17 powerline winter 04
FROM LEFT: BRITISH AUTHOR JENNY UGLOW AND POWERHOUSE MUSEUM DIRECTOR KEVIN FEWSTER WITH THE BOULTON AND WATT
STEAM ENGINE IN MARCH. PHOTO BY MARINCO KOJDANOVSKI. A DRAWING OF THE MUSEUM’S BOULTON AND WATT ENGINE. WHITBREAD’S
LONDON BREWERY IN 1792. THE BOULTON AND WATT ENGINE WORKED IN THE BUILDING (CENTRE LEFT) FOR MORE THAN 100 YEARS. IMAGE
COURTESY OF WHITBREAD AND CO BREWERY.
‘Theirs was an amazing partnership, like Laurel and
Hardy, I can’t now imagine one without the other,’
says Jenny. ‘Certainly Boulton was a great
entrepreneur. I don’t know whether he would have
made money otherwise, but he would have had a go
at a million other things. He had an eye for new
things. Boulton was unstoppable. Watt was slow,
depressive and anxious about money. He had been
working on his ideas for eight years and I think he
would have given up without Boulton.’
It appears Watt’s fears about money weren’t
unfounded. While the steam engine was being
developed Boulton hovered on the edge of
bankruptcy. ‘At the time he was seen to be a great
financial success but in fact he ran on debt. If his
creditors had really put the squeeze on him that
would have been it. That’s why his charm was so
important. The files are full of letters that say things
like “Well, I was just about to pay you back but the
most extraordinary thing has just happened…” What
Boulton realised with the steam engine was that you
needed a long period of R&D and you needed to put
money in and put money in and you mustn’t expect
to get any out. And now we see that this is actually a
good business model.’
Of course, Boulton and Watt’s steam engines were
eventually a huge success and both men became
wealthy and well respected. Their Soho ‘manufactory’
POWERHOUSE
MUSEUM SHOP
Open 7 days, 10.00 am – 5.00 pm
Books, CDs, writing accessories,
art glass & ceramics, scarves &
textiles, jewellery and watches,
greeting cards, educational toys
powerhouse members receive 10% off selected merchandise
in Birmingham was a model of engineering
craftsmanship, manufacturing technique and
industrial practice.
In writing the book Jenny warmed to all the grand
Lunar men but has trouble singling out a favourite.
‘I’m endlessly entertained by Joseph Priestley as
political leader and great scientist because he is so
open. I love the energy of Josiah Wedgwood. Boulton
would be my favourite character in a novel because
he’s so unstoppable, so emotional. He never gives up
even when he is in his eighties. Watt the
hypochondriac outlived them all. Erasmus Darwin has
so many skills and a wonderfully playful imagination.
He was a huge man full of ideas. His thinking about
biological evolution was the great imaginative leap of
the day.’
And who would cope best in today’s times? ‘Boulton
would be completely happy in the modern world –
he would be a risk-taking entrepreneur with a laptop
and a mobile phone.’
The Lunar men: the friends who made the future by
Jenny Uglow is published by Faber and Faber and is For more information call (02) 9217 0331
available from the Powerhouse Museum Shop. Or email shops@phm.gov.au. Delivery available.
Free gift wrapping. Gift selection service.
Comfortable browsing atmosphere.
ON THE EVE OF WORLD WAR II, MUSEUM DIRECTOR A R PENFOLD
VISITED MUSEUMS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD AND RETURNED
WITH A VISION FOR A MODERN SCIENCE MUSEUM.
Arthur de Ramon Penfold was the Museum’s fifth
curator (the equivalent of today’s director) and
remains the longest serving. Appointed in 1927, he
had joined the Museum as a chemist in 1919. He
steered the Museum through the difficult years of the
Depression, the Second World War and post-war
reconstruction, all the while arguing for a new site, a
new building and a new recognition of the Museum
as an institution of national importance.
In 1939 he embarked on a six-month tour of museums
in Europe and the United States and returned with a
host of new ideas and a vision for a ‘modern museum
of applied science, arts and industry for Sydney’. He
outlined this vision 18 months later in an address to
the Royal Australian Institute of Architects (as
reported in Architecture 1941): ‘It has … been found
necessary to humanise and to dramatise the story of
Science and Industry in a modern museum. It is also
imperative to show the social and economic
significance as well as the practical application of the
various technical exhibits.’
As a result of his overseas tour Penfold
recommended that 90 per cent of the Museum’s
collection go into storage and that there be a ‘rigid
separation’ of the Museum into exhibitions with broad
general interest and reserve collections ‘for study
purposes’. He advocated changing displays regularly;
introducing temporary exhibitions and making the
interior design of galleries flexible.
Penfold was most inspired by museums that used
stories from the archives
working models and encouraged visitors to interact
with exhibits. Both these concepts remain
fundamental to the Powerhouse to this day. He also
embraced the new technology of television and laid
the groundwork for the Museum’s subsequent
acquisition of the illuminated ‘plastic woman’, which
was one of the Museum’s most popular exhibits
during the late 1950s and ‘60s and is still on display.
Penfold had successfully applied for _1000 through
the New York-based Carnegie Corporation’s Visiting
Grants Scheme in 1934. However, the government of
the day was reluctant to let him go. It was only after
considerable lobbying from members of the
Museum’s Advisory Committee that permission was
granted largely because, by 1938, planning for a new
Museum of Science and Industry to replace the old
Technological Museum had begun.
On 28 January 1939 Penfold, accompanied by his wife
Eunice and daughter Dulcie, sailed to England and,
after spending time in London, toured Scotland and
Wales before travelling on to Paris and then to
Germany, Italy and the United States. The
Powerhouse Museum archives have extensive
holdings of Penfold’s papers giving us an insight into
his observations not just of museums but of the
politics and society of the day.
Penfold kept a detailed — if at times frustratingly
concise — diary of his activities: thus on 26 April 1939
he visited the Museum of Practical Geology in
London and found it ‘very admirable’, particularly the
curved showcases and magnificent dioramas; on 27
April he went to the British Museum of Natural History
‘good showcases, good colour scheme, good labels
and good background to cases’; and on 30 April to
the Victoria and Albert where only the refreshment
room attracted particular notice ‘[a] disgrace; staff
inadequate; place should be closed’.
At the Science Museum, he was taken with the
director, Colonel EEB Mackintosh, a ‘military man
(Engineer) wore spats – very fine active man, with
excellent knowledge of Museum’. Their conversation
was wide ranging discussing the proposed new
museum in Sydney, ‘sites, staffs, showcases, working
models, heights of buildings, lavatories …
recommended aero engine design for new building’.
In Italy, Penfold was impressed by Mussolini ‘a great
man for what he has accomplished for his country’. In
Germany he was glowing about the achievements of
the National Socialists, ‘Frankly, we can learn a great
deal from the Germans; how a nation manages that is
supposed to have no money and yet carry out large
works and educational schemes is beyond the
comprehension of any Britisher.’
Penfold wrote enthusiastically to his colleague at the
Museum, TC Roughley, about the Deutsches Museum
and its ‘nine miles’ of exhibits, the comprehensive
displays, ‘there are no gaps to be filled’, the lavish
use of working models and the sectioned models ‘the
best I have seen’. He commented on the marvellous
photographic and x-ray departments: ‘There was a
+ 19 powerline winter 04
machine there which took your photo, developed the
negative, printed a copy and passed it out to you
through a slot.’
Two years before his visit the Museum had opened a
new hall of motor travel dedicated to the Fuhrer.
Penfold found the collection impressive, ‘every one is
in perfect condition. Not one shows faulty or even
worn tyres and the finish of the chassis is like new’.
He also noted the choice locations of many German
museums. ‘These people have a decided advantage
over us they are now able to use Palaces that have
been vacated by various Monarchs for Museum
purposes … You will understand that my European
ideal for a modern science museum for Sydney is
hardly the model which our educational authorities
will approve of.’
From Europe, Penfold returned to London and then
flew to the United States of America. Arriving first in
New York he visited the World’s Fair where he
concentrated on the technical exhibits. He spoke
highly of the New York Science Museum ‘an amazing
museum for there is little or nothing that is not
operated or worked by the visitor’. In Philadelphia he
found the Franklin Institute and Museum inspirational
with its extensive use of working exhibits, spectacular
plastics display and original chemistry exhibits.
However, he cautioned against overuse of push
buttons with the observation that numbers of visitors
‘pushed the buttons and did not wait to observe the
results’. Penfold was impressed by the fabulous
+ In September 2004 the institution we now know
shops that lined America’s main streets. An untitled
talk in his surviving papers urges museum directors
to offer displays ‘as if you had a frontage to Fifth
Avenue, New York’.
As well as bringing back new ideas about the design
of museum buildings and exhibitions, Penfold brought
back ideas for new exhibits. In London he had
witnessed a BBC television broadcast and began
talking to television manufacturers about a display for
the Museum. At the Museum of Hygiene in Germany
he saw an ‘illuminated’ man and in New York and
Chicago ‘illuminated’ women, displays that ultimately
led to the Museum’s acquisition of the ‘plastic
woman’. Just as significantly, for the next 20 years he
sustained a lively correspondence with a wide range
of museum directors, curators, research scientists
and businessmen that he met on the trip.
Penfold returned to Australia on 3 October 1939, just
one month after Germany invaded Poland. A poignant
collection of letters survives in Penfold’s archives from
museum colleagues he had met in Europe who were
desperately trying to find sponsors overseas. There is
no record of Penfold providing assistance.
Penfold retired in 1955, his vision for a modern
science museum unrealised. However many of his
ideas came to fruition in the decades that followed.
Kimberley Webber, Senior Curator, Australian History
as the Powerhouse Museum will begin
celebrations for its 125th anniversary. In the
lead up to those celebrations Powerline has
published a series of articles about significant
events, people, collections and projects from
our long and distinguished history. This is the
third article in the series.
OPPOSITE PAGE: THIS PHOTOGRAPH OF HARRIS STREET, ULTIMO,
WAS TAKEN IN ABOUT 1930 BY THE MUSEUM’S ECONOMIC
ZOOLOGIST FROM ONE OF THE UPPER FLOORS OF THE
TECHNOLOGY MUSEUM. FACTORIES HAVE REPLACED MUCH OF
THE HOUSING IN SURROUNDING STREETS WHILE IN THE DISTANCE
THE CHIMNEYS OF THE ULTIMO POWER HOUSE BLANKET THE
SUBURB WITH COAL DUST. IT IS NOT SURPRISING THAT PENFOLD,
LIKE HIS PREDECESSORS, THOUGHT THE MUSEUM ‘IN A VERY
POOR LOCATION … ALTHOUGH IT MIGHT BE VERY DIFFICULT TO
MOVE … IT WAS WELL WORTH TRYING, IN VIEW OF THE VERY
STRONG PUBLIC FEELING REGARDING ITS PRESENT
UNSATISFACTORY LOCATION’. PHOTO FROM MUSEUM ARCHIVES.
THIS PAGE: PENFOLD WAS VERY TAKEN WITH THE ‘ILLUMINATED’
PEOPLE DISPLAYS HE SAW OVERSEAS. HIS INTEREST EVENTUALLY
LED TO THE ACQUISITION OF THE TRANSPARENT WOMAN IN THE
LATE 1950S. SHE HAS BEEN ON DISPLAY EVER SINCE. PHOTO BY
GEOFF FRIEND.
INCLUDED IN PENFOLD’S PAPERS ARE A NUMBER OF
PHOTOGRAPHS OF MUSEUM DISPLAYS . THIS ONE SHOWS THE
VICTORIA AND ALBERT MUSEUM IN LONDON.
PENFOLD IN HIS OFFICE IN THE 1940S. PHOTO FROM MUSEUM
ARCHIVES.
+ 020 powerline winter 04
the storyteller’s story
HANS THE STORYTELLER IS A POPULAR CHARACTER AT THE
MUSEUM. WE MEET THE REAL HANS: ACTOR NIGEL SUTTON.
story_MICHAEL VAN TIEL, EDUCATION OFFICER photo_SUE STAFFORD
One of the Powerhouse Museum’s most popular
characters is Hans the storyteller. Members and
regular Museum visitors will have encountered Hans
leading tours in one of his many guises: Hans the
innkeeper of Gratz who told tales of magic and
chivalry, Hans the raconteur migrant who began life
working on the Snowy Mountain Scheme, or perhaps
Hans the film director explaining the wonderful world
of special effects.
So who is Hans? He is one of many characters
created by actor Nigel Sutton. Nigel first became
involved in museum theatre in 1990 when he joined
an acting company attached to the Museum of the
Moving Image in London. At MOMI, film came to life
as professional actors delivered first person
interpretations in the galleries. In this environment
Nigel was able to spend time with directors to
develop his characters. On returning to Australia
Nigel noticed that very little theatre was being
performed in museums. But what was happening was
very exciting and experimental.
He began performing at the Earth Exchange at the
Rocks and was spotted by Powerhouse Museum
education officers who invited him to perform at the
Mint Museum (part of the Museum at the time). In
1996, he created Dr Goldfinger for the Mint. Nigel’s
first character at the Powerhouse was Captain Quirk,
quizmaster of ‘the great space, fact and fantasy trivia
quiz’, created for the Star Trek exhibition in 1998. With
his next character, Nigel really found his mark. Hans
the innkeeper took visitors on live interpretive tours of
the Knights of Imperial Austria exhibition for an
amazing 16-week run! What made these tours special
was that no two were ever exactly alike. They were
unscripted and often ran overtime. Tour numbers
swelled up to 100.
Asked why Hans was so popular Nigel replies, ‘You
have to create a character that is truly passionate
and interested in the topic so they can engage the
audience. Hans was so believable that staff actually
thought I came with the exhibition from Austria and
were shocked when I spoke without the accent.’
Over the years, many members have grown up with
Hans. He now has a mini-fan club that keeps coming
back for performances. ‘I have noticed that even
though the children get older and realise that I am
actually an actor playing a character they still interact
with the character and they don’t spoil the
experience for their brothers and sisters. It is
important that you create a positive emotional
experience to the museum visit,’ Nigel says. While
performing at a corporate function recently a woman
recognised Nigel as the character Hans. ‘She began
telling me how her son now buys museum catalogues
and creates interpretive stories from them. So you
can say museum theatre does work.’
Hans is not Nigel’s only character. There was Krispin
K, the trend detective and Dan Flash, the sports
commentator. Another of Nigel’s characters was
TORK2U, the talking robot (pictured). As part of his
performance he would ask children in the audience
to ‘program’ him. ‘Quite often we would end up
hearing amazing stories on the meaning of life.’
+ 21 powerline winter 04
ABOVE: POWERHOUSE MUSEUM CONSERVATOR SUZANNE
CHEE (IN RED) RUNS A WORKSHOP FOR LOCAL
ENTHUSIASTS. BELOW: CHRISTENING GOWNS FROM THE
ORANGE DISTRICT. PHOTOS BY JEAN-FRANCOIS
LANZARONE.
OUR COLLABORATION WITH A REGIONAL
MUSEUM SHOWCASES BEAUTIFUL LACE.
layers of lace
Unique examples of lace from the Orange region, The Layers of lace exhibition is part of an ongoing
brought to light by local curator Brenda Grey, program to support movable heritage collections in
complemented a display of lace from the Powerhouse New South Wales and is designed to promote the
Museum’s collection at the Orange Regional Gallery in development and documentation of regional
February. The exhibition Layers of lace featured a collections. It was delivered as part of the Regional
charming collection of local christening gowns, which Services program at the Powerhouse.
stole the show, as well as many interesting examples
To date these collaborative projects with regional
of lace from collars to fashionable 1950s wedding
organisations have focused on agricultural, timber,
dresses.
textile, and migration heritage collections and their
Lace specialist and former Powerhouse curator links to the Powerhouse Museum’s collection.
Rosemary Shepherd and I assisted with the project
The program is part of a broader initiative to create
and ran packed weekend workshops for lace
opportunities for curators, collection managers,
identification and lace making. Workshops on the
conservators, teachers, students and historians in
conservation of lace were organised a couple of
regional areas to undertake collection-based
weeks later by Powerhouse conservator Suzanne
research. It aims to encourage projects that identify
Chee, who also demonstrated techniques for the
significant objects and collections across NSW and
display and mounting of textiles. by the end of the
increase knowledge and understanding of moveable
day participants had plenty of ideas on how to clean,
heritage.
store, organise and display their treasures.
The Orange Regional Gallery is an inspiring local Lindie Ward, Assitant Curator International
centre for the arts and, supported by the local Decorative Arts and Design
council, achieves an excellent program of exhibitions
with a hard-working team of local enthusiasts. This
exhibition was a community-based show that drew on
objects from local museums and private collectors.

+ 22 powerline autumn 04
SEE THE TRANSIT OF VENUS, AND ITEMS THAT
TRAVELLED ON COOK’S 1769 VOYAGE.
Z DETAIL OF AN ORRERY (MODEL OF THE PLANETS) AT SYDNEY OBSERVATORY.
legends of
the Greeks
Many of the constellation
names and words we use to
describe what we observe in
the night sky have their origins
in ancient Greek astronomy.
The ancient Greek word for
star is astro, making
astronomy the study of the
stars. They recognised three
types of stars in the night sky:
fixed stars, wandering stars
and ‘hairy’ stars. Constellations
were made up of fixed stars.
Today we use the same basic
shapes used by the Greeks,
including their many myths
and stories. Moving among the
constellations were the Sun,
Moon and five ‘stars’ that the
Greeks called asteres planetai
(wandering stars) leading to
the modern term ‘planet’. The
five visible planets are
Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter
and Saturn. From time to time
a star that appeared ‘hairy’
could be seen. The Greeks
called them komEtEs (hairy
one), which became ‘comet’.
The ancient Olympic Games
began in 776 BC. Like Easter,
+
observe
PHOTO BY JEAN-FRANCOIS LANZARONE.
To celebrate the 2004 Athens Olympic
Games, Sydney Observatory pays
homage to Greek astronomers.
the Olympics were a movable
festival that used both a Moon
j
and Sun calendar to set a
date. The date was
determined by counting eight
full moons, starting with the
first full moon after the winter
solstice. For the northern
watching
hemisphere the winter solstice the transit
occurs on 22 December,
making a day in July or August
the date on which the
The transit of Venus is a possibly used by Cook to time
Olympics commenced.
pivotal event in Australian the 1769 transit, which is on
In modern times we think of history. It was the transit of loan from the Science
astronomy purely as a science, 1769 which brought James Museum in London. The clock
forgetting it is a part of our Cook to the South Pacific and was made by John Shelton
cultural heritage and everyday then on to claim NSW for during a period of great
lives. To celebrate the opening England. The following transit advances in time-keeping and
of the 2004 Athens Olympic in 1874 was an important event navigation. The loan was made
Games on 13 August, the in Sydney Observatory’s own possible by the Bruce and Joy
Observatory will hold two history. Reid Foundation.
Legends of the Greeks nights
To mark the 2004 transit of On the day of the transit, join
on 5 and 12 August. For
Venus, the first in over a curator of astronomy Dr Nick
bookings and more
century, Sydney Observatory Lomb at the Observatory for
information, phone (02) 9217
will present an exhibition an introduction and transit
0485.
featuring original material from viewing from 2.45pm until
Dr Martin Anderson Cook’s voyage (opening 5 sunset, followed by live
June) and a series of lectures webcasts from around the
THIS CLOCK, WHICH MAY HAVE BEEN and events surrounding the world.
USED ON COOK’S 1769 PACIFIC
VOYAGE TO TIME THE TRANSIT OF transit on 8 June. Objects on
VENUS, WILL BE ON DISPLAY AT For more information, costs
SYDNEY OBSERVATORY FROM 5 JUNE. display include an
and bookings phone (02) 9217
PHOTO COURTESY SCIENCE extraordinary regulator clock,
MUSEUM/SSPL. 0485.
+ 23 powerline autumn 04

THE POWERHOUSE MUSEUM GRATEFULLY ACKNOWLEDGES

THE SUPPORT OF THE FOLLOWING ORGANISATIONS

+principal partners

DICK SMITH

SPORT: MORE THAN HEROES & LEGENDS SPORT: MORE THAN HEROES & LEGENDS DICK SMITH AUSTRALIAN EXPLORER BELL INTEL YOUNG SCIENTIST 2003, COLES THEATRE, TARGET THEATRE,
206B JETRANGER III HELICOPTER SOUNDHOUSE™ AND ONLINE PROJECTS GRACE BROS COURTYARD, K MART
STUDIOS

+senior partners

ECOLOGIC: CREATING A SUSTAINABLE STEAM LOCOMOTIVE 3830 POWERHOUSE WIZARD

FUTURE STEAM LOCOMOTIVE 3265

+partners

AUSTRALIAN POSTERS ENGINEERS AUSTRALIA, SYDNEY DIVISION NIKON SOUNDHOUSE™ MUSIC ALLIANCE TRIPLE M
SPORT: MORE THAN HEROES & LEGENDS ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE 2003 SYDNEY OBSERVATORY SOUNDHOUSE™ MUSIC AND MULTI MEDIA SPORT: MORE THAN HEROES & LEGENDS
LABORATORY

GRAND MARNIER METRO MONORAIL SBS WIDE WORLD OF SPORTS

THE SYDNEY MORNING HERALD
NINETIES TO NOW: FASHION OF THE YEAR SPORT: MORE THAN HEROES & LEGENDS GAMBLING IN AUSTRALIA: THRILLS, SPILLS SPORT: MORE THAN HEROES & LEGENDS
RETROSPECTIVE AND SOCIAL ILLS SYDNEY DESIGN WEEK

MINCOM LIMITED YAMAHA MUSIC AUSTRALIA

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH SCHENKER STINNES LOGISTICS TRANSGRID
LIFE FELLOWS DINNER 2004 YAMAHA DISKLAVIER GRAND PIANO
SPORT: MORE THAN HEROES & LEGENDS OUR PLACE:INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIA NOW PACIFIC SOLAR PROJECT

+supporters

ARAB BANK AUSTRALIA REBEL SPORT

TREASURES OF PALESTINE
NOVOTEL SYDNEY ON DARLING HARBOUR
OFFICIAL SYDNEY HOTEL
SPORT: MORE THAN HEROES & LEGENDS 3D CLINIC
SPORT: MORE THAN HEROES & LEGENDS
SYDNEY AIRPORT
LAWRENCE HARGRAVE: AUSTRALIA’S
PIONEER AVIATOR

+founding corporate members +landmark corporate members +foundations

BOEING AUSTRALIA NSW DEPARTMENT OF LANDS ARAB BANK AUSTRALIA SCHENKER AUSTRALIA VINCENT FAIRFAX FAMILY FOUNDATION
CAPITAL TECHNIC GROUP TASCO BIMBADGEN ESTATE SWAROVSKI INTERNATIONAL (AUST)
INTEL AUSTRALIA TRANSGRID DUNLOP FLOORING AUSTRALIA THE RACI INC, NSW BRANCH
LOGICA CMG P&O NEDLLOYD WEIR WARMAN LTD
MASSMEDIA STUDIOS ROYAL DOULTON AUSTRALIA WORMALD

+ state government partners +australian government partners

THE POWERHOUSE MUSEUM IS A
STATUTORY AUTHORITY OF, AND
PRINCIPALLY FUNDED BY,
THE NSW STATE GOVERNMENT.
CASINO COMMUNITY BENEFIT FUND NSW AUSTRALIA COUNCIL FOR THE ARTS
AUSTRALIAN RESEARCH COUNCIL
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AND
HERITAGE

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES AND GIVING TO THE POWERHOUSE MUSEUM PLEASE CONTACT MIRANDA PURNELL ON (02) 9217 0577.
exhibitions at a glance
JUNE_JULY_AUGUST 2004

Sport: more than heroes and legends Sydney design week

LEVEL 4, UNTIL 18 JULY 2004 5_15 AUGUST 2004
Discover the triumphs, the fashion, the
Contemporary silver: made in Italy
science and the passion of sport. This
LEVEL 3, 5 AUGUST 2004 – 13 FEBRUARY
interactive exhibition brings together 2005
material from 60 different sports – put
A showcase of the best silverware
yourself to the test, find out the latest
made in Italy during the last three
in improving performance, and uncover
decades of the 20th century. Features
sporting myths and secrets. Special
the work of renowned Italian designers
admission prices apply.
and silversmithing studios as well as
Closing soon — don’t miss out!
objects designed by international
architects and designers.
Gambling in Australia:
thrills, spills and social ills
Australian Design Awards
LEVEL 3, UNTIL 10 OCTOBER 2004
LEVEL 4, SUCCESS AND INNOVATION
Why are Australians such enthusiastic GALLERY, FROM 3 JULY 2004
gamblers? Gambling in Australia looks
See the new Powerhouse Museum
at the past and present of gambling in
Selection from the Australian Design
all its major forms – the lotteries,
Awards 2004.
racetracks, the Tote and TAB, hotels,
licensed clubs and casinos.
The Sydney Morning Herald Young
Designer of the Year Award
Nineties to now:
LEVEL 2, 5 – 15 AUGUST 2004
Fashion of the Year retrospective
LEVEL 3, UNTIL 18 JULY 2004 A preview of the design stars of the
future.
From glamour to grunge, power suits to
hippie chic … rediscover must-have
Engineering Excellence
fashion from the 1990s to now. See
LEVEL 4, SUCCESS AND INNOVATION
designs by John Galliano for Christian GALLERY, UNTIL NOVEMBER 2004
Dior, Marc Jacobs, Prada, Versace,
Outstanding engineering projects from
Marni, Akira Isogawa, sass & bide and
the Engineers Australia (Sydney
Collette Dinnigan.
Division) Engineering Excellence
awards.
Student fashion
LEVEL 3, UNTIL 18 JULY 2004
Treasured timbers
Award-winning designs by students LEVEL 5, UNTIL 1 AUGUST 2004
from Sydney’s top fashion schools.
Features the work of three Tasmanian
furniture makers who work with timber
Beirut to Baghdad
in very different ways.
LEVEL 3, 18 JUNE 2004 – 30 JANUARY
2005
Moving the mail
Beautiful objects from the Museum’s
LEVEL 2, TRANSPORT EXHIBITION
collection, representing the countries of
Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, Jordan and See how Australians communicated in
Iraq. Memories and associations of the days before email. This exhibition
Arabic-speaking Australians – inspired also examines how postage stamps
by the collection – provide a have been produced and collected
community voice. over the years.

FROM LEFT: NEW CAPTIONS TO COME.

exhibitions at Intel Young Scientist 2003

Sydney Observatory
Transit of Venus
FROM 5 JUNE 2004
Looks at the astronomical and
historical significance of the transit of
Venus and features material from
James Cook’s South Pacific voyages.
travelling exhibitions
MACQUARIE REGIONAL LIBRARY, DUBBO
3 JUNE – 21 JULY 2004
HASTINGS LIBRARY, PORT MACQUARIE
24 JULY – 22 AUGUST 2004
NEWCASTLE REGIONAL MUSEUM
25 AUGUST – 26 SEPTEMBER 2004
Works wonders: stories about home
remedies
VISITOR CENTRE, BREWARRINA
29 MAY – 28 JUNE 2004
BUSH NURSES COTTAGE, LIGHTNING
RIDGE
3 JULY –16 AUGUST 2004

Our place: Indigenous Australia now

BENAKI MUSEUM, ATHENS, GREECE
1 JULY – 5 SEPTEMBER 2004
+

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from the
collection

This Tiwi ceramic figure

represents Purukaparli with the
spirit of his dead son Jinani. In
the geographically isolated
Tiwi (‘we people’) islands of
Bathurst and Melville in the
north, the tragic events
surrounding the ancestral
being Purukaparli are probably
the best known, as they deal
with the origins of death and
the passages and phases of
the sun and the moon.
Moonbeams and coral:
Purukaparli’s grief was
designed and made by Mark
Puautjimi of Tiwi Design, Nguiu,
Bathurst Island, Northern
Territory, Australia, 1999. It will
feature in Our place:
Indigenous Australia now, an
exhibition developed by the
Powerhouse Museum and
Museum Victoria, which opens
in Athens on 1 July as part of
the Cultural Olympiad program
for the 2004 Athens Olympic
Games.
Exhibition supported by
Schenker Stinnes Logistics.

ISSN 1030-5750
02

9 771030 575004

www.powerhousemuseum.com