“On a recent trip overseas, I finally experienced the spectacle of the city of Hong Kong. Sipping on a beer from an upper floor bar, I was engrossed by immense, vertical cityscape – made even more intriguing by thick layer of fog below. I was guided up narrow stairwells to rooftop parks and podium bars, seemingly hidden from its meandering streets. I watched kids playing cheerfully in inner city parks, next to teenagers during an intense game of basketball. The word “vibrant” sprang to mind. Although I promised myself to stop using it.
I thought back to life in the Sydney CBD. It seemed dull by comparison. Suits by day, commuters by night – scrambling to get home before the peak hour rush. Yes, a few bars with a steady flow into the evening. But surely it could be so much more? I imagined ascending Sydney’s tallest towers for live music, swimming pools with panoramic harbour views, dazzling art installations hanging from grey infrastructure, and colourful playgrounds set in-amongst the buildings ensuring play, fun and joy isn’t just something for the weekends.
Surely, Sydney could be so much more. And why wouldn’t it?…”
Blog post written for Hoyne about Sydney from some recent insights from Hong Kong. Read the full article here.
A couple of weeks ago Saal Digital asked me to review one of their book products... Eager to start seeing some of my images in print, it was a great chance for me to self-publish quickly and easily without the hassle of understanding the ins and outs of graphic design and printing.
I sat down with East London based figurative painter Lorna May Wadsworth to talk about her studio space, gentrification and the future of artists in the city.
Photographer
Nicholas Gascoine spent his mid 20's in New York City. There, he would work alongside some of the most prominent fashion photographers, often flying to exotic locations. The move back to Australia had followed an exciting period of work, and Gascoine found the body of water lapping onto Sydney's Eastern beach fronts restorative.
My friend James and I decided that we were going to cycle to Paris... Wasting little time um-ming and ah-hing, we decided to plan for the fastest route (London-Newhaven-Dieppe-Forges-Les-Eaux-Pontiose-Paris) and a couple of weeks later we were off. A quick run down below with some few black and white shots taken en-route ...
Before leaving Sydney, I did a few photography shoots for Sydney’s new 'Neighbourhood Paper'...
Jess Cook has been involved in a range of events and creative projects over the last 15 years. From running collaborative art events and helping to manage large-scale festivals, her latest endeavour is arguably the most ambitious. As Founding Member and Managing Director of Sydney’s 107 Projects, she’s been integral in creating an impressive cultural space in central Sydney. In addition to housing exhibitions, dance classes, theatre performances, artists’ in residence, horticulture, cooking and workshops spaces, 107 has become host to some of Sydney’s most prominent creative organisations and projects. Collaborations include FBI’s Ears Have Ears, Heaps Gay, Groove Therapy and The Bower, to name just a few.
Jess recently showed me around 107, talking about the space itself, as well as creative spaces, more generally.
