The inaugural Western Australian Indigenous Art Awards exhibition showcases outstanding works by sixteen Indigenous artists from across the nation. Each of the artists brings a unique vision to the Awards and, placed together, their work reveals the dominant and emerging mediums, subjects and experiences shaping contemporary Indigenous art today.

The winner of the richest Indigenous art award in Australia, the non-acquisitive Western Australian Indigenous Art Award, which is valued at $50,000, is Patrick Tjungurrayi.

You can see his work below and the other finalists in the exhibition at the Art Gallery of Western Australia , in Perth WA. The exhibition runs from 1 November 2008 - 11 January 2009. Or take a look online here .

The Museum of Contemporary Art in Sydney, was established to fulfill the museum aspect of the visionary bequest of Australian expatriate artist John Power (1881-1943), who left his personal fortune to the University of Sydney to inform and educate Australians in the contemporary visual arts. The MCA was officially opened in November 1991.

Primavera is an annual highlight in the MCA program, it showcases the work of young Australian artists aged thirty-five and under. Throughout its seventeen year history, this exhibition has provided valuable exposure for Australian artists at the early stages of their careers and plays an important role in bringing young artists to the attention of a broader audience.

For Primavera 2008, guest curator Hannah Mathews has selected thirteen exciting artists , including three artist collaborations, from across the country. They are: Marcus Canning - Danielle Freakley - Tarryn Gill & Pilar Mata Dupont - Ariel Hassan - Mark Hilton - Paul Knight - Moya McKenna - Ms & Mr - Gemma Smith - Soda_Jerk


Check out the MCA site for more info, and if you’re in Australia, you only have another 2 and a bit weeks to go- and it’s free.

19 September - 30 November 2008

De retour à Pékin, je me suis trouvé par hasard dans une exposition d’Edward Burtynsky, un photographe canadien, à la Paris-Beijing Photo Gallery . Ma première connaissance de lui vient du documentaire Manufactured Landscapes . Ses images choquantes extériorisent notre influence perturbante sur l’environnement. Il a pris plusieurs collections de photos en Chine. Les éléments bruts caractérisés dans ses photos marquent nos traces, parfois indésirables, sur notre planète. De plus, Burtynsky a été commandé à photographier le projet du Barrage des Trois-Gorges. Ce dernier mesure deux kilomètres de large et monte jusqu’à 185m de haut.

Apart from the Three Gorges Dam, his numerous works on China covered, among other subjects, manufacturing, urban development and recycling. As I was watching the displacement of people for the construction of the dam as shown in Manufactured Landscapes played on site, I regretted that I did not have a chance to visit the villages and cities, all of which will definitely be submerged in water. Like many people, I am perplexed by this huge construction project, but "taming the water" (治水), as in solving the problem of flooding, has a long legend in Chinese history. On the other hand, if you never really thought about how we consume, entertain or live would shape the environment, a look at his photos will definitely get you thinking. For his striking photos on the dam, on shipbreaking and much more, visit edwardburtynsky.com.