This certainly seems to be Australia’s year in focus (okay – pace sportsmen!) – at least it has been for me in Florence:

I spent 3 weeks sunny side of the earth on holiday at the beginning of the year, which included  driving across the centre to Uluru, thus creating some sort of bizarre Odyssey in the middle of our break. On learning of our plans one young man from Sydney said “Strewth! – I don’t know many Australians who would even consider doing that!” – another friend warned “You are heading for divorce – have you ever seen a roadhouse!”

In fact the long drive turned out to be a lot of fun –  if somewhat surprisingly lacking in wildlife -although there was roadkill a plenty – and thousands of flies – as I am pictured swatting madly below!

In June and leading up to it  I helped Australian writer Lisa Clifford with her first  Writers Retreat in the Casentino mountains in Tuscany.

The delegates were terrific and nearly all of them from Australia, or Australians living in Tuscany – I was awfully glad that I had done my homework by going over there on holiday!

The week was so good we already have some re-sign ups for both of next years Retreats in June and September – including  Matthew Ferrara who is coming back as delegate AND an inspirational speaker on our June 2014 course.

At the end of the month I helped another half Australian John Hoenig , who has chosen to make his home in Florence, with his Festival of San Giovanni Battista, including an Art Exhibition, Conference,  Symposium and a moving Concert by Modo Antiquo held in the British Institute library on Friday 21st June,

John Hoenig also arranged for a John the Baptist guided tour with Alexandra Lawrence of the Florentine on the Saturday and another concert, an organ recital by Robin Walker in the Badia Florentine 

John’s passion to set up this  prestigious Festival gives additional credence to the concept that this seems to be Australia’s generation for the Expat population in Florence – in the late 19th Century the city was overrun by the Brits – the Scorpioni who felt that Florence ought to be honoured to have them living there, then in 1920’s the American’s joined the British and the other emigre Europeans and battled it out for local prestige at the  Gran Caffé Doney (shown below)and in their Villas nestled in the hills around the City.

Now in the 21st Century it is the Australians turn  – and a lot of fun they are too! We are currently enjoying  a season of Australian films at the British Institute  – which was launched with a big bang in best Aussie style with a party!

My Watercolour Workshops this year have all been held at the home of Victor Caulfield from Melbourne – a man who has the honour of being the only male member (a point which he likes to stress for some reason?) of AILO – American International League of Florence  – hitherto restricted to female membership!

So being back in London for a week the latest Exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts ,  Australia is a must see for me – despite the fact that it has actually had some rather derisive press from some of the expat Australians in the UK – Germaine Greer being not the least of them – damning the Australia exhibition as “condescending and ridiculous” – she went on to say to  Charles Saumarez Smith , Curator that ” The implication, that 200 years of art in Australia could be adequately represented in a single show, is condescending and ridiculous but the Australian organisers of the exhibition seem blissfully unaware of the implicit disparagement. So much of what they chose to show is small-scale and trivial, that the impartial observer might suspect that their real intention was to belittle Australian achievement.”

Greer slates the RA, whose chief executive is Charles Saumarez Smith also shown above

I hesitate to disagree with the divine Germaine but in my opinion a lot of the material in the show was excellent and for non Australians there was a lot to be learnt from it.

For those not in a position to pop to the antipodes to see for themselves it does give an impression of the indigenous population as seen through sympathetic eyes of some of the newcomers and also shows development , scale, colour and vastness of the Continent – not a bad effort in such a small space!

The iconic image for the poster of the exhibition – as well as most of the marketing material – is the image painted by Sidney Nolan of bushranger outlaw Ned Kelly in his home-made armour,  riding his horse across the red earth with his black pentola helmet silhouetted against the bright Australian sky.

An example of his actual armour is shown below – and another interesting painting depicts Kelly’s loving sister sewing cotton padding inside his armour so it was less uncomfortable to wear.

I also loved some of the really early colonial paintings of the Australian landscape showing huge lakes and endless skies with eucalyptus tree and unusual bushes perfectly reflected under Australian skies.

I was particularly inspired by the paintings by Dr Ludwig Becker, the German born artist, naturalist and geologist who died  on the ill-fated Burke and Wills  expedition whilst the group were trying to cross the country on camels – the camels survived even although they didn’t. Despite his hunger, thirst and dysentery Becker evidently continued to paint the extraordinary sights he was viewing in the Australian wilderness almost to his final breath.

Which takes us neatly back to my own trip to Australia and our seemingly endless road trip – the first site you see on entering the exhibition is a man on a motorcycle with his arms outstretched as if being crucified. This is a video image by Shaun Gladwell called Approach to Mundi Mundi – and although it is only just over 8 minutes long – like the Australian landscape it seems to go on forever!

Stop Press :

John Hoenig is giving a lecture on his Bauhaus educated Austo- Hungarian Architect, interior designer and cabinet maker father,  Laszlo Hoenig tomorrow night at the Hungarian Culture Centre in Maiden Lane, Covent Garden, London – and I am going – so more of that on Thursday! 

Lisa Clifford is in Sydney this week doing promotion for her new book Naples – a Way of Love  

Naples: City of Blood, City of Miracles. City of Contradictions and Secrets, Luck and Superstition, Danger and Incredible Kindness.– Way to go Lisa – I am sure it will just as successful as all your others!

What I love about Lisa’s books is that they are all so different – just equally beautifully written!

In this case photographer Carla Coulson has taken a series of amazing photos from this ultra complex Italian City and the concept of the book is to take you on a journey through the Naples most tourists never see .