LEN POWER.
THE Grigoryan Brothers’ “This Is Us: A Musical Reflection of Australia”, truly celebrated the Australian spirit. For the large audience in the cavernous entrance hall of the National Museum of Australia, the concert became an intimately shared and ultimately memorable experience.
Commissioned by the National Museum to compose a suite of music to celebrate its 20th anniversary, the Grigoryan Brothers, Leonard and Slava, focused on 18 objects that, to them, represented what it means to be Australian. They chose artefacts that represent our First Nations’ history as well as colonisation, migration and innovation, along with stories of love and loss.
Luke Cornish looks at power and spin – Hamlet-style.
“DON’T Shoot the Messenger” is a confronting exhibition from former Canberra street artist Luke Cornish (ELK) which features 54 hand cut stencil works. By holding a mirror up to society through his art (that’s from “Hamlet”), Cornish hopes to inspire people to think critically about power, spin and extremism. The exhibition will open at the aMBUSH Gallery, Kambri, ANU, from 6-8pm, Friday, March 12. It will then runs 10am-6pm weekdays and 12pm-5pm on weekends until April 11. Registration essential here.
“THIS is us: A musical reflection of Australia” will be performed by by classical guitarists Slava and Leonard Grigoryan to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the opening of the National Museum of Australia. The Grigoryans have been inspired by 18 historical objects for which they have composed personal responses. Encore presentation, Friday, March 12. Bookings here.
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These are just some of the 18 objects selected from the National Museum of Australia’s collection for the stories they tell about our national history, culture and identity. In a new project, they’ve been brought to life through music, with guitarists and brothers Slava and Leonard Grigoryan writing new pieces to respond to each one. The Grigoryans’ music and the objects themselves are being showcased by ABC Classic across the radio and online, as well as on a new album.
The project was distinctively ‘2020’, with Slava and Leonard separated by state border closures while they were writing the music.
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To mark the 20th anniversary of the National Museum of Australia, Slava and Leonard Grigoryan have selected 18 objects from the museum collection and responded to each with a new composition. The objects trace the history of Australia over the past 60,000 years.
From an ancient artefact from Arnhem Land, to convict love tokens, a protest sign, and even Sir Donald Bradman s cricket bat, take a journey through each of the objects with Alice Keath and hear the musical responses by the Grigoryan brothers.