History – Page 12 – Content Catnip

The Purgatory of Good and Bad Choices: Vintage Criminal Portraits

These photos of Australian female criminals come from a series taken between 1910 and 1930 by the NSW police. For the benefit of the modern-day reader, a surprising amount of detail remains of the subjects’ stories. Unlike a typical mug shot, these women were allowed or perhaps even encouraged, to compose themselves or position themselves inContinue reading “The Purgatory of Good and Bad Choices: Vintage Criminal Portraits”

Welcome to Melbourne’s Rapidly Vanishing World

In just about any city, formerly unfashionable places undergo rapid revamps. Suddenly overnight, these shabby, overlooked places become cool. It’s a fickle and inevitable transformation. A sublimination and muting of tastes into the oblivion of current fashion. This is the case in Melbourne’s western suburbs: Altona, Seddon, Footscray, Yarraville, Sunshine and Newport. Every city withContinue reading “Welcome to Melbourne’s Rapidly Vanishing World”

Leviathan or Lilliputian?

Great photography plays around with our perceptions of big and small. Here are two examples where it’s difficult to tell at first whether or not we’re looking at leviathan or lilliputian objects. Sam O’Hare’s New York City This is actually real and big rendering of NYC teeming with life. The illusion of smallness comes fromContinue reading “Leviathan or Lilliputian?”

Five Creepy Islands in Sydney Harbour

Sydney has some nefarious and idiosyncratic history. Nowadays it’s presented with a shiny, modern patina of progress. Although little more than a century ago the story was less chirpy and cheerful and more like a bad episode of Survivor. 1. Cockatoo Island This island has a somewhat grim intriguing history, matched by its demeanor –Continue reading “Five Creepy Islands in Sydney Harbour”

Unseen Art from Australia’s First Fleet

This gorgeous selection of detailed drawings will be shown at the State Library of New South Wales’ TAL & Dai-ichi Life Derby Collection. The drawings come from the private collection of Australian art collector Kerry Stokes, among other collectors. Some of these treasures haven’t ever been seen before by the public! Anybody with an interestContinue reading “Unseen Art from Australia’s First Fleet”