Three Bellybuttons Podcast

This is the 5th COVID special episode. In this episode, I have four high-achieving artists: Dr. Kate Just, Dr. Tal Fitzpatrick, Zara Sullivan and Nathan Beard talking about their art projects that they have been carrying out during COVID19 and speaking about their creative process and mind-space in making these projects during the COVID down time. Dr. Kate and Dr, Tal are producing a collaborative project titled: #covid19quilt on the instagram platform @covid19quilt. Zara is delivering her project “Angle Exchange” and hosting a live performance channel on IGTV.  Nathan is managing his island of Slovetzia in Animal Crossing game where he has built an art gallery and migrated his 1st life exhibition tilted White Gilt 2.0 and originally shown at FirstDraft into this Slovetzia gallery. To me, like many other artists and people who struggled in the 1st lockdown period to keep up a creative life and now is adjusting mentally again in the 2nd lockdown,

In this 4th COVID19 special episode, I have invited two artist and educator, Dr. Tammy wong Hulbert, and Dr. Priya Srinivasan and a phycologist, Anu Radha to make a conversation together about how the arts and artists could respond to the COVID19 racism against the Asian population in the western societies. In this episode, Tammy told us about a collaborative social engagement project called Unmasked selfies in Solidarity that she had taken part in. This project had widely-reached on Facebook platform. Tammy also talked about how her visual art practice had been enriched through her roles as a curator and academic. Priya, with her rich knowledge on Australian performance art and the subject on cultural and gender equality in the postcolonial and capitalist societies, shared her view on what was the role of arts and artists that COVID19 had indicated to us, and her critical thoughts on how COVID19 broke the Western traditional notion that "artists are solo genius". Moreover, Anu from her professional

This is the 2nd part of the artist and curator talk for the exhibition Across the Haze. It starts with Shraddah. She is going to talk about her work This Beautiful Venus Trap Earth Body with Eline Bochem in this exhibition. Then, the sound recordings of Ivetta and Cynthia talking about their works Proposition 1: Hands, and Commune will be played, because they couldn’t attend to this talk. In the end, all the artists in the conversation share the fun activities they have been doing in the home isolation. Episode notes:Trocadero Art Spacehttp://www.trocaderoartspace.com.auCross the Hazehttp://www.trocaderoartspace.com.au/corinna-berndt/current-march-18-april-4-project-space-curated-by-corinna-berndt-across-the-haze/Cynthia Arrieu-King (USA)http://cynthiaarrieuking.blogspot.comCorinna Berndt (Australia / Germany)https://corinnaberndt.netShraddha Borawake (India)http://shraddhaborawake.comDongyan Chen (Singapore / China)https://dongyanchen.comRochyne Delaney McNulty (Englan

This is the 2nd special episode for COVID 19 lockdown period. This episode is made in collaboration with Trocadero Art Space, an artist run initiative space in Melbourne, to host the artist and curator talk for the exhibition titled Across The Haze. This exhibition was shown at Trocadero Art space for a short period from March 18 to April 4, before COVID19 lockdown. It, a group exhibition, presented new works produced by 8 artists who are working across the world in response to the curatorial question about the connectivity in the midst of uncertainty. This exhibition was curated by one of the exhibiting artist, Corinna Berndt, a Melbourne based artist and PhD candidate of the Victorian College of the Arts.  The 6 exhibiting artists join in this talk. They are Shraddha Borawake, Dongyan Chen, Rochyne Delaney McNulty, Sophie Morrow, Marcia Vaitsman and Corinna Berndt. Due to the large number of speakers, this episode has been divided into two parts. You are listening to

This is the 3rd special episode for COVID19 time. In this episode, three visual artists: Sarah Rudlege, Ann Mcginley and Nico Reddaway and I made a delightful conversation about their pre-COVID19 oversea residencies. Sarah, as the last participating artist in the artist residency program of Matsushima Bunko Museum, went to Matsushima island in Japan; Ann took Casa Na Iiha artist residency in Iihabela in Brazil; and Nico engaged in the art program for asylum seeker refugees in Finland and worked for the art workshops at Heikinharju Reception Centre in Oulu, when she visited Oulu as an exchange student with University of Oulu.Listening to them talking about their times outside Australia in this COVID19 isolation, was like to hear fictional stories. But it took my mind on a pleasant trip across the brick walls of my flat and national borders. Before the conversation, I imagined a lonely working environment that they would have confronted in their times overseas, and expected to get some tips from

In the time of COVID19 breakout, Three bellybuttons is making special episodes to accompany you with an art community on air, and to entertain you with art-related topics. In this episode, Leanne Waterhouse, Jaime Powell, Julie Gough and I made a conversaion about their ‘real’ physical experiences in visiting the 22nd Biennale of Sydney titled Nirin. Julie and Leanne have generously shared the photos and videos they took in the biennale. Please go to Three Bellybuttons blog to view them. https://threebellybuttonspodcast.blogspot.comThe links:Speakers:Leanne Waterhousehttps://www.leannewaterhouse.comJaime Powellhttp://www.jaimepowell.com.auJulie Goughhttps://juliegough.net/brief-biography/The links to the contents mentioned in the conversation:Nirin - the 22nd Biennale of Sydneyhttps://www.biennaleofsydney.artThe First Nations symposium that Julie participated during Nirin, the biennale of Sydney is:Aabaakwad Symposium. It was convened by Wanda Nainbush and Brook Andrewhttp://even

Hello listeners, We have indeed gone into 2020. But I reckon it has been a very bumpy transfer of the year for many people. Particularly in this current strange and fearful coronavirus pandemic time, I wish everyone stay safe at home and keep positive. I hope this podcast could bring you some stress relief and a contact to the art at home.This first episode of 2020, is a conversation made in December 2019 between Zamara Zamara, Emanuel Rodriguez and I.  It was just before Emanuel returned to his home country Costa Rico. In the conversation, Emanuel shared his experience of visiting MONA at the first time, in particularly his personal experience of visiting Alfredo Jaar’s spectacular installation titled The Divine Comedy shown at MONA at that time.  Joined with Emanuel, Zamara talked about their experiences of seeing some performance artworks in Documenta 14 and the 57th Venice Biennale in 2017. Please enjoy listening this episode. More episodes will come up shortly. **A

This is the 2nd part of the special episode about rejections and failures in the art; and also the last episode of 2019. As the last episode of 2019, I,  the host of Three Bellybuttons, would like to thank all the speakers who shared their valuable time and talked in the podcast this year! Thank you for your generosity and knowledge on the art! Also, I would like to thank the listens and Three Belly Buttons instagram followers! By making this podcast, I have gained a great supportive and caring community in the art and many pleasant and fun moments throughout the year. I hope the listeners feel the same from this podcast. For this reason, I will continue to make this podcast next year and talk about future art events and topics. So, bye for now! Have a great New Year celebration! See you in 2020!Siying

In response to the end of 2019, I reviewed the rejections that I had received this year as an artist. Besides self doubts and down feelings, I believed that there must be more that I could unpack from these unsuccessful results. Although it is known that receiving rejection is a common experience for most of contemporary practicing artists, within the art community, we barely mention and share about our sense of failure in our art career. Why? Maybe rejections are too embarrassing to talk about. Or perhaps we try very hard to forget about them. By the end of 2019, I refuse to internalise these rejections solely again.For the questions: Why was I rejected? What should I think about the rejection? How could I emotionally cope with the rejection?, I invited four curators, writers and visual artists: Sophia Cai, Diego Ramirez, Nikki Lam and James Nguyen to share their experiences in receiving rejections in the art. I hope our conversation would be helpful for many other artist listeners.** Our conversation went f

Chantelle Mitchell, a writer/curator and Emilie Walsh,  a visual artist, both Melbourne-based, talked about the current exhibitions: Hope Dies Last: Art at the end of optimism at Gertrude Contemporary and Margaret Lawrence Gallery, and Incinerator Art Award. Both Emilie and Chantelle’s excellent descriptions and insightful read of the works in these exhibitions have certainly opened a great conversation between us. I hope this episode would inspire you to check these shows out if you haven’t seen them. Speakers: Chantelle Mitchell, a write/curator/art managerEmilie Walsh, a visual artisthttps://www.emilouwalsh.com/aboutThe exhibitions: Hope Dies Last: Art at the end of optimismGertrude Contemporary http://gertrude.org.au/exhibitions/gallery-11/Open till 9 NovMargaret Lawrence Galleryhttps://finearts-music.unimelb.edu.au/about-us/margaret-lawrence-gallery Opent till 16 Nov.Myuran Kukumaranhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myuran_SukumaranSanja Pahokihttps://www.sanjapahoki.comAra

In this episode, I joined two Melbourne-based artists: James and Andrew to elaborate our thoughts on the experience of visiting the exhibition: Bauhaus Now! at Buxton Contemporary. It is shown till Oct 20. Together, we discussed about the idea of PLAY in the process of making and creating; the institutional environment for the art making; ‘NEW’ art in future. We also asked if there might be some dramatic leaping movement like Bauhaus movement in the near future. Enjoy!LINKS & BITSThe guests:James Nguyenjamesnguyen.com.auAndrew Atchison andrewatchison.comBauhaus Now!Buxton Contemporaryhttps://buxtoncontemporary.com/exhibitions/bauhaus-now/The public talk: In Conversation: Mikala Dwyer, Justene Williams and Olaf Nicolaihttps://buxtoncontemporary.com/exhibitions/in-conversation-mikala-dwyer-justene-williams-and-olaf-nicolai-tuesday-3-september-6pm/Amie AndersonWhat we passed there, will linger in the distance herehttp://www.amieanderson.net/whatwepassedtherewilllingerinthedistancehere?fbclid=IwAR2PWMPs0

This is a special episode that I recorded with three artist friends: Kate Davis, Ash Perry and Ramo Zeroual in Venice in June this year. Unplanned, we found each other in Venice for 2019 Venice Biennale at the same time. This gave me a great opportunity to make an episode about 2019 Venice Biennale and to share some our thoughts on this major global art event. Please forgive the noises on the background, (church bell hitting the right time, ladies on street chatting, dog barking..:)) But I hope what we discussed is interesting enough to overcome these flaws.  The speakers:Kate Davishttps://www.datekavis.com/aboutAsh Perryhttps://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/the-art-show/first-commissions-emerging-artists-reimagine-michelangelos-david/11339758Ramo Zeroualhttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-RyLTZtXrPmwApgCDD0PUQThe 58th Venice Biennalehttps://www.labiennale.org/en/art/2019/informationThe artists mentioned in the episode:Zhanna Kadyrovahttps://www.kadyrova.com/project-enLawrence Abu HamdanWalle

A Melbourne-based artist couple: Peter Aldrich (painter and drawer) and Natalie Trofimiuk (print and drawer), are alert to the contemporary art exhibitions in town and nation wide. The number of the art exhibitions that they have seen in last month are so impressive and enviable for many artists, including me. In this episode, they shared their rich knowledge about some recent exhibitions in Melbourne, such as, Ry David Bradley's 500 years at Tristian Koenig; Prima Materia at Bundoora Homestead Art Centre; Jeremy Eaton and Ebony Truscott's exhibitions at Bus Projects, and more. Also, please remember to check out Natalie's upcoming exhibition in Trocadero Art Space in November. Please enjoy!Episode notes:Ry David Bradley500 Years : http://tristiankoenig.com/500-years.htmlhttp://tristiankoenig.com/current.htmlGerhard RichterThe life of imageshttps://www.qagoma.qld.gov.au/whats-on/exhibitions/gerhard-richterPolly BorlandPolyversehttps://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/media_release/polly-borland-polyverse/Prima MateriaMay 11

In this episode, two Melbourne-based photographers, Sanja Pahoki and Vivian Cooper Smith shared their thoughts over three past visual art exhibitions in Melbourne. In the conversation, they did not only bring the visual of the works they saw in the exhibitions, but also opened the discussion in regarding to the practice of visual art, photography practice and art merchandise. For me, it was an utterly fun and thoughtful experience of chatting with them. I hope it is an enjoyable and inspiring episode to you, the listeners too. Two speakers:Sanja Pahokihttps://www.sanjapahoki.com/Vivian Cooper Smithhttps://viviancoopersmith.comThe exhibitions seen by Vivian"After L'Été"Eleanor Louise Butthttps://busprojects.org.au/program/after-l-eteNicholas Thompson Galleryhttps://www.nicholasthompsongallery.com.au/publications/Alun Elach -Joneshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alun_Leach-JonesThe exhibitions seen by Sanja:Concept StorePhotography 3rd year student exhibitionArtspace in VCADaren Sylvesterhttps://www.ngv.vic.g

This is the very first episode of 2019. In this episode, two Melbourne based artists: Ka-yin Kwok and Walter Bakowski shared their memorable art experiences obtained during the time towards the end of last year 2018.  Ka-Yin talked about her art trip to LA, USA that she did in November 2018. In particular, Ka-yin discovered amazing works in the exhibition "Adrian Piper: Concepts and Intuitions  1965-2016" at Hammer Museum, UCLA. Whereas, Walter, told us about their experience of participating in MCA Art Bar event during Primavera exhibition. Walter raised concerns about this particular politically charged entertaining event. Please enjoy to listen. Speakers:Walter Bakowskihttps://www.walterbakowski.comKa-yin Kwokhttp://kayinkwok.comThe links from Ka-Yin’s talk:Los Angeles plays itself, by Thom Andersenhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ifii8LvR-sshttps://www.imdb.com/title/tt0379357/LACMAhttps://www.lacma.orgGetty Museum http://www.getty.eduThe Broad https://www.thebr

Two speakers, Janelle Koh, a law student who enjoys writing about arts, and Hugh Davies, a senior researcher in games and an artist, joined me and shared their individual experiences of visiting Mori Art Museum in Japan. Janelle vividly described her favourite works in the current exhibition titled 'Catastrophe and the Power of Art'. Whereas, Hugh shared some history of Mori and another exhibition he saw last year there. Hugh also told us about his swift visit to APT9, which is currently showing at Queensland Art Gallery/Gallery of Modern Art till 28/4/2019. Two speakers:Janelle KohHugh Davies - https://www.rmit.edu.au/contact/staff-contacts/academic-staff/d/davies-dr-hughThe exhibition, the artworks and artists mentioned by Janelle:Mori Art Museumhttps://www.mori.art.museum/en/about/index.html'Catastrophe and The Power of art'currently showing to 20/1/2019https://www.mori.art.museum/en/exhibitions/index.htmlMiroslaw Balka - artist'Soap Corridor'http://miroslaw-balka.com/en/Huang Hai Hsin - artist'Swan L

Happy 2019! A sincere new year greeting to every listener from Siying, host of Three Bellybuttons. x

In this episode, I had two good friends: Ann McGinley (Melbourne) and Sarah Pirrie (Darwin) to chat about their recent engagements with the art. Ann share with us her experiences of doing two international artist-in-residence programs: at Studio Kura (Japan) and Hotel St Valière (France). Comparing with the two programs in two countries, she spoke about the material and psychological challenges and benefits of doing these residencies as a painters. Following Ann, Sarah told us about her unique experience of visiting two art exhibitions in Hobart: Tidal.18 at Devonport Gallery and Zero at Mona, with her Mum, who had impaired vision. Sarah found herself at the first time to look at the artworks and navigate art gallery spaces through her Mum's eyes. The related links:Two artists:Ann McGinleyhttp://www.annmcginley.netSarah Pirriehttp://www.sarahpirrie.comThe artist-in-residence programs Ann participated:Hotel St Valière in Langeudoc - South Francehttp://hotelsaintevaliere.com/contact/Manager of Hotel St Val

Episode note:In this episode, Chloé Hazelwood, an art writer/independent curator, shared her knowledge about two unique exhibitions that she recently visited at Art Project Australia and the City Library of Melbourne. One was 'All Our Relations' (to 24/11); the other:'Weave Movement Theatre 21 years' (to 15/11). Both exhibitions featured the artworks made by the artists with disabilities. They took Chloé to a deep emotional and joyful state. From Chloé's vivid and detailed descriptions about the objects and images in the shows, Sarah and I imagined the exhibitions, and were touched by the naïvety and the direct self expression in these works. Following Chloé, Sarah talked about a past exhibition 'State of the union'. It was shown at Ian Potter Museums of Art, the University of Melbourne. In the exhibition, Sarah was attracted by Jeremy Deller's video work titled 'The battle of Orgreave (an injury to one is an injury to all)'. Through discussing all sorts of moments in the video, we, together, i

Episode Note:This episode is different from the previous ones. Instead of presenting one big conversion between two guest speakers and I, this episode includes two separate small conversations between two speakers and I. It is purely due to the conflict of our personal schedules. But as I attempt to keep things open in this podcast, I have given this arrangement a go.  So, in the first half, you will hear the talk between Simon Cooper, an artist and PhD candidate, and I. We reflected on our trip of seeing Polly Borland's Polyverse exhibition at NGV Ian Potter gallery and Consuelo Cavaniglia's Between and among objects at Margaret Lawrence gallery. Simon spoke about how his life was felt enriched by Polly's photographs. In the 2nd half, Manisha Anjali, a Melbourne-based writer and poet, shared her special experience of attending a private house event of reading performance. The event is titled 'Freya's revenge' and taken place at a residential house in Brunswick suburb. We explored the meaning o