WINTER—SPRING - Canberra 100

Image: Embassy of Malaysia, Yarralumla.
Windows to the World
21 September to 13 October
The beautiful gardens and unique architecture of Embassies and High
Commissions throughout Canberra will be on display as never before. These
buildings and gardens are part of Canberra’s often unexplored treasures, and
this spring many of them open for our pleasure.
Over the four weekends of Floriade, visitors can take in the international
dimensions of Canberra through a range of activities, including guided tours
of diplomatic properties and open days with food and beverage stalls,
cultural demonstrations and travel information.
A map in hard copy and online will show walking routes and planned
activities so visitors can make the most of their time. First samples include:
New Zealand
To celebrate the special relationship between our two countries and the
contributions of many New Zealanders to the building of Canberra over the
past 100 years, the New Zealand High Commission will open its doors to
the public for a day of fun, food and family. There will be opportunities to
see, taste and experience New Zealand’s unique food, culture and heritage.
Come along and help us celebrate New Zealand’s deep and abiding bonds
with Canberra – and Australia.
South Africa
Visit the High Commission of South Africa and tour the gardens, where
you will see magnificent native South African flora, such as king proteas and
leucadendrons in full bloom. Admire the Cape Dutch architecture and enjoy
a South African braai (bbq) with traditional boerewors sausage, while sipping
some South African wine.
United States of America
Visit the Embassy of the United States of America, where registered tour
groups will be escorted around the grounds and the Colonial Williamsburg
architecture to hear the history of the trees planted by visiting dignitaries
over 60 years. Registration essential, numbers limited. No cameras or mobile
phones permitted.
Sounds tempting? There are dozens more embassies to explore.
Embassies and High Commissions in Canberra
www.canberra100.com.au
Brasilia – Canberra
Exchange
august (brasilia)
september (canberra)
The Centenary of Canberra is proud to be
part of an exchange between Canberra
and that other planned capital, Brasilia.
The 53-year-old Oscar Niemeyer-designed
inland capital of Brazil often suffers from the
same criticisms levelled at Canberra: one of
the most mysterious of which is that there
is no culture, and in particular no young
culture. In August, young Canberra artists
will take centre stage in Brasilia’s Festival of
Contemporary Art – Cena Contemporânea:
DJs D'Opus and Roshambo, and poet Omar
Musa. In September, Canberra welcomes
Brasilens Sistema Criollina – playing some
very special music from their capital at
Floriade Nightfest.
Chalchiuhtiue
This sculpture by Mexican artist Jesus
Mayagoitia, former winner of the Henry
Moore Grand Prize, was placed in Canberra’s
Latin American Plaza in Spring 2012.
Chalchiuhtiue was the Aztec goddess of
water, river, seas, streams, storms and
baptism, and was the wife of the Aztec God
of Rain Tlaloc. The original monolith was
excavated in the mid 19th century from the
plaza forecourt of the Pyramid of the Moon,
at the archeological site of Teotihuacan,
and is currently in the collection of the
exceptional Museo Nacional de Antropologia
e Historia in Mexico City.
Antarctica
18 september to 14 november
In a tribute to that last place of mystery, somewhat to
the south of both Brasilia and Canberra, internationally
renowned artist, Emma Varga, presents a remarkable solo
exhibition of new works created from her recent research
trip to Antarctica.
Developing new ideas through drawings, photography
and a life changing immersive experience, Emma’s work
captures the beauty of Antarctica’s wild environment in
cast and assembled works in glass. She regularly exhibits
in North America and Europe, where she is also sought
after to deliver lectures and teach workshops.
Canberra Glassworks
www.canberraglassworks.com
Traversing Antarctica:
the Australian experience
November 2012 to March 2015
What motivates people to venture to places as extreme
as Antarctica? One word: discovery. This exhibition
reveals how Australian’s connection with the frozen
continent has developed over 100 years since the 1911-
1914 Australasian Antarctic Expedition, led by Douglas
Mawson. A wealth of documentary material from the
National Archives unveils this fascinating history. A rare
collection of original equipment and diaries from early
expeditions is displayed, together with inspiring
interactive displays and imagery.
This exhibition is a joint project by the National Archives
of Australia, Australian Antarctic Division and the Western
Australian Museum. The exhibition tour is sponsored by
Visions Australia.
National Archives of Australia and
on tour
www.naa.gov.au
80
canberra100.com.au
Image: Mawson Antarctic Expedition: Steam Yacht Aurora photographed on the
edge of the ice shelf off Queen Mary Land – with a group of penguins in the
foreground lantern slide attributed to Frank Hurley.
NAA: M584, 2. National Archives of Australia.