Friday, December 11, 2009

Blown Away



Launch of A Picture Book First and Foremost

You know how you get that rush of adrenalin - that flutter in your heart, when you see something that just blows you away? Well, I was blindsided by that last night.

I've never been a huge fan of Australian pop artist/artist entrepreneur, David Bromley. So, it took me completely by surprise that the launch of his book, A Picture Book First and Foremost, would be one of the most breathtaking experiences of my life.

Bromley calls it his 'folly', but I say it is one of the most captivating spaces in Melbourne. Each room of this faded Victorian-era beauty is furnished completely different from the next. There is a workshop, salon, studio, dining room and bedroom (even though no one lives there). And each room is filled with eccentric treasures, artwork and oddities that Bromley has fossicked for and collected. It felt a little creepy, a little otherworldly - like the pages of a fairytale had come to life. But at the same time the emotive pull of this space is unlike anything I have ever experienced.

It's funny how you can be so wrong about someone. And how one evening can completely change that.


A Picture Book First and Foremost is available from 14 December.
Standard Edition: AU$ 170; Limited Edition: AU$ 1,500
Available from A Day on Earth (1223 High Street, Armadale, Victoria)

Ps: Sorry the photos are so grainy - I took them on my phone. Like I said, I wasn't anticipating such a night!

4 comments:

  1. wow clare these pictures are divine! thanks for sharing them. absolutely gorgeous!!

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  2. it looks like a magical evening! such a beautiful house.

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  3. It's fabulous, but if no one lives there, what's it for? Just for looking? Seems a waste.
    The shoes ... I know. The heels are my favourites too.
    The zucchinis. I picked the first of them today and moved the two little ones that are struggling into the plot.

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  4. Katie - while no one lives there, my understanding is that it's a creative space for Bromley to work in, and to be share with other creative types! It would be nice to have the luxury of such an extravagant space to simply 'be' in!

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