Textures...

Erica ~ Photo: Julie Clarke (2010)

I periodically go to 101 Collins Street, Melbourne just to stand and drink in the amazing over-sized, internal columns and huge open spaces of marble and gold leaf, not to mention the areas of still water contained in large oblong pools in the vast foyer. But today I went there with FnL to see the exhibition at the new gallery (formerly Directed by Diana Gold). Unfortunately I can't tell you its name (I was talking too much), but the exhibition of art by Japanese artists was truly amazing. The works (etchings, paintings, ceramics and sculptures) suggested impermanence, decay and an engagement with different textures.

After I'd spent some time talking to the Gallery Director I left FnL and headed up to NGV International to renew my membership and avail myself of a free entry ticket to the European Masters Exhibition, which I'll see on Wednesday. I'm really looking forward to that.

But my post this evening is primarily so I can show you this photograph I took of an 87 year old woman who was sitting in the Bourke Street Mall. Her name is Erica and she was originally from Latvia. I thought she looked so interesting sitting in her faux fur coat quietly watching the people as they went about their shopping. She told me that she'd been an actress when she was young and she sits for two hours every day in exactly the same spot, because she doesn't want to buy anything and she doesn't like coffee, so she doesn't frequent coffee houses. When I asked if I could photograph her, she immediately adopted a pose, which for some reason reminded me of Marlene Dietrich and when I said this, she corrected my pronunciation!