The Australia Project is a series of creative initiatives dedicated to exploring the national Australian identity. How many of us have asked the questions; Who are we? What are we doing here? Where are we going? Do we even belong here? For each of these questions there are potentially 22 million unique responses, answers and opinions.

The Australia Project is asking Australian creatives and the general public, to engage in a national debate regarding the current status of contemporary Australian culture. They are seeking to explore and redefine clichéd national stereotypes in the hope of revealing unique and personal perspectives on Australia today.

The Australia Project is encouraging this debate by organising initiatives such as creative voices, workshops and visions. Works will be exhibited on our мебель в болгарииOnline Gallery as well as a curated selection being included in the travelling Australia Project exhibition. The results of The Australia Project will be curated and presented at the AGIdeas 2010 International Design Week, 26th to 29th April 2010.

Celebrating three years of dedication to the Australian design community, Design Federation is hosting its inaugural event on Friday the12th of February. In honour of the website’s dedicated readership and supporters from the local and web community, the Design Federation founders, Klaus and Craig, chose the theme of this Chinese New Year – the year of the Tiger – to capture the spirit of creativity, courage and tenacity.

Extending an open invitation to the followers of the site to contribute their artistic creations to an exhibition showing throughout the night, utilising the unique venue space of theclub nightclub in Sydney’s Kings Cross, in what the organisers have dubbed Friends of the Federation.

Calling out to readers for submissions of their designs, illustrations, art, graffiti, film & video, fashion, photography, industrial design, custom toys, animation or any other artistic contribution, the Design Federation have been overwhelmed in recent weeks by the tremendous outpouring of talent and generosity, making for a fascinating collection on show for one night only.

With Tiger Beer and Bogong Valley Estate Winery sponsoring drinks, be sure to arrive early so you don’t miss out. If the old worldly charm of the venue and the quirky crowd aren’t enough to peak your curiosity, Julie Doyle, pop art portrait artist and newest contributor to Paris Hilton’s personal art collection will be in attendance from 7:30pm painting personal one minute portraits of guests.

Prizes and giveaways will feature throughout the night, with Design Federation’s corporate supporters Sweat-Shop Productions and iStockPhoto digging deep to make the event a fantastic occasion for all involved.

Two Flat Whites in conjunction with our friends at Fremantle Press are giving three (3) lucky people the chance to win Emmanuel Mollois’ wonderful new cookbook titled Et Voila!

Emmanuel Mollois has cooked in some of the best restaurants in France and Melbourne and now owns Choux Café in Swanbourne; a small patisserie which was recently crowned ‘best in the west’ by the Sunday Times. He has just released his first cook book titled Et Voila! Chef Emmanuel Mollois will also appear alongside Master Chef Runner up Poh Ling Yeow in her new program Poh’s Kitchen which will air on ABC1 in February 2010.

Emmanuel tells of his new book, “Well, it’s great, easy-to-follow, beautiful pictures from Karin, truly a book everyone should have and use, ha ha! The book takes you through the basics of pastry making and then has recipes for the most popular French pastries. It covers croissants, éclairs, lemon tart, crème brulée, madeleines, and cherry clafoutis plus some of my own creations. To me, there are no ‘secret’ recipes. I want to make my knowledge and the knowledge of the talented chefs who came before me accessible to the home cook”.

Please email your name, postal address and where you heard about the competition to info {at} twoflatwhites(.)com for your chance to win!

Competition closes Sunday, 14th February 2010.

Click here to view our recent interview with Emmanuel Mollois

After a sell-out 2009 Sydney show, Andrew McIlroy’s forthcoming exhibition of 15 large oil paintings recall languid summer ocean waters and the techniques of the old masters.

Many of his works, notably Against the Tide and Azure Descent, are inspired by Tim Winton’s book Breath, as they hint at the promise of resurfacing to the familiar sounds of summer vacation and youthful exuberance. Partly autobiographical, McIlroy’s paintings recall long family summers, diving off the Portsea pier for hours, and of a familiar voice calling him home.

Andrew McIlroy creates these atmospheric works that investigate aquatic depths, with strong saturated colour and subtle tonal variations, imparting a dream-like quality and a sense of poetic mystery. On a deeper level that parallels Winton’s symbolism, McIlroy’s paintings also convey a sense of unease, with fear invoked by deep waters and the feeling of sinking into the abyss, a metaphor for anxieties which gripped the artist’s own childhood.

Andrew says, “I hope to make people pause for just a moment. My inspiration is simple. To create a beautiful contemporary painting which is familiar, tangible, and enduring. My struggle then is to capture ‘Australian-ness’ without reacting against European influences or composition”.

What: Andrew McIlroy’s Against the Tide
When: 16th to 28th February 2010
Where: Axia Modern Art, 1010 High Street, Armadale
Contact: art {at} axiamodernart.com(.)au or 03 9500 1144
Gallery hours: Monday – Friday 9am to 5.30pm
Saturday – Sunday 11am to 5.00pm

Sydney smart aleck Jonathan Boulet will kick off his virgin headline tour of Australia in February 2010 in support of his wondrously vivid self-titled debut record. The pied piper of bedroom pop will lead his band of the merriest men around the country for 14 of the best, kicking off at the Northcote Social Club in Melbourne on the 12th February and snaking his way around the country before triumphantly crossing the finish line at Fans in Brisbane on 13th March.

Since his emergence in late 2009 with the dashing life-affirming micro-symphony that is A Community Service Announcement and one of the most promising, self-assured debut albums of the year, Jonathan Boulet has slowly but surely converted the masses through a series of compelling, heavy energy live shows.

His joyous explosion of a debut was a feature album on Triple J, the video for A Community Service Announcement was very publicly endorsed by the one and only Kanye West (“Watch this it’s fucking amazing”), and his first ever tour was in support of fellow Modular do-gooders Tame Impala. In short, an excellent start to a potentially brilliant career!

The Jonathan Boulet Australian Tour will be the perfect chance to catch this lightning bolt of electric melody in full flight, tickets are on sale now and catch all his shows right here.

The year of the Tiger ignites colourful festivities around the country and on Friday 19th February at 7pm, Sydney’s Gallery 4a presents Cinema Alley for the second year running. A one night only event in Parker St Chinatown, Cinema Alley brings art out of the gallery and onto the street with a double bill of the best in contemporary Asian video art for everyone to enjoy.

Cinema Alley showcases a double bill with An Estranged Paradise, a work by world renowned Chinese artist Yang Fudong, alongside The Cowboy’s Flute, an animation by renowned animator Te Wei produced by the Shanghai Animation Studio in 1963.

An Estranged Paradise follows the character of Zhuzi, a young intellectual, who wanders through life, swept up in melancholy and the beauty of the world, and eventually comes to accept life and find contentment in its simple pleasures. The films produced by the Shanghai Animation Studio are an important part of China’s cultural heritage – strong and nostalgic reminders of childhoods from the 1960’s and 70’s.

What: Sydney’s Gallery 4a presents Cinema Alley
When: Friday, 19th February 2009 at 7pm
Where: Gallery 4A at 181-187 Hay St Sydney
How: Tickets are free, but must be pre-booked at info {at} 4a.com(.)au
More info: http://www.4a.com.au or 02 9212 0380

Tilpa is a tiny town in outback New South Wales with a population of just 9. It’s far away from any major capital city, 10 hours from Sydney and Melbourne. The locals live on huge cattle stations that stretch for hundreds of kilometres. The people work hard with the dusty, dry earth their family have passed down through generations.

The Tilpa Pub, an original from days gone by, sits on the banks of the Darling River. The walls are covered in black marker; messages that mark the memories of many. It is the thoughts of strangers which lights up the Pub. For two dollars, thoughts become timeless, and the Royal Australian Flying Doctors Service is supported.

The pub sells most things, including fuel and a hearty meal. Although occasionally a shortage of fuel can leave visitors stranded for a few hours. It’s never a long wait, with a local volunteering to help out, or the fuel truck arriving ‘just a bit late’. Outside the pub, a tiny airstrip runs alongside the Community Centre. A monthly visit from the doctor caters to the health of the locals, young and old.

The area was once known for its cotton farming, where the riverboats would pass by the farms, taking cotton to the major towns. It’s hard to imagine, given now, years later, the river is drying up, leaving farmers desperate for water.

Tilpa held a fundraising concert in 2005 for the Royal Australian Flying Doctors Service. The town population swelled to 2000 for the night. The sounds of many music stars including well known country music legend Lee Kernagan could be heard many kilometres away.

Tilpa is a genuinely warm and inviting town. Many of the local properties offer boutique and unique accommodation. The locals are friendly and a bush cuppa will be made with a smile.

Article written by Carla Clark.

Emmanuel Mollois has cooked in some of the best restaurants in France and Melbourne and now owns Choux Café in Swanbourne; a small patisserie which was recently crowned ‘best in the west’ by the Sunday Times. He has just released his first cook book titled Et Voila! Chef Emmanuel Mollois will also appear alongside Master Chef Runner up Poh Ling Yeow in her new program Poh’s Kitchen which will air on ABC1 in February 2010.

Where did you grow up & where do you hang your hat?

I grew up in Vendee, a little town called St Hilaire de Riez on the West Coast. I usually leave my hats all around my house in Subiaco, Western Australia. I’ve got lots of them! My favourite hat is a World War 1 helmet that my brother gave me. When I’m not exploring obscure recipe books from earlier centuries, I’m reading about history. I collect lots of antiques and this particular hat is very rare and precious to me.

Tell us about your new book Et Voila!

Well, great, easy-to-follow, beautiful pictures from Karin, truly a book everyone should have and use, ha ha! The book takes you through the basics of pastry making and then has recipes for the most popular French pastries. It covers croissants, éclairs, lemon tart, crème brulée, madeleines, and cherry clafoutis plus some of my own creations. To me, there are no ‘secret’ recipes. I want to make my knowledge and the knowledge of the talented chefs who came before me accessible to the home cook.

Are you looking forward to appearing alongside Master Chef Runner up Poh Ling Yeow in her new program ‘Poh’s Kitchen’ on ABC 1 starting in February 2010? What can we expect?

You can expect a lot of me! You will see pastry, fish and sauce, all in my French style. But the main ingredient for the show is lots of laughter. Working with Poh is fun. She approaches food from a totally different background to me so when we get together we are always learning new things.

What and/or who inspired you to become a chef?

My Dad kind of pushed me into it, my dear uncle Fernand taught me his love for cooking, and I haven’t stopped since 1985! I originally wanted to be a cartoonist but, after a summer working with my uncle Fernand at his catering company, I started to like the idea of working with food. He was smart, he got me into the creative side – the decorative side of food – and this is what inspired me.

Read the rest of this entry ►

Two Flat Whites in conjunction with our friends at Fremantle Press are giving three (3) lucky people the chance to win Alice Nelsons’ fantastic new book titled The Last Sky.

Shortlisted for last year’s Vogel Award, this is Alice Nelson’s first novel. Maya and her husband, Joseph, are academics. She is working on Poussin, he, an archaeologist, has just taken a position at Hong Kong University. It is just a few months before the handover of Hong Kong and Joseph has joined his old mentor to research the lost tribes of the Talamakan Desert. He has become obsessed with the work and in the heady days of the changeover their research has become politically charged. For Maya the move to Hong Kong is a chance to finish her dissertation; a chance meeting with an elderly man leads her to the story of a Jewish Russian émigré, Ada Lang, and a strange and tragic love story.

Please email your name, postal address and where you heard about the competition to info {at} twoflatwhites(.)com for your chance to win!

Competition closes Sunday, 31st January 2010.

Click here to view our recent interview with Alice Nelson.

2010 is the fortuitous Chinese Year of the Tiger !

The tiger is a fighter and we always back the underdog, so we are giving our loyal, lovely, creative readers the chance to bust out into the public view and make 2010 the year of putting it out there.

Putting our petty cash where our mouth is, we will be the first to step up and proudly announce Design Federation’s Friends of the Federation party on 12th February 2010.  Ringing in the new year with our first public event ever to celebrate the crafty kids who have made us what we are today.

And we want you involved!  This is a call-out for submissions of your work. We are looking for anything creative that can be displayed at the event, which is being held at theclub nightclub in Kings Cross (yep, we’re edgy folks.)

Send us your designs, illustrations, art, graffiti, film & video, fashion, photography, industrial design, custom toys, practically anything as long as you can supply it to us to use for one night in Sydney. Obviously it would be great if the work has not been displayed before anywhere but it is not essential.

Your work and name will be publicized on Design Federation’s website as well as affiliated blogs, sites and media outlets. You will be displayed on the night as part of the Friends of the Federation exhibition.

To participate in the event, please submit examples to events {at} designfederation(.)net before Sunday the 24th January 2010.  Successful applicants will be announced the following week.

We will showcase one piece per person ( please limit example files to 2mb )

Be bold! Channel the Tiger and send us your stuff!