John, you are keeping me sane. And what about the Virginia Trioli series? Lovely woman but art reduced to soap opera. And what about the abysmal SBS series The Idea of Australia? Why does this have to be fronted by an unhappy looking actor whose commentary is mostly a drone (a fine actor in the wrong place). This country has many outstanding historians. Why not pick six and give them an episode each in which - here's an idea - they write their own to-camera commentary and analysis. Stock up on the good books, folks. It ain't gonna get any better from here.
I agree. The UK programs use people like Mary Beard or Bettany Hughes, who are both widely published historians. We use 'celebrities' and 'personalities'. I'm sure you're hanging out for Rachel Griffiths' take on Australian war artists...
Portrait Artist of the Year is unwatchable- the banality and hideous cheeriness of the judges and the whole concept is an insult inflicted on the audience.
I was glued to the telly watching ‘Portrait Artist of the Year’… did them all in one night, transfixed, I kept wondering how the painters could put themselves in that terrifying position😱, yet they appeared excited and I kept reminding myself they’d entered voluntarily by sending in their self portraits🤷🏽♀️…
I'm still making arts documentaries but almost impossible to get them screened - new films on painters William Robinson and Elisabeth Cummings, artist Rosalie Gascoigne, new film on architect Glenn Murcutt. Not a celebrity in sight.
Great article, John. The dumbing down and trivialising of art programs has become the norm. In Portrait Artist of the Year I was hoping one of the 'celebrities' , when asked to pick their favourite portrait , would politely decline . I suppose it is in their contracts that they have to pick one even if it is the one that offends their eye the least. Then , all those programs are repeated more than once it seems. To find the formats are invariably copies from the U.K. - not an original idea-is a further insult. Seems just lazy to me.
When they come up with their own ideas it's even worse! One of the problems about the show is that everyone feels obliged to smile & gush. I expect the sitters & judges were unimpressed with a lot of work they were praising, while many artists were having a bad time.
Indeed. I will take the tip from Amanda and get stuck into my books. I have too many I've been 'saving up' to read . Now is the time instead of wasting it looking at those awful programs and waiting for them to get better.
It used to be understood that a major component of the role of any Public Broadcaster was to do the kinds of programs that commercial broadcasters were unlikely to do for example -critical investigation of a business that paid for a lot advertising would be an unlikely project for a commercial broadcaster to take on and equally commercial broadcasters are unlikely to invest in programs for minority interests etc
Unfortunately these days the ABC definitely prefers doing Quiz shows and comedy competitions to serious journalism etc
It’s iredeemably awful . I suffered through 10 minutes . So glad you have expressed your negative opinion of it so honestly & in the best tradition of honest well- considered criticism.
I had a strange experience yesterday. A gallery director told me they had watched the first two episodes and couldn't bear any more, so decided to just look at the beginning and end of the other installments. I did exactly the same, and now I'm wondering how many people did this!
Couldn’t agree with you more John and as always well perceived observations . I was beginning to think I was alone in reaching these conclusions or becoming grumpy in my latter years . If only more air time was devoted to exciting discoveries or new interpretations of art works but given the devaluation of the study of arts in our universities it’s difficult to remain optimistic about public discourse either online or at the abc. It’s great you are still bringing credible discourse though I’m still annoyed that the smh changed their arts commentator. In the morass of uninformed comments it’s a pleasure to know that your considered views are still out there .
Maybe do a follow up John, here, with a series of yours on Australian portrait artists such as Evert Plough. I know from a photo shoot with him recently that he is not backward in coming forward with his analysis of the art of portraiture and the visual arts industry.
PS. I’m sure it has been pointed out to you but just in case; it is Namila Benson not Nabilla.
Thanks Michael, I'll make the correction. There's a lot that can be said about portraiture, but I don't want to get caught up in any one subject. I try and stay abreast of topics as they keep changing, which is something the mainstream rarely does nowadays. Or rather, they may supply the raw info, but there's no attempt to draw the necessary conclusions.
Great article, unfortunately very accurate. You may be surprised to learn that Kim Williams alleges that the ABC and its staff represent the entire spectrum of political opinion present in this country.
John - in a nutshell you have condensed my feelings exactly - particularly the cult of favoured personnel across media, subject matter and grant support - the latter mainly by 'Creative Australia'. I have watched and enjoyed the UK version of Portrait Artist of the Year on Foxtel since it first hit our screens and was alerted of the Australian version (it was suggested I enter). My disappointment with the first episode was palpable. I only watched the second episode because I know two of the artists - both whom I've met and follow one on social media. Cringeworthy doesn't cover my feelings... (even though they both made the top three). I might even follow your suggestion of how to save a number of hours - but probably won't bother - I can't believe how the ABC has managed to slaughter a programme concept so badly. Even Abdul can't save it.
Remember the UK series has been running for 12 years. Do you think the local version will last that long? It will save them the trouble of coming up with any decent program ideas.
Again so depressingly true. The ABC, once the upholder of quality has dropped the cultural ball so badly one expects low brow fluff when these programmes appear. Four Corners could do a great reveal if there was an insentive
I couldn't agree more, John, with your comments about the vacuity of art programs on the TV and the particular Australian obsession with celebrities in any show or program to do with art and "culture". I happily don't own a TV but I did watch the first episode of Australian portrait artist, having seen the English version which, although it has irritating moments , manages to quite skilfully marry art and entertainment. The Aussie version was scarcely watchable and left you with the nauseous feeling of having overindulged in a sweet shop.
And the celebrity fixation of the Archibald prize lowers its intrinsic value. The Lester portrait prize in WA seems to have a lot more interesting and varied line-up than the Archibald (and is refreshingly short on celebrities) but scarcely gets a mention in Sydney or Melbourne.
They asked me if I'd come over & judge the Lester Prize this year, but then changed their minds! If you watch any episode of the UK version of the portrait show, the difference with the Aussie offshoot is palpable.
John, you are keeping me sane. And what about the Virginia Trioli series? Lovely woman but art reduced to soap opera. And what about the abysmal SBS series The Idea of Australia? Why does this have to be fronted by an unhappy looking actor whose commentary is mostly a drone (a fine actor in the wrong place). This country has many outstanding historians. Why not pick six and give them an episode each in which - here's an idea - they write their own to-camera commentary and analysis. Stock up on the good books, folks. It ain't gonna get any better from here.
Amanda Lohrey
I agree. The UK programs use people like Mary Beard or Bettany Hughes, who are both widely published historians. We use 'celebrities' and 'personalities'. I'm sure you're hanging out for Rachel Griffiths' take on Australian war artists...
Portrait Artist of the Year is unwatchable- the banality and hideous cheeriness of the judges and the whole concept is an insult inflicted on the audience.
I was glued to the telly watching ‘Portrait Artist of the Year’… did them all in one night, transfixed, I kept wondering how the painters could put themselves in that terrifying position😱, yet they appeared excited and I kept reminding myself they’d entered voluntarily by sending in their self portraits🤷🏽♀️…
Artists will put themselves through a lot, if it gives them a little visibility
Spot on, whatever happened to well made in depth documentaries of artists whose work moves us?
I'll have to ask Catherine Hunter
I'm still making arts documentaries but almost impossible to get them screened - new films on painters William Robinson and Elisabeth Cummings, artist Rosalie Gascoigne, new film on architect Glenn Murcutt. Not a celebrity in sight.
You're doing it all wrong, Catherine. You need a few dud comedians to get the ABC interested.
Great article, John. The dumbing down and trivialising of art programs has become the norm. In Portrait Artist of the Year I was hoping one of the 'celebrities' , when asked to pick their favourite portrait , would politely decline . I suppose it is in their contracts that they have to pick one even if it is the one that offends their eye the least. Then , all those programs are repeated more than once it seems. To find the formats are invariably copies from the U.K. - not an original idea-is a further insult. Seems just lazy to me.
When they come up with their own ideas it's even worse! One of the problems about the show is that everyone feels obliged to smile & gush. I expect the sitters & judges were unimpressed with a lot of work they were praising, while many artists were having a bad time.
Indeed. I will take the tip from Amanda and get stuck into my books. I have too many I've been 'saving up' to read . Now is the time instead of wasting it looking at those awful programs and waiting for them to get better.
It used to be understood that a major component of the role of any Public Broadcaster was to do the kinds of programs that commercial broadcasters were unlikely to do for example -critical investigation of a business that paid for a lot advertising would be an unlikely project for a commercial broadcaster to take on and equally commercial broadcasters are unlikely to invest in programs for minority interests etc
Unfortunately these days the ABC definitely prefers doing Quiz shows and comedy competitions to serious journalism etc
Today's ABC just wants to be loved by everybody
Yes, John. As always, a brilliant analysis of the root cause of the terrible cultural products produced with taxpayers money---our money.
Yes, it's sad to think we're paying to have a bad time
I agree totally with your opinion about Portrait Artist of the Year
I'm starting to feel you didn't like this program, June...
It’s iredeemably awful . I suffered through 10 minutes . So glad you have expressed your negative opinion of it so honestly & in the best tradition of honest well- considered criticism.
I had a strange experience yesterday. A gallery director told me they had watched the first two episodes and couldn't bear any more, so decided to just look at the beginning and end of the other installments. I did exactly the same, and now I'm wondering how many people did this!
Couldn’t agree with you more John and as always well perceived observations . I was beginning to think I was alone in reaching these conclusions or becoming grumpy in my latter years . If only more air time was devoted to exciting discoveries or new interpretations of art works but given the devaluation of the study of arts in our universities it’s difficult to remain optimistic about public discourse either online or at the abc. It’s great you are still bringing credible discourse though I’m still annoyed that the smh changed their arts commentator. In the morass of uninformed comments it’s a pleasure to know that your considered views are still out there .
Maybe do a follow up John, here, with a series of yours on Australian portrait artists such as Evert Plough. I know from a photo shoot with him recently that he is not backward in coming forward with his analysis of the art of portraiture and the visual arts industry.
PS. I’m sure it has been pointed out to you but just in case; it is Namila Benson not Nabilla.
Thanks Michael, I'll make the correction. There's a lot that can be said about portraiture, but I don't want to get caught up in any one subject. I try and stay abreast of topics as they keep changing, which is something the mainstream rarely does nowadays. Or rather, they may supply the raw info, but there's no attempt to draw the necessary conclusions.
Great article, unfortunately very accurate. You may be surprised to learn that Kim Williams alleges that the ABC and its staff represent the entire spectrum of political opinion present in this country.
I'm beyond surprised. That broad spectrum doesn't seem to be reflected in the arts coverage.
John - in a nutshell you have condensed my feelings exactly - particularly the cult of favoured personnel across media, subject matter and grant support - the latter mainly by 'Creative Australia'. I have watched and enjoyed the UK version of Portrait Artist of the Year on Foxtel since it first hit our screens and was alerted of the Australian version (it was suggested I enter). My disappointment with the first episode was palpable. I only watched the second episode because I know two of the artists - both whom I've met and follow one on social media. Cringeworthy doesn't cover my feelings... (even though they both made the top three). I might even follow your suggestion of how to save a number of hours - but probably won't bother - I can't believe how the ABC has managed to slaughter a programme concept so badly. Even Abdul can't save it.
Remember the UK series has been running for 12 years. Do you think the local version will last that long? It will save them the trouble of coming up with any decent program ideas.
Excellent analysis and commentary. It’s hard to know where to turn when the ABC is part of the problem.
SBS? It's true, the ABC used to be a sanctuary, now it wants to be popular.
Again so depressingly true. The ABC, once the upholder of quality has dropped the cultural ball so badly one expects low brow fluff when these programmes appear. Four Corners could do a great reveal if there was an insentive
I don't know when the ABC began to patronise & underestimate its audience, but it's standard practice nowadays
ripper article John, couple of very funny lines in there 👍
As ever, you have to laugh about these things or you'd be crying
I couldn't agree more, John, with your comments about the vacuity of art programs on the TV and the particular Australian obsession with celebrities in any show or program to do with art and "culture". I happily don't own a TV but I did watch the first episode of Australian portrait artist, having seen the English version which, although it has irritating moments , manages to quite skilfully marry art and entertainment. The Aussie version was scarcely watchable and left you with the nauseous feeling of having overindulged in a sweet shop.
And the celebrity fixation of the Archibald prize lowers its intrinsic value. The Lester portrait prize in WA seems to have a lot more interesting and varied line-up than the Archibald (and is refreshingly short on celebrities) but scarcely gets a mention in Sydney or Melbourne.
They asked me if I'd come over & judge the Lester Prize this year, but then changed their minds! If you watch any episode of the UK version of the portrait show, the difference with the Aussie offshoot is palpable.