Since I started this site about a year and a half ago, I’ve been thrilled by the number of readers who have sent me tip-offs, suggestions, articles to read, and other information.
John, I read your material, its lucidity, sharpness, vitality and erudition - and amazingly, so compellingly easy to read given most of what we see in the art press. But here you are, now outside the tent after decades of brilliant writing, and writing the pants off every ABC, SBS, Nine Media, arts magazine, culture critic in the country. Thank you. It's worked out well. Freedom. No opinionated Nine Media subs to stuff your copy. (We've all been there.) This one so acute too. Can never have too many reminders too of the amorality of Tony Burke's ministering of the arts portfolio. Still, I hate this notion of 'totschweigtaktik' - death by silence. But how revealing it's the left that practises it.
John, I can't tell you how grateful we (the artists and the Shalom Collective) are that you wrote about Holding Light, the exhibition currently on at Bondi Pavilion Art Gallery. Thank you for going and commenting so generously. I hope it encourages others to come. The silence is deafening for Jewish art and artists, cancel culture has hit us hard. And after your episode on ABC radio, being cut off when talking about Michael Zavros' painting of Alex Ryvchin, I reckon you'll be joining the club. None of this will stop me continuing my art practice, applying for exhibitions, award shows etc, but my expectations have dropped, even when my work has nothing to do with Jewish themes. And thanks for another brilliant article!
Thanks John for a brilliant analysis of what is rotten in the cultural world .American senator Barney Frank [who has just died] in a recent interview blamed the collapse of the Democrats to its take over by the hard left alienating the working class with extreme cultural "Liberal" causes thereby pushing them into the arms of MAGA and Trump . As you say there are signs here of the same thing happening . Brow beating and self flagellation is a good way to destroy a nations cohesiveness .
As you are by far the best art critic in Australia your point that a work of art survives on it's own merits not it's relevance to gender , race or political persuasion is so obvious that it's absurd that we even have to mention it .
"Liberal" causes pursued with totalitarian methods. No debate, no discussion, no questions asked. Bad outcomes glossed over & repeated. Welcome to the artworld.
Gosh John - did you actually link ‘Commonsense’ to anything remotely connected to the art world in Australia or administration and awarding of public money in art competitions?
I would be reluctant to review or praise a work if it contained language and symbols I didn’t understand. I hope Subsabi’s work has translations and clear explanations.
As for you not being able to get to Venice to judge for yourself, why doesn’t the selected artwork tour Australia afterwards so we get to see what our taxpayer dollars were spent on? Unless it’s an ephemeral work, what is the reason and what happens to it afterwards? At the very least it should have a stint at the NGA. A Q&A with the artist would also be beneficial. Otherwise it seems like a lot of money to spend on an exclusive, elitist show with no local benefit for those who funded it.
The Venice pavilion exhibition often gets a run in Australia afterwards. I'd be surprised if CA didn't fork out even more money to help KS show this installation in some shape or form. It will, however, be different to what's viewable in Venice at present.
John, I don’t know how to send you a private message and this is just my 10 cents, but I really think you should consider setting up a podcast in which you could interview people (they can be long but don’t need to be) about these important issues, as well as commenting about art and culture in general.
There is a gaping hole in the market for a voice like yours, and I think it would be a great success.
Successful podcasters have audiences far in excess of discredited media outlets such as the Sydney Boring Herald (which to me is not much more these days than a magazine for wealthy Australian women of a certain age, the 2026 incarnation of Cosmopolitan magazine), and other ‘mainstream media outlets’.
Point being that you could have huge success as a podcaster, building on your writing - growing your audience especially among younger people - plus, I think you’d find it highly enjoyable.
Lots of people have said as much. Although not frightened of speaking on camera, I'm a bit fixated on writing, so I'd probably need a collaborator for anything like that.
An uncritical country is indeeed inexorably going down the tube. But when Europe, the cultural roots of so much here can give its all to 'Bungarunga', I fear for the world. How was that culturally Bulgarian in the slightest iota? Wasn't there a disgraced Italian PM who invented Bunga Bunga parties involving young women with breasts as generous as Dara's? Thank you for convincing me that the Eurovision Song Contest is rubbish and that Australia's participation in it is a total anomoly. And who pays for that? Maybe Sufi chanting next time?
Well said John. I’ve always thought the euro event was absurd. I have zero interest in it and have wondered why we bother? Some friends made some remarks about it last weekend, the husband like me couldn't care less, his wife was excited about it. If we won the contest every year I’d still rather look at the least interesting entries in the archibold.
Hi John I’ve definitely been shocked by the treatment of Australians by the Israeli Government after being kidnapped in International waters. I’m horrified by Gaza and settlers in the West Bank AND October 7. And I absolutely abhor antisemitism or any blaming of Jewish Australians for the current Israeli government’s actions. I’ve been told by collectors at Art Fairs that they are checking artist’s instagram first to see if they are not pro Palestinian. I’ve been told about an artist that had been shadow banned ( doxxed I don’t know the term) and I researched her and she just had a show at the NGV! I don’t actually see Jewish artists being punished for Israel’s actions if that is what you were implying?
Punished by omission. Nobody is actively admitting any bias, but Jewish artists are being left out of shows, not considered for grants, etc. Nina Sanadze had her show at the NGV, but has been on the outer ever since. Like you, I'm also appalled by the ghastly behaviour of Nethanyahu & his ministers.
It would be great to create some cohesion in the arts at the very least - collective punishment is abhorrent against any group. But especially artists as they are often the ones critiquing culture or governments and giving interesting perspectives and their voices.
John, I read your material, its lucidity, sharpness, vitality and erudition - and amazingly, so compellingly easy to read given most of what we see in the art press. But here you are, now outside the tent after decades of brilliant writing, and writing the pants off every ABC, SBS, Nine Media, arts magazine, culture critic in the country. Thank you. It's worked out well. Freedom. No opinionated Nine Media subs to stuff your copy. (We've all been there.) This one so acute too. Can never have too many reminders too of the amorality of Tony Burke's ministering of the arts portfolio. Still, I hate this notion of 'totschweigtaktik' - death by silence. But how revealing it's the left that practises it.
Thanks for the good review, Shelley.
Well said, Shelley.
John, I can't tell you how grateful we (the artists and the Shalom Collective) are that you wrote about Holding Light, the exhibition currently on at Bondi Pavilion Art Gallery. Thank you for going and commenting so generously. I hope it encourages others to come. The silence is deafening for Jewish art and artists, cancel culture has hit us hard. And after your episode on ABC radio, being cut off when talking about Michael Zavros' painting of Alex Ryvchin, I reckon you'll be joining the club. None of this will stop me continuing my art practice, applying for exhibitions, award shows etc, but my expectations have dropped, even when my work has nothing to do with Jewish themes. And thanks for another brilliant article!
I'm a believer in the old fashioned fair go.
Wonderful as always, John.
Thanks John for a brilliant analysis of what is rotten in the cultural world .American senator Barney Frank [who has just died] in a recent interview blamed the collapse of the Democrats to its take over by the hard left alienating the working class with extreme cultural "Liberal" causes thereby pushing them into the arms of MAGA and Trump . As you say there are signs here of the same thing happening . Brow beating and self flagellation is a good way to destroy a nations cohesiveness .
As you are by far the best art critic in Australia your point that a work of art survives on it's own merits not it's relevance to gender , race or political persuasion is so obvious that it's absurd that we even have to mention it .
John keep up the good work.
"Liberal" causes pursued with totalitarian methods. No debate, no discussion, no questions asked. Bad outcomes glossed over & repeated. Welcome to the artworld.
Gosh John - did you actually link ‘Commonsense’ to anything remotely connected to the art world in Australia or administration and awarding of public money in art competitions?
Of course not, Guy. It's not one of the five pillars.
Thank you for another thoughtful piece.
I would be reluctant to review or praise a work if it contained language and symbols I didn’t understand. I hope Subsabi’s work has translations and clear explanations.
As for you not being able to get to Venice to judge for yourself, why doesn’t the selected artwork tour Australia afterwards so we get to see what our taxpayer dollars were spent on? Unless it’s an ephemeral work, what is the reason and what happens to it afterwards? At the very least it should have a stint at the NGA. A Q&A with the artist would also be beneficial. Otherwise it seems like a lot of money to spend on an exclusive, elitist show with no local benefit for those who funded it.
The Venice pavilion exhibition often gets a run in Australia afterwards. I'd be surprised if CA didn't fork out even more money to help KS show this installation in some shape or form. It will, however, be different to what's viewable in Venice at present.
John, I don’t know how to send you a private message and this is just my 10 cents, but I really think you should consider setting up a podcast in which you could interview people (they can be long but don’t need to be) about these important issues, as well as commenting about art and culture in general.
There is a gaping hole in the market for a voice like yours, and I think it would be a great success.
Successful podcasters have audiences far in excess of discredited media outlets such as the Sydney Boring Herald (which to me is not much more these days than a magazine for wealthy Australian women of a certain age, the 2026 incarnation of Cosmopolitan magazine), and other ‘mainstream media outlets’.
Point being that you could have huge success as a podcaster, building on your writing - growing your audience especially among younger people - plus, I think you’d find it highly enjoyable.
Just a thought.
Lots of people have said as much. Although not frightened of speaking on camera, I'm a bit fixated on writing, so I'd probably need a collaborator for anything like that.
BRAVO, John. Another excellent piece. I have shared it widely.
An uncritical country is indeeed inexorably going down the tube. But when Europe, the cultural roots of so much here can give its all to 'Bungarunga', I fear for the world. How was that culturally Bulgarian in the slightest iota? Wasn't there a disgraced Italian PM who invented Bunga Bunga parties involving young women with breasts as generous as Dara's? Thank you for convincing me that the Eurovision Song Contest is rubbish and that Australia's participation in it is a total anomoly. And who pays for that? Maybe Sufi chanting next time?
I'm all for it. Let's send Ahbab Al-Mustafa to the next Eurovision.
Well said John. I’ve always thought the euro event was absurd. I have zero interest in it and have wondered why we bother? Some friends made some remarks about it last weekend, the husband like me couldn't care less, his wife was excited about it. If we won the contest every year I’d still rather look at the least interesting entries in the archibold.
You're not cool, Jeff.
Yes, that must be it!
Hi John I’ve definitely been shocked by the treatment of Australians by the Israeli Government after being kidnapped in International waters. I’m horrified by Gaza and settlers in the West Bank AND October 7. And I absolutely abhor antisemitism or any blaming of Jewish Australians for the current Israeli government’s actions. I’ve been told by collectors at Art Fairs that they are checking artist’s instagram first to see if they are not pro Palestinian. I’ve been told about an artist that had been shadow banned ( doxxed I don’t know the term) and I researched her and she just had a show at the NGV! I don’t actually see Jewish artists being punished for Israel’s actions if that is what you were implying?
Punished by omission. Nobody is actively admitting any bias, but Jewish artists are being left out of shows, not considered for grants, etc. Nina Sanadze had her show at the NGV, but has been on the outer ever since. Like you, I'm also appalled by the ghastly behaviour of Nethanyahu & his ministers.
It would be great to create some cohesion in the arts at the very least - collective punishment is abhorrent against any group. But especially artists as they are often the ones critiquing culture or governments and giving interesting perspectives and their voices.
Yes, punishment by silence & omission by those who keep telling us that art is all about ideas and critical thinking.
Ironically