Quiet Riots

The Artswipe

Australia Day, 2007

Pen on paper

Welcome to 2007 kids! May it be happy for one and all. To kill two birds with one stone: best wishes on Australia Day. Reach for the Southern Cross stars with newfound nationalistic sentimentality like never before. While you're there have a case or three of VB on me.

Of course, on Australia Day, Artswipe will let you fly whatever goddamn flag high as you like. If you do, make the riot quiet - like a schizophrenic's internal dialogue. The intricate subtlety, powerful aplomb and somber sobriety of an internal dialogue can go a long way in proving that reconciliation is not just for Catholics. The Artswipe hasn't been sleeping well since the Cronulla Riots, which happened just over a year ago on that titular southern Sydney beach. And so if you want to riot amongst yourselves, you should have saved it for the post-Christmas sales because after Christmas Artswipe astral travels into a deep dark multiliquor shaded karmacoma and can't be woken for anything – not even some cut-price fingerless gloves from Prada or Collette Dinnigan macramé fancywork.

So Artswipe's blog is back in town. I know you've missed me. I promise 2007 will be Artswipe's coming of age, an age of coming as it were.

Stay tuned: during the week Artswipe will offer some commentary on Nicole Kidman's tepid turn as Diane Arbus in Fur. Artswipe also hopes to do a quick run around town and take in some art shows in their last days, to stave off that bitter feeling of neglect art experiences during the Christmas shut down. Maybe even shed some Oscar tips.