Articles/Letters
Alexandra’s global art odyssey Trotting the globe and working the international art scene has been this Byron Bay artist’s main occupation for many years. But the past five years have seen Alexandra Spyratos make a shift to Kenya, her birth country. It is from Kenya that Alexandra circumnavigates the art world, painting in studios in Malindi, Kenya, and also in Byron Bay, to which she returns every year. ‘I am lucky enough as an artist to have a versatile career that can be accomplished anywhere I set down my paint and brushes,’ says Alexandra. ‘I tend to organically shift around the world and exhibit in pockets of the world where art lovers invest and the recession has either moved on or is outside their bubble.’ With 33 solo shows under respectful of the issues, the beautiful natural amphitheatres on this site are a gift for performers and audiences; they are stunning natural venues. I’ve worked at, and attended, hundreds of festivals across the country, and I know scores of festival promoters. The Byron Falls management team are conscientious, intelligent, corporate citizens, with a green heart and respect for their physical and social environment. It won’t be perfect for some residents – I appreciate this. I’m sorry if you are affected. But as a member of the wider community, I’d like to thank the Yelgun residents for putting up with any hassles that flow from the event, and thank the Byron Falls management team for providing a safe and fun place for thousands of would-be Byron-bound party-tourists. If not for Falls, the week of NYE would be another week of chaos in town, at the mercy of visitors who also have every right to want to party and relax. Sally McPherson Byron Bay
Transform politics Rising volatility of governments and leadership is symptomatic. It is to be welcomed since it illustrates that the system is broken and needs to change. There’s a lack of love! Many politicians profess religious faith but do not heed the central tenet, ‘love thy enemies’, never mind the voters. Also lost is ‘no man can serve two masters, God and Mammon’. It’s blindingly
her belt and clients such as Mick Doohan, Paul Hogan, Mark Bouris, Bollywood actress Nadia Moidu and Domitilla Peugeot, among others, Alexandra expands her career with current solo exhibitions in Switzerland and South Africa, and mixed shows in Miami for Art Basel, Hong Kong, Kenya and Rome.
The Rome show is a collection of artists chosen by Luciano Benetton and is being held in the prestigious Museo Carlo Bilotti at the Aranciera di Villa Borhhese, aiming to finalise in the Venice Biennale 2015. Alexandra’s work has evolved and progressed over the years from oils and fluorescent paint to acrylics – big
obvious every governing party is subverted to serve capitalism before the 99 per cent. Imagine all our representatives united by responding to electorates in preference to parties. Politicians may well learn to love opponents who elevate human welfare above manipulable parties. The hunger for an ethical society presents a grand opportunity for reform to a workable system: by secret ballot of all representatives to strengthen the will of the electorate, and protect all parties against secret manipulation. Transform politics to a daily Canberra love-in, an example to the world. Hayo van der Woude Mullumbimby
having any more big electricity bills! There was also planning for the end of the solar rebate in two years when our 60 cent rebate ends. We need to prepare for this now, to avoid the shock of getting six cents and being charged 36 cents plus per kilowatt hour. We heard about the proposed new community-owned Northern Rivers Green Energy retailer which plans to supply more affordable and cleaner energy as an alternative to the polluting energy retailers we now have. Byron New Energy in the Eco Park wants to help make the whole of Byron Shire more energy efficient and independent and has plans to do this by using the green waste bins to make compost and biochar and using the solid sewage for making biofuel, fertiliser, and compost. Come and see the new Eco Park on a Thursday afternoon and discover the many revolutionary possibilities we have for moving awayfrom the present polluting systems to the new green, clean and dollar-saving systems which are becoming available now. Noah Yamore Mullumbimby
Solar revolution The solar revolution for energy independence can be seen at the new Byron Eco Park at Grays Lane, Tyagarah. The solar renewable energy building and honey processing plant are open on Thursday from 3.30pm each week. On the recent open day hundreds were shown the latest solar translucent panels, salt-water batteries free of toxic materials to supply 3-phase power that runs a Manuka honey factory and art gallery. All this and more in Byron’s Green Building Award Eco Park. Experts were on hand to give info about the best solar setup for individuals and for clusters of four to five homes going in together to fund a collective for energy independence in just a few years. Imagine getting off the grid with your neighbours and not
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Bad news on CSG Dart Energy, which lays claim to the expired Petroleum Exploration Licence (PEL 445), has apparently ‘negotiated’ its renewal so that it can begin preparations to establish a gasfield in the northern rivers. Our local National Party MPs are talking up the ‘strict new conditions and regula-
use of metallics, gold leaf, copper leaf, variegated metallics and most recently adding the new medium of pure dyed silver. ‘Finding a new medium to work with can really be exciting and shift your art to new levels,’ says Alexandra. ‘The excitement always shows in the art.’ Upcoming shows include a mixed show at Soho gallery in Sydney this week and a solo show in Marbella, Spain, opening July 1 in 2015 Also coming up is an overview of Alexandra and her work to be screened on Graeme Stevenson’s TV show Colour In Your Life in the new year. See more at colourinyourlife.com.au and at www.alexandraart.com and facebook.com/alexandraartart. tions’ that will form part of the new agreement. To me that’s code for giving the go-ahead for the gas wells, pipelines, compressor stations and millions of litres of ‘produced’ water that would be pumped out of the underground coal seam. The average productive life of a CSG well is about five years. As has shown to be the case, the contaminated land, leaking gas wells and rusting infrastructure will be leftover as a constant reminder of how our state government ignored the people’s concerns. The contaminated and depressurised aquifers will never be the same again. That scenario will happen if the government allows the mining companies to get a foothold in our region. Our local National Party MPs should be standing with the community and declaring our region Gasfield Free, not promoting these foreignowned mining companies’ ‘financial and technical capacity and good environmental management’. It’s little comfort that the area (most of the Ballina Shire) where Dart hasn’t found profitable gas reserves will be excluded from its new licence. Our aquifers, creeks, communities, roads, etc don’t stop at electoral boundaries. There is growing evidence that CSG mining results in irreversible groundwater contamination, falling rural property prices and adverse human health impacts in areas where this industry has been allowed to prosper. Cr Jeff Johnson Lennox Head
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The Byron Shire Echo December 9, 2014 15