Openbook spring out now!
The spring issue of Openbook — the State Library of NSW’s lavish, quarterly magazine — is blooming with extraordinary words and images by some of Australia’s best writers and creatives, featured alongside fascinating discoveries made by our librarians and curators.
In this issue arts journalist Elizabeth Fortescue profiles eminent Australian artist Elisabeth Cummings, 89, whose extraordinary career being celebrated with exhibitions at two important Sydney art institutions.
“Cummings’ paintings have been compared to poetry, where so much emotion is implied or suggested, rather than spelt out. Interestingly, she adores poetry and copies her favourite pieces into a special book,” writes Elizabeth Fortescue, who interviewed the artist at her clay-walled home on Sydney’s bushy south-western fringe.
Other highlights from the issue:
- Caroline Baum delves into the life of writer Charmian Clift who was born 100 years ago;
- Writers Omar Sakr and Gudanji/Wakaja woman Debra Dank tell deeply personal truths in the popular ‘The library that made me’ and ‘Self-portrait’ (respectively) columns;
- In this year of the Voice referendum, specialist librarian Andrew Trigg writes about historical referenda ephemera collected by the Library across decades (representing many failed national votes) and throws fresh light on current debates;
- Historian and novel Mark Dapin gets philatelic about revisiting his childhood stamp albums;
- Poet Dimitra Harvey exposes a #MeToo moment in Ancient Greece; and
- Mark Mordue profiles cineaste and writer Sam Twyford-Moore, whose work recasts the history of Australian actors in Hollywood.
This issue’s photo essay of stills from films to be screened at the Library [from 27 November to 1 December] as part of a forthcoming documentary conference, presents images that, while stunningly beautiful, seek to tell uncomfortable truths.