Doug Aitken: New Era

Museum of Contemporary Art Australia

Exhibition: 20 October 2021 – 06 February 2022

Occupying prime real estate at Circular Quay vis-à-vis from the Opera House, Sydney’s home of contemporary art has after a profound overhaul in 2011 redefined itself not only via an aesthetically and architecturally pleasing exterior, which marries the original sandstone building with contemporary features, but as a haven championing new age and forward-thinking art with its circulation system based gallery, a formidable rooftop café, sculpture terrace, high-tech education centre, and a 120-seat lecture theatrette.

Given the implications of the recent pandemic induced lockdowns on terra australis, it was fantastic to see after many delays the American artist Doug Aitken incarnate with his first major solo exhibition in the Southern hemisphere, comprised of key works of his oeuvre spanning close to three decades.

Heralded for his idiosyncratic approach to channelling installations, sculptures, photographs and constantly shifting multi-screen environments into an immersive, mesmerising and prismatic other world that culminates in a conceptually fluid display of moving imagery and sound, the exhibition invites one to become actively involved and get lost in Aitken’s multi-sensory ambience. 

My personal highlight of the exhibition is the large-scale poetic sound installation Sonic Fountain II: Built into a bouldered wasteland-esque lunar scenery, drops of water are unleashed from a suspended multi-valve apparatus into a milky pond, with the sound being amplified by an algorithm which ebbs and flows the recordings captured by microphones within and outside the pond, resulting in sounds pieces reminiscent of John Cage.

Inspired by mobile phone technology and its impact on our social behaviours, the exhibit NEW ERA not only informed the title of the exhibition but conveys the marriage of seemingly antagonistic concepts of union and dislocation through a mirrored fragmented structure that serves as a gate to a screen filled tunnel that viewers are invited to wander through and being wrapped up by.

The way the exhibition has been designed and orchestrated is devoid of an imposed narrative – au contraire, the viewer is enabled to author and determine an individual perspective through the carving of their own lens with Aitken providing food-for-though via real and imagined landscapes of ideas, using mirrors to reel the viewer into his cosmos and place him at the centre.

The result is a carefully calibrated and boundary-pushing composition of ideas for which the MCA becomes the conduit to a ruminative and multi-directional wider world – one that is transitional, dynamic and hidden in plain sight.

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image courtesy of MCA

(Un-)Becoming Who You Are? Self-optimisation Kiwi-style.

In an age of self-optimisation and an endless strain to get out of one’s own way, supplements that promise to improve your mood, creativity, memory and cognitive ability not unlike the nootropic NZT-48 in The Dark Fields by Alan Glynn are ubiquitious and proffered everywhere. 

In most jurisdictions, nootropics are classified as as dietary supplements, which allows grey areas for  manufacturers’ statements about benefits often being vague and/or supported by less-than-compelling scientific evidence as they do not require double-blind, placebo-controlled, pharmaceutical-style human studies before going to market.

The upside is that one does not need a prescription to acquire them and knowing quite a few people who swear by the mind stimulating, blood flow increasing and adrenalin raising effects of some nootropics, I delved deeper into the matter.

Intrigued by the hype, I set out to try some nootropics to see if there was something worthwhile to join my beloved coffee as a performance- and cognitive enhancing and energy boosting drug, knowing well that many nootropics are supposed to take time to build up in the body before one can actually feel their impact , the fact that they of course do not make one more intelligent as well as other contributing individual factors, e.g. how demanding the task at hand is and the susceptibility of human nature to placebo effects.

Ārepa is a 100% natural and caffeine-free nootropic from New Zealand, the primary benefits of which are to result in promoting mental clarity and calm, the improvement of focus under mental fatigue and the support of normal neurological function along with supporting physical performance / recovery and supplying a full-serve of vitamin C.

Ingredients-wise, Ārepa focusses on drawing benefits from the natural side of things, i.e. the antioxidant and polyphenol qualities of Blackcurrants; amino-acids like L-theanine, which is found in green tea and lauded for its stress and anxiety reducing qualities while avoiding drowsiness, and an idiosyncratic ingredient that pays homage to Ārepa’s home country:  Extracted from the bark of New Zealand grown pine trees, the broad-spectrum polyphenol Enzogenol meant to support and enhance cognitive functions.

Ārepa Performance comes in liquid (300ml) as well as in powder form, both of which are devoid of sugar, caffeine or other nasties and flavour-wise, I find it to be quite an enjoyable potion due to the tart flavour courtesy of the pectin and acid of the Blackcurrant. 

Now, what are the effects?

I found it interesting that the effects are not dissimilar from what I would gain from an efficient energy drink in terms of experiencing a jolt 20-30 minutes after ingestion with the benefits that it feels like a more sustained and slowly building mental clarify, which the added benefit that there are neither sugar crashes, energy slumps nor caffeine withdrawal.

With a natural range that provides products not merely for one-off consumption to assist with a key moment, but also daily consumption to assist with a deeper lying cognitive concern, paired with a rather moderate price compared to other nootropics, Ārepa is worth checking out when you are looking for a natural pick-me up, especially if you harbour a preference for slightly astringent berry flavours.

Let’s stay in New Zealand, shan’t we?

No Ugly is the telling and metaphorical name of another Kiwi brand, whose credo is based on opposing the endlessly tiresome competitive mentality of our day and age along with its dismal implications, i.e. ugly, non-ethical practises and ugly, non-nourishing ingredients finding their way into our food.

In essence, No Ugly offers health and wellness tonics that are filled to the brim with antioxidents like a New Zealand-native pine bark extract, vitamins, proteins, electrolytes and minerals.   

Vegan and low sugar in nature, No Ugly is the brainchild of creative heads who emerged in the world of advertising and who eventually saw the ligh, i.e. became aware of the importance of good nutrition and overall wellness as a concept to explore the creation of a brand that was the equivalent of a clarion call for people ready to wage a war on all things ugly and appreciated products with substance and purpose.

So far, so good, but does it work?

A tangible benefit is that each bottle of No Ugly is a good source of potassium, calcium, phosphorus, vitamins B1/B2/B3/B5/B6/B12, vitamin C, and vitamin E. Given the aforementioned, I find that especially after long and big nights,  it aids in the reduction of tiredness and fatigue and electrolyte balance. 

No Ugly comes in different variants, named after their purpose and focus ranging from telling names like collagen-ladden “Skin”, nap-inducing “Sleep”, green-coffee extract and L-theanine stacked “Focus”, probiotics centered “Gut” and one zeroing in on enhacing to evicting all nasties that do not pay rent, i.e. “Detox”.

What I like about No Ugly is that it ranges at the affordable end of the spectrum and aspires to be a visionary brand with a higher purpose as apart from well-being, focus is set on sustainability, a recycling program and care about the environment.

While it would be quite a task to keep the whole range on one’s disposal, picking up a No Ugly depending on what I am trying to accomplish has become a trusted go-to.

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images from company websites

The Formative Years - Sonic Youth

My relationship with Sonic Youth is an interesting one in that I have been listening to them since the early 1990s and while I never not appreciated them for carving their own niche by redefining what could be done with guitars via their unorthodox tunings, as a juvenile delinquent I found them a tad too tame sonically to wave my pom poms for them in public, especially after they experienced mainstream success.

It was not until 2011 when triggered by learning about the divorce of Kim Gordon and Thurston Moore that I made a deliberate effort to dive into their back catalogue only to realise what a brilliant, trailblazing band it was and how vitally  important they were for what was to become labelled as noise rock.

Formed in 1981, they released their debut 7” on Neutral Records - a fairly conventional effort even by post-punk standards. Following tours and osmosis with the Swans, things started to get interesting with their Confusion is Sex album and the subsequent Kill Yr Idols EP, which saw them taking a deliberate detour into louder, more dissonant territory. 

Following a fairly successful tour of Europe, 1985 saw the release of the album Bad Moon Rising, which in essence sounds like a dedicated drawn-out artsy jam session with Americana being the common denominator theme-wise.

Their debut on SST Records, i.e., EVOL, saw Sonic Youth starting to refine their DNA: Darker and more in charge of channeling their alchemy to make it more immediate and tense yet interweaved with glitter-poppy parts and raw instrumental bits. There is an intriguing, underlying unease which throughout the album builds up and eventually culminates in a seven-minute-long cacophonous noise crescendo.

Fast forward to 1990 and the release of Goo, their major label debut with the iconic Raymond Pettibon cover artwork, which saw them expand on alt-rock stylings and becoming more accessible without alienating their core fan base.  

By utilizing and recontextualizing recorded sounds as raw material, fragmenting and merging it with their trademark knack for tonal elasticity and reconciling it all with garage-punk’s structural conventions. It is one of my favourite alternative rock albums and is still a pleasure to listen to back-to-back thirty years later.

Water of Life

Headlands Distilling  Company 

With widespread international recognition and appreciation consistently expanding, Australia’s craft distillery scene is growing exponentially and especially the last couple of years have seen distilleries mushroom across the country. While more often than not there are always interesting drops to be found and innovative takes on the craft of distilling to be discovered, there are few Australian distilleries whose emissions have entered my steady rotation of sippers.

However, Headlands Distilling is one of them.

Based out of Wollongong and having honed their craft by first creating their own premium grade vodka, the founders meticulously analysed each facet of the variables that contribute to creating a quality distillate and how to calibrate it to arrive at exactly the taste profile they envisioned, for which the scientific background and connection to the University of Wollongong came in handy as it allowed them access to the gear of the science department. 

Once their approach has been refined and with their own customised energy-efficient distillation setup centred around their sustainable approach and the minimisation of waste, they started to branch out into gin and related spirits.  

Luckily, early on in their journey they started putting down barrels to produce whiskey with new and unique flavour profiles, with all barley sourced locally and most of the used barrels obtained from local Australian wineries specialising in fortified wines, which they then shaved and re-charred.

As I unfortunately missed out on Headland Distillery’s debut Bourbon cask release, my first exposure to how they channel their alchemy was via a recent batch of their 5-year old Single Malt  Apera Cask, i.e. the down under equivalent to Spanish Oloroso barrels.

Upon approach, the nostrils are tickled by floral and dried fruity notes, which sit against a backdrop of spicy, rich malty and honeyed smoke.  

On the top of the mouth, dried fruits, vanilla and walnuts form a union and unfold their magic enhanced by a underlying, subtly honeyed smokiness that seamlessly transitions into the lingering finish, which reverberates with chocolate and toasted marshmallow flavours.
Clocking in at a moderate 46%, a wonderfully complex and well-calibrated drop.

Headlands’ Muscat Cask expression has been refined by napping in fifteen year old Seppeltsfield Rare Muscat oak casks, a fortified wine varietal exclusive to the Victorian Rutherglen region.

The drop knows to reel one in with the fragrant top floral aromas, which sit on a dominant backbone of fresh raisins and dates. 
On the palate sweet rich lychee fruits take over with a warming mouthfeel, followed by hints of browned butter and caramelized sugar, contrasted by a crescendo of vanilla and charred oak notes.

With their wholesome approach to distilling, Headlands Distillery has its focus firmly set on calibrating their pricing targeting the sweet spot between catering to them creating premium products and the implications of producing in a country with some of the highest excise taxes on alcoholic spirits, yet not being too expensive compared to international distilleries, which benefit from economy of scale.

The biggest compliment I can make extend to Headlands Distilling Co. is that despite me harbouring a devoted preference for whisky, I immensely enjoy their Tidal Lines Plum Gin, which not only is a deliberate nod to their turf via soaking local plums in gin to then have it matured for a year in French Oak wine barrels for twelve months, but proves to be sippable with complex flavour profile courtesy of orris and angelica root, cinnamon, fresh juniper and juniper berries needing neither soda or tonic to stand for itself.

For anyone having an appreciation for spirits, it will not be difficult to see that Headlands Distillery ( https://headlands.com.au ) with their talented, agile and ambitious approach paired substantiated by their focus on creating value and quality in each facet of their offerings, will go far and evolve to become an internationally sought after brand. 

You will want to get in early… 

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image from company website

The Formative Years

Public Image Ltd 

It did not take long after being introduced to the Sex Pistols as a prepubescent that I started to acquire all of their records available at mainstream stores and religiously absorb any information available. Clearly, Sid Vicious was everything one should aspire to when it came to being a punk and served as a role model as far as aesthetics were concerned. Given the superficial shock value of what I loved about John Simon Ritchie and the  immediacy of the Sex Pistols’ musical delivery, I was a bit taken aback when I checked out John Lydon’s post-Sex Pistols endeavour Public Image Ltd. 

While I got the anti-rock sentiment and experimental nature of PiL, I was more looking to graduate to Discharge-style bands than a sound that seemed to draw on krautrock, disco, dub and progressive rock to create something new.

Revisiting PiL a couple of years later, I started to develop an appreciation for how far ahead of his time Lydon was when he confidently trailblazed into uncharted avantgarde territory, fusing world music and reggae, as early as 1978 while technically still fronting the Sex Pistols.

Lyrically and theme-wise, songs like "Public Image", "Egomaniac traitor", "Religion" could have been taken from any Sex Pistols album and the live performances were not far off in terms of confrontational and taunting antics, but musically it seemed unlike anything that had been done before with the band focussing on never delivering what the audience might have expected.

In essence, Public Image Limited was much angrier than the Sex Pistols could have ever been, frustrated by the limitations and expectations imposed by their own environment, the music industry and society at large and infused with internally directed anger, frustration and a keen willingness to experiment took the punk sentiment and raw emotion to the next level.

With the post punk foundations set by PiL boundary pushing explorations, doors were kicked open for bands as diverse as Sonic Youth, Talking Heads and Red Hot Chili Peppers to blossom and bloom, making them a timeless band always worth rediscovering for anyone remotely interested in the history of underground music.