Cold morning light reflected – Little Collins St, Melbourne.
2007
Looking up #2
Outside Flinders Lane Police Headquarters
Looking up #1
Corner of Bourke and Swanston St, Melbourne
“The cityscape involves a circling, a continual return to the same loci, the same figures the same objects, but each time from a different direction, from a different vantage point.” Walter Benjamin
Laneway smoko#12
Local knowledge
A milk crate turned on its side is a far more comfortable proposition than one that is simply up-ended.
The gleaner and the smoker
Laneway smoko #11
“Can I help you” she asked taking anther tug on a rollie.
“No, just taking some photos” J- answered.
“We get a few photographers down here but usually it’s homeless people or druggies. I come out here to escape the politics. It’s normally pretty quiet most of the time. Except for Tuesday, that’s when the managers come for their meeting and their cars are parked all along here. Then if the guys in Harley repair shop come out the back for a smoke you can hardly move.”
Laneway smoko #10
Central business district, Melbourne
Laneway smoko#9
Gleaner and the cleaner #3
“What are you taking that photo for? Are you a cleaning inspector or something?
Filthy habit, smoking.
I reckon people smoke outside so they can come out here and have a bludge. They should give up. I did eight and half years ago. If I can do it anybody can.
Why don’t you take your photos of real art, well if you want to call it that. It’s not as if there isn’t enough of it around here.”
Digital Harbour, Docklands. 11.30 AM
Jason recliner #2
….and where would that be?
Docklands carpark: PM
The gleaner and the fishermen
“Caught any fish,” she asked.
“Nup, we’re more fish feeders than fish catchers today” he replied, as he dribbled breadcrumbs into the water. “Look down there lots of them, look below the shadows and you can see more coming.”
“What are you doing here” he said, “You’re definitely not a tourist.”
“How did you know?” she asked.
“For a start you look happy. So how did how discover this place?”
“Just wandered through the car park wanted to see what was beyond the development. So do you catch many fish then?”
“Yeah, it’s a good place,” he replied.
“I might bring my son, he’s just discovered fishing.”
“Well make sure you have a license then. The water police will see you before you even know they are there. We were just sitting here, rods out and admiring a flash looking boat. Before we knew it, they’d landed on that jetty there and were standing in front of us asking to see our fishing licences. They reckon the fishing is really good they said they saw some bloke pull in a great big mulloway.”
Under the Bolte Bridge, Docklands.
The gleaner and the fishermen #2
Badlands or Docklands
“Aren’t you scared wandering around here on your own, there’s nobody about?”
“I am watchful”, J- replied, “but after a while you get to know who you should talk to and who to stay clear of.”
Looking down #3
Wharf 14 – traces of the old Docklands
‘The flaneur is a figure, who derives pleasure from the hustle and bustle of the city streets, moving purposelessly through the urban spaces with the eye of an artist.’ Walter Benjamin
Looking down #2
Looking down #1
The gleaner and the cleaner #2
“Does anybody use this place?” J- enquired.
“Yeah, all the time”.
“But the barbeque is so clean”
“I’m the cleaner” he replied and set to with a cloth, removing traces of dust that were drifting in from a nearby construction site.
“The last three weeks it’s been quiet” he continued, “before that it was very bad.
Lot’s of people break bottles. Break the doors. They come for 3 weeks.
The security guys they are just sleeping.
If they catch them they get 1 month jail.”
“Do you like this place?” she asked.
“It’s very expensive here, one lady she tell me it cost $4-500,000 for one apartment.
I don’t live here though, my home is in Reservoir. I just catch the train. It stops just over there.”