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Blonde Matthew@blondematthew.bsky.social |
81 followers 122 following 261 posts
The only tour guide in Melbourne.
www.localguidetomelbourne.com
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Blonde Matthew
@blondematthew.bsky.social
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Eric Westbrook (NGV Director 1956-1975) Didn't like how cramped the NGV was sharing the building with the Melbourne Museum. "The galley shocked me... You'd be looking at a Rembrandt or Tiepolo and then turn around and see a stuffed racehorse, it was ridiculous."
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Blonde Matthew
@blondematthew.bsky.social
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J S MacDonald was director of the NGV from 1936-1940 and really didn't want van Gogh, Braque, Utrillo and Picasso in our gallery.
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Blonde Matthew
@blondematthew.bsky.social
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"They are exceedingly wretched paintings... putrid meat... There is no doubt that the great majority of the work called 'modern' is the product of degenerates and perverts... if we take a part by refusing to pollute our gallery with this filth we shall render a service to Art" - J S MacDonald
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Blonde Matthew
@blondematthew.bsky.social
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When is Lunar Financial New Year?
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Blonde Matthew
@blondematthew.bsky.social
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Extract from The NGV Story by Phip Murray
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Blonde Matthew
@blondematthew.bsky.social
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In 1935 an Randall Davies was in charge of acquisitions at the NGV and "recommended works by Post-Impressionist artists such as Gauguin, van Gogh and Cézanne, but Melbourne was not yet ready for such modern works and declined them all," 😱
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Blonde Matthew
@blondematthew.bsky.social
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When Frémiet's Joan of Arc statue, now outside the State Library, was bought for the NGV it caused an uproar. Why should a British colony have a French anti-British heroine erected outside our gallery? The Argus called it "an almost inconceivable stupidity" and a shameful act of "ancestral infamy."
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Blonde Matthew
@blondematthew.bsky.social
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After months of protesting, instead of recognising Palestine, our politicians will start wearing cummerbunds.
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Blonde Matthew
@blondematthew.bsky.social
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It's pretty satisfying to look at. Still think the tomato image is funnier.
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Blonde Matthew
@blondematthew.bsky.social
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Amen 🙏
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Blonde Matthew
@blondematthew.bsky.social
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Even now you can still vividly picture it. Such a brilliant demonstration.
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Blonde Matthew
@blondematthew.bsky.social
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Biden's gonna smash at the Paris Olympics
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Blonde Matthew
@blondematthew.bsky.social
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Almost have more likes than KJK has votes 👀
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Blonde Matthew
@blondematthew.bsky.social
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Adult. Human. Failure.
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Blonde Matthew
@blondematthew.bsky.social
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George Brandis looks like a Sesame Street muppet.
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Blonde Matthew
@blondematthew.bsky.social
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1863: Professor William Parkinson Wilson of the Fine Arts Commission urged Melbourne's gallery to spend its money not on originals from Europe, but cheaper local artists whose work would "rise in eminence, even though they currently labour under the disadvantage of being alive."
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Blonde Matthew
@blondematthew.bsky.social
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"Hello this is Jenny, I'm calling today from Telstra in regards to your internet connection, how are you today?" "I'm confused" "Why?" "Because I'm not with Telstra, and don't have an internet connection." "..." (she hangs up)
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Blonde Matthew
@blondematthew.bsky.social
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I live in Australia. I'm not meant to know who Marjorie Taylor Green is!
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Blonde Matthew
@blondematthew.bsky.social
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Amazing that in 1909 we were able to change South Brighton to its Indigenous name, Moorabbin. Shame we renamed East Brighton into Bentleigh after Thomas Bent.
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Blonde Matthew
@blondematthew.bsky.social
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Whenever I see that shop I think about how they removed their tasteless old sign:
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Blonde Matthew
@blondematthew.bsky.social
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Police blocked the roads to the State Library of Victoria again so the truck stage has set up on Lonsdale Street. Police suppression only makes our Free Palestine rallies more disruptive.
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Blonde Matthew
@blondematthew.bsky.social
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A travel agency wanted a private tour so blocked out my Sunday just for them, and now they've cancelled so I've got no one this weekend. Please come: localguidetomelbourne.com
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Blonde Matthew
@blondematthew.bsky.social
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• Dish by Rhys Nicholson • Melbourne: A City of Villages by Dale Campisi • Under the Rainbow: The Life and Times of EW Cole by Richard Brionowski • Fisherman's Bend Framework by Victoria State Government
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Blonde Matthew
@blondematthew.bsky.social
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• Melbourne: Joseph Reed 1850 - 1890by Jacques Sheard • Secret Histories of Queer Melbourne by Graham Willett, Wayne Murdoch and Daniel Marshall • Beyond the Facade: Flinders Street Station by Frances O'Neill and Andrew Dodd • Born Again Blackfulla by Jack Charles
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Blonde Matthew
@blondematthew.bsky.social
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It's the winter solstice and we're half way through the year. Here's a list of the books I've read so far: • Kamp Melbourne by Wayne Murdoch • Corners of Melbourne by Robyn Annear • I Am Not Fine, Thanks by Wil Anderson • Bearbrass by Robyn Annear • Adrift In Melbourne by Robyn Annear
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Blonde Matthew
@blondematthew.bsky.social
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These are terrorists and WHEN caught should be treated like that. They are dangerous and unhinged. They are doing nothing to stop what is happening at Australia Post. APPEAL to anyone that knows anything to dob them in before someone is killed.
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Blonde Matthew
@blondematthew.bsky.social
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On Google Maps, instead of the recognisable spire of the State Theatre, they've made a little Hamer Hall icon. Well done to whoever made this baffling but funny decision.
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Blonde Matthew
@blondematthew.bsky.social
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In 2008 cockatoos were damaging the Arts Centre, they borrowed a wedge-tailed eagle called Zorro, and a falcon named Bibi to guard the spire and scare the other birds away.
www.theage.com.au/national/coc...
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Blonde Matthew
@blondematthew.bsky.social
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Here's a chicken parma served on what looks like spaghetti instead of chips
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Blonde Matthew
@blondematthew.bsky.social
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Which is a bigger red flag for a restaurant: a "Say NO to injecting rooms" sign in the window, or using generative images to advertise their meals? I see too many of both in Melbourne.
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Blonde Matthew
@blondematthew.bsky.social
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Crazy how years ago the soft plastics recycling system was revealed to be a scam, and the only change that's happened is that instead of a recycling symbol, packaging now says "check locally? idk"
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Blonde Matthew
@blondematthew.bsky.social
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Political cartoonists really need to learn that if their image has more than 30 words, they need to revise, or publish an opinion piece instead.
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Blonde Matthew
@blondematthew.bsky.social
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Tram map of Melbourne, but it's gay and biographical. Image generators could never
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Blonde Matthew
@blondematthew.bsky.social
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I recommend the new Narrm Ngarrgu rooftop. Great sunset viewing spot in winter, and on Wednesdays you can see and smell the night markets below.
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Blonde Matthew
@blondematthew.bsky.social
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Trams
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Blonde Matthew
@blondematthew.bsky.social
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Once the applause dies down, I reveal that my plan for a rail link across Bass Strait is *ACROSS* Bass Strait, and am immediately thrown in Risdon.
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Blonde Matthew
@blondematthew.bsky.social
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I don't know how big an acre is, but my suburban brain can visualise exactly how big a quarter-acre block is, so I just think if four of them.
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Blonde Matthew
@blondematthew.bsky.social
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Only planned to do a tour in the morning, but then went to a protest at lunch, an exhibition in the arvo, got a text from a friend for a free ticket to a drag show at sunset, and finished my night watching eels projected on Fed Square. I love this city!
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Blonde Matthew
@blondematthew.bsky.social
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Just won Employee of the Month!🏆
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Blonde Matthew
@blondematthew.bsky.social
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How to trick yourself into thinking winter in Melbourne is enjoyable:
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Blonde Matthew
@blondematthew.bsky.social
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Fender Katsalidis have designed a new building for Southbank that looks like Link's arm in ToTK. It's called Aurum on Clarendon.
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Blonde Matthew
@blondematthew.bsky.social
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Does anyone else jazz up their metamucil with a dash of bitters?
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Blonde Matthew
@blondematthew.bsky.social
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Real tough choice today deciding between going to a Free Palestine march, or counter-protesting terfs on Parliament steps.
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Blonde Matthew
@blondematthew.bsky.social
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Years ago I was really impressed that when I searched "that song they always play in cartoons when there's a conveyor belt" and the first link was Powerhouse (1937) on YouTube. Now top result deliberately misses "conveyor" and "belt."
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Blonde Matthew
@blondematthew.bsky.social
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Of the 600 new followers I have on tiktok this week I wonder how many of them are actually real people. Because I haven't had an increase in bookings for my tour at all.
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Blonde Matthew
@blondematthew.bsky.social
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I've set up a blog. Starting with a topic I think about at least once a week. The alternative layout of Melbourne drawn up in 1860 we almost had.
localguidetomelbourne.com/blog
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Blonde Matthew
@blondematthew.bsky.social
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"Butthole" -Annonymous Artist, 2024. Punch Lane, Melbourne.
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Blonde Matthew
@blondematthew.bsky.social
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"When he and Eliza visited Quong Tart in Sydney, Edward broached his interest in monkeys, and Quong Tart took him to meet Mr AG Holmes, superintendent of monkeys at Moore Park Zoo, and his remarkable ape Jacob, who appeared to recognise Holmes' instructions in English."
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Blonde Matthew
@blondematthew.bsky.social
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Got an advanced reader copy of Scott Morrison's book and half of it is a self-insert Croods fan-fiction.
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Blonde Matthew
@blondematthew.bsky.social
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Eurovision hebben een serieus probleem.
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