Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Artscape

Tuesday's

Tuesday's TV: Artscape - Anatom

Advertisement
Artscape: Anatomy
ABC1, 10.05pm

Geoff Ostling is a pudgy 65-year-old retired teacher who couldn'tbe more ordinary if he tried - until he takes off his clothes,which he does very early in this arresting documentary. Jeff hasturned his body into a living botanical encyclopedia; at last counthe had more than 60 Australian native plants tattooed on his skin.Quite why he has this magnificent obsession is unclear; strangelyenough even he can't offer a convincing explanation.
We get a hint of what lies beneath when he admits he had a hardtime growing up as the fat kid no one would choose on their team.But now, most people find him extraordinary. Having grevilleas andcallistemons inked all over your skin will do that for a bloke.
But what happens to all that art once Geoff shuffles off to thebig tattoo parlour upstairs? "Apart from the legal side of things,it would be like any other mammal," says the taxidermist, as he andhis potential future subject sit and discuss just how they aregoing to preserve Ostling's skin after his death.
This is bizarre, challenging and, believe it or not, genuinelytender.

Insight: Kids On Divorce
SBS, 7.30pm

Forty-three per cent of Australian marriages end in divorce andmore than one million children grow up living apart from one oftheir natural parents. Piles of books, academic papers and researchhave been devoted to assessing the effect marriage breakdowns haveon children but this program takes a much simpler approach - itasks the children themselves.
Jenny Brockie teases out the stories of hurt and bewilderment froma studio audience of 12- to 20-year-olds who have come from whatused to be described as "broken homes". In her slightlyschoolmarm-ish way she poses that stock journalist's question "Howdid that feel?" a dozen different ways and draws some fascinatingand often very sad responses from some of the children.
If you're already feeling guilty about splitting up, watchingthis won't make you feel any better but it might just help youunderstand what your children are going through.
Around The World In 80 Gardens
ABC1, 8.30pm

The premise of this series is simple. Monty Don toddles off aroundthe globe to visit "80 of the world's most celebrated and stunninggardens". First, he travels to Mexico and Cuba. He spends a fairbit of time poking around the gardens of modernist Luis Barragan,which, if lots of pink rendered walls are your thing, you willlove.
Don's Havana visit is much more down to earth, however. There,he checks out the city's "green revolution", which encouragesorganic vegetable plots anywhere and everywhere. It was forced onthe Cubans out of necessity and has turned into a shining examplefor other cities around the world (Clover Moore, take note).
The only problem with the show is Don's rather flat and clicheddelivery. He knows his stuff and he's a very engaging personalitybut somehow his passion doesn't quite shine through. But it's earlydays yet and there are plenty more gardens to go.
Hell's Kitchen
Nine, 9.30pm

So, potty-mouthed Gordon Ramsay is back, except this time he's notquite so potty mouthed. He's obviously been told to tone down theAnglo-Saxon outbursts for the US market although he still managesto slip in the odd expletive here and there. But frankly, none ofit is believable any more. The first British series had genuinedrama, pathos and authenticity, whereas this is just manufacturednonsense. "Absolutely f---ing dire," as Ramsay might say.
Advertisement
Artscape: Anatomy
ABC1, 10.05pm

Geoff Ostling is a pudgy 65-year-old retired teacher who couldn'tbe more ordinary if he tried - until he takes off his clothes,which he does very early in this arresting documentary. Jeff hasturned his body into a living botanical encyclopedia; at last counthe had more than 60 Australian native plants tattooed on his skin.Quite why he has this magnificent obsession is unclear; strangelyenough even he can't offer a convincing explanation.
We get a hint of what lies beneath when he admits he had a hardtime growing up as the fat kid no one would choose on their team.But now, most people find him extraordinary. Having grevilleas andcallistemons inked all over your skin will do that for a bloke.
But what happens to all that art once Geoff shuffles off to thebig tattoo parlour upstairs? "Apart from the legal side of things,it would be like any other mammal," says the taxidermist, as he andhis potential future subject sit and discuss just how they aregoing to preserve Ostling's skin after his death.
This is bizarre, challenging and, believe it or not, genuinelytender.

Insight: Kids On Divorce
SBS, 7.30pm

Forty-three per cent of Australian marriages end in divorce andmore than one million children grow up living apart from one oftheir natural parents. Piles of books, academic papers and researchhave been devoted to assessing the effect marriage breakdowns haveon children but this program takes a much simpler approach - itasks the children themselves.
Jenny Brockie teases out the stories of hurt and bewilderment froma studio audience of 12- to 20-year-olds who have come from whatused to be described as "broken homes". In her slightlyschoolmarm-ish way she poses that stock journalist's question "Howdid that feel?" a dozen different ways and draws some fascinatingand often very sad responses from some of the children.
If you're already feeling guilty about splitting up, watchingthis won't make you feel any better but it might just help youunderstand what your children are going through.
Around The World In 80 Gardens
ABC1, 8.30pm

The premise of this series is simple. Monty Don toddles off aroundthe globe to visit "80 of the world's most celebrated and stunninggardens". First, he travels to Mexico and Cuba. He spends a fairbit of time poking around the gardens of modernist Luis Barragan,which, if lots of pink rendered walls are your thing, you willlove.
Don's Havana visit is much more down to earth, however. There,he checks out the city's "green revolution", which encouragesorganic vegetable plots anywhere and everywhere. It was forced onthe Cubans out of necessity and has turned into a shining examplefor other cities around the world (Clover Moore, take note).
The only problem with the show is Don's rather flat and clicheddelivery. He knows his stuff and he's a very engaging personalitybut somehow his passion doesn't quite shine through. But it's earlydays yet and there are plenty more gardens to go.
Hell's Kitchen
Nine, 9.30pm

So, potty-mouthed Gordon Ramsay is back, except this time he's notquite so potty mouthed. He's obviously been told to tone down theAnglo-Saxon outbursts for the US market although he still managesto slip in the odd expletive here and there. But frankly, none ofit is believable any more. The first British series had genuinedrama, pathos and authenticity, whereas this is just manufacturednonsense. "Absolutely f---ing dire," as Ramsay might say.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...