The inaugural dinner was delightful. Good food, good music, an interesting group of like-minded people, an amusing after-dinner speaker and a compact awards ceremony. The dinner was held in the new exhibition space at the library. Ceiling mounted projectors threw images onto all the walls from the library’s film archives. There were pictures of the 1970s flood, early images of the state show, political clips and home movies.
The new State Library building is gorgeous – a great illustration of how different materials can be combined and how a modern building can still display the Queensland architectural aesthetic. Lots of open space lets the views and air float into the very centre of the building. In fact, pragmatism ever dominating, I spent some time after the dinner trying to work out exactly how the building is locked down at night. At night you stand in the light, bright airiness and look over the dark silent movement of the river to the pulsing of city lights on the opposite bank.
I suspect I lowered the average age of attendees by several years. To my pleasure, the Library Foundation award for service to Queensland history went to the Queensland Family History Society. As a result, I heard the interesting factoid that although South Australia sees itself as the “German” state, about twice as many German migrants settled in Queensland in the 1800s as did there.
The library fellowship went to Dr. Martin Buzacott, chief arts critic of the Courier Mail and former CEO of the Queensland Writers’ Centre. He will be writing a book on the history of music in Queensland and will contribute his oral history interviews and original documents unearthed to the library.
And now away from such pleasant diversions and back to everyday life and of course, to writing.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
Good to hear about the long-awaited dinner. But you left out the important part -- what, in the end, did you wear? I take it (since you had a good time) that you were not dressed inappropriately to what everybody else wore. -- Amy
After all my agonising over the meaning of "lounge suit", yes I did fit in just fine. Most of the women wore suits with big jewellery (very much the over-60 look). A few men wore black tie and a few women, cocktail dresses but definitely the minority. The mc was in short silver lame but as a show biz identity could get away with it. I went for black velvet pants and a long-sleeved swirly patterned and lace peasant-style top ($1 at the local charity shop!). The arty end of the scale but it was a literary "do." It was a lot of fun and I am full of ideas and really motivated to get writing after my change of scenery.
Post a Comment