70% Urban

I just visited the National Museum of Australia today and really got something different from when I biked past it the other day. I guess it somehow built as a touristic attraction but it's no compromise to its substance. Seeing inside it's far more than a photo spot.

I like it in a way not too didactic although all the time you sensed the political correctness as the national museum would have. The racial issue is something so serious here in Australia but is simply overlooked and ignored in Hong Kong. It's so much a memorial for reconciliation. After all, instead of being overwhelmed by all those historical artifacts, there are quite a lot of contemporary art works here. Art works more often pose questions instead of answers. Although the tone is quite set, audience could still have this space to think about the issue.

Especially I like the temporary exhibition "70% Urban". Unfortunately I walked to that part when the museum was almost closed. in a pretty rush I walked thro' the show. It's such dilemma and tension between tradition and new in many post-colonial discourses. It's a resonance of the rethink of orientalism in Asia which a lot of internalization takes place because of globalization and tourism. You always have this arguement of authenticity..... I probably have a revisit as the good thing of this museum is free admission.

One of touching display is about the 70s movement for civil rights and social justice. There was an Aboriginal Tent Embassy set off the old parlament house, where now has become a listed heritage. It means a piece of history of thiry years. Now look at our Queen's Pier. Where is the gut of our government to preserve our history (of both of the colony and the civil rights)?