Giovanni Dimase: Artist
Biography
Giovanni
Dimase was born in Mildura in the mid 50’s to Italian migrants.
After studying Arts at Monash
University, Giovanni worked as a freelance journalist, with his stories
appearing in noteworthy publications such as Rolling Stone Magazine, The Age
Newspaper and RAM Magazine.
For
the past 16 years Giovanni has been working as a bookseller at Blue Guitar,
Federation Square, specializing in classic literature. He has also written
several film scripts still in development. Giovanni has been writing and
performing on the Melbourne poetry scene for the past 15 years and can been
seen performing from 2 - 4pm at Federation Square on the third Saturday of each
month. Please email poetry@fedsquare.com
for more details.
Giovanni
once held the enviable role of Les Murray’s driver at the Mildura Writers
Festival!
Giovanni
has been a participant of several years of Arts Access Victoria’s Artstop SRS
Open Studio. “Being part of the Artstop has been a fantastic experience for
some one like me, its been a great learning curve and I’ve made wonderful
friends.” Through Artstop Giovanni contributed to The Fluid Ink Project short
film project and exhibition at The Brunswick Artspace
This
is Giovanni’s first solo exhibtion of his visual art works.
Recently,
Giovanni was invited by the Baker Street Synagog in Caulfield to recite his
poem titled White Clay, a memorial for French-Jew, Leon Saper, a much loved and
respected local potter.
Poetry
by Giovanni Dimase
White Clay
(for
Leon Saper - potter & holocaust survivor; r.i.p.)
In
your house devoid of straight lines
You
give the world colours never seen before
Dragons
and butterflies; fabulous beasts
Art
created from white clay
Your
hands at the wheel, expert in motion.
Memories
recorded in museums
Tormented
dreams haunt us still
When
everyone and everything was stolen from you
A new
country and a new dream
In
your house devoid of straight lines
Art
created from white clay
Dragons
and butterflies.
All
that a man can hope to achieve
To
find your freedom in a prison cell
Ashes
will swirl amongst the stars tonight
Art
created from white clay
Now
displayed
on a
simple hessian backdrop
You
give the world colours never seen before.
© john dimase.
Kafka's
Motorbike
He
works in the insurance office by day
Writes
The Trial at night
An
innocent man is arrested
Assassinated
with a knife
Father
asks,
How
can a boy lead such a life?’
His
sisters run and play
For
everyone knows Franz is strange
On
weekends he rides his motorbike
Through
the streets of Prague
He
has seen the signs
Knows
his world will come to an end
They
wait out there
for
the gypsies and the Jews.
Lungs
are weak; his days are numbered
And
for one last time
he
explores ancient Prague.
Carefree
as he transcends gravity-
lost
in the skies.
Nazi
bonfires will consume his works
In
the camps of Poland his sisters doomed to perish
Do
they think of Franz as the gasses rise?
On
his motorbike, for several seconds airborne
As he
falls through the incandescent universe
Escapes
father, factory and Third Reich
Hurtles
through the streets,
Smiles
in the sunlight
Franz
Kafka in his one
true
Prague moment.
© john di mase.
_____________________________________________________________________
Stefano Conti: Artist
Biography
“I see myself first as a
writer, poet and singer. I had skills in creating works of art or so long now,
I was a dreaming boy thirteen years old when I started my poetry and my
artworks. I like to give to people images, words, shapes that can encourage
them to see something not easy to see.
Here
in Australia, Melbourne, I grew up to be what I am… I welcome you into my
world! “
Stefano
has been a participant of Artstop SRS Open Studio for the past four years,
where he has worked steadily on his visual arts practice. In 2011 Stefano was
involved in The Fluid Ink Project, short film and exhibition at Brunswick Art
Space.
A
well known character around Melbourne’s north, Stefano often performs poetry
readings at Dan O’Connell Hotel, Saturday afternoon’s. An intimate venue
frequented by poets from Melbourne.
Stefano
is also involved in The Exchange Program, run by Merri Community Health
Services Limited. Most recently Stefano has joined Writability a partnership
between Writers Victoria, Wheeler Centre and Arts Access Victoria. Stefano is
also a key contributor to the ongoing Brunswick Lodge Outdoor Art Project.
Poetry by Stefano Conti
Answers
I
waited so long
To
see the light of a new day coming
Giving
me a hint of wisdom,
An
insight; my eyes captured reality,
The
games of love, the words,
The
music of the world
Made
me happy, elated,
Amazed
of beauty, so, with time
I
have established my identity,
I
know what I am; days and nights came
To
shape myself into a sacred being,
A
simple man
Watching
the movements of existence,
Left
to see the truth,
The
passionate game of love,
New
days with the golden scenarios
Coming
in a familiar way; moments unfolded
To
discover my defeat,
My
true sorrow, my heart beating
I
change to a thousand of selves,
Into
this passionate man alive;
The
man smiles, I smiled
Trying
to convey love, to express
The
sweet taste of life,
I
smiled to be in touch with humanity,
I
smiled to discover joy… After so long
Answers
came, it is clear
I
am alive and had lessons
Through
many seasons of search; my senses
Awaken
I had this life
As
a sacred gift,
And
in the light I maintained a sort of wisdom,
Trying
to be gentle
I
am here in this world
Complete
and whole, realized,
Close
to glory,
Just
alive in a graceful state…
Stefano
Conti
Melbourne,
May 10, 2013
Sacred Day
It
was autumn coming; dry days
Over
dreaming reality; I conquered my mind,
I
have established myself… And more and more
Of
love, mesmerized of the simple truth, love,
And
love was my way; simply
Working
out I was happy; days and nights
Started
with joy; then, I was the poet,
I
was the one dreaming so often,
Having
a vision, one world,
Fighting
back the demons, being good,
Just
trying to love music; one moment
I
will vanish, I am left without any power,
Powerless
I strolled the avenues,
I’ve
walked on empty pavements… I was the man
Angry
at times, I had passion for life, now
Close
to die I just cry,
Shed
tears, be in anguish; the moment
Came
I used to know myself
Only
one sacred day
Came
and I understood my fate,
And
the secret is nested in my heart.
Melbourne
April 12, 2013
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