MARCH-APRIL

Over the past two months Argentina has performed mostly warm nights and hot dry days with the occasional wild storm blasting through complete with marvellous cloudscapes. Big rains wet the grape vines and wash away the dust with electrical storms strobing the sky every so often. The horrific earthquakes over the Andes in Chile were certainly noticed here via numerous rumblings, tremors and after shocks. We sit a long way from the epicentre but the primary earthquake did wake us up by shaking the whole house but no damage occurred in La Consulta. Such tectonic plate movement reminds us all of our fragility and puts many things rapidly into perspective.

Way above this geological activity on the green surface of earth, all around our house grapes are being plucked and will soon head towards massive vats. Later the fermented juice is bottled and finally arrives onto tables surrounded by people dining or perhaps friends just sipping the transformed fruit while chatting, laughing, seducing, arguing or just babbling on with a mixture of juicy gossip and local information.

My time has been spent putting some order into a book draft that will probably take another decade to complete but all the words and ideas seem to be there it’s the order that’s lacking any order. 
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These past months I have also been slogging away at the computer preparing for my five exhibitions in Australia as well as making a rough cut documentary dealing with my time at Mawson station last year. I quickly discovered that editing and culling a year of experiences into ten or even thirty minutes is far from easy.

Please go to {www.youtube.com/user/saintonion} to see the 9-minute self-made documentary  - WINTEROVER.
I wish to especially thank Steve Heather in Berlin for the superb soundtrack.

To stop getting any computer typing cramps or laptop addiction I hunt for large rocks and move them from one location on the vineyard to another. I think this is some form of landscape gardening but others would just call it “strange behaviour.” It is definitely exercise and the selection of rocks that have tumbled down from the Andes during the past eon or so are most pleasing to toy with. I construct rock pavements, cactus gardens or just build up piles of rocks for my amusement. I sometimes wonder if I should I seek professional help regarding this pastime of mine and I don’t mean a qualified landscape designer or stonemason.

During the middle of the year I will be moving around Australia showing Antarctic works and possibly drinking a beer or two. My 2010 Australian solo exhibitions are as follows -

70 KNOTS 
@ MILANI GALLERY.
Brisbane. Opening July 01.
www.milanigallery.com.au

UNSTILL LIFE   
@ MORNINGTON PENINSULA REGIONAL GALLERY.
Victoria. Opening July 10.
www.mprg.mornpen.vic.gov.au

BLIZZLINES
@ WILLIAM MORA GALERY.  
Melbourne. Opening July 22.
www.moragalleries.com.au

SECRET GEOGRAPHY

@ SHORT STREET GALLERY. 
Broome. Opening   August 25.
www.shortstgallery.com

A GOOD DAY TONIGHT
TURNER GALLERY. 
Perth. Opening September 17. 
www.turnergalleries.com.au

Before these shows in Australia I travel with Carolina about 11,800 kilometres northwards to the north west coast of Greenland.
My next blog will therefore be sent from an Arctic village called Upernavik located on a small island where no penguin has even been but there is a very large icecap nearby. We will soon pack our bags with some thermal underwear, fluffy socks and other fashionable items of clothing. It’s not the most direct route to Australia from Argentina but who says direct is the best way anyway?