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The Age

Wednesday July 18, 2007

Beverley Johanson

PAGE TURNER

Domestic Landscapes: A Portrait of Europeans at home

BY BERT TEUNISSEN

PUBLISHED BY APERTURE,

RRP $85

Dutch photographer Bert Teunissen has recorded Europeans at home for many years in an attempt to document a vanishing way of life. He is drawn to working people living a simple life in humble homes - a way of living that is fast disappearing as small farms and small enterprises cannot meet the daunting European Union requirements. Part of the knock-on effect is that whole villages cease to be viable. There is a quality of light and atmosphere in these humble buildings that attracts him, Teunissen says. It gives his portraits an essence that has been compared with the paintings of old masters. In this era of homogenisation, these homes still belong to a time when table tops were scrubbed wood, the fireplace or stove was the beating heart of the room and items were not discarded simply because they were chipped or dented. -- BEVERLEY JOHANSON

DIRECTIONS

Disney glamour for sale

Walt Disney, the pioneer and innovator who enriched the world of entertainment, was also a man of style. He dominated the film industry at a time of glamour and the Western world had embraced art moderne and art deco styles in buildings, furnishings and dress. A collection of home and office furniture, some based on pieces owned by Walt Disney and some inspired by him and his lifestyle, will be launched by Robertsons Furniture and Interior Design on August 8. Studio credenza $5380. Robertsons, 525 Church Street, Richmond, phone 9428 8611, robertsonsfurniture.com.au.

© 2007 The Age

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