Bec Stafford

Bec Stafford has a Masters of Philosophy from the University of Queensland. She blogs and interviews for MDP Web and The Spotlight Report.

Melbournian Alison Young has chronicled twenty years of street art, from anonymous scrawls, urban tags, and random public expression to the more celebrated stencils and subversive street painting of Banksy, Swoon, and Haring. In her in-depth analysis of street art’s evolution and inner workings, Young demonstrates her obvious love of the ephemeral, mutable, art movement that has similarly caught the imaginations of countless other global passers-by.

Young’s fascination with the subject and ability to weave a cogent, absorbing narrative about street art’s practitioners, patrons, audiences, and spaces makes for an illuminating and deeply satisfying read. Young explores the making and meaning of street art, as well as its reception and commercial viability, answering a range of tantalising questions surrounding this sometimes mysterious, often illicit, worldwide phenomenon. Who produces street art? Who buys it? What are the challenges surrounding exhibitions and appropriate gallery space? And how have societal attitudes towards street art changed over time?

Strikingly illustrated from cover to cover, this well-arranged and intelligently researched text offers authoritative and comprehensive insight into this ubiquitous yet mysterious world. Tracing street art from its origins through to modern commodification, the text is a testament to its author’s unflagging dedication to the subject. In her Further Reading and Further Viewing sections, Young also provides a well-chosen selection of related texts that will be useful to scholars or anyone interested in pursuing further information. This highly recommended publication strikes a pleasing balance between coffee table book and reference text and belongs on the bookshelves of casual art lovers and aficionados alike. 

Street Art World

Alison Young

18 Nov, 2016 Reaktion Books

256 pages

isbn: 9781780236704

Recently I’ve been in contact with Thea Boshoff who is completing her Dr of Literature and Philosophy at the University of South Africa. Thea’s topic is entitled Love’s True Friend: Representations of Intimacy and Gender in The Sentients of Orion.

Thea had this to say about her research:

As a student and a sci-fi fan, I believe that Marianne de Pierres’ Sentients of Orion series has deeply enriched the swashbuckling space opera genre by introducing the elements of gender fluidity and gender diversity throughout. It has been my privilege to spend the last couple of years dwelling in the pages of The Sentients of Orion, examining the lives, relationships and intimacies of the characters toward completion of my D Litt et Phil with The University of South Africa.  After having spent so much time with her creations, I am over the moon to finally ‘meet’ Marianne, and to be collaborating with her! 

Thea Boshoff 2016

Not only is it wonderful to meet Thea, another feminist SF reader, but I’m particularly delighted that of all my work, she chose the Sentients of Orion to analyse. I put my heart and soul into this series, and it devoured five years of my life. I hope, in some small way, it has contributed to the conversation around gender norms. Thanks Thea, can’t wait to read your thesis!

I’ve been working away on various stories and I decided to have some placeholder covers made for them by Austin Designworks. This gives you an idea of what’s coming, and helps me focus on the finish line.

Firstly, my PhD novel, A Once and Future Past, which is a feminist time travel novel set both in the future and in 1400’s France. The protagonist, Ella West, mingles with Christine de Pizan, Yolande of Aragon, and Joan of Arc.

This is followed by a family biography entitled The Lost American Prince: the splendid life of Colonel Herman Thorn. Fascinating, wonderful story.

And then The Season of Impossible Dreams a YA contemporary drama about three Australian high school students striving for basketball scholarships at US colleges.