Author Archives: solomonfaust

Stairways

The stern consideration of line, symmetry and dimension allow the draughtsman to dissolve. His early works are haunted by distance and yearning: castles in the sky. But he sharpens himself with the calculation of paradox. ‘Can something so mechanistic be art?’ he gloats. The architecture firm that sponsored his exhibition had no such question. CreationContinue reading “Stairways”

Senate Guide 2019

I’m sitting in the Labour in Vain hotel sipping a pint of dark ale. The resident tom cat is under my table and Joni Mitchell is singing about paradise long paved. Outside, the election rattles past. The whole thing’s looking pretty tired: ragged journalists scurry behind it, lobbyists and strategists drag it along. Candidates keepContinue reading “Senate Guide 2019”

Prisons and Power

The prison has become a black hole into which the detritus of contemporary capitalism is deposited’ – Angela Davis

In the long-awaited return of Bensplaining podcast, I interview activist and academic Marlee Raible about the prison-industrial complex, its history, non-carceral models of justice and Marlee’s experience with the Zapatistas.

Browse the reading list at benjaminhickey.org and make sure to check out Marlee’s podcast, Carceral Complex.

The best a brand can get

The Gillette ad moved me. When the father runs from his barbecue to stop the boy getting bullied, I thought of my dad, who always greets me with a hug and says he loves me at the end of every call. The ad effectively illustrates the link between everyday sexism and systemic abuse. It showsContinue reading “The best a brand can get”

Their Melbourne

From Southbank to Carlton, the city of Melbourne is littered with sky-blue posters. They carry the slogan Our Melbourne and the beaming face of Lord Mayoral candidate Sally Capp. Capp is the frontrunner for the by-election that follows by the resignation of Lord Mayor Robert Doyle after an independent investigation found that he sexually harassedContinue reading “Their Melbourne”

The Cake Baker’s Tale

The same-sex marriage postal survey is almost upon us. For some, the consequences of this vote will be life-changing. It’s obviously despicable that our government has outsourced responsibility for its people’s of civil liberties to an opinion poll. But since they have, decent Australians must do everything we can to fight for the human rightsContinue reading “The Cake Baker’s Tale”