Brisbane, QLD


Friday, January 11, 2013

BRISVEGAS

When our daughter visited a few weeks ago we went to GoMA. (The Gallery of Modern Art) A favourite place of Carol and David's. However we didn't get far before we were confronted with this sign in the forecourt of the gallery. It didn't make a lot of sense to me as there is no motel here it is near the entrance of GoMA. Then Carol called over her shoulder, as she rushed towards it to take a photo, "Its a sculpture!"
"The High/Perpetual Xmas/ No Abstractions" sculpture by Gold Coast artist Scott Redford

The sculpture with the silly name was inspired by Scott Redford's association with the neon signs of the 50's and 60's on the Gold Coast. The form was copied from a motel, now demolished, in Yukon, Oklahoma. It was created in 2009. The wording has changed since the original.


Live from "Brisvegas" is quite comical when you know the origins of the word "Brisvegas".

It is a tongue in cheek nickname for Brisbane based on an ironic resemblance of Brisbane to Las Vegas. Traditionally Brisbane was perceived as dull in the context of tourism and liveability and the complete opposite to Las Vegas. The term was coined by journalists from the bigger cities of Sydney and Melbourne in response to attempts by Brisbane City Council to attract business and tourists to the city by presenting it as an EXCITING destination. 

"The term Brisvegas first appeared in print in Time Off Magazine - a Brisbane Street Press publication in the early 90's. The Editor of the time used the term after having heard his then-partner and her friend use it. In the late 80's the girls had studied at the university in Toowoomba, a town in the ranges west of Brisbane, and used to travel to Brisbane on weekends to escape what was considered a dull environment. The song they would play (on their tape deck) was 'Viva Las Vegas' and the girls substituted 'Las' for 'Bris'. Anything bigger than Toowoomba was a 'bright light city' from Yahoo Answers.

Since the population explosion in the last ten years, where thousands of people have left the big cities of Sydney and Melbourne in their droves to come to live in our "dull" city, the term Brisvegas has been adopted by locals as an affectionate nickname for their city. 

We are used to being the brunt of jokes by the southerners but they still keep coming to live here. We have the best climate of all the capital cities in Australia. We are close to the best beaches in Australia and we are catching up in the entertainment and culture scene. GoMA has been reported as the best modern art gallery in the country.(This paragraph could be biased

I grew up in Sydney. It is the most beautiful city in Oz but now it is full millions of crazy people living in the fast lane. Melbourne is great for theatre and shopping but the weather is inconsistent. We have a saying, "If you don't like the weather in Melbourne wait 15 mins and it will change." I have visited Las Vegas and just quietly I would prefer to live here in BRISVEGAS.

More on the inside of the gallery in the next post.


27 comments:

  1. I quite like Brisbane EXCEPT for the weather ... much too humid for my liking.

    I like the bright lights of Las Vegas.

    I agree Sydney is way to frantic. Nice to visit and leave, but I will never get over the harbour, its so astoundingly beautiful.

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  2. I can not help but think Brisbane is a lot nicer than Las Vegas. The sculpture/sign is funny. Great post, Diane! Stay Cool and have a happy weekend!

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  3. Oh I would never make fun of your beautiful and clean city, Brisbane and hope that I will one day be able to visit it! Have a great weekend. Jo

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  4. "This paragraph could be biased." LOL

    Great sculpture, though, and an interesting story.

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  5. That is a funny word Brisvegas! I see the people overthere are the same as here. We live in a brand new city in the polder which most people disgusted from the start. But after 30 years, people are changing their mind, it is much quieter here then in Amsterdam and the air is cleaner.

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  6. I love to go to Vegas for maybe one day and one night. After that I'm sick of the gambling atmosphere, the partial nudity always running around, and the people just in general. I would never want to live there. However, I understand living there doesn't have as many taxes as other states do because the money Nevada takes in. Interesting area.

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  7. We've been to Las Vegas on our cross country USA tour the year before last and I loved the crazy place. It was exactly as I imagined it, and I'd go back.

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  8. I feel exactly the same way about Perth as you do Brisbane Diane, we have been touted as Dullsville but frankly, we wouldn't have it any other way.

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  9. I shall resist any sarcasm but wish GoMA was here in Melbourne. We did at least steal the director for our art gallery.

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  10. really cool story, so is the sculpture. looks like it was moved there from a hotel... i wonder how many tourist look around for the hotel... i would rather live any where than las vegas..

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  11. Brisvegas (although I tend to call it 'Brissie') is indeed a nice place - I wouldn't be too upset if 'forced' to live there (although I'd check the flood zones first!)

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  12. I wondered about Brisvegas I like that!!!

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  13. I thought that looked familiar. Signs like that are all along Old Route 66 from Chicago to Los Angeles. I live NE of Yukon Oklahoma and Route 66 goes through town as 11th Street, Tulsa.

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  14. I'm glad you're proud of BrisVegas. I have a feeling I would prefer living there as well. The photos you have shown of Brisbane definitely show a beautiful city.

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  15. Great story, Diane! What a funny word "BrisVegas." :)

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  16. I think I might prefer Brisvegas to Las Vegas also. Hmmmmm, I wonder what my Las Vegas born and raised and still live there cousins would think?

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  17. Funny, the girl taking a picture and you publishing it.

    Greetings,
    Filip

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  18. When I first saw the sign I felt the 50's vibe. It seemed strange for Austrailia. :)
    Pretty nifty though!
    Hope we're going to see more art. :)

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  19. Mmm, good bit of info. Never heard of the term Brisvegas but good to learn something new :)

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  20. That is an interesting story. I like the outdoors so I don't care much for Las Vegas or for any city as far as that goes.

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  21. I immediately thought that Brisvegas must have something to do with Brisbane ! Didn't know that you have the best climate of all capitals ! I learn every day ! !

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  22. It's interesting how names come up ans stick. I personally think that any city with more than one million people is way to big, I'm a country girl and love the country life. Don't get me wrong, I love to visit cities, I just don't care for the hustle and bustle busy lifestyles which are all too often attached to the city life.

    The sign is cool, the retro look to it.

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  23. It doesn't sound like Las Vegas at all really to me b/c to me LV is all about fake excitement. Your city sounds real and beautiful and fun. (But as a member of the gray nomad generation -- a term I learned from reading Australian blogs -- I may not be the demographic that the city fathers are looking for.)

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  24. Brisbane was much the nicest city in Ozz to my mind. I thought it was much prettier than Sydney but a matter of taste I guess. I also prefer Brisbane weather. Keep well Diane

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  25. Those motel signs truly are vintage sculpture now. I like the sound of the Brisbane you describe in your blog... and hope it is not anything like Vegas, which I purposefully avoid at all costs.
    Yes, there are a few things I do not collect. But not many. LOL! ;-)

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  26. what an interesting story, diane!

    good to learn something new.
    i've never heard of the term brisvegas.

    xx

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