Monday 12 August 2024
St Kilda Army and Navy Club, St Kilda
Members attended a presentation by Society Treasurer Philip Bird exploring the history of a house in Mozart Street, St Kilda, that was home during the 1970s to a remarkable group of painters, photographers, filmmakers and musicians, including members of the band Skyhooks.
The talk examined the people who lived in the house and their connections to St Kilda's creative community. Among them was photographer Carol Jerrems, known for documenting the spirit of the 1970s, who lived there with fellow Prahran College ex-students Greg Macainsh, Ian Macrae and Robert Ashton. Philip also discussed the possibility that Jerrems' well-known 1975 photograph Vale Street may have been taken at the Mozart Street property.
Drawing on research undertaken during his family's renovation of the house between 1987 and 2003, Philip shared the stories he uncovered about its former residents and their place within St Kilda's cultural history. The presentation explored a period when St Kilda was home to many influential artists working during a time of significant social and political change.
Speaker
Philip Bird is the Society's Treasurer and a retired accountant who worked in the arts industry. He has been a resident of St Kilda for more than 40 years.
During the presentation, Philip shared the results of his research into the history of the Mozart Street property and its former residents, tracing the stories uncovered during his family's long-term renovation of the house.