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Sydney Morning Herald
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
He has turned suffering into an art form – but does that make it good?
Richard Moore claims, half-jokingly, that his film about performance artist Stelarc has been more than 40 years in the making. But that doesn't mean Suspending Disbelief – co-directed with John Doggett Williams – is the definitive work about the man, born Stelios Arcadiou in Cyprus 79 years ago, who became globally famous in the 1980s and '90s for 'suspensions' in which he dangled from ropes attached to metal hooks pierced through his skin. 'We're not trying to do a piece that examines how important he is,' demurs Moore, a former director of the Melbourne International Film Festival. 'We're doing a homage to his career, to his spirit of exploration and curiosity, to his longevity in the Australian art scene – to the fact that here is a guy who's grown up in the western suburbs of Melbourne and gone on to become one of the better-known performing artists on the international circuit. It's a salute to him and his personality and his cultural output over a very long time.' Moore first encountered a Stelarc performance in 1982, when the artist was suspended, naked (as was his wont) from the limbs of a massive gum tree in Canberra. For Moore, who was then working in theatre, the sight of Stelarc's body twitching as his limbs froze up was instantly fascinating. 'It was the ritual element of it, the theatrical side of it. These are images that will burn into your retina and never, ever leave you – and I'm grateful to Stelarc for that.' Decades later, Moore met Doggett Williams, whom he describes as 'an inveterate collector of footage', including of Stelarc's performances over the years. There was an archive at ACMI, too. And Stelarc had 'eight boxes [of footage] in his house, on all these formats known and unknown to man, stuff we've never seen before'. The seeds of a career-spanning filmic survey were in place. Suspending Disbelief doesn't offer much insight into Stelarc himself. It's far more focused on the work than the man. And, says Moore, that's a deliberate response to what has become standard practice in the endangered realm of the arts documentary. 'We seem to be drifting towards the hagiography mode,' says Moore. 'I look in horror at a program like the ABC's Creative Types... all those personalities are wonderful, they're celebrities. But art is also dirty and painful, it hurts and it's messy and it's chaotic. And we wanted to make a counter to that style of reporting.' Arguably, no film about Stelarc could ever do differently. His career – which dates back to the late 1960s – has always revolved around the body. There were early experiments in tracking its internal functions, the famous suspensions – embraced by a generation of younger fans today as pioneering efforts in body modification and self-mutilation – and the later (and ongoing) efforts to transcend the limits of the corporeal form through integration of technology, robotics and AI into the physical shell. There's not a lot of hand-holding in the film, but there are a few signposts that serve as pointers for further research for the curious – the briefly glimpsed reference to the Fluxus art movement, for instance, and the emergence of the body itself as a medium for art. To that end, there's footage of fellow Australian Mike Parr's infamous performance at the Venice Biennale in 1977, in which he appeared to chop off his own arm (the severed limb was, in fact, a prosthesis packed with meat, and attached to the end of Parr's actual foreshortened arm, with which he was born). It is remarkable, and appalling, and arrives without warning – and Moore makes no apologies for its inclusion. 'It's incredible footage, and it illustrates a point for us about the European body-art movement,' he says. 'But how do you warn people about it? Do you warn people about it? Do you say, 'oh, the sequence that's going to happen now is actually artificial, it's not a real arm'? But John and I agreed, we wanted the shock value.' Loading Scenes like this are meant to be disturbing, both in the film and in the moments captured in it. 'They hark back to images of crucifixion or public hangings,' Moore says of Stelarc's suspensions, as well as the broader body-art movement. 'There's something deep down and slightly nasty and scary about them. It's blood and pain, something subterranean.' But, many people will ask, is it art? 'Of course it is,' he insists. 'If he'd done it in his bedroom and just kept it there, it probably wouldn't be. Because he's made it so public, shoved it in our faces and made us look at it, it becomes art. 'Whether you like it or not,' he adds, 'is a different question.'
The Age
a day ago
- Entertainment
- The Age
He has turned suffering into an art form – but does that make it good?
Richard Moore claims, half-jokingly, that his film about performance artist Stelarc has been more than 40 years in the making. But that doesn't mean Suspending Disbelief – co-directed with John Doggett Williams – is the definitive work about the man, born Stelios Arcadiou in Cyprus 79 years ago, who became globally famous in the 1980s and '90s for 'suspensions' in which he dangled from ropes attached to metal hooks pierced through his skin. 'We're not trying to do a piece that examines how important he is,' demurs Moore, a former director of the Melbourne International Film Festival. 'We're doing a homage to his career, to his spirit of exploration and curiosity, to his longevity in the Australian art scene – to the fact that here is a guy who's grown up in the western suburbs of Melbourne and gone on to become one of the better-known performing artists on the international circuit. It's a salute to him and his personality and his cultural output over a very long time.' Moore first encountered a Stelarc performance in 1982, when the artist was suspended, naked (as was his wont) from the limbs of a massive gum tree in Canberra. For Moore, who was then working in theatre, the sight of Stelarc's body twitching as his limbs froze up was instantly fascinating. 'It was the ritual element of it, the theatrical side of it. These are images that will burn into your retina and never, ever leave you – and I'm grateful to Stelarc for that.' Decades later, Moore met Doggett Williams, whom he describes as 'an inveterate collector of footage', including of Stelarc's performances over the years. There was an archive at ACMI, too. And Stelarc had 'eight boxes [of footage] in his house, on all these formats known and unknown to man, stuff we've never seen before'. The seeds of a career-spanning filmic survey were in place. Suspending Disbelief doesn't offer much insight into Stelarc himself. It's far more focused on the work than the man. And, says Moore, that's a deliberate response to what has become standard practice in the endangered realm of the arts documentary. 'We seem to be drifting towards the hagiography mode,' says Moore. 'I look in horror at a program like the ABC's Creative Types... all those personalities are wonderful, they're celebrities. But art is also dirty and painful, it hurts and it's messy and it's chaotic. And we wanted to make a counter to that style of reporting.' Arguably, no film about Stelarc could ever do differently. His career – which dates back to the late 1960s – has always revolved around the body. There were early experiments in tracking its internal functions, the famous suspensions – embraced by a generation of younger fans today as pioneering efforts in body modification and self-mutilation – and the later (and ongoing) efforts to transcend the limits of the corporeal form through integration of technology, robotics and AI into the physical shell. There's not a lot of hand-holding in the film, but there are a few signposts that serve as pointers for further research for the curious – the briefly glimpsed reference to the Fluxus art movement, for instance, and the emergence of the body itself as a medium for art. To that end, there's footage of fellow Australian Mike Parr's infamous performance at the Venice Biennale in 1977, in which he appeared to chop off his own arm (the severed limb was, in fact, a prosthesis packed with meat, and attached to the end of Parr's actual foreshortened arm, with which he was born). It is remarkable, and appalling, and arrives without warning – and Moore makes no apologies for its inclusion. 'It's incredible footage, and it illustrates a point for us about the European body-art movement,' he says. 'But how do you warn people about it? Do you warn people about it? Do you say, 'oh, the sequence that's going to happen now is actually artificial, it's not a real arm'? But John and I agreed, we wanted the shock value.' Loading Scenes like this are meant to be disturbing, both in the film and in the moments captured in it. 'They hark back to images of crucifixion or public hangings,' Moore says of Stelarc's suspensions, as well as the broader body-art movement. 'There's something deep down and slightly nasty and scary about them. It's blood and pain, something subterranean.' But, many people will ask, is it art? 'Of course it is,' he insists. 'If he'd done it in his bedroom and just kept it there, it probably wouldn't be. Because he's made it so public, shoved it in our faces and made us look at it, it becomes art. 'Whether you like it or not,' he adds, 'is a different question.'
Cision Canada
19-06-2025
- Business
- Cision Canada
Cargojet Announces Inaugural Issuer Credit Rating of BBB (low) With a Stable Trend by Morningstar DBRS
MISSISSAUGA, ON, June 19, 2025 /CNW/ - Cargojet Inc. (" Cargojet" or the " Corporation") (TSX: CJT) today announced that Morningstar DBRS has assigned the Corporation an investment-grade issuer credit rating of BBB (low), with a stable trend. In assigning the rating, Morningstar DBRS cited Cargojet's contracted recurring revenue profile, efficient operations, leading market position in the Canadian domestic overnight air cargo market, and commitment to maintaining leverage within its publicly stated target range. "The assignment of an investment-grade credit validates the strength of our diversified portfolio of Domestic, Charters and ACMI offerings and disciplined approach to cost management," said Jamie Porteous, Co-Chief Executive Officer. "This achievement reinforces our strategic objectives of strengthening our financial position while continuing to build a platform focused on long-term sustainable growth. It also provides us the flexibility to pursue opportunities to improve our cost of capital and strengthen our balance sheet depending on market conditions" said Pauline Dhillon, Co-Chief Executive Officer. The Corporation also announced that it has posted an updated investor presentation to the Investor section of its website at: About Cargojet Cargojet is Canada's leading provider of time sensitive premium air cargo services to all major cities across North America, providing dedicated, ACMI and international charter services and carries over 25,000,000 pounds of cargo weekly. Cargojet operates its network with its own fleet of 41 cargo aircraft. Notice on Forward-Looking Statements: Certain statements contained herein constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements look into the future and provide an opinion as to the effect of certain events and trends on the business. Forward-looking statements may include words such as "plans", "intends", "anticipates", "should", "estimates", "expects", "believes", "indicates", "targeting", "suggests" and similar expressions, and includes statements relating to potential opportunities to improve the Corporation's cost of capital and strengthen its balance sheet. These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and entail various risks and uncertainties. Reference should be made to the Corporation's most recent Annual Information Form filed with the Canadian securities regulators, and its most recent Consolidated Financial Statements and Notes thereto and related Management's Discussion and Analysis, for a summary of major risks. Actual results may materially differ from expectations, if known and unknown risks or uncertainties affect our business, or if our estimates or assumptions prove inaccurate. Without limiting the foregoing, there can be no assurance that the Corporation will maintain an investment grade credit rating or improve its cost of capital on favourable terms. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release represent Cargojet's expectations as of the date of this news release (or as of the date they are otherwise stated to be made) and are subject to change after such date. However, Cargojet disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether because of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required under applicable securities laws. In the event Cargojet does update any forward-looking statement, no inference should be made that Cargojet will make additional updates with respect to that statement, related matters, or any other forward-looking statement.
Travel Daily News
09-06-2025
- Business
- Travel Daily News
Ascend Airways adds 5th aircraft to growing fleet, secures Canadian AOC
Ascend Airways adds fifth Boeing 737-8 MAX, gains Canadian FAOC, and accelerates expansion to meet rising demand for fuel-efficient ACMI services. Ascend Airways, UK-based ACMI (Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance, and Insurance) and charter airline, has taken delivery of its 5th aircraft – Boeing 737-8 MAX. Part of Avia Solutions Group, the world's largest ACMI provider, the airline has also secured its Canadian Foreign Air Operator Certificate (FAOC), marking another significant milestone in its rapid expansion. The aircraft, registered as G-ULIT, received its Certificate of Airworthiness on June 3, 2025 and will be immediately deployed onto a long-term wet lease contract. This addition represents the fourth Boeing 737-8 MAX in Ascend Airways' fleet. 'I want to thank the entire team at Ascend Airways for their hard work and dedication in adding three aircraft over the past two months,' says Alastair Willson, CEO of Ascend Airways. 'Our growing fleet positions us perfectly to meet the growing demand for reliable ACMI services in the UK and other markets with the newest generation of aircraft.' This has been a year of significant growth for the company, which started 2025 with just two aircraft and now operates five. The airline plans to add further Boeing 737-8 MAX aircraft over the coming months, with the goal of operating a total of eight aircraft by year-end. The Boeing 737-8 MAX aligns with Ascend Airways' strategy of offering the latest technology and most fuel-efficient aircraft to customers. The MAX 8 reduces CO2 emissions by 20% and has a 40% lower noise footprint compared to previous-generation aircraft, enabling customers to reduce their environmental impact when adding capacity. In addition to fleet expansion, Ascend Airways has received its Canadian FAOC, which allows the airline to commence ACMI operations in Canada. The approval comes in time for the peak season of travel in Canada during the IATA Winter season of which Ascend Airways currently has availability on B737-8 MAX aircraft. Ascend Airways is also in the final stages of gaining it's FAA 129 approvals which will allow the Airline to operate ACMI and Charter flights to the US and also in the process of gaining it's IOSA approvals.
CairoScene
09-06-2025
- Business
- CairoScene
KlasJet Operates Summer Charter Flights to Egypt From Milan & Sharjah
KlasJet will run charter flights to Cairo for Air Cairo, linking Milan and Sharjah to Egypt's capital until the end of October. Lithuanian-based charter carrier KlasJet has signed a summer agreement with Egypt's Air Cairo to operate flights from Milan and Sharjah to Cairo, running until October 31st, 2025. The partnership aims to support rising seasonal travel demand and improve connectivity between Egypt and key regional markets in Europe and the Gulf. Air Cairo, partially owned by EgyptAir, operates charter routes to Egypt's tourist hubs and currently flies a fleet of over 30 Airbus A320s. The new collaboration allows the airline to expand its reach using aircraft and crew supplied by KlasJet under an ACMI (Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance, and Insurance) arrangement. The agreement, which was finalised just days before operations began, marks the first time Air Cairo has partnered with an ACMI provider based in an EU aviation safety jurisdiction. Flights began at the end of May with services out of Milan and Sharjah expected to continue throughout the peak summer months. The move comes as Egypt's tourism industry sees sustained growth, with revenues reaching USD 4.8 billion during last year's third quarter. The additional capacity is expected to ease travel access from Europe and the UAE, key source markets for Egypt's tourism sector. KlasJet, known for operating private and group charter flights, is part of Avia Solutions Group, a major player in global aviation services. Its fleet is based across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, with operations spanning charter, wet lease, and aviation support services.
