Happy New Year!

Image of Japan Pavilion World Expo '88 from "Expo 88 Memories", Sydney G Hughes Publisher

Australia Pavilion entrance

The entrance and exit to the Australia Pavilion featured the popular Ken Done-designed AUSTRALIA pavilion letters, which stood out some several metres high, and were a popular meeting place and photo opportunity for visitors to Expo.

Here's a photo of the set at the Australia Pavilion entrance.

From "Expo Excitement", Australian Consolidated Press. 

World Expo '88 Official Map

A compact 40-hectare site on the southern banks of the Brisbane River, and immediately across from the Brisbane central business district, World Expo '88 had the convenience of an inner city Expo site with the beautiful and dramatic backdrop of the City's Brisbane River and skyscrapers. Nearly 100 Pavilions featured at the Expo, 52 Government Pavilions (national, state and city) with the remaining Pavilions being Corporate Pavilions.

A theme park "World Expo Park" featured adjacent to the Expo site, behind the railway line, which featured two stations, at the Expo's southern and northern entrances. A monorail also gave a scenic view of the Expo, with two stations, also at the south and north of the Expo site. The "World Expo on Stage" cultural program took place at the adjacent Queensland Cultural Centre, at map left. 

Map Image Reproduced Digitally and Published to the Foundation Expo '88 Website by Foundation Expo '88
Copyright Permissions Courtesy of the State Government of Queensland Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Energy,
and Cato Purnell Partners

For an enlarged version of the Map, click here: http://www.foundationexpo88.org/worldexpo88officialguidemap.html

Opening Ceremony of World Expo '88

Sir Llew Edwards was the affable and friendly Chair and CEO of World Expo '88. A former Queensland Government minister, he took the helm of the Expo from the inception of the Expo Authority in 1983, and was largely credited for the Expo's popular success.

Here he is delivering his speech at the Official Opening of the Expo, which was held at the Expo's River Stage on 30 April 1988, in the presence of Her Majesty the Queen, Prime Minister of Australia the Honourable R.J.L. Hawke MP, as well as the President of the BIE, His Excellency Monsieur Jacques Sol-Rolland and over 4,000 VIPs.

From "Expo 88 Memories" Sydney G Hughes Publisher

The speech he gave at the Opening Ceremony is reproduced here:

Opening Ceremony

The Hon Sir Llewellyn Edwards, Chairman of World Expo '88

IT IS JUST FOUR AND A HALF YEARS SINCE I RECEIVED THE COMMISSION, AS CHAIRMAN OF WORLD EXPO 88, TO CONDUCT AN EXPOSITION OF WORLD STANDARD WITH AN AUSTRALIAN FLAVOUR AND IDENTITY THAT WOULD CATCH THE IMAGINATION OF THE WORLD, OUR TARGET WAS 30 GOVERNMENTS AND 10 CORPORATE PAVILIONS. WE DEVELOPED A TEAM TO PLAN AND WORK AGAINST SOMETIMES INCREDIBLE ODDS AND DIFFICULTIES, BUT AS OUR STRATEGIES EMERGED AND OUR TEAM GREW, WE FELT EXCITEMENT AND ENTHUSIASM BEING BORN.

AT TIMES, THERE WERE PERIODS OF DARKNESS BUT WE, AS A TEAM, NEVER DESPAIRED. AT TIMES WE WERE LONELY, BUT WE DID NOT SHIRK OUR CHALLENGE. AT TIMES THE FUTURE SEEMED INSECURE AND UNCERTAIN, BUT WE HAD A VISION TO BE REALISED.

TODAY WE ARE CELEBRATING THAT REMARKABLE ACHIEVEMENT - OPENING DAY OF WORLD EXPO 88. 52 GOVERNMENT PAVILIONS, 34 CORPORATE EXHIBITS, 2 THEME PAVILIONS, A SURPRISE IN EVERY METRE OF THIS BEAUTIFUL SITE - ALL OUR MOST OPTIMISTIC DREAMS REALISED AND EXCEEDED.

YOUR MAJESTY, WHEN YOUR GREAT GRANDMOTHER OPENED THE FIRST GREAT EXHIBITION IN LONDON IN 1851, THERE WAS AN AIR OF EXPECTANCY CREATED. IN AN UNCERTAIN AND FRIGHTENED WORLD OF THOSE DAYS, IT WAS HOPED THAT, AS A RESULT OF NATIONS COMING TOGETHER TO EXHIBIT THEIR ACHIEVEMENTS TO PROMOTE BETTER WORLD UNDERSTANDING AT THE WORLD FAIR, THE WORLD AHEAD WOULD BE PEACEFUL AND ACHIEVE UNDREAMABLE GOALS.

HISTORY MAY SHOW THAT THIS DID NOT OCCUR, BUT IN 1988 AS YOU OPEN THIS WORLD EXPO 88, IN NOT ONLY AN ERA OF HIGH TECHNOLOGY, A PERIOD OF MEDICAL AND ENGINEERING SCIENTIFIC DEVELOPMENTS, BUT ALSO A PERIOD OF UNCERTAINITY AND, IN SOME CASES, FEAR. WE HERE AT WORLD EXPO 88 HOPE THAT A NEW RELATIONSHIP WILL BE BORN. A RELATIONSHIP WHERE MEN AND WOMEN OF ALL NATIONS WILL FEEL THE WARMTH OF BROTHERHOOD, THE CHALLENGE OF TOGETHERNESS AND THE HOPES OF OUR FUTURE, WHERE THEY SEE PEACE AND HAPPINESS DOMINATE OUR FUTURE AND, AS A RESULT, THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN DISADVANTAGED WILL BE ASSISTED, THOSE WHO HAVE FEAR WILL BE STRENGTHENED, THOSE WHO LEAD WILL BE AWARE OF THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES AND THOSE WHO FOLLOW WILL BE INSPIRED BY SUCH LEADERSHIP TO WORK AND CARE AND GIVE, SO THAT THE WORLD OF TOMORROW IS A WORLD OF PEACE, OF HOPE AND OF INSPIRATION BREAKING DOWN BARRIERS AND REBUILDING BRIDGES.

I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THOSE IN GOVERNMENT FOR THEIR CONFIDENCE AND SUPPORT, THOSE IN THE INTERNATIONAL AND CORPORATE AREAS FOR THEIR INVOLVEMENT AND THOSE OF MY WONDERFUL TEAM WHO HAVE PLANNED AND WORKED WITH ME TO PRODUCE THE IMPOSSIBLE DREAM.

WORLD EXPO 88 WILL SOON BE OPENED AND AS THE SPIRIT OF EXPO INVADES THIS CITY, THIS STATE AND THIS COUNTRY AND, INDEED OUR WORLD, MAY THERE BE IGNITED IN THE HEARTS AND MINDS OF MEN AND WOMEN EVERYWHERE A NEW SPIRIT OF OPTIMISM, OF FAITH AND OF COMPASSION.

ON BEHALF OF ALL THE EXPO FAMILY, WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE PRIVILEGE OF BEING PART OF THIS GREAT CHALLENGE AND I HOPE THAT OVER THE NEXT 184 DAYS THAT ALL THE WORLD WILL BE INFLUENCED BY THE GOODWILL, THE COOPERATION AND THE BENEFITS FROM WORLD EXPO 88.

NO SACRIFICE AND NO EFFORT HAS BEEN TOO GREAT TO BE PART OF AN EVENT THAT WE HOPE WILL INFLUENCE HISTORY AND TRANSFORM IDEALS FOR THE FUTURE. TOGETHER WE'LL SHOW THE WORLD.

From the Foundation Expo '88 Academic Forum: http://www.foundationexpo88.org/openingceremonyspeechsirllewedwards.html

Image Courtesy and Copyright Brisbane City Council # BCC-T35-288

Sir Llew's speech preceded the official opening by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, as pictured above.

The Queen's speech can be read here:

Opening Ceremony

Her Majesty the Queen

IT GIVES ME GREAT PLEASURE TO BE HERE IN BRISBANE AND OPEN A MAJOR INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION AND A HIGHLIGHT OF AUSTRALIA'S BICENTENNIAL CALENDAR.

THE FIRST EVENT OF THIS KIND WAS HELD IN LONDON IN 1851 IN THE CRYSTAL PALACE, WHICH WAS SPECIALLY BUILT TO HOLD IT.

IT WOULD BE FAIR TO SAY THAT PRINCE ALBERT BEGAN THE TRADITION OF INVITING COUNTRIES TO COME TOGETHER TO SHARE: CULTURAL AND TECHNOLOGICAL IDEAS, AND A NUMBER OF WATER COLOURS IN THE ROYAL LIBRARY AT WINDSOR CASTLE RECORD THE 1851 OPENING AND MANY OF THE EXHIBITS. SINCE 1851, THERE HAS BEEN A NUMBER OF INTERNATIONAL WORLD FAIRS, AND EACH ONE OF THESE HAS BEEN A GREAT DISPLAY OF THE TECHNOLOGICAL ACHIEVEMENTS OF ITS AGE. THEY PROVIDE A DRAMATIC RECORD OF THE REVOLUTIONARY CHANGES WHICH HAVE OCCURRED.

THE "GREAT EXHIBITION" OF 1851 FEATURED SUCH NOVELTIES AS THE TELEGRAPH AND THE SEWING MACHINE. IN AUSTRALIA'S CENTENNIAL YEAR, 1888, MELBOURNE HOSTED A GREAT EXHIBITION. AS WELL AS SERVING AS A SHOW-CASE FOR THE SKILLS OF THE THEN EDISON PHONOGRAPH, THE PETROL ENGINE, THE SWITCHBACK RAILWAY AND AN AUTOMATED CREAM SEPARATOR. BY THE TIME THE OSAKA EXHIBITION OPENED IN 1970, THE SUBJECTS OF GREATEST INTEREST WERE LASERS, COMPUTERS, SPACESHIPS, AND ROCK BROUGHT BACK TO EARTH FROM THE MOON. EACH MARKED, IN THIS WAY, SUCCESSIVE AND DRAMATIC STEPS FORWARD IN THE POWERFUL FORCES OF TECHNOLOGY, CHANGING EVERY ASPECT OF OUR LIVES. 

WORLD EXPO 88 HAS SPECTACULAR DISPLAYS OF ELECTRONICS, COMMUNICATIONS, TOURISM, SPORT AND THE ARTS. IT CHALLENGES US LAYMEN NOT ONLY TO UNDERSTAND, BUT ALSO TO MASTER THE PROCESSES OF CHANGE.

THE GREAT EXHIBITION OF 1851 IS REMEMBERED EVEN TODAY BY A PERMANENT ROYAL COMMISSION WHICH EXISTS TO PROMOTE SCIENTIFIC AND ARTISTIC EDUCATION. IT WAS SET UP FROM FUNDS DERIVED FROM THE PURCHASE OF A KENSINGTON ESTATE, WITH A HANDSOME SURPLUS LEFT OVER FROM THE EXHIBITION. ITS FORTUNES ARE PRESIDED OVER TODAY BY THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH.

EXHIBITIONS TODAY ARE EVEN MORE EXPENSIVE TO MOUNT THAN THEY WERE IN THE MID-NINETEENTH CENTURY, BUT IF YOU ARE SO FORTUNATE AS TO FIND YOURSELF AT THE END-OF THE DAY WITH A SURPLUS TO HAND, I DON'T DOUBT THAT THE PRESIDENT OF THE ROYAL COMMISSION WOULD BE HAPPY TO ADVISE YOU ON ITS BEST USE FOR THE FUTURE.

I CONGRATULATE THOSE WHO HAD THE VISION TO CONCEIVE THIS SECOND WORLD EXPOSITION IN AUSTRALIA, AND THOSE WHOSE DEDICATION AND TALENT WENT INTO ITS ORGANISATION, PLANNING AND SETTING UP. ALL THOSE WHO VISIT IT WILL TAKE AWAY LASTING AND AFFECTIONATE MEMORIES OF THE WARM WELCOME EXTENDED BY THE PEOPLE OF BRISBANE AND QUEENSLAND. I SAY THAT WITH GREAT CONFIDENCE, BECAUSE EACH TIME I COME HERE I AM MADE TO FEEL TRULY WELCOME. I AM TOLD YOU LIKE TO CALL YOUR STATE THE SUNSHINE STATE - BUT I PREFER TO THINK OF IT BY ITS ORIGINAL NAME - "QUEEN'S LAND".

I NOW DECLARE WORLD EXPO 88 WELL AND TRULY OPEN.

From the Foundation Expo '88 Academic Forum:
http://www.foundationexpo88.org/openingceremonyspeechhermajestythequeen.html

Here is a photograph of the Queensland (at left) and Australia Pavilions (at right) behind the Expo '88 River Stage on opening day.

Here one can the numerous VIPs seated for the Opening Ceremony at the River Stage forecourt, and the iconic shape and colours of the Australia Pavilion at centre background, reminiscent of Uluru. Part of the iconic Ken Done designed AUSTRALIA letters can be seen at the right-hand side. The River Stage is at front right.
From "Expo '88 Memories", Sydney G Hughes Publisher, Image Courtesy of Mal Lancaster, R.A.A.F. Public Relations

Another picture from Shanghai Expo 2010

In front of the World Exposition Museum, Shanghai World Expo 2010, 28 Oct 2010

Other photos can be found at our Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=565079&id=454117345569

Another famous Expo Mascot

Here I pose in my Expo 92 Seville attendant uniform, with the ever likeable mascot of Expo '92 - Curro.

Curro was designed by the late prominent German designer, Heinz Edelmann, who also did the animation for the famous Beatle's clip - The Yellow Submarine.

For a selection of images of Curro - look at the vast collection on Google Images here http://www.google.com.au/images?hl=en&expIds=17259,24283&xhr=t&q=curro+expo+92&cp=13&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=univ&ei=bgYcTeGEOsfXcarBlZcK&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=1&sqi=2&ved=0CCgQsAQwAA&biw=1280&bih=880

There's also an interesting Andalucian TV program on what happened to Curro - 17 years after the Expo - and looks into a man who purchased several dozen Curro children's rides after the conclusion of the Expo.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdgvkEQbYdM

A cute and likeable mascot

Can anyone guess the name and origins of this famous Expo mascot???

USSR, Japan, USA, and PRC at Expo 88

The big superpowers were at Expo 88 - virtually the last World Exposition of the cold war - and the last representation by the USSR at a World's Fair.

Here are some photos from "Expo 88 Memories" (Sydney G Hughes Publisher) of the facades of the USSR, Japan, USA and People's Republic of China Pavilions.

The Japan Pavilion featured a traditional Japanese Garden for relaxation and reflection at it's entrance/exit

The People's Republic of China Pavilion featured this impressive Chinese Gate which could be seen from the Melbourne Street entrance.

The USA Pavilion featured a basketball court at it's front forecourt, where leading USA basketball and hackeysack players could be seen in action.

The USSR Pavilion, here featured with World Expo '88 Jon Barlow Hudson (USA) artwork "Paradigm" in the background, featured this winter time mural on it's facade, the logo for it's popular Russian restaurant inside, "Troika".

World Expo '88 Official Guides

The World Expo '88 Official Guides were easily distinguishable by their bright canary yellow uniforms and hats, and were designed by prominent Australian fashion designer, Prue Acton.

Image courtesy of official souvenir Guide Book "Expo 88 Memories" Sydney G Hughes Publisher 

They featured the official World Expo '88 logo, by Ken Cato, as part of the design.

Guides of the Expo Authority had largely a symbolic role to play, manning booths at entrances to the Expo, guiding special VIP Guests of the Expo from one Pavilion to the next, and answering general questions.

In contrast, here I am in my Japan Pavilion Attendant uniform, taken near the World Expo '88 art work, "Orbit".

New book order

I've just received in the mail some Expo 88 books on order from eBay - these are duplicates and I've purchased them for the Donald G Larsen Collection at Fresno State University California, to augment their World Expo '88 collection.

Here is the front cover of one of the publications for donation "Expo Excitement" - a colour photograph book on World Expo '88's greatest moments.

Australian Consolidated Press

The cover photograph is actually quite a good photo of the World Expo '88 River Stage, with the Brisbane River and Brisbane City in the background. The River Stage provided a dramatic backdrop to the official Opening and Closing Ceremonies, as well as entertainment for National Day ceremonies and concerts. The white inflatable globe was inflated during the Opening Ceremony, after Queen Elizabeth II opened the Expo, and was deflated after the Closing Ceremony. No one knows what happened to it!

Shanghaied: The USA Pavilion Student Ambassador Experience

Just found on YouTube this excellent retrospective on what it was like to work as a Guide for the USA Pavilion at Shanghai World Expo 2010.

View and enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=9337FC8F0842AB40

Australia Pavilion Shanghai Expo 2010 Stamp Sheet

Australia Post put out a special stamp sheet commemorating the Australia Pavilion at Shanghai Expo 2010.

Here it is. Click to enlarge.

The stamps feature the Australia Pavilion mascot Kookaburra, "Peng Peng", the Australia Pavilion logo, and a sketch of the Australia Pavilion itself.

This follows on from previous Australia Post releases for the Australia Pavilion at Osaka Expo 70, and also for Brisbane's World Expo '88.

We hope to feature these other stamps in upcoming postings!

Nation Branding at the 2010 World Expo

The University of Southern California has done a lot of work in researching the link between public diplomacy and world expositions.

This page gives an introduction to their work vis.a.vis the Shanghai Expo.

http://nation-branding.info/2010/10/20/nation-branding-at-the-2010-world-expo/

The first of some ephemera from Shanghai Expo 2010

In the first of many items I intend to scan for the blog, here are my entrance tickets for my two 'days off' at the Shanghai Expo, 28 and 31 October 2010.

With thanks to Wendy Wu Tours, who helped me procure these tickets for the last week "peak day" admission days of the Expo, when all other travel agents couldn't help at all!!!

Expo 2017 Astana

I've just been alerted to the Expo 2017 bid for Astana, Kazakhstan.

They have an impressive and well developed website, the bid page which is at http://www.expo2017astana.com/cms/en/the%20bid%20of%20Astana

This page in particular notes the announcement to the BIE of Astana's intention to bid for 2017.

Leige, Belgium, seems to be the only other serious contender.

Decisions will be made in 2012 with regards to the 2017 Expo bid winner.

Keep tuned!

Some Expo 88 Memorabilia from Mr James Maccormick MBE

One of our kind and long-standing supporters, Mr James Maccormick MBE, Joint Chief Architect of World Expo '88, and Architect for Australia at Expo 67, 70, and 74, has lent us several items over the years for reproduction on the Foundation Expo '88 website.

Just before Christmas, James and I had lunch and he kindly lent me some of his passes for World Expo '88.

Here they are, and I believe they are self-explanatory.

(It's interesting to note that the Joint Chief Architect of World Expo '88 had his own Season Pass for his days off...!)

Thanks Jim for these unique items of World Expo '88 and World Expositions history!!!!

Expo Lounge

ExpoMuseum has also alerted me to the excellent blog Expo Lounge, a blog that focuses on the 1967 Montreal Exposition, but also occasionally delves into other Expos as well.

The Shanghai Expo coverage also features some nice memories and photos.

Visit ExpoLounge here:

http://expolounge.blogspot.com/

2023-2024 Bicentennial of Brisbane

If 2020 is not a possibility for an Australian city, perhaps Brisbane could try again for 2023-2024 for the Bicentennial of Brisbane.

Bids for 2020 - Countdown to 1 January 2011

It seems Sao Paulo is interested in bidding for Expo 2020, according to a new Facebook page, here:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/World-Expo-2020-Sao-Paulo/174799855869172?v=info

Although there is a logo, there doesn't seem to be a well developed web presence at the moment, it remains seen which of the proposed bid cities - Dubai, Bay Area San Francisco, Izmir, Thailand, or even Brisbane or another Australian City - will launch the bid first.

1 January 2011 marks the commencement of acceptance of bids for 2020.

Thanks to Urso Chappell's ExpoMuseum.

Boxing Day 2010

We hope everyone has had a great Christmas 2010, and is making the most out of the Boxing Day sales!

Fair World: A History of World's Fair and Expositions 1851 to 2010

Thanks ExpoMuseum for pointing this one out.

Should be a good read when it comes out soon!

Read the listing here and pre-order at Amazon.....

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1906506094/expomuseumcom-20

With Shanghai Expo 2010 Mascot 'Haibao', 28 October 2010

This photo was taken just outside the Longyang Road Station in Shanghai, after riding the 440km/h Maglev train from Shanghai Pudong Airport. Haibao, which is a stylised version of the Chinese character for 'person', could be seen all throughout the City.

Aboriginal Australia at Paris 1867

"The Indigenous artifacts displayed at the Intercolonial Exhibition (of 1866-1867) and the Paris Universal Exhibition were simultaneously a commemoration of Aboriginal (cultural) passing, and trophies of a successful territorial conquest."

Emily Harris, in "Seize the Day: Exhibitions, Australia, and the World".

1866-1867 Intercolonial Exhibition Medal

The Australian Intercolonial Exhibition, held in Melbourne in 1866-1867, was the first exhibition of all of the Australian colonies, and saw the first construction of a pre-Federation nascent (white) Australian national identity, featuring exhibits from Victoria, Mauritius, Netherlands-India, New South Wales, Tasmania, South Australia, Queensland, Western Australia, New Zealand, and New Caledonia, and was a major clearing house for what was to be represented by the colonies at the Paris 1867 Universal Exhibition.

The Exhibition Medal featured seven women representing each of the Australasian colonies, under a latin banner - translated into English "They all look different, and yet alike as sisters would".

From "Race and Australian National Identity at the 1866-1867 Intercolonial Exhibition", in "Seize the Day: Exhibitions, Australia, and the World", Monash University Press.

World Expositions and the Olympic Games

Quote:

"Before the Olympic Games became the celebratory site of national identities, nineteenth-century exhibitions were the 'most important of the symbolic battlegrounds on which nations demonstrated their prowess and tested the strength of their rivals.'"

Graeme Davison, in Emily Harris "Race and Australian National Identity at the 1866-67 Intercolonial Exhibition", from "Seize the Day: Exhibitions, Australia, and the World"

Australia at Paris 1855

Did you know that the Australian colonies of New South Wales, Victoria and Van Diemen's Land sent significant items to the Paris Exhibition of 1855, including timber samples, gold nuggets, furniture, and a number of items made by Indigenous peoples.

Did you know....

.... that New South Wales was criticized at the Crystal Palace Exhibition because it displayed no items of Aboriginal work, signifying that all the Aboriginal people there had been destroyed....

This led to a renewed effort by Victoria at the 1855 Paris Exhibition to have representations of Aboriginal culture.

(From 'Seize the Day: Exhibitions, Australia, and the World')

Australia at 1851

Did you know that Australia was represented at the very first World Exposition, at the London Crystal Palace 1851 Exhibition?

The display included a 'very motley collection of uncoordinated items representing New South Wales and Van Diemen's Land', supplemented by a late exhibit displaying specimens of the first gold found in Australia.

(From 'Seize the Day: Australia, Exhibitions and the World')

WEAAGA - re-born as WEPAAGA!

WEPAAGA
The World Expositions Attendants and Guides Association

The World Expositions Attendants and Guides Association is back to the web - at Google Groups!

If you have worked as a Guide or Attendant at a World Exposition, or if you are thinking of doing so - join this group to share your story or learn about insider tips and tricks to getting a job as an Attendant or Guide at a World Exposition.

Join here!

http://groups.google.com/group/wepaaga

2020 and an Australian Exposition bid: AusExpo2020

Well, by now you would have read the progression in this development, from Expo 2020 Olympiad Uluru (the original concept), to the Captain Cook 250th Anniversary Celebrations Citizens Committee, to the Brisbane Expo 2020 Olympiad.

Now as more mature bidders have entered the field, such as the Silicon Bay bid, Thailand, and Dubai, the question is which Australian city will be willing to put in a bid for 2020 - or will we wait until it is too late.

The AusExpo2020 logo

AusExpo2020 was started in October 2010 with a Twitter page, at http://twitter.com/AusExpo2020/, and it attempts to bring together a new potential opportunity for Australia - an international Garden Expo for 2020.

Whilst conversations are confidential at the moment, there are many established Australian players that would like to see an International Garden Exposition come to Australia for the 2020 year - highlighting the important contribution made by Sir Joseph Banks in furthering the knowledge of Australian flora.

This is perhaps the strongest opportunity for an Expo for Australia in 2020 at the moment.

We hope that things will progress in positive steps in the next few months.

PROPOSAL: the Brisbane Expo 2020 Olympiad

This was the latest incarnation of the Exp0lympiad for 2020 Australia project - and was launched in 2008, after there was negligible interest by the States and Territories for the project in that year.

It was hoped that restricting the concept to Brisbane would improve it's chances of being adopted by the Brisbane City Council, Queensland Government, and Australian Government.

Once again, the proposal was for a Joint Universal Exposition and Summer Games Olympiad for Brisbane in 2020 for the 250th Anniversary of Captain Cook claiming Australia for the Great British Crown.

Read the proposal here:

http://www.foundationexpo88.org/brisbaneexpo2020lympiad.html

The Captain Cook 250th Anniversary Celebrations Citizens Committee

This logo was also designed by myself and the idea for the Committee came after it became apparent that Expo 2020 Olympiad Uluru could not be feasible.

It attempted to open up the idea for a Joint Universal Exposition and Summer Games Olympiad to all the capital cities of Australia, and it started with a flyer hand out on the streets of Brisbane for a public meeting in 2007 - but there was no response, despite press releases to the newspapers, radio, and TV regarding the meeting.

http://www.foundationexpo88.org/captaincook.html

The above is the link.

Expo 2020 Olympiad Uluru

This was a fantastical idea to set up a joint Universal Exposition and Summer Games Olympiad at a purpose-built United Nations run international multi-function polis in the heart of the Australian desert at the foot of Australia's most famous landmark - Uluru.

I started this idea - and was gripped by it - from about 2005 until 2008, when the practicalities of the vision prevented further exploration.

It was truly a fantastical idea - and included a 1,000 metre symbol tower of an indigenous Australian male holding spear for support, at Uluru's base.

The theme was excellent though - "Respect and Preservation of the World's Indigenous Cultures" and would have tied in very well with the 2020 250th Anniversary of Captain Cook's proclamation of Australia for the Great British Crown.

A powerpoint presentation was developed - which was presented in Darwin, Alice Springs, and Uluru itself in 2007 - read it here for what could have been!

http://www.foundationexpo88.org/expo2020lympiaduluru2007AustraliaInformationSessions.ppt

Here's the extant web link to the Expo 2020 Olympiad Uluru page: http://www.foundationexpo88.org/expo2020lympiaduluru/



""Make no little plans. They have no magic to stir men's blood."
Daniel Burnham, Chief Executive of the Chicago 1893 Columbian Exhibition.

WEAAGA

WEAAGA
The World Expositions Attendants and Guides Association

This was started by me in 2007, in the lead-up to the Zaragoza Expo, in the hope that we can get a worldwide organisation for advocacy for World Expositions Attendants and Guides - a very important part of the World Expositions experience.

I designed the logo myself!

And I started a Google Group for the entity, however soon it was being spammed so I changed the membership to by application only, and after that, I had to change my email service providers, and now I don't even know what email address I used to sign in as Administrator for the group....!

There were a few postings there.... and a few questions.... and it had simple enough beginnings... maybe I should start up another Google Group for the entity.... I like the logo - and I like the idea - if only I could find a way to advertise it more - any ideas???!

Another photo from Shanghai World Expo 2010

In front of the China Pavilion, Shanghai World Expo 2010, 28 October 2010

Architecture and World Expositions

A few months ago Urso and I did a podcast where the question was "Are Expo's all about the architecture, or is there more than that?"

Well of course there is more than that, but an inspiring structure goes a long way towards capturing the public's imagination.

And of all of the Australia Pavilions in the past 50 or so years, since 1967, I think that Australia at Expo 67, and Expo 70 - both by James Maccormick MBE - are the most outstanding.

Expo 2005 Japan - was without a doubt - the worst - looking like a corner store or butcher.

How have we fallen so much in the architecture stakes since the highpoint of the 60s and 70s?

Australia Pavilion at Expo 88, 92, 93, and 2010

Since we're on the topic of the Australia Pavilion, I thought I'd do a wrap up of the Pavilion at four World Expositions - Brisbane 88, Seville 92, Taejon 93 and Shanghai 2010, where I worked at the first three Expositions - for Japan, Spain and Korea respectively, and where - for Shanghai 2010 - I visited as a Guest of the Bureau of International Expositions.

World Expo '88's Australia Pavilion was a Joint Flagship Pavilion with the Queensland Pavilion, and despite early efforts to create a joint structure, in the end the two were quite different Pavilions in structure, although they were located side by side.

The Pavilion was easily recognizable for a number of reasons, first of all, it's roof was in the shape and colours of Australia's most famous natural landmark, Uluru, evocative of the soaring Australian outback, and in front of the exit and entrances of the Pavilion were some playful letters in large making up the word "Australia", by renowned Australian naive art artist, Ken Done.

These letters were later donated to Shaftesbury Citizenship Campus on Brisbane's northside, where they still greet motorists coming down the Bruce Highway. They were put up for sale a few years ago and Foundation Expo '88 offered to purchase them as a gift for South Bank Corporation, at the price they were gifted to the Campus, however this was turned down.

Outside the Pavilion was a collection of Aboriginal Australian art paintings, in a desert sand like open air atmosphere, and this theme of Aboriginal reconciliation was continued with the main show in the Pavilion - an innovative multimedia and live theatre presentation called the "Rainbow Serpent Theatre", where images were projected on to a false glass facade, and a real life Aboriginal actor would re-count the tale of the Rainbow Serpent in an outback desert fire night-time setting. Aboriginal images of the story would be projected on to the front glass facade, as the Aboriginal elder re-counted the dreamtime legend. In an age where many Pavilions are only concerned with multimedia projections, this element with the live theatre aspect was way ahead of it's time, and allowed the audience to engage with the performance.

There were then several supplementary displays outside the theatre, including a 'sport' robot called Blue, who was about 8ft high and who held several items of sporting equipment, and recited in robotic fashion various statistics about Australians and sport. 

There was also the Rainbow Kaleidoscope, which projected in a colourful revolving fashion the colours and patterns of Australia's outback, rainforest, beaches and open spaces to a pretty musical theme.

And there were also displays suspended from the ceiling of numerous items used in Australian sport, such as a paraglider, and so on.

The Pavilion cost $18 million Australian dollars, and was widely regarded as one of the top 5 Pavilions.

Architecture - tick tick!

Australia at Seville 92 

Australia at Expo 92 was a bit more expensive at some $35 million dollars and I think was the best Australia Pavilion of the four. It combined a ramp spiral walkway introducing Australian history and culture, around a several story rainforest natural-light atrium, replete with Queensland palm trees, butterflies, rainbow lorikeets, which then led to a large glass wall tropical aquarium, and a display of Argyle Diamonds and Jewellery, including the famous Argyle Diamond egg, like a large Faberge egg made of gold and diamonds - the most expensive item in the Pavilion.

This led then to a 1,000 seater theatre-in-the-round where a revolving interior screen featured on the top of the walls, first led into by a multimedia slide show, and then a 360 degree video on Australia. This was simply stunning. The exit led to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation-run Gift Shop.

Australia was also considered to be in the "Top 5".

Architecture - tick

Australia at Taejon 93

An international specialised Exposition, space was a priority at Taejon 93, and the Australia Pavilion used an innovative multimedia presentation consisting of hundreds of images - either on TV, projection or static media in a darkened space, which one travelled along a snake-like travelator for the duration of the Pavilion visit. This allowed a high number of people to visit per hour in a highly automated Pavilion experience - where one didn't have to walk at all!

Also in the "Top 5"

Architecture - n/a (pre-fabricated unit)

Australia at Shanghai 2010

This Pavilion once again turned to Uluru and the colours of the outback Australian desert for inspiration in it's architecture, with a red-iron steel clad exterior in the shape and curves of Uluru. The inside was similar to Seville - a curved ramp walkway that guided persons through the history and culture of Australia through a series of static and multimedia messages - and that led to a 1,000 seater theatre in the round - also like Seville - however in this case, the screens were in the centre of the theatre, six semi-circular panels that turned in tandem and rose up and down, revealing a large model sculpture in the centre of the stage that furthered the story.

The story centred around the dreams and aspirations of three Australian children, one caucasian, one aboriginal, and one Chinese, in an animated feature, and featured an inspiring sound track and innovative use of technology, not seen at a World Exposition before.

The Pavilion cost $AUD 83 million dollars. Also considered to be in the "Top 5".

Architecture - tick and a half

Criticism

Comparing with the very personable USA Pavilion, where it's bilingual Student Ambassadors were used to the max, I thought we could have got more leverage out of our bilingual Australian attendants, who were relegated, despite their impressive Mandarin skills, to saying nothing more than, "The next performance will start in 5 mins..." and "Wait here", where as the USA Pavilion Ambassadors were telling the audiences their name, where they came from, how long they've been in China, where they studied Chinese, how many people were in their family and how many pets they had (and their names) as well as making some local joke in Shanghainese. 

And with each presentation in the USA Pavilion, the audience was introduced to a new Student Ambassador, so the audience actually felt as if they were getting a good cross-section of the American population. 

Also, I was impressed in the USA Pavilion with the high profile representations by the Commissioner-General of the Pavilion, the Secretary of State, and the President - all saying "Ni Hao" and then welcoming them to the Pavilion - highlighting how seriously the highest elected officials in the USA take their representation at Shanghai.

Whereas, we had our first Chinese-speaking Prime Minister in Kevin Rudd, and there was no footage of him speaking Chinese at all! Only a static photograph of him on one wall speaking to a constituent. This could have been an opportunity to - through our attendants - and our Prime Minister - to build an image of Asia literacy - and China literacy - but we fell through. An opportunity lost.......

In a later blog - Australia at Expo 67 and Expo 70, where both Pavilions get 3 ticks for architecture!

Another photo from Shanghai World Expo 2010

First day at Shanghai World Expo 2010 - in front of the Australia Pavilion

Snippets from 'Seize the Day: Exhibitions, Australia and the World'

Have just had fun reading the précis and conclusion of 'Seize the Day' (note above) and in particular enjoyed Robert Rydell's piece on the future of World Expositions scholarship.

Two further publications caught my eye, no, three:

1. Hoffenberg, Peter (2001). "An Empire on Display: English, Indian, and Australian Exhibitions from the Crystal Palace to the Great War", published by Berkeley, University of California Press.

2. Lockyer, Angus (2000). "Japan at the Exhibition, 1867-1970", Ph.D. Thesis, Stanford University.

3. Harvey, Penelope (1996). "Hybrids of Modernity: Anthropolgy, the Nation State, and the Universal Exhibition", London: Routledge.

The first two titles are self-explanatory, but the third talks about Seville's Exposition of 1992.

I'm going to spend the Christmas break reading through 'Seize the Day' and hopefully posting snippets of interesting quotes, as well as work out how to get my hands on the above publications.... Amazon???

Another poem by Martin Farquhar Tupper

Another brilliant poem by Martin Farquhar Tupper on the Crystal Palace Exhibition.

The first stanza was found prefacing the introduction to the Dr Robert Wilson Collection of 19th Century Ceramics and Glass Exhibition at the National Museum of Victoria, just a few weeks ago at the beginning of December 2010. I reproduce the poem here in full - courtesy of Google Books and "Europa: Or, Scenes And Society in England, France, Italy And Switzerland" by Daniel C. Eddy - although the title of the poem cannot be found!

by Martin Farquhar Tupper

A Reverie About The Crystal Palace, 1852, by Martin Farquhar Tupper

As we reminisce over Shanghai World Expo 2010, and it's ongoing deconstruction, I thought this poem by Martin Farquhar Tupper about the Crystal Palace, the year after it was held, is fitting.


A Reverie About The Crystal Palace, 1852

Dream of splendour, bright and gay,
Disenchanted all too soon,
Dimly fading fast away
Like a half-remember'd tune,-
Lo! my spirit's heart is sad
For the end of earthly things,
And refuses to be glad
While I touch these trembling strings.

Fountains, gushing silver light,
Sculptures, soft and warm and fair,
Gems, that blind the dazzled sight,
Silken trophies rich and rare,
Wondrous works of cunning skill,
Precious miracles of art,-
How your crowding memories fill
Mournfully my musing heart!

Fairy Giant! choicest birth
Of the Beautiful Sublime,
Seeming like the Toy of earth
Given to the dotard Time,-
Glacier-diamond, Alp of glass,
Sinbad's cave, Aladdin'd hall,-
Must it then be crush'd, alas!
Must the Crystal Palace fall?

Yes! - as Autumn's chequer'd hues
Thus are tinted with decay,
As the morn's prismatic dews
Glittering, exhale away,-
So with thee; in beauty's pride
All thy brightness must depart,-
Nature's fair consumptive bride,
Fragile paragon of Art!

But, Not all of thee shall die,-
Oh, not all shall perish thus!
Thy sweet spirit ever nigh
Will remain to gladden us,-
Thy sweet spirit - Brotherhood!
This was in thee like a Soul,
Every Part to gild with good,
And to glorify the Whole!

Martin Farquhar Tupper

"Seize the Day: Exhibitions, Australia, and the World"

I'm so thrilled! It really is Christmas!

After purchasing the print and digital editions of this seminal 2008 work on Australia at World Expositions, Monash University Press sent me a complimentary copy of the print edition by express post and it arrived today!

I'm really going to enjoy reading this - look out for a review on certain chapters in the coming weeks!

A must-have companion to your Expo book collection!

A photo of James Maccormick MBE's Australia Pavilion at Osaka Expo 70 features on the cover.

Australia at 2012

I have been pushing the Australian Government, through a variety of channels, to agree to be represented at Korea's Yeosu Expo 2012, however have yet to receive any acknowledgment - from any source - or response.

This is disturbing for two reasons: 1. Australia should be represented at Yeosu, for all the right reasons, but also because it's in our best foreign affairs and trade interests, and 2. Governments need to be held accountable by the public for their decisions, and Government has a duty to respond to public enquiry.

That Australia has not made a position on Yeosu - and that Government is yet to respond to my queries is disturbing and it makes me wonder two things...

Are we now pulling out of the smaller 'recognised' Expositions all together (Australia was also not represented at Zaragoza 2008)?

Is the Government taking a more secretive, less accountable approach now that Expositions is now in the hands of Foreign Affairs & Trade, not Tourism?

I personally believe Expositions were better held by Tourism. Now that Expositions are looked after by DFAT, any questioning of them leads them to be very defensive and non-committal to answering, as if one is delving into state secrets.

Still I find it amazing, that after personal approaches to Foreign Affairs staff, emails and tweets to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, emails to my local Federal member of Parliament, as well as attending a special DFAT seminar hosted by the Minister, I have not even received a single word of acknowledgment or response with regards to Australia's representation at Yeosu.

How disturbing indeed.

More thoughts on Seville and Shanghai

I'd like to talk a bit more about Seville - one of the things that united the expansive site was the transport offered - from cable car that linked one side of the site to the other across the Guadalquivir River, to the small ferry boats that plied the Canal of Discovery to the Lake of Spain, to the monorail, and buses and miniature 'choo-choo' trains as well, Seville offered a plethora of interesting and functional ways to get around the site, whilst giving an informative view of the site at the same time.

At Shanghai, also a large site, however, bus was mostly the only means of public transport around the site.

I remember viewing the Expo site by map before arriving and I was looking for the monorail or cable car/pedestrian bridge over the Huangpu River, and I was devastated to find that there was nothing at all!

I thought it would be simple enough to create a new bridge for pedestrian traffic (Seville had three new bridges) or a cable car or monorail to transport oneself around the site, but alas, nothing.

Arriving at the Shanghai Expo site however was a different matter.

The width of the Huangpu River is such that it would take half an hour to cross by foot, and the river is used for freighter tank ships so a low-level pedestrian bridge connecting one side of the Expo site with the other would have absolutely been out of the question.

As to why there was no monorail or cable car, whilst this is disappointing, I guess that neither of these means of transport can be considered to have mass transit capacity, with only a few persons per each cabin, so the decision must have been made to not construct these forms of transport for the bottlenecks of queues that they may create.

Shanghai was still great, but I still wish there could have been a monorail or cable car!

PS The bus service - and Metro - on site was very efficient.

Expo 70 40th Anniversary Exhibition, Osaka Japan

I'm so pleased to have just received yesterday this commemorative poster for the 40th Anniversary of Osaka Expo 70, which I attended earlier this year in June.

Upon leaving the Osaka 70 Expo Park I asked for one of the display posters and they said I could have one after the exhibition had concluded.

I hope they move the exhibition to a permanent venue at the Osaka Expo Park, it was an excellent exhibition!

Some more thoughts on an Expo for Australia

I am increasingly frustrated that more is not being done now to recognise the 2020 250th Anniversary of Australia - with or without a World Exposition.

This will be the most important anniversary date since the Australian Bicentennial of 1988, and we won't have the opportunity to celebrate such an important anniversary again for a long time - do we really have to wait until 2038?

I just hope that everything falls into place, and as 2011 comes into the picture that our politicians will see that the window of horizon for planning for this event/year is now.

World Expo 88 - the pre-story

World Expo '88 was a seminal event in the history of the City of Brisbane - and came after the success of the 1982 Commonwealth Games - with these two events shaping modern 1980s - and Australian Bicentennial Brisbane - for many years to come.

It was also my first entree into the world of World Expositions - and how lucky I was that a World Expo was to be held in my own hometown.

In my high school years as I commuted to and from school and crossed the Brisbane River, I could see the nascent Expo site take form on the banks of the river, and my excitement - quite palpable about the Expo - was tangible.

I studied Japanese at High School and travelled to Japan as an exchange student in 1987 as a Brisbane-Kobe sister-city exchange student, and whilst I tried to keep a tab on employment prospects for the Expo from Japan, most of the advertisements required that one be in Australia for interviews.

My grandparents helped me by replying to a few ads on my behalf, but by February 1988 I had resigned myself to the fact that probably it would be impossible to get a job for the Expo whilst I was still in Japan.

But luck changed in my direction.

On the last night of our school's Glee Club concert - where I was a member - we had a sleepover at the Conductor's parent's home, and the next morning, the homestay father asked me what I wished to do upon return to Australia. I replied that I wanted to work for Expo 88, but that I was running out of time. He said "Brisbane, Expo 88?" and I said yes, it was my hometown, and I wanted to work there.

He then replied that his brother in Tokyo was working with the Japanese Government Pavilion and that he would ring him now to see if an interview could be arranged.

So that was that! I had an interview in 3 weeks time in Tokyo and soon I was back in Australia taking part in training for the Pavilion.

And what a whirl-wind time it was!

Here I am handing out pamphlets at the entrance to the Japan Pavilion

The Japan Pavilion was the most expensive at the Fair - at $AUD 26 million - and had approximately half Australian staff, many of whom were the Pavilion attendants - me included.

The training was incredibly detailed - and lasted for three weeks - for everything from stress relief to a St John's Ambulance First Aid course, to how to serve coffee to VIP guests, courtesy of a protocol attendant from Japan Airlines.

It  also gave us the opportunity to know our fellow attendants, and welcome guides from other Pavilions on pre-Expo opening guided tours.

It was a wonderful experience - and very thorough - enabling us to meet any unforseen circumstance with aplomb, and was a wonderful appetizer to the six month Expo that was to come.

World Expo '88 had two logos - the "globe" logo, which was the first logo and had a globe with superimposed green and gold boomerangs which was also the shape of our new Parliament House in Canberra, also opened during the bicentennial 1988 year.

The second logo was the popular 'sunsails' logo, which cleverly incorporated the massive sunsails that graced the riverfront Expo site. On each panel of the sunsails in the logo, a different theme of the Expo was superimposed, and this logo quickly became the logo which was used in all offiical merchandise.

We can't also forget Expo Oz - the official mascot of the Expo - and Australian platypus.

He was a cute and popular figure, created by Disney to represent the Expo on the Expo site and overseas, as well as in the more than 500 memorabilia made in his image. 

More information on Expo Oz can be found at http://www.foundationexpo88.org/expoozembassy/

And one can't forget the popular theme song of the Expo - "Together, We'll Show the World!" which was also part of the popular engagement with the public in the lead-up to the Expo.

We are at present negotiating to have the official theme song feature on the Foundation Expo '88 website.

All in all - World Expo '88 - although a small international specialised Exposition of only 36 nations - was a great popular success for the City of Brisbane - and attracted more than double the expected target of 7.8 million visitors with some 18 million visitors. 

It's legacy is left to us today with the popular South Bank Parklands, one of Australia's most popular parks, and with the numerous heritage structures from the Expo, including the 88-metre high Expo symbol tower -

and the Nepal Peace Pagoda - 

also nearby.