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Lectures

The More Things Change - The Relevance of Molnar Today

City Historian Shirley Fitzgerald explores how George Molnar's views as articulated in his cartoons are still relevant to contemporary Sydney. You can download a copy of 'The More Things Change - The Releveance of Molnar Today' lecture as a PDF document.

As both a Professor of Architecture and a cartoonist, George Molnar had a keen eye for urban planning issues and political life. He particularly enjoyed pointing out the incongruities of society in his cartoons, and illustrated them with poignancy and humour.

In the rapidly changing cityscape of the 1950s-1970s, there was plenty of fodder for Molnar's cartoons. Many of his cartoons are relevant because the issues are still problematic or present today. His cartoons are also relevant because of his social critique of the powers-that-be, bureaucracy and bumbling decision makers.

This talk was originally presented at Customs House, Sydney on 13th June 2001, to coincide with the exhibition of George Molnar's cartoons Human Scale in Architecture. The exhibition was held at City Exhibition Space, Level 4 Customs House.

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History? You Must Be Joking

This is the title of the fifth annual History Lecture of the History Council of New South Wales, given at Government House, Sydney, on the evening of 29 June by Dr Shirley Fitzgerald, the City Historian for the City of Sydney. You can download a copy of the 'History - You Must Be Joking' lecture as a PDF document.

Dr Fitzgerald has published many books on the history of the city, and in this lecture she addressed the issue of why we should be bothered with history. Is it just for interest, or for entertainment, or does it actually have some importance for our present lives?

This is one of a series of annual lectures organised by the NSW History Council. All lectures in this series are published as monographs and are available for purchase from the NSW History Council, PO Box 538, Sydney, NSW 2031.

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Last Updated: Friday 22 May, 2009

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