OLIVIA J. BENNETT


Hello! I’m an arts writer, researcher and critic based in Brisbane, Australia. 

I've reviewed and written about art, film, music, and digital culture in Australian and international publications. I’ve also played a pivotal role in the programming, digital production, and successful delivery of numerous projects within Australia’s film and music industry.

I'm fascinated by how global trends intertwine with personal stories, revealing the impact of cultural issues on our daily lives. In my work, I prefer to experiment with non-linear storytelling, multiple perspectives, and mixed media to capture the intricacy of modern cultural tensions.

I’ve been honoured to participate in Gertrude Contemporary’s Emerging Writers Program and the Melbourne International Film Festival’s Critics Campus.

I'm also a freelance copywriter, content writer, and strategist whose work is driven by principles of complexity and interconnectedness.

With five years of freelancing, three years in agency environments, and two years navigating Melbourne's strictest COVID-19 lockdowns, I've faced real tests of resilience and adaptability in my career. This experience has enriched my ability to develop copywriting, content, and strategy for various sectors, including tech, health, lifestyle, retail, design, construction, hospitality and (of course) the arts.

I completed a Bachelor of Art History and Curating at Monash University, majoring in Film Studies. For my BA Honours thesis in Screen and Cultural Studies at Melbourne University, I argued that the documentary films of Harvard University’s Sensory Ethnography Lab are hyperobjects. Applying Timothy Morton’s concept through poetics, I explored their capacity to provoke a transgressive experience of ecological thought and feeling.

On a personal note, I'm on track to pass the DELF B2 French exam in 2025, and I am currently working on launching new business ventures that will further leverage my expertise and passions.

Souhaitez-moi bonne chance!

THE ASYMPTOTICAL
WORLD

Yves Tumor




American experimentalist Yves Tumor's surprise six-song release The Asymptotical World certainly embodies its title. The EP sees the artist marry Heaven to a Tortured Mind's (2020) psychedelic glam rock with Safe in the Hands of Love's (2018) dark ambience, creating a murky mix of post-punk, avant-pop and grunge rock. Whether it's pining over an old flame in ‘Jackie' ("These days have been tragic/I ain't sleeping/Refuse to eat a thing") or the self-defeating egoism of 'Katrina' ("So what's the point?/Why bother?/I have shit memory too"), this album - thanks to the life-altering events of 2020 - plummets to an all-too-familiar feeling of despondency. The EP swings between hope and nostalgia, best revealed in the cheery carelessness of 'Crushed Velvet’ (“Grew up selfless/So I could make it to heaven/I feel my best when/'m dressed in all crushed velvet"). The Asymptotical World sees Tumor stepping further towards music's edge.