2 years ago
This is a quite wonderful piece of timelapse photography, from a quite wonderful photographer - Serge Brunier (http://www.sergebrunier.com/galerie.html).
The scale of the piece, the timeless motion of the stars across the desert sky is evocative of primeval man watching nightfall and finding God in the heavens above him. The wonder of it all…
Awesome - just awesome. I love the way the familar (and beautiful design) has been taken that step further, the feel of the hardwood on the smoothness of the curves for the body of the scooter, taking the coolness of the metal and making it a tactile delight.
It was fashioned out of laminated hardwood by Portuguese craftsman Carlos Alberto. It is based on a vintage Vespa that had fallen into complete disrepair. A new body was constructed from steam bent veneers and carved wood - and what a beauty to behold.
2 years ago
I love this video. It was at Tate Moderns Pop Art exhibition last year - the Japanese master of zeitgeist, Takashi Murakami, directed the piece. What I love about it is that Kirsten Dunst is having so much fun. It is a great song. I love Japanese culture. It was directed by Murakami. YouTube banned it (it shows anime boobs!). Oh - and it has Kirsten Dunst in it.
All in all - a great way to spend 4 minutes soaking in some fun.
2 years ago
Beautiful, full CGI animation exploring the relationship between photography and architecture. Covers two of my loves and demands your attention. Worth a watch - you will not be disappointed.
2 years ago
It’s been a while. Am loving this video - reminds me a little of “Eraserhead”, but maybe that’s just me. Either way - it’s quirky and has Lego - what more could you want?
2 years ago
Wild Thing: Epstein, Gaudier-Brzeska, Gill at the Royal Academy
“Over a period of 10 years from 1905 to 1915, three outstanding young sculptors emerged in Britain; Jacob Epstein, Henri Gaudier-Brzeska and Eric Gill. The radical impact of their work was to transform British sculpture.”
Three of my favourite sculptors together in one exhibition featuring around 90 works from sketches to sublime sculpture. In their day they were at the bleeding edge of art, sometimes scorned for their compositions, sometimes vilified for their (sexual) subject matter. Today they stand as some of the most beautiful and stylised works you can imagine.
The future influences are obvious, such as Henry Moore. The pre art-deco styling comes across too. Gaudier’s work over a very short time is shown to evolve so fast that if he had not have died so young, he could have grown into the greatest sculptor of the 20th century.
So what did I enjoy most - Gill’s sexiness, Gaudier’s fluidity and Epsteins harsh mechanical form. A great showcase for sculpture.
2 years ago
This is from the New Zealand Book Council and I love it. I like the way it evolves and constantly changes. I like the way it brings out emotions and is evocative. I like the way it brings books and reading to life! Well done to the animators and director - very, very creative paper art.
2 years ago
Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize 2009
Having a keen interest in photography and indeed undertaking my first professional portrait shoot next month, I was keen to visit the exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery as a matter of “study”.
I like the NPG - it has an atmosphere to it that other galleries some how do not. I put this down to the gallery appealing to a wide variety of interests and artistic taste.
Earlier this year I visited the BP Portrait Award for painted portraits. It was interesting to compare and contrast the styles - and actually, in terms of composition they are very, very similar. I could have done with a little more technical information as to how the picture was produced - but I guess the magic of photography is working it out for oneself.
The 60 works were whittled down from 6300 images submitted by 2400 photographers. Many, many of them are from professional photographers, most have degrees in photography of some sort.
I did not like the deadpan emotions in many of the compositions, for me it was too staged to look neutral - to let the situation and surroundings talk about the person. Personally, I would prefer some of the images to have more of the artist and subject in them - even if it were just a glint in the eye. I also felt that the better photos did not win prizes, I struggled in some instances to realise the winner’s intent. Some photos would work better as a piece of photo-journalism with this in mind, the politics of the shot (such as the teenage Russian convict) carrying more weight than the art itself.
The picture I chose to go with this piece is by a very talented recent graduate from Loughborough, Ali Lomas. As part of her prize she wins a commission for Elle Magazine - I feel she has a huge future ahead of her. Her work has emotion, it tells, or rather implies, a story, it is charged with energy and emotion. I look forward to seeing more of her work - though I cannot see myself buying Elle!
2 years ago
I have to admit that I wasn’t sure I was going to enjoy this exhibition too much prior to going. Not being overly religious (for years I thought that the difference between Catholicism and Church of England was that Catholics sung in Latin), nor having a particular penchant for late Renaissance art, though having spent a day at Madrid’s Prado museum earlier in the year has begun to change my preconceptions.
The exhibition is in the Sainsbury Wing - so by default is small. It is beautifully lit - am not sure if the low lighting is for the protection of the art works or for a sombre effect for the subject matter, either way it works well and brings a dark mood to the works.
The pieces fall into polychrome sculpture (painted sculpture) and painting. What grabbed my attention most was the focus and use of lighting in the works, there was little in terms of non-important background, rather the artisit has foucussed sharply on his subject matter. The works by Zurbaran on St Francis being case in point. I would be proud with that alluding to his composotions in my photographs. All consuming and beautiful.
There is a distinct realism in the sculpture, particulary surrounding the Passion of Christ - and indeed in the first room of John the Baptists head. The Chapman brothers would be proud of the level of gore and the finesse of it’s representation.
So - I thoroughly enjoyed, it’s small and not too cheap, but worth a visit. See link below for more details…
2 years ago
Brentford vs Walsall
I made it to my first ever non-Premiership/International football match on Saturday at Brentford. What a breath of fresh air. Pubs next to the ground were pleasant and the atmosphere was great, no threat of violence for being in the wrong place or not a “local”. Beer was cheap.
Ground was close to were we parked. We bought tickets on the gate (£22) and had a great view from the stand. Football was good, probably more enjoyable to watch than Premiership football and the ambience at the ground was brilliant. There was a friendly atmosphere, though it was serious business we were watching. 4,500 people turned up - everyone enjoyed it and getting home was easy as well - no queuing for the tube and getting held up by the police.
I for one will be going back to Brentford because it was a great way to spend a Saturday afternoon in the company of friends without spending a fortune and regretting having gone.
Well done Brentford.
