Kids

I recently decorated Harveys room with a giant Elmer the Elephant mural. I might have to find space to add one of these cool wall decals from online french supplier e-glue.

Choc a block

I love the look of these, from Japanese company Meiji. Combining two of my obsessions type & chocolate. Make up your own box to spell out a personal message

Women on Film

following the Women in Art video check out this one. Not quite as polished but fascinating , none the less

glumbert - Women in Film

Film "The Escapist

My friend and neighbour Philipp Blaubach is the cinematographer on the British movie " The Escapist" which is released tomorrow. It was well received at Sundance so go see it and support independent film makers

Animal Nightlife

When we first moved to the area there was  just one pub that any discerning local would go to, The Bricklayers Arms on Charlotte Street. Nowadays, it seems  a new  drinking establishment opens every day. The Hoxton Pony  on Curtain Road is the latest temptation employing a sleek and shiny fit out to attract the (not so) locals in.  The reason I mention it here is a couple of days ago two glamorous envoys from said bar knocked on our studio door bearing gifts. The rather large  box contained a simple selection of scones and jam.  Someone less kind than I commented that the bites were as stale as the bar's decor. However, I am not one to look a gift horse in the mouth.

Art History

If you thought the words "Art" and " Morph" only come together in the mind of Tony Hart think again!  This little  3 minute video by Eggman is quite captivating and tells a story about  images of  the fairer sex better than several hours of art history lectures  "WOMEN THROUGH THE AGES"

Paper Clip Envy

           I guess you have got to be  a bit sad to be excited by paper clips but I once brought back from San Francisco a small pot of spiral paper clips which were the best paper clips in the world, however I love these more. They are  by Juta Kan for japanese design collective "h concept", pronounced "ash concept"  after the french pronouncement of the 8th letter.  As they explain ' Happy , Harvest , Habitat, Holy, Heart , Ha-Ha all begin with "H" and exemplify our way of thought'

Perfect for hanging Harveys' pictures,then!

Art

Bridging the Generation Gap is a new exhibition at the Forster Gallery on Rivington Street Shoreditch, featuring the work of Julie Cockburn. The artist works in mixed media using found objects combined with familiar imagery.  I like this piece which  alludes to two eras of  personal significance.

Forster Gallery

1 Chapel Place

Rivington Street

London EC2 A 3DQ

020 7739 7572

They come from the Future

This time of year sees the advent of the art & design college degree shows. These are always a mixed bunch but luckily as most of them are on my door step at the Old  Truman Brewery, Brick Lane,  organised under the umbrella organisation Free Range. I do take  the time to visit. Each week a whole new set of fresh graduates descend upon the complex with the intention of pitching their wares, skills or ideas. We are into week 2 of 8 but so far I have seen little that has got me excited. However, this morning walking along Dray walk I popped into another little exhibition running alongside the shows. An organisation called Create to Learn , whose aim is to  get young people involved in the arts, were showing the work of local primary school children who, under the guidance of students had generated a beautiful and innocently brave body of work.

Also among these pics is  a display from a  Middlesex University's textile student, which almost attains the same level of appreciation

FRANCA SOZZANI

I  was lucky enough to be invited to a talk last night by Franca Sozzani, editor in chief of Vogue Italia. Since 1998 she has been at the magazine carving new trends in fashion  imagery and was instrumental in promoting the concept of the super model. Its hard to imagine anyones position having such longevity in a UK magazine.

Art on the day of Thor

As ever on the first thursday of each month in the east end I am going to be spoilt for choice of where to go to see some great art.  Nearly all the galleries  in the area will be open late for  launching new shows. 

So much choice , so little time. Think I will head down to Vyner Street E2 and will report later.

Todays the day that..

Stereo Types

Following the thread from the last couple of posts its worth mentioning this book as an inspiration- "An Alphabet by Peter Blake" for which the artist  produced the collage illustrations.

Tales of Typographic Notions

 ...so the poster was for an album by Alphabeat, a group of Danes now living  local in in East London. The music  is light 80s retro pop if you are into that kind of thing. I do like the artwork, its in a good tradition of popart after Peter Blake and Jamie Reid and using Eines work is a shrewd move.

As I was driving under the bridge at Shoreditch High St/ Old Street junction tonight I noticed a poster on the billboard with some cool graphics. The designers had used the letters  from graphitti artist Ben Flynn (A.K.A Eine )  and pasted  them in  a blackmail /Jamie Reid-esque way. So absorbed was I in the graphics I failed to take in who's bands album was being promoted! However it reminded me to post a bit about Eines work. Anyone who has been to the east end will have noticed random letters sprayed on the roller shutters of unlikely shops.  No lesser celebrity than Dave Gorman set about tracking down the whole set and posting on his Flickr page as have others before him. Read more about the  artist  in his own words in the piece from Swindle magazine and check his own website for other work including  some highly desirable canvasses. >>Einesigns.

I will go back tomorrow and photograph the poster.