Project | Question Everything.

 

I have been working really hard on my textiles project the last week or so, and was having a real tough time trying to actually work out what problem I was actually trying to work out?

My sketchbook was evolving, but I didn't actually understand what was happening.

I like to make my sketchbook about me and relevant to stuff that interests me and that I am actually intellectually and visually stimulated by. I want it to evolve into something, not be pushed into resolving an idea which I created right at the beginning.

As I have explained in previous posts, we are doing a module called 'fashion futures', and we are all therefore trying to develop our own ideas about what fashion will be like in the future.

One point that interested me was fashion as art and as a means of expression.

You all know about my interest in Street Art and Graffiti and I wanted to explore the idea of what propels these artists to take their work to the street, and the meaning of their work - be it political, personal, purely decorative or just for the point of vandalism? 

Have a look at the pictures below, they're just a snap shot of some of the stuff in my sketchbook (I don't want to give everything away in terms of ideas for my final outcome), but hopefully if you read some of the text, it will make some kind of sense and you will get my drift.  :-)

 I also find fashions relation to popular culture interesting and how during the 50's,60's & 70's "Street Style" allowed the self-expression of youth, the London 'Fashion Scene' would make newspaper headlines, and when the youth weren't afraid to wear the S&M clothing of Vivienne Westwood, pornographic accessories and Jean-Paul Gaultier's "Bad Taste".

Nowadays, the term 'Hipster' is used to describe the New London Fashion Scene, when all it is really, is a bunch of people dressed the same, with no expression and no meaning. When I walk down the street I rarely see people dressed interestingly. I don't want to see people wearing BOY stuff because everyone else is, or people who don't have a clue who Shepard Fairey wearing OBEY T-shirts, and I definitely don't like looking at fake Underground Creepers from Primark.

I have spoken with many people about this, and often I hear the idea that people buy 'creepers' in Primark because they simply can't afford Underground, which relates back to fashion and elitism. But, then I think, if the object was something truly unique and expressive then it would be something that the likes Primark wouldn't dare to stock as it couldn't possibly be sold to the masses.

But then again, nowadays the masses can be pretty easily brainwashed into buying pretty much anything! Social media has a lot to do with all of this.

I find it interesting how Punk, centered in London was at most 200 hundred teenagers, and yet was so hugely recognized and influential and had a pivotal impact on the future of fashion. 

You can also have a read of my mates Kate's blog post on similar thoughts, 

(Kate and I always have the best conversations! Our opinions can sometimes be very different, but then at other times very similar.)

http://www.karenbuckley.co.uk/2012/08/top-shop-hipsters-and-lady-gagas-little.html

a post which has also received a lot of hits! 

 "What finally pushed me over the edge, was when Karen and I were satisfying our Professor Green addiction by drooling over "Top of the World", which features the slightly annoying Tawiah with her even more annoying style. Thanks to her we finally managed to coin the term, which best describes these "false" hipsters - Topshop-Hipsters.
Real Hipsters are all about creative thinking, individuality, and freedom to explore yourself, but it seems that our generation is deprived of personality, and rather than developing your own opinions, the Hipster movement has gone from embracing individual originality to encouraging being different for the sake of being different! I am baffled. What started out as something truly great and inspiring has been degraded to a mere fashion trend."

My blog also get a lot of hits from people asking google stuff like 'how do you dress like a hipster?' or 'am I a hipster?'.

I have gone off on a bit of a tangent, but overall, what I want to know is, has Popular Culture and Advertisers stripped the youth of their rebellion? 

And, could you walk around now with a T-shirt printed with some of the obscenities that were often seen on one of London's Punks? 

I must admit I am not the most clued up person when it comes to politics and stuff, and I probably do have a lot of contradicting ideas, but one think I do like to do is pay attention to whats happening around me.

I would love to hear what everyone has to say, and am interested to hear everyone's point of view!

If you have liked my Facebook page, you will also have seen this post (hopefully),

Hi all,,,, I am in need of some help & some outspoken people, I am working on a print for textiles and am trying to create something that is a reaction to our surroundings (the idea is to create some visuals inspired by your emotions and feelings toward your environment), So I want to know the one thing that annoys you most about the city (or the place you currently live)?????! Be as polite/rude/outspoken/frank/honest/political/legislative/crude/abrupt as you like. :-) comment here, or message me, whatever you like,,, but all of your help would be *amazing*...... Thanks X

I got some really interesting responses, each and every person who replied is super. Here are some examples, 

"I would like to to express my hate towards London transport!!! Lol and how inconsiderate people are on the tubes!...people in London aren't very friendly.."

"Rising tube fares, robbing Bastards"

"people having no FUCKING manners!! esp towards small kids walking with mums...they push past...they expect pram to levitate out of the way...kissing their teeth huffing and puffing...don't even get me started on shithead youth's foul language and loudspeaker music on the bus..in short the way Londoners think everyone else is in their way.."

If you have something else to say, Say it!!! 

 

Urban Masters.

Yesterday, Kate, Kadri and I took a visit to Shoreditch. 

On our trip we  had a visit to the vinatge fair in Shoreditch town hall (which I will be covering in a different post), you can find that obey icon in the top right hand corner right across the road.

 And then went to check out the nearby Urban Masters exhibition.

The picture above on theleft shows,

ROA, Canis (dog), 2011
Spray paint and enamel on wood

The bottom left,

JOE BLACK , Workers of the world, unite! , 2012
Mixed media and plastic toy soldiers on wood

Here is the exhibitions description from the Opera Gallery website,,,

Opera Gallery London and ANV in association with Butterfly present
URBAN MASTERS
An urban and street art installation paying tribute to the Masters of the history of art

Opera Gallery London and ANV in association with Butterfly are pleased to present URBAN MASTERS - an alternative art installation giving street and urban artists a chance to render homage to the masters, masterpieces and muses that have influenced their journey through the world of art and played a part in who they are nowadays.

URBAN MASTERS is an intense urban display in a former Victorian factory in London’s trendy yet subversive Shoreditch area. It will present the works of 33 of the world’s best street artists of the moment: Rone (AUS), Risk (US), Shepard Fairey (US), ROA (BE), Mentalgassi (DE), Sweet Toof (UK), Lek (FR), Gris1 (FR), Kan (FR) to name a few....

Opera Gallery is renowned for proposing very high standard exhibitions of street and urban art. This will be the biggest urban and street art exhibition yet hosted by Opera Gallery in London, and most certainly one of the most important events on the London street art scene this year.

With a broad scope of contemporary urban and street artworks and installations, URBAN MASTERS attempts to capture the feelings and experience of the artists who were invited to give their personal interpretation on the marks left by art history-makers.

The exhibition will also offer attendees a unique opportunity to meet some of the artists involved as there will be a poster / book signing featuring many of the aforementioned artists on the day of the public opening of the show: Friday 9th November 2012, 11am-7pm.

Quotes

“Art is about passing on references and creativeness. Most people know that Banksy and Blek Le Rat, founding fathers of stencil art, have inspired a generation of young contemporary urban and street artists - making street art one of the most successful genres of the century. But it is time we give this new generation a say and let them tell us their story, tell us who inspired them personally and what made them the artists they are now”. Jean-David Malat, Director of Opera Gallery London, on the concept behind URBAN MASTERS.

“Urban Masters is a rare opportunity to view in one place works by extraordinary artists from literally all over the world, from Latin America, US, Europe and Australia. Coming from the graffiti and street art scene, these artists pay tribute and reinterpret the Masters that inspired them, with their own skills and techniques. Art regenerates itself with breathtaking results”. Butterfly.

“Street art matters. By taking their art to the most public of all spaces - the streets - artists build bridges between them and their community and therefore help cement an art-aware society. Moreover, they bring new perspectives upon the urban architecture and landscape and thus help reinvent a city to house this art conscious society”. Florie-Anne Mondoloni, Opera Gallery London.

"By definition anything visionary, ground breaking or novel involves risk. Facing and handling these risks opens the door to achieving true creative innovation and personal fulfilment in art or in business," explains R. Matthew Fairfield, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of ANV, "As underwriters who mitigate risks on a daily basis, we see art and artists who take creative risk as perfect examples of what is possible when risk and fear can be conquered"

"Art provides a window into how a culture perceives itself and the soul of its people. ANV as an organisation is deeply respectful of local business cultures and customs. Supporting new views and unique perspectives is how we see our work as insurers and its how we see the work of the 'Urban Masters' featured in the exhibition." adds Gerard van Loon, Chief Underwriting Officer at ANV.

Top right,

MENTALGASSI, Subway, Bruce Davidson, 2012
Paste paper on metal fence

Top left, C215

Bottom,

KAN, Warhol tribute to an anonymous master... 2012
Metal ink (squeezers) on canvas

I really enjoyed looking at the Kan canvas, when I was younger I was in love with Lichtenstein's work (I still am) and would make portraits using my mums bingo markers. And sure the reference to the 'anonymous master' did it for me too.

 Top right,

BANKSY, Kill Mom?
Stencilled spray print on board

Bottom,

ZEUS, Love, crash and burn, 2012
Mixed media
I don't know who's to thank for the work on the top left, I was pretty much just looking and not reading.

 The picture on the right on the center show, RISK, Something cookin (R unnamed), 2012
Aerosol on stamped stained steel & RONE, I don’t care (I’d rather sink than call Rone for help), 2012 Acrylic polymer paint over collage.

The image on the left shows a portrait of Picasso made using small circular pornographic pictures. 

I didn't read who made it but if you know stick their name in the comments :-)

 Top left, BLEK LE RAT, 

middle, STINKFISH, Black thorne, Stencil on wood panel, 

right, NICK GENTRY, Memorial FB, 2012, Oil and used computer disks on wood.

 Middle and bottom pictures (you can also see works by BRUSK & BLO in the background) 

GRIS1, System, 2012, Acrylic on collector model trains

Top,  NICK WALKER, Paris, the morning after, 2012, Stencil on canvas

Bottom, BOM.K, Homage to the anonymous masters of the century, 2012, Spray paint on canvas

This piece was slightly spell bounding, the way it glowed was amazing and the muted colours and soft hostility made it so interesting,,,,

Top, SHEPARD FAIREY,  Duality of humanity 1, Mixed media on collage on canvas

If you have been following my blog you will know how much of an art crush I have on Shepard Fairey.

His work is just so incredible,,,

 Bottom left, RON ENGLISH, Cowgirl Guernica black and white, 2012, Silkscreen ink on synthetic polymer paint on canvas

Bottom right, DAVID SHILINGLAW

Top left, RISK, Pink Elephant In The Room.

This elephant was so cute. I love clowns and it was pink. 

Top right, SWEET TOOF, Duke, 2012, Oil on canvas

Kate greeted these with a noise that made a few heads turn, ;-) they were amazing,,,,,,*

The pictures at the bottom I took myself from outside of the factory.

The exhibition was incredible. The work was amazing, and the whole vibe of the place was incredibly cool and despite the most outstanding collection of artists that were exhibiting there there wasn't a bit of pretentious air in the place.

They were really frendly when we walked in and even let me mate bring in her bike.

I think the exhibition finished today, and if you didn't get down to see it you've really missed out.

I never been in a room with such an exciting collection of interesting and varied art. 

There was also a video playing on repeat there which was really awesome, I don't know if you can find it on the internet somewhere. But if you can its worth a watch.

Plus, we got a poster to bring home, which was nice. I have stuck mine in my sketchbook.

The only thing I noticed about the exhibition was the lack of female presence.

OBEY X LONDON | Propaganda & Clothing

I had been looking at these awesome Obey t-shirts a lot online, even took a visit to the Laden Show Rooms to try on a top as soon as I knew that they were stocking the stuff.

They just had the ladies collection, and the shapes of the t-shirts and the styles didn't really do it for me. 

But then, as soon as the pop up shop opened I had to have a look.

I love the mens t-shirts! Fold up the sleeves and away you go. I'm all for cross dressing.

I didn't want pictures too perfect so I took to my high and windy balcony. 

When we went to the opening of Shepard's exhibition (which you can see in more detail in an earlier post) we didn't get to have a look around the smaller exhibition space in which Shepard and his team had installed a record shop. I was eager to see, and it really was awesome looking at the collection of Shepard's records!

When I'm walking and spot an Obey sticker, it does make me smile.

I have also been inspired and have embarked on my own little mission, which I will keep you all updated!

But it might take time or die prematurely. Time will tell! 

The pictures right at the top of the post were taken in The Vintage Emporium, who recently had a makeover and is currently dressed up for Halloween. If your around Brick Lane, check it out.