DOROTHY ANNAN
Was just thinking this morning how much I miss Dorothy Annan’s modernist ceramic mural which celebrated the telecommunications at work in the Fleet Building in Farringdon until last year…
I drive along that road often and I’m nostalgic for them…progress at work I daresay.
WATTS TOWERS FOR CIVILIAN
One of my favourite pieces of art is Watts Towers in LA. My piece on Civilian Global about it is online now.
FAIL
Nothing makes you feel more helpless as a parent than when your child becomes aware of their mortality. I can remember that moment so well. And my (possibly unhealthy) preoccupation with the horror of it all. All you can do is offer a cuddle and an unsatisfactory, weak “‘fraid not” when they ask “Can’t someone fix it?”
Ugh.
LIGHT SHOW
Light Show at the Hayward presents an interesting selection of artworks exploring the medium of light.
It runs the gamut from a lo-fi singular bulb simulating moonlight by Katie Paterson (surprisingly tranquil) to full-on showbiz in Leo Villareal’s computer-programmed LED firework display.
There’s no getting away from the fact that lighting is decorative; the kind of comments you can’t help eavesdropping on like, “That would make a great Christmas Tree” grate and make you feel like you’re at the Blackpool Illuminations or something at times…but then you walk into the Jenny Holzer exhibit or the complexity of Jim Campbell’s flickering lights becomes apparent, and you’re back to being enthralled by the magic of these light works. Dan Flavin’s old-school flourescent light strips still stand the test of time and there’s some instagram-tastic photo opportunities to be had in Carlos Cruz-Diez’s coloured light-saturated space.
Olafur Eliasson’s strobe-water magic room is amazing, too…oh, and I really loved hanging in Ann Veronica Janssens peachy room ogling the star made from beams of light.
A really mood-enhancing exhibition…there’s even a silent rave!
THE LIBRARY OF NINETEENTH-CENTURY PHOTOGRAPHY
When I met Paul Frecker 20-odd (!) years ago, he was one of London’s most sought-after stylists. His 80s tear-sheets would make you WEEP…he was creatively involved in some of the most era-defining, fabulous shoots of the time. In his commercial work, he would often street cast characters whose faces evoked another century…
When Paul reinvented himself as a nineteenth century photography dealer, he became fascinated with carte de visite portrait photographs which were popular throughout the 19th Century, especially those of Camille Silvy. He’s now one of the world’s formost authorities on the photographer…he never does anything by halves!
I’m excited to report that Paul has just launched The Library of Nineteenth-Century Photography. A resource for picture editors everywhere, this imaginatively arranged collection of Victorian characters – arranged into sections such as Fashion and Beauty, Death and People of the World - is full of the treasures he has collected over the years. Be prepared for a browse-fest that takes you from Russian ‘types’ to post-mortem photographs and riding habits.
The best part of it for Paul is that he’s putting his photographs on the game – as it were! – selling the scans for publication rather than parting with the precious originals. Win, win!!! It’s worth keeping an eye on the website’s Facebook page as well, with daily fascination posts of the rare and bizarre…
And may I just post a gratuitous ‘vintage Frecker’ from a Stephane Sednaoui shoot he styled in 1989…just ‘cos it’s one of my favourites….
WYLDE 3!!!
The new issue of Wylde is now available! The cover is OVAH – again!!! – with serious Manolo-worship in an image shot by David Newton that screams WYLDE!!!! I wish you could see the silver embossed logo…the magazine is such a fetish object…mmmm YUM!
Absolutely thrilled with my Roland Mouret exclusive (with gorgeous portrait by Etienne) and I have to share my debut as foot model with you for the shoot David did of Mouret’s first shoe collection! The sheer contorting to get that angle on my leg! Yes, it’s hidden talent…What I love about the pictures is that the angle in those shoes conjures up the ‘Exotique’ magazine dominatrixes and the returning Mother’s foot (all we saw of her, I was OBSESSED as a child!) in Dr Zeuss’s ‘Cat in The Hat’ at once!!!
The T-bar is utterly killah…and FYI, the grey suede boots are stocking-length!!! You can read my interview here, but this magazine needs to be held and pored over, so you can get them on the website here or wait ’til they hit the shops next week!!!!
ROYAL FLASH
Sarah Lee was feeling the Royal Muse the other day after looking at Mario Testino’s portrait of Princess Diana, William and Harry and decided to do a Brooks take on the shot!
Actually, I think the saturated black background, lighting and – key to the success of the tribute – spot-on angle works fantastically well…
Although I have to admit, this one’s my favourite!
BEAUTY
Do you like my latex smothered beauty shot in the new issue of USED magazine??!!
Shot by Brendan Freeman with no-make-up-make-up by the frighteningly talented Isamaya Ffrench. Such an odd, but not entirely unpleasant, experience being endlessly layered with latex – and then when I tried to laugh all I could do was a frozen ‘hur hur hur’.
Worth it though, for I look dewey and utterly natural….. ;-)
TIM WALKER…ON MY CLOUD
I was DJing at the Tim Walker after-party at Scotch last week. The oddest thing about this club is that, despite it’s having been in the same place for fifty years and being steeped in musical history – Jimmy Hendrix played his first gig here apparently, John Lennon met Yoko at the art gallery next door – taxi drivers can never find it on their GPS! What’s that about?
A selection of the tunes I played is on my Mixcloud here, along with other musical tasters…
WAX ME A LYRICAL CHRISTMAS
The limb-losses and face-melts that have occurred over the last 150 years or so to these German Christmas decorations only make them the more exquisite.
They reside chez M.Goldstein in their beautiful, original (64cm x 44cm) box; the lions, cherubs, babies on potties (!) and birds in cages along with more traditional religious-themed; lithographed and in individual wax frames.
These wouldn’t look out of place in a museum, but imagine them hanging amongst the tinsel [not too close to the] roaring, festive fire come December….
Price on application.