The Big Smoke.

The Big Smoke.

Wednesday 26 January 2011

Bursting into Winter life. Roses in Manhatten blooming takeover

A beautiful art installation in New York City sees oversized flourishing Roses in full bloom add a little warmth and beauty to a cold January city.



See link for Will Ryman 'The Roses'

http://www.paulkasmingallery.com/exhibitions/2011-01-25_will-ryman/

DKNY's Times blog draws attention to this for fellow New
Yorkers.

http://dkny.donnakaran.com/dkny-times/notes-on-a-city/418a2039-1af2-437d-bbf3-b976a0ee41f0/giant-flowers-have-invaded-manhattan

Tuesday 25 January 2011

The Southbank SkyArts Awards

"A restless man of remarkable vision" can only and quite simply be the greatest comment you could hope to achieve. 'Restless' for me is the most important gift to any artist.

Wednesday 19 January 2011

Gauguin leaves on a high note. Well a ground breaking note actually...

See this fantastic article from Vanessa Thorpe at The Guardian on the last Weekend of the superb exploration of the full colour spectrum portfolio, that was Gauguin at the Tate Modern. Enlightening.

Which left the Gallery under no illusion any longer at just how popular this exhibition of an artist of such genius was to become.

'Rage'.... brilliant. I just love it. And you all clearly love a bit of culture too.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2011/jan/16/gauguin-tate-modern-crowds

Monday 17 January 2011

2010/2011 Veolia Wildlife Photographer Of The Year... If you go down to the woods today you're sure to be... blown away quite frankly. If this is anything to go by. Sensational.


I cannot recommend this annual exhibition enough. It is just visually stunning, impactful, thought provoking and not only genuinely warms the heart from such a momentary exposure of environment, sometimes quirky, but always rendering the viewer in awe, staggering the impact throughout like a beat and achieving astonishing inner reactions, drawing out our personal emotions or what can only be described as 'identifying with', distinguishing between, such solitary photographs and seemingly unconsciously. You can not perhaps preempt what moves you. As individual a response to each visitor as taste buds.

For natural yet reputably hyper real scenes beyond the brink of your imagination or any preconceptions you thought you had about the capabilities of our environment, i can only say 'misplace these at the door'. Allow yourself to be elevated and sincerely confounded. Polaroid moments this truly is.

Every year i go i find a myself particularly moved by a different category. Or there is an, often many, images i just can't, quite, yet, walk away from. My feet become set in stone and i linger. Which makes it exciting and unexpected. The level of the photography entries are both highly advanced and technically skilled. Exceptionally talented artists in their field are found to submit for this original showcase, but also many amateurs, lucky enough to capture a moment or persistent enough with faith that they have something special before them for the world to see.

I find myself uncomfortable at some photo's. They pull on the heart strings undesirably because they are honest. They are a fact, an unjust, inhumane act we have put upon nature and/or other species. It is all through the faults of man the environment and everything in it suffers, this you cannot question, justify anymore or ignore when it is immediately and uneasily put in front of you. Many plights have been brought to my attention through this exhibition, which is important. It is respectfully portrayed with the aim to make an impact, that one should hope would make a difference to you at least as an individual, at least as a compassionate human being.

Staring at an over sized photo, a canvas of light and depth contrasting, taking up your full horizon, that of a Blue Whale floating enormously a few feet above the bottom of a clear sea level with a diver so inconsequential and insignificant in size in comparison to this heavyweight, the juxtaposition so exaggerated but truly real is humbling. A baby penguin staring intently and curiously at a set of human footprints in the sand is beyond delightfully charming. A silhouette of a species nesting, living, eating, functioning through the intense chlorophyll green of a leaf, outstanding. It is nature at its best, it's most dynamic, graceful and honest.

I am in awe of this yes, but for good reason i assure you,. Currently on at The Natural History Museum until April 2011.

http://www.nhm.ac.uk/visit-us/whats-on/temporary-exhibitions/wpy/index.jsp

Sunday 9 January 2011

Dame Vivienne Westwood wears the infamous 'Chaos' headband on Radio 4's 'Any Questions?'

Renouned Fashion Designer and more recent attributed environmental and humanist activist Dame Vivienne Westwood who herself protested during the G20 summit, wears the same headband branding 'Chaos' (for the audience granted) whilst taking a seat amoungst a current and political panel.

Insightful.

Her sweet natured voice does however, and do not be fooled, muffle an incredibly hearty, dedicated and opinionated woman who will not soften her words or take any prisoners when a strong and defensive voice needs to be heard, or a presence felt.

If you missed the show... Listen in.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00x45c7/Any_Questions_07_01_2011/