Photographers

Tim Walker

I've spent a couple of weeks thinking about choosing which photographer I admire most. And I have decided that it is Tim Walker (but Juergen Teller and Guy Bourdin came very close). I know that the Tim Walker fairytale style is being copied all the time, but I think he has such a great, broad body of work. At home we have several really big Tim Walker books and my favourite thing about looking through them is looking at his sketchbooks. He is so intelligent and the way he executes his vision so well is fantastic. Very similar to the way Wes Anderson is with his films, in my opinion.

I couldn't resist taking some photos of my favourite spreads from his book ....

I most relate to the set of images below that he shot for Vogue Italia, September 2010. Tim doesn't take shortcuts, he's admitted to not even knowing how to use photoshop and so he has to create these magical worlds from his head in reality,  and I think he does it so beautifully. In my own practice, I try to make as much 3D things as I can rather than doing editing, as I think it stops you cutting corners and makes you consider what you want to create so much more. This editorial is so charming, I love that you can see fingers in the frame of the sign and all the strings - there is no hiding in these images and I think that's fantastic!

Valerie + Shows/Galleries/Events (vi)

Valerie Phillips

At the start of August I was introduced super cool lady called Valerie Phillips. She is an awesome photographer and also makes brilliant skateboarding zines with French. My sister and I popped in to see her show at Claire de Rouen Books (on Charing Cross Rd). The show was a montage of her photographs, like a scrap book, there's lots to look at and the exhibition space is lovely and bright. Plus Claire de Rouen is a specialist fashion books and magazine shop which is worth visiting.  

 

I think this quote totally sums up what Valerie and her work is all about ...

"I have done two modelling shoots with her. If I was to be a photographer I would do what she does, Valerie works in fashion but it's not what you think. Most people think of fashion as "it has to be perfect" and people don't eat. But what she does is different. Whoever is modelling will be relaxed, they don't need to pose or be skinny or be pretty. She likes them for who they are. On shoots they can do what they want not what others want. Valerie wants peoples personalities in the shoot so if you see one photo you know what you are looking at. "   -- Elle Farrow, age 12

http://valeriephillips.com/

Keef

Keith Haring + Pop-up Shops

Keith Haring is one of my favourites. But it's not just his imagery that I like, I also agree with his approach to making art/design. When we were little our parents used to always wear his tees and carry bags with his designs from his Popshop in nyc, before the foundation shut it down. So I've always been familiar with his imagery. Keith got a lot of negative reactions from his decision to turn his art into a brand and plaster his imagery every where - subways, nightclubs, Grace Jones, museums, wherever. But I think that a lot of art isn't affordable for everyone and isn't that accessible. But to me Keith's work is so accessible to everyone, his images form an international language. I think that it was great that he opened his pop-shop and created merchandise, so that kids could by a badge from his shop for twenty cent meanwhile his originals $50,000 (but wayy more today). I don't think there should be snobbery in art/design and that's why I think Haring was so great.

I would definitely recommend to read his journals. The way he considers "occupying a space" entirely when putting on a show, really made me think about how I can make more of an impact in my own practice. I think affordable, considered art is something that can me amazing when done well. Making the masses feel a connection, like how much I love Grayson Perry's silk scarves for  seventy pounds. and how much I think it is brilliant despite so many others having it.  Keith Haring's Popshop was revolutionary in my opinion, but in a time when everyone is doing pop-up shops (even Comme Des Garcons) it is something that perhaps seems to be having less of an impact ...

not the best quality, but worth a watch

RIP

Shows/Galleries/Events (v)

Pitt Rivers Museum

Pitt Rivers is Oxford University's collection of anthropology and world archaeology. With high, high ceilings and tall glass cabinets displaying shrunken heads and necklaces made from the hair of Queen Elizabeth I's hair balls, it is a fantastically peculiar place. They even give you torches so you can see what's at the back of the deep cabinets. The last time I visited I must have been half the age I am now and remember being absolutely scared out of my mind by what surrounded me. But this summer, I could handle it.

the more "natural history museum style" wing of Pitt Rivers

The part of the museum that caught my attention on my visit was a temporary exhibition, in a side wing of the museum, with a far more modern interior compared to the rest of the museum. The show was called "Made for Trade". Here I learnt about the trade of coffins in Ghana, through an ace film. These contemporary coffins are themed relating to the deceased's trade or past time. I think they are fantastic coffins! But it seems such a shame to bury something so beautiful, made with such skills into the ground not to be seen. Here are some examples of some of the coffins ...

 coffin for a fisherman

coffin for a shoe maker

coffin for a farmer?

The show runs till 2013

Love or hate?

Mad Jack Fuller's Pyramid

This is a piece of design that I encountered over the holidays that I love.  It is one of Fuller's follies* in Brightling, East Sussex. This 23 ft pyramid tomb was built in 1811, twenty three years before his death standing at 7.6m tall. Local legend had it that Fuller was entombed in the pyramid in full dress and top hat, seated at a table with a roast chicken and a bottle of wine.

I like this design because it is just so ridiculous and extravagant. Absolutely frivolous! Fitting totally out of place in the village and around the other (more modest) graves. It reminded me of inequality so much when I was looking at it. To me it says that if you are bossy enough and have enough money you can do whatever you want. And I guess people still do that today but not necessarily with giant monumental pyramids but through trade exploitation and mal treatment of others.

It also reminds me of a film I watched at Pitt Rivers Museum in August, about coffins (read about it here). Sorry, this is the most I have ever written about graves/coffins/tombs ever.

 * a folly is a "foolish and useless but expensive undertaking"

What are they up to? (ii)

Andy Rementer

Andy Rementer is the best. I love his illustrations and animations so much. We wrote letters to each other and swapped zines a while back. He's based in Philadelphia which is pretty cool. Cool guy.

His work is so bold and has lots of movement in and it always makes me laugh out loud.

Back in June he did a poster for It's Nice That. But I've just had a peek at his blog and he's been up to lots of editorial illustrations.  

His paintings are my favourite. 

An illustration for Good

Poster for issue six

New York Times

*none of the images above are mine

The Future

In ten years time I will be ...

It's hard enough for me to think about what I'll be up to in ten months time, yet alone ten years!
I will be 29 years old. And hopefully I will be up to all the things that I'm up to now but doing more collaborations, in different places and on a bigger scale. And hopefully being crazy busy, there's nothing worse than nothing to do. And still learning loads.

Links to websites that I like (iv)

http://www.facesinplaces.blogspot.com/

This is a really fun blog which is a collection of faces, in places. Which is something I always find myself guilty of taking photographs of, too.

a face in a place that I spotted in nyc

Stella!

 

I really love fashion, but sometimes I think for the wrong reasons. Stella McCartney's christmas windows always make me so happy. It's great to see such novelty lights among Louis V and Chanel on New Bond St each December. Brilliant.

What are they up to? (i)

Michael Marriott

Michael Marriott's work is ace. When I'm older I would love to have a house kitted out with his furniture! I love how he is so honest with materials and the functionality of his work. Years and years ago I remember he did this stall at the V&A village fete and it was a rocking on chairs competition and whoever could rock for the longest won one of his chairs - I was pants. But MM was very impressive at it.

Anyway, at the moment Michael is part of a show at KK Outlet in Hoxton called "Object Abuse" The show opens tomorrow, so I will definitely be going down. Plus Dominic Wilcox is in the show too, I love his work too. Michael has created a paella table. How functional - yum!

genius.