Surf's Up!!

Dirty Gold - California Sunrise from Panaframe ▲ on Vimeo.

For the famed Cali-shooter, Leroy Grannis, this utterly beautiful video is as close to surf-porn as it gets!! Sitting here, Boxing Day, with last nights Morgan's spiced rum marinating my liver, I just took these three-odd minutes and used them well. I have never felt so close to 'doing' the West Coast, USA. What a treat! Although, in reality, it's probably mutated from this zen, trendy, surf/skate Mecca, to more like a gross, obvious, over-commercialized, hell-pit, much like Great Yarmouth. C'est la vie!!

Ben Lamb

I saw these about a week ago, and instantly fell in love. Oi Polloi, them trendy bastards, have only gone and commissioned a super-talented illustrator, Ben Lamb, to design a series of über-cool cards. The range starts with three standout American heroes in the shape of Hunter S Thompson alias The Good Doctor, Jack Nicholson as George Hanson in Easy Rider, and of course the King of Cool himself - Steve McQueen. What's more, even eco-warriors will be pleased to know the cards are printed on 100% recycled paper, using soya based inks. Buy them all! Quick!!

FREE VOINA!!

Voina (Воина) have got to be up there as one of the World's most controversial performance art groups!! Hailing from Russia, their works are extremely provocative and politically charged, which is why at present it has members behind bars! The group was founded in 2007 by philosophy students at Lomonosov Moscow State University and is led by Petr Verzilov and Oleg Vorotnikov who conceive works that act/work as 'protest political street action art'.

Voina came to widespread public attention with their 2008 work Fuck for the heir Teddy Bear!, when they staged a "mass fuck" (массовая ебля) the day before the election of Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, whose last name is derived from the word medved, "bear" in Russian. Five couples involved with Voina, including one pregnant woman four days from giving birth, had public sex in Moscow's Timirayzev State Museum of Biology.

The groups reasons for Fuck for the heir are as follows, "We do not have a goal to necessarily be radical provocateurs. We have a goal to be honest artists and tell what we think. We think that the government fucks the people, and the people like this. This is why the action 'Fuck for the heir Puppy Bear' was born". They continued to say that, "This is a portrait of pre-election Russia: everybody fucks each other, and the puppy bear looks at that with an unconcealed scorn".

Currently, Oleg Vorotnikov along with Leonid Nikolayev have been detained by the Moscow police in connection with an anti-corruption protest, and possibly face a seven year prison sentence. In response to their detention, controversial street-graffiti artist/enigma Banksy decided to raise money for the 2 artists by donating all the proceeds of a recent online print sale, raising £80,000 for Voina's cause.

Taken from The Moscow News, Banksy approached the group at the weekend. “[He] asked his journalist friends to find us and personally offer us help. On Dec. 11 at midnight in London and 3.00 am in Moscow his journalist friends found us and discussed everything. We thanked him for his help and brought his attention to the problem of the extermination of human rights in Russia,” Alexei Plutser-Sarno, Voina’s chief ideologist, told gzt.ru.

Voina has directed many of its actions at state officials and politicians, saying they are part of a war waged for the “destruction of outdated repressive-patriarchal socio-political symbols and ideologies,” the Guardian reported. Go Voina! BE FREE!!

Gold Panda

2010 is swiftly closing for business, if you hadn't noticed! It's time to take a look back on some stuff that has been fresh and engaging musically. First for me, left-field producer and remixer, Derwin, or Gold Panda, who has been dreamy. The great thing about him really is the processes of his creation. I seem to be on this theme quite a bit at present! Seriously though, how can you not love the idea of Mr. Panda scouring charity shops for old records and VHS tapes, which he then turns into distorted samples, wrapping them in minimal, warm beats. 'Snow & Taxis' & 'Peaky Caps' are 2 tracks that are essential in a summation of anything aural this year!!

His work

Michael Craig-Martin's work has always been vibrant and compelling. I stumbled across this article the other day discussing his work processes, and more widely, his career development. For me, the idea of 'digitalism' is enthralling, as Craig-Martin, as a man of an older disposition, has fully embraced the uses of technology within the process of his work. But, he makes the rules between himself and machine. Seemingly relieved, he said "I could scan all the separate images that I wanted to assemble on to the computer, which was unbelievably liberating for me. My work process was tediously slow in the past, and the implications of making even the smallest change were immense, but now I can make 1,000 changes and think nothing of doing 100 drawings" Insightful. A lovely look at ideas and views, that'd otherwise usually be contained within the inner-sanctum of four studio walls.

Berlin, Tempelhof

Situated in the south-central borough of Tempelhof-Schöneberg, this airport is haunting. Creepy, to the point that I want to go to the city just to make a ethereal 6-minute long silent film on Super8 - being wheeled around on a baggage trolley, shooting from ground level, of this now derelict shell. A film that contemplates not just the greatness of the space, the beauty in it's pre-war structure, but also its tormented Nazi past. Albert Speer, chief architect for the Third Reich, was in charge of designing all the Nazis building projects, the more grandiose, the better. Tempelhof was one of Europe's most iconic pre-WWII airports, which in its history has boasted having the world's smallest duty-free shop. However, in the 1930s, like most of Berlin, it took on the Nazis, lost, and got all expanded and redeveloped!!

The old terminal was replaced with a new terminal building in 1934. The airport halls and the adjoining buildings, intended to become the gateway to Europe and a symbol of Hitler's "World capital" Germania, are still known as one of the largest built entities worldwide, and have been described by British architect Sir Norman Foster as "the mother of all airports". With its façades of shell limestone, the terminal building, built between 1936 and 1941, forms a 1.2 kilometre long quadrant. Arriving passengers would have walked through customs controls to the reception hall. Interestingly, and less controversially, this is the birthplace of the German national airline, Lufthansa, which was founded in Tempelhof on 6 January 1926.

Parquetry

Yesterday I decided to make some, well, pictures(?!) around the topic of parquetry. Simply, parquet is a geometric mosaic of wood pieces used for decorative effect. The two main uses of parquetry are as veneer patterns on furniture and block patterns for flooring. The past states, floors were highly valued and earned attention at all times, apparently. In Europe by the 17th century, masters had achieved perfection in producing art parquet - patterns that are entirely geometrical and angular - squares, triangles, lozenges etc. Art parquet developed in Russia very fast with the most popular parquet installation technique - herringbone.

Henrik Potter, other than being a real decent bloke, has done some work around flooring. Not specifically because of an burning infatuation with parquet and its techniques, craft, grandeur, and aesthetic, like in my case. His flooring solutions were made out of wanting to cover 'ugly spaces'. His floors are more substantial than my masking tape/card efforts, as Potter uses 8'x4' 12mm plywood, tape of various sorts and not just one, but yes! Two varnishes. You really can tell, can't you!(?!?!)

RE: Coleman

Man! Totally forgot how much I love shooting medium format! After seeing that lads photo's the other day, got me trawling through my efforts. I stumbled across these! Taken on a family trip to Cornwall, they are of the rough seas and torn coastline looking westerly from Tintagel (castle) - known for its association with the legend surrounding King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. I feel that these images share a mysteriousness, like Coleman's. I also find that they have a fatalistic feel to them. Especially the third image down, a real land/sea-defined effort.

Joe Coleman

I have never felt overly awed by Australia. I have family there, have never been, and am not too bothered about going, well, just yet anyway. Stumbling onto these photographs though has definitely given me some food for thought. It's not all sprawling beaches of vast (boring?!) golden sand! Joe Coleman captures the ruggedness that Oz has to offer in a collage-y, over-exposed and vivid manner.

He seems to lead a pretty bohemian existence, with life, unsurprisingly, centering around the coast. He shoots off basic gear, which adds to the aesthetic of his work - using, for the moment, mainly a Yashica FX-3, Contax t2 and Smena 8m. Other work from Coleman is more subject driven, but it's his ethereal, geological, surfy-fused pictures that drew me in. Check out his pictures and words here!

Creating something iconic

I can't stop listening to The Strokes seminal debut work Is This It. I can't stop listening to it so much that I have even, rashly, just bought the US Import version of the same CD for a whole £4.99 (it's all about the different cover artwork, and the omission of the track New York City Cops for When It Started - a decision taken in light of the 9/11 terror just as the record was going to press/being released in 2001)

The album is just brilliant. Basically, it was the birth of late 90s/early noughties Garage Rock Revival, or as it has become more widely know as... all-out Indie music. Moving away from the mire of grunge was more than welcome, by myself, if not by anyone else. Although, for those who don't know, this record made The Strokes HUGE, so I think the sentiment was shared!! It's such an optimistic set of tracks, fast-paced, romantic, modern, and joyous. What's more, the album has a beautiful 'stuck-in-time-ness' about it. It encapsulates the time it came from so perfectly, carefree. It basically involved getting drunk, having fun, no pretension, and not giving a fuck! Summed up in Someday.

Anyway, I have got totally sidetracked. I wanted to get into Roman Coppola, the director for all the bands videos off Is This It. They are real simple, jokey and enjoyable affairs, which resonates and sympathise with the tone of the record. For instance, Last Night shows the band simply set up in a studio, drinking and playing, basic. This was a tried-and-tested method that the Arctic Monkeys re-used (ahem!) out-right copied when it was realised that they were going to be the biggest thing since, well... The Strokes!! Someday, shows the band indulging in fun. They appear in a (forced) Family Fortunes style panel show, and their being playful. Yet, an intimacy is shared on camera, as shots from the game-show are cut with time spent with friends, chilling in downtown bar in New York.

Hard To Explain has to be the most memorable and intriguing vids, out of them all, as it questions what you see, and questions life at large. Coppola's direction is clever, he introduces the band subtly, and plays his part in being controversial by including sexual content, images of bombs, etc. whilst keeping the image of the band... very, innocent-looking! Dropped after the video for for sci-fi effort on 12:51, that seems to be the end of their love affair! But what a great and iconic one it was!!

Best

I've been listening to a bit of Best Coast lately, and on further internet-based research, they definitely win for the best photo's, found images, discography, general interesting shit, etc. How befitting as their music is dreamy. Above shows a range of lovely associated images - drenched in everything L.A. They encapsulate all my thoughts on what the sunny West Coast of America is like... I will go, one day!

Chasing Legends

Short Synopsis
There is no greater sporting event in all of cycling than the Tour de France. Chasing Legends touches on the rich history, passion and true grit of The Tour as seen through the eyes of Team HTC Columbia along with commentary from Phil Liggett, Paul Sherwen, Eddy Merckx, Lance Armstrong and some of the sports most prolific hero's. With a stunning array of HD cameras, poignant and touching interviews, "Chasing Legends" will take viewers deeper into the pro peloton than ever on a roller coaster ride of action, story and emotion. I can't wait to see this film on Thursday!!

It's gonna be Freize-ing...

This weekend will be the second time that I visit Freize Art Fair, however, it probably won't be cold. I must say that I think £25 is pretty steep for entry, but it is the UKs most important 'pop-up' Art emporium for the four days of the 14-17 October. With somewhere in the region of 170 galleries from around the world, showing, Freize provides a unique opportunity to see and buy work by leading artists, more of just the 'seeing' will be done I reckon...

A redeeming highlight I'm sure though, will be (one of the main justifications for said ticket price) the artist talks that Freize, being an art-world heavyweight, can draw in for questioning! Last year it was Baldessari, this year, no other than Wolfgang Tillmans and 60s Op-Art pioneer, Bridget Riley. Both are cracking minds that will no doubt be tapped! Hopefully, I will get in early enough to get a ticket to see Riley revealing all! Freize - a good crack if you've never been!

Less for murder...

This month, sometime(?!), my dear mother and father will be celebrating their Silver wedding anniversary. I can't really afford anything silver, mainly because I buy too many clothes - of which, probably a good half are soon regretful purchases or, sold on eBay, for a loss. Anyway, my irrational spending habits are not important now.

What to get them, y'know, as a gift?? Hmm. I have a past of buying them weird presents. I mean, for instance, last Christmas I bought my mum a designer wash-board, the sort that you put clean dishes on to dry. My dad, a corkscrew. Therefore, this beautiful wine carafe from Sagaform seems to fit the criterium of not silver, affordable, looks-more-expensive-than-it-is, good quality, and bloody nice looking!

"Sagaform stands for joyful, innovative gifts for the kitchen and the set table. Indoors and outdoors. Joyful gifts for friends or family, or to spoil yourself with. Sagaform wants its brand and product range to be the obvious gift choice..." The gambit from their website. I seem to have made a inspired choice - a perfect gift to mark the occasion I feel! Just need to hope that my brother and sisters don't look at my blog to steal my idea, and that John Lewis deliver it in one piece!

Friday.

Yes, Friday. It means payday, which means I can finally get me a copy of Netsky's debut album, titled his namesake. I have not heard any decent D&B probably since Chase & Status. Descending from lowly Belgium, Netsky will soon be a household name by the end of November!He has a string of UK dates throughout October. I guarantee these nights will be huge, and the deserved limelight will be shone all over his live shows and their forthcoming escapades. Pirate Bay is a thumping track that doesn't get tiresome (a problem common with a lot of drum and bass), as for the rest of the album, I will have to report back when I get my mitts on it! I'm excited!!

Tame Impala can mean anything...

In this instance, they are a band. It's funny, as I look for some pictures of these grungy Aussie's, all I can find are images that look like they have come out of a Tame Impala biopic. Of course such thing doesn't exist, not in the slightest, but they have a good photographer. Or maybe it's more that they know how to find real enjoyment in what they do, and so when it's captured it's authentic and genuine.

I thought I would do this post, as last night I saw Noel Fielding tweeting about how he had an adoration for what these self-proclaimed 'psychedelic hypno-groove melodic rockers' are doing. His Twitteratti is way more far-reaching than my loyal following, and everyone knows, really, what Fielding says, goes...

So yeah, I was on to this one though, a week ago at least! But I'm not going to say anything... I don't need to, as Tame Impala say it best themselves, 'it's bombastic but it's swirling, think of the shoulder bones of a giant striding feline creature through some kind of tunnel. If Tame Impala's music reminds you of what you'd want to put on when you next visit your mind's engine room then they're happy. If not, whatever, it's just music. Put it on when the sun next shines. Basically it's all about the feeling'.

They are a much better Kula Shaker. They mix up a lot of influence from past psychedelic bands from the 60s and 70s, such as The Castaways, The Electric Prunes and The Amboy Dukes. With less than a handful of dates playing the UK at the back end of October, be sure not to miss them. Skeleton Tiger and Desire Be, Desire Go are standout tracks... while Solitude Is Bliss is a biggy too!!

A sore loser...

So, naturally, I am not an overly emotional person. But today was a sad day. My love affair with the 1.0 litre VW purple Polo has ended. I feel as though I have had my man-hood severed from me, in one brutal blow. As I asked my Mum to take a picture of the car and I, my little sister laughed and rolled her eyes. "Why do you need a picture", she said. Well, she has little understanding of what it is like to have a car, as she has only had a handful of lessons. But for me, this car has been a massive part of my life. My first car, and it's been this way since before I had even learnt to drive.

I remember when we first took the similar model, navy, 5-door hatchback out for a test-drive a good fourteen years ago. We went up to Hunstanton for a picnic on the beach, a sunny day. We were being sold 'the dream' at that point. I remember the salesman twisting my Dad's arm, as he suggested 'think of all the freedom you and your wife can have'. Little did the salesman at the time know that this same car would be used to teach not just myself, but my older sister, and younger brother how to drive. The same non-power assisted steering, the same unresponsive brakes, the same dodgy heating system, bad window wipers, lack of air-bag's...

The runs it has made. The memories that have been shared. Catherine crashed it. I have had some scrapes in it. James most probably thrashed it about?! We all had our fun, and were granted independence! What a joy. That's why it is sad to see it go! I myself crammed it full of possessions, a drum kit, my new bike, 6 friends at once, let someone else drive it, the list goes on... It did day trips, break-ups, booze runs, hospital dashes, long distance treks, shared exam success, sporting failure, literally everything. It truly was a great car, and it will always have a soft spot in my heart.

Bye!

J'aime le Cyclisme

I was whoring around some blogs the other day, mainly bike ones, looking for ideas for a potential new fixed-wheel purchase, when I came across this. The Periodic Table of Professional Cycling. Covering all the key races, classifications, countries, durations, and all in an elemental style, this is excellent. It's kind of like a takeaway menu for cycling - something to feast on!

Grachvogel: Summer 2011

My knowledge of any Fashion Week related stuff is very, very limited. Bowie's song is playing in my mind, as I try and form some words that are remotely relevant to women's clothing. Probably not the best start-point?? Or maybe it is...

I have paid no particular attention to London Fashion Week. Period. I know it's relevance to the world of trends, looks, make-up, hair etc. How big chains like your Topshop's and H&M's basically reproduce imitation copies of catwalk gems. Whilst, apparently, London has become trendy again, as it's fashion week had been shunned by the big name critics from Vogue et al. over the past year or two, but has now fallen back into favour this September...

My personal interaction with this years Fashion Week came from an unlikely source... a tabloid newspaper. I don't know if Maria Grachvogel would be particularly jubilant for this kind of exposure. I am sensing her clientele is probably a bit more high-brow, but hey, any exposure is good exposure, right?!

According to LFW, Grachvogel is reported to be "a well loved label of all aficionados of fine design. Established in 1994 and shown for the first time at London Fashion Week in 1995, the Maria Grachvogel label is a secret of many of the world’s most stylish women including Angelina Jolie, Marie Helvin and Yasmin Le Bon".

For me, I really loved her show for Summer 2011. Half of it mixes an array of bland creams, soft browns, pale greys, and lemon yellows, in very clean-cut floaty dresses, skirts, high-waisted trousers, and loose-fitting tops.

The elements of block-brightness in her collection do shout Summer! A crazy statement I know, so I will apologise in advance, but I can envisage a lot of upper class French women, lunching, smoking, and drinking white wine on a vista in Monte-Carlo in these lovely garments. Real class and luxury.

The second part of her show presents a lovely abstract contrast. Again, long, floaty dresses are at the focal point, with clean silhouettes being the product of such styling. More thankfully too, it's not a distasteful kind of abstract.

Swirls and slanted verticals of dark navy, petrol blues, greens, yellows, and orange, all sound garish when mixed, but I would love to see a woman strolling through Madrid, high-Summer, big shades, simple make-up, straight hair, strappy Roman sandals, and one of these beautiful Grachvogel numbers!

Femininity is the winner here. Although some items might appear a little baggy (sack-like), this collection is very celebratory of the female form. The designers garments sit unobtrusively, draped comfortably whilst being very slinky, sexy, and thus highlighting the beauty of natural curvature. A lovely, Summery collection.