Amelia’s Magazine | Pre-London Fashion Week interview: fashion designer Flik Hall


Illustration by Karolina Burdon

Young designer Flik Hall may have only set up her eponymous label in 2009, order buy but she has already gained a following for her bold silhouettes and eye-popping prints. About to showcase her fourth collection at LFW, we caught up with Flik to hear all about working with Henry Holland, her fashion predictions for the new season, and why she thinks print design is having ‘a moment’.  

You worked with Henry Holland and Giles Deacon – what did you learn from your time there, and do you think their design aesthetic has influenced yours?
I learnt very different things from each of them. Henry taught me how to structure a business and working there opened my eyes to all the other things that that go into making a successful career in fashion design. He showed me you have to focus on so many different angles and that you should not cultivate an exact path for yourself and instead be open to new ideas and projects.

Working at Giles I learnt a lot about formulating prints and attention to detail. I think because we used to experiment with so many materials or objects that one would not directly associate with fashion, it helped to broaden my fundamental associations of what we can draw from. I wouldn’t however say they’ve influenced my design aesthetic directly.


Illustration by LJG Art and Illustration

What inspired your latest collection?
I took inspiration from looking into the lives of Mexican families and the altars that they display in their homes. The altars would appear chaotic, but seemed very beautiful to me at the same time. Many are juxtapositions of items such as family memorabilia –  they would be filled with dolls of all description in various outfits, some bigger and smaller than others. I was drawn to the interesting spaces shaped in-between the dolls in some of the altars, which was what led me to experiment with porcelain doll arms for my prints.

The hessian I used in the collection is a fabric that plays a great part in (the Mexican families) lives – used as table clothes, clothing and even as bags for collecting sweet corn.

How much do you think you’ve come on since your first collection?
I still have so much to learn, I’m still a novice in many respects – but sometimes that can work as an advantage. I feel as though with every season I manage to channel my ideas that little bit better; I’m also imbued with all that happened in the previous season, and that little bit more capable and confident.


Illustration by Christina Cerosio

Do you have any advice for aspiring designers – where to get started, and how to set up your own label?
Stay focused, work hard, be open-minded and get carried away.

How do you create a print – what is the process behind each one?
With the baby arm prints for my S/S 2011 collection, I found a box of old porcelain limbs at a flea market – I think they were previously used for set design. I arranged them in heaps of different variations on the floor on a white background and took photos. I then cut the images up, put them together like a puzzle, and ended up trying to form abstract shapes to replicate semantic signals, crosses, sound waves, and stained glass windows.

With the rise of designers like Erdem and Peter Pilotto, do you think print design is having a moment?
Yes, I totally think the relationship between print and fashion is very prominent at the moment. I especially think with the scope of so much new technology available, the way we understand print is challenged all the time. I digitally print on leather and until fairly recently only traditional methods were available. These kinds of changes mean there is a lot more to experiment with, and a greater variation in the style of work print designers are creating. I think that both Erdem and Peter Pilotto fuse their cut with colour and print really well, they both treat print so differently.


Illustration by Danni Bradford

What are your plans for the label?
To continue with the label, consistent with the ethos with which I started it. I’m expanding the size of my collection this season which is exciting because I normally have about three times more looks that don’t make the final collection. It’s nice because there are always two or three pieces I regret not including – there’s less scope for regret this time around!

Any New Year’s resolutions?
I want to learn something totally new. I still haven’t worked out what it is yet though. I would quite like to learn how to restore antique jewellery.

London Fashion Week is just around the corner – what are your fashion predictions for A/W 2011, or what would you like to see people wearing?
Firstly I would like to see people investing in well made designer pieces that they love, independent of them been ‘on trend’ or throw away fashion. I would like to see more people wearing turtle-necks, vintage undergarments and garments with more heavy duty embellishments.

Name the most inspiring place or person in London…
Victor Wynd’s little shop of horrors The Last Tuesday Society on Mare Street.

Any other new designers you think are ‘one’s to watch’?
I love Lily Heine’s MA collection; the building up of layers is beautiful like an intricate carving.  I also really like Scott Arnold’s contrasting use of fabrics in his BA show. I think there will be interesting things to come from him.

How would you describe the archetypal ‘Flik Hall girl’, or is there anyone in particular you design for?
She has a lot of conviction and marches to her own drum.

Find Flik Hall at Not Just a Label

Categories ,A/W 2011, ,Antique jewellery, ,digital, ,Erdem, ,fabric, ,fashion, ,Flik Hall, ,Giles Deacon, ,Henry Holland, ,interview, ,Lily Heine, ,London Fashion Week, ,Mare Street, ,mexico, ,Not Just a Label, ,Peter Pilotto, ,print, ,Scott Arnold, ,The Last Tuesday Society, ,Victor Wynd

Similar Posts:






Amelia’s Magazine | Introducing the New Illamasqua Fragrance: Freak

Illamasqua Freak Perfume by Francesca Harris
Illamasqua Freak Perfume by Francesca Harris.

Freak, pill the first perfume from Illamasqua, is officially launched tomorrow. The Illamasqua brand is of course known for its bold approach to bodily decoration, so it follows that their first foray into the world of fragrance is strong and unique:

Illamasqua-Freak-by-Jessica-Knight
Illamasqua Freak by Jessica Knight.

Freak is concocted from extracts of Datura, Opium Flower, Frankincense, Black Davana, Poison Hemlock (presumably rendered harmless in perfume form) and Queen of the Night. These ‘mysterious midnight blooms‘ create a heady mix which is certainly not for the faint hearted.

Freak-perfume-illamasqua

Also launching on 20th October are some limited edition complementary make up products, including Pure Pigment in Queen of the Night, which is a deep blackened plum that can be used to create a dramatic eye.

ALEX BOX by Faye West
Alex Box Love by Faye West.

If all of this sends you into a tizz, then why not immerse yourself fully in the intoxicating world of Freak? There’s a chance to win two highly prized tickets to the Freak Masked Ball on Saturday 29th October, hosted in conjunction with The Last Tuesday Society. The winners will also receive £200 spending money and exclusive dance lessons. What are you waiting for?

Categories ,Black Davana, ,Datura, ,Faye West, ,Fragrance, ,Francesca Harris, ,Frankincense, ,Freak, ,Freak Masked Ball, ,Illamasqua, ,Jessica Knight, ,Launch, ,Limited Edition, ,Make-up, ,Opium Flower, ,Perfume, ,Poison Hemlock, ,Pure Pigment in Queen of the Night, ,Queen of the Night, ,The Last Tuesday Society

Similar Posts:






Amelia’s Magazine | Dark fairytale: An interview with artist and illustrator Natasha Chambers

Babylon Twins

Dreamy, try intricate details dominate Natasha Chambers’ work, viagra sale and you can easily imagine her immersed in creation, viagra sitting by a large window overlooking some light-drenched Cornish beach. Cups of tea go cold as she pieces together the exquisite tiny patterns or the bold colours of her latest ‘Bywa’ series, a homage to the stories and beauty of Cornwall. But as Natasha has entitled one of her collages, ‘You need chaos in your soul to give birth to a dancing star’ – there are also hints of darkness underneath all the beauty. You can’t have one without the other.

Watergate (part of Bywa)

Most of your work has an amazing level of detail, be it the horses as waves, embroidery patterns or the butterfly wings. It’s beautiful, but it must be very time-consuming?
It is really time consuming, but I get all my satisfaction from the details. It’s a double-edged sword because these details also drive me mad. Sometimes the dots and lines imprint themselves in my head in the same way as when you look at the sun and then look away and you see suddenly see black spots.

There seems to be a lot of nostalgia in your work, or maybe this is just what it feels like when a piece of art focuses on nature? Do you consider yourself a nostalgic person?
I suppose I am a nostalgic person – and perhaps nature and childhood are synonymous in these feelings of the past. I have a box on my dresser, a treasure box if you like that could belong to a magpie, where I hoard broken bits of things that I have picked up over the years that I am unable to part with.

Yesterday

While the work is very pretty, there are also plenty of slightly twisted elements within the art, with the snakes and skulls. Do you do this to create contrasts, or is it because beauty on its own can be a bit, well, dull?
With every fairy tale there is always a dark side that creates tension with its lighter facade. You only have to think of the stories of Hans Christian Andersen, the fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm or even Walt Disney to see there is always this balance. Imagine Snow White without the Evil Queen.

In Stitches

I first saw your work at the Last Tuesday Society’s Beasts Royal exhibition (review here), and you’ve been part of prior shows there as well. Could you tell us a bit about what it’s like to work with the amazing Last Tuesday Society please?
Mr Wynd has a fine collection of treasures. His shop makes you feel like a child in sweetshop, so I was obviously very pleased to have some work there. The show Beasts Royal was curated by Alice Herrick, who also curates the House of Fairy Tales with Gavin Turk and Deborah Curtis. Their shows are consistently beautiful and intriguing – bringing together a wonderful selection of artists to show in some great spaces. Shows have included the exquisite trove exhibition at the Newlyn Art Gallery and the House of Fairy Tales at the Saatchi Gallery and Millennium Gallery in St Ives. In Newlyn, each artist was invited to donate an object of interest to them either created or found to create a wonderful cabinet of curiosities amongst a plethora of carefully selected objects from museums across the Cornish county.

Bowerbird (part of Beasts Royal)

How do you build up your work? What inspires you?
It usually evolves through many stages and I work using quite a ramshackle but huge library of reference material. I am especially inspired by the narrative form of literature. I studied storytelling in LA and whilst I thought I would become a writer realised I was more interested in the static image. At some point I would like to return to the written word. I can remember quite vividly the books I was read as a child from their images, they’re works of art that are very engraved into my psyche.

Polzeath (part of Bywa)

The Bywa series seems different from your other work. There is less detail, but there’s also really wonderful use of colour with the green clouds and pink sky. I especially love Polzeath, the one with white-patterned sand and skies. What’s the inspiration behind this series?
I live in Cornwall, and apart from the stunning beauty of the area I live in, it is also rich in legends and it feels like the land itself breaths this ancient folkloric history. I find it very inspiring. Bywa means ‘to be alive’ in Cornish, or Kernuek. I thought this was an appropriate title especially given as the work became vividly coloured. The most recent pieces in the series, such as St Enodoc and Watergate, are almost made up entirely of dots and lines and are very intricate. St Enodoc even has a few lines of one of Sir John Betjeman’s poems half hidden in a cloud – he was very fond of this part of Cornwall and is now buried in the church.

Yellow

You do commissioned work for magazines, music and advertising. How did you go from being a design student to being a successful working artist?
After I graduated I was forced to do commercial work as a way of creating income but these projects were also useful in developing technical and artistic confidence and also a linguistic freedom. I have gradually tried to spend more and more time on my own work. I’m currently working some new ideas for an exhibition coming up, but also some commissions and other work.

Natasha Chambers

See more of Natasha Chambers’ work on her website.

Categories ,Alice Herrick, ,art, ,Beasts Royal, ,Brothers Grimm, ,Bywa, ,Cornwall, ,Deborah Curtis, ,Disney, ,Fairy tales, ,Gavin Turk, ,Hans Christian Andersen, ,House of Fairy Tales, ,Millennium Gallery, ,Natasha Chambers, ,nature, ,Newlyn Art Gallery, ,Saatchi Gallery, ,Sir John Betjeman, ,storytelling, ,The Last Tuesday Society, ,Viktor Wynd Fine Art

Similar Posts:






Amelia’s Magazine | Dark fairytale: An interview with artist and illustrator Natasha Chambers

Babylon Twins

Dreamy, try intricate details dominate Natasha Chambers’ work, viagra sale and you can easily imagine her immersed in creation, viagra sitting by a large window overlooking some light-drenched Cornish beach. Cups of tea go cold as she pieces together the exquisite tiny patterns or the bold colours of her latest ‘Bywa’ series, a homage to the stories and beauty of Cornwall. But as Natasha has entitled one of her collages, ‘You need chaos in your soul to give birth to a dancing star’ – there are also hints of darkness underneath all the beauty. You can’t have one without the other.

Watergate (part of Bywa)

Most of your work has an amazing level of detail, be it the horses as waves, embroidery patterns or the butterfly wings. It’s beautiful, but it must be very time-consuming?
It is really time consuming, but I get all my satisfaction from the details. It’s a double-edged sword because these details also drive me mad. Sometimes the dots and lines imprint themselves in my head in the same way as when you look at the sun and then look away and you see suddenly see black spots.

There seems to be a lot of nostalgia in your work, or maybe this is just what it feels like when a piece of art focuses on nature? Do you consider yourself a nostalgic person?
I suppose I am a nostalgic person – and perhaps nature and childhood are synonymous in these feelings of the past. I have a box on my dresser, a treasure box if you like that could belong to a magpie, where I hoard broken bits of things that I have picked up over the years that I am unable to part with.

Yesterday

While the work is very pretty, there are also plenty of slightly twisted elements within the art, with the snakes and skulls. Do you do this to create contrasts, or is it because beauty on its own can be a bit, well, dull?
With every fairy tale there is always a dark side that creates tension with its lighter facade. You only have to think of the stories of Hans Christian Andersen, the fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm or even Walt Disney to see there is always this balance. Imagine Snow White without the Evil Queen.

In Stitches

I first saw your work at the Last Tuesday Society’s Beasts Royal exhibition (review here), and you’ve been part of prior shows there as well. Could you tell us a bit about what it’s like to work with the amazing Last Tuesday Society please?
Mr Wynd has a fine collection of treasures. His shop makes you feel like a child in sweetshop, so I was obviously very pleased to have some work there. The show Beasts Royal was curated by Alice Herrick, who also curates the House of Fairy Tales with Gavin Turk and Deborah Curtis. Their shows are consistently beautiful and intriguing – bringing together a wonderful selection of artists to show in some great spaces. Shows have included the exquisite trove exhibition at the Newlyn Art Gallery and the House of Fairy Tales at the Saatchi Gallery and Millennium Gallery in St Ives. In Newlyn, each artist was invited to donate an object of interest to them either created or found to create a wonderful cabinet of curiosities amongst a plethora of carefully selected objects from museums across the Cornish county.

Bowerbird (part of Beasts Royal)

How do you build up your work? What inspires you?
It usually evolves through many stages and I work using quite a ramshackle but huge library of reference material. I am especially inspired by the narrative form of literature. I studied storytelling in LA and whilst I thought I would become a writer realised I was more interested in the static image. At some point I would like to return to the written word. I can remember quite vividly the books I was read as a child from their images, they’re works of art that are very engraved into my psyche.

Polzeath (part of Bywa)

The Bywa series seems different from your other work. There is less detail, but there’s also really wonderful use of colour with the green clouds and pink sky. I especially love Polzeath, the one with white-patterned sand and skies. What’s the inspiration behind this series?
I live in Cornwall, and apart from the stunning beauty of the area I live in, it is also rich in legends and it feels like the land itself breaths this ancient folkloric history. I find it very inspiring. Bywa means ‘to be alive’ in Cornish, or Kernuek. I thought this was an appropriate title especially given as the work became vividly coloured. The most recent pieces in the series, such as St Enodoc and Watergate, are almost made up entirely of dots and lines and are very intricate. St Enodoc even has a few lines of one of Sir John Betjeman’s poems half hidden in a cloud – he was very fond of this part of Cornwall and is now buried in the church.

Yellow

You do commissioned work for magazines, music and advertising. How did you go from being a design student to being a successful working artist?
After I graduated I was forced to do commercial work as a way of creating income but these projects were also useful in developing technical and artistic confidence and also a linguistic freedom. I have gradually tried to spend more and more time on my own work. I’m currently working some new ideas for an exhibition coming up, but also some commissions and other work.

Natasha Chambers

See more of Natasha Chambers’ work on her website.

Categories ,Alice Herrick, ,art, ,Beasts Royal, ,Brothers Grimm, ,Bywa, ,Cornwall, ,Deborah Curtis, ,Disney, ,Fairy tales, ,Gavin Turk, ,Hans Christian Andersen, ,House of Fairy Tales, ,Millennium Gallery, ,Natasha Chambers, ,nature, ,Newlyn Art Gallery, ,Saatchi Gallery, ,Sir John Betjeman, ,storytelling, ,The Last Tuesday Society, ,Viktor Wynd Fine Art

Similar Posts:






Amelia’s Magazine | Art of discovery: An interview with illustrator Lynn Hatzius

Cheryl Cole by Antaya Lendore
Wagner by Karina Yarv
Wagner by Karina Yarv.

Another year, visit another X Factor out of the way. I went through a period of not watching any telly at all, and oh how I used to poo poo this show, but somehow, in 2009 I got sucked in. It was the only break I used to allow myself as I was creating my first book Amelia’s Anthology of Illustration – a bit of enjoyably vacuous pop culture on a plate. And it was then that I discovered the joy of X Factor watched with my twitter stream open. Trying to think of the bitchiest tweets as fast as possible has now become a bit of a national sport, and I thoroughly recommend you do both at the same time once the whole bloody thing rolls around again next year.

X-Factor_Dannii Minogue wearing J'Aton Couture by Krister Selin
X-Factor_Dannii Minogue wearing J’Aton Couture by Krister Selin

As for the final outcome? I couldn’t stand Cher Lloyd’s sneery face but thought her final effort was at least IN TUNE, whilst even on the same note the One Direction cuties struggled (harmonies, what are they?) I loved Rebecca Ferguson’s voice until it started to grate on my nerves, as did the fact that she could not move, even singing the danciest of songs. I quite enjoyed some of Matt Cardle’s songs, but he was clearly not on form during the last few weeks. All in all, though, I’ve heard better singers at small indie gigs.

Abi Daker Cher Lloyd
‘The Lovechild of Jordan, Minnie Mouse and Jimmy Saville’ Illustration by Abigail Daker.

What really grabs the audience is of course the whole spectacle – the cliched dramatisations of the contestant’s back stories, the ridiculously over the top stage effects and the outrageously expensive outfits and stupendous styling choices of the judges and contestants. Here, then, is a chance to revel in the sheer glory of the X Factor experience, as seen through illustrators’ eyes.

Gareth A Hopkins Cher Lloyd
Cher Lloyd by Gareth A Hopkins.

jenny robins - amelias magazine -  x factor
Illustration by Jenny Robins.
Katie Waissel by Karina Yarv
Katie Waissel by Karina Yarv
GarethAHopkins Wagbo
Wagbo (a character from Harry Hill’s TV Burp that was supposedly the love child of Wagner and Tesco Mary) by Gareth A Hopkins
X-Factor_Rebecca Ferguson wearing Lisa Marie Fernandez by Krister Selin
X-Factor_Rebecca Ferguson wearing Lisa Marie Fernandez by Krister Selin

Wagner by Karina Yarv
Wagner by Karina Yarv.

Another year, capsule another X Factor out of the way. I went through a period of not watching any telly at all, ambulance and oh how I used to poo poo this show, seek but somehow, in 2009 I got sucked in. It was the only break I used to allow myself as I was creating my first book Amelia’s Anthology of Illustration – a bit of enjoyably vacuous pop culture on a plate. And it was then that I discovered the joy of X Factor watched with my twitter stream open. Trying to think of the bitchiest tweets as fast as possible has now become a bit of a national sport, and I thoroughly recommend you do both at the same time once the whole bloody thing rolls around again next year.

X-Factor_Dannii Minogue wearing J'Aton Couture by Krister Selin
X-Factor_Dannii Minogue wearing J’Aton Couture by Krister Selin

As for the final outcome? I couldn’t stand Cher Lloyd’s sneery face but thought her final effort was at least IN TUNE, whilst even on the same note the One Direction cuties struggled (harmonies, what are they?) I loved Rebecca Ferguson’s voice until it started to grate on my nerves, as did the fact that she could not move, even singing the danciest of songs. I quite enjoyed some of Matt Cardle’s songs, but he was clearly not on form during the last few weeks. All in all, though, I’ve heard better singers at small indie gigs.

Abi Daker Cher Lloyd
The Lovechild of Jordan, Minnie Mouse and Jimmy Saville. Illustration by Abigail Daker.

What really grabs the audience is of course the whole spectacle – the cliched dramatisations of the contestant’s back stories, the ridiculously over the top stage effects and the outrageously expensive outfits and stupendous styling choices of the judges and contestants. Here, then, is a chance to revel in the sheer glory of the X Factor experience, as seen through illustrators’ eyes.

Gareth A Hopkins Cher Lloyd
Cher Lloyd by Gareth A Hopkins.

jenny robins - amelias magazine -  x factor
Illustration by Jenny Robins.

Katie Waissel by Karina Yarv
Katie Waissel by Karina Yarv

Cher Lloyd by Antaya Lendore
Cher Lloyd by Antaya Lendore

GarethAHopkins Wagbo
Wagbo (a character from Harry Hill’s TV Burp that was supposedly the love child of Wagner and Tesco Mary) by Gareth A Hopkins

X-Factor_Rebecca Ferguson wearing Lisa Marie Fernandez by Krister Selin
X-Factor_Rebecca Ferguson wearing Lisa Marie Fernandez by Krister Selin

xfactor wagner by elliott quince
Wagner by Elliott Quince.

Cheryl Cole by Antaya Lendore
Cheryl Cole by Antaya Lendore.
Wagner by Karina Yarv
Wagner by Karina Yarv.

Another year, buy information pills another X Factor out of the way. I went through a period of not watching any telly at all, pilule and oh how I used to poo poo this show, site but somehow, in 2009 I got sucked in. It was the only break I used to allow myself as I was creating my first book Amelia’s Anthology of Illustration – a bit of enjoyably vacuous pop culture on a plate. And it was then that I discovered the joy of X Factor watched with my twitter stream open. Trying to think of the bitchiest tweets as fast as possible has now become a bit of a national sport, and I thoroughly recommend you do both at the same time once the whole bloody thing rolls around again next year.

X-Factor_Dannii Minogue wearing J'Aton Couture by Krister Selin
X-Factor_Dannii Minogue wearing J’Aton Couture by Krister Selin

As for the final outcome? I couldn’t stand Cher Lloyd’s sneery face but thought her final effort was at least IN TUNE, whilst even on the same note the One Direction cuties struggled (harmonies, what are they?) I loved Rebecca Ferguson’s voice until it started to grate on my nerves, as did the fact that she could not move, even singing the danciest of songs. I quite enjoyed some of Matt Cardle’s songs, but he was clearly not on form during the last few weeks. All in all, though, I’ve heard better singers at small indie gigs.

My fave live performance by Matt:
YouTube Preview Image

What really grabs the audience is of course the whole spectacle – the cliched dramatisations of the contestant’s back stories, the ridiculously over the top stage effects and the outrageously expensive outfits and stupendous styling choices of the judges and contestants. Here, then, is a chance to revel in the sheer glory of the X Factor experience, as seen through illustrators’ eyes.

Abi Daker Cher Lloyd
The Lovechild of Jordan, Minnie Mouse and Jimmy Saville. Illustration by Abigail Daker.

Gareth A Hopkins Cher Lloyd
Cher Lloyd by Gareth A Hopkins.

jenny robins - amelias magazine -  x factor
Illustration by Jenny Robins.

Katie Waissel by Karina Yarv
Katie Waissel by Karina Yarv

Cher Lloyd by Antaya Lendore
Cher Lloyd by Antaya Lendore

GarethAHopkins Wagbo
Wagbo (a character from Harry Hill’s TV Burp that was supposedly the love child of Wagner and Tesco Mary) by Gareth A Hopkins

X-Factor_Rebecca Ferguson wearing Lisa Marie Fernandez by Krister Selin
X-Factor_Rebecca Ferguson wearing Lisa Marie Fernandez by Krister Selin

xfactor wagner by elliott quince
Wagner by Elliott Quince.

Cheryl Cole by Antaya Lendore
Cheryl Cole by Antaya Lendore.
Wagner by Karina Yarv
Wagner by Karina Yarv.

Another year, generic another X Factor out of the way. I went through a period of not watching any telly at all, viagra approved and oh how I used to poo poo this show, viagra approved but somehow, in 2009 I got sucked in. It was the only break I used to allow myself as I was creating my first book Amelia’s Anthology of Illustration – a bit of enjoyably vacuous pop culture on a plate. And it was then that I discovered the joy of X Factor watched with my twitter stream open. Trying to think of the bitchiest tweets as fast as possible has now become a bit of a national sport, and I thoroughly recommend you do both at the same time once the whole bloody thing rolls around again next year.

X-Factor_Dannii Minogue wearing J'Aton Couture by Krister Selin
X-Factor_Dannii Minogue wearing J’Aton Couture by Krister Selin

As for the final outcome? I couldn’t stand Cher Lloyd’s sneery face but thought her final effort was at least IN TUNE, whilst even on the same note the One Direction cuties struggled (harmonies, what are they?) I loved Rebecca Ferguson’s voice until it started to grate on my nerves, as did the fact that she could not move, even singing the danciest of songs. I quite enjoyed some of Matt Cardle’s songs, but he was clearly not on form during the last few weeks. All in all, though, I’ve heard better singers at small indie gigs.

My fave live performance by Matt:
YouTube Preview Image

What really grabs the audience is of course the whole spectacle – the cliched dramatisations of the contestant’s back stories, the ridiculously over the top stage effects and the outrageously expensive outfits and stupendous styling choices of the judges and contestants. Here, then, is a chance to revel in the sheer glory of the X Factor experience, as seen through illustrators’ eyes.

Abi Daker Cher Lloyd
The Lovechild of Jordan, Minnie Mouse and Jimmy Saville. Illustration by Abigail Daker.

Gareth A Hopkins Cher Lloyd
Cher Lloyd by Gareth A Hopkins.

jenny robins - amelias magazine -  x factor
Illustration by Jenny Robins.

Katie Waissel by Karina Yarv
Katie Waissel by Karina Yarv

Cher Lloyd by Antaya Lendore
Cher Lloyd by Antaya Lendore

GarethAHopkins Wagbo
Wagbo (a character from Harry Hill’s TV Burp that was supposedly the love child of Wagner and Tesco Mary) by Gareth A Hopkins

X-Factor_Rebecca Ferguson wearing Lisa Marie Fernandez by Krister Selin
X-Factor_Rebecca Ferguson wearing Lisa Marie Fernandez by Krister Selin

xfactor wagner by elliott quince
Wagner by Elliott Quince.

Cheryl Cole by Antaya Lendore
Cheryl Cole by Antaya Lendore.
Wagner by Karina Yarv
Wagner by Karina Yarv.

Another year, viagra dosage another X Factor out of the way. I went through a period of not watching any telly at all, and oh how I used to poo poo this show, but then, in 2009 I got sucked in. It was the only break I used to allow myself as I was creating my first book Amelia’s Anthology of Illustration – a bit of enjoyably vacuous pop culture on a plate. And it was then that I discovered the joy of X Factor watched with my twitter stream open. Trying to think of the bitchiest tweets as fast as possible has now become a something of a national sport, and I thoroughly recommend you do both at the same time once the whole bloody thing rolls around again next year.

X-Factor_Dannii Minogue wearing J'Aton Couture by Krister Selin
X-Factor_Dannii Minogue wearing J’Aton Couture by Krister Selin

As for the final outcome? I couldn’t stand Cher Lloyd’s sneery face but thought her final effort was at least IN TUNE, whilst even on the same note the One Direction cuties struggled (harmonies, what are they?) I loved Rebecca Ferguson’s voice until it started to grate on my nerves, as did the fact that she could not move, even singing the danciest of songs. I quite enjoyed some of Matt Cardle’s songs, but he was clearly not on form during the last few weeks. All in all, as could be predicted, I’ve heard better singers at small indie gigs.

My fave live performance by Matt:
YouTube Preview Image

What really grabs the audience is of course the whole spectacle – the cliched dramatisations of the contestant’s back stories, the ridiculously over the top stage effects and the outrageously expensive outfits and stupendous styling choices of the judges and contestants. Here, then, is a chance to revel in the sheer glory of the X Factor experience, as seen through illustrators’ eyes.

Abi Daker Cher Lloyd
The Lovechild of Jordan, Minnie Mouse and Jimmy Saville. Illustration by Abigail Daker.

Gareth A Hopkins Cher Lloyd
Cher Lloyd by Gareth A Hopkins.

jenny robins - amelias magazine -  x factor
Illustration by Jenny Robins.

Katie Waissel by Karina Yarv
Katie Waissel by Karina Yarv

Cher Lloyd by Antaya Lendore
Cher Lloyd by Antaya Lendore

GarethAHopkins Wagbo
Wagbo (a character from Harry Hill’s TV Burp that was supposedly the love child of Wagner and Tesco Mary) by Gareth A Hopkins

X-Factor_Rebecca Ferguson wearing Lisa Marie Fernandez by Krister Selin
X-Factor_Rebecca Ferguson wearing Lisa Marie Fernandez by Krister Selin

xfactor wagner by elliott quince
Wagner by Elliott Quince.

Cheryl Cole by Antaya Lendore
Cheryl Cole by Antaya Lendore.

High-Vis

An octopus with a cake hat, capsule holding a cigar, viagra 40mg a clarinet, rx a bicycle and a picnic basket while looking at you with a ‘so what’ expression. Next image – two birds with boys’ heads flying with an umbrella amongst the clouds. Then – a sailor with jumping jack doll-joints, holding hands with a mermaid. You get the picture? Welcome to the world of Lynn Hatzius.

With degrees in illustration and printmaking under her belt, London-based Lynn works as a freelance artist for publishers, record labels, magazines and newspapers. I first stumbled upon Lynn’s fascinating human-slash-animal figures at The Last Tuesday Society, where she is taking part in the ‘Beasts Royal’ art exhibition until 28th January (read our review of this wonderful place here). Later, looking through the gallery on Lynn’s website, I quickly found myself having one ‘wow’ experience after another. The work is quirky without being cutesy, and beautiful with a dark undercurrent. Looking at Lynn’s work means making a string of discoveries, with the seemingly neverending flow of the most randomly put-together imagery. Someone get this lady a solo show, please?


Royal Lady

You frequently mix human and animal forms in your work. Where does this come from?
With my collages, the significance lies with the process of discovery. It is almost as if these creatures pre-exist, simply waiting to come alive through my act of selecting, shifting and finally fixing a composition down. In extracting elements from different sources that catch my attention, humans take on new and surprising characters and animals are given human traits and expressions, sometimes humorous, other times maybe a little disturbing.

Could you tell us a little about your work process – how do you build up an illustration?
Working with illustration is quite different to working on my personal collage pieces. An illustration brief will give me a conceptual framework, meaning the piece is not left to chance. This is why I usually use the digital medium when working on a commissioned illustration, as this makes changes much easier. I will scan in material from my vast collection of printed papers, books, maps, magazines and old photographs, or search the internet for related imagery. I cut and paste elements in a similar way to working with a scalpel or scissors, but with the advantage of being able to reverse an action and alter an illustration to fit certain requirements.


Adem

Your portfolio has illustrations, collages and prints – which is your preferred medium?
Collage and printmaking both open up the possibility of chance encounters and the happy accidents I so enjoy. I am fascinated by the thought of taking a given structure, shaking it up and letting the pieces take on a new life and reveal hidden meaning. The recycling and mixing of materials in the collage process is similar to the way I work in print. I will mix different print processes, use found scraps to print from and let the magic moment of the ink transferring to paper surprise me with an often unexpected result. Printmaking lets me reuse elements and produce multiples, whereas a collage will always be an original, which I can often be rather precious about.


Self-portrait

Your work is full of clever little details. Where do you draw inspiration from?
My inspiration comes from the material I use – books, manuals, magazines and found printed papers. The juxtaposition of disparate elements, and the joining of entirely different subject matters, seems to hold the key to a neverending number of new images. I work in a very playful and spontaneous way on my collages, it is like solving a puzzle. The separate pieces get shifted until a certain combination startles me, and a new figure is revealed.

Sometimes your work feels a bit sinister (in a good way) – casually so with the bolted-together body parts, but with the monster pieces it looks more deliberate. Is it?
I guess I am attracted to the unusual, the uncanny, to combinations that might seem strange at first. This wanting to be surprised or startled is part of my working process. With projects such as the ‘Monsters’ playing cards it is quite different. The work needs to follow certain guidelines and a preconceived idea, which narrows down the possible scope of an image. While this way of working sometimes feels a bit contrived, I enjoy having to limit myself to certain restrictions and channel an image towards a purpose. If it is a commissioned piece, working with a good art director can push my work towards new approaches I wouldn’t naturally choose.


Monsters playing cards

Why did you become an artist? What do you wish someone had told you when you were just starting out?
I don’t think being creative is a choice. I always felt it chose me and I did my best to make it happen. I would say you need to be honest and true to yourself and don’t ask too many questions, just do, make, create and if you’re focused and want it badly, I believe things work out.

Your work has been in The Guardian, and you have several well-known magazines and publishing houses on your client list. How did you build up this network?
Having studied illustration, rather than fine art, meant my mind was set on finding a way of applying my work to a commercial use. After I left the course I eagerly visited some publishers to present my portfolio. My focus on book cover design has taken several years to establish. While it is important to send regular mail-outs to remind clients of your work, building a network through friends has helped me significantly along the way. Over the years I found that allowing time for my personal work alongside illustration projects has given me a good balance, mainly in that I panic less about not finding jobs all the time. My work as a collage artist has grown more important to me since doing an MA in printmaking. I view this side of my career separately to the illustration work in the sense that it is less pressurised through deadlines and restrictions.


Book cover: Shalimar the Clown (Salman Rushdie, Vintage Books). All images courtesy of Lynn Hatzius.

You are part of the Monsters illustration collective. Tell us a little about this please.
I joined the Monsters shortly after finishing my studies. We try to work a little like an agency. We send mail-outs together, keep a joint website and a group portfolio. The idea is that we represent each other and share costs of promotion material. We try to meet once a month and keep each other up to date on our personal progress. The advantage of being part of a collective is that you share a network of contacts and feed off each others’ experiences.

What do you do when you are not making art?
I rummage through charity shops and enjoy going to flee markets, always on the hunt for used cheap books and other ephemera, old frames and unusual bits and pieces. I love the outdoors and coming home to cook some delicious food. Taking care of the plants on my tiny balcony or checking on my fish gives me regular welcoming breaks when I work from my studio at home. And of course travelling, which I can fit nicely around work as a freelancer.

See more of Lynn Hatzius’ work on her website, or look at her ‘Oh so special’ invites venture here. You can also follow her on her blog.

Categories ,Beasts Royal, ,collages, ,illustration, ,Lynn Hatzius, ,Monsters Illustration, ,printmaking, ,The Guardian, ,The Last Tuesday Society

Similar Posts:






Amelia’s Magazine | Beautiful freaks: The Last Tuesday Society

topshop riot by kellie black
UKuncut Topshop-police amelia gregory
Topshop, this with your welcoming entrance you are spoiling us…

If you are on twitter you will probably have noticed the mutterings of the #UKuncut hashtag – from small beginnings it has grown to become the standard bearer of the cuts demonstrations. And to think it all started only a few weeks back, generic when I got a frantic phone call from one of my friends on the first UK Uncut Vodafone demo. “We’ve got a trending hashtag” he exclaimed somewhat maniacally. “but we’ve misspelled Vodaphone, viagra you’ve got to help us!!” I assured him that a quick glance at twitter confirmed that he didn’t need my twittering powers one iota. And frankly I think it’s Vodafone who’ve got their spelling wrong. Now, thousands of people follow the @UKuncut twitter feed and the #UKuncut hashtag stream is used to communicate between anti-cuts protests up and down the country. Makes you dead proud of your mates it does.

UKUncut by Avril Kelly
UKUncut by Avril Kelly.

I didn’t manage to get along to that first demo due to my head being buried in the creation of my new book, but I have been avidly following the progress of the cuts protests. And when I heard about the next major target for UK Uncut I was most excited: the Topshop flagship store in Oxford Circus. Regular readers of this blog will no doubt be able to guess that I am not exactly a big fan of Topshop – I know too many small designers who have been ripped off, they have an atrocious human rights record, and I find the association with Kate Moss frankly tedious. Suffice to say I won’t be covering any Topshop collections in Amelia’s Magazine in the near future.

UK uncut sinister pics
Photograph by Sinister Pictures.

Instead, I hope to be joining more protests. Why? Well, a while ago the papers exposed Sir Philip Green‘s cunning tax avoidance trick that enables him to siphon vast profits out of the country and safely into the hands of his Monaco dwelling wife. There was a surge of interest and then the news disappeared. But the cunning folks at UK Uncut have decided to resurrect the gripe. Why? For the simple reason that this country is in the grip of savage cuts to almost everything imaginable. And yet the very rich are able to take our money out of the country: it is the very reverse of the ethos behind the resurgence of local currencies triumphed by Transition Towns. If you use the Brixton Pound in Brixton it enables local money to stay in a local area, enriching the lives of everyone who partakes in the local economy. If you use your pounds in Topshop they leak straight out of the UK, benefiting none of us at all.

Pay your Taxes Ross McEwan
Illustration by Ross McEwan.

Why is it that the richer people get the more greedy they become? Surely once you’ve earnt your first billion there’s little reason to keep chasing more? But no, the super rich, chums of our millionaire Con-Dem cabinet (Philip Green has the audacity to advise on austerity measures) together avoid £25 billion in tax by removing it from the country. One argument says that if the UK was to make it less amenable for large businesses to run their services here they would simply take them elsewhere. I fail to see the logic in this: Philip Green runs a British company, Topshop. He isn’t about to pack up and ship it over to Dubai never to be seen again, is he?

So it was that on a cold Saturday morning I jumped out of bed and sped into the centre of town. I missed the first noisy influx into the store by a few minutes and the main entrance was already blocked by security. However, although I very rarely get sucked into Topshop these days, I know well that there are several entrances so I zipped straight in via the side door.

UK_UncutTopshop2_byAlisonDay
UK Uncut Topshop Protest by Alison Day.

Inside about thirty protestors were already staging a sit in, chanting as bemused shoppers gazed on, uncertain what to do. They were a mix bunch from different movements, including climate activists and peeved students. “Philip’s Green’s taxation could pay for our education” was but one of many clever chants I heard.

UKuncut Topshop-amelia gregory

Within moments I was hustled straight back out the main entrance due to my very large camera, but I just went right back around and came back in with my iphone camera instead. Eventually I heard these magical words over the tanoy system: There has been an incident: please exit the store immediately. And so it was that we were able to close down the main branch of Topshop for well over an hour on a busy Saturday in the run up to Christmas. The sour faces of thwarted shoppers peered down at us as the streets got busier, but most of them seemed fairly content to visit Urban Outfitters next door instead. A gaggle of protestors then spread up and down Oxford Street, shutting Dorothy Perkins and BHS (both also part of Philip Green’s Arcadia empire) and revisiting Vodafone. In fact, just the threat of our arrival was enough to close most stores before we even got to them.

UK Uncut sinister pictures
Outside BHS. Photograph by Sinister Pictures.

As I was twittering through the protest I received a reply from a small fashion brand that has a concession in Topshop – But what about the independent labels that are losing business? – she said. I do think that if you get into bed with a corporate brand you can expect to experience the pitfalls as well as the bonuses, but our quibbles are obviously not with the independent designers who stock Topshop (and at any rate in this case she definitely supported us) or the workers in the store, who may well have lost income if we had blocked the entrances more effectively and they had been told to go home.

Abi Daker - Topshop protest 2010
One Woman Topshop protest 2010 by Abigail Daker.

Of course it is very hard to protest without some unwanted fallout, which is why I so love this inspiring one woman protest: whilst we were causing mayhem at Oxford Circus Bryony went along to her local Wandsworth Topshop equipped only with flyers and chocolate, and on the purchase of a Breton top politely explained that she would not be able to pay the VAT because she didn’t trust Philip Green to give it the HMRC. She handed out information to the other customers and chocolates to the confused employees as they tried to accommodate her request by calling head office. What a clever way to raise awareness in a totally calm and collected manner, but the real success has been in the telling of the story – which has been bouncing around on the #UKuncut hashtag, attracting glowing comments from others who may well be inspired to do the same.

UKuncut Topshop-amelia gregory outside

For naturally this story is far from over: the students are still revolting on the streets and UK Uncut have announced yet another day of action: this time I urge you to join them and protest against the greedy fat cat billionaires who are currently free to move the money we spend on their products out of this country and away from where it might be put to good use. On Saturday 18th December Topshop and Vodafone will be targeted in high streets across the UK. Find out all the details here.

UKuncut Topshop-police amelia gregory
Topshop, order with your welcoming entrance you are spoiling us…

If you are on twitter you will probably have noticed the mutterings of the #UKuncut hashtag – from small beginnings it has grown to become the standard bearer of the cuts demonstrations. And to think it all started only a few weeks back, when I got a frantic phone call from one of my friends on the first UK Uncut Vodafone demo. “We’ve got a trending hashtag” he exclaimed somewhat maniacally. “but we’ve misspelled Vodaphone, you’ve got to help us!!” I assured him that a quick glance at twitter confirmed that he didn’t need my twittering powers one iota. And frankly I think it’s Vodafone who’ve got their spelling wrong. Now, thousands of people follow the @UKuncut twitter feed and the #UKuncut hashtag stream is used to communicate between anti-cuts protests up and down the country. Makes you dead proud of your mates it does.

UKUncut by Avril Kelly
UKUncut by Avril Kelly.

I didn’t manage to get along to that first demo due to my head being buried in the creation of my new book, but I have been avidly following the progress of the cuts protests. And when I heard about the next major target for UK Uncut I was most excited: the Topshop flagship store in Oxford Circus. Regular readers of this blog will no doubt be able to guess that I am not exactly a big fan of Topshop – I know too many small designers who have been ripped off, they have an atrocious human rights record, and I find the association with Kate Moss frankly tedious. Suffice to say I won’t be covering any Topshop collections in Amelia’s Magazine in the near future.

UK uncut sinister pics
Photograph by Sinister Pictures.

Instead, I hope to be joining more protests. Why? Well, a while ago the papers exposed Sir Philip Green‘s cunning tax avoidance trick that enables him to siphon vast profits out of the country and safely into the hands of his Monaco dwelling wife. There was a surge of interest and then the news disappeared. But the cunning folks at UK Uncut have decided to resurrect the gripe. Why? For the simple reason that this country is in the grip of savage cuts to almost everything imaginable. And yet the very rich are able to take our money out of the country: it is the very reverse of the ethos behind the resurgence of local currencies triumphed by Transition Towns. If you use the Brixton Pound in Brixton it enables local money to stay in a local area, enriching the lives of everyone who partakes in the local economy. If you use your pounds in Topshop they leak straight out of the UK, benefiting none of us at all.

Pay your Taxes Ross McEwan
Illustration by Ross McEwan.

Why is it that the richer people get the more greedy they become? Surely once you’ve earnt your first billion there’s little reason to keep chasing more? But no, the super rich, chums of our millionaire Con-Dem cabinet (Philip Green has the audacity to advise on austerity measures) together avoid £25 billion in tax by removing it from the country. One argument says that if the UK was to make it less amenable for large businesses to run their services here they would simply take them elsewhere. I fail to see the logic in this: Philip Green runs a British company, Topshop. He isn’t about to pack up and ship it over to Dubai never to be seen again, is he?

topshop riot by kellie black
Topshop protest by Kellie Black.

So it was that on a cold Saturday morning I jumped out of bed and sped into the centre of town. I missed the first noisy influx into the store by a few minutes and the main entrance was already blocked by security. However, although I very rarely get sucked into Topshop these days, I know well that there are several entrances so I zipped straight in via the side door.

UK_UncutTopshop2_byAlisonDay
UK Uncut Topshop Protest by Alison Day.

Inside about thirty protestors were already staging a sit in, chanting as bemused shoppers gazed on, uncertain what to do. They were a mix bunch from different movements, including climate activists and peeved students. “Philip’s Green’s taxation could pay for our education” was but one of many clever chants I heard.

UKuncut Topshop-amelia gregory

Within moments I was hustled straight back out the main entrance due to my very large camera, but I just went right back around and came back in with my iphone camera instead. Eventually I heard these magical words over the tanoy system: There has been an incident: please exit the store immediately. And so it was that we were able to close down the main branch of Topshop for well over an hour on a busy Saturday in the run up to Christmas. The sour faces of thwarted shoppers peered down at us as the streets got busier, but most of them seemed fairly content to visit Urban Outfitters next door instead. A gaggle of protestors then spread up and down Oxford Street, shutting Dorothy Perkins and BHS (both also part of Philip Green’s Arcadia empire) and revisiting Vodafone. In fact, just the threat of our arrival was enough to close most stores before we even got to them.

UK Uncut sinister pictures
Outside BHS. Photograph by Sinister Pictures.

As I was twittering through the protest I received a reply from a small fashion brand that has a concession in Topshop – But what about the independent labels that are losing business? – she said. I do think that if you get into bed with a corporate brand you can expect to experience the pitfalls as well as the bonuses, but our quibbles are obviously not with the independent designers who stock Topshop (and at any rate in this case she definitely supported us) or the workers in the store, who may well have lost income if we had blocked the entrances more effectively and they had been told to go home.

Abi Daker - Topshop protest 2010
One Woman Topshop protest 2010 by Abigail Daker.

Of course it is very hard to protest without some unwanted fallout, which is why I so love this inspiring one woman protest: whilst we were causing mayhem at Oxford Circus Bryony went along to her local Wandsworth Topshop equipped only with flyers and chocolate, and on the purchase of a Breton top politely explained that she would not be able to pay the VAT because she didn’t trust Philip Green to give it the HMRC. She handed out information to the other customers and chocolates to the confused employees as they tried to accommodate her request by calling head office. What a clever way to raise awareness in a totally calm and collected manner, but the real success has been in the telling of the story – which has been bouncing around on the #UKuncut hashtag, attracting glowing comments from others who may well be inspired to do the same.

UKuncut Topshop-amelia gregory outside

For naturally this story is far from over: the students are still revolting on the streets and UK Uncut have announced yet another day of action: this time I urge you to join them and protest against the greedy fat cat billionaires who are currently free to move the money we spend on their products out of this country and away from where it might be put to good use. On Saturday 18th December Topshop and Vodafone will be targeted in high streets across the UK. Find out all the details here.


Royal Birds by Lynn Hatzius. All images courtesy of Viktor Wynd Fine Art Inc.

There is no way to really describe what goes on at The Last Tuesday Society, help it simply has to be seen. In a word: it is spectacular. It beggars belief. You end up just LOOKING, overwhelmed by all this weird and wonderful stuff, no idea why you like it – only that you do.

I actually went to The Last Tuesday Society to see ‘Beasts Royal’, the art exhibition running until 8th January at the adjacent Victor Wynd Fine Art gallery – and I’ll get to that in a minute. But this place … ! When later that night I told a friend how amazing it was, she just looked horrified – because there’s a lot of taxidermy. Dead, stuffed animals feature heavily. But this is why this place needs to be seen, because there is something incredible and spell-binding about it. I don’t know, maybe I’m the odd one for not finding the silent, staring animals horrifying. After all, I was raised by people who thought nothing of letting their five-year-old help scraping meat off the elk bones after the annual hunt. (‘That’s right darling, toss it in the mince bucket.’)


Bowerbird by Natasha Chambers

So what IS all this wonderful stuff then? Well, there are butterflies. And lots of prints and pictures. Animal skeletons, and some old human skulls which look real. It’s a little bit like the Sir John Soane’s museum in Holborn, but it’s more random than that. There is a pack of playing cards with naked transsexuals, a golliwog orchestra, rusty keys, seashells, toys and two-headed cuddly bears. There are books too: ‘Dial “O” for Orgy’, ‘The Virgin Soldiers’ and something called ‘The Cunt Colouring Book’. I reached out for the latter to see if it’s what it sounded like … oh my. Ladies, you might need a hand mirror to get the shading right.


The Fool by EC Woodard

Back upstairs in the gallery, the taxidermy theme runs strongly through the ‘Beasts Royal’ exhibition too. This isn’t usually the case, says ‘majordomo’ Patrick Knill, as the show changes several times a year. The art, mostly one-off pieces curated by Alice Herrick, is themed around animals and nature. The works are shown in the midst of a jungle of animals – there’s a parrot, a fox, some sort of small camel, a lion, a spotted creature I think may be a hyena, and a full-sized polar bear raised on two legs. There are some amazing little cabinets on display too, including a dressed-up frog reading Dickens, and a priceless setting of eight squirrels playing cards.


Fox Doorknocker by Jen Franklin

‘What you see in the gallery, we exhibit the things we do because we like it,’ says Knill. ‘We’re not a gallery for hire. We will put on artists that we like.’ While it’s not the case at the moment, the idea is for the gallery to look different from the rest of the space. This would have been the case with previous exhibitions, such as the one with photographer Lina Scheynius.

So what do people say when they come into the shop, I ask. ‘Well, sometimes people stay for 15 seconds and then they leave again,’ laughs Patrick. ‘Some people have a fear of certain animals, so if you are scared of butterflies you won’t last long.’ He points out that most of the taxidermy is antique, and in cases where it isn’t, the animals were culled for reasons such as pest-control.


By Andy Harper

The shop and gallery on Mare Street, randomly located between a closed-down pub and a loan shop in spitting distance of the strip joints on Hackney Road, are actually the latest additions to the many activities of The Last Tuesday Society. The group is probably better known for its club nights and hosted lectures, but by this point I’m too overwhelmed to remember to ask Patrick about this. Instead I crouch down to look at all the strange and wonderful things for sale in this ‘Little Shop of Horrors’. An exorcism doll believed to contain souls from previous sessions, mechanical wind-up toys, an elegant box of yes, you read right, these are ‘chocolate anuses modelled from life’. There’s lots of jewellery – ice cream cones, claws, spiders, and … are those teeth?! I lean further into the cabinet, digging for treasure. All the while I’m being watched by a giant bat, a dog with wings, and all the great beasts of the savanna.


By Lynn Hatzius

Visit The Last Tuesday Society and the Victor Wynd Fine Art gallery on 11 Mare Street, London E8. See the website for opening hours. ‘Beasts Royal’ runs until 28th January.

Categories ,Andy Harper, ,EC Woodard, ,hackney, ,Jen Franklin, ,Lina Scheynius, ,london, ,Lynn Hatzius, ,Natasha Chambers, ,Patrick Knill, ,Sir John Soane’s museum, ,Taxidermy, ,The Last Tuesday Society, ,Victor Wynd Fine Art Inc

Similar Posts:






Amelia’s Magazine | Wilderness Festival 2011: Sunday Review

Laura Marling by Jenny Lloyd
Laura Marling by Jenny Lloyd.

Sunday at Wilderness Festival came somewhat early due to my ill informed decision to put up the tent in the family camping area, health a major no no when you’ve been up late and the little buggers are raring to go at 7am. If only there had been a decent map, or someone to guide us towards the quiet area when we arrived (we did ask, and were told to camp wherever we fancied).

Wilderness Festival 2011 review photo by Amelia Gregory
Wilderness Festival 2011 review photo by Amelia Gregory
Wilderness Festival 2011 review photo by Amelia Gregory
Wilderness Festival 2011 review photo by Amelia Gregory
Wilderness Festival 2011. All photography by Amelia Gregory.

The next issue was locating something decent to eat for breakfast, which proved predictably difficult given the small number of food vendors on site. For a festival that boasted of its culinary stripes I found this aspect sadly lacking, and in many ways inexcusable. Wilderness must have known how many tickets were sold, and how many could be fed at the giant daily banquets (which sold out long before we had a chance to book). Why then were there not enough food stalls to feed everyone else? At all times there were huge queues, and if I’d had small children to feed I would have been frankly fuming. As it was we tried to grab our meals at downtimes when the queues were not so long.

Tom-Hodgkinson-by-Barb-Royal
Tom Hodgkinson by Barb Royal.

Then it was time to head straight back to The Idler Academy to take advantage of their eclectic daily line up. Brave Old World saw a conversation between Idler founder Tom Hodgkinson and his friend Matthew de Abaitua, who has just written a book about The Art of Camping.

Wilderness Festival 2011 review tom hodgkinson photo by Amelia Gregory
Wilderness Festival 2011 review Matthew de Abaitua photo by Amelia Gregory
Art-of-camping Cover
Particularly entertaining was their mutual disdain for Glamping, and their po-faced conclusion that they could earn more as purveyors of festival yurts than writers.

Wilderness Festival 2011 review theo simon photo by Amelia Gregory
Theo Simon of Seize the Day gave a passionate speech in praise of the Luddites, who stood up for their rights 200 years ago this year. Being a talented musician he easily glided between talking and live performance of traditional folk songs used to promote their ideologies.

zocalo 2011 Poster
David Bramwell spoke amusingly of his year long trip in search of Utopia at a string of intentional communities across the world, including Findhorn, Damanhur, Esalen and Osho Leela. Despite his sometimes cynical commentary it was obvious that he had made many good friends along the way before returning to his home in Brighton where he decided to play his part in creating an urban Utopia – setting up the Zocalo, whereby local residents get their chairs out on the streets and make new friends in the community. He hopes the idea will spread so why not check out his website for more information (also check out the poster above).

Wilderness Festival 2011 review beyond the valley photo by Amelia Gregory
Wilderness Festival 2011 review rosita bonita photo by Amelia Gregory
The pink tented Secret Market Emporium area stocked a whole host of small maker designers, including Beyond the Valley (who designed the Wilderness website and programme) and I totally fell for Rosita Bonita‘s printed leather necklaces. Love.

Wilderness Festival 2011 review playsuit parlour photo by Amelia Gregory
Wilderness Festival 2011 review vagabond van photo by Amelia Gregory
The Playsuit Parlour stocked wonderful wrap dresses made from upcycled ethnic fabrics, and from a beautiful renovated silver airstream the Vagabond Van sold environmentally conscious clothes and jewellery.

Wilderness Festival 2011 review Daniel Johnston photo by Amelia Gregory
I only caught the end of Daniel Johnston, who looked like he had just climbed out of bed, trackie bottoms tucked into bunched up white socks.

Wilderness Festival 2011 review Guillemots photo by Amelia Gregory
Wilderness Festival 2011 review Guillemots photo by Amelia Gregory
The Guillemots at Wilderness Festival
The Guillemots at Wilderness Festival by Dan Lester.

Guillemots followed up with an energetic set, which made me realise just how many of their songs I am familiar with. And I was quite transfixed by the bassist’s shorts playsuit.

Wilderness Festival 2011 review Laura Marling photo by Amelia Gregory
Wilderness Festival 2011 review Laura Marling photo by Amelia Gregory
Our last act of the day was Laura Marling, who gave a staggering solo acoustic set, a testament to her incredible talent, ‘I’m conscious of not being a party festival band so I’m going to play… a slow depressing song,’ she said before holding the large crowd in near silence for an hour – something of a feat.

YouTube Preview ImageLaura Marling live at Wilderness Festival

We left Wilderness Festival as the remaining festival goers geared up for one last night of late summer abandonment. I had a wonderful time but there were quite a few aspects of the festival that need tweaking: when people pay a lot of money to go to a festival there is no excuse for shirking on certain basic provisions. Next year there simply have to be more food stalls with more choice of food and there need to be more loos tended to more frequently, especially at hotspots, eg. near the main stage. Given the popularity of the discussions bigger tents for these would be a wise idea. And it turns out that even at a festival that trumpets its other attractions the music remains extremely important: it definitely felt as if there should have been more choice, and a second main stage.

Wilderness Festival 2011 review photo by Amelia Gregory
Wilderness Festival 2011 review photo by Amelia Gregory
Wilderness Festival 2011 review photo by Amelia Gregory
Wilderness Festival 2011 review photo by Amelia Gregory

Wilderness Festival retained much of the eccentric magic that makes Secret Garden Party so special but it didn’t quite deliver on the added extras: something to work on for 2012.

Don’t forget to check in with my review of Saturday at Wilderness Festival too.

Categories ,2011, ,acoustic, ,Barb Royal, ,Brave Old World, ,Cornbury Park, ,Damanhur, ,Dan Lester, ,Daniel Johnston, ,Esalen, ,Findhorn, ,Glamping, ,guillemots, ,Intentional Communities, ,Jenny Lloyd, ,Laura Marling, ,Luddites, ,Matthew de Abaitua, ,Osho Leela, ,review, ,Secret Garden Party, ,Secret Market Emporium, ,Seize the Day, ,The Art of Camping, ,The Idler Academy, ,Theo Simon, ,Tom Hodgkinson, ,utopia, ,Wilderness Festival

Similar Posts: