Category: Art

Delaine Le Bas first met artist/photographer Tara Darby at the Transition Gallery during her solo show Room in 2005. Tara along with Alex Michon and Cathy Lomax at Transition, became one of her ‘comrades’ as she calls them. 'To be an Artist you need these comrades,' she says 'We are not with each other all the time but as soon as we are it is like the time in between just disappears. Our minds and ways of working are linked in a way that cannot not be defined. We always pick up where we left.' The exhibition is something of a homecoming, after all the collaborations and all the activism which is always implicit in her practice she wanted to work with people she could trust on an exhibition which was more personal and where she could explore facets of her own quixotic persona.
 


Thus with Tara Darby she has created a performative series of photographs. Her relationship with the gallery, shared interests in clothes and music and particularly a punk sensibility were central to this as she says, 'Keeping it real to me is what it is and will always be about. The artists who run Transition get this, Tara gets this. It's not about being fashionable even though the irony is that that is where I started, on a Fashion and Textiles MA at St Martins 1986 – 1988. Through music and clothing I could truly be me. It was not about attracting the opposite sex, it was about identity and forming that identity for myself. I brought magazines when I could, and music papers. I dressed up in a mish mash, crossing what I saw with the old musicals I watched with my Nan and Great Uncle, with Jumble sale finds and old clothing my Mum had. Even before Dennis Potter I dreamed of people 'singing in the rain' and breaking into song instead of speaking, dressed in fantastic outfits that had the glamour of the films and energy of Polystyrene.'
 

In the lead up to the show Delaine and Alex Michon (who have collaborated on a special publication for the show entitled Sister and Comrade) were both reading Viv Albertine’s recently published memoir Girls Girls Girls, Music Music, Music, Clothes, Clothes, Clothes. Much of the inspirational spirit of punk and especially the girls in punk lie behind this immersive show which also includes paintings, music and film. So often the media want to put Delaine in the box marked 'exotic Romany' as she herself says 'In the series of portraits with the Kabuki make up I wanted to play with who and what I am. I was taught to do the make up by my old friend Suzi Skelton from Worthing, she was part of the Kemp company. I have much to thank her for regarding how the make up works and what you can do with it. Life is not black and white, as human beings we are complex and multi faceted creatures, we are not flat pieces of paper but living three dimensional objects moving in space. As a child, I grew with music blasting in my head and with clothing and make up I realised that you could be whoever you wanted to be and the best thing to do was not to give a fuck no matter what anyone else said or tried to impose upon you. Free spirit, comrade, sister, Portrait Of An Artist is about keeping it real, for yourself and always remaining true to who you want to be no matter how the rest of the world tries to confine and restrict you in the words of Polystyrene “Oh Bondage Up Yours!!'

Opening times: Fri-Sun 12-6pm

Category: Earth

Fancy a festival with a difference? Then Starry Skies could be for you… part festival, part camp, this event promises a plethora of family friendly activities in the great outdoors. Expect to learn with forest school, take wild walks in the woods, make nature art, star gaze into the night, sing around the campfire and have fun playing in the woodland playground. Starry Skies has been designed to make the most of the picturesque setting at Barton Hill Farm in the beautiful Brecon Beacons, allowing children the freedom to explore the great outdoors as they often can't at home.

Starry Skies is brought to you by the folks who run Shambala Festival (read our review of Shambala in 2010 here) and I love the ethos behind the camp – that parents often don't have as much fun when they attend festivals with the little ones, and long to go on a holiday where they can relax too. There is even a dedicated Toddler Tent, it doesn't get much better than that!

There will also be entertainment in the form of music from the likes of Lori Campbell, Nuala Honan and Me and My Friends. And of course there will be plenty of other options for the adults, such as yoga, walking adventures, extreme days out and Buddhist chanting.

There is only room for 250 families so expect a very friendly environment with a strong communal spirit. You could be in with a chance to win a family ticket, by suggesting your favourite campfire song here.

Category: Art

Illustration By Rosa and Carlotta Crepax, Illustrated Moodboard.

Exploring boundaries between cities, cultures and institutions, laced together through the poetics of space, Wanderings documents the varying approaches to city life of a select group of emerging international artists. The emerging talent of London’s promising contemporary art scene meets Latin American artists quenching their wanderlust on new shores, and a team of Italian twins welding together art and fashion. This exhibition is the brainchild of a collective of Goldsmiths based curators, entrepreneurs and artists.

Illustration by Jennifer Pitchers, ELX Art.

Exhibiting artists include: Alberto Borea, Rosa & Carlotta Crepax, William Goldsmith, Edi Hirose, Jennifer Matignas Pitchers, Johnatan Molina Arroyo, Josè Vera Matos and Jacob Wolff.

Artwork by Rosa and Carlotta Crepax, Illustrated Moodboard.

Wanderings is curated by Hannah Thorne and produced by ELX Art and Amelia's Magazine contributors Illustrated Moodboard, with support from Galería Lucia de la Puente.

Artwork by Alberto Borea.

Select Artist bios:

ALBERTO BOREA was born in Lima, Peru in 1979. His work has been exhibited in several solo shows, as well as group shows in Latin America, Europe and the U.S. He lives and works between New York and Lima and is represented by Galería Lucia de la Puente.

ROSA & CARLOTTA CREPAX are twin sisters from Milan and London based visual artists. Their work is influenced by fashion and fashion photography. They use a wide range of media to create elegant, colourful and whimsical interpretations of style, contemporary life and culture. Their work aims to address questions of equality, diversity, inclusion and exclusion in relation to gender and sexuality. Their work has been featured in the pages of publications worldwide including Vogue Italia, Glamour, Grazia, Amica, Io Donna, La Repubblica, and Il Corriere della Sera. They have collaborated with a series of brands including Trussardi, Absolut Vodka, Tia Maria, and Pinco Pallino. They live and work in London.

JENNIFER MATIGNAS PITCHERS studied illustration at Camberwell College of Arts and lives and works in London. Born in 1985 to British and Filipino parents, her personal work focuses on identity, belonging and a sense of place. Often linear in style, she explores traditional ink techniques and experiments with etching and relief printing. Her work for Wanderings is inspired by her native Whitechapel. She has previously worked in collaboration with fashion designer Coco Fennell and Samsung, and many years ago worked at Amelia's Magazine. She is currently the Artist in Residence at the Gate Theatre, a role supported by the Chelsea Arts Club Trust. Jennifer is represented by ELX Art.

PRIVATE VIEW: Thursday 17th 6-11pm
OPENING TIMES: Friday 18th – 10am-10pm, Saturday 19th – 10am-10pm, Sunday 20th – 10am-4pm

Category: Art

The MA Illustration Final Show at Camberwell College of the Arts promises to delight, amaze and intrigue. On show this year is the work from 48 graduating artists, alongside a selection of pieces by part-time students completing their first year of work.

This year’s show explores a wide variety of contemporary illustration practice, including picture books, comics, and works created for a variety textiles. The show takes place as part of the larger Postgraduate Final Show at Camberwell, featuring work from students in Printmaking, Designer-Maker, Fine Art Digital and Book Arts as well as Illustration. For more information and a preview of some of the work being exhibited, check out the website here. Here is a selection of work from some of the graduating artists:

Fay Huo is a London-based Chinese illustrator and pattern designer. Inspired by her childhood and philosophy, Fay likes to create dreamy and uncanny works which invite the viewers to enjoy the details as well as her wildest imagination. She has worked as a graphic designer and illustrator for companies/ organization in Hong Kong, Bulgaria and United Kingdom. Her illustrations have been selected to show in the MTV Young at Art exhibition and the D&AD New Blood 2013, and her work caught my eye at the graduate shows last year. The concept of her MA project is Trap.

Emily Nash makes work that is primarily narrative based, taking inspiration from fictional stories, folk tales and current affairs. She uses collage and mixed media to create other-worldly characters and settings. Patterns, textures and found ephemera are built upon to create layered and playful imagery.

Jady Ong was born in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China, and graduated with an undergraduate degree in Animation from Dong Hua University, Shanghai in 2012. She is currently studying MA Illustration at Camberwell College of Arts.

Marja de Sanctis is a Brazilian visual artist and illustrator. She lived between Brazil and Italy and is now based in London. She is addicted to vibrant colours and enjoys making images using mixed media. Marja’s work is informed by a curiosity for human stories, romantic songs and relationships’ podcasts that she seeks to represent through the use of metaphor and symbolism.

Marina Muun is an illustrator working and living in London, whose work is a delicate synthesis of the digital with more traditional media. She has worked on various projects including editorial, fashion and packaging. Her illustrations was selected for D&AD New Blood 2013 and she has recently been shortlisted for the AOI Awards. Her latest work is centred around perception of external stimuli and the ability to match visions and experiences to a deeper knowledge within. We are lucky enough to have had her contributions on the website.

Augusta Akerman is a freelance Illustrator and surface pattern designer currently living and working in London. After Graduating from the Glasgow School of Art in 2008, she has previously worked as a Set Decorator for film and advertising before studying for an MA in Illustration at Camberwell College of Art in 2013. Her work is primarily narrative based combining a classic illustrative style with a looser abstract sense of design. She has recently begun working with textiles transferring her illustrations to silk and cotton, exploring repeating patterns that also lend themselves to wallpaper design.

Private View: 15th July, 6pm
Opening Times: 10am — 8pm, not open on Sunday

Category: Art

Arse Flowers in Bloom, 2010.

Born in 1959 in Cape Town in South Africa, Ansel Krut studied Fine Art at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg (1979-1982) and ascribes much of the unsettling imagery in his paintings to growing up in Apartheid in South Africa. Krut’s painting focuses around subverting still life by linking objects to create improbable, playful and often dark human forms. His grotesque and provocative inventions, drawing on paradoxes, vaudeville and peep show, are poised between absurdity and moral criticism.

Mussels, 2012.

Verbatim, staged by Jerwood Gallery Hastings this May, will be the largest exhibition of his work to date, including new pieces exclusive to the exhibition, as well as paintings which haven’t been seen before in the UK. Click here for more information and find out more about Ansel Krut on his agent’s website here.

Thuggish Houses, 2012.

All images courtesy of Modern Art.
Opening hours: Tuesday-Friday 11am-5pm, Saturday- Sunday 11am-6pm, Closed Mondays (with the exception of Bank Holiday Mondays and during East Sussex school holidays)

Giants of Modernism #2 (Carrot Head), 2009.

Category: Art

The AOI presents The Illustrator's Guide to Business, an essential course for all illustrators hoping to succeed professionally, with talks from eight different speakers covering all aspects of the industry. There will also be the chance to network with peers and industry experts, as well as receive 20% discount on entry price into Pick Me Up, the graphic arts festival held at Somerset House from 24 April – 5 May. The speakers are as follows:

Fig Taylor
Fi is currently Portfolio Consultant for the AOI and advertising charity, NABS. In the past she has run her own agency, Fig 1. She subsequently worked for four agencies including CIA. She also lectures on professional practice for illustrators internationally and at art institutions across the UK.

James Louis
James is currently Business Education & Support Team at HM Revenue and Customs. He has worked for the HMRC for over 25 years providing advice and education from small business and individuals.

Derek Brazell 
Derek is Director for visual arts of the British Copyright Council and a member of the Design and Artists Copyright Society’s Creators Council. He's currently AOI Projects Manager and has illustrated for magazines, design work and a string of successful picture books for children. His latest book Understanding Illustration was co-authored with Jo Davies and is available now.

Matthew Shearer
Matthew provides advice and support to AOI members as AOI Membership Manager. This can include anything regarding pricing, ethics, contracts and professional practise.

Victoria Pearce
Victoria is currently Senior Agent at Illustration Ltd. Prior to working as an illustration agent Victoria has worked in fashion photography as an agent as well as a stills producer.

Alex Jenkins
Alex has a background in Graphic Design, Illustration and Character Animation. He is the Creative Director of B-Reel London. Projects range from digital branding, interactive to 360 campaigns, games to interactive stories, apps and installations. He has won several awards and continues to deliver talks and workshops for conferences and learning institutions.

Alex Mathers
Alex is an Illustrator and Writer, he specialises in digital vector maps and landscapes. He runs an online platform called Ape on the Moon which showcases work from various illustrators as well as a site run for creatives focusing on building influence, called Red Lemon Club.

Anna Steinberg
Anna practises as freelance Illustrator and has worked for seven years as a part time member of staff on the AOI membership desk. She also lectures on professional practise at various universities.

All images by Tim Ellis. Ticket prices: Non Members £60 per day, £110 for both days, Students, AOI & SCWBI Members £50, £90 for both days. Purchase tickets here.

Category: Art

In a new exhibition at the High House Gallery a duck attacks the lens, a dog snarls at the camera and a frog lies dead in the road. In his own truly unique way Giacomo Brunelli photographs animals unlike any other photographer today. In place of candid photographs taken with long lenses – usually the result of hours of patient waiting – Brunelli instead records his animal subjects by approaching them provocatively and from unusual angles – often very close up. He often works in the early morning to exploit the low light, shadow and contrast. Locations are backyards, streets, small villages, fields and farms. 

He entitles this juxtaposition of styles 'animal focused street photography'. Working entirely in analogue format with a 1960's Miranda Sensomat 35mm camera his practice includes the meticulous hand printing of his photographs as limited editions. Most recently, Brunelli was commissioned by The Photographers Gallery to create a series entitled Eternal London. Using his distinct film-noir style he created a unique and evocative view of the capital and its famous landmarks.

More information:
Giacomo Brunelli is an Italian artist who first studied photography on a short course, after having graduated from a degree in international communications. He was the winner of awards such as the Magenta ‘‘Flash Forward 2009’’, Toronto, Canada, the Sony World Photography Award in 2007 and the Winner of Grand Prix of Fotofestival, Poland in 2007. Brunelli currently resides and works in London.

High House Gallery was founded in 2011 by Martin Jenner and situated within a grade II listed Victorian mansion and recently-restored formal gardens located in the Oxfordshire village of Clanfield. The gallery promotes only the best in critically- engaged contemporary art, with an innovative exhibition programme features both solo and curated group exhibitions from an international roster of gallery and invited artists.

Opening times: Thursday – Sunday 12am – 6pm
Evening preview: Thursday 24th April, 6 to 8pm. Artist present.

Category: Art

Printer of Dreams presents a month long exhibition at The Ritzy cinema in Brixton celebrating the best (and worst) of 80s Youth as seen on the silver screen. Eleven of the finest illustrators have re-imagined their favourite movies from the decade that brought you back to the future, hoody wearing aliens, wisecracking ghost busters and gangs of kids escaping everything from school, crooks and pirates. 

Labyrinth, Alec Doherty.

Back to the Future, Kate Copeland.

Alec Doherty has created a fantastically colourful and playful Labyrinth design, whilst Kate Copeland has wowed us with her fantastically simplistic Back to the Future poster. And expect something darkly wonderful from long time Printer of Dreams collaborator Edward Tuckwell, who has recently upped sticks from Falmouth and is now making his mark on the capital.  

Ghostbusters, Toby Leigh.

ET, Tony Johnson.

Other contributing illustrators include Rebecca Carey, Rob Flowers, Jean Julien, Annu Kilpelainen, Joe Melhuish and Mat Weller.

All are invited to the opening night on the 6th May, 7.30pm – late. Expect a night of nostalgia inspired by the magic of a decade when cinema changed the face of youth, with 10 signed limited edition prints available and DJ Pee-Wee Robinson on hand to spin the very best from the decade on the wheels of steel. Find out more info here.

Category: Art

‘Penumbra’ is a word that describes the indistinct area between light and shadow, and is the title of the debut art exhibition by young curatorial collective VERB, to be held at the APT Gallery in Deptford. The collective is made up of curators Nella Aarne and Rachael Smith, curator/journalist Olga Stebleva and artists Elizabeth Hudson and Harriet Wiseman.

Anton Burdakov, Light Lighter, 2013.

The show presents the work of 11 emerging artists with fresh and intriguing perspectives on ambiguity and the in-between. The curators see a link between the position of themselves and the artists – as emerging practitioners – and the current phenomena of the young taking longer to find security and stability. The exhibition is structured around three main strands; ambiguous spaces, the passage of time and transformation. Approaches range from the disorientating spaces of Collette Rayner’s film Sealand and Megan Broadmeadow’s towering installation Mastaba, to Anna Hussey’s delicate etchings Relics, which explore an ambiguous mix of memory, fact and fiction.

Here's a bit more info about some of the featured artists:

Anton Burdakov lives and works in London and Berlin. He originally studied neuroscience at the University of Cambridge and has recently completed an MA in Fine Art the Royal College of Art in London. In his work Light, Lighter a set of scales gradually tips over as a candle on one end burns down.

Clare Price, Gentle Filth, 2013.

Clare Price is currently doing her MFA in Fine Arts at Goldsmiths, she has a BA (hons) in Fine Art Painting from Central Saint Martins. She was selected for the Marmite Prize for Painting 2012/13. Plume, Flip Flopping, Rip and Gentle Filth are mixed media abstract paintings that contrast unpredictable mark-making with digitally-inspired forms.

Helen McGhie, Fitting Rooms #6, 2013.

Helen McGhie is a current MA Photography student at Royal College of Art. She has had a solo show at Harris Museum and Art Gallery, Preston and been in group exhibitions across the country. Fitting Rooms (#6, #13, #17) is a series of colour photographs showing glimpses of women in fitting rooms.

Megan Broadmeadow, Mastaba, 2013.

Megan Broadmeadow is a current MFA Fine Art student at Goldsmiths and has a First Class BA (hons) from UCL Slade School of Art. Mastaba is a sculptural video installation that combines cultural memory and pop imagery.

Opening times: Wednesday to Sunday, 11am to 6pm.
The public events programme is free, and includes curator's tours on Friday 2nd and Wednesday 14th, a panel discussion on Thursday 8th, drop-in workshops on Saturday 10th and an artists' talk and performance on Sunday 18th. Families are welcome.
Join the facebook event here.

Category: Art

Atomica Gallery presents Metamorphosis, the debut solo exhibition from the London-based Tasmanian artist and illustrator Nick Sheehy.

Metamorphosis is a collection of graphite and watercolour works on paper exploring change, death and imagination. Sheehy’s subjects include his signature double skull characters, animal skeletons and the dead awakened by courses of coloured, ribbon-like energy streaming through their static forms. His fantastical characters are the results of cathartic and meditative drawings, documenting the emotional state of a person whose life is in a period of flux.

Sheehy has already exhibited in group shows worldwide and his work has been featured in art publications such as Creative Review, Tiny Pencil and NoBrow.

Everyone is invited to the opening reception on Thursday 12th June at Atomica Gallery, 6-9pm. Join the Facebook event or rsvp@atomicagallery.com.