Amelia’s Magazine | Who’s the Man? exhibition and an interview with the artist, Rudy de Belgeonne

Design by Ruth Hill, pills Illustration by Dee Andrews

This week’s wet Monday was brightened up considerably by a trip to the Royal Collage of Art’s first work-in-progress show of 2011 – and before you ask, drugs no, I was not suffering from “Blue Monday” or the notion that yesterday was the most depressing day of the year. as Ben Goldacre (Bad Science) discussed over on his blog, the concept behind this ‘condition’ was made up by a PR company, with the aim to sell more holidays…

Finishing on Wednesday, 19th January, the Work-In-Progress show is a great opportunity for current BA Students, graduates and the public to see the developing ideas in the fields of Fashion, Textiles, Metalwork and Jewellery, Goldsmithing, Silversmithing, and Photography. Whilst the photography and the filmmaking are breathtaking, warranting a trip to the RCA by themselves, I will mainly be focusing on the Menswear and Womenswear Year Two students.

Tariq Mahmoud

Tariq Mahmoud’s shoe was inspired by watching the penguins at the penguin pool of London Zoo. The unique presentation of his shoe within a fish bowl with a couple of toy penguins for company, was certainly eye catching, drawing your attention to the similarities between flipper and shoe.

This wonderful sweater half suspended within the cloth, from it was cut is reminiscent of Issey Miyake’s A Piece of Cloth or A-Poc (see Fashion Editor Matt Bramford’s wonderful article on Future Beauty: 30 Years of Japanese Fashion at the Barbican). Unfortunately I could not find a name to accredit the design too…

Aleksandra Domansehay

The RCA Interim show is a fantastic opportunity to see how ideas circulating within contemporary fashion are being dissected by students studying the craft. Aleksandra Domansehay’s oversized mac in a traditional plaid is a great example of how classic shapes are constantly being reinvented.

Orshel-Read

It was amazing to discover, that one of Amelia’s Magazine favourite London Fashion Week designers Orschel-Read is still a student!
Design by Orschel-Read, Illustration by Gareth A Hopkins

Cherie Newing

I loved Cherie Newing’s take on the ubiquitous fisherman’s jumper.

Sol Auri

Menswear Year 2 student, Sol Auri’s breathtaking combination of triomphe d’oeil and matching fabrics.

Samuel Membey

Samuel Membey’s coat revisits the … as beloved by punks as captured in the wonderful photography book Skins by Gavin Watson.

Ruth Hill

In Womenswear Knit, Ruth Hill’s simple orange dress was highly reminiscent of Paul Klee.

Lily Kamber

Lily Kamber’s fantastic mixed media pieces used found objects to create pieces of jewellery more at home in the art deco settings of William Morris…

Finally I came upon the research section of the Royal College’s Mphil department and the wonderful work of Jungeun Lee. Lee’s experiments with synthetic fabrics – creating garments without the need for pattern cutting, sowing, knitting or weaving – reminded me again of the ground breaking A-Poc (A piece of Cloth) and Issey Miyake’s latest venture, 132 5 , an “experiment in steam pressed polygons of material” (thanks Fashion Ed, Matt Bramford!). Lee created her pieces by molding hot synthetic fibres into a 3D Structure.

Hurry up! What are you waiting for? Head down to the Royal College of Art before 5.30pm Wendesday 19th January.

Visit the Royal College of Art’s website for full updates on their upcoming in-progress shows and public lectures. I’m particularly looking forward to the collaboration between RCA MA Curating Contemporary Art and Goldsmiths MFA Curating students, Testing Ground: Time Scale.

Design by Ruth Hill, buy information pills Illustration by Dee Andrews

This week’s wet Monday was brightened up considerably by a trip to the Royal Collage of Art’s first work-in-progress show of 2011 – and before you ask, viagra no, I was not suffering from “Blue Monday” or the notion that yesterday was the most depressing day of the year. as Ben Goldacre (Bad Science) discussed over on his blog, the concept behind this ‘condition’ was made up by a PR company, with the aim to sell more holidays…

Finishing on Wednesday, 19th January, the Work-In-Progress show is a great opportunity for current BA Students, graduates and the public to see the developing ideas in the fields of Fashion, Textiles, Metalwork and Jewellery, Goldsmithing, Silversmithing, and Photography. Whilst the photography and the filmmaking are breathtaking, warranting a trip to the RCA by themselves, I will mainly be focusing on the Menswear and Womenswear Year Two students.

Tariq Mahmoud

Tariq Mahmoud’s shoe was inspired by watching the penguins at the penguin pool of London Zoo. The unique presentation of his shoe within a fish bowl with a couple of toy penguins for company, was certainly eye catching, drawing your attention to the similarities between flipper and shoe.

This wonderful sweater half suspended within the cloth, from it was cut is reminiscent of Issey Miyake’s A Piece of Cloth or A-Poc (see Fashion Editor Matt Bramford’s wonderful article on Future Beauty: 30 Years of Japanese Fashion at the Barbican). Unfortunately I could not find a name to accredit the design too…

Aleksandra Domansehay

The RCA Interim show is a fantastic opportunity to see how ideas circulating within contemporary fashion are being dissected by students studying the craft. Aleksandra Domansehay’s oversized mac in a traditional plaid is a great example of how classic shapes are constantly being reinvented.

Orshel-Read

It was amazing to discover, that one of Amelia’s Magazine favourite London Fashion Week designers Orschel-Read is still a student!
Design by Orschel-Read, Illustration by Gareth A Hopkins

Cherie Newing

I loved Cherie Newing’s take on the ubiquitous fisherman’s jumper.

Sol Auri

Menswear Year 2 student, Sol Auri’s breathtaking combination of triomphe d’oeil and matching fabrics.

Samuel Membey

Samuel Membey’s coat revisits the … as beloved by punks as captured in the wonderful photography book Skins by Gavin Watson.

Ruth Hill

In Womenswear Knit, Ruth Hill’s simple orange dress was highly reminiscent of Paul Klee.

Lily Kamber

Lily Kamber’s fantastic mixed media pieces used found objects to create pieces of jewellery more at home in the art deco settings of William Morris…

Finally I came upon the research section of the Royal College’s Mphil department and the wonderful work of Jungeun Lee. Lee’s experiments with synthetic fabrics – creating garments without the need for pattern cutting, sowing, knitting or weaving – reminded me again of the ground breaking A-Poc (A piece of Cloth) and Issey Miyake’s latest venture, 132 5 , an “experiment in steam pressed polygons of material” (thanks Fashion Ed, Matt Bramford!). Lee created her pieces by molding hot synthetic fibres into a 3D Structure.

Hurry up! What are you waiting for? Head down to the Royal College of Art before 5.30pm Wendesday 19th January.

Visit the Royal College of Art’s website for full updates on their upcoming in-progress shows and public lectures. I’m particularly looking forward to the collaboration between RCA MA Curating Contemporary Art and Goldsmiths MFA Curating students, Testing Ground: Time Scale.

Design by Ruth Hill, store Illustration by Dee Andrews

This week’s wet Monday was brightened up considerably by a trip to the Royal Collage of Art’s first work-in-progress show of 2011 – and before you ask, viagra buy no, this site I was not suffering from “Blue Monday” or the notion that yesterday was the most depressing day of the year. as Ben Goldacre (Bad Science) discussed over on his blog, the concept behind this ‘condition’ was made up by a PR company, with the aim to sell more holidays…

Finishing on Wednesday, 19th January, the Work-In-Progress show is a great opportunity for current BA Students, graduates and the public to see the developing ideas in the fields of Fashion, Textiles, Metalwork and Jewellery, Goldsmithing, Silversmithing, and Photography. Whilst the photography and the filmmaking are breathtaking, warranting a trip to the RCA by themselves, I will mainly be focusing on the Menswear and Womenswear Year Two students.

Tariq Mahmoud

Tariq Mahmoud’s shoe was inspired by watching the penguins at the penguin pool of London Zoo. The unique presentation of his shoe within a fish bowl with a couple of toy penguins for company, was certainly eye catching, drawing your attention to the similarities between flipper and shoe.

This wonderful sweater half suspended within the cloth, from it was cut is reminiscent of Issey Miyake’s A Piece of Cloth or A-Poc (see Fashion Editor Matt Bramford’s wonderful article on Future Beauty: 30 Years of Japanese Fashion at the Barbican). Unfortunately I could not find a name to accredit the design too…

Aleksandra Domansehay

The RCA Interim show is a fantastic opportunity to see how ideas circulating within contemporary fashion are being dissected by students studying the craft. Aleksandra Domansehay’s oversized mac in a traditional plaid is a great example of how classic shapes are constantly being reinvented.

Orshel-Read

It was amazing to discover, that one of Amelia’s Magazine favourite London Fashion Week designers Orschel-Read is still a student!
Design by Orschel-Read, Illustration by Gareth A Hopkins

Cherie Newing

I loved Cherie Newing’s take on the ubiquitous fisherman’s jumper.

Sol Ahn

Menswear Year 2 student and intriguing illustrator, Sol Ahn displayed this breathtaking combination of a triomphe d’oeil shirt and cardigan with fabrics to match the illustrations!

Samuel Membey

Samuel Membey’s coat revisits the … as beloved by punks as captured in the wonderful photography book Skins by Gavin Watson.

Ruth Hill

In Womenswear Knit, Ruth Hill’s simple orange dress was highly reminiscent of Paul Klee.

Lily Kamber

Lily Kamber’s fantastic mixed media pieces used found objects to create pieces of jewellery more at home in the art deco settings of William Morris…

Finally I came upon the research section of the Royal College’s Mphil department and the wonderful work of Jungeun Lee. Lee’s experiments with synthetic fabrics – creating garments without the need for pattern cutting, sowing, knitting or weaving – reminded me again of the ground breaking A-Poc (A piece of Cloth) and Issey Miyake’s latest venture, 132 5 , an “experiment in steam pressed polygons of material” (thanks Fashion Ed, Matt Bramford!). Lee created her pieces by molding hot synthetic fibres into a 3D Structure.

Hurry up! What are you waiting for? Head down to the Royal College of Art before 5.30pm Wendesday 19th January.

Visit the Royal College of Art’s website for full updates on their upcoming in-progress shows and public lectures. I’m particularly looking forward to the collaboration between RCA MA Curating Contemporary Art and Goldsmiths MFA Curating students, Testing Ground: Time Scale.

Design by Ruth Hill, side effects Illustration by Dee Andrews

This week’s wet Monday was brightened up considerably by a trip to the Royal Collage of Art’s first work-in-progress show of 2011 – and before you ask, viagra approved no, diagnosis I was not suffering from “Blue Monday” or the notion that yesterday was the most depressing day of the year. as Ben Goldacre (Bad Science) discussed over on his blog, the concept behind this ‘condition’ was made up by a PR company, with the aim to sell more holidays…

Finishing on Wednesday, 19th January, the Work-In-Progress show is a great opportunity for current BA Students, graduates and the public to see the developing ideas in the fields of Fashion, Textiles, Metalwork and Jewellery, Goldsmithing, Silversmithing, and Photography. Whilst the photography and the filmmaking are breathtaking, warranting a trip to the RCA by themselves, I will mainly be focusing on the Menswear and Womenswear Year Two students.

Tariq Mahmoud

Tariq Mahmoud’s shoe was inspired by watching the penguins at the penguin pool of London Zoo. The unique presentation of his shoe within a fish bowl with a couple of toy penguins for company, was certainly eye catching, drawing your attention to the similarities between flipper and shoe.

This wonderful sweater half suspended within the cloth, from it was cut is reminiscent of Issey Miyake’s A Piece of Cloth or A-Poc (see Fashion Editor Matt Bramford’s wonderful article on Future Beauty: 30 Years of Japanese Fashion at the Barbican). Unfortunately I could not find a name to accredit the design too…

Aleksandra Domansehay

The RCA Interim show is a fantastic opportunity to see how ideas circulating within contemporary fashion are being dissected by students studying the craft. Aleksandra Domansehay’s oversized mac in a traditional plaid is a great example of how classic shapes are constantly being reinvented.

Orshel-Read

It was amazing to discover that one of Amelia’s Magazine favourite London Fashion Week designers Orschel-Read is still a student!
Design by Orschel-Read, Illustration by Gareth A Hopkins

Cherie Newing

I loved Cherie Newing’s take on the ubiquitous fisherman’s jumper.

Sol Ahn

Menswear Year 2 student and intriguing illustrator, Sol Ahn displayed this breathtaking combination of a triomphe d’oeil shirt and cardigan with fabrics to match the illustrations!

Samuel Membey

Samuel Membey’s coat revisits the … as beloved by punks as captured in the wonderful photography book Skins by Gavin Watson.

Ruth Hill

In Womenswear Knit, Ruth Hill’s simple orange dress with a subtle block print was beautifully reminiscent of the artist Paul Klee.

Lily Kamber

Lily Kamber’s fantastic mixed media pieces used found objects to create pieces of jewellery more at home in the art deco settings of William Morris…

Finally I came upon the research section of the Royal College’s Mphil department and the wonderful work of Jungeun Lee. Lee’s experiments with synthetic fabrics – creating garments without the need for pattern cutting, sowing, knitting or weaving – reminded me again of the ground breaking A-Poc (A piece of Cloth) and Issey Miyake’s latest venture, 132 5 , an “experiment in steam pressed polygons of material” (thanks Fashion Ed, Matt Bramford!). Lee created her pieces by molding hot synthetic fibres into a 3D Structure.

Hurry up! What are you waiting for? Head down to the Royal College of Art before 5.30pm Wendesday 19th January.

Visit the Royal College of Art’s website for full updates on their upcoming in-progress shows and public lectures. I’m particularly looking forward to the collaboration between RCA MA Curating Contemporary Art and Goldsmiths MFA Curating students, Testing Ground: Time Scale.

Design by Ruth Hill, link Illustration by Dee Andrews

This week’s wet Monday was brightened up considerably by a trip to the Royal Collage of Art’s first work-in-progress show of 2011 – and before you ask, unhealthy no, I was not suffering from “Blue Monday” or the notion that yesterday was the most depressing day of the year. as Ben Goldacre (Bad Science) discussed over on his blog, the concept behind this ‘condition’ was made up by a PR company, with the aim to sell more holidays…

Finishing on Wednesday, 19th January, the Work-In-Progress show is a great opportunity for current BA Students, graduates and the public to see the developing ideas in the fields of Fashion, Textiles, Metalwork and Jewellery, Goldsmithing, Silversmithing, and Photography. Whilst the photography and the filmmaking are breathtaking, warranting a trip to the RCA by themselves, I will mainly be focusing on the Menswear and Womenswear Year Two students.

Tariq Mahmoud

Tariq Mahmoud’s shoe was inspired by watching the penguins at the penguin pool of London Zoo. The unique presentation of his shoe within a fish bowl with a couple of toy penguins for company, was certainly eye catching, drawing your attention to the similarities between flipper and shoe.

This wonderful sweater half suspended within the cloth, from it was cut is reminiscent of Issey Miyake’s A Piece of Cloth or A-Poc (see Fashion Editor Matt Bramford’s wonderful article on Future Beauty: 30 Years of Japanese Fashion at the Barbican). Unfortunately I could not find a name to accredit the design too…

Aleksandra Domansehay

The RCA Interim show is a fantastic opportunity to see how ideas circulating within contemporary fashion are being dissected by students studying the craft. Aleksandra Domansehay’s oversized mac in a traditional plaid is a great example of how classic shapes are constantly being reinvented.

Orshel-Read

It was amazing to discover that one of Amelia’s Magazine favourite London Fashion Week designers Orschel-Read is still a student!
Design by Orschel-Read, Illustration by Gareth A Hopkins

Cherie Newing

I loved Cherie Newing’s take on the ubiquitous fisherman’s jumper.

Sol Ahn

Menswear Year 2 student and intriguing illustrator, Sol Ahn displayed this breathtaking combination of a triomphe d’oeil shirt and cardigan with fabrics to match the illustrations!

Samuel Membey

Samuel Membey’s overcoat revisits the skinhead movement of the 1970′s, as captured in Gavin Watson’s collection of photographs: Skins.

Ruth Hill

In Womenswear Knit, Ruth Hill’s simple orange dress with a subtle block print was beautifully reminiscent of the artist Paul Klee.

Lily Kamber

Lily Kamber’s fantastic mixed media pieces used found objects to create pieces of jewellery more at home in the art deco settings of William Morris…

In the M.Phil research section, I came across the wonderful work of Jungeun Lee. Lee’s experiments with synthetic fabrics – creating garments without the need for pattern cutting, sowing, knitting or weaving – reminded me again of the ground breaking A-Poc (A piece of Cloth) and Issey Miyake’s latest venture, 132 5, an “experiment in steam pressed polygons of material” (thanks Fashion Ed, Matt Bramford!). Lee created her pieces by molding hot synthetic fibres into a 3D Structure.

Hurry up! What are you waiting for? Head down to the Royal College of Art before 5.30pm Wendesday 19th January.

Visit the Royal College of Art’s website for full updates on their upcoming in-progress shows and public lectures. I’m particularly looking forward to the collaboration between RCA MA Curating Contemporary Art and Goldsmiths MFA Curating students, Testing Ground: Time Scale.


Illustration by Alexandra Rolfe

I almost didn’t make it to Rudy de Belgeonne‘s exhibition at the Exposure Gallery. It was a rainy Thursday and I’d already hiked to the Hipstamatic exhibition, seek and all I wanted to do was go home and watch EastEnders. Occasionally, it pays to miss EastEnders.


All photography by Matt Bramford

At the Exposure Gallery on Little Portland Street, Rudy has mounted a thousand wooden blocks, each with a different phrase representing a man. Y’know, everything from ‘Pal‘ and ‘Hero‘ to ‘Bad Ass‘, ‘Mofo‘ and ‘Gay Boy‘.

The blocks all proudly own their own hand-painted idioms in a varying array of typefaces, with themes like spaghetti western, 1970s disco and 1980s computer graphics. For anybody obsessed with type, this is a must-see exhibition.

But it isn’t just about typefaces or bright colours. Oh no. Rudy has pretty much mapped all the phrases and aphorisms that have come to represent the male. Song titles, common expressions and often insults are all presented, with the design of each block perfectly suiting each word. Masculine phrases like ‘Champ‘ and ‘Jock‘ are portrayed in bold, blocked fonts; ‘Sexy Mother Fucker‘ and ‘Baby Boy‘ have the flamboyant essence of the 1970s; and ‘Faggot‘ and ‘Friend of Dorothy‘ make use of more feminine typefaces.

I had a chat with Rudy to find out more about the exhibition…

What’s the story behind Who’s The Man??
It’s a very long and winding tale, with many false starts and wrong turnings. Although I studied as a painter years ago, I had been doing mostly digital commercial projects for about 10 years.  I had been working for about a year for a client who I won’t name, on a project that I hated – unpleasant subject, quite complex, very pressurised – so I thought I would keep myself sane by  starting a ‘nice simple’ painting project in my spare time. Also, there was an appeal in the tangibility of paint on wooden panels as an antidote to the nebulous nature of software.

I had always been interested in lists and collections – and also in typefaces and logos, and had an idea that I might do something that played on the words typography/type, and different types of women – the whole housewife, mother, goddess, whore thing amused me.  So I set about collecting as many words for a woman as I could think of.  Trouble was, when I started to actually paint them, something didn’t feel right.  I was painting the word ‘whore’, and it just felt – well – a bit impolite!  It occurred to me how most of the history of art is about the male gaze, woman as subject, men imposing their labels, philosophies, fantasies on their models.  It was then that I had a bit of a lightbulb moment.  Bought up without any paternal role model myself, I think I struggled a bit when I was younger with how one is suppose to behave as a man – what degree of sensitivity, what degree of softness should one allow to show.  So how much more interesting, more personal, how much….funnier,  to turn the gaze around and look at myself, to look at the male.  And how much more culturally relevant, at this time of true female ascendancy in the west, when male roles, behaviour – even purpose – are being questioned on a daily basis in culture and media.  There’s not much call for fighting or hunting these days, and that’s after all what we’re hard-wired to do. Even our breadwinning role is questionable, and there are many many men who – consciously or subconsciously – don’t quite know how they are meant to be.

So I started all over again – and I’m pleased I did, because the Man work has had such a good critical reception – I think in retrospect I may have been given a much harder time if I had worked away for five years and then presented 1000 clichés about women.  I have also become more wrapped up in the subject as it has evolved – reading up on gender politics and masculinity studies.  I came across the phrases ‘gender landscape’  and ‘psychic landscape’ which I hadn’t heard before,  and have come to think of the work almost as some kind of map that a man can stand in front of, and see arrayed before him all the things he could possibly be, and maybe plot his way through these landscapes – who am I? Who would I like to be? Who do I have the option to be but choose not to be? 

What do you hope to achieve with the project?
?First and foremost, with every project I have done, my aim is to seduce – to appeal through beautiful colour schemes and by making people laugh.  If they then start thinking about what kind of man they are, what kind of man they could be, what kind of man they are with, or what kind of man they have bought into the world, then that’s a total bonus for me.
I’m happy for the installation to travel around the world, being reconfigured to fit into different spaces – there are discussions about it going to Tokyo and San Francisco in coming months – selling prints and panel sets off the back of it.  There are also discussions about other merchandise – enamel dog-tags with the words of your choice.  I’m very interested in that point where the art of idea meets mass culture.


Illustration by Avril Kelly

How long has Who’s the Man been in the making? Have you had any help with it??
I started the project 5 years ago in quite a casual way just fitting it in around my day jobs, but I spent more and more time on it as it gained momentum and I realized I was onto something.  I took a studio 2 years ago and I started only doing part-time work so that I could spend more time painting, researching words and typefaces, and thinking about the composition of the piece.  For the last year I worked exclusively on Who’s The Man, and for the first half of 2010, even engaged some interns to help paint backgrounds as I struggled to finish in time for its first showing at the Future Gallery in June.  So it’s all my own work – but with the assistance of everyone who has seen it and given feedback. 
How did you come up with the different words, and how did you source the different typefaces??I have an Excel spreadsheet with more than 4000 words and phrases for a Man. I started out just listing every word I could think of – which was surprisingly many – I have always enjoyed language, and my everyday speech is peppered with phases such as Good Egg, Queer Fish, Rum Cove, Charlie Big Potatoes.  Then, when that started to run dry I turned to dictionaries and thesauruses.  Then I realised that there were a lot of song titles – Good Rockin’ Daddy, Sweet Talkin’ Guy, Mr Boombastic – and movie titles – Godfather, Invisible Man, Mr Majestic – so I turned to IMDB and iTunes.  Then of course, whenever people visited my studio they would challenge themselves to find words I had missed. It still happens whenever show the work – 99% of the time I already have the word people suggest, but I’m still happy to find a place for new ones if something really juicy comes up.

In terms of typefaces, I have a huge collection that I have gathered over the years – I’m a bit of a type geek – I photograph it whenever I see it, clip it from magazines, scan it in, and of course there are many good resources online.

Do you have any particular favourites?
?I’m a fan of all the old fashioned words and phrases that I have already mentioned – ones that I think should be more widely used.  But I also enjoy the juxtaposition of sets of words – Alpha Dog/Pussy Boy, Fancy Dan/Mama Man, Diamond Geezer/Flash Harry Champagne Charlie/Golden Bollocks

What or who has influenced Who’s the Man, or any of your other projects?
?Inspiration comes from all over the place. Conceptually, pop artists like Peter Blake, with his obsessive collections, bold forms and bright flat colours.  Graffiti artists like Margaret Kilgallen, and Ben Eine working today, for the power they manage to invest in the words.  I like a lot of outsider art for its sincerity and obsessive tunnel vision.  But also product packaging, advertising and vintage movie posters of course.

What’s next for the installation and Rudy?
?At the moment I’m still busy dealing with the interest stirred up by Who’s The Man? The installation rolls on from venue to venue, I’m repainting a lot of the panels as bespoke sets to order on a commission basis, and also releasing different configurations as limited edition prints. But I’m conscious that I need to balance all this with taking the idea forwards – I’m working on a range of projects to present the work in different ways – as animation, as an interactive installation, in book form, alongside photos/illustrations of actual men. And developing my next project of course – can’t say too much about it at this stage, but it will be a similar format, except involving images this time, alongside the words… •

Interestingly, I posted an image of ‘16 Gay Types‘ on Twitter – a screen-printed montage of 16 words Rudy has used to represent gay men, which is available as a large-scale print. I had a barrage of replies with suggestions for what could have been on there, and all the gays seemed to love it. I spoke to Rudy about this afterwards, and all of my Twitter pals’ suggestions (fruity examples such as ‘Backdoor Pirate‘) were on Rudy’s original list but he’d been reserved in which to use. Interestingly, he told me the exhibition had resonated mostly with women and gay men, and he believes this is because gay men have experienced longer periods of self-reflection and women think more about the men that surround them and the men they’ve brought into the world. Apparently, it just doesn’t do it for straight men. ‘I have had the odd hetero friend who has looked at it and I can see from looking at their face that it just doesn’t compute,’ Rudy told me.

I guess that’s down to machismo, but even the most alpha of males can find something to enjoy in this unique exhibition, even if it is only swooning over macho typefaces and words. But that’s just the start of it…

Categories ,1970s, ,1980s, ,Baby Boy, ,Ben Eine, ,Champ, ,Charlie Big Potatoes, ,Computer graphics, ,disco, ,EastEnders, ,Exposure Gallery, ,Faggot, ,Friend of Dorothy, ,Gay Boy, ,Good Egg, ,hero, ,IMDB, ,iTunes, ,Jock, ,london, ,Man, ,Margaret Kilgallen, ,MEN, ,Mofo, ,Pal, ,Peter Blake, ,Queer Fish, ,Rudy de Belgeonne, ,Rum Cove, ,Sexy Mother Fucker, ,Typefaces, ,Who’s The Man

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Amelia’s Magazine | Album Review – Anna Calvi

Du Goudron et des Plumes Ellie Sutton
Du Goudron et des Plumes by Compagnie MPTA with Mathurin Bolze started with a swinging platform lowered slowly over the heads of the performers, medications crushing them into the floor. They emerged from beneath, generic ripping out the innards, transforming the planks into a clanking and clattering playground as the dancers/acrobats/I’m not really sure what you call them swung adeptly, building and destroying, meeting and parting. Rotating vignettes from everyday life met with random acts of acrobatic grace, often finely tuned for comedic effect – the performers scaling planks to sit, gnome like, at the top, or hanging upside down to mirror each other.

The platform rose, swaying, as paper sheets were unleashed to shade the manic silhouettes of the characters behind until, in a flurry of motion, the paper was ripped apart. From minimalist jazz to crashing bells, the soundtrack was finely tuned to the minutest motion. The platform tilted as the occupants scrabbled to maintain control, clinging to each other. My later reading of the notes tells me this was a metaphor for our unstable future on this earth. The show ended with them mired in the middle as if aboard a desperate life raft.

I’d like to say that I drifted off rather frequently during this show because I’m really pre-occupied with the launch of my new book this Friday, but the fact is I probably would have done anyway… for me, that’s the trouble with theatrical shows that lack a strong narrative. At times the rhythm and flow of the five fluid acrobats had me gripped, but then I would find I’d gone somewhere else entirely (shit, I don’t have enough drink for 300 guests) as they swung repeatedly from side to side, the motion acting as a hypnotist’s pendulum to send me off… and when I snapped to the scene had completely changed…a character was half naked smoking a pipe at the end of a plank, the lone girl was swinging wildly through the air astride a rope swing, a man was swinging wildly from the oversized lamp. Director Mathurin Bolze calls this effect “mesmerising patterns.”

This performance was typical of the way that traditional circus skills have been co-opted to create something much more abstract and intriguing in a theatrical setting. There was multiple applause and a standing ovation flooded through the packed theatre as the lights came up on the opening night of Du Goudron et des Plumes.
Du Goudron et des Plumes plays at the Barbican until the 29th of January. You can read another interesting review by Ought to be Clowns here. The London International Mime Festival continues until 30th January 2011. My new book, Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration, is officially launched tomorrow.

Du Goudron et des Plumes Illustration Gemma Smith
Du Goudron et des Plumes by Gemma Smith.

Du Goudron et des Plumes by Compagnie MPTA with Mathurin Bolze started with a swinging platform lowered slowly over the heads of the performers, visit this site crushing them into the floor. They emerged from beneath, viagra 40mg ripping out the innards, price transforming the planks into a clanking and clattering playground as the dancers/acrobats/I’m not really sure what you call them swung adeptly, building and destroying, meeting and parting. Rotating vignettes from everyday life met with random acts of acrobatic grace, often finely tuned for comedic effect – the performers scaling planks to sit, gnome like, at the top, or hanging upside down to mirror each other.

Du Goudron et des Plumes by Ellie Sutton
Du Goudron et des Plumes by Ellie Sutton.

The platform rose, swaying, as paper sheets were unleashed to shade the manic silhouettes of the characters behind until, in a flurry of motion, the paper was ripped apart. From minimalist jazz to crashing bells, the soundtrack was finely tuned to the minutest motion. The platform tilted as the occupants scrabbled to maintain control, clinging to each other. My later reading of the notes tells me this was a metaphor for our unstable future on this earth. The show ended with them mired in the middle as if aboard a desperate life raft.

Du Goudron et des Plumes Ellie Sutton
Du Goudron et des Plumes by Ellie Sutton.

I’d like to say that I drifted off rather frequently during this show because I’m really pre-occupied with the launch of my new book this Friday, but the fact is I probably would have done anyway… for me, that’s the trouble with theatrical shows that lack a strong narrative. At times the rhythm and flow of the five fluid acrobats had me gripped, but then I would find I’d gone somewhere else entirely (shit, I don’t have enough drink for 300 guests) as they swung repeatedly from side to side, the motion acting as a hypnotist’s pendulum to send me off… and when I snapped to the scene had completely changed…a character was half naked smoking a pipe at the end of a plank, the lone girl was swinging wildly through the air astride a rope swing, a man was swinging wildly from the oversized lamp. Director Mathurin Bolze calls this effect “mesmerising patterns.”

Du Goudron et des Plumes by Bertie Simpson
Du Goudron et des Plumes by Bertie Simpson.

This performance was typical of the way that traditional circus skills have been co-opted to create something much more abstract and intriguing in a theatrical setting. There was multiple applause and a standing ovation flooded through the packed theatre as the lights came up on the opening night of Du Goudron et des Plumes.
Du Goudron et des Plumes plays at the Barbican until the 29th of January. You can read another interesting review by Ought to be Clowns here. The London International Mime Festival continues until 30th January 2011. My new book, Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration, is officially launched tomorrow.

Du Goudron et des Plumes Illustration Gemma Smith
Du Goudron et des Plumes by Gemma Smith.

Du Goudron et des Plumes by Compagnie MPTA with Mathurin Bolze started with a swinging platform lowered slowly over the heads of the performers, medicine crushing them into the floor. They emerged from beneath, nurse ripping out the innards, transforming the planks into a clanking and clattering playground as the dancers/acrobats/I’m not really sure what you call them swung adeptly, building and destroying, meeting and parting. Rotating vignettes from everyday life met with random acts of acrobatic grace, often finely tuned for comedic effect – the performers scaling planks to sit, gnome like, at the top, or hanging upside down to mirror each other.

Du Goudron et des Plumes by Ellie Sutton
Du Goudron et des Plumes by Ellie Sutton.

The platform rose, swaying, as paper sheets were unleashed to shade the manic silhouettes of the characters behind until, in a flurry of motion, the paper was ripped apart. From minimalist jazz to crashing bells, the soundtrack was finely tuned to the minutest motion. The platform tilted as the occupants scrabbled to maintain control, clinging to each other. My later reading of the notes tells me this was a metaphor for our unstable future on this earth. The show ended with them mired in the middle as if aboard a desperate life raft.

Du Goudron et des Plumes Ellie Sutton
Du Goudron et des Plumes by Ellie Sutton.

I’d like to say that I drifted off rather frequently during this show because I’m really pre-occupied with the launch of my new book this Friday, but the fact is I probably would have done anyway… for me, that’s the trouble with theatrical shows that lack a strong narrative. At times the rhythm and flow of the five fluid acrobats had me gripped, but then I would find I’d gone somewhere else entirely (shit, I don’t have enough drink for 300 guests) as they swung repeatedly from side to side, the motion acting as a hypnotist’s pendulum to send me off… and when I snapped to the scene had completely changed…a character was half naked smoking a pipe at the end of a plank, the lone girl was swinging wildly through the air astride a rope swing, a man was swinging wildly from the oversized lamp. Director Mathurin Bolze calls this effect “mesmerising patterns.”

Du Goudron et des Plumes by Bertie Simpson
Du Goudron et des Plumes by Bertie Simpson.

This performance was typical of the way that traditional circus skills have been co-opted to create something much more abstract and intriguing in a theatrical setting. There was multiple applause and a standing ovation flooded through the packed theatre as the lights came up on the opening night of Du Goudron et des Plumes.
Du Goudron et des Plumes plays at the Barbican as part of Bite until the 29th of January. You can read another interesting review by Ought to be Clowns here. The London International Mime Festival continues until 30th January 2011. My new book, Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration, is officially launched tomorrow.

Du Goudron et des Plumes Illustration Gemma Smith
Du Goudron et des Plumes by Gemma Smith.

Du Goudron et des Plumes by Compagnie MPTA with Mathurin Bolze started with a swinging platform lowered slowly over the heads of the performers, look crushing them into the floor. They emerged from beneath, order ripping out the innards, transforming the planks into a clanking and clattering playground as the dancers/acrobats/I’m-not-really-sure-what-you-call-them swung adeptly, building and destroying, meeting and parting. Rotating vignettes from everyday life met with random acts of acrobatic grace, often finely tuned for comedic effect – the performers scaling planks to sit, gnome like, at the top, or hanging upside down to mirror each other.

Du Goudron et des Plumes by Ellie Sutton
Du Goudron et des Plumes by Ellie Sutton.

The platform rose, swaying, as paper sheets were unleashed to shadow the manic silhouettes of the characters behind until, in a flurry of motion, the paper was ripped apart. From minimalist jazz to crashing bells the soundtrack was finely tuned to the minutest motion, and as the platform tilted the occupants scrabbled to maintain control, clinging to each other, pushing and pulling. My later reading of the notes tells me this was a metaphor for our unstable future on this earth, and how we can either act together to survive or fail apart. The show ended with them mired in the middle as if aboard a desperate life raft.

Du Goudron et des Plumes Ellie Sutton
Du Goudron et des Plumes by Ellie Sutton.

I’d like to say that I drifted off rather frequently during this show because I’m really pre-occupied with the launch of my new book this Friday, but the fact is I probably would have done anyway… for me, that’s the trouble with theatrical shows that lack a strong narrative. At times the rhythm and flow of the five fluid acrobats had me gripped, but then I would find I’d gone somewhere else entirely as they swung repeatedly from side to side (shit, I don’t have enough drink for 300 guests), the motion acting as a hypnotist’s pendulum to send me off… and when I snapped to the scene had completely changed…a character was half naked smoking a pipe at the end of a plank, the lone girl was cascading through the air astride a rope swing, a man was swinging wildly from the oversized lamp. Director Mathurin Bolze calls this effect “mesmerising patterns.”

Du Goudron et des Plumes by Bertie Simpson
Du Goudron et des Plumes by Bertie Simpson.

This performance was typical of the way that traditional circus skills have been co-opted by mavericks such as Mathurin Bolze to create something much more abstract and intriguing. A standing ovation flooded through the packed theatre as the lights came up on the opening night of Du Goudron et des Plumes.

Du Goudron et des Plumes plays at the Barbican as part of Bite until the 29th of January. You can read another interesting review by Ought to be Clowns here. The London International Mime Festival continues until 30th January 2011. My new book, Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration, is officially launched tomorrow.

Du Goudron et des Plumes Illustration Gemma Smith
Du Goudron et des Plumes by Gemma Smith.

Du Goudron et des Plumes by Compagnie MPTA with Mathurin Bolze started with a swinging platform lowered slowly over the heads of the performers, here crushing them into the floor. They emerged from beneath, ripping out the innards, transforming the planks into a clanking and clattering playground as the dancers/acrobats/I’m-not-really-sure-what-you-call-them swung adeptly, building and destroying, meeting and parting. Rotating vignettes from everyday life met with random acts of acrobatic grace, often finely tuned for comedic effect – the performers scaling planks to sit, gnome like, at the top, or hanging upside down to mirror each other.

Du Goudron et des Plumes by Ellie Sutton
Du Goudron et des Plumes by Ellie Sutton.

The platform rose, swaying, as paper sheets were unleashed to shadow the manic silhouettes of the characters behind until, in a flurry of motion, the paper was ripped apart. From minimalist jazz to crashing bells the soundtrack was finely tuned to the minutest motion, and as the platform tilted the occupants scrabbled to maintain control, clinging to each other, pushing and pulling. My later reading of the notes tells me this was a metaphor for our unstable future on this earth, and how we can either act together to survive or fail apart. The show ended with them mired in the middle as if aboard a desperate life raft.

Du Goudron et des Plumes Ellie Sutton
Du Goudron et des Plumes by Ellie Sutton.

I’d like to say that I drifted off rather frequently during this show because I’m really pre-occupied with the launch of my new book this Friday, but the fact is I probably would have done anyway… for me, that’s the trouble with theatrical shows that lack a strong narrative. At times the rhythm and flow of the five fluid acrobats had me gripped, but then I would find I’d gone somewhere else entirely as they swung repeatedly from side to side (shit, I don’t have enough drink for 300 guests), the motion acting as a hypnotist’s pendulum to send me off… and when I snapped to the scene had completely changed…a character was half naked smoking a pipe at the end of a plank, the lone girl was cascading through the air astride a rope swing, a man was swinging wildly from the oversized lamp. Director Mathurin Bolze calls this effect “mesmerising patterns.”

Du Goudron et des Plumes by Bertie Simpson
Du Goudron et des Plumes by Bertie Simpson.

This performance was typical of the way that traditional circus skills have been co-opted by mavericks such as Mathurin Bolze to create something much more abstract and intriguing. A standing ovation flooded through the packed theatre as the lights came up on the opening night of Du Goudron et des Plumes.

Du Goudron et des Plumes plays at the Barbican as part of Bite until the 29th of January. You can read another interesting review by Ought to be Clowns here. The London International Mime Festival continues until 30th January 2011. My new book, Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration, is officially launched tomorrow.

Du Goudron et des Plumes Illustration Gemma Smith
Du Goudron et des Plumes by Gemma Smith.

Du Goudron et des Plumes by Compagnie MPTA with Mathurin Bolze started with a swinging platform lowered slowly over the heads of the performers, story crushing them into the floor. They emerged from beneath, cure ripping out the innards, page transforming the planks into a clanking and clattering playground as the dancers/acrobats/I’m-not-really-sure-what-you-call-them swung adeptly, building and destroying, meeting and parting. Rotating vignettes from everyday life met with random acts of acrobatic grace, often finely tuned for comedic effect – the performers scaling planks to sit, gnome like, at the top, or hanging upside down to mirror each other.

Du Goudron et des Plumes by Ellie Sutton
Du Goudron et des Plumes by Ellie Sutton.

The platform rose, swaying, as paper sheets were unleashed to shadow the manic silhouettes of the characters behind until, in a flurry of motion, the paper was ripped apart. From minimalist jazz to crashing bells the soundtrack was finely tuned to the minutest motion, and as the platform tilted the occupants scrabbled to maintain control, clinging to each other, pushing and pulling. My later reading of the notes tells me this was a metaphor for our unstable future on this earth, and how we can either act together to survive or fail apart. The show ended with them mired in the middle as if aboard a desperate life raft.

Du Goudron et des Plumes Ellie Sutton
Du Goudron et des Plumes by Ellie Sutton.

I’d like to say that I drifted off rather frequently during this show because I’m really pre-occupied with the launch of my new book this Friday, but the fact is I probably would have done anyway… for me, that’s the trouble with theatrical shows that lack a strong narrative. At times the rhythm and flow of the five fluid acrobats had me gripped, but then I would find I’d gone somewhere else entirely as they swung repeatedly from side to side (shit, I don’t have enough drink for 300 guests), the motion acting as a hypnotist’s pendulum to send me off… and when I snapped to the scene had completely changed…a character was half naked smoking a pipe at the end of a plank, the lone girl was cascading through the air astride a rope swing, a man was swinging wildly from the oversized lamp. Director Mathurin Bolze calls this effect “mesmerising patterns.”

Du Goudron et des Plumes by Bertie Simpson
Du Goudron et des Plumes by Bertie Simpson.

This performance was typical of the way that traditional circus skills have been co-opted by mavericks such as Mathurin Bolze to create something much more abstract and intriguing. He certainly seems to be a popular man: the performers took multiple bows and a standing ovation flooded through the packed theatre as the lights came up on the opening night of Du Goudron et des Plumes.

Du Goudron et des Plumes plays at the Barbican as part of Bite until the 29th of January. You can read another interesting review by Ought to be Clowns here. The London International Mime Festival continues until 30th January 2011. My new book, Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration, is officially launched tomorrow.

anna_calvi_abby_wright

Illustration by Abby Wright

Rider to the sea starts. With slow, approved sensuous notes, find running then halting. We wait. This is like some sort of Spanish guitar tease; the heroin with eyes masked looks at the man playing the guitar on the balcony of a castle. She jumps higher, find her cape flowing out behind her. They see each other and the notes build up to a feverish level. Then stop. My breath is involuntarily left held.

Anna Calvi’s voice is pushed, because she pushes it. She said in an interview with BBC 6 Music recently, that her vocal performances are about commitment; “baring the soul when you sing, not be scared, just show emotion. it’s important that, I think.” And when compared to Florence and The Machine, she says they are similar in that: “When we go for it, we really go for it.” She does.

Anna Calvi by Avril Kelly

Illustration by Avril Kelly

Anna credits a wide range of musical influences from Roy Orbison and Elvis to twentieth century music, which she says comes out in her guitar playing. Sometimes she sounds like she should be singing the intro music to a James Bond movie, other times she is a Kate Bush atop a cliff, and then you may get a hint of Adam and The Ants – tribal, wigs and theatre. She certainly has her own sound, and as she says, really unleashes on that mic. You can feel her whole body behind those deep, propelling notes. Visually, her red lips, sculpted cheekbones and feline eyes add to the womanly, lustful passion of the adventure.

anna_calvi_abby_wright2

Illustration by Abby Wright

I have to admit that the first listen I had, I was not instantly in love with her. However, I was hosting a knit club at my house at the time. And now I realise, for a first listen, Anna is wrong when (perhaps…) extra strong girly vibes are circulating. She is a powerful woman, with no messing or moaning. She is vibrant and direct, not fluffy kitten cute. She has said herself, she is in the business because she loves it. For her, it is not about being ‘careerist’. Maybe this has made her less fearful and safe. She is riding on her own expectations, of which she is willing to push. Thus, I listened to the album a few days later when the moon was full and I was feeling a bit more lioness like, and blimey. It was on all morning and beyond. Together with a coffee, I was screaming from my basement flat. Such a shame I have no rooftops.

Anna-Calvi-by-Mina-Bach

Illustration by Mina Bach

Listen to this and you will see exactly what I mean:

So track highlights; No More Words’ guitar notes are so sweet, with Anna’s voice ‘ahhhing’ over the top and singing so close to the microphone. Desire is as you would hope, with the title it holds; “The sound of love is beating like a fevered heart… It’s heavenly, heavenly, desirrrre.” Yes to desires, passions and DRUMS! In contrast First We Kiss, is the lingering and submission of desire and the story from the kiss to beyond. Whilst Blackout is a scaling, swinging, red hot infused, deep breathing track. Then… we have Morning Light, all strung out notes, infused by the morning’s spreading sun. New starts and consequences. A fabulous, long, slightly hazy, almost mumbly track, climaxing with symbols and the full sunrise. It reflects perfectly the early morning’s sensation. Feeling like you have so much time before the sun rises, but it’s always over quicker than you anticipate. You are not invincible, and the day is beginning.

anna calvi 2 by Avril kelly

Illustration by Avril Kelly

My iTunes says she’s ‘Latin’, but she seems to cover more genres. She has the passions of the Latino, but Anna is also rockier, showier and yet almost primmer than Latin. It’s liberating music, but also feels quite private. A bit like being within the bubble of thoughts consuming a girl in the throes of deep lust, she is singing literally from within. With her Italian blood running through her veins, Anna says this album is about: “intimacy, passion and loneliness.” Strong and all encompassing emotions, that supports both her commitment to performance and the deep, trusted position we are in, as listeners. And you really do believe her feelings as you listen to her.

You know at the end of some of those 80s films, when the couple that have spent the whole movie arguing and bouncing around in bed, get in the car and drive off around a cliff in a sports car that looks like an insect? She would be an AMAZING soundtrack to a modern version of that.

Anna Calvi‘s Album is Out Now on Domino Records

Categories ,80s, ,Abby Wright, ,Adam and The Ants, ,album, ,Anna Calvi, ,Avril Kelly, ,Desire, ,Domino Records, ,Elvis, ,Florence and The Machine, ,Helen Martin, ,Italian, ,iTunes, ,James Bond, ,Kate Bush, ,knitting, ,live, ,Love, ,Lust, ,Mina Bach., ,music, ,Passion, ,Red lipstick, ,Rooftops, ,Roy Orbison

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