Art: London 2012
29 November, 2011 at 22:02 | Posted in Art | Leave a commentTags: Anthea Hamilton, Art, Beijing 2008, Bob and Roberta Smith, Bridget Riley, Chris Ofili, David Beckham, Fiona Banner, Howard Hodgkin, London, London 2012, Martin Creed, Olympics, Rachel Whiteread, Sarah Morris, Tracey, UK
Only 240 days to go until the 2012 Summer Olympics in London! And it’s been eventful in the meantime; major setbacks include the 7/7 bombings, which took place the day after the bid was approved, and the UK’s crippling credit crunch in the fall of 2008.
The creative aspects have also been noteworthy. The logo was revealed in 2007, which unfortunately always reminds me of this. The preview shown at the 2008 Beijing games struck me as a bit odd, what with the men in bowler hats and umbrellas, but at least they included David Beckham. But then the mascots were revealed. oy.
But there is one aspect I like; London 2012 has produced additional posters by British artists now available to view and purchase. While none have the gravitas required to officially represent the Games, their lack of staidness is refreshing.
Art: Northern Soul
27 November, 2011 at 23:23 | Posted in Art | Leave a commentTags: Art, L.S. Lowry, Liam Gallagher, Manchester, Music, Noel Gallagher, Oasis, The Masterplan, UK
My month of November has featured the music of Noel Gallagher (new solo record and tour dates!) along with the grey skies of impending winter. The two combined bring to mind the works of artist L.S. Lowry, an English painter who captured life in the industrial districts of Northern England in the early half of the 1900s.
His distinctive scenes of urban towns populated with matchstick men were the inspiration for Oasis’ video for The Masterplan, a song which Gallagher personally considers one of his best. The video depicts the band in their native Manchester, and the animators even captured the swagger of lead singer Liam Gallagher.
The fact that Lowry’s work has not been forgotten is a testament to the Northern pride he depicted.
stephwereley
Nuit Blanche 2011
16 October, 2011 at 21:16 | Posted in Art, Inspiration | Leave a commentTags: American Pie, Don Mclean, Fleetwood Mac, Ginger Martini, Lemon Buckey Orkestra, Maggie May, Nuit Blanche, Portrait, Radiohead, Rhiannon, Rod Stewart, Toronto
It’s much belated, but I wanted to mention Toronto’s Nuit Blanche 2011. GridTO did a great top 10 list complete with animated gifs. I didn’t see any of the events they listed, but those I did see made it my favourite Nuit Blanche yet.
Highlights I stumbled upon included a lazer forest in an alleyway, glowing urban wolves in Cloud Gardens, top-40-loving Inukshuks, a musical traffic jam (seen here at 2:00) and outdoor karaoke with a nine-piece live band featuring Fleetwood Mac, Rod the Mod and (!) Don Mclean’s American Pie.
Our last stop was The Happiness Project, a cosy two-story apartment decked out a water sculpture, music stations, artwork and a marshmallow tree with free samples. They also had a large table set up with pencil crayons and coloured paper – basically a recreation of my childhood. And I fell right back in to form, drawing a portrait of pal Ginger Martini, then making friends at the table and sketching portraits on request for strangers – the one I did of a guy riding a fire-breathing dragon was my favourite.
I gave all my drawings away, but got to keep some in return. These were done by a friendly dude known only as John. I liked them, but he didn’t think much of his own work.
What do you think of John’s work? I think it’d be perfect for an angry Radiohead record.
I thoroughly enjoyed myself at Nuit Blanche, and The Happiness Project in particular has had a lasting effect; I’m happy to report I’ve gotten back into sketching.
stephwereley
Art: George Ault
12 October, 2011 at 22:19 | Posted in Art | 1 CommentTags: Andrew Wyeth, Art, August Night at Russell's Corners, Black Night at Russell's Corners, Bright Light at Russell's Corners, Daylight at Russell's Corners, Edward Hopper, George Ault, January Full Moon, National Portrait Gallery USA, Rockwell Kent, To Make a World: George Ault and 1940s America
I made a short but enjoyable tour of America’s North East coast in August. A highlight was visitng Washington, D.C’s National Gallery of Art, and discovering a new artist to fall in love with.
My visit was during the last few days of To Make a World: George Ault and 1940s America. The exhibit featured works by Edward Hopper, Rockwell Kent and Andrew Wyeth (best known for this but I wanted to take this one home).
George Ault’s pieces were by far my favourite. Born to a wealthy American family who sent him to art school, they lost it all in a stock market crash and Ault ended up in Woodstock, NY, living in a small rented cottage with no electricity or indoor plumbing. His rural paintings are stark yet comfortably familar, and I love the lighting in all the examples below. The summer scenes bring Boo Radley to mind.
Thanks, America
stephwereley
Art of the Paperback
6 October, 2011 at 21:31 | Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a commentTags: Catcher in the Rye, Nine Stories, Raise High the Roof Beam Carpenters, Salinger
J.D Salinger is my favourite writer. Not an original choice, but the fact he didn’t publich much makes his work all the more special.
I already own Catcher in the Rye and Raise High the Roofbeam, Carpenters, both bound in pretty white covers with rainbow stripes. So when I went to add Nine Stories to the collection, I couldn’t bring myself to buy the ugly new version bound in red and blue. Instead, ebay helped me find the pretty white rainbow cover to match the others.
They’re covers worthy of their contents. Who says you can’t judge a book by them?
Portrait: Brigitte Lacombe
29 September, 2011 at 20:24 | Posted in Photography, Portrait | 1 CommentTags: Anthony Mackie, Brigitte Lacombe, Elle magazine, Isabella Rossellini, Jimmy Fallon, Jude Law, Juliette Binoche, Kate Moss, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, Matt Damon, Meryl Streep, People Magazine, Photography, Portrait, Tilda Swinton, Twiggy, Winona Ryder
Photographer Brigitte Lancombe has a way with the genetically blessed.
She got her start at French Elle and often serves as an on-set stills photographer; hence all the actors. My favourites are her portraits, often done in black and white.
Admittedly, she’s not working with difficult subject matter. But it’s no wonder her shots frequently appear in People‘s Most Beautiful People issue. When your subject’s gotta make mere mortals weep, accept no substitute.
Love the show, Jimmy!
sigh.
Get out of Jude Law’s shot, Matt Damon
This face is one of my favourites; she’ll get an entire post one day.
Until then, mortals!
stephwereley
Portrait: Stephen Colbert (again)
8 September, 2011 at 19:48 | Posted in Art, Portrait | Leave a commentTags: Graffiti, New York, Portrait, Statue of Liberty, Stephen Colbert, Venus
Spotted: Stephen Colbert, plastered on the walls of a Brooklyn subway station entrance. Among other places.
I guess once you’ve been depicted bedding Lady Liberty, this is the logical next step. The good Reverend Doctor has been immortalized as a combination of the Statue of Liberty and Roman goddess Venus.
Stephen as a symbol of patriotism and beauty? Sounds about right.
stephwereley
Art: Chuck Anderson
6 September, 2011 at 22:21 | Posted in Art | Leave a commentTags: Absolut, Burton, Chuck Anderson, Lupe Fiasco Food & Liquor, NoPattern, Rome snowboards
Chuck Anderson’s art is the visual equivalent of an Ibiza beach bash; a bright glowing mess of fireworks and club lights that declares ‘I’m here to party.’ At least until day breaks and some poor sod has to clean it all up.
But until then his computer-enhanced nightscapes glow with hues of pink and green, the signature style of his NoPattern brand. The company’s done work for Google, Nike, and the client that comes calling when you know you’ve really made it, Absolut.
Anderson’s been a freelance artist since 17, and he sticks with what he knows works. How’d he get started so young? This gem of a story gives you a good indication:
“I would spend tons of time in book stores looking at old magazines. I’d look up the art director’s name, then I’d go home and email them and introduce myself. If I couldn’t find an email address I’d just make up 15 different combinations of email address based on their name and hope that I got 14 error messages back. That’s how I got work with ESPN.”
stephwereley
Exhibit Bits: VII
17 June, 2010 at 20:13 | Posted in Art, Exhibit Bits | 3 CommentsTags: AGO, Art, Bell Lightbox, Contemporary Art, Drama and Desire, Edward Degas, Eugene Delacroix, Exhibit, Royal Ontario Museum, Rude Britannia, Tate Britain, Terracotta Army, TIFF, Tim Burton
Think the English are hard on their football players? See how the politicians fare in Tate Britain’s Rude Britannia show.
The masters are present and accounted for at the AGO. The Gallery’s Drama and Desire exhibition features artwork inspired by the theatre by the likes of Degas and Delacroix. It opens this weekend but will be closed during the G20.
TIFF’s Lightbox is debuting in grand style; the venue will open in the middle of the 2010 film festival and play host to the Tim Burton exhibtion.
And although it’s not a contemporary exhibition, I did want to higlight the opening of the Royal Ontario Museum’s The Warrior Emperor and China’s Terracotta Army. I’ll be working the media preview on Friday, June 25.
stephwereley
Style: Douglas Coupland and Roots
16 June, 2010 at 23:23 | Posted in Style | Leave a commentTags: Canada, Design, Douglas Coupland, Fashion, Roots, Style
Just when you thought Roots couldn’t get any more Canadian (their logo depicts a beaver surrounded by foliage, for crying out loud) they partnered with Douglas Coupland to create a capsule clothing line. Coupland is a Canadian writer known not only for his books but for his ongoing dissection of Canadian culture and identity.
“Roots has been messing with Canadian identity for 30 years and I’ve been doing it for 10 years,” said Coupland. “Roots does the outdoorsy way of being Canadian so I [wanted] to go indoorsy.” The resulting collection combines Canadian icons like the beaver and maple leaf with modern nods to computer-aided design.
It’s an inspired pairing, no doubt aided by the author’s art school background. “To me it’s an art project that happened to be clothing.”
The collection debuts July 8. Will you be checking it out?
Photos from the Globe and Mail.
stephwereley
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