The Rapid Building

The Liverpool Biennial has hosted an exhibition in an old, disused building which was the former Rapid hardware store that runs along Renshaw Street.  I used to be dragged to that store far too often as a kid, it was huge. My parents would spend what would seem like hours in there.  I was kind of sad to see it abandoned and empty, as it's such a massive space with so much potential.  When I found out part of the Biennial was being hosted there I was made up!  That place seems even bigger now it is empty, it's an amazing location for the artwork that has been shown in there.  When you enter the building you have to go upstairs, this is where the exhibition begins.  I was greeted by some beautiful, dark and dismal paintings by Tim Eitel.  My favourite paintings by this artist were named Besitz and Haufen.  They seemed so pitiful and sinister in a way, Besitz had been painted in such a way that is was hard to make out unless you got up close to it and even then all I could make out was a figure of a man.   (Click on the images to enlarge)

Eitel uses subtle light, or almost an absence of light in his paintings. He extracts details – a face, garbage bags, figures in conversation – from photographs and paints them in isolation. Working with a dark palette, with the most subtle gradation of grays, Eitel paints nearly abstract scenes of haunting stillness.

Oren Eliav paints Men – captured in embarrassing, and sometimes domineering poses, unveiling the dark side of politics and the psychological factors that lie behind most public appearances.  I particularly liked his painting, 'Summan' 2008.  He looks at the legacy of well regarded Western masters and replicates their stances and authoritative power and depicts them in an abstract style, not giving away any defining features, merely suggesting that these men are in power.

As I moved on in the gallery I was confronted by 3 paintings by Austrian artist Markus Schinwald.  His paintings consisted of  Renaissance style portraits of men and women taking part in masochistic acts by causing themselves discomfort and probably pain with braces around their bodies and heads.  The paintings have dark and sinister undertones, leaving the viewer wondering why they do it, or maybe understanding why.

My favourite piece of all in this gallery was Aimé Mpane's 'Ici on crevé'  ("here we die, are worn out . . .").  It is a collection of wooden panels carved and painted by the artist.  The images are of women and children and communicate their concerns with money, hospitalization and death and that they and the artist are sick, tired of the suffering in his Congo homeland.  It is a colourful piece that uses a vast range of mediums, it also has a sense of fun to it, strangely enough.

And lastly, my friend and I walked into a room where the floor was covered in faces of people looking up at us.  As soon as I looked up to see what they were looking at, I got the fright of my life as I saw myself hanging upside down from the ceiling.  It was a very low mirrored ceiling.   The piece was by Tala Madani, entitled 'Stargazers', it apparently showed that the people looking to the sky were not looking for a faith, or heaven, they were looking for themselves.  I wasn't too fond of this installation but it was fun to take photographs in...

I was impressed with this gallery, although I started to feel a little claustrophobic after watching 2 films by Ryan Trecartin and Lizzie Fitch.  Liverpool is such an exciting city, I'm proud to live here!

Touched, 2010

It's been an unforgivable amount of time since I last blogged.  My excuse is summer and the fact that I spent most of it in Blackburn, not by choice may I add.  Well, kind of not by choice, my other half lives there.  Anyway, it's Liverpool Biennial time, so what better way to kick start this blog by talking about Liverpool Biennial's 2010 exhibition, Touched.  From 18th September to 28th November.

Touched is exhibiting new art that is all about affecting the viewer in mind, body and soul.  Liverpool Biennial is showcasing 50 international contemporary artists and has invited prominent thinkers and artists to delivers a monthly series of talks.


Half the exhibition is in public spaces across the city and half in Liverpool's major gallery spaces such as Tate Liverpool the Bluecoat, FACT, A Foundation and Open Eye Gallery.  There is also John Moores 2010, which is a leading painting competition which is held at the Walker Art Gallery, and  Bloomberg New Contemporaries - the cream of the UK's post-graduate students.  City States - International exhibitions on cultural dynamics between cities and states.

ZINESWAP

While I was in London, my friend introduced me to her boyfriend, who is part of a great organisation called Zineswap. 

Zineswap aims to be a resource through which people can swap their zines with one-another.  It also aims to become a vast archive of contemporary zine publishing, existing as both an online catalogue and an annual exhibition.

The are looking for contributions from people that self publish their own zine or magazine.  Content is not limited in any way, your zine can be about anything!

Check out their website righ www.zineswap.com

London!

I've just got back from a few days of the Big Smoke, I went to visit my best friend, Debbie (click here to see her tumblr!) and it was perfect.  The weather couldn't have been nicer, the wine couldn't have flown any better and the company was awesome.  We took the few days we had in our stride and it was lovely.  We went on a little shopping trip to Brick Lane in Shoreditch, which was full to the brim with gorgeous little vintage shops.  How I didn't blow all my money, I have no idea!  We went for the most amazing Pizza just outside of Rough Trade's store.  It was total bliss.  


Click on the photographs to see the larger versions! 

Debbie's flat is amazing too, the view from her living room was beautiful, especially at night time.  It overlooks Canary Wharf with a backdrop of all the famous sky scrapers and buildings. I went a little snap happy!


Anyway, we also went for a wander around Oxford Circus, had a cry in Selfridges at how poor we were, went down Carnaby Street, which made me even more depressed about my lack of money - but window shopping was good enough! 


Then we hit the Wellcome Collection in Euston.  It was fantastic!  "A destination for the incurably curious". And that it was.  We went and had a look in the Medicine Now gallery, it "presents a range of ideas about science and medicine since Henry Wellcome's death in 1936. It reflects the experiences and interests of scientists, doctors and patients.

Within the huge field of medicine this exhibition attempts to focus on only a few topics: the body, genomes, malaria, obesity and living with medical science. Each is explored through a range of exhibits from science and everyday life, as well as artistic responses to the issues presented in red 'art cubes'". - Wellcome Collection Website, curated by Ken Arnold and Steve Cross.

That exhibition then led on to my favourite part of the museum - Medicine Man.  "Henry Wellcome was a man of many parts: entrepreneur, philanthropist, patron of science and pioneer of aerial photography. He also created one of the world's great museums: a vast stockpile of evidence about our universal interest in health and the body.

More than 150 years after his birth in 1853, this exhibition reunites a cross-section of extraordinary objects from his collection, ranging from diagnostic dolls to Japanese sex aids, and from Napoleon's toothbrush to George III's hair. It also provides a very different perspective on some of our own obsessions with medicine and health.

In 'Medicine Man' some objects are gathered by type and others by broad cross-cultural themes. Seven other objects are presented individually and are examined by a variety of commentators from different backgrounds, to show that one object can mean many different things and tell many different stories." - Wellcome Collection Website, curated by Ken Arnold, Steve Cross and Danielle Olsen.

I completely recommend this place!

DUALISM STRAPS

Dualism is a Manchester-Based company which produces FRS style straps for bicycle riders who need style and substance from their bike.


Jump on these links to have a gander at these fine specimens:

Dualism Tumblr

Cameras and Cranksets

Donna De Cesare

Donna De Cesare is a photojournalist, born in New York and now based in England.  Her insight into gang culture across America, especially L.A and San Salvador has won her many awards and has had her work featured in  news and arts publications including The New York Times magazine, Life, DoubleTake, Aperture and Mother Jones.  De Cesare is also a video journalist and documentary producer.

"Recognized as an expert on issues of youth identity and gang violence, DeCesare has worked as a consultant to UNICEF both as a photographer/reporter and in helping to develop the protocols for representation of at-risk children and youth which UNICEF now promotes globally. She is also on the Executive Board of the Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma."

Her photographs are ruthlessly raw, they are a reality check and one of the most detailed insights into this gang culture and warfare that is happening in L.A and San Salvador.

Edgar's Story is a recent project by De Cesare, she introduces the series of narrative photographs with this short statement; "As a child Edgar witnessed the brutality of Salvadorian death squads.  In LA he grew up in a world of gangs.  Later he found his destiny, in the streets of San Salvador."

De Cesare showed a travelling exhibition called Hijos del Destino: Youth Violence in the Americas in May 26, 2005 at The Atrium, London School of Economics, London.

Craig F. Walker

Captured: Ian Fisher : American Soldier

A friend of mine (click to see his blog!) sent me the link to this photojournalist's work.  The photographer is called Craig F. Walker and he works for the Denver Post.  Along with reporters from the Denver Post, he has followed a young American Soldier named Ian Fisher and his family.  The photographs taken tell the story of Ian's first enrolment into the Armed Forces to the present and truly expose the lifestyle of a USA soldier.  Walker captures fragile, important and fascinating moments that people on the outside of this job do not see.  We hear so much about the happenings of a soldier in the war against terrorism, but we hardly ever get such a detailed insight.  Click on the top link to see the whole series of photographs.

Joseph Rodriguez

Joseph Rodriguez is a photojournalist based in New York.  He has travelled America to take photographs of and expose the violent gang issues that his Country is experiencing.  He focuses on the use of weapons, gang tattoos and graffiti and also shows mothers and their children being present around guns, ammunition and violence, as their partners show them off to the camera. (clickity click to enlarge)

It's that time again!

Dutty bass, Cheap drinks, Top people & an amazing little venue. Do not miss the second installment of Compa & Curlzz's dubstep night @ 41 King Street, Blackburn.

Last month was the first ever Wax night and it was off the chain - completely packed out! Can't wait for this next one!

Turfone

Turfone is a street artist, an illustrator and also a sculptor. He works with a vast amount of media such as found and ready-made objects, acrylic, cavas, wood, gold leaf, metal and various fabrics. His style is reminiscent of the Victorian era, with hints of carnivals, gypsies, freak shows, the Flemish Primitive, Russian icons....and road kill (dead birds).

Turfone has a real signature style, by creating creepy, antique and rustic looking works in both 3D and 2D.

David Gillanders

Gillanders is a photojournalist from Glasgow, Scotland. He travels the world photographing situations and issues that affect us all in one way or another, from homeless people to violent crimes on the streets. He captures so much emotion and really brings forward the reality of the world's ever growing poverty and it's violent crimes.

Jon Venables and Robert Thompson

I've been in two minds whether to write about this, but seeing as a delete button is so accesible, I'm going to anyway.

It's about the James Bulger killers, Jon Venables and Robert Thompson. Everyone knows about the new revelations that Venables has been recalled to prison on "very serious allegations". The government refuse to say anything else at this moment in time about the incident, as they are hoping that Jon Venables will be investigated, tried and brought to justice as fairly as possible, under his new identity.

Due to a very similar personal experience involving an extremely unfair murder case, I do not think that Venables even deserves a trial, let alone a fair one! The government spent hundereds of thousands of pounds of tax payer's money to protect these animals, after serving a mere 8 years in a detention centre. Against the public's wishes and James Bulger's mother's warnings, the government released the two killers back into society, claiming they posed no threat to the public and are no longer a danger to society. How wrong they were.

Personally, I think the government are hiding the information on Venables' re-call to prison because they have messed up in a collosal way. They took no notice of the public and most importantly of all James Bulger's parent's feelings about the release. Now one of the monsters is back behind bars, because he has obviously violated the terms of his license of release. The government told us that he posed no threat or danger to society! They gave Venables and Thompson an oportunity for a new life, where no one could know who they were and what a horrific thing they had done. The two child killers have almost been given permission to forget about what they did and how many lives they have destroyed. It is not right and it is not fair. In circumstances so vulgar and disturbing, no one should be able to walk free again. What about poor James? He'll never be given that chance. What about James' parents? They'll never be able to see their little boy grow up, they'll never be able to hold him, they'll never be able to forget what happened to him and they'll never stop wondering what James' last horrifying moments alive were like.

Jon Venables and Robert Thompson should both be exposed, not protected. What have they done to deserve such fair treatment? What have James' parents done to deserve such awfully unfair treatment? There is no such thing as justice and personally, I have no faith that there ever will be.

Rest in peace James

Rot in hell Venables and Thompson.

Rob Hornstra

I'm currently looking at documentary photography and film, as I'm doing something along these lines for my art practise in University. I've been surfing the net trying to find images that can really inspire and explain what I want to achieve. Most of the images I came across are black and white, war photography, which isn't at all what I want. Finally, I discovered a photographer called Rob Hornstra. He's a documentary photograper from the Netherlands who travelled to Russia to take some amazing, moving and astonishing photographs of the poverty and the economic recession under Vladimir Putin's rule.