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.