The Amazing World of M. C. Escher - Dulwich Picture Gallery

   Perhaps one of the most underrated yet most globally known artists in recent years, it is arguably undeniable that M. C. Escher was a pioneer of the surrealist art movement. If you have not heard of Escher, you have probably most likely seen his work as it is global phenomenon. Yet he was never affiliated with Rene Magritte who was born only 5 months later and Salvador Dali of whom was born 6 years after. This shocking distance between artists who opened doors to the world of art is unbelievable and shows there was something disconnected between M. C. Escher and the surrealists. Was Escher never truly excepted into Surrealist Art because it was too maths based or was it because he personally felt that he wanted to complete his art alone and not associate himself with others around him?

Balcony - 1945 Lithograph

   Initially beginning his studies as an architect, he changed to study graphic design yet we can still see the influence that architecture had in his art. Becoming more popular as time went on, Escher hoped that by reducing the amount he printed and increasing the price of his work would reduce the demand, yet it only increased. It has been often argued that his visit to the Alhambra Palace in Spain was the initial point at which Escher began his tessellating and geometric patterns and drawings, yet an earlier print shows he had already begun all this. However the visit was a turning point for him and he returned later in his life to gain more inspiration.

Belvedere - 1958 Lithograph

   In his later years he became fascinated by the mathematical side of infinities and corresponded with several mathematicians however did not associate himself with others who wanted to work with him. He turned down Mick Jagger's request for an album cover as well as Stanley Kubrick's offer to assist with the fourth-dimensional aspects of 2001: A Space Odyssey. Oddly though, Britain only has one piece of Escher's work in public collection and only when he was seventy was a retrospective exhibition held in the Netherlands, his home. Britain still held off having a major exhibition until 2015 when one was hosted at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern art before moving it to Dulwich Picture Gallery in October. The extent to which Escher hasn't been recognised in the art world is shocking considering the global level to which his prints can be identified.

Metamorphosis II - 1940 Woodcut

   Arguably, Metamorphosis II might be one of Escher's greatest works. Spanning over four metres, this detailed woodcut print develops and changes over the course of the print. The wasps turn to fish, which turn to birds, which turn into a town, then a chess game then back to the initial starting point. The print is so cleverly thought out that if the words 'metamorphosis' are laid over each other, the print matches up and becomes and infinite circle of surreal art. The detail which has gone into the work is outstanding and truly reflects the great skill that Escher had.

Encounter - 1945 Lithograph

   As the only print Escher created during the war, I think it is a perfect summary. The pessimist (black character) walks around shaking his finger, meanwhile the optimist (white character) is raising its hand as they circle around a hole in the ground. Escher was intent throughout his whole life that his artwork should never be looked into for ulterior meaning and I think that is probably the best possible advice when going about art.

   Personally this is a must see exhibition, with a host of Escher's initial sketches to final pieces inspiring and captivating everyone in the room. The exhibition is incredibly popular so I would recommend booking in advance, however there are often spaces on the day but the exhibition space will be crammed with people. Escher deserves an outstanding exhibition and I am thrilled at the amount of positive attention it received.


Where: Dulwich Picture Gallery
End date: 17 January 2015
Price: adult £14
Nearest station: West Dulwich

The Forever Loop - Eddie Peake

Last week I attended one of the most unique exhibitions that I have ever been to. Titled The Forever Loop and hosted at the Barbican Centre, Eddie Peake has created installations, performances and art specific to the curve of the room. The exhibition has a choreographed performance that runs continuously on screens through maze-like walls. The art is what I would suggest as interactive, with a raised scaffolding walk way and nude dancers performing the looped dance routine. Surrounding the viewer are surreal objects such as giant Perspex bears, whale bones and a chequer-board dance floor resembling all the time Peake has spent at night clubs. On the curved wall of the room, is a ninety metre long stencilled phrase in fluorescent pink spray paint in the style of typical street art. However, because the start of the phrase was at the end of the room where the exit is, it encourages the viewer to then loop back on their journey to be able to read it transforming the room into an endless loop as well. Loops are presented around the room, with the scaffolding above the work causing you to turn back on yourself and holes in the plaster walls. The idea for a continuous loop was initiated when Eddie would walk into an installation video and have no idea whether he was in the beginning, middle or end of it, and from this became slightly obsessed with the idea of video loops. 

Peake was investigating into construction of self, identity and sexuality through his work and we can see this through home videos he has included on an endless loop as well as objects that remind him of his childhood. With confrontational installations it makes you question the reasoning why showing nudity is such a frowned upon act in society today. Peake said for The Guardian “I do think it is interesting that in other parts of the world different body parts signify different things. For example we really fetishise breasts but you see footage where women walk around topless and the meaning of breasts is evidently very different.” I think the message that he is sending via this exhibition is important for society and for this time of age when people are beginning to understanding the importance of equality and reduce the obsession with nudity. A small but rich exhibition exploring identity and desire with thought provoking art is definitely worth the visit and the time spent 'looping' around the room. 

Photo from White Cube

Photo from The Creators Project

Photo from Art News Net

Photo from The Creators Project

Where: Barbican Centre
Nearest tube: Barbican, St Pauls and Moorgate
Cost: Free
Run time: Until 10 January 2016

 

CLIMATE CHANGE

Dressed as a polar bear, on Sunday 29th November 2015, myself and two friends, Alice and Matt, attended the Climate Change demonstration in London. The message of this march was directed to David Cameron and 150 leaders around the world when they meet in Paris from 30th November to 11th December 2015. In this conference, we could see a real change towards reducing pollution and global warming on the planet. It is so important for this discussion to be a success as it is time to make a difference for the generations to come. With the rapid increasing sea levels and temperatures, the planet is changing at a rate unheard of before. Slowly and surely we are destroying our home and it's time to stop. Below are photos that I took and a short video about the day.

'Keep Below 2°C'

'Stop destroying life on Earth for profit'

'Reconsider your meat consumption'

'CAUTION! Change the policy not the climate'

Fangirl moment - Jeremy Corbyn

Thank you for reading and please get involved in saving the planet! We only have the one and at the rate global warming is increasing, it might change drastically in the not so distance future.

Interested to find out more?

Check out Cowspiracy an inspiring documentary about the problems of overconsumption of meat on our environment.

Another interesting documentary here but emphasises the health implications of meat consumption.

Creative Process Lecture

Hosted at University College London near Russell Square in London, I attended the Creative Process Lecture for the second time. After last year with hosts including Grayson Perry, I wasn't sure how this year could top that. But amazingly it did.

Opening the day with ‘Truth to Materials’ was Cornelia Parker, a famous artist and sculptor who comments on the use of materials, destruction and personal value of possessions. Her expansive use of materials through her career has allowed her to be recognised as a leading influence in the art and design world. Her obsession with destruction, through her installations such as Cold Dark Matter,

Cold Dark Matter - constantcircles.com

Mass, Anti-mass and Breathless, we are confronted with important views about how we perceive and live our lives. I love the idea behind her pieces Mass and Anti-mass because they reflect natural destruction and manmade destruction. Hung in a room are the burnt fragments of a Texas church struck by lightening that then burnt to the ground. Eight years later she used the remnants again of a burnt church, but this time one from a hate crime against a black congregation in Alabama.

Mass - lindapacefoundation.org

The difference of these acts of nature and man but still ones that produce the same outcome where we have no control, is an interesting point to raise about the value of things we find personal and how far physical properties can be tested. It was interesting to hear about who and what had inspired Parker, and for her piece called ‘The Distance: A Kiss with Added String’, it was Marcel Duchamp. She had seen his exhibition at which on the opening night, he had covered the whole room in a mile of string completely obstructing the work hanging on the walls. From this she decided to wrap a mile of string around the famous sculpture ‘The Kiss’ to create this distance and to symbolise the time in history when this sculpture was too forward for the public so was covered with a sheet for years. What might be seen as a damaging act to this piece, was actually further inspiration for Parker.

The Distance - dulwichonview.org.uk

A man had cut the string from this sculpture, but rather than pressing charges, Cornelia dropped them and used the string that she tied back together again, to wrap into giant ball concealing a sharp weapon inside. The details of what this weapon is are still unknown today. Perhaps her work of the Magna Carta piece has been the most influential, involving people from all over the world who she believes to have importance to freedom and laws. For this commissioned piece of art, she and a team of embroiderers, stitched the wikipedia page of the Magna Carta, with the help of prisoners, Germaine Greer, feminist, Kenneth Clarke and Caroline Lucas, politicians, and Jimmy Wales, a co-founder of Wikipedia, as well as two hundred more. However, my favourite piece of all of her art was something that I had seen before but not realised it was hers. In the annual Royal Academy show, she decided to

Red Dots

submit a frame of a blank canvas with the red dots surrounding it. These red dots show the numerous sales this artist has had since the show has been opened and it is often up to debate about whether this is a scheme that should still run within the art world. However, Parker’s empty frame began to sell and they stuck the little red dots on hers. The next year she submitted a photo of what had happened the year before and continued this for serval years. This comical idea and print has been very popular but sadly she admitted that she may not be able to getting away with doing for another year in a row. Overall, I love the art she has created and she is a well-rounded and enthusiastic person and gave a rather hilarious response to “how do you come up with new ideas?”. “Drink a lot of wine.”

General Election - simoncroberts.com

Followed by the photographer, Simon Roberts, this was definitely a more relatable and inspiring subject for me. Roberts initiated the talk with information and tips about working in the photography world and how he found his way into it. Coming through an unconventional route he had studied Human Geography at University but upon leaving, he decided to pursue his interest in Photography. He has travelled the world documenting the landscape around it and comparing it to people, politics and the economy. He was chosen to be the Election Artist for the 2010 General Election and produced some unique outcomes that I think work incredibly well in portraying the British public. The way the photos are framed and have either crowds of people or very few intrigue me and I like the busyness in them, whether it’s from the houses, the people or the cameras surrounding the politicians. I have gained some new information form this lecture as Roberts mainly used a 50mm lens when photographing Russia to create photos that appear ‘as the eye sees’, giving these perfectly formed square photos with wonderful soft colours. An interesting talk about his life and troubles gave valuable information to budding photographers in the audience.

Voldemort - couliercreatures.com

The penultimate talk came from Mark Coulier, the winner of two Oscars for his makeup work on The Iron Lady and The Grand Budapest Hotel. I found his talk very eye-opening into the production and budget of huge blockbuster films as he gave us an insight into the level of time and money his company get for certain sections of designing transformation costumes. Although this lecture was rather alien to me, and something I am certain I won’t pursue, it was still an experience that makes you realise the industry is always far larger than you expect.




The final, and probably my favourite talk came from the painter Stuart Pearson-Wright. His comical and satirical discussion about his work was definitely needed as it came towards the end of the day. He spoke about his work with complete honesty, commenting on the successes and failures he endured and how he came to where he is today. He said it began when he painted Mr and Mrs

Mr and Mrs Cramps - architectsforhealth.com

Cramps and changed the perspective of the ground that they stood on and that his style evolved from that very point. He had painted them when he won the BP Travel Prize allowing him to travel anywhere in the world and he jokingly said “and naturally I chose Britain”. He included work he had done on large and small scales, the smallest being two inches tall, which still had huge amounts of detail and how he could carry them around with him. He also showed paintings he had done of himself, one of which featured a past girlfriend in a bath in the background and he casually stated “should have drowned her”. This comical behaviour is deficiently reflected in his work as there were many crude paintings that he had done for a period of time before moving on to more sombre paintings which he felt was necessary after messing around for so long. My favourite painting of his is a commission from winning the BP Portrait Price in 2001 where he had to paint the six presidents of the National Academy. He was clearly proud of this painting, and rightly so as the perspective is unique

The Six Presidents - andrewgrahamdixon.com

 and intriguing and the symbolism within the portrait has significant meaning. It reflects ideas about time constantly moving through the use of a circular table and all of the men sitting around it, as well as the dots on the rim of the plate of biscuits. The head of the table holds a biscuit as he is the man in charge. The dead chicken laying in the middle of table represents that one day all these men will be dead and eaten by worms, then fish and then people. These important connotations create an interesting painting however many critics did not as the result was described as ‘astounding’ and I imagine it said in a sarcastic tone. Wright jokingly expressed to us his confusion when they decided not to hang it in the entrance to the National Academy but in a room round the side. I found his lecture very humorous and his work inspiring and that what he is going on to do as a very exciting prospect.


In summary, if you have got through this dense post, I would highly recommend the Creative Process Lecture. Unfortunately, I believe that you have to attend as a school not a single person, but if you can mention and advise your teachers to look into it, it is a remarkable day with incredible hosts and huge ability to have some insight into what you like and where you want to go. Thanks for reading!

Portraiture

As I'm beginning to look through my photography work from last year to piece together a successful portfolio, I noticed the photos I took of L'Oyin. They brought back many happy memories of us sitting in a tiny room converted into a studio, under hot lights and continuous flashes whilst laughing as I took the photos. Looking back has made me realise that I love taking portraits and hopefully will be able to come back to it in the near future. Below are some of my favourite shots and moments that we shared together and I hope you enjoy.

Break

As I'm sure the majority of you know by now, I've given up social media for some time so I'm going to try to keep this brief. And I just wanted to clarify some things because I think some people might be confused. I haven't done this to be "cool" or "edgy", or for attention or even because of Essena O'Neill. I did this because I didn't see the point in telling people what had for breakfast or why I love that TV show, showing them what I bought the other week or where I went on holiday. I didn't see the point in sending a picture of myself to my friends or uploading videos, updating my profile picture or following someone online. I feel as though I had become absorbed into a world that made no sense. When I listen to conversations around me I hear, "I wonder how my post is doing" or "did you see that latest vine", and don't get me wrong - I think that social media is a great way of connecting to other people all over the globe and making new friends, but sometimes, it gets too much.

I mentioned earlier the name Essena O'Neill and I think it would be unfair to suggest that she hasn't opened my eyes to the world around us. She is a brave person who has done something incredible for our generation and I think she will go on to do amazing things. However I didn't wake up one day, saw what she did and thought I would do the same. Essena's case is very different from mine as she has a huge influence on how people perceived her through social media and used social media as a form of income. For me it was just a space to express myself and my thoughts but over time it genuinely became a small obsession. I am not as addicted to these platforms as it might appear considering I decided to take a break from them all, but I would check my phone several times an hour simply to see what was going on and when you step back and think, it seems excessive and ridiculous. Essena has said she feels like she missed out on so much through her teen years because of her high volume of time spent social networking, whereas luckily I couldn't say I agree with that. I was lucky because I had other interests that didn't require me to want to post about them, such as visiting exhibitions in London, or taking photos and writing blog posts which meant that I have been able to explore different things that I love to do and enjoy. So why quit then? I think because soon, it would become a problem where I will miss out on what's going on around me. I have a huge passion for living life how you want and looking after our planet and one day I'll be gone. So I'm going to try and make a difference with the time I have left (this is a long term plan - I haven't planned to solve world peace by the end of next week).

It may seem naive that I have given up social media at a time when it is the most current and growing industry with jobs constantly forming. However, for me, life is not all about getting the job and making money - which I think is clear considering I am pursuing my interest in Photography which is basically going to make me unemployable - because it's about living life and not trying to present yourself in the best and most "interesting" way to everyone around you.

If you've made it this far then well done! Thank you for taking time out of your day to read my reasoning behind why I decided to take this break. But also want you to also think about your time spent on social media and the contributions you are making to the world around you. I think it's sad when we look out our post and say that was shit because it only got 60 likes, I think its actually kind of shallow. And I'm not trying to direct this at anyone, because I was definitely a part of this, and I am in no way trying to emphasise that giving up social media is a big deal because frankly, it's not. There is no achievement in deciding not to post on Instagram or tweet how my day went because truthfully that's just fucking normal.

I'm not trying to shut myself off from the world, I'm just trying to live in it. And as my slogan seems to be recently: if you need me, text me.

Take a look at what Essena plans to do here: LetsBeGameChangers.com

KEEP THE BAN

   After the general election, I posted a blog post sharing my discomfort about the Tory win and mentioned two things in the Conservative manifesto that I was not looking forward to. These being the repeal of the Hunting Act and the development of Trident and war machinery. Never could I have imagined that two months later, my friends and I would be outside Downing Street campaigning to stop Parliament repealing the Act. We attended on Wednesday 15th July, the day the Act was going to be voted in Parliament, however due to the success of the campaign the day before, David Cameron had called off the vote. This humiliation for Cameron was caused by the fact that SNP MP’s vowed they would vote against them to keep the ban in place despite it not affecting Scottish laws. Almost immediately after, the Tories tried to update their English Votes for English Laws plan in the hope that when the Act is next pushed through for a vote, the SNP won’t be there to defeat the Tories. What a weak move by Cameron.

Banner at the campaign - photo by me

   On the day of the event it is fair to say that the turn out was admirable, however I believe that had David had not cancelled the vote early the day before, the turn out would have been colossal. This previous success the day before, meant we were there to show continued support for the campaign and to show Cameron that it would not be easy to shake animal welfare campaigners. A range of motivational speakers, including Dominic Dyer the CEO of Badger Trust, a local MP and other activists, encouraged the support and opened my eyes to a subject I was previously unconsciously naive about. I thought I knew the majority of what the campaign was going to be about but when you are presented with facts and real life situations, it’s amazing what you can learn. This bloodsport has to stop. Foxes are shot for no reason than for sport. The fact that hunters use the excuse of ‘foxes are killing more chickens and sheep’ and that it has now been proven as untrue, with foxes being less than 1 per cent of reason of why these animals die, shows the barbaric and medieval nature of this activity. In the UK, 80 per cent of people are in support of the ban so why is this something the Tories feel the need to change. In todays day and age, why is the hunting of a wild animal considered a ‘normal’ hobby amongst considerable numbers of people? In 50 years time we will look back at this moment and be dumbfounded by the stupidity of hunting and the inhumane nature of it. I only pray that in 5 years time when it comes to the end of the Conservative term in Parliament, the Act will not have been repealed and that hunting is not something that people will think is a regular activity.

My friend and I at the campaign with our banner

   If you would like to join the half a million people who have already signed the petition and show support for continuing the ban on fox hunting then please find the link here.

   The Twitter page to the official Keep the Ban campaign can be found here.

#KEEPTHEBAN