Sensing Spaces

Sometimes you just need to be inspired or reminded about the reason you are doing what you chose to do. Last weekend Helen and I visited the Sensing Spaces exhibition at the Royal Academy, a collection of architect design installations. Having been given one brief, each exhibit was so different from the next, clearly indicating the architects' distinctive influences and inspirations be that culture, Japanese woods and smells, or social collectiveness, through participatory hands on building. Hearing the architects speak about their work was motivating, to see that they are able to design according to their beliefs. All the more, the exhibition was exciting and interactive; it was great seeing kids of all ages running around and getting exposed to architecture and art.

Everything was Moving

On New Years Eve, Lauren and I visited the Everything was Moving exhibition at the Barbican. We spent over 2 hours there looking at various series of photojournalism recording the changes in social time during the 60s and 70s. We commented alot on the quality of the photography - so sharp and crisp - and I found a lot of the work very poignant. I would definitely recommend catching it before it finishes on the 13th Jan!

Image by Malick Sidib via The Telegraph

Paper Icicles

In December, Helen, Lucy and I went to a paper cutting workshop as part of the Paper at the Cutting Edge exhibition that we had visited the previous month at the Manchester Art Gallery. The workshop was run by Andy Singleton and we created icicle-like forms, using the scalpel like a pen cutting and scoring shapes in the white card. I planned to make a garland of icicles as Christmas decorations but maybe next year!

Hands On

Today Helen text me as she's in Vienna and went to see Hands On Urbanism: The Right to Green at the Architecture Centre in the city. She said it was great, and looking at this video I'd definitely agree. The exhibition design on top of the subject itself of the use of urban spaces, especially for growing, is fantastic. I'm jealous I can't go myself... well it's on until 25th June... I could book some flights...!

Video by Cast Your Art

Falling Slowly

A visit to indeed any exhibition has been long overdue. Even though I worked in London over the past year I "never had the time" to pop along to any. All that has changed!

On Sunday I went on an annual trip to the Royal Academy to see the Summer Exhibition with Lauren. It had a different layout this time around, but I've started to recognise my taste in art as I am always attracted to the same especially the etchings of Norman Ackroyd which show so much movement. Otherwise I gained inspiration from the architecture room where I really liked Dean Pike's The Labyrinth Plan and Marialena Tsolka's Bensalem's Hydra.

On Monday Ma and I saw the BP Portrait Awards at the National Portrait Gallery. I think it's my favourite gallery in town and this exhibition always shows some incredible pieces. It is staggering to see how realistic the portraits are painted. My picks are above:

1. Thread of Light (Portrait of Glen Hansard) by Colin Davidson (plus I have been listening to Hansard's music with The Swell Season on repeat for months!)

2. R.H. by Isobel Peachey

3. Abi by Nathan Ford

Images from: 1. Colin Davidson 2. BP Portrait Awards 3. Nathan Ford

Technology & Gardens

Today Claire and I went for a wander around London south of the river. First we saw my friend Nick's final year exhibition, Made In Brunel. In the Bargehouse warehouse under the Oxo tower there was some fantastic work from all realms industrial design, engineering, futures - there was both simple and ergonomic design as well as innovative industry specialist work. After lunch we wandered through Borough Market, I bought some gooseberry and elderflower jam and spotted some mini gourmet radishes! Lastly we headed to the launch day of the Urban Physic Garden on Union Street, were we sat and sipped at cider in the sun and absorbed to beautiful smells of the medicinal plants all around us.

Oz Oz Oz

The last two books I have read are to do with Australia. A Town Like Alice gave a really interesting insight into the life in the outback after WWII and so following that I decided to read Down Under by one of my favourites, Bill Bryson. I have to be careful not to laugh out loud on the train when I read one of his. I came across on Flickr the State Library of New South Wales collection, showing photographs of life during the gold rush, cattle and sheep farming as well as more urban life in the 20th Century. 

Images from Flickr 1: Grape pickers 1930s  2: Knitting for "Our Boys" c1914  3: Cherry pickers c1900  4: Royal Agricultural Show 1937  5: Sheep shearers c1896

Notting Hill Carnival

Today a bunch of my friends and I went to the carnival in Notting Hill, the biggest in Europe so I hear! We had a brilliant day, the atmosphere was incredible... music, dancing, colour, parade, costumes, Caribbean food! Twas fantastic... we were all taken miles away!
I've spent a lot of time in London town over the last few weeks and I've realised what a wealth of culture and activity we have on our doorstep here! On Friday I went to the National Portrait Gallery to see the BP Portrait Awards (and glimpsed Twiggy who was there!) Some of the portraits you would never believe have been painted, they look like photographs! My particulary fav was Maggie by Sue Rubira. About 1m in height, it had such a presence in the room.My friend Ree and I also popped along to the V&A to see the Telling Tales exhibition on Design Art which focuses on art based furniture. The chairs especially are going to be inspiration for my dissertation this year!

There's sooo much to see, definitely go see it all!