Saturday 21 May 2011

The London Nobody Knows?  A Scottish stranger had this tucked into his hip pocket whilst wondering the streets of the big smoke.  Turns out he has an eye for design too, have a look at Joe Hearty here.  Another wee trip tip was lining your walls in silver trays, much prettier than mirrors, but might only work if your walls are massive as they were in the delicious Boundary Restaurant.

The Oxo Tower Warf is a great website to have a run around, especially if you're interested in social enterprises and British design.  The Wharf building itself is packed full of fantastic boutiques and studios, hot favourites were aei:kei fashion boutique and Suck UK design.

The most exciting design can always be found in the street.  This graffiti alphabet is a project carried out through London with permission from the shop owners - the letter relates to what goes on behind the awning - like a great big game of guess who.  Seems to hark back to the very first New York street tags.  Anyone with more info, please let us know!


The very lovely Kate Sheridan hosts her own stall in the awesome Spitalfields market, selling her fantastic collection - as we are here.  Alongside some prints from the 1800's which would fit very nicely in The Red Door Gallery, don't you think?

 
These snaps attempt to portray the truly breath taking and inspirational Sunflower Seeds by Ai Weiwei  as installed at Tate Modern.  Each procalin seed-husk is an individually crafted, mini-painting.  The specialists who made them work in small-scale workshops in the Chinese city of Jingdezhen.  

The sunflower is a motif used in Chinese Portraiture, the Dictator is often said to take the place of the sun and his subjects are represented by the field of sunflowers, that Ai Weiwei focuses upon the seeds speaks volumes.  The scale of the piece is intended to explore the relationship between the individual and a larger population as well as draw attention to the people behind the products 'Made in China'. 

If anything will re-affirm your belief that art has power, then this piece is it.  Ai Weiwei was arrested by the Chinese authorities while trying to board a plane to Hong Kong on April 3 and no explanation or update on his condition or whereabouts was offered until yesterday, when there was an international sigh of relief.  He is officially being held on charges of Tax Evasion, but his dissapearance for almost two months highlights Chinese Human Rights issues.  This exhibit is no longer on show, if you would like to hear more or offer your support, please visit The Tate or The Guardian.

By Nicky

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