“Punctured Perspectives” by Kirstie Macleod: A Fine Point on Embroidery!

Sometimes, intention and outcome do not marry… and yet, opposites attract… so they often court for a time.

Such was my experience, as I, inadvertently, paid a visit to Rook and Raven Gallery, the day after a much-anticipated Private View of ‘Punctured Perspectives’, the first U.K solo show by British Artist, Kirstie Macleod.

Reaching my destination with an hour to spare, I absorbed the environs surrounding its Rathbone Place location, meandering through Stephen and Charlotte Streets, winding my way, bobbin-like, around Tottenham Court Road and Oxford Street… visiting bookshops and renewing my familiar vista of this global capital city, with replenished hidden gems of the ‘boutique’ descriptions, from hotels, to high-fashion!

Finding it all-too-easy to get happily lost in newfound objets d’intérêts, I retraced my route to the gallery. Now, past time for the event to begin, an event filled with the promise of multi-disciplinary artistry, I stood quietly, in wonderment at the stillness. With fewer guests than I had expected…in fact, just yours truly… the perfectly-timed arrival of the ever-accommodating Rook and Raven gallerista, to open the door, cheered my heart!

“Excuse me? Has the P.V been cancelled?”

The kindly face gently answered, “The P.V was yesterday…but you’re more than welcome to come in and have a look around!”

I cannot tell you the exact entirety of my emotional excursion, however, I’d compare the spike from crestfallen to elation, to the milliseconds it takes Lewis Hamilton to reach the corner first, at the start of a high-octane F1 race!

I can tell you the sheer bliss of being the only visitor within a space, itself, adorned with mixed-media and textile art of the most gently arresting order. Peppered, at intervals, with lively exchanges as to the dynamism and richness of Kirstie Macleod’s wide-ranging works, I marvelled at the ambition wrapped within deceptively simple formats and materials. I am drawn to the keenly-observed flight formations expressed in matt black thread upon cotton. Displayed one after the other, they hypnotically echo in the mind, as the titles ‘Murmur I’ and ‘Murmur II’, suggest. Juxtaposed in both position and hue, is ‘Lacuna’. A contemporary celebration of colour, the vibrancy is emboldened by a succession of acute, embroidered angles which cut like the Shard against a cumulo nimbus sky. Move, if you will, to ‘Mu’, 132 x 162 cm of glossy red, tonically reading as MAC’s ‘Ruby Woo’ with lashings of clear ‘Lipglass’ hovering atop… The drilled holes only adding a glorious imperfection, similar to the gentle fade of lipstain, over a giddy evening of fine dining! The textural exploration continues into ‘Flow’, where stark matt white creates a backdrop upon which the drilled finish portrays a prickly-heat, insistent energy.

The momentum is topped and stopped by ‘Barocco’*.

It is the unique centrepiece of the collection….

A highly-decorated gown of deepest red, which is exhibited within a perspex cube….

…the embellishment, of which, has been hand-embroidered by 50 global contributors, thus far! With each artisan comes a stunning narrative of idiosyncratic stitches, symbolism and distinct prismatic combinations, to mesmerise the onlooker. It is a gown of concentrated cultural conversations, which has taken extreme concentration to express and just as Kirstie’s performance of sewing the dress, whilst she wears it, you almost find yourself dancing around the cube in order to trace the path of these most intricately-layered patterns! Being a 10 year-project, due to end in 2019, the final embellished design of the dress is yet unknown, however the aim is that, resultant of the extent of needlework, the soft fabric will eventually become a robust sculptural piece, strong enough to stand, unsupported.

Although tonight will see the finale presentation of ‘Barocco’, before the piece travels to its next destination, due to popular demand, the entire exposition has been extended and this stunning acclamation of embroidery can be seen at the Rook and Raven Gallery until April 11th 2015. As with the best design motifs, I wholeheartedly encourage repeat visits, but be prepared to want to move and to be moved…because this ‘rough or imperfect pearl’ is a diamond of a ‘stand-alone’ exhibition!

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The unmissable ‘Punctured Perspectives’ by Kirstie Macleod is on until 11/ 04/ 2015 at Rook and Raven Gallery, 7 Rathbone Place, London W1T 1HN!

Gallery Opening Hours: Tuesday ~ Friday: 11 a.m > 6.30 p.m; Saturday: 11 a.m > 6 p.m; Sunday: Closed; Monday: By Appointment Only

* Barocco: Ancient Portuguese for ‘rough of imperfect pearl’…

~

©AFROW2015-2019 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

 

INTERVIEW: “A 2014 SPACE ODYSSEY, WITH KEIR DULLEA AND GARY LOCKWOOD!”

…Somewhere in deepest Londinium, a truly unique event was about to begin…

The Mission:

To join a select group of journalists, for a ‘Q and A’ session with Keir Dullea and Gary Lockwood, star protagonists of Stanley Kubrick’s legendary cinematic opus, ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’.

…Undoubtedly, I had enthusiastically chosen to accept, and yet, somehow, I could not dismiss the overriding feeling that the stars had aligned and the opportunity had chosen me…

Arriving early, I took the space and time to dwell upon the imminent proceedings. Only in November had I disembarked upon my journey with the blockbuster movie…and now, I was installed in a low-lit, BFI Southbank Studio, sharing a front-row, replete with male counterparts, conversing about Kubrick’s created world and the chance for further enlightenment thereof, with the giddy excitement of a child, about to unwrap a plethora of gifts, on Christmas morning!

Our expedition ‘Captain’ was Rhidian Davis, Producer of the BFI’s hugely impressive ‘Sci-Fi: Days of Fear and Wonder’ Season. Relaxed and congenial, he was also enlivened by the audience response to the scheduled UK-wide selection of events, particularly indicated by all of the “really positive” social media feedback. As he waxed lyrically, the gentle hum of classical music began piping through the surround-sound, in turn, sending my mind through its own wormhole, to the opening sequence of ‘2001’..Seemingly, wherever I went, my world was happily fated to an endless soundtrack, without the need of Soundcloud! Yet, with a topline punctuated, every so often, by the swing of a door, I would fall back into the realms of the present…to darkness falling…to the majestic ‘2001’ trailer…to new voices joining the chorus…and, at its close, to the recognition of the word “Fantastic” being uttered by one particularly familiar American accent…

…That of ‘Dave Bowman’…the one and only, Mr Keir Dullea! (Cue internal applause!)…quickly followed by another Stateside inflection, which (by process of elimination), could have been (and was) none other than ‘Frank Poole’, a.k.a, Mr Gary Lockwood! (Ditto, with the applause!)… In stature, they were the exact opposite! Dullea, tall, lithe, piercingly-bright-eyed, silver-haired, bearded and elegantly-suited, with an air of suave, Savile Row. Lockwood, gracefully-greying, with eyes of warm, deep-set intensity and an imposing silhouette, wrapped in smart-casual attire, signalling the powerful physique of his days as a quarterback and stuntman. Yet, we were to learn that their personalities made them quite the most perfect interview double-act and their arrival had signalled our take-off, into streams of consciousness, run-on lines and priceless memories, which were to become an integral part of my own, and went a little something like this (‘stage directions’ and all!)…

[The room falls into an enjoyable outer space silence].

…Of the premiere of ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’…

KD [Thoughtful. Considered. Bowman-like!]: “It blew me away… Nothing readies you… The ‘Dawn of Man’ Sequence surprised me the most..”

(It transpires that they had seen no rushes of that section, as the scenes were filmed after they had wrapped their own).

GL [Excitedly, as if reliving the moment.]: “Everyone was reading about the hype of the film… but it wasn’t all that well received..”

(Save for the shuffling of a few pens on paper…the room is still, as we absorb their every word).

KD [Glancing over to GL, continuing the thought.]: “…[It] got unbelievably mixed reviews…I began to doubt that it was going to happen [be successful]…Not that it was less of a film…”

…On how they initially got cast…

KD [Measured, with a wry smile.]: “I went to a fortune teller at the Battersea Funfair and the palmist said that he saw a rocketship [in my hand]!!…I returned home and my wife said I was to call my agent…I was told that Stanley Kubrick had offered me the part…but I was also in a play with Laurence Olivier, in London, already…”

GL [Confident. Quickly chimes in!]: “I knew it was over! I knew it would be the job! None of us was going to be in a better part than that! Warren Beatty said ‘They were lucky!’…”

KD [Buoyant.]: “He was right!!!”

(The men look at each other in recognition of two friends having been in the once-in-a-lifetime experience, together. They chuckle along in the moment of nostalgia…Their warmth is infectious and the smiles spread around the room!).

…On Kubrick, himself…

KD [With a real sense of awe.]: “In general, people rave about the experience. Kubrick was so easygoing with us. I felt I was in the presence of genius…He was the most prepared of any director I’d ever worked with. Part of his genius was the way he cast…He cast well.”

(At this point, we learn that prior to ‘2001’, Gary Lockwood was a stuntman and had already been in such epic films as Kubrick’s ‘Spartacus.’ He asked Kubrick why he had been cast)..

GL [With a cheeky glint in his eye.]: “He said, ‘I thought you could do a lot, without doing anything!’…”

KD [Still caught up in awestruck mood.]: “[Kubrick] was the most curious man I’d ever met…”

GL [Bursts into the hushed atmosphere. Continues his thought!]: “People who are really good at something have to have a good I.Q! When the ‘Pentax’ was invented, he gave his daughter the ‘Pentax’ and told her to photgraph everything that looked good. She had ‘the eye’…”

(Recounting Kubrick, increases the momentum of memories, so much so, that the energy behind Gary’s statement somewhat renders it an announcement! The gravitas has us on tenterhooks…)

…Of the movie…

KD [With deep respect.]: “The genius of this film has withstood, generation to generation. What a compliment to Stanley Kubrick.”

(The silence is golden. We all feel the respect. We all agree).

…Of the films, ‘Gravity’ and ‘Interstellar’…

GL [Bold. Objective.]: “ ‘Interstellar?’ It’s not as good as ‘2001’ but there are some really great moments! Symbiotically… all things in ‘2001’ seem to work…I don’t think ‘Interstellar’ did that. The great sci-fi movie, other than ‘2001’, is ‘Blade Runner’… It’s incredible!

KD [Deliberate. Pensive.]: “ ‘Gravity’…It’s a different experience. I enjoyed it enormously. I’m proud to have been part of this movie [‘2001’]. The last really great film I saw, last month, was ‘Force Majeure’..Painfully funny is a good way to describe it. Don’t miss it!

GL [Cheery. Enthusiastic.]: “See ‘Birdman’* everybody! It’s great! Neorealistic film, with trippy little bits!”

(The pace moves evermore swiftly…)

…Of Kubrick’s character profiles for ‘2001’…

KD [Focussed.]: “We had a fictional biography…We [Bowman and Poole] both had double-doctorates and by the year 2001, they would be choosing people [astronauts] based upon their psychological profile, rather than the military [background].”

…On why they were in the pod…

KD[Informative.]: “Stanley would have us improvise scenes and then he would take the workshops and work them into the film…”

…On contributing ideas, in general…

KD [In quiet, secretive tone.]: “In the end, when I’m in that 16th century room and I’m the older person eating, and the glass breaks… The reason why I asked Stanley if I could knock it over, was in order to sense things in a different way……. The old-age make-up took 12 hours to do!”

…On re-acclimatising to Earth, after so many hours in outer space…

KD [Jokily]: “It wasn’t hard…you just had a coffee!”

(Laughter ensues!)

…On the lack of dialogue in the film…

KD [Wonderfully matter-of-fact!]: “We’ve been in space a long while…We know each other so well, that there’s nothing much left to say! It’s laidback, as it would be, after so long…One of the interesting aspects is that the computer was more human than the humans! The only real emotional scene was when I am taking HAL’s brain apart… What I used [for intention/inspiration] was ‘Of Mice and Men’…

…Of actor, Nigel Davenport, as HAL 9000…

KD [Jocular.]: “Nigel Davenport was cast as Hal before the ultimate actor…and for the longest time, it was like Michael Caine!”

(More laughter fills the studio, owing to Keir’s brilliant impersonation of an English-accented HAL…!!)

On such a high, the ‘Q and A’ session was ‘a wrap’!

Time spent in the presence of two of the wisest, most engaging, fun-loving people whom I have been blessed to meet-and-greet, was gone, in warp-speed..

The mission might have been over but, within that silent millisecond, a mental image of Dave Bowman, hurtling into the future, sprang to mind…Proof positive that, not only would the film continue long into my own…but, having met these delightful gentlemen, the words “Open the pod bay doors, HAL” would never be the same again!

©AFROW2014-2019 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

WARMEST AFROW-THANKS TO…

MESSRS KEIR DULLEA (KD) AND GARY LOCKWOOD (GL)

RHIDIAN DAVIS (BFI)

SARAH HARVEY PUBLICITY

THE BFI’S LEGENDARY ‘SCI-FI: DAYS OF FEAR AND WONDER’ SEASON CONTINUES…

*(Since the time of going to press, ‘Birdman’ has received 7 Golden Globes Nominations).

MUSIC PREVIEW: ‘HANGIN’ WITH MR COOPER!’

The “Kensington Roof Gardens” are akin to an urban Eden.

I had the distinct fortune of visiting the rooftop hideaway, many moons ago, to partake of the most scintillating spoken word… assimilating every ardently-annunciated utterance, as the flora and fauna absorbed the excitedly-expelled carbon dioxide. I recall the burning sun receding into a see-through veil of dusk, yielding, only, to a blanket of deep, blue-velvet night. I yet decipher shadowy fronds, as face-paints, dancing upon the animated musculature of smiles… At such altitude, with no visible separation from the sky, it seemed as though the celestial had reclaimed the earthen territory…

…in readiness to, one day, welcome a soul-sentinel, by the name of John Paul Cooper.

He is human, yet he houses a falsetto, that is unquestionably real…Mortal, yet in possession of a glissando which glitters through a vocal range, not disimilar to the aurora borealis. His, is an authenticity of melodic articulation which, when harmonised with a pure palette of heartfelt emotion, sees something of the divine settle upon a crowd. From polished renditions of such classics as “I Wish I Didn’t Miss You”*, by the legendary Angie Stone, with whom he has just completed a celebrated UK tour, to the melifluous fervour of “The Only Reason”**, J.P. Cooper is a troubadour-of-truth from beyond the harbour of the clouds.

Fitting, then, that this Friday 16th May, The Roof Gardens should be the home to cradle this wonderfully humble and uniquely- purposed talent… Oh to be a fly, on the leaf of a wall, near the stage, to witness this down-to-earth superstar, from the stars…

‘T’would be a beatific blessing, indeed!

*”I Wish I Didn’t Miss You”: http://youtu.be/mOtgEf_ggLg (via YouTube) ~ **”The Only Reason”: http://youtu.be/GadLKCzw670 (via YouTube :Kevin Thomas)

 www.roofgardensclub.com ~ www.facebook.com/jpcoopermusic ~https://twitter.com/JPCooperMusic ~ www.jpcooper.bandcamp.com

(Join every platform, ‘like’ every profile…because you’ll love J.P. Cooper forever!xx)

©AFROW2014-2019 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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TWITTER-TESTIMONIAL FROM @JPCooperMusic!

‘Possibly the nicest thing anybody has ever said about me… Thankyou.. Beautifully written… xx’

MARSHALL GOES ‘FACE-TO-FACE’ WITH KATE, AT IMITATE MODERN!

Have you ever wondered what it might be like to be cradled in the arms of a rainbow?

If so, then you’ll find the answer ensconced within the arc-of-screenprints, in “40 A Kate Moss Retrospective”, by ultra-talented artist, Russell Marshall, currently showing at the enchanting ‘Imitate Modern’ art gallery!

On one level, your eyes race to absorb the high-definition, technicolour dreamscapes which coat the walls. Time flits by as fast as you can blink, whilst you remain transfixed by the neon shocks of sherbet-pink and acid-yellow, bouncing like laser-beams from a New Year’s Eve disco-ball! Quick-as-a-wink, you are compelled to follow the spectral-story wherever it leads and begin to register shades which resound like a chromatic scale… Prints in-the-key of shimmering-silver and incandescent-pearl are laden with outlines of indellible impressions…

Fully-acquainted with the cornucopia of exceptional colour-charts, you then begin to focus-pull onto the subsequent layer of visual stimulae, present in the undoubted recognition of, not only a face, but ‘The Face’ of Kate Moss, staring back, as if to guide you from one incarnation to another.

It is at this point, that your heart-rate evens out…

 The ‘pop’ which Russell has told me he would like the palette to have, has been achieved and so begins a new narrative, of taking a visual tour around Kate’s career, through the viewfinder of the former journalist and editor. The immediacy of being subjectively engaged at such a rapid rate, yields to a futher immersion, into a state of ‘objectivity’, yet it is neither stereotypically cold nor separate. It is, in fact, replete with a distinct clarity, founded in true warmth and admiration for a woman of real character, who has eclipsed the notion of ‘celebrity’ and, rather, re–defined and re–valued it. This facilitates a deeper connection to the potent colour-combinations, which serve to highlight the myriad facets to her own, vibrant personality. Furthermore, Russell’s editing sensibility is masterfully employed, in exhibiting specific screenprints which, at once, reveal the wide-eyed potential of a young girl, spotted at the age of 14, whilst also uncovering her scintillating, Bardot-èsque vulnerability, her ethereal elegance, swathed in full-length gowns and floral-sprays and an haute couture-regality, resplendent in Vivienne Westwood!

An added spin to the retrospective, it that of the journalistic element, for as the walls have Kate’s eyes, they also have her words! Quotes such as “Never complain, never explain” quietly indicate a certain pragmatism, whilst others celebrating the ‘girl-about-town’, like “I haven’t partied since last Friday”, positively scream from the rafters! Displayed alongside columns of biographical copy, by Amy Watts, the twist of presenting silk-screens, which constitute a statement as to the real definition of celebrity, in a 3-D newspaper format, is both witty and entirely evocative of the wondrous days of the old-fashioned handprinting-press! Encompassed by musical soundwaves dripping with Britpop, the White Stripes and Primal Scream, the audio-visual, launch-night mind-meld, completes the journey!

In essence, “4o A Kate Moss Retrospective” is a startling adventure with the ability to engage the viewer, by transporting them through the career life-cycle of a living legend. From the girl-next-door, whose diminutive stature should have ruled her out of the modelling industry, but which actually set her apart, to the celebrated Mother, Supermodel and Designer, Russell Marshall is a maestro of multi-dimensional expression. The single plane of a screen is doused in prismatic vibrance, which facilitates an optical appreciation of beautiful images…Yet, in accompanying them with written and quoted content, Kate’s joie-de-vivre becomes even more apparent. What with each of the ten works being a limited edition of one (the variations of which can be chosen from ten unique colourways), the concept of honouring individuality, is perpetuated. According to the artist, himself, there might even be a gentle ‘tap’ of the frame during its production, just to add a perfect imperfection, which is undetectable to the naked eye, of course, yet, intrinsically embedded within each wonderful work!

It is this eloquence of embracing the idiosyncratic and the courage to express it, which, almost a week after the private viewing, still echoes within. Whether or not you find yourself in the spotlight, the truth of who you really are, will always enable you to shine. Such an enduring and empowering message was shared by Russell Marshall on Kate Moss’s 40th birthday and I wholeheartedly encourage you to do the ‘grand tour’ for yourself, because the writing’s on the wall… this incredible show is an undeniable hit!

“40 A KATE MOSS RETROSPECTIVE” RUNS FROM: 17TH JANUARY > 15TH FEBRUARY 2014 AT: IMITATE MODERN, 27A DEVONSHIRE STREET, LONDON, W1G 6PN ~ MON>FRI: 10a.m > 6p.m ~ FREE!

www.imitatemodern.com ~ www.beautifulcrime.com

©AFROW2014-2019 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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FACEBOOK FEEDBACK FROM RUSSELL MARSHALL!

‘Great review by Afrow… thanks..’

MARSHALL GATHERS MOSS AT IMITATE MODERN? ‘I’M’ IN!

To many, the mere mention of Marylebone conjures up one of two things… One, being the waxworks of Madame Tussaud’s, the other, being Mr Sherlock Holmes! However, make your way, on foot, via a concentration of Oxford Street shoppers, across, oft, car-clustered roads, along a, mainly-residential, thoroughfare, in the direction of this Fitrovian district and you will soon happen upon another reason to become well-acquainted with the area. The new name to add to your cerebral rotary-filing system, is that of the “Imitate Modern” Art Gallery.

First impressions of the building are that this is not your usual exhibition space. Then again, being situated amidst some of the finest chocolate-box environs of London, you would expect nothing less! In fact, it is akin to an ‘open house’, of the most elegant, listed ilk! Modest, classic, it is a mirror of its curator, Jaqui Pittack, with a warmth and effervescenct energy, which disseminates throughout her amazing team of Imitate Modern-angels and radiates out into the ambience. That it is situated without earshot of  the blaring horn-orchestra of motor-vehicles further facilitates the pleasing exchange which stillness affords, as you take in the array of modern-artistic talent, fastidiously hung upon the walls.

I have first-hand experience of this, since I had the distinct pleasure of attending two back-to-back events last December, spanning the worlds of altruism and art-inauguration. The former, part of of the ‘Christmas Wish List’ evening, not only served to toast the season, but also helped the homeless, by auctioning an original canvas by the incredible ‘Stik’, and raising a truly healthy sum for ‘The Big Issue’. The latter, unveiled the unswervingly dynamic collaborations between urban pop-artist Rich Simmons with, both, zeitgetist power-photographer, Tyler Shields, and inspirational street-artist, ‘Parlee Erz’.

In high-spirited accompaniment, were pieces from thought-provoking, statement-artist ‘Cartrain’, the relentless, Jackson Pollock-esque abstracts by George Morton-Clark, adroitly-complemented by a witty series of signature, monochromatic works from ‘The London Police’ and skilfully-balanced by the intense, yet, uniquely delicate, sepia-toned goddesses from the accomplished hands of Rosie Emerson. Yet, this group form only a tranche of the distinguished talent comprising the Imitate Modern collective.

Little wonder, then, that with such a diverse creative roster, the gallery has consistently caught the attention of the media, including such publications as “Tatler” and “Vogue”. Even less, that it is this beautiful West-London location, which has been chosen to house the imminent arrival of its latest exhibition by gifted artist, Russell Marshall, entitled “40 A Kate Moss Retrospective”. Presented in collaboration with Urban/Contemporary Art-brand, “Beautiful Crime”, it is in dedication to and celebration of the supermodel’s 40th birthday, featuring ten screen-printed canvases, in a selection of ten hues, themselves, available in ten variant colour combinations! Sourced from Marshall’s own photographs, each canvas captures the model at differing stages of her career, from the new-face, spotted at an airport, through to her meteoric rise to entrepreneurial/iconoclastic status… and the anticipation has set the world’s media on fire!

They’re right to be excited!

Imitate Modern is the perfect backdrop in which to showcase the visual journey of Kate Moss, who  has been a fearless and bold protagonist within the Fashion Industry. Her ability to encapsulate and inspire trends has seen her career catapult her into the upper-echalons of her field, yet she has maintained an inner poise, which has infused each campaign with greater depth and authenticity. So, here’s to you at 40, Kate…and to being 25 years, strong, in the one-off world of la mode….

…..Long may your fashion-forward meteor continue to rise!

“40 A KATE MOSS RETROSPECTIVE” RUNS FROM: 17TH JANUARY > 15TH FEBRUARY 2014 AT: IMITATE MODERN, 27A DEVONSHIRE STREET, LONDON, W1G 6PN ~ MON>FRI: 10a.m > 6p.m ~ FREE!

www.imitatemodern.com ~ www.beautifulcrime.com

©AFROW2014-2019 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

LCM: THE HEAVENS OPEN AT TOPMAN’S AW2014 SHOW!

Dark. Dank. Devoid of sound.

Booooom!!!

The edgy power of John Cooper Clarke cuts through the ether…His weighty words, doused in a Lancashire accent, darting rhythmically about like vocal strobes.

The spoken word hits a crescendo, his last line held in the air, embraced by nothingness.

Within seconds, action ensues, as mist-for-lighting announces the dawn in Topman’s LCM showspace. An industrial location is revealed, with a concrete catwalk, dressed, intermittently, in pools of water and as deep, electronica replaces the solo, the first model, with already-drenched hair, turns the corner into this brick-clad world of ‘Wuthering Heights’, breaking the modern-day barrenness with an opening AW14 look.

Black literally set the tone, represented by substantial, single-breasted, over-sized, overcoats, such as the duffel, with a popular toggle-fastening and their double-breasted counterparts in waist-hitting jackets. PVC bonded to ‘notch’-lapels, patch-pockets and block-hems, added textural impact to the round-shouldered silhouettes, which skulked the pass. ‘Wet-look’ variations-on-the-theme would be presented in high-shine, lacquered-leather separates, impressively accentuating apparel in shape, form and line, whilst also defining details through such simple, yet effective, techniques as piping. Within this section, the colour propostions mirrored the autumnal palettes of moss-meadow green and mushroom, with red-based plaid shirts and tassled jackets (echoing the cowboy-themed SS14 motif), acting as the flash of sunlight, breaking free upon the moorland.  Knitwear was rugged. At times, no-nonsense, with exaggerated, chin-cupping roll-necks, in open, cable and honeycomb weaves, resembling stylised fishing-nets…At others, given lozenge-beading and bouclé, to revisit pops-of-colour and to add surface characteristics.

Yet stronger spectral statements flooded onto sumptuous, full-length coats, in blazing orange, with matching, ‘jazzed-up’, ‘zoot-suit-style’ pants, voluminous and billowing against the strength-of-momentum with which the models strode through the venue. The pieces were also to be reprised in baby-blue pastel, a further homage to the tonal story, which has played a starring role in the sartorial spring/summer repertoire of many a design-house. The next seasonal trend-transition to be encapsulated, was the see-through mac, of long and short dimensions. Layered alongside these key advents into eye-catching shades, they complemented the story, with a revealing twist. Signature tailoring, for which the brand has become so higly-recognised and revered, featured in juxtaposed fashion to the drop-shouldered, full-pant ensembles, instead shown as straight-lined, straight-legged, suiting, in shipyard-slate and charcoal-greys, ever-echoing the ‘working-men’ of the past.

With the last look of black roll-neck, oversized, three-quarter length, matt, PVC coat and glistening liquid-look trousers, the Topman AW14 Collection had brought us to the end of our tour-of-the moors….or so it seemed…The last hurrah was an indoor downpour of rain, which fell upon the models as they walked the finale! It was an other-worldly end to a show which was typical of a collaboration, headed by the ebullient Gordon Richardson, and backed by an amazing design-team who know exactly who their ‘man’ is. To me, he’s a powerful, passionate, hardworking, salt-of-the-earth, modern-day Heathcliff and he wants his clothing to express that!

In the inimitable words of John Cooper Clark, ‘There’s apparel, Jim, but not as we know it!’* and when this distinctive collection hits the stores, you’ll see exactly what he means!

  http://www.londoncollections.co.uk/ ~ http://www.topman.com/

*Excerpt from ‘TOP MAN’ by John Cooper Clark

©AFROW2014-2019 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

LAUNCH: ‘ANFRAY & ANFRAY’ ARE AN ‘INSEPARABLE’ DESIGN-DUO!

As a self-confessed “wiley wordsmith”, I see the narrative in all things. Nothing being exempt, it was with deep joy that I discovered a most beautiful storyline behind the debut ring collection from esteemed jewellery design-duo, “Anfray and Anfray”.

Given that circles engender themes of a timeless and endless nature, I had already prepared to discover their inclusion in the mosaic of creative inspiration. However, what I had not prepared for, was the palpable articulation of emotional profundity, stemming from the collaborative passion of the designers, themselves. The secret? Jean-François and Alena are a couple, which gives rise to the full-force of passion being emitted though every band of deluxe rose, white and yellow gold. Thus, the choice of launching the range in the beautifully bijoux space of Mayfair’s “Wolf and Badger” boutique, was not only perfect, but perfectly complementary in, both, lighting and interior design.

Beneath the dimmed, soft-focus glow, the pieces were perched upon crystal-clear plinths, with all of the regal glamour of Hollywood starlets, ready their close-ups! For some while, I touched nothing. I merely stood, simply, quietly, deciphering the code-of-elegance which the couple had proposed. My patience was rewarded, as everso gently, the cognitive shoots of the “Anfray and Anfray” “Inseparable” concept started to spring forth. So began my mental points-of-departure, as to the “Who, What, When, Where, Why and How”, enmeshed within each, potential, ring-owner’s storyline.

I flew around upon my creative cosmic-cloud, wondering about the long-distance lovers, who might be in need of a symbol of togetherness, as a heartfelt reminder of their unique connection… Perhaps they would select a two-colour gold combination, in order to signify the neverending unison of their two entities. What of the parents, keen to commemorate a life-landmark of a precious daughter, seemingly infant-to-adult, overnight… Might the overlapping, independently-rotating elements, reassure her that, no matter how grown-up, she would always be their little girl? With every turn of tactile beading, would the distinctive song of metal-against-metal convey the message of being unconditionally loved?

Just such internal sketches were enthusiastically discussed, firstly with Zoe Hutchinson, Director of “Platform”, the outstanding PR company, responsible for unveiling this inspired collection, and, once those scenes had been set aside to mature, with Alena and Jean-François. The vibrancy with which each expressed the intent to honour the interplay of being, at once, intrinsically-linked with another, whilst also an individual, rendered it easy to understand why I sensed such an over-arching aura of emotional profundity.

Beyond the thematic concepts, the co-creators import an intense sensibility of social consciousness, with a passion, equal to that of their aesthetic awareness. Thus, not only is their collaborative ingenuity further channelled through the responsible-sourcing of all materials and the utilisation of conflict-free diamonds, but this sensitivity also perpetuates through the backstory of the ring which is acquired and/ or gifted.

Having snorkelled-up from the depths of my thoughts, I took the time to point-and press ‘last looks’ at the assembled compendium of supremely hand-crafted jewellery and to absorb the flow of electric, creative energy. I reflected upon the “Anfray and Anfray” ability to distil and impart notions and emotions into, essentially, cold matter. I connected with the fact that they display what we all possess…the ability to infuse life into that which appears to be lifeless…How, to steep the inanimate, with the animate force of love, activates earnest memories, which can reverberate through the browsing-history of time.

Jean-Francois and Alena describe it as “being bound yet free”.

I couldn’t agree more and, as I left for my next event, I realised, in a heartbeat, that a part of an undeniably stylish, undeletable evening, to launch a stunning collection of unforgettable rings,  had already come, powerfully, full-circle.

www.anfray-anfray.co.uk ~ www.platform-creative.com ~ www.wolfandbadger.com

@ANFRAYANFRAY ~ @platform_LDN ~ @wolfandbadger

©AFROW2013-2019 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

LAUNCH: LAUREN BAKER ART WILL ‘BLOW YOUR MIND’!

Imagine it…You alight with me at a Dalston Junction, which is giving birth to commuters, running-before-they-can-walk, to get to the already-distorted buses, distended, from overcrowding. We navigate our footsteps to the next available anaconda-queue, in anticipation of another modern-day Routemaster, to whisk us from Kingsland to Stoke Newington High Street and, arrive at contemporary art gallery-come-hang-out, of Hang-Up Pictures. Well, imagine that’s exactly what we did, as I take you on a tour through the mind-altering world of East-London, city-girl-turned-super-artist, Lauren Baker!

Owned by uber-curator, Ben Cotton and run alongside his wonder-woman sidekick, Carla, and their happening Hang-Up team, the gallery is a never-ending space whose walls change, chameleon-like, with the intense turn-around of incredible artists. Only a few winter-weeks had wound their way forward through the calendar, since Radiohead collaborator, Stanley Donwood had graced the walls with scenes from his ‘Apocalypse Boutique’, with ‘Karma Police’ being sonically speaker-piped into our waiting aural canals. Now, it was a decedent, two-tiered boudoir, with animal skulls of all dimensions, proudly-protruding along the vertical, with their human crania on the horizontal. Parallel uprights were replete with starburst relief-work and mirror-lightning bolts, complementing the intermittent thunderclap applause from beneath your feet in, enticing you to follow them below-deck.

What had been a second exhibiting room, had now become a night-sky-muralled, fog-smoke-filled, neon-flashing, lightning installation, which was all-encompassing, in swallowing you whole, whilst itself, spitting out rays of incandescent intensity. An homage to the power of Nature, it was, to me, a welcome riot-to-the-senses, which made my heart beat through my chest, like the bassline of the best dub-plate special!

En route upstairs, your eyes are seized upon by a golden sculpture of DNA, which has been drawn, 3-D printed, re-shaped and re-made into a thought-provoking representation of the precious fragility of the unique, human being. Yet, there was no point in trying to shift gear, since you could do all of that over the days to come (which I have been doing!)…All that was necessary, was to open the pores, accept the nourishment of Lauren Baker’s creations and release the sweat-inducing effect of sweltering multi-media art! Doingso was a lamp unto my neuro-processing-pathways, hitting me with the supreme potencies of Life, Death and the Afterlife, succinctly-presented via the stunningly poignant ‘White Light’. A mirrored infinity-coffin is leant, perpendicular fashion, as if propping up some celestial bar, daring viewers to come face-to-face with their own mortality/ immortality, dependent upon their respective perspective. Baker also points-the-finger at reflecting on existence, through clusters of projectile digits, protruding from a mini-fridge and 3-D wall-art, challenging the observer to ponder disillusionment in life’s journey and yet, not dwell on it. Why? Well, my thought is that one finger pointed in your direction, leaves the remainder pointing back at someone else. I assimilated them as a host of sat-navs, indicating the true-north of my authentic creative direction.

It was pointless to linger, either, as the gallery was soon heaving with well-wishing guests, apt for drowning in hip-hop, whilst making sequential moves around encased, hyper-embellished skull-art, made in collaboration with Sequin Kay, herself a rising-art star. in addition, the crystallised touch was applied to those of rodents, showing an acute attention-to-detail. Antlers were also bedecked in gold-leaf, or high-visibility flourescent pink paint, with my favoured set, adorned in amethyst crystal and the most stunning magpie plumage. Pieces doused in Mexican-styled paint-techniques showed Baker’s innate sensibilty to both, transforming and translating global culture, in an extremely audacious and masterly manner.

For many, the showstopper was a beating ferrofluid heart, blackened through the acrid, magnetic, influence of one lover’s presence upon another. The narrative is fulfilled in the melancholic hope that, still beating, life-after-loss can and does go on. Being the last exhibit I saw, on exiting, it left me with an essence of stoicism. Indeed, compounded by my enthusiastic admiration of such gargantuan and eclectic dynamism from Lauren Baker, the artisan, I have come to realise a deeper wealth of learning, which is that of appreciating the skeleton anew. After all, it offers us all support, in different ways, and whilst it lies beneath, it is no less beautiful because it is unseen.

I thank Lauren for sharing her distinct ability to encapsulate the meaning of the cycle of life with such raw emotional prowess and the Hang-Up curators for, once again, ensuring that a journey around their gallery is, not only utterly mind-blowing, but highly recommendable and totally unforgettable!

‘You Blow My Mind’ is on now until 24th January!

 www.hanguppictures.com  ~ www.laurenbakerart.com

http://www.sequinkay.co.uk/

©AFROW2013-2019 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

“MOVE” SATISFIES MY HUNGER!

Afrow-Family, I’m an easily-pleased kinda gal…and so, I write this mini-installment, in the relaxed state, typical of someone who has just had a scrumptious serving of hearty Christmas fayre!

Why? Well, hot-on-the-heels of ‘Fred Astaire’, Mr Hudson has cranked-up his all-singing and, evidently, all-dancing, music-making hit-machine, with new head-nodding, hip-pop track ‘Move’. In stark contrast to the former, which wound its way around the heart-mind with a debonaire downbeat, ‘Move’ sees a ‘ballin’ Ben’, bustin’-out his best one-two-steps, to a bumping bassline in, what is sure to be, an absolute radio-rampaging, dancefloor-filling smash! Being a Hunger collaboration, finesse and easy-elegance is effortlessly aligned, through a stripped-back, black and white aperture, with high-end sports-style and sharp-and-dapper suiting, being ‘Rankin’-file! Oh, and, of course, a chorus of feisty, front-cover-worthy, female dancing sirens, addicted to the singer (think, home-girl homage to Robert Palmer!), who, nonetheless, “know what they want”…! Mr Hudson dutifully obliges, in shooting and scoring a ma-hoo-ssive three-pointer, in true NBA/ Harlem Globetrotter-style! (Check the clip and you’ll see what I mean!)

It all adds up to a win-win combination of Hudson’s quirky and deceptively-intricate production-values, transmuted into mightily memorable-melody lines, relentless, rolling beats-per-minute and a chorus that could hook a killer-whale, plus the undeniable genius of the Rankin/Lawton creative sensibility!

For me, this track totally delivers and, quite frankly, I couldn’t care less whether or not a guy can groove, but I do love to see a man enjoying himself in the attempt! I get the feeling that there’ll be a lot of office-party dancefloors, shaking this Chistmas with “Move”-rs, following suit!

I’ll see you there!

‘MOVE’ IS OUT NOW! BUY IT, LOVE IT, PLAY IT LOUDLY, ON REPEAT! http://t.co/sYbKbwnaGD

WATCH THE VIDEO!: http://www.hungertv.com/feature/exclusive-mr-hudson-move/

©AFROW2013-2019 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

‘MATT FORSTERs A NEW RELATIONSHIP WITH WATERCOLOUR!’

Entering the ‘Über-Painting’ watercolour-world of Matt Forster, is akin to being surrounded by a hall of the most divine mirrors. You’ll find no tricks nor deviations, no jokes at your physical-expense, simply a wall-to-wall reflection of light and shade, masterfully manifested from his soul to your own. Something of the enigmatic follows your every move, at first, present in the means by which the colour seeps into the skin of the paper, then, subtly doing an ‘ole blue eyes’ and sliding beneath your own. In short, his pieces are, quite literally, a breathtaking testament to how intensively enmeshed Matt is with each one and a certain precursor to their effect upon the viewer.

My first Über-experience happened on a day of firsts, at ‘The Other Art Fair’*, whereupon, my inquisitive nature all but galloped a domino-falling tirade of questions, regarding how he did this and why he did that! Indeed, how he managed to answer anything fully, remains a mystery, but answer them, he did…I recall being rather surprised at the candid nature with which he revealed the intricacy of his ever-developing technique…  His website describes it thus, ‘An überpainting is like a silk  screen print in watercolour as they consist of between three and five layers of different coloured paint applied  independently and sequentially darker in tone. I mix colours from a  primary base and it is the application of these successive layers that  provides the images with the startling three dimensional impression.’** In real-time I was becoming further absorbed into the vortex of porous, primary-colour distinctions being reworked and, somewhat, wooed into place by the fluidity of its transparent, watery home. I came away, excited to see a similar aesthetic of simplified line, form and colour, in a new setting, as well as, feeling humbled by such a prolific ability to do so.

My most recent encounter was at ‘The London Illustration Art Fair’, yet another first of its kind! Underneath Hoxton Arches, gorged-to-the-gills with personifications of artesanal collaborations, it was a pleasure to revisit the British Isles through Matt’s viewfinder and, once again, become mesmerised by the works which, this time, seemed more pointedly abstract. But, as I was quickly shown-and-told, there was so much more where they came from, and goodness me, did I see some absolutely incredible examples! Now, I know that you’ll want me to select a favourite…but, quite frankly, I can’t choose just one! Instead, I’ll say that the more abstract, the better, in my book…purely because there is less room for cognitive predictive-processing and rather more space to ‘Sherlock’ the scenes. Just as the white spaces facilitate a void, so too, are you gently guided to feel, think or sense, or not, in your own time…That’s the best you’re going to get!

What I’ll go on to say, however, is that you cannot forego the chance to stand before Matt’s art. It is Über! Not only this, but the guile with which the movement is addressed, from wine-glass (naturally, for mixing purposes), to brush, to full-bleed hue, is so vividly witnessed within each vignette, as to encapsulate the rise-and-fall of a breathing planet. In the Über-painting studies, we have a journal of a Britain which is constantly in flux, thus a keepsake for our unique Isles and an intensely open-book, which grips you, from beginning, to end!

I am truly looking forward, with great expectation, to the next exhibited volume!

**www.mattjforster.com ~ www.facebook.com/MJForsterGallery ~ twitter.com/Matt_Forster/media

 www.thelondonillustrationfair.co.uk/

*afrow.wordpress.com/2013/11/04/an-east-end-love-affair/

©AFROW2013-2019 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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TESTIMONIAL FROM MJ FORSTER

‘Here is a review of an exhibition of mine in London last month. Written by a very talented blogger…Thanks what an amazing article. You really get it! I’ll cut, paste and share it everywhere I can…’