I can see just how you would have been as a kid #art #collage

Sometimes you meet someone new and you can immediately see how they would have been as a kid. In fact, it’s one of my favourite internal pastimes, to imagine people when they were little. A lot of the stuff we experienced as children comes out in our grown up lives. You can see it in our gestures, you can see it in how we respond … Continue reading I can see just how you would have been as a kid #art #collage

The most incredible archaelogical site that you’ve never heard of #art #archaeology

For anyone who’s been to Herculaneum, Italy and seen the amazingly preserved buildings, the beautiful frescoes, grafitti on the walls, you’d easily think ‘Nothing can get better than this’. Especially since it’s tied up with sudden massive diabolical destruction. It has history and drama wrapped up. This was 79AD. You can walk the streets almost like they were almost 2000 years ago. You’d only think … Continue reading The most incredible archaelogical site that you’ve never heard of #art #archaeology

Warhol versus Hulusi: a tale of two struggling artists #art #popart #design

Here’s the thing. As an artist, you’ve got to start somewhere. Today, in Istanbul I came across an amazing juxtaposition of two artistic greats, whose artistic careers led two very different trajectories. And I had to ask myself, why? Why does one achieve international acclaim and become a household name, while the other is relegated to a small back room at a university gallery. Follow … Continue reading Warhol versus Hulusi: a tale of two struggling artists #art #popart #design

Face of a miner at Instanbul Modern, #turkeyminedisaster on my mind

While there’s protests on the streets, water cannon and armoured riot police in back alleyways, Instanbul Modern proudly adorns its walls with this work, Miner, by Nedim Günsür. To me, it’s a protest in itself. More striking for me is how little I know about artists from this area. As an artist, my art worldview is wallpapered with American, British and Europeans artists, with small … Continue reading Face of a miner at Instanbul Modern, #turkeyminedisaster on my mind

These portraits made of #Lego are strangely compelling

Waking the streets of beautiful Bath on a family outing, we stepped from the sunlit streets into the Victoria Art Gallery where the Bath Society of Artists were holding their 109th Annual Exhibition. The walls were packed with art, sometimes three works high, like some great Victorian parlour. There were some expected works but the stand outs for me were these simple works by David … Continue reading These portraits made of #Lego are strangely compelling

A serendipitous encounter with Hassan Sharif in Al Quoz

There’s a dazzling brightness to Dubai that is almost too much to bear – a jammed brilliance that fills every corner of your periphery. An unfettered optimism comes with that brilliance that encouraged us to trek through the blazing heat past cement factories and industrial plants to the art oasis of Al Quoz. A cluster of factories that harbour incredible galleries and creative hangouts. There … Continue reading A serendipitous encounter with Hassan Sharif in Al Quoz

The Good and Evil of #Collage #19BOS #MCANow

Collage is a funny thing, you’re always appropriating someone else’s work. For me, I love cutting up and reworking high-end glossy magazines. It’s a way for me to destroy my past life in advertising to create something new and refreshing. But I also think there’s a propensity to get a little lazy by slapping something together and calling it art. The Biennale of Sydney 2014 … Continue reading The Good and Evil of #Collage #19BOS #MCANow

LaserCat feeds on your art and he’s very hungry #art #bizarre #hungrycastle

“What did you do today, honey?” “Fed my art to LaserCat so he can project it on the moon.” This is the kind of conversation artists are having all over the world as LaserCat dominates the art scene in the lead up to he Art Directors Club Awards. It’s the kind of craziness we’ve come to expect from Hungry Castle and we’ve got to love … Continue reading LaserCat feeds on your art and he’s very hungry #art #bizarre #hungrycastle

One of the best exhibitions in the world, ever: #darkheart at the Art Gallery of South Australia

It’s a big call I know but it’s true, Dark Heart at the Art Gallery of South Australia is magnificent. Sensation at the Royal Academy in London may have had shock and gore, but Dark Heart is all awe. It’s exceptionally well-curated, in way that Nick Mitzevich only knows how. Alex Seton’s Some died trying to have a life like mine is paired beautifully but … Continue reading One of the best exhibitions in the world, ever: #darkheart at the Art Gallery of South Australia

Dry your tears: the child within us #art #collage

I started this series almost on a whim. Experiences as children sharply determine who we will be as adults. As we mature, we become better at masking those childhood emotions, we build a stronger exterior to smooth the bumpy ride, but underneath, within us all, is still the little boy or girl, never quite believing where we are and what we’re doing. Continue reading Dry your tears: the child within us #art #collage