tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38658004989111174212024-03-06T06:44:32.013+00:00Alana Marmion-WarrAlanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00157460469347572793noreply@blogger.comBlogger26125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3865800498911117421.post-76305019774533611962011-04-07T13:26:00.002+01:002011-04-07T13:32:19.012+01:00'Chemistry for Beginners' by Anthony Strong<!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'courier new'; font-size: small; ">On the brink of fame and fortune, young scientist Dr Steven Fisher, is just one gasp and sigh away from finding the cure for FSD (Female Sexual Dysfunction – or in Layman’s terms, women who can’t get to that special place). In fact, it’s so nearly within his reach, he’s already visioning his fellow peers and science geeks in a standing ovation applauding his discovery. However, when his last test subject – the intelligent and feisty ‘Miss G’ – saunters into his lab, she threatens to destroy his entire career, and most importantly, make him question his understanding of that whimsical idea – love.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'courier new';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Anthony Strong’s fourth novel is a refreshingly original love story and one that will have you gripped and giggling from the start. Whether he’s describing the ins and outs of the chemical reactions that get women all hot and bothered, or sensitively depicting a die-hard chemist unwilling to accept that human feelings cannot always be explained in the vocabulary science demands, </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'courier new';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Chemistry for Beginners</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'courier new';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> takes you on a whirlwind romance and teaches you something along the way too. Strong clearly has a knack for turning science which can often go straight over our heads (who can remember anything from Chemistry GSCE?) into something that is truly engaging and worth knowing about.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'courier new';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Published April 2011, Touchstone Books.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p> <!--EndFragment-->Alanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00157460469347572793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3865800498911117421.post-64361895679616024952011-04-06T22:27:00.006+01:002011-04-06T22:49:09.738+01:00William Corwin<div style="text-align: left;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'courier new';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Artist, sculptor, teacher, writer – William Corwin is a man of many talents. He has been exhibited in a splattering of shows across the world since the 1990s and has strong connections to the ‘underground’ art scene in America. </span></span></b><span lang="EN-US"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'courier new';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Will is also no stranger to the British art scene (having trained with YMB Richard Patterson). He says the city is like a “catalyst” for his work and inspiration – he also met his girlfriend there.</span></span></b></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'courier new';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></b></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'courier new';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Here, I asked Will about his hometown New York, his ‘alternative’ career and his attraction to unusual materials.</span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'courier new';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-weight: normal; font-family:Georgia, serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPXgs3zgR5gE4pQeAUWuXi-hThHtJKuLx1HloN6n6jcO6fHRYyi18tKDC1zFwSPlc0hGwptn7puApH4yt_qEAt7JDWog2ktR4q455U3xYVz5aHUEtfWC_7AFfk5eDKHEkOp5ujlqyjr6K3/s1600/IMG_0276.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPXgs3zgR5gE4pQeAUWuXi-hThHtJKuLx1HloN6n6jcO6fHRYyi18tKDC1zFwSPlc0hGwptn7puApH4yt_qEAt7JDWog2ktR4q455U3xYVz5aHUEtfWC_7AFfk5eDKHEkOp5ujlqyjr6K3/s200/IMG_0276.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592589510055745794" style="cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px; " /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvBSly4l91q7gDo5ljzWfNOyW7UFEPAwz3J9PH0gRS35OsfvamCzgvB9S4gqYaVC3lKJyChHnOU2o8yE1XvcT8HP2t3_LmfhjfL-9wRykjvuj6UWf7ilvJMHe0R572eNMpvoglxUxoreqw/s1600/IMG_0261.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvBSly4l91q7gDo5ljzWfNOyW7UFEPAwz3J9PH0gRS35OsfvamCzgvB9S4gqYaVC3lKJyChHnOU2o8yE1XvcT8HP2t3_LmfhjfL-9wRykjvuj6UWf7ilvJMHe0R572eNMpvoglxUxoreqw/s200/IMG_0261.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592589504673302050" style="cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px; " /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiudwfBp-zgBU1Q23nFxOjgvY9KXcnrq0PHjT0fU-iiKsG55vlCjSbTU_XjZ9iDP6asd1cbnnhkPMFxCfeoSc0wD4WxThC6aGwCa-R9YVq6Fcr_NfTB7a-_-KED8zpYImE5BpaeIjwyX4RB/s1600/IMG_0279.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiudwfBp-zgBU1Q23nFxOjgvY9KXcnrq0PHjT0fU-iiKsG55vlCjSbTU_XjZ9iDP6asd1cbnnhkPMFxCfeoSc0wD4WxThC6aGwCa-R9YVq6Fcr_NfTB7a-_-KED8zpYImE5BpaeIjwyX4RB/s200/IMG_0279.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592589498918840690" style="cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px; " /></a></span></span></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'courier new';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'courier new';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Can you tell us about what it was like growing up in New York? Has it had an impact on you as an artist?</span></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'courier new';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">I think New York is what made me an artist. My dad is a playwright, my Mum was a writer, tons of their friends were artists, writers and actors, and I just remember running around in old Soho lofts when I was a kid, seeing all this funky art and thinking how cool it was to be an artist. I think when your family is in the arts, you often end up doing that yourself – everyone thinks it’s a really rebellious thing to become an artist, but it’s really like a family business a lot of the time.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'courier new';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'courier new';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">What influence has your ‘underground’ work and experience had on your work?<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'courier new';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">It’s very simple – alternative and “underground” art spaces take the pressure off selling your work. That’s key to making sincere and philosophically probing work, not having to worry about the dollar! The spaces are also often funky – in both a good and bad way! – and really challenge you to create something that works within a weird space.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'courier new';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'courier new';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">As a sculptor, what is it about the structural aspect of art that interests you?<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'courier new';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">I like site-specific projects; that’s why the show at George and Jorgen Gallery was so cool [this was the artists most recent exhibition in London, March 2011]. The whole idea was to build something into the space. When the gallery told me to build whatever I wanted, and preferably make it big, it was like a dream come true! I like the process of figuring out how the materials and objects will inhabit the space, and then constructing a framework for the ideas.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'courier new';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'courier new';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">What was it that interested you about the Last Judgment mosaic? There is clearly a theme of cataloguing in this work – can you expand on this?<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'courier new';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">My installation came about through the idea of ranking a lot of the objects and materials I make and produce as bi-products of my work. There’s plaster rubble, little cast plaster objects, and these wooden panels I build with or paint on. I thought it would be cool to apply a sort of moral filter to these objects, displaying them on shelves, and giving them a sort of cosmic hierarchy, which is also a theme in the Last Judgment.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'courier new';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'courier new';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Why do you like to use bi-products of your work in your art?<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'courier new';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">I don’t particularly like art stores – the materials are pricey and there is way too much selection. There are too many colors of oil paint, acrylic, watercolor and tempera. I think that the magic in art resides in the fact that looking at a Frank Stella </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'courier new';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Black Painting</span></span></i></span><span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'courier new';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> or in a simple stone piece by Noguchi, or a box full of stuff by Cornell, there is magic and there doesn’t need to be artifice, that’s why I like wood and plaster – it’s basic and yet you can represent the universe with it.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'courier new';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'courier new';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Any ideas or plans for your next project?<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'courier new';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">July and August I’ll be doing a residency at the Clocktower Gallery. I’m going to keep following this lead with the shelves and hierarchies that I’ve started at George and Jorgen. I think I’ll create an inaccessible library, of layers and layers of shelves that can’t be reached, laden with objects and pieces of things. It’s a residency, so there will be a time aspect. The thing will grow over a few weeks, and I’ll eventually build myself into the space.</span></span></span></p> <!--EndFragment--> </div>Alanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00157460469347572793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3865800498911117421.post-22887068942734974192011-03-29T17:21:00.002+01:002011-04-06T22:49:46.301+01:00Robert Mangold<!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'courier new';">With over four decades of experience as an artist, and having been exhibited widely across America and Europe, Robert Mangold has always produced original and interesting work. His art is carefully considered, with particular attention paid to composition – including his use of shape, line and colour – to create abstract pieces that are usually informed by his interest in structured art.<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'courier new';">His latest project, </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'courier new';">Ring</span></span></i></b><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'courier new';">, is no exception to this tradition. The exhibition, being shown at The Pace Gallery in New York for the rest of this month and most of April (and his 13</span></span><sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'courier new';">th</span></span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'courier new';"> at the gallery), showcases a series of paintings on a circular shaped canvas, as well as a selection of related works on paper. This showing is the culmination of three years work on this particular project.<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'courier new';"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'courier new';">Can you elaborate on why you chose to use a circle shape in this collection? <o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'courier new';">I’ve been working with the circle and circle parts as an image off and on since the mid 60s, and these </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'courier new';">Ring</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'courier new';"> paintings are a continuation of that. However, the new paintings, for all the enclosure a circle signifies, the central area is empty, a void.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'courier new';">Why have you used two halves of a circle instead of one whole canvas in a circular shape?<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'courier new';">The paintings are constructed in two pieces with a split or vertical seam, which has both an aesthetic as well as practical purpose. I work alone in my studio and the way the pieces for this series are made, with a large amount of plywood, it makes them very heavy. If they were in one piece, I wouldn’t have been able to handle them alone. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'courier new';">What role does colour play in your art?<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'courier new';">Often a series of works or individual paintings demand certain colour or tonal restrictions, because of the nature of the piece. For instance in the </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'courier new';">Ring</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'courier new';"> series, if I only used dark colours, all you would see is the ring. An intense colour might also be too much for them. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'courier new';">Any ideas or plans for your next project?<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'courier new';">I don’t really know what route my next works will take, if they will be an offshoot of the current paintings or move in a different direction. I feel lucky that there are still some ideas floating around in my head that I want to pursue though!</span></span></p> <!--EndFragment-->Alanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00157460469347572793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3865800498911117421.post-11271245535185571442011-03-13T23:10:00.001+00:002011-03-13T23:14:03.106+00:00'Basilicata: Coast to Coast', Time Out, March 3rd-9th 2011<!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'courier new';">Following four musicians on their emotionally enlightening journey across the Southern Italian region of Basilicata, this low-budget directorial debut by Italian actor Rocco Papaleo, while aesthetically pleasing, packs little punch. The film is sadly spoilt by classic school boy errors – drama at times verges on the ridiculous (pseudo bandits, incestuous threesomes, a mute that finds his voice), characters are poorly developed and, most irritatingly, the crew can often be seen in the reflection of the actor’s sunglasses. Give this one a wide birth.</span></span></p> <!--EndFragment-->Alanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00157460469347572793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3865800498911117421.post-66218332059346758272011-03-13T23:06:00.003+00:002011-03-13T23:17:23.585+00:00'Animal Kingdom' 2010<!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'courier new';">Winner of the World Cinema Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival, Animal Kingdom always promised to be epic.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'courier new';"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'courier new';">Australian director David Michôd’s debut feature is a haunting tragedy exposing a world of base survival and fierce family loyalty. Gritty and disturbing, Animal Kingdom tells the story of an estranged grandchild of the Cody family, Joshua or ‘J’, played by newcomer James Frecheville. J is just your average 17-year-old boy: awkward, alienated and confused. After witnessing his mother silently slip away due to a heroin overdose, he is taken in by his grandmother and it’s from this point on that he gets sucked unwillingly into a world of drugs, violence and uncompromising obligation to do things the ‘Cody’ way.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'courier new';"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'courier new';">The loud, sombre, classical music that accompanies some of the film’s darkest moments makes the mood ever more intense and electrifying and the camera work provides us with long, unsettling looks from the films chilling characters. Michôd’s direction shows a real determination to force the audience between the bonds that fragment the family. The movie isn’t recommended for the faint hearted, but for anyone else who is interested in seeing Australian cinema at its best and most gripping, ‘Animal Kingdom’ is a must see.</span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'courier new';"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'courier new';"><iframe title="YouTube video player" width="640" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/YNszOl14AWg" frameborder="0"></iframe></span></p> <!--EndFragment-->Alanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00157460469347572793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3865800498911117421.post-54393680312203730262011-03-13T23:04:00.002+00:002011-03-13T23:09:43.854+00:00'Flaming Bodies', Rosemary Branch Theatre<!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">In a time that is hitting young people hard, Roar Theatre – a graduate-led production company – is producing shows that are not only ambitious, but are also executed to a high standard. And true to their name, their latest venture is sure to make a big impact in their bright-looking future. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Snoo Wilson’s </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Flaming Bodies</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">, written in 1979 and ironically also at a time when young people found themselves particularly hard up, delves into the subconscious of Mercedes Mordecai, a sexually confused and recently fired American woman. In her dreams, she battles demons that she is unable to face in her everyday life, most prominently, the troubled relationship she has with her mother. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">While the playwright’s narrative is complicated (and unfortunately sometimes unclear) the acting talent – all alumni of Guildhall’s acting school – showcased throughout is of a high calibre. Most strikingly so is Paloma Oakenfold, the play’s lead. Her intense and powerful monologues keep audiences interested and gripped throughout. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">An impressive crew also supports the cast; credit must be given to those behind the lights as the production flowed with energy, clarity and confidence. They’ve certainly set the bar high for their next production.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">www.roartheatre.blogspot.com</span></p> <!--EndFragment-->Alanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00157460469347572793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3865800498911117421.post-13992958364243138222011-03-01T20:23:00.001+00:002011-03-01T20:24:37.971+00:00Wishlist<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcv3d2FpKKggTekJVZQZAbZqdaB8wxAGs6Mb2-x4lHqAXACf-xshyphenhyphenYsTuJFT-PKfP67ElTcVsRFeX6XgyTin9I-sLkNvA2L7FSaHKf44Dus7x5oqX5d5xRNYZZ1YwvyRuShsUqmLqmAX4g/s1600/tumblr_lggf5b4pyM1qabxkuo1_500.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcv3d2FpKKggTekJVZQZAbZqdaB8wxAGs6Mb2-x4lHqAXACf-xshyphenhyphenYsTuJFT-PKfP67ElTcVsRFeX6XgyTin9I-sLkNvA2L7FSaHKf44Dus7x5oqX5d5xRNYZZ1YwvyRuShsUqmLqmAX4g/s400/tumblr_lggf5b4pyM1qabxkuo1_500.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5579210051993718306" /></a>Alanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00157460469347572793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3865800498911117421.post-46366904872505489002011-02-07T19:48:00.011+00:002011-02-07T22:42:14.301+00:00The People's Supermarket (Recognise Magazine)- Winter Issue -<div><br /><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM7xycByw3-Rd0ysnHuOiZRikjaUMyZuwtZXohs2EEt6lxVc8chs-lL8eUGS4TYLxADirH2V62NehD8Qy2VoXxP_VAEjdzo6J8Q6bxP7LWgwCCcBioLXEgWhyphenhyphenFVUI7YwWjUCF37Lt37foO/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-02-07+at+18.30.59.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 330px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM7xycByw3-Rd0ysnHuOiZRikjaUMyZuwtZXohs2EEt6lxVc8chs-lL8eUGS4TYLxADirH2V62NehD8Qy2VoXxP_VAEjdzo6J8Q6bxP7LWgwCCcBioLXEgWhyphenhyphenFVUI7YwWjUCF37Lt37foO/s400/Screen+shot+2011-02-07+at+18.30.59.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5571081049301992498" /></a><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM7xycByw3-Rd0ysnHuOiZRikjaUMyZuwtZXohs2EEt6lxVc8chs-lL8eUGS4TYLxADirH2V62NehD8Qy2VoXxP_VAEjdzo6J8Q6bxP7LWgwCCcBioLXEgWhyphenhyphenFVUI7YwWjUCF37Lt37foO/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-02-07+at+18.30.59.jpg"></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwjCnu-0L6HmqhaCnj6adK0tfHoRXTUpx-8qB3EkJudFOiR62h2epFt7j4yDfyECXEe9Q6RIOu1UttuSZA9kX00LH9y0yuu6jW97iqsmsP2PNGfcC6JdiJfJPyPe1wKA_T6uE3UMZB3uRW/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-02-07+at+18.31.42.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 332px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwjCnu-0L6HmqhaCnj6adK0tfHoRXTUpx-8qB3EkJudFOiR62h2epFt7j4yDfyECXEe9Q6RIOu1UttuSZA9kX00LH9y0yuu6jW97iqsmsP2PNGfcC6JdiJfJPyPe1wKA_T6uE3UMZB3uRW/s400/Screen+shot+2011-02-07+at+18.31.42.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5571080947645619794" /></a></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwjCnu-0L6HmqhaCnj6adK0tfHoRXTUpx-8qB3EkJudFOiR62h2epFt7j4yDfyECXEe9Q6RIOu1UttuSZA9kX00LH9y0yuu6jW97iqsmsP2PNGfcC6JdiJfJPyPe1wKA_T6uE3UMZB3uRW/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-02-07+at+18.31.42.jpg"></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Xc6koeugRPIYiTB4Au47Qn51mP_Sy7CRY-HX2aOP7qJtAMrG7bX5An-hivMiBxOqwfTKrTXLEb7SQAoKJnVWe9lNSoXrx9nnjm5RlVvwg-Xc0I0ceMJqhvTngMKPjOPv9XI23tAt3qFV/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-02-07+at+18.32.47.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 330px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Xc6koeugRPIYiTB4Au47Qn51mP_Sy7CRY-HX2aOP7qJtAMrG7bX5An-hivMiBxOqwfTKrTXLEb7SQAoKJnVWe9lNSoXrx9nnjm5RlVvwg-Xc0I0ceMJqhvTngMKPjOPv9XI23tAt3qFV/s400/Screen+shot+2011-02-07+at+18.32.47.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5571080800013719042" /></a></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Xc6koeugRPIYiTB4Au47Qn51mP_Sy7CRY-HX2aOP7qJtAMrG7bX5An-hivMiBxOqwfTKrTXLEb7SQAoKJnVWe9lNSoXrx9nnjm5RlVvwg-Xc0I0ceMJqhvTngMKPjOPv9XI23tAt3qFV/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-02-07+at+18.32.47.jpg"></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWZXW6svr-gaqgQn0QxYOh3tXjoFWO7jY7aWIZY59_PSVBzwXYgFAtUXcr30oR0-oOnCq80XBRmPKgFNC0jdvO_yXBlpg7lay0v8vwI1snhV4IlJYLf7n4TfOlF8MZnztZPjYFoC9Lsgx9/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-02-07+at+18.32.10.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 330px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWZXW6svr-gaqgQn0QxYOh3tXjoFWO7jY7aWIZY59_PSVBzwXYgFAtUXcr30oR0-oOnCq80XBRmPKgFNC0jdvO_yXBlpg7lay0v8vwI1snhV4IlJYLf7n4TfOlF8MZnztZPjYFoC9Lsgx9/s400/Screen+shot+2011-02-07+at+18.32.10.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5571080640093789282" /></a><div><div><br /></div></div></div></div></div>Alanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00157460469347572793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3865800498911117421.post-72308298716354701812011-02-06T22:41:00.006+00:002011-02-07T22:41:58.465+00:00'The Fighter'<div style="text-align: left;">'The Fighter', which opened in the UK this weekend, demonstrates how an exceptional cast can transform what could have been a disappointing 115 minutes.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvokCsh9Jo1ptDEi24wW2z8so6I-RjuVjoxGJG9J_1G0apllnEciwdauZ578A6WosiY0jTvFZAyFz_mu4RgcPk_Kzwp29ZKzo-MJqv5B3TVT14wIMgUzZLrxuEG0cfjj-afz0C1wKEpQkj/s1600/TF-19749_rgb.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 133px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvokCsh9Jo1ptDEi24wW2z8so6I-RjuVjoxGJG9J_1G0apllnEciwdauZ578A6WosiY0jTvFZAyFz_mu4RgcPk_Kzwp29ZKzo-MJqv5B3TVT14wIMgUzZLrxuEG0cfjj-afz0C1wKEpQkj/s200/TF-19749_rgb.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570716378878374290" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr_Tc0ER0d5ioFgYAjb90twHht76IGv9Jj3tOnVolT5T-XQ3NreQ4InlMifSnJNLIdO75j2AOJ65dcHG-15KBA6eqUzVFthbGZhkqIBQPuD2oOO-kDQr8N9VaOLQo1KmuUnbrKY0z44T9j/s1600/TF-11021_rgb.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 133px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr_Tc0ER0d5ioFgYAjb90twHht76IGv9Jj3tOnVolT5T-XQ3NreQ4InlMifSnJNLIdO75j2AOJ65dcHG-15KBA6eqUzVFthbGZhkqIBQPuD2oOO-kDQr8N9VaOLQo1KmuUnbrKY0z44T9j/s200/TF-11021_rgb.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570716305077871186" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Mark Wahlberg, Christian Bale and Amy Adams star in the gritty true-story of boxing brothers - Mickey Wark and Dickie Eklund - who come head-to-head with each other when trying to prepare for the former's final attempt at a major boxing title. Issues such as loyalty, the painful process of realising and accepting change, and the power of love make this film's emotional punch so powerful.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The Fighter has already done the rounds in many of the awards ceremonies so far. Bale picked up Best Supporting Actor at the Golden Globes, as did his on-screen over protective mother, actress Melissa Leo, who won the same award but in the actress category. And both of them are deserved of their awards - the honesty and believability each convey throughout are outstanding. Unfortunately, playing the solid and 'rock' character, Wahlberg has been overlooked this awards season, which is a true disappointment. He is what holds the film together; without Wahlberg the film would lack an element of charm that none of the other characters can bring.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">That being said, although the acting in The Fighter is none short of a master class, the film is let down in other departments. Direction is inconsistent and fails to find its own style; switching between heavy handed camera work to wide shots of Ward's apartment. Throughout it feels like director, David O. Russell (I Heart Huckerbees, Thee Kings), wants to show every way in which a movie can be shot, which at times sadly distracts the audience from the real selling point - the story. The music falls short also as it misses an opportunity to add drama to many of the most important scenes.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Nonetheless, this film gives us a fantastic insight into family disfunction and the lonely world of chasing glory. It's definitely worth a see if you're a fan of these actors too, as The Fighter showcases them at their best.</div>Alanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00157460469347572793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3865800498911117421.post-38162340055360200112011-02-06T12:38:00.002+00:002011-02-06T12:41:26.574+00:00Twitt-erI've just set up a Twitter account (downward slope from here...)!<div><br /></div><div>@alanagmw</div><div><br /></div><div>If you say Twitter over and over again it sounds really weird.</div>Alanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00157460469347572793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3865800498911117421.post-21143375105366060022011-02-05T14:47:00.003+00:002011-02-05T15:27:04.772+00:00The Streets: 'Computers and Blues'<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3DW6LeljYSsxvmDYgXOgIoqW_oJuXAgDTSqY7rsfypibR79YeWZOcGmw2Iv2cmEgpuZ9j70EzbzDatkC1sf2lE-FEhxj2PWLAfgF4M1b8zYSTpS1KuNzTXIIR2uExMUUHrDIA6oTX8w6S/s1600/Mike-Skinner-the-Streets-007.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 192px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3DW6LeljYSsxvmDYgXOgIoqW_oJuXAgDTSqY7rsfypibR79YeWZOcGmw2Iv2cmEgpuZ9j70EzbzDatkC1sf2lE-FEhxj2PWLAfgF4M1b8zYSTpS1KuNzTXIIR2uExMUUHrDIA6oTX8w6S/s320/Mike-Skinner-the-Streets-007.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570220519398046242" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); line-height: 16px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'courier new';"> Image: Phil Fisk for the Observer</span></span></span></div><div><br /></div><div>'Computers and Blues' represents The Streets at their best; each song is nothing like the one before and the sound is completely engaging. When I was first properly exposed to The Streets it was with their second album 'A Grand Don't Come For Free'. The story telling nature of the record and each song giving you a different insight into the mystical mind of Mr Skinner was something that impressed me the most. And his latest, and perhaps last, venture is nothing less. We get the feeling from 'Computers and Blues' that The Streets have come to a natural close, and so consciously play homage to what they know to be their strengths. Honest lyrics, sensitive melodies and an emotional arc are all there. The tracks that stand out to me are 'Blip On The Screen', 'We Can Never Be Friends' and 'Trying To Kill M.E.' as they demonstrate how Mike Skinner is not perhaps the hard edged bad boy that we may understand him as through the media, but actually a reflective yet troubled individual who finds his comfort in his music. </div><div><br /></div><div>The final song on the record, 'Lock The Locks', ends rather abruptly, as if it has been accidently cut-off before it's finished. Is this purposeful? Is Mike Skinner trying to suggest that in fact he isn't ready to retire just yet? It might be wishful thinking but I really hope so. The Streets offer us a rare, refreshingly original side of British music that is quickly being overlooked with the likes of Cheryl Cole and X-Factor contestants dominating the charts. It has been said that Mike Skinner has recently become a father for the first time, so if the break in music has coincided with his choice to stay at home more and shy away from the public glare, than that must be appreciated. I just hope that 'Computers and Blues' won't be the last we'll hear from the man and The Streets.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>You can stream 'Computers and Blues' on The Guardian website <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/musicblog/2011/feb/03/streets-computers-blues-album-stream">here</a>. The album is out on 7th February, 2011.Alanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00157460469347572793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3865800498911117421.post-35058261921648376542011-02-05T14:35:00.003+00:002011-02-05T15:27:27.257+00:00Benoit Millot's 'Be Linen'I came across this really lovely short on www.hypebeast.com. The film follows the production of Linen - from soil in the ground to catwalk shows. I never knew the fabric went through such an intricate process before it appears as we know it. The film is beautifully shot and Millot fantastically conveys the importance this material is to the people that love it; the awe and respect they feel towards it is something that's captured brilliantly. <div><br /></div><div><iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/16474921" width="400" height="225" frameborder="0"></iframe><p><a href="http://vimeo.com/16474921">BE LINEN MOVIE</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/benoitmillot">Benoit MILLOT</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.</p></div>Alanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00157460469347572793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3865800498911117421.post-27504066866467085202011-01-26T22:42:00.006+00:002011-01-26T23:05:05.182+00:00Facebook 'aving a laf<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjU9rzgM9-ZLqy4cvwqsjUK84lI0MAT24xK5BUAsiosagyjxyjhPJM2NkmKca06bFnPNYNcDBJPw95_i9ufjUHqHvAheUU5IEWi6xsz_c4wEwBOVIU1Cwlw7RhCDBwlAVzmE4xaHxxOt2I/s1600/Picture+2.png"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 224px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjU9rzgM9-ZLqy4cvwqsjUK84lI0MAT24xK5BUAsiosagyjxyjhPJM2NkmKca06bFnPNYNcDBJPw95_i9ufjUHqHvAheUU5IEWi6xsz_c4wEwBOVIU1Cwlw7RhCDBwlAVzmE4xaHxxOt2I/s400/Picture+2.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5566629376218484290" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><h6 style="font-weight: normal; font-family:courier new;" class="uiStreamMessage" ft="{"type":"msg"}"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'courier new';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Pirate English gives a refreshing take on something which is usually mundanely boring... I especially love "What be troublin' ye?" in the status box and "34 shots o'rum ago" indicating the time of the post. </span></span></h6><h6 class="uiStreamMessage" ft="{"type":"msg"}" style="font-family:courier new;"><span class="messageBody"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'courier new';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">To check it out yourself: Scroll to the bottom of your Facebook page where it says in little blue letters, "English (US)." Click on it. When the language box pops up, click on the arrow next to "English (US)" and select "English (Pirate)."</span></span></span></span></h6>Alanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00157460469347572793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3865800498911117421.post-10952732173558075282011-01-26T15:55:00.007+00:002011-01-26T23:07:53.313+00:00Diana Thater: Chernobyl (DazedDigital)<span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:courier new;">The renowned film fanatic and artist presents her new video installation about the tragic nuclear accident in northern Ukraine.</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8dsAODi5_zfvaiY-x6izo8kovCAx5brCADjDbmoZnyL-vRlxgZ7qY4cMGvwPhAZjeFXOfdBZ372IXobJhhDGdmo6wYgGZu4wWY7zx95OKQ6IEx_GMVssB7QVgqTRU8rN6Ac-n3We4HVni/s1600/629880.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 256px; height: 189px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8dsAODi5_zfvaiY-x6izo8kovCAx5brCADjDbmoZnyL-vRlxgZ7qY4cMGvwPhAZjeFXOfdBZ372IXobJhhDGdmo6wYgGZu4wWY7zx95OKQ6IEx_GMVssB7QVgqTRU8rN6Ac-n3We4HVni/s200/629880.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5566526673068589602" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><p style="font-family:courier new;"><span style="font-size:78%;"><em>Image: Production Still; </em></span><span style="font-family:courier new;font-size:78%;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10pt;"><span style="font-size:78%;">©</span></span></span><span style="font-size:78%;"><em>Diana Thater</em></span></p></div><span style="font-family:courier new;font-size:78%;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10pt;"></span></span><p style="font-family:courier new;"> </p><span style=" color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:courier new;font-size:85%;">Growing up in New York in the 1960s and 70s was bound to leave its mark on self-confessed film fanatic and artist, Diana Thater – most notably in that the word impossible doesn’t seem to register in her mind. Constantly pushing technology to its limits, this acclaimed video installation artist has just tackled her most difficult project to date: an abstract look at the post-nuclear landscape of Chernobyl.</span> <p style="font-family:courier new;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Chernobyl – a village in northern Ukraine – is today a shell of it’s former self. Twenty-five years ago, in the midst of a bustling purpose built Soviet city, Pripyat, a nuclear power plant exploded, registering level 7 on the International Nuclear Event Scale (the only level 7 event in history). It allegedly released 100 times more nuclear debris than Hiroshima did and is responsible for the deaths and illnesses of thousands of its former inhabitants. Today, the area stands completely deserted of humans, but in a remarkable feat of nature wild animals are slowly settling there. This is what attracted Diana Thater to the area – her interest in the conflict between human life and the natural world meant Chernobyl was the perfect place for her and her camera to explore.</span></p> <p style="font-family:courier new;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><strong>Dazed Digital: How did you decide to become an artist?<br />Diana Thater:</strong> I honestly don’t know! I just was an artist. I didn’t make any conscious decision to become one. I grew up in New York and went to the Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art from when I could walk. I always loved art from when I was really little.</span></p> <p style="font-family:courier new;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><strong>DD: Where do you get your inspiration from?<br />Diana Thater:</strong> There are two things I love, one is art and the other is film. I take inspiration from wherever I can – I read, I watch films, I look at art. I’ve made work that was inspired by Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein, John Ford’s Westerns, shots of Dolphins – literally any number of places. I get ideas from everything.</span></p> <p style="font-family:courier new;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><strong>DD: You’ve said in the past how interested you are by the relationship between the human and natural world. What is it that you find so fascinating?<br />Diana Thater</strong>: The natural world is the only true unknown. There is always this discussion of the Asian person, or the black person, or the-this-or-the-that person being the ‘other’. But they are not ‘others’ at all. The only ‘other’ we actually have is animal. They are completely unknowable – we don’t know anything about their consciousness. We can speculate, but we don’t really know.</span></p> <p style="font-family:courier new;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><strong>DD: Is this interest the reason why you decided to do a project on Chernobyl?<br /></strong><strong>Diana Thater</strong>: Yeah, of course. Chernobyl is the only post-apocalyptic, or post-human landscape on earth. Today it’s falling into ruins, but it still looks like a city; there’s stores, apartment buildings, schools. And even though it’s completely deserted and falling apart, animals are moving into the city. So, on the one hand you have this perfectly preserved Soviet city from 1970, and on the other hand you have this post-apocalyptic landscape where animals are living.</span></p> <p style="font-family:courier new;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><strong>DD: How long where you there filming for?<br />Diana Thater:</strong> Seven days, and a preliminary visit of two days in the summer.</span></p> <p style="font-family:courier new;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><strong>DD: While you were there what kind of feelings did you experience?<br />Diana Thater:</strong> It was one of the hardest things I’ve done. I’ve worked in Central Africa, I’ve worked with tigers and done things that people consider ‘dangerous’, but this was the hardest. When you go to Chernobyl it’s incredibly depressing. It has something of a concentration camp feeling because there are things like piles of children’s shoes and rusted baby beds in maternity hospitals. My assistant had to leave – it was too much for her. She was living in Chernobyl in 1986 when the explosion happened, and we went back to her apartment and found a calendar from that year. She remembered it all.</span></p> <p style="font-family:courier new;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><strong>DD: Is this piece political? Does it say that something good can come from such a horrific and terrible event?<br />Diana Thater:</strong> I think it’s both political and cultural. Chernobyl represents the failure of lots of things – a massive political system, a way of life, of science. Yet even with the human failures, nature continues to persist. Not because it wants or chooses to, but because it must.</span></p> <p style="font-family:courier new;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><strong>DD: Is the video trying to say that nature will always persist then?<br /></strong><strong>Diana Thater:</strong> That’s a hope!</span></p> <p style="font-family:courier new;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><strong>DD: Why do you choose to convey your art through video and motion picture?<br />Diana Thater:</strong> I think that film is the only place – other than music – where you can experience duration, and I am very interested in that. I also like to invent little techniques and make cameras do what they’re not supposed to. When I think of new work I’m thinking about what I’m going to do with a camera or edit system that I’ve never done before.</span></p> <p face="courier new"><span style="font-size:85%;"><strong>DD: What’s next for you?<br />Diana Thater:</strong> Have a long nap! No, but seriously, I’m always thinking about the next thing. As soon as a piece is done, I’m always thinking about what’s next.</span></p> <p style="font-family: courier new;"><span style="font-size:78%;"><em>Chernobyl shows at Hauser & Wirth London, Piccadilly, 28 January – 5 March 2011</em></span></p>Alanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00157460469347572793noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3865800498911117421.post-5429173336833724282011-01-19T23:46:00.001+00:002011-01-26T15:18:17.532+00:00'Just For Kicks' (2005)Here is a great documentary that was made in 2005, about the evolution of sneakers, with particular reference to their popularity boom in the 1980s. It doesn't simply talk about the designs, but also investigates the symbolic meaning of the footwear - what status symbols particular shoes can offer, how they can make someone feel and also the role music played in making trainers a staple in everyday wear. It's really well made and tells an interesting, original story.<br /><br /><embed id="VideoPlayback" src="http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?docid=" hl="en&fs=" true="" style="width: 400px; height: 326px;" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed><br /><br />(If the video doesn't work go to - http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6444453634416523444# - to see it)Alanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00157460469347572793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3865800498911117421.post-75193715158191688022011-01-12T23:51:00.004+00:002011-01-26T23:07:21.967+00:00Room 101: Frankie Boyle<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:documentproperties> <o:template>Normal</o:Template> <o:revision>0</o:Revision> <o:totaltime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:pages>1</o:Pages> <o:words>466</o:Words> <o:characters>2661</o:Characters> <o:lines>22</o:Lines> <o:paragraphs>5</o:Paragraphs> <o:characterswithspaces>3267</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:version>11.1287</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:officedocumentsettings> <o:allowpng/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:donotshowrevisions/> <w:donotprintrevisions/> <w:displayhorizontaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:displayverticaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:usemarginsfordrawinggridorigin/> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Times New Roman"; panose-1:0 2 2 6 3 5 4 5 2 3; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:50331648 0 0 0 1 0;} @font-face {font-family:Arial; panose-1:0 2 11 6 4 2 2 2 2 2; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:50331648 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:EN-GB;} table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-parent:""; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:595.0pt 842.0pt; margin:72.0pt 90.0pt 72.0pt 90.0pt; mso-header-margin:35.4pt; mso-footer-margin:35.4pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--StartFragment--><div style="text-align: left; font-family:courier new;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'courier new';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I am still stunned by the shocking display of nonchalance both the BBC and Channel 4 have shown this past year. Both British TV channels have in their own way supported the vile and grotesque jibes controversial comedian, Frankie Boyle, has made towards certain factions of society by refusing to publicly apologise for the offense he has caused. <o:p></o:p></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'courier new';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div><p style="text-align: left; font-family:courier new;" class="MsoNormal"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'courier new';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'courier new';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><div style="text-align: left; "> </div><p style="text-align: left; font-family:courier new;" class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'courier new';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left; font-family:courier new;" class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'courier new';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Boyle, a Scottish comedian best known for his shocking and dark humour, has been a panellist on the BBC’s popular comedy show </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'courier new';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Mock The Week</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'courier new';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">, and currently has his comedy stand-up show </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'courier new';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Tramadol Nights</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'courier new';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> aired on Channel 4. This past year saw several of his sketches scrutinised by the public and media at their outrageous content. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><div style="text-align: left; "> </div><p style="text-align: left; font-family:courier new;" class="MsoNormal"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'courier new';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'courier new';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><div style="text-align: left; "> </div><p style="text-align: left; font-family:courier new;" class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'courier new';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left; font-family:courier new;" class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'courier new';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">One incident occurred when Boyle referred to the British Olympic gold winner, Rebecca Adlington, as someone whose face resembled the reflection you get when looking into the back of a spoon. This dig, made on the satirical and often offensive </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'courier new';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Mock The Week,</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'courier new';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> was magnified in the media’s response to Adlington’s public call for an apology from the BBC and the comedian himself. The public, on the issue of the apology, were split. Many were supportive of Adlington’s claim, but thousands of people also thought that because the athlete is in the public eye, she has to accept that she is now open to public observation. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><div style="text-align: left; "> </div><p style="text-align: left; font-family:courier new;" class="MsoNormal"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'courier new';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'courier new';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><div style="text-align: left; "> </div><p style="text-align: left; font-family:courier new;" class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'courier new';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left; font-family:courier new;" class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'courier new';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">With this understanding, because she is by trade a swimmer who happens to have won international recognition for her abilities, is she now anyone’s game merely for the fact that she has been on TV a few times? More importantly, does she now have to accept that she can be made fun of on national television for something entirely irrelevant to her ‘fame’ in the first place? <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><div style="text-align: left; "> </div><p style="text-align: left; font-family:courier new;" class="MsoNormal"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'courier new';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'courier new';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><div style="text-align: left; "> </div><p style="text-align: left; font-family:courier new;" class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'courier new';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left; font-family:courier new;" class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'courier new';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">This bizarre logic was used last month when Katie Price’s (aka Jordan) heavily disabled son, Harvey, was picked on once again by Boyle. His quips ranged from “Jordan and Peter Andre are still fighting each other over custody of Harvey – eventually one of them will lose and have to keep him” to him assuming that the reason why Price married a cage fighter was because she “needed a man strong enough to stop Harvey from f*****g her”. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><div style="text-align: left; "> </div><p style="text-align: left; font-family:courier new;" class="MsoNormal"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'courier new';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'courier new';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><div style="text-align: left; "> </div><p style="text-align: left; font-family:courier new;" class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'courier new';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left; font-family:courier new;" class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'courier new';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The ‘price of fame’ logic would suggest that because Harvey has appeared in Jordan’s many reality TV shows he too now has to accept being publicly attacked because he is in the ‘public eye’. But why is it that even a disabled child, who has no means of defending himself, is not off limits? If we allow bullies, of which I would classify Boyle to be, to appear on TV and online for the world to see, what is stopping a child in the playground to laugh at a disabled or ‘different’ looking classmate? We would have to respect what the child had to say, and allow him to continue to say it, if we are to follow the example set by the BBC and Channel 4. And this example isn’t being set on obscure channels that no one watches, they are happening on mainstream television, and more disturbingly, these comedians are being paid to say these remarks. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><div style="text-align: left; "> </div><p style="text-align: left; font-family:courier new;" class="MsoNormal"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'courier new';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'courier new';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><div style="text-align: left; "> </div><p style="text-align: left; font-family:courier new;" class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'courier new';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;" class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'courier new';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I find it humiliating that in our society we still have set-backs to social progression in the form of bigots like Frankie Boyle and the bosses of institutions like Channel 4, and it is my biggest hope that in 2011 our moral compass will begin to re-align itself.</span></span><o:p></o:p></p> <!--EndFragment-->Alanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00157460469347572793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3865800498911117421.post-78902160179763788892011-01-12T23:49:00.002+00:002011-02-05T15:41:33.549+00:00wishlist<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJz8RPAKGGBd7d1oOYyv_Cu6LIxHtyhGMtcraj4co77F5K6HTREZC7UvkhYd-3fx1orH-5wbbQ1Yi5LBr-aXIdLVNaPdlYSezLq8tj8fPD1yZj_2xdMc1of5WSzEWKSJ-s6iCgRPxPdDmG/s1600/LV+bag"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 280px; height: 340px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJz8RPAKGGBd7d1oOYyv_Cu6LIxHtyhGMtcraj4co77F5K6HTREZC7UvkhYd-3fx1orH-5wbbQ1Yi5LBr-aXIdLVNaPdlYSezLq8tj8fPD1yZj_2xdMc1of5WSzEWKSJ-s6iCgRPxPdDmG/s400/LV+bag" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561450976964766178" border="0" /></a>Alanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00157460469347572793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3865800498911117421.post-89483556643664867012011-01-03T16:53:00.004+00:002011-02-05T13:29:00.623+00:00Interview for Recognise Magazine's Winter Issue<img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 326px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfxd8ZB8k2aKXMfYnadY4F-SVPpZcC5QIIkO5GsuobvQJk7K8wg2xXQV73wGWjRzcdpixeBn4V-qUedguFHQ9SaRQUA8hY24fGRq88qBGoGdeQVdKd8E0LEEN3idY6RPH3ys0sEa6Tvfuc/s400/Picture+4.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570196540803094818" /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCcsgmWWZKfZWzYfLcXfymNNdwmFW2LKo20wXIQXECyAApy76aHe6vrGPVI1aGQ9FpYX0O59XNkqFA9XK4Z-XygsgbHpiBcf0A7WwwobqNnZMAVHup-UfsUQfxUWyDCFmIywDU8B7sQJya/s1600/Picture+5.png"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 346px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCcsgmWWZKfZWzYfLcXfymNNdwmFW2LKo20wXIQXECyAApy76aHe6vrGPVI1aGQ9FpYX0O59XNkqFA9XK4Z-XygsgbHpiBcf0A7WwwobqNnZMAVHup-UfsUQfxUWyDCFmIywDU8B7sQJya/s400/Picture+5.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570196672672269330" /></a><br /><br /><p style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family:courier new;" class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></p>Alanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00157460469347572793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3865800498911117421.post-3819934266738593362010-12-03T19:21:00.001+00:002011-01-26T15:14:08.879+00:00'Carlos' - i-D online in August www.i-donline.com/i-spy/carlos<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1LnlMSQipB5GyhO9i9dC8VOL9jmKb7rt2YHlqs3sRSHqBYCzwSXCNZllk_WXk2yJTlI3s_Rv3b3R7bclAgnxNGoqbEB1VJryrs7mQGKeQaF2DgfzOKwxuOpxqJ32A_Yf30b6D4Ok4udhyphenhyphen/s1600/Picture+1.png"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1LnlMSQipB5GyhO9i9dC8VOL9jmKb7rt2YHlqs3sRSHqBYCzwSXCNZllk_WXk2yJTlI3s_Rv3b3R7bclAgnxNGoqbEB1VJryrs7mQGKeQaF2DgfzOKwxuOpxqJ32A_Yf30b6D4Ok4udhyphenhyphen/s400/Picture+1.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5546538711586082386" border="0" /></a>Alanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00157460469347572793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3865800498911117421.post-2986371826090415012010-12-03T17:45:00.002+00:002011-01-26T15:13:53.080+00:00National Geographic's Photography Contest 2010The annual National Geographic Photography compettition (2010) closed it's doors to submissions at the end of the November and the winner will be announced in the next few days. There are hundreds of fantastic photographs - it's going to be a tough job choosing the best. I think they all deserve to win! Below are one's that stood out for me... you can view the others at www.nationalgeographic.com<br /><br />'A Ghost' by Julien Legrand<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6oktQgqQNo8IOZuXRqiQQXJ6RylyBZbz6aXnC8qhd04gYhcFpZLf_abPlv0gplWQKnpoOlrVAlxrVypg6Xm8ExXCz-lh_47yKfXOuU6sY56d9lq_J-1sq4eXY_PjgNqjW-5E6Dz2nOOk6/s1600/%2527A+ghost%2527.+Photo+and+caption+by+Julien+Legrand"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 212px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6oktQgqQNo8IOZuXRqiQQXJ6RylyBZbz6aXnC8qhd04gYhcFpZLf_abPlv0gplWQKnpoOlrVAlxrVypg6Xm8ExXCz-lh_47yKfXOuU6sY56d9lq_J-1sq4eXY_PjgNqjW-5E6Dz2nOOk6/s320/%2527A+ghost%2527.+Photo+and+caption+by+Julien+Legrand" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5546527061238084322" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />'Child's Play' by Carl Bertram<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilh0PJgOhCxNXLeAO-NLSN5ctbxnxArs8UTfP05lQpsAbDLuJvdXmbNHJ31PMAOJCpym_psAlk5G3prOXUmrxEOVk3ZsCcjXVAfLo4dfWsYaoPLUkA1oOqyySsHGX_TjarB94SMhLTPZMh/s1600/%2527Child%2527s+Play%2527.+Photo+and+caption+by+Carl+Bertram"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 228px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilh0PJgOhCxNXLeAO-NLSN5ctbxnxArs8UTfP05lQpsAbDLuJvdXmbNHJ31PMAOJCpym_psAlk5G3prOXUmrxEOVk3ZsCcjXVAfLo4dfWsYaoPLUkA1oOqyySsHGX_TjarB94SMhLTPZMh/s320/%2527Child%2527s+Play%2527.+Photo+and+caption+by+Carl+Bertram" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5546528170683862642" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />'Lightening Strike NY Harbor' by Jay Fine<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwMbN-7V216dBw3nAJ5jWDwsfJqcqnFnAB5TGQPSVeR7HSjZvZGPjNBFFeAo9IT6c9TSgjj5NWInJMhHW6ApKHchcw9CFCTUWioR0Q2hb9hjLVGhyphenhyphenLNAoyBr-wHX773M0819sDylGQbSaS/s1600/%2527Lightning+Strike+NY+Harbor%2527+by+Jay+Fine"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 250px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwMbN-7V216dBw3nAJ5jWDwsfJqcqnFnAB5TGQPSVeR7HSjZvZGPjNBFFeAo9IT6c9TSgjj5NWInJMhHW6ApKHchcw9CFCTUWioR0Q2hb9hjLVGhyphenhyphenLNAoyBr-wHX773M0819sDylGQbSaS/s320/%2527Lightning+Strike+NY+Harbor%2527+by+Jay+Fine" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5546529452277229442" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />'Inside a Hot Air Balloon' by Bakhtiyor Rasulev<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVMiJuJ0HUcllZk9poMS1m6BXUsI9HOzXzWsETOHVDOtbItz66HvWjTeJSL-YxPH5-A7RMzDGYFnATOyr9iC_UfBnhYvF25GI7dq2dERosJAegXR7XBAlWMjYXNWr1ZYmtPa72kOxaFNjz/s1600/%2527Inside+a+Hot+Air+Balloon%2527.+Photo+and+caption+by+Bakhtiyor+Rasulev"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 210px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVMiJuJ0HUcllZk9poMS1m6BXUsI9HOzXzWsETOHVDOtbItz66HvWjTeJSL-YxPH5-A7RMzDGYFnATOyr9iC_UfBnhYvF25GI7dq2dERosJAegXR7XBAlWMjYXNWr1ZYmtPa72kOxaFNjz/s320/%2527Inside+a+Hot+Air+Balloon%2527.+Photo+and+caption+by+Bakhtiyor+Rasulev" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5546530011343487474" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />'Supercell Thunderstorm' by Sean Heavey<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh57YhO4yUhE4-eCL3vQEcWwY1aQZWcaO1DiBMiD0RsJdoPniRaei_UAYAPVjO4xKQn8n_f_hZpJVg4G-vrlv1uLZnxIpDvDMkZc6zOaju9ljaaIcmhYjEev5oFvy6TV9Las1NFIre0jt75/s1600/%2527Supercell+Thunderstorm%2527+by+Sean+Heavey"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 161px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh57YhO4yUhE4-eCL3vQEcWwY1aQZWcaO1DiBMiD0RsJdoPniRaei_UAYAPVjO4xKQn8n_f_hZpJVg4G-vrlv1uLZnxIpDvDMkZc6zOaju9ljaaIcmhYjEev5oFvy6TV9Las1NFIre0jt75/s320/%2527Supercell+Thunderstorm%2527+by+Sean+Heavey" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5546530505200299634" border="0" /></a>Alanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00157460469347572793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3865800498911117421.post-24894580757465392742010-12-02T17:53:00.001+00:002011-01-26T15:13:34.935+00:00'A dog is for life, not just for Christmas' (and don't I bloody know it)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibg4pSjdNCDb-YrlLMDteoLB6TeqNiH5iAKoVQIJVzlvZFuz7mq8H3msEWm9wRoAAE519iYV1gV6_ucOlJfewqEr-X5T9NyHJv41WYhrAaFNOwSHj6tRWJhEmkbHwgqd5rIq4sOid_Zpar/s1600/IMG00226-20101116-1442.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibg4pSjdNCDb-YrlLMDteoLB6TeqNiH5iAKoVQIJVzlvZFuz7mq8H3msEWm9wRoAAE519iYV1gV6_ucOlJfewqEr-X5T9NyHJv41WYhrAaFNOwSHj6tRWJhEmkbHwgqd5rIq4sOid_Zpar/s320/IMG00226-20101116-1442.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5546513493463822642" border="0" /></a><br />For a few months now I have been living with my Mum's new dog. I am not naturally a canine lover; the smell, the constant attention and the jumping up are not qualities I have the patience for. With Skat (the dogs name - 'darling' in Danish) though, I have had to compromise. He is now a fixture of our home and has come to dominant our lives. It would be impossible and impractical to ignore his existence - I live in a basement flat so his presence (even if he is not visible) is always felt.<br /><br />Looking at him he is the picture perfect puppy. A little black Labrador that you would find on a postcard. He does an adorable little dance around you when you're about to give him his food. He comes bounding up to you when you shake his treat box. And when he's waiting for his treat he always looks up at you and cocks his little head, his soft ears shaping his beautiful face. It is hard not to allow your heart to melt into his stare.<br /><br />However, a lesson I quickly learned, is that he is not looking deeply into your eyes and thinking what a lovely creature you are too - these little moments of calm are not because you are sharing a special 'bond'. Rather, he has momentarily been hypnotised by the possibility that soon he will have something delicious in his stomach. He is a 'dog driven by food' as our trainer puts it (and nothing else it seems). In fact, Skat will eat pretty much anything in sight; socks, plastic, nails, wood and even his own business have all made appearances in his digestive system.<br /><br />I am more of a cat person. So on his first display of 'anything goes' in terms of whats edible, my initial reaction was 'how unsophisticated'. You would never see a little kitty munch on some of the things the dog will. And this is pretty much how our relationship has continued. He lacks charm and class, he just thunders into a room, wreaks havoc and then charges off. He will respond to anything that can be eaten and never enjoys or seems to want to enjoy the 'quiet moments in life'. Perhaps this is because he is still a puppy (we're nearly celebrating his sixth month mark) and hopefully this is true.<br /><br />What I must add though, that with all his lack of elegance, he is one of those things you love to hate. He can be the most irritating, tiresome and tactless of animals, but he is <span style="font-style: italic;">ours</span> now. We must embrace his 'odd ball' qualities and love every inch of his dark fur. As the days pass by, this is getting easier to do. He is beginning to at least <span style="font-style: italic;">hesitate</span> before he charges off after something while you are screaming his name and telling him to stop in his ear. This, however small, is an improvement that we must take as encouragement. Although I would never admit it, I do hope he manages to stay on after Christmas...!Alanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00157460469347572793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3865800498911117421.post-78842722418107915932010-11-12T22:55:00.001+00:002011-01-26T15:13:23.530+00:00A Room with a View<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><b></b></span>Last term I heard about a talk and screening that the Women’s Group were putting on, looking at pornography and a woman’s place in it. I immediately thought: ‘haven’t I heard this one before?’. However, in a desperate attempt to leave the library, I brushed my preconceptions aside and went along.<br /><br />Arriving a little late, I sneaked in amongst the moans and groans of what was being shown on the film: predominantly a female look into adult entertainment. Although sometimes a little clichéd, the film on the whole was interesting; it looked at numerous sides of the porn industry and shed some light on filmmakers trying to focus on female pleasure, and not simply male eroticism. The discussion that followed was what really sold the event to me though – young, confident women (and a few men!) talking about the film without fear of being labelled or scoffed at, which helped the talk flow with zest and honesty. I left intrigued.<o:p></o:p><br /><br />After meeting last week with one of the women who held the talk, Lauren brown, I am still surprised at how passionate she is on the subject of gender, and more specifically its place on campus (something that I hadn’t really thought about before – which is exactly her point). She explains, “the sexism on campus isn’t the blatant one we are familiar with; rather it is much more subtle. It happens in seminars. Men even dominated the talk about the rugby attack on those women. It is on the posters dotted around campus.”<span style=""> </span>The examples she gives are of a recent sexual harassment awareness campaign run by the Metropolitan police: the posters are blue for men and pink for girls. Another poster, promoting an R&B night in Brighton, features a heavily sexualised picture of a woman. Lauren points out how upsetting it is to women on campus knowing that the University approves such posters. (In response, the Women’s Group have designed their own campaign which is gender neutral, and encourages people to think carefully about sexual violence in different contexts.<o:p></o:p><br /><br />“This is why we have a women’s room on campus – a place for women, and only women, to come and voice concerns such as these”. The room, located in Falmer House, which is open to transgender women too, was set up when the university opened in the 1960s. Discussions are regularly held on subjects such as sexual health, women in the media, and other women’s groups across the country. But most importantly, it is somewhere for women to come and feel safe and relaxed, away from the “male gaze”.<o:p></o:p><br /><br />I begin to see her point, and wonder what can be done to improve the situation. Many would argue that women are now equal enough, and those who push for more are deemed “radical feminists” or even “bra burners”. Lauren stresses the importance of education, and “conscious raising”, ensuring that women aren’t afraid of the people – usually men, but increasingly women too – who give them these labels. “Women shouldn’t shy away from the label ‘feminist’.<span style=""> </span>It shouldn’t be understood as something that states your position on subjects. Instead, it can be used as a way of understanding; it can help put things into perspective; it can help put feelings into context”.<o:p></o:p><br /><br />Outside of the room, the Women’s Group are very successful in holding events to raise awareness for their causes. For example, an International Women’s Day event was held in the meeting house last year, during which vagina monologues were read out, and painting of the female body (and sometimes their more intimate parts) took place. To celebrate it this year, they are putting on a pop night, where the theme will be women. An event that also stands out is <i>Reclaim the Night</i><span style="font-style: normal;">, which is a cross-country campaign aiming to make the night safer for women. On this, Lauren emphasises improvements that could be made at Sussex inspired by this campaign, such as more lighting to make campus less intimidating: “It is something that wouldn’t seem a priority considering other needs on campus, but is important”.<o:p></o:p></span><br /><br />It appears, after talking to Lauren and since becoming more attuned to the subtle sexism that can be found on campus, that the group is an important organisation for this university. The Women’s Group are welcoming and non-threatening; they promote individuality and confidence amongst females without having to shove a megaphone in your face. They want women to feel empowered, not afraid.<br /><br />To get in touch with the Women’s Group on campus you can email them at womensgroup@riseup.net, or visit their Facebook page (Sussex University Women’s Group). <!--EndFragment-->Alanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00157460469347572793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3865800498911117421.post-57136710232140007512010-11-12T22:27:00.001+00:002011-01-26T15:13:05.248+00:00Off The Cuff<span style="font-style: italic; font-family: courier new;font-family:georgia;" >Upstairs at the Three and Ten, 2010, Brighton</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:courier new;">Imagine a small room, six performers, one hour of improvisation and an on stage pirate narrator, and you will begin to understand the bizarre world of Off the Cuff. Audience participation (acting as the script writers) is crucial in this unique ensemble of weird and wacky party games brought to life on stage. Indeed, by the audience demanding what shape the scene will, the sense of excitement is heightened. (A performer was told to tell the story of Robin Hood through the mind-set of 'chick lit', whilst another was asked to rap it.)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:courier new;">Comedic moments are never absent in this production, and the raw cut throat nature of live performance is ever present; some jokes work, some don't. But luckily, the sex comedians were talented, and I found my cheeks and stomach aching by the end. Although all the scenes were innovative, fresh and sharp, a few stood out as really special. One of them, a scene based loosely around wink murder (where one character knows something the others don't) was by far the funniest. The set up was this: the 'murder' was taken off stage (so as he couldn't hear) and the two interrogators were left on stage. The audience then decided who the killer killed, where he killed, and with what he killed. The murderer was then brought back on stage and had to guess what the interrogators knew, what his crime was. In this instance, he was being charged for killing Celine Dion, on the Titanic, with a spade. Explaining it now makes it sound disjointed, random and bizarre, all of which is certainly true of the real experience, but it is also hysterically funny too.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:courier new;">Credit must be given to these comedians, as I did not envy their position of being at the front of the firing line - the audience were honest, there were no unnecessary claps or generous giggles. The improvisation of it all made me giddy with excitement and was a completely refreshing take on the often rehearsed comedy available today.</span><br /><!--EndFragment-->Alanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00157460469347572793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3865800498911117421.post-89387566320217626362010-11-12T22:24:00.001+00:002011-01-26T15:12:50.408+00:00"Are you Allergic to Me?!"<span style="font-style: italic;">SUDS production, February 2010, Sussex Campus<br /></span><br /><div id="attachment_7070" class="wp-caption alignleft" style="width: 300px;"><img class="size-medium wp-image-7070 " src="http://www.thebadgeronline.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/Blackbird-02-290x189.jpg" alt="Roger Allam and Jodhi May in the 2006 production of Blackbird at the Albery." height="189" width="290" /><span style="font-size:78%;">Roger Allam and Jodhi May in the 2006 production of Blackbird at the Albery.</span></div> <p>Last week, I was invited to watch a twenty-minute snippet of SUDS’ (Sussex University Drama Society) week seven production of Blackbird, followed by a short interview with the cast and director of the play.</p> <p>As I watched in the cold rehearsal room in Falmer House, I was already impressed by the level of commitment these students were giving – a good sign of quality. The extract I saw was very intense, but not exhausting (I wish I was able to see the whole thing!).</p> <p>My first question after the performance, and perhaps the most obvious, was why this play? The director, Stefan Adegbola, informs me that he saw this play performed a few years ago and was instantly impressed. “It was my first experience at the theatre with a ‘taboo’ subject being treated so subtly. It wasn’t ironic, there was no jokes, and no happy ending. A fascinating play.”<br /><span id="more-7068"></span><br />“So, when the opportunity came to direct again for SUDS, this was the one to do, not just because it was different, but also because it was a good challenge.” Indeed, this is not the first time Stefan has graced SUDS with his undoubtedly strong talent; in 2007, he staged a production of Yerma.<br />Without giving too much away (the cast and director are very hesitant to even try to describe the whole play’s plot to me), the two hour production follows characters Ray and Una, fifteen years after their ‘relationship’. It’s the first time they’ve seen each other since, and its fair to say it isn’t a joyous reunion.</p> <p>From the snippet I saw, the ‘issue’, (which I’m reluctant to out myself) the directors and actors stress, is not the focal point of the play. With something so explosive, it easily could have been, but they are keen to emphasise that it is the relationship that takes centre stage.</p> <p>“The play’s so well written it’s very hard to come to any obvious conclusions. It has no beginning, has no end, its just there.”</p> <p>My attention is drawn to the two, and only actors in the play, Greg Cranness (who plays Ray) and Rosie Sansom (playing Una). How did they go about researching for their characters?<br />Rosie explains that because of the difficult situation they are in, and their very individual experiences of their past relationship, there was a lot she was able to draw from the script. “We had solo rehearsals to begin with to help us get to grips with the people we were portraying. No external research was really needed because the characters are so strong in the play.”</p> <p>Greg agrees with his co-star by adding, “because of the sensitivity of the issue dealt with in the play, it was quite difficult to research” (often for fear of having his computer investigated by the police!). “Because Ray suffers from a psychological disorder, I wanted to know how it would be treated, and how he himself may feel about his problems.”</p> <p>Their chemistry on stage is unquestionable. There is a constant battle between who the villain and victim is of the two, something I still don’t know myself.</p> <p>They all agreed that when they started rehearsing for the play (which went into production in week two), they would not judge the characters. “You can’t have any preconceptions of these characters. You must put personal prejudices to one side, as it could be damaging when trying to get to the bottom of Ray and Una, and could give them the wrong focus”, Rosie adds.</p> <p>Given that the play is so heavily dependant on the emotions of these two people, it certainly has an aspect of rawness to it; there is no messing about with the acting, it’s high-class and mature. And I must remind myself that this was only a rehearsal.</p> <p>The set is minimal, again encouraging the audience to focus only on the leads. “What makes this play so powerful is its simplicity. It fits the old unity: time, place and action. Everything happens together in one continuous stream, in one place, so the audiences attention is on what is happening directly in front of them”, Stefan comments.</p> <p>From what I saw, the play is very effective at doing just that, the intensity of it is impossible to ignore. But that’s undoubtedly its purpose, because as Stefan says, “it’s more satisfying for the audience.”</p> <p>What do they want the audience to come away from the play feeling then, I wonder? The immediate answer is: “come with no expectations, and leave questioning your conclusions.” Stefan insists that it isn’t the job of the director to “push” any ideas on the audience, “mainly because the audience is very unpredictable.” Which is true. With such a contentious issue being toyed with here, there is no way of knowing how each audience member will react.</p> <p>The name of the author, David Harrower, is ironic. As Stefan puts it, the play is very harrowing. Certainly, leaving their rehearsal, I did feel a little shaken by what I had seen of the play. Not by it’s dealing with a controversial topic though, but because of the high-level of talent that is present in the play.</p> <p>Strong direction, serious actors, and a supreme script – very refreshing indeed. It’s a must see.</p>Alanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00157460469347572793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3865800498911117421.post-72604437894499211362010-11-12T22:22:00.001+00:002011-01-26T15:12:19.738+00:00Blood Brothers<span style="font-style: italic;">Theatre Royal, November 2009, Brighton<br /><br /></span><p>Sitting in my seat before the curtain came up, I was feeling a little apprehensive. Musicals were something I enjoyed as a child, but were increasingly beginning to irritate me as the years went by. Having not heard of this famous production before, I was intrigued to see what all the fuss was about.</p> <p>This story follows the lives of twin brothers raised by different mothers, one biological, and one desperate for a child. Willy Russell avoids narrowly focusing on the theme of separation and guilt, broadening the story’s appeal by looking at class division: Eddy, the rich, well-educated and reserved boy is familiar with things such as a dictionary, whereas Mickey, the cheeky, uneducated brother uses profanities and has bad habits. Despite these obvious caricatures, the boys remain likeable, with credit given to the actors <strong style="font-weight: normal;">Sean Jones</strong> and <strong style="font-weight: normal;">Simon Willmont</strong>.</p> <p>The lives of the brothers constantly intertwine, though eventually taking strikingly different paths – a comment on the constrains of class structure perhaps. Indeed, the continuing success of this production is perhaps reliant on the prevalence of class consciousness as an issue, something I am sure Russell was aware of.</p> <p>The back bone of this performance was the outstanding cast, with particular acclaim to the leads – <strong style="font-weight: normal;">Lyn Paul</strong>, Sean Jones, Simon Willmont and Anna Sambrooks – who together made it engaging and energetic. The music was impressive too; the sound vibrant, the voices powerful, and the range of songs managed a good balance between sing-song crowd pleasers and the more serious numbers.</p> <p>The one criticism of this water-tight performance would be of the on-stage narrator, whose role was to warn characters that their actions may have negative consequences. However, his often High School Musical-esque performance style distracted me. His appearances were comical, not foreboding, turning the play at times into a quasi pantomime, with lines such as “the devils right behind ya!”.</p> Towards the end, my friend turned to me and said, “I swear this is a Disney song”, which I felt summarised the performance well. On the surface fun and enjoyable, but when you scratched away a little, some interesting issues buried underneath. If you get the chance, it’s definitely worth a see.Alanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00157460469347572793noreply@blogger.com0