Black, White, Grey and Yellow

I am completely in love with this combination of colours…I guess I am drawn to it naturally. As I was putting together the images on a big search through my fave site, Pinterest, I realised they were Eclectic Cool’s colours…a different tone, but there you have it. I think I love the contrast of the variations in tones between black and white with that punch of bright right in the middle. There really is nothing so effective.

I am even looking for a pair of yellow shoes to wear as we enter into spring….

Cool…NYFW as seen by From Me to You

I love the fashion photography of Jamie Beck. Her posts about NYFW are no disappointment. Every time I look at her blog, I am blown away at how good her fashion photography is. The use of light and colour really are fabulous and she obviously loves fashion and has a keen eye for the best looks. You really need to check her out.

COOL…AI WEI WEI @MAGASIN3

Someone asked me this week why Ai Wei Wei is considered to be the most interesting Chinese artist (at least as perceived by the West) of the time. I thought it would be interesting to look at some of his work as displayed at Magasin3 in Stockholm.
The first work I chose is that of Sunflower Seeds (2009). I have discussed this work previously, as it filled the Tate Modern in London in 2010. These seeds are made of porcelain, painstakingly painted by a village famous for their porcelain production, to look like the real thing. The point of this work is a comment about mass production and the perfection that personifies the moniker, ‘made in China’.
Another work on a similar vein is ‘Ghost Gu Coming down a mountain”. Again you have a large quantity of red and white pots, modelled on a 13th century Yuan pot. It is only when you see the pots en masse that you realise it depicts the legendary Ghost Gu. The idea of this piece was a comment about fakes and mass production. This comment is made again in ‘World map’. Over 2000 pieces of cut textile were assembled by 6 people to create this work. It took 2 weeks to assemble. the labor-intensive construction of the map is intended to illustrate china’s status as a platform for cheap labor in the textile and clothing industry.
The last work is “so sorry”. This is a video explaining the escalating tension between Ai Wei Wei and the Chinese government. The film critiques the empty apologies that corporations and governments offered after mistakes or in the wake of tragedies by documenting an investigation started by theAi Weiwei studio to identify all of the students who died during the Sichuan earthquake of 2008.
By commenting on the not so successful aspects of contemporary Chinese culture, Ai Wei Wei allows outsiders an alternate view of Chinese culture, allowing him to take a central place in China’s art scene.

METAPHYSICS OF STONE

Six giant heads have taken over Berkeley Square in London.  These works by sculptor, Emily Young are her most ambitious works yet.  The stones weigh from 1 tonne to 3 and have gorgeous variegations, showing the mix of minerals that melded together when the stone was formed over 150 000 years ago.

Some parts are smooth and silky, though Young has left on some  what she terms the ‘skin’: parts that have been touched by wind and rain.    This juxtaposition of natural and man-made is beautifully understated, leaving an feeling of reflection and contemplation.  We can’t help by  being awed by it all and the realisation that once upon a time, this stone was liquid and viscous.

You can read her artist’s statement here.  She wonders in her statement that the tools of stone cutting are cheap- she wonders why more people don’t take it up.   I’ll tell you why Emily, because it’s hard and dangerous (I’ve tried and nearly taken my hand off).  I think we should leave it to the experts and artists.

The Metaphyics of Stone can be seen in Berkeley Square, London, from Feburary 7 until April 25 2012. Admission free. A selection of Emily Young’s other works can be seen at The Fine Art Society, London, throughout February

COOL…SOFIA COPPOLA FOR MARNI + H&M

You can’t beat the combination of the prints and designs of Marni, the beautiful images and imagery of Sofia Coppola and the languorous tones of Brian Ferry singing Avalon.

I don’t know if you have to be a Marni lover to think that every piece is gorgeous- even the socks! You can check out the full lookbook at Refinery29 and pre-pick your pieces.   Bold prints and metallics, chunky jewellery, texture and colour-what isn’t to love.

I know what I am doing on the morning of 8th of March- come and meet me outside H&M in Queens Road Central and we’ll storm H&M together!

COOL…WHITESPACE

Danielle Huthart is the creative force behind Whitespace, a creative branding agency and consultancy.  Founded in 2005 after a stint working in New York, Whitespace is hub of creative and artistic activity.   In contrast to the busy and bright lifestyle of Hong Kong, Danielle wanted her agency to bring a breath of fresh air to this city- both physically  and ideologically.   Her studio, on the upper levels of bustling Sheung Wan, is a space that is, as Danielle puts it, ‘visually striking without unnecessary complexity’.

Whitespace’s work is characterised by this sense of simplicity but with an air of sophistication and cleverness.  The use of bright colours, strong graphics and a sense of humour means that their work stands out from the crowd and is always memorable.

When I visited the studio last week, entering the space was instantly calming.  This was a space that could solve creative problems and seemed full of bright ideas.  Recently, she has been involved some interesting projects…a standout is the  website of KorlaHome- an online home furnishings site that allows you to visualize your interior by some very clever drag and drop methods.

Danielle also loves fostering and promoting creative talent.   Last year together with Lancashire Road, she published Creative City HK.  This is a map of Hong Kong that highlights the location and creative energies of its artists and designers.  If you are interested in art and design, you can get your copy online or in stores like Kapok.

COOL…ISOBEL CREATIVE AGENCY CHRISTMAS CARDS

Each year, Isobel Creative Agency painstakingly recreates a tableau for their annual Christmas card- a printed one!   The  images are carefully costumed and staged and they focus on the  creative energy of the people in the agency.  These images have become so famous they have even won awards for them.   Mad Men eat your heart out- actually I am surprised they haven’t done a sixties Mad Men theme.  Too obvious?

like us on facebook

We’ve been busy opening boxes, renovating and coding in preparation for both the online and retail showroom launch.  We have uploaded a few sneak peaks on our facebook page, so like us and get access not only to our sneak peaks arriving instore but special deals, coupons and design news.

COOL…VERRIER

I am liking the new range by Verrier, but I like the look book even more.  I am of course a .gif fan and love this lookbook created by Reed+ Rader who do some of the coolest design work around.