Monday 29 March 2010

Oh Merde, what a piece!


Since my days as an apron tugging, food slinging tiny tot, I admit to having somewhat of a slight fascination with excrement, or, dare I say it, poo! * So, when I heard about 1998 Turner prize winner, Chris Olfili current exhibition at the Tate Britain, I was more than a little intrigued and could not let the opportunity to see elephant dung, slung against oils, pass me by.

Olfili, who has been on the British art scene since the early nineties, is best known for his layering technique; employing the use of various mediums,( paper clippings, glitter and, apparently, elephant dung) to create his pieces. More recently however,(since having moved to Trinidad in 2005) his works represent a current fascination with traditional Trinidad mythology.

In short, I thoroughly enjoyed Olfili's Exhibition - with its explosive palette and vibrant brush technique (reminiscent of modern aboriginal art pioneer Emily Kame Kngwarreye). The dung, however, did not complete the painting; yes, it created a buzz and prompted mixed reactions from gallery punters, but to me the paintings would have been a stand- alone success, without the chewed up spat out vegetable matter.....but then there is the issue of where to place 300kilograms of redundant excrement!*

The Chris Olfili exhibition runs until 16 May at the Tate Britain
http://www.tate.org.uk/britain/

*Foot note - My sister, who also shares a healthy attitude towards BMs, wrote a multi - award winning short-film titled Boomerang, about a particularly smelly turd that just didn't want to go away!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D449Pt5p-lY&feature=related.

*Foot note2: The average daily waste from an elephant in the wild is close to 300kilograms!


Photocredit:http://commons.wikimedia.org

Monday 15 March 2010

Special delivery service




Despite her latent disabilities, my mother is a real green thumb and spends much of her day pottering about her plant speckled courtyard, toiling away at her horticultural hobby. My mother is also an avid reader and, as you may have gathered from previous MTFS posts, is completely bonkers about textiles (particularly cushion covers and more-so, handbags made from cushion covers!) So, to the average punter, it would seem blindingly obvious that one must shower her with gardening utensils, autobiographies and re-worked cushion covers. I might add, however, that she currently resides 8921 nautical miles away, which does somewhat limit options.....that was until, quite by accident, I discovered the ingenious Postcarden, which has taken all the anguish out of how to say ‘Happy Birthday’ in a thoughtful, novel and not to mention carbon neutralising way!

The Postcarden is a pop up card and miniature garden all in one. All it requires is a sprinkling of seeds, a sprinkling of water and just a little sprinkling of patience before, voila! you have the sweetest little patch of green you have ever laid your eyes on. There are currently three variations to choose from – Allotment, City or Botanical – I have opted for the traditional Botanical, and the biscuit no doubt will choose City......which can only mean one thing - it's out with 'Postman Pat' and in with the watering can!

Feast your eyes on the miniature living card in motion by clicking link below!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLU1nN-0tuc

Orders can be made through their website
http://www.postcarden.com/

Available in Australia through
www.thirddrawerdown.com

Monday 8 March 2010

I heart Anthropologie



What do you get when you mix eclectic design, clever tailoring, eye catching interior and eco-friendliness to boot? You get none other than the sexy new girl on an upmarket Piccadilly block!

As I made my way along London’s Regent Street, I was a little concerned that my pre-conceived expectations surrounding this offbeat, design buff’s dream store would have me yearning even more for an ‘Eden’ biome equivalent of the design world; But much to my exquisite surprise, the all alluring microsphere that is Anthropologie exceeded all expectations to the extent that I found myself smiling full-heartedly towards the security guard (that me- thinks is actually an off-duty art curator) who, in return offered a smile and nod, whilst moving aside, enabling me to capture the glorious 'living wall' lining one side of the shop’s upper levels (consisting of 14 different plant types and fed by the building’s own rooftop rainwater)....it would have then been a serious crime, had I not captured the three stunning Magpie chandeliers  hovering above; all of which have been assembled using reclaimed and recycled materials, ranging from bottle tops to Barbie bottoms ( I later discovered that everyone’s favourite president admired them so much that he purchased one for a near steal at $4,800, for his two daughters’ bedroom) .

With a few minutes to spare, I rushed down to the lower level of this three storey treasure – trove, and whipped around the peripheries hoping to scoop it all up in one large gulp. Feeling giddy with excitement, I lurched form corner to corner and spun my head in all directions, fearing I’d miss some tiny spec of the interiors section that curiously, (and ingeniously) displays all it’s eye candy in large crates of puy lentils.

Anthropologie is a drug that I doubt has any veritable cure.....

158 Regent St
London
http://www.anthropologie.co.uk/