London Splat!

Pardon me Father for I have sinned. It's been years since my last Babybel. 

Anish Kapoor, born in Bombay, and now a British citizen, has stunned me with his art. The last time I saw his pieces, it was at the Mak in Vienna, a museum with such grandiose space that anything would have made an impression. 

The majority of the material he uses is made up of this red pigmented wax, which makes you want to grab it form the floor, peel it off, only to find a plumpy piece of yellow cheese inside. Unfortunately, the cheese part is fantasy and clearly a figment of my cheesy imagination, but the wax part is not. That is why his style triggers a range of crazy emotions. From fun and serious, to condemning and childish, you will feel something so intense just by being in the presence of this gargantuan blood-like material, and you will want to stand and stare for hours long. 

There is something about this Babybel-like material splattered on the wall (check out this video of "Shooting into The Corner") and glued to the bottom of our shoes, which really makes you stop and think. I had never witnessed art that used the space to such an advantage and really made my heart stop. His "Shooting into The Corner" piece is as startling as his other pieces if not more and also stays with you through its resonating sound effects. It is fun, phallic, and immensely majestic. Other pieces of his include the "Svayambh", which resonates as much as all of his other brilliant creations, in that it also, like its "Shooting into The Corner" counterpart, stands for creation and destruction all at once. "Svayambh" (2007) is a long track dotted with arcades and clotted with the sticky red goo again, evoking a long and narrow train track, and according to the Financial Times , representing the Auschwiz deportation trains, slavery, colonialism and other historical horrors. The red wax here, with its blood-like color, carries huge symbolism and historical baggage.

You can find Kapoor's collection now at the Royal Academy of Arts . It is worth the detour and I promise that you will enjoy this truly zesty experience by witnessing his gigantic and glorious talent.


‘Anish Kapoor’, Royal Academy, London until December 1

Garance Dore Exhibit on Carnaby Street

 

                  Promotion Photo for Garance Dore's Exhibit on Carnaby Street

If you know who Garance Dore is and if you follow her blog religiously like I do, you'll want to check out her self-curated exhibit on Carnaby Street, which features her celebrated fashion illustrations from her famous blog on Gap t-shirts etc. llustrator and photographer for her blog, she is also the girlfriend of Scott Schuman, now book author and mastermind behind The Sartorialist. If you're not around for the show, at least take a look at both of these blogs and you'll never be able to study, concentrate or work ever...again!

Runs from Thursday, September 10, til Saturday, October 3, Mon-Sat 10am-8pm, Sun 12noon-5pm. You can find it at the Gap Pop-Up 1969 Concept store in Kingly Court, right off Carnaby Street.

Colville Mews, Notting Hill

I've just been on the Blogger homepage to update my Blogger profile and for some strange reason, Blogspot decided it was important to mention that I am born the year of the rat. No idea why, they just did. So, after much time trying to figure out how to delete this superfluous piece of information, and to no avail, I decided to let it be. Now I am not one to believe in signs and silly premonitions but this is just too strange to not take as a sign. Right? I don't know, maybe I would have found it cooler to be born the year of the dragon or the spider or something. But the rat? Seriously? Yuck. Hmmm, I guess lil Frankie here is kinda cute.

Wait, wait, wait, this gets better...

Creative problem solver, check! Imaginative, check! Intuitive, check! Hey, this isn't so bad...

So, here I am, procrastinating, taking a break from my long and tedious dissertation writing, hoping to find some inspiration in the blogging process...and maybe from a little coffee break. So I get up from my numb-feeling bumm from all the sitting down, oh so ready to get inspired. I picked up a delicious cappucino and muffin at Tom's Deli on Westbourne Grove and strolled around the block weaving in and out of mews quarters, sipping and munching away, hoping to find some answers. Looking into the cute little Colville Mews, I was intrigued by the big Temperley sign, tucked away behind the white brick walls of the mews alley. Not that I was thinking of going inside...no more shopping for me (I'm living on student budget, which means the cash flow is pretty much non-existent), but I found myself to be smiling at how adorable this remote area of busy Notting Hill was. Crazy! I've been living close by for months, and I've never even noticed this little treasure of a street?

Not only that, but next to Temperley is the tiny Museum of Brands, Packaging and Advertising, which if you're into media, marketing, fashion, branding, advertising and pop culture in general, like I totally am, you'll have to make a special detour to check out! Right now, it is featuring a show on the very best of Guiness Advertising over 250 years and it is a really fun 30 minutes so go take a look!

        Museum of Brands, Packaging and Advertising in Notting Hill

On the other side of Temperley, you'll also find the small Pippa Small Jewelry boutique, which offers beautifully crafted bracelets, necklaces and earrings that are both ethnic and chic, a look that totally befits the Notting Hill vibe. Her style is cool and fresh and all of it is handmade! She also uses real stones, from amethyst and emerald to Lapis and Quartz, which make for truly special pieces.

                            Pippa Small's Bolivian Blue Pebble

So next time you're in my hood, either come and visit me, or go check out Notting Hill's hidden treasures in Colville Mews off Lonsdale Road.