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Forgotten Songs, Angel Place, Sydney

Above is a photograph I took the other day of the installation/ artwork in Angel Place called Forgotten Songs. The Sydney City web page on the artwork says it is a visual and sonic piece as the calls of birds that used to inhabit the area can be heard as you wander beneath the bird cages. These songs also apparently change as the day progresses to reflect the daytime and nighttime activity of the birds that used to live in the Sydney city region. I think it's one of my favourite urban artworks.

Endre Penovác

I came across these magical pussy cat water colours by Serbian artist Endre Penovác recently. He has to my mind captured the essence of the feline in these paintings, don't you think? You can see (and buy!)more of his wonderful work here ---> Saatchi Art.

Hilma af Klint

These paintings are by the Swedish abstract artist Hilma af Klint. I have seen the painting above before - I thought it was pretty and assumed it was quite modern, but it is actually very old - possibly even 100 years old as Hilma af Klint lived from 1862 - 1944. She was in fact the very first abstract painter and she was way before her time. I think her work is quite fantastic and extraordinary and I am very sorry I won't be in London to see her show at the Serpentine Gallery that runs from the 3rd of March to the 15th of May.  

Images from here and here.

David Hockney

I watched a terrific documentary on David Hockney a few weeks ago (here's the trailer for it). It was roughly two hours long and covered his life from the time he went to art school to the present day. The nice thing about it was that it used home movies made by David and his friends, so you got to see the young Hockney painting at the start of his career and generally larking about. One of the sections of the documentary talked about his impeccable/ quirky dress sense. I have collected a few choice outfits here for your viewing pleasure. Additionally, I read today that Hockney is having a huge retrospective exhibition of his work at the Tate Britain in 2017. Now that's an exhibition I'd love to see! To stand in front of Mr and Mrs Clark and Percy (see below) would be an absolute treat. Meanwhile, please enjoy my mini homage to the great man here.

Four examples of Hockney's much admired dress sense.

Mr and Mrs Clark and Percy (1971)

Pool with two figures (1966)

Wolgate Woods, November 2006

A young David Hockney in the 1960s.

Images from The Guardian, and here, and here, and here.

Bon Anniversaire British Vogue!

Apparently, 2016 marks the 100 year anniversary of the start of British Vogue. The National Portrait Gallery in London is holding a huge exhibition to mark the occassion. Meanwhile, please enjoy the illustrated British Vogue covers circa 1916 - 1918 below.

All images from British Vogue.

Eames: the Architect and the Painter

I recently watched a very interesting documentary/ movie about the creative powerhouse couple Charles and Ray Eames. It was called Eames: the Architect and the Painter. It covered their relationship, the creation of their design studio, the relationship with their staff/ creative team, their clients and their private life together. I actually blogged about this movie when it first came out in 2011, and now finally, I've actually watched it! What an interesting couple they were - and influential. All their iconic chairs shown in the documentary I've seen a zillion times out and about in cafes, waiting rooms, libraries, foyers etc as I'm sure you have too. In addition to furniture design, they worked at re-branding and creating advertising campaigns for huge companies like IBM, and America itself at world trade fairs and the like. Anyway, it was very interesting and I feel a bit more in the loop about who and what they did after having seen this compressive documentary. I highly recommend it! And if you're near or in London there's a gigantic exhibition dedicated to Charles and Ray Eames that has just opened at the Barbican Art Gallery that I'm sure is very worthwhile seeing.

The three photos above are the interior and exterior of the Eames' home (from here).

An Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman from here.

Vivian Maier encore

The photographs of Vivian Maier were big news some years ago after they were accidentally discovered in an old trunk in an auction by an eagle eyed John Maloof. (I've actually blogged about her before here.) However, I've just finished watching a documentary by John Maloof which covers the discovering of the photographs (negatives actually) and John's detective work at finding out who this unheard of and mysterious person Vivian Maier was. It was really well done. You can see the trailer for it here at the official Vivian Maier website. It is very worth while seeing if you get the opportunity!

All images form the Vivian Maier Official website.

Brad Wilson's Owls

Happily, wild-life photographer Brad Wilson had his owl portraits featured in The Guardian today. Photographs of owls are usually pretty good to look at, but these owl photographs are something else entirely! I could look at them forever. Such intensity in their gaze and the differences in face plumage is a real treat to look at. I find myself trying to decide which is my favourite and then finish by thinking they are all extra lovely in their own way. Images from The Guardian and Brad Wilson at Doinel Gallery. 

Alexander McQueen at the V&A: Savage Beauty

The V & A has just recently opened a grand Alexander McQueen exhibition which originally showed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York four years ago. The private preview party featured glamorous people like Kate Moss, Victoria Beckham and Naomi Campbell, but it was FKA twigs and Salma Hayek that stole the show in my opinion. Salma Hayek wore a beautiful, embroidered tulle Alexander McQueen peacock dress from Fall 2008 and FKA twigs wore a rainbow coloured butterfly-print chiffon gown which was also by Alexander McQueen, Spring 2008.  

Images form The Guardian and Fashion & Style. 

Floating by Andrea De Santis

I love this image by Andrea De Santis. It's called Floating and it is part of From up North's 40+ of the Best Illustrations of 2014.