Category: EVENTS

• LFW SS13

  So I covered a few shows at London Fashion Week SS13 for F.Tape which you can find here including PPQ – who hosted a very fabulous afterparty at Kensington Roof Gardens, an 80’s ghetto fabulous Mark Fast (my favourite), a Barbie themed Louise Gray and a Tennis playing David Koma among others.

  Here’s a few pictures we took..

  

  The Mark Fast credit card invitation, SS13 show entitled ‘Broke’

  

  My press pass!

  

  Street Style Day 3

  

  Fred Butler ‘Honey Bee’ Presentation

  

  Fred Butler & I!

  

  PPQ SS13

  

  Osman SS13

  

  More invites!

  I also went to a few Vauxhall Fashion Scout shows which are always packed out! I was gutted to have missed Pam Hogg, Spijkers en Spijkers and Bernard Chandran this season, but I took a new liking to Manuela Dack who graduated in 2010 from Middlesex University (Holla!) who featured glittery Juju jelly sandals paired with white garments of multiple fabrics and textures for Spring/Summer ’13.

  

• LWLies x D&AD Cover Illustration Private View

  My favourite film magazine Little White Lies teamed up with creative organization D&AD a while back to set a competition for students on designing an illustrated front cover for the magazine based on five 2011 hit films – choosing from; Black Swan, Tree of Life, Super 8, Drive and Tinker, Tailor, Soilder, Spy.

  Instead of staying sad that I wasn’t able to participate on this brief (not being a student anymore SUCKS), I decided to check out the winning works at the private viewing. Safe to say they’re pretty awesome, here’s a pick of my top five;

  

  ‘Tinker, Tailor, Soilder, Spy’ by Francesca Hotchin from University of Leads. She won a Yellow Pencil for this which is a really big deal in D&AD terms and deservedly so!

  

  The only ‘Tree of Life’ poster I like is by Natasha Durley from the Arts University Bournemouth who won ‘Best of Year’. I love the pallette of colours she used and the fact that it looks like cells -not sure if that was intentional but if it was it’s very fitting for the film!

  

  Loving this ‘Super 8’ poster by Louisa Lewis from Jordanstone College of Art & Design, who also won ‘Best of Year’. For those not in the know, super 8 is a type of film format largely used in the 1970’s hence using the literal sense of Super 8 on this illustration.

  

  This immaculately detailed ‘Black Swan’ design by Rupert Smissen from Norwich University of the Arts won him a Yellow Pencil!

  

  I need this bomber jacket in my life. ‘Best of Year’ Matthew Oldfield from Vega Brand Communications School (who sadly has no website) needs to tell me if this sewn patch is actually in existence or just some sort of photoshop sorcery I don’t know about. Also I think he definitely should have won a Yellow Pencil.

  Here’s a few others which were innovative and original;

  

  Another ‘Tinker, Tailor, Soilder, Spy’ entry from Tove Edlund Dreiman, Beckmans School of Design offering a peeping newspaper cut out addressing the decade style of the film.

  

  The block colour of this ‘Super 8’ entry caught my eye, Imogen Wooley from Kingston University keeps it interesting with multi layered brush strokes.

  

  Really lovely concept from Seb Koseda (who is also mentioned in the Middlesex Degree show review) and won ‘Best of Year’. I can imagine this was really fiddly layout to do so have an extra congratulations for your patience.

  

  Surprisingly the only linocut design of the exhibition and so very well defined it had to be made by five students – Chaeun Park, Donna Fitri, Lamsyah, Law Yuanhong Ivan, Muhammad Izzat Bin Rahmat and Tan Yun Ru from the Lasalle College of the Arts, Singapore even included the ‘making of’ shots –

  

  That’s it for my round-up but I here’s a few extra shots of The Church of London space where the exhibition is held and where the magic of Little White Lies happens!

  

  

  

  

  www.dandad.org
  www.littlewhitelies.co.uk

• My picks of Middlesex RAW Degree show 2012

  My  personal highlights of the show surprisingly doesn’t include any illustration this year, though the BA graphics were amazing starting with Seb Koseda’s galactic show invitations and graduate catalogues which were made to look like a VHS tape.

  

  

  Also from the graphics crew – these promotional posters for an electro swing club called The Dickie Bow made by Natalie Rauh are pretty awesome, note how you can turn the business card into a bowtie! Want one.

  

  

  

  Moving onto Photography, I LOVED this colourful series entitled ‘Nine Series of Heaven’ by Ruta Putramentaite (who sadly has no website or blog to speak of). “This project is an exploration of sin as a concept perpetuated by western Catholic society and aims to question the authority of such doctrines when describing concepts like virtue and sin, good and bad.”

  

  Verity Cousins offered the first male beauty concept I’ve seen in a long time, devoid of fashion magazines which works really well;

  

  and the guy in the photo is none other than Graphic ’11 graduate Matthew Puckey who usually looks like this;

  

  Moving on to the BA Fine Arts, I seem to be a sucker for anything with mirrors (call me vain) this particular piece by Aphra Shamza caught my eye depicting a human heart in perspex;

  

  and finally, onto the BA Fashion Design, Styling and Promotion course which I graduated from last year – this class of 2012 really pushed the boat out in terms of set design!

  First, Molly Waddingham with her installation piece. Taking inspiration from when she used to travel around Europe as a kid with her family, she collected vintage bits and pieces and made a photoshoot with her little sister which was then projected onto her set. I want to live in it.

  

  

  

  

  Lucy Hubbard‘s conspicuous Consumption plays out within the concept of hyper branding, reconfiguring symbols of luxury fashion into the mundane tradition of a TV dinner, a custom that is habitually associated with a lower culture experience. “The Fashion TV Dinner installation is designed for the viewers to immerse themselves within an unobtrusive experience of fashion consumption.”

  

• Celebrating the Jubilee with Topshop & Meadham Kirchhoff

  Today Topshop hosted the only jubilee party I’d ever want to attend. In collaboration with one of my most favourite designers Meadham Kirchhoff, installing a huge window display and a shop so full of glitter and pastel colours it made me salivate. (Is that weird? I can’t be the only one?!).

  

  anywho, as the crowd were building up outside Topshop, we were all excited to see what was behind the gold lamé curtain, they revealed it to be…

  

  

  

  YEAH! A trident brandishing, british shield holding creation of Meadham Kirchhoff popped out of a giant cake along with dancing Kirchhoff-ettes, complete with feather fans and falling glitter. How AWESOME is that? It’s what I think my birth must have been like except with sparkly pugs instead of dancers. My mother tells me this was not the case.

  Inside also looked amazeballs, with the Kirchhoff-ettes offering sweets and balloons, plus customers got a free paper crown when they spent £60 in store. I personally felt it I wanted a paper crown that bad I would make my own..but I DID get sweeties and a pink balloon 😀

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  Topshop offer you the chance to watch it as a stream on their website, but the quality looks pretty awful so watch mine instead –

  www.topshop.com

• Raindance Saturday Film School

  Having always been a big film buff (this derives from my love of 80’s movies) and not having formally studied any type of media or film related degree, I decided to head to Raindance for a one day film school with my Director of Photography friend Matt Thomas.

  First a little intro:

  ‘Since 1993, Raindance has presented the very best independently made shorts, features and documentaries in the heart of London’s West End, showing films like Blair Witch Project, Memento, Ghost World and Pulp Fiction. Raindance is unique in combining film courses with the UK’s only truly independent film festival, the Raindance Film Festival, founded to provide a platform for independent film and specializing in first-time filmmakers.’

  

  So, upon taking our seats along with 500 other people, we were treated to a little background story from Raindance’s founding Director Elliot Grove on his Amish background and first discovering ‘the devil’ (cinema) with ‘Lassie Come Home’. He even excused his directing attire – namely black clothes and wearing sunglasses inside…

  We learnt the quick rules of how to write, produce and direct a film. Through writing the story using the social stage, structure and an action flowchart down to a checklist of what you need to make a low budget film – it’s a lot to learn in one day;

  Writing The Screenplay
  Elliot explained the basic principles of writing screenplays and demonstrated the powerful storytelling tools used by the professionals;

  • Finding an idea
  • Creating memorable characters
  • Playing with story structure
  • Copyright and legal basics
  • How movies are bought and sold

  Making the movie
  how movies are produced and told us dozens of shooting tips that will save you money and make it easier to get your movie made.

  • Creating a budget
  • Chosing a camera
  • The Raindance 5 Minute Film Lighting School
  • Shooting on locations
  • Securing permissions for shooting in public
  • Guerilla filmmaking demystified

  After lunch, came Patrick Tucker to the stage – an internationally acclaimed stage and screen director and founder of the Original Shakespeare Company. A loud and mental little man, he was. Here is where we learnt about directing a film – which the majority of the audience wanted to do;

  • Basics of film directing
  • Crossing the line
  • Camera placement and why it is important
  • Communicating with your cast and crew

  This is where Matt & I got up on stage with Patrick and a few other audience members to demonstrate how to make a scene look good regardless of an actors physical ease. We had to stand in front of another person with our noses 3cm apart while saying a line on camera. Needless to say, this was uncomfortable and I couldn’t stop giggling. I would definitely hate to be an actor!

  After this the final lesson was about ‘Breaking Into the film industry’, where Elliot Grove came back and explained how to prepare for work as a writer, producer, director, cameraperson, editor or art director.

  • Showreels and CVs explained
  • Choosing your field
  • Marketing and promoting yourself
  • Negotiating pay and what you can expect to earn

  

  On leaving the saturday film school, my first thought was how much I would love to be an art director for films…who knows maybe one day, but for now I can say Raindance’s saturday film school is definitely one to go to! Even if you just love cinema or have some interest in making films, they are very in-depth and inspiring with a follow up email the next day with useful links and additional resources.

  www.raindance.co.uk

• ‘Sufi Series’ by Victoria Heald

  So you may remember I posted a while back of me sitting (or standing awkwardly) for the fabulous painter Victoria Heald.

  Here’s the final result, which Victoria exhibited at ‘Heald & Hodgkinson: Modern Painters’ in Mayfair. S’cuse my disco bra and all..

  

  

  

  

  

  

  Pretty effing cool eh? Priced at £2,400 each, let’s hope no pervert buys them.

  http://www.victoriaheald.com/

• Author Shoes – Boutique Launch

  “Where the liquor is cold, but the shoes are hot”

  Thursday 12th April see’s the speakeasy launch of Author Shoes, complete with 1920’s theme – which means DRESSING UP! (a vintage hair stylist professional will be on hand to make you look flapper tastic!), original music from the ol’ grammar phone and drinks and nibbles! Customers get spoilt rotten with 20% off all shoes and specially made goody bags for all boys and girls! So come on down to the historic Fox Building in the East End from 5pm!

  Facebook Event

  www.authorshoes.com

  blogspot – http://www.authorshoes.blogspot.com/

  Follow them on Facebook & on Twitter

• Pick Me Up Fair Private View Review

  Check out my review over at Candid magazines website. I forgot to mention the mini burgers and insanely huge pig leg offered as canapés! Very kitsch.

  

  Also we got a wee bit snap happy with the camera, so here’s a few more pictures of the fair;

  

  Loving Zim & Zou paper sculptures!

  

  S for Sufiyeh! By Yuko Michishita

  

  starting to think I need a Tumblr..

• Getting Ready for Pick Me Up Fair!

  Contemporary Graphic Art Fair at Somerset House 22 March – 1 April 2012

  

  Anthony Burrill for Pick Me Up

  Pick Me Up, the UK’s first annual contemporary graphic art fair and festival, celebrating graphic arts in all its forms, returns for its biggest edition yet this spring. Open from 22 March to 1 April, the fair will showcase the very best illustrators, graphic novelists, cartoonists, and graphic designers from around the UK and the world with original works and prints available to purchase from just £10. A selection of the most exciting graphic art collectives and galleries have been invited to occupy Somerset House’s Embankment Galleries to create unique spaces and installations, including Nelly Duff, the London gallery that represents among others Barack Obama’s favourite street artist Ben Eine and the fine line drawings of Jessica Albarn, sister to Blur’s Damon Albarn.

  The fair offers the opportunity to meet the artists, watch them work and get involved, with a lively events programme ranging from a children’s illustration weekend to a portrait booth with Guardian regulars Modern Toss, workshops on comics and cartooning from Pick Me Up favourites NoBrow and SelfMadeHero and a Paper Toy Workshop with Creative Review magazine. New this year will be a space dedicated to workshops, live music, spoken word and live drawing with a bar open every evening.

  This year, Pick Me Up’s artists in residence will be the London based illustration collective Peepshow, who will present their Museum of Objects and Origins and invite a rosta of special guests, as well as running workshops throughout the fair.

  

  Zim & Zou, Back to Basics 2 Camera A, 2011, Digital print, edition of 25, £75

  Also part of the fair is Pick Me Up Selects, an exhibition of 20 specially selected international rising stars of the graphic arts world including Riikka Sormunen, Mimi Leung and Zim and Zou. Each will be producing new, exclusive work to see and buy.

  As well as providing a platform for emerging talent, Daily Specials will bring the finest names in illustration to the heart of the gallery on a daily basis including legendary graphic artist George Hardie, who was responsible for many cult 60s and 70s album covers such as Led Zepplin’s debut and Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of The Moon. Other guests will include Mr Bingo, character designer James Jarvis, children’s book illustrators Bruce Ingman and Marion Deuchars, who will run her Art Factory workshop for families at the fair.

  

  Heavy Pencil event at Pick Me Up 2011

  Other highlights include East London based gallery Nelly Duff’s pop-up zoo of animal characters made from a jungle of newly commissioned prints and independent publishing champions Beach London’s selection of prints and range of limited edition and small-press artists’ books and zines displayed in a vintage library setting. There will be international contributions from Netherlands gallery Ship of Fools and Spanish duo Cachetejack, as well as a special focus on talent from the South West of England from SOMA gallery and Scrumping with Puck Studio. With lots more workshops and weekend events, as well as talks, performances, DJs and portfolio reviews, the 11 day fair promises to be the most exciting yet.

  All work on display at Pick Me Up is available to purchase with prices to suit every pocket from £10 to £500. The full programme of exhibitors and events will be detailed on our website http://www.somersethouse.org.uk

  YCN http://www.ycnonline.com/
  YCN is a collaborative creative company marrying a multi-disciplinary team with a growing roster of international illustrators. In their shop and library at 72 Rivington Street in London they show and sell exclusive artist books, prints and other lovingly produced collectables. YCN will be relocating their shop to Pick Me Up, proudly presenting some of the freshest illustration talent in the world for visitors to take home.

  Beach London http://beachlondon.co.uk/
  For Pick Me Up they will present a small-press library, with a focus on five of the most inspirational international small- press publishers: NoBrow (Eng), Museums Press (Sco), Lubok (Ger), Nieves (Swi) and Seems

  (USA). Each of these publishers will be showing their whole catalogues along with original prints.

  Ship of Fools http://www.shipoffoolsgallery.com/
  Ship of Fools is a graphic art gallery based in the Netherlands. They describe it as “a place to find art that makes you smile, art that has a nice set of balls, is straight forward and honest”. Ship of Fools show art from people they believe in, not only names you know but also new ones. They come from all sorts of places, and all sorts of countries. For Pick Me Up they will show work from Julian Sirre, Jordy van den Nieuwendijk and Kuvva.

  Catchejack http://www.cachetejack.com
  Cachetejack is the Spanish illustration duo, Nuria Bellver and Raquel Fanjul from Valencia. At Pick Me Up they will present their prints, postcards, books and zines and run a series of workshops based around collage, mask making and even key rings.

  People of Print http://www.peopleofprint.com
  Established in 2008, People of Print exhibits and sells the printed work of emerging and talented printmakers from across the globe. They work collaboratively with solo artists, studios, shops, agencies and collectives to develop a global community in the world of print. For Pick Me Up, they will show a selection of prints from their worldwide collection, including the likes of Bongout, Seripop, Jasper Goodall, Killer Acid, Mike Zimmerman, Heretic and many more. People of Print will also provide a series of hands-on print workshops demonstrating various methods of printmaking so visitors can participate in creating their own print or t-shirt from a selection of ready made designs.

  Peepshow http://www.peepshow.org.uk/
  The Peepshow collective was founded in 2000 by a group of University of Brighton graduates who continue to collaborate on projects involving illustration, advertising, art direction, moving image, set design, mixed media installation and fashion and textile design for clients including MTV, The Guardian and BBC. For Pick me Up 2012, Peepshow will be the fair’s artists in residence and bring together a collection of made paper artifacts including drawings, objects, prints, and costumes, to be housed in their very own Pitt Rivers inspired Museum of Objects and Origins. Exhibiting items from an invented past, the collection will also be a living, growing, changing display as themed workshops with the public will create new works to fill the final few empty cabinets. Peepshow will host a series of workshops with special guests throughout the fair (details in notes to editors).

  Puck Studio
  Puck Studio is a creative studio based in East London led by illustrators David Gibbons and Robbie Wilkinson with a focus on illustration, print making, vinyl displays and installations. At

  Print Club London http://www.printclublondon.com/
  Print Club London is an East London print studio and will be returning to Pick Me Up for the third time this year with their fully functioning print studio. Visitors will be able to see the full process of creating a screen print as well as pulling their own print for a bargain £15.

  SOMA http://somagallery.co.uk
  Bristol based contemporary illustration and graphic design gallery Soma was established in 2004.They specialise in limited edition prints by illustrators, printmakers and graphic designers. For Pick Me Up 2012 they will show new work by Andy Smith, Crispin Finn, Tom Frost, Peskimo and Gemma Correll.

  Events

  Thursday 22 March

  Daily Special Space 13.00-20.00 Daily Special: Hate Mail Live with Mr Bingo
  For just £10, the self-styled ‘Master of the Pens’, Mr Bingo will write you an offensive message and pen an original signed drawing on the back of a vintage postcard.

  Events Space 14.00-17.00 Show and Tell
  Graphic artists from the Pick Me Up Selects exhibition will talk about what informs and inspires their work along with a sneaky peak at their sketch books.

  Events Space 18.30-21.30 Thursday Late: Kibbo Kift
  Kibbo Kift is a revelry of poetry, music and art that takes its inspiration from the happenings of the 1960s and at Pick Me Up will celebrate the multi-disciplined creatives of today with performances from graphic artists and illustrators who also write poetry, stories and perform music.

  Friday 23 March

  Daily Special Space 13.00-19.00 Daily Special: Anthony Burrill
  Illustrator and designer Anthony Burrill will host a typographic sticker collage workshop where visitors can create their own typographic postcard to take home.

  Events Space 13.00-19.00 Paper Toy Workshop with Creative Review Magazine

  Creative Review magazine presents the chance to create brilliant paper toys based on Parisian artist Guillaume Pain, aka Tougu’s three dimensional characters.

  Saturday 24 March

  Daily Special Space 11.00-18.00 Daily Special: Marion Deuchars’ Art Factory
  Award winning illustrator Marion Deuchars will present a family friendly drawing workshop where visitors will be able to follow her instructions to make their own artworks based on her popular book ‘Let’s Make Great Art’.

  Events Space 11.00-18.00 Aardman Model Making Workshop (3 one hour workshops)

  Join Aardman model-maker, Jim Parkyn for a chance to model your very own Gromit. During his time on’ Wallace and Gromit’ Jim worked on a number of models including Gromit, a long list of villagers and was a one of the team of Bunny Builders for a great many rabbits.

  Sunday 25 March

  Daily Special Space 11.00-18.00 Daily Special: Bruce Ingman’s Picture Book Fun Children’s illustrator Bruce Ingman will host a family workshop where visitors will be able to create their own animal characters and turn them into a very special cake design.

  Screening Room 11.00-20.00 Sprites: Animated Short Films
  International contemporary digital arts and design organization Onedotzero will present a rolling animation programme with a selection of fun-packed shorts hand-picked for the new digital generation of young motion aficionados.

  Monday 26 March

  Daily Special Space 11.00-19.00 Daily Special: Ian Wright & George Hardie
  Collage artist and illustrator Ian Wright and legendary record sleeve illustrator and designer George Hardie (designer of sleeves for Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd) will collaborate on ‘The Drawing Olympics’ which includes ‘The Fastest Idea for a Drawing’ and ‘Synchronised Drawing’.

  Events Space 12.00-20.00 Newsdesk with Flamingo Magazine -SO EXCITED FOR THIS!
  Illustration magazine Flamingo will recreate a 50s style newsroom where they will put together a special Pick Me Up issue with visitors able to contribute illustrations and words of their own along with their own photographic portraits adorned with Flamingo’s illustrated props.

  Tuesday 27 March

  Daily Special Space 11.00-19.00 Daily Special: Si Scott
  Accomplished artist and designer Si Scott, known for his work for Matthew Williamson, Vogue, Nike, Tiffany & Co and Sony to name a few, will present a day long drawing project.

  Events Space 11.00-16.00 Portfolio Surgery from The Enquiry Desk
  Budding illustrators are invited to present their portfolios to an esteemed panel of experts including illustrator Si Scott, Greg Burne from Big Active, Fallon’s Sarah Thompson and Elle art director Tom Meredith among others.

  Wednesday 28 March

  Events Space 11.00-16.00 Portfolio Surgery from The Enquiry Desk
  Budding illustrators are invited to present their portfolios to an esteemed panel of experts including illustrator Si Scott, Greg Burne from Big Active, Fallon’s Sarah Thompson and Elle art directorTom Meredithamongothers.

  Thursday 29 March

  Events Space 18.30-21.30 Thursday Late: Heavy Pencil
  Artists in residence Peepshow present an evening of live music and live drawing with Monsterism creator Pete Fowler and other exciting guests from the worlds of illustration and music.

  Daily Special Space 18.30-21.30 Thursday Late: Jody Barton
  Jody Barton comes all the way from Denmark to share his methods behind his humorous and visceral styling. An expert in words and their relation to images he will be offering to draw family crests on request, Barton-style.

  Friday 30 March

  Daily Special Space 11.00-19.00 Daily Special: Jason Brooks

  Events Space 15.00-20.00 Covers for Clinic
  Clinic, a poetry, arts and music platform who bring together musicians, poets and artists to collaborate, will invite visitors to take up pens and create their own design for the back cover of Clinic’s latest anthology.

  Saturday 31 March

  Daily Special Space 12.00-19.00 Daily Special: James Jarvis
  Illustrator and owner of Amos, character toy company responsible for the iconic ‘Martin’, ‘King Ken’ and many more, will create a series of drawings based on his characters as well as observational drawings.

  Events Space 11.00-19.00 The Manic Monster Drawathon
  NoBrow magazine and illustrators Jack Teagle and Liam Barrett present a free for all, all day drawathon comic book workshop.

  Sunday 1 April

  Daily Special Space 11.00-19.00 Daily Special: Modern Toss’ Portrait Booth
  Jon Link and Mick Bunnage, the genius behind the global cult comic Modern Toss, will run an all day portrait booth where they will imortalise willing visitors’ faces in pencil onto ready-made screen-printed bodies provided by Ink_d Gallery.

  Events Space 11.00-19.00 Graphic Novel Workshops
  Graphic novel publishers SelfMadeHero will present a drop in illustration workshops led by graphic novelists Catherine Anyango, Andrzej Kimowski and many more.

  Talks Programme

  All talks will take place in the Screening Room. Tickets are all £8, £5 Concessions, and can be booked in advance at http://www.somersethouse.org.uk/pickmeup-talks

  Fashion illustrator Jason Brooks has worked on some of the most instantly recognisable fashion editorial images of recent times as well as the visual identity for record labels, most notably club label Hedkandi. Jason will be producing small drawings for sale throughout the day.

  Friday 23 March 18.30-19.30 Music x The Graphic Arts
  Graphic design writer and curator Liz Farrelly will host a panel discussion exploring the enduring creative links between music and the graphic arts.

  Monday 26 March 18.30-19.30 Peepshow Collective
  Pick Me Up artists in residence the Peepshow collective will talk about what inspires their work as individuals and as a collective.

  Wednesday 28 March 14.00-15.00 What You Need To Know
  A talk from Derek Brazell, illustrator and Projects Manager at the Association of Illustrators, on the first steps to starting a successful career in illustration covering self promotion, pricing, licensing, copyright and much more.

  Friday 30 March 18.30-19.30 Comic Studies
  D&AD hosts a Sharpner talk exploring the subject of Graphic Novels with a Comics Studies panel who will talk through the world of the graphic novel from the fun to the fanatical.

  Here’s a pick of my favourites from last year’s Pick Me Up event & a few showing this year:

  

  Jack Teagle

  

  Niki Pilkington, Free admitance to those who dream, 2012, Digital print, edition of 50, £34

  

  Tom Frost, Cyclops Wrestler, Silkscreen printed wood, £75

  

  Aida, Zevra – silver & pink, Screenprint, edition of 75, £125

  

  Si Scott

• Adam Ant: Dandy in the Underworld Private View & Live Performance

  So I may not have been technically born when Adam Ant first arrived on the British music scene defining a generation between punk and glam rock, but I grew up listening to his music thanks to my then teenage sisters thus developing a huge childhood crush on this makeup wearing, tight trouser fitting new romantic man. He inspired much of my fashion choices and remember creating a project back in 2008 based on New Romanticism coupled with Baroque styling:

  

  

  So, when I heard of his new photographic retrospective exhibition at Proud Gallery in Camden with all ticket proceeds going to Adam’s chosen charity DEBRA of course I was going to go! It wasn’t til I got the press pass I realised I would be seeing him live as well. I practically imploded with delight!

  Proud featured an array of photographic works featuring Adam Ant in his heyday performing live and the more intimate shots backstage through to his comeback tour from 2011. They also sold catalogues of the work signed by the Dandy himself as well as other merch. So in order of the earliest to the most recent:

  

  Adam Ant, London, 1978 © Chris Duffy

  

  Adam and the Ants, Soho, 1979 © Janette Beckman

  

  Adam Ant, Drury Lane Theatre, 1980 © Denis O’Regan

  

  Adam Ant, The Venue, 1981 © David Corio

  

  Adam Ant, Set of ‘Solid Gold’, 1982 © Robert Matheu

  

  Adam Ant, South Kensington, 2011 © Hannah Domagala

  Absolutely loving his sense of style through the years from young and excited adolescent  in the late 1970’s to the new romantic look which featured Vivienne Westwood’s ‘Pirate Collection’ – Her husband Malcolm McClaren was manager of Adam and the Ants at the time.

  The last image, from his comeback last year following a long decade of silence, showing Adam back on top form with a new smokey eyed pirate tattooed look. He has definitely aged well!

  The venue was packed out by the time Adam Ant came on stage to perform at half 9pm, from all sorts of age ranges and styles – metal heads as well as punks and a few teenage girls came to watch him, and he didn’t dissapoint. Singing all the big hits including ‘Prince Charming‘, ‘Goody Two Shoes‘ and ‘Physical (You’re So)‘ plus more with just a drummer and guitarist behind him. I could tell he really loved being back on the stage exuding confidence and doing that immortalized sexual sneer through lyrics. He still has that amazing stage presence even at 57!

  

  Chrissie Hynde on the wine. (bad choice)

  

  guests at the Private View

  

  

  

  Images courtesy of Proud Galleries

  Overall a near perfect evening, if it wasn’t for Chrissie Hynde (of the Pretenders) getting totally pissed and climbing on stage after Adam Ant’s set begging him to come back and ‘do her’ until someone had to grab the microphone out of her clawing hands. All before 11pm. But what’s a post punk set without a few drunken incidents?

  Proud Galleries, Camden was the perfect venue for the new exhibition – go see it now!

  Adam Ant: Dandy in the Underworld, Proud Camden, 7^th March – 29^th April 2012, www.proud.co.uk