Ai Weiwei is a prolific Chinese artist who creates controversial works in regards to the politics and sadly, he is pursued by the Chinese government for his remarks. Now, he exhibits and showcases his works outside of China but still addresses the issues of his homeland.
His recent work titled “Stacked” is currently exhibiting in Italy and if you think Tampines is filled with people on bicycles, you should check this out. Consisting of 760 bicycles, stacked on one another, the height of the installation is nearly as tall as Jack’s beanstalk (no im kidding, just nearing the ceiling of the gallery).
But why such a space station / futuristic installation?
Simple. almost everything is made in China. The bicycle is the primary source of transport for the people in China, its a crucial part of their daily life. and please don’t quote my interpretation of this work using my only available knowledge towards art, but i think its a response to how the Chinese people contributes to the mass production of products demanded by the nation and the world.
the energy that is needed to operate the bicycle is what drives the production and almost like a cycle, the people feeds off the mass production in the form of a bicycle. also, the man made like structure created by the bicycles reminds one about the nation that is constantly growing.
news credit: treehugger.com
images credits: treehugger.com
as a visual communication student, i’m constantly dealing with paper stocks and its not uncommon for me to get papercuts which i hate with a vengeance. like a sneaky ninja, papercuts strikes when you’re not watching. the damage will only be realised when you’re in the shower and it hurts.
the beautiful pictures titled Papercuts, rock my socks. Shot in a what i believe is the backstage of a theatre, the model wearing delightful paper costumes which reminded me of the dada theatre and the triadic ballet. both having very exaggerated body forms and silhouettes in costumes. oh yes, i could definitely see the surrealism reference (especially Giorgio De Chirico) in the shots, starting with the set design, where sculptures and items seems to be displaced at this seemingly random areas but yet forming quiet relationships with each other through the weird juxtaposition.
somehow, i no longer hate papercuts anymore.
dada theatre
the triadic ballet
Photography by Lena Kholkina
Design by Venera Kazarova
Model(s) Ira Patrikeeva @ Aquarelle Models
image credits: theones2watch.com
you know every halloween people on your facebook friends’ list will start posting photos of them in costumes, frolicking away. and its always that same old costume.
super heroes, zombie nuns, angry birds, undead grandmother etc. same old same old.
no one seems to be putting any effort in their costumes.
until this.
my friend Lara, Ruiwei and female friend (think her name is vanessa or rebecca) wore this to the hottest night club, Zouk in Singapore. my jaw dropped.
it is fucking awesome! first i thought how many poor barbies were decapitated for this project and on the other hand im like yes! kill more barbies! so after much investigation (in a form of a poke and a wall post) i found out that the brainchild for this outfit was Yasee Poh, a set designer from Zouk who is multi talented.
she brutally jolly goodly destroyed 100 dollars for each top and that means 300 barbies came under the knife. i wonder how many hearts of Ken did she break.
Oh yea not forgetting my dear dead friend Ian Kong’s paper mache head piece! that thing looks nasty!
image credits: Ian Kong
special thanks to Yasee Poh on the lovely insights to the awesome top
Denise Reytan could be the only jewellery designer i have seen that has placed so much effort and creativity through her design process. the story in every jewllery does not require a very complicated plot nor it requires fluffy vocabulary or words. but all it requires is chemistry and soul which i think Reytan has successfully infused them into her work. it’s a very strong personal statement she has made through her finds and methods of production that has interests me. Largely, wearable art especially in the form of jewellery can get lost in the context of fashion. but i found marriage between art and fashion in Reytan’s work. One could say that her jewellery pieces could share the vibes of Christian Dior jewllery or even Marni. But i would say Reytan is marching to the beat of her own drum. quirky, unconventional and made from found objects, every piece seems to be able to stand alone as an art work.
i think that is what her jewellery is all about.
With a rich amount of press (eg.Vogue) behind her back, im sure in no time, she will be producing more astounding works of wearable art.
image credits: reytan.de
i’m sure everyone is familiar with the kryptonite. yes the dreaded crystal superman will pee in his underwear for.
or if you’re more ferosh, you should know about the Chanel fashion show for Paris fashion week where gigantic purple crystals graced the runway.
what makes these 2 crystals coming from very different background so captivating? i say the result they brought along with the drama makes people so amazed about that level of untouchability and unfamiliarity makes it truly beautiful and wonderful.
and this installation art made specially for the Olympic celebration falls under the same level of awe. no doubt its trashy as ever.
sculpted from thousands of recycled milk bottles to look like an ice age cave in the balcony of London’s South Bank. as you traverse through the environment, you will hear recording of Moravians and Londoners talking about waste in the urban environment. the brain child of the installation is Gayle Chong Kwan who was inspired by the residents of Moravia, a neighbourhood in Colombia which was built on the city’s landfill.
image credits: treehugger
news credits: treehugger