Shadow Puppets

Old Man :-)

Blood

A few posts ago I featured some images from the found Blood Series that I was going to respond to. So today I found myself in a chilly studio avoiding teachers and pouring UV sensitive body paint over my face and bare torso.

Thus, a few darkened rooms, a UV torch and more than a few baffled faces later - here are the final (and edited) photographs. Quite a success I think. More aggressive and notably eerier than the original Blood Series, my photographs address a more psychological disturbance than a biological observation, although after a few er... minor tweaks on Photoshop, the resulting white images portray a very biological form. A muscle-and-blood scan, if that exists.

Anyway I'm happy with them and I also got a few good video clips of fleeting faces and emerging biomorphs in the darkness. Nice.

Rock On

'Rock On', Jekyll

On a cold winter's day when a cold is inevitable...

Nothing beats a good bit of Patti Smith with Jaffa Cakes and Tea.

Weak and Milky please ;-)

Florence and the Machine

Here's a little one of my favourite dittys by Florence and the Machine =] absolutely beautiful x Their videos are awesome as well so have a go on Youtube, I just like this because you get to see the real Florence having a good time

Fuerza Bruta

After seeing the trailer for it and talking to somebody who has seen it, my friends and I decided that we HAVE to see it! So we're off to London in July to see Fuerza Bruta - it looks amazing!

Romantic Poetry

Red Vineyard at Arles, Vincent Van Gogh

A Grape Vine Curves

A grape vine curves fine stalks of blossom and beauty,
rendering peaks and arcs of folded silk.
Shadows cast from bronze across clay fields,
etching voluptuous visions of vivid lime.
Fecund fruits; intoxicating hold,
a full body to arouse the senses of
sound potential, sprouted from the
sight of the curved grape vines; twin stalks
give birth to the form of silhouette torso.
Taste of sweetened fruit, a bitter bite,
touching the tongue for a moment
then pausing.
“A toast…”

J.Videgrain

Dad's Boat Watercolour

Probably my second watercolour EVER. Never really liked watercolours much.

Karen Le Roy Harris

Ontop
The costume I made with Karen - Futility of Flesh

Bottom
'Madonna', Karen Le Roy Harris

Today's artist of the day is somebody who, through my school, I had the pleasure of being able to learn from and work with: Karen Le Roy Harris.

Most recently working with fabrics, Karen creates sculptural costumes that address the issues and aesthetics of the human body and flesh - in turn commenting on the human condition and sexual politics in a way not dissimilar to Francis Bacon, with aesthetics reminiscent of Helen Chadwick - who has had a direct influence on Karen's material choices.

Tracking her work backwards, chalk drawings have stayed close to Karen's heart and she continues to wield them masterfully, creating breathtakingly vast drawings often seen draped from the walls of cultural centres around the island.

for more information, www.karenleroyharris.com

Reflections on Bacon

Top
Painting on exhibition,'Reflections of Bacon' Berni Gallery

Centre
'Study of Pope Innocent X Installation' (photographic triptych)

Bottom
'The Balance Between Freedom and Control'
200cm x 120cm
Acryllic and chalks on canvas

My work was suitably labelled 'The Balance Between Freedom and Control', as directed. Below this: 'Nathan _____' And no, Nathan is not my name :S

To Feel Different...

The question being asked at a Pandemic time like this is

Do you FEEL any different?

The question got me thinking....

now I come to think about it, I think I do feel different. But perhaps it's just my mind playing tricks on me - after all Hypochondria is the main cause of Flu symptoms.

But: I don't usually think that I might feel different. So therefore now that I do think that I might feel different...

I must feel different

After all if thinking about things so mandatory to life is feeling, as feeling is between thinking and believing (second only to knowing)
then to think about your human state is to feel.

Therefore, yes: Today I feel different

(I hope it's not swine flu!...)

philosophicaly, Jonny x

Edgar Allen Poe

My brother informed me of this band who are very gothic and despite their godly sound and monkish attire seem to be about as religious in their intentions as a vegan prositute bunny murderer. Nevertheless, it is an awesome take on my favourite poet and today's Artist of the Day: Edgar Allen Poe

Write, A poem

J.Videgrain, May 09

Force The Words Out

Here's a poem I wrote (it sounds better fast but the last stanza seems a bit out of place I think). Enjoy anyway:


Force all your words out
Through your tight lips,
Spit all the prose out,
Spin round your hips

Bang out the insides
Choke on your rhymes
Try to talk tricky like the tangy tongue tides

Out from your inside
Flow down your arm
Twisting through your wrists
And skid across your palm

Give a nib a lick
Squirt a fountain of joy
I am your pen friend
The word’s your toy

Speak with a rhythm
And write with a rhyme
Forget the world
And forget the time

It is not witty
And it is not smart
It’s the simple joy
That you get from a fart

These are the words
So enjoy the tickle
Speak ‘em fast
They aint your last!

J.Videgrain x

Brit Insurance Student Designer Of The Year (and Hussein Chalayan)

Well, well, well; if it isn't another competition.

Good news everybody, today I got a letter congratulating me for being one of a shortlisted 20 for the BISDY (I just made that abreviation up) for my high-tech fashion design inspired by Hussein Chalayan. Consequentialy, I have been invited to the awards ceremony to be held at the beginning of December at the London Design Museum. Conveniently (or not so) I will be in the UK the previous day viewing Leeds College of Art, another one of my perspective universities, and visiting family 'Up North'.

Unfortunately I can't share my designs with you because I (rather foolishly and I admit ashamably) deleted them thinking that I would never need them again. Fortunately they shoudl be on the Design Museum's Flikr before long so I'll keep you posted.

So for now, Enjoy these images of Hussein Chalayan's designs, who is officialy Saving Face's very first (drum roll please)...

Artist of the Day!

Lost Virginity

Woops, I've lost my Blogger Virginity.

So I think I'll start by setting the record straight. Whilst being mentored by the lovely Luke Turner from culture blog thequietus.com (a strange situation I found myself in after winning a review writing competition for the Branchage International Film Festival) I was instructed to start a blog so that I could get into the practise of writing whatever I want to write about. A Voila, Saving Face.

Moreover a good place to rant, I might also be able to show off some of my work. After all it's not easy being an artist in this world. I figure you either have to sell, or teach. And I choose sell.

Without further a'do, let us begin.

Jonny x

P.S. Here, enjoy a random 80's song with words from this post in it x