Pleasure and Pain at the Victoria & Albert Museum (V & A)

2000 years of shoes...

"The exhibition explores the pinnacle role shoes play in several societies, not just the fashion world. Yet Pleasure and Pain is by no means perfect and spectators may feel disappointed." Click here to read full review.

V & A Museum: Savage Beauty: Alexander McQueen 2015 ★★★★★

My written review for US review site: Culture Vulture can be found here I highly recommend you look at the photographs before or whilst reading the review to get a better picture of the exhibition, Savage Beauty: Alexander McQueen. 

(Victoria and Albert Museum)

London (Photos by @MaryGNguyen)

London (Photos by @MaryGNguyen) http://culturevulture.net/art-architecture/savage-beauty/

Image of 'Lee' Alexander McQueen (changes to image of a skull) (Photos by @MaryGNguyen)

Savage Mind (Photos by @MaryGNguyen)

London (Photos by @MaryGNguyen) 

Romantic Gothic (Photos by @MaryGNguyen) http://culturevulture.net/art-architecture/savage-beauty/

Romantic Gothic (Photos by @MaryGNguyen)

Claire Wilson, curator of Savage Beauty, interviewed at press preview (Photos by @MaryGNguyen)

Romantic Gothic (Photos by @MaryGNguyen) http://culturevulture.net/art-architecture/savage-beauty/

Savage Mind (Photos by @MaryGNguyen)

Savage Mind  (Photos by @MaryGNguyen) http://culturevulture.net/art-architecture/savage-beauty/

Romantic Nationalism  (Photos by @MaryGNguyen)

Romantic Primitivism (Photos by @MaryGNguyen)

Romantic Nationalism (Photos by @MaryGNguyen) http://culturevulture.net/art-architecture/savage-beauty/

Romantic Primitivism (Photos by @MaryGNguyen)

Cabinet of Curiosities (Photos by @MaryGNguyen)

Romantic Naturalism (Photos by @MaryGNguyen)

Romantic Exoticism (Photos by @MaryGNguyen)

Cabinet of Curiosities (Photos by @MaryGNguyen) http://culturevulture.net/art-architecture/savage-beauty/

Cabinet of Curiosities (Photos by @MaryGNguyen)

Plato's Altantis (Photos by @MaryGNguyen) http://culturevulture.net/art-architecture/savage-beauty/

‘Sensational Butterflies’ - Catch a newly created butterfly tear itself out of its translucent chrysalis shell

‘Sensational Butterflies’ is the Natural History Museum’s exhibition which has bought together hundreds of tropical butterflies and moths from six continents, including Africa, South America and South East Asia, and situated them in one butterfly house for all to see. Luke Brown, manager of the butterfly house, was pleased with the diversity of butterflies that had flown in from all over the globe and hoped that it would give people a chance not only to immerse themselves in butterflies but, also, learn more about the butterfly's way of life. 

Since the butterfly house is home to tropical butterflies from the Blue morpho, from Central and South America, to the Swallowtail, from the Americas, the actual environment is humid - so, it is advised to take off jackets before entering. It is intensely colourful, filled with a variety of delicate flora and green plants, some of which can only be found in the tropics. 

Blue Morpho

The first sign at the entrance has the following rules: ‘If they land on you, don’t panic’ and ‘Please don’t step on them’ which is, perhaps, aimed at children who haven’t laid eyes on butterflies yet; some children may be more afraid of them (than willing to step on them) so be wary of random screaming. However, to adults alike, these creatures are quite picture-perfect, landing on your arm (as one landed on mine) and nonchalantly fluttering away in front of you.  

The exhibition educates and provides information on the four life stages of a butterfly: egg, caterpillar, chrysalis, and fully developed butterfly; the life cycle can range from a few weeks to an entire year of hibernation for some chrysalis. One of the fascinating parts of the butterfly house is the hatchery window that inhabits rows and rows of live pupae, which were hand glued to the hatchery from scratch. Viewers can see a various stages of metamorphosis taking place and may be lucky enough to see a newly created butterfly tear itself out of it’s translucent chrysalis shell.  

There are many interesting facts to pick up as you walk along the paths of the butterfly house. For example, did you know that caterpillars had 4000 muscles in their body? Or, that some caterpillars, such as Glasswing, ate certain poisonous and unappetising plants, including heliptrope leaves, in order to scare off predators?

Those interested in knowing more should keep an eye out for Owl butterflies drinking sugary liquids from oranges, butterflies mating and caterpillar eggs hidden underneath the dense foliage. Another interesting fact is that butterflies have five senses, just like humans, and they drum their feet on leaves to taste whether or not it's a suitable place to lay their eggs. Children have easy-to-read explanations of the butterfly’s life stages and can interact by collecting butterfly stamps as they progress in the path. 

There are other butterfly exhibitions provided such as, ‘A Night in the Jungle’ and the museum has set activities for school visits. Yet the butterfly house can also be a great option first dates.

Butterfly house exhibition is open until 26^th September

Please visit the NHM website for more information:

http://www.nhm.ac.uk/visit-us/whats-on/temporary-exhibitions/sensational-butterflies/index.html

Reeps One - Debut art exhibition of the Beatboxing Champ

Originally featured on: http://www.ldncard.com/blog/reeps-one-debut-art-exhibition

A.D.O (Attention, Deficit and Order) is Reeps One aka Harry Yeff debut art exhibition that brings his musical talent - beat boxing - into the visual art world. Winner of the numerous beatbox championships and described by NME as a “vocal percussion on another level”, Yeff managed to impress spectators last night through his cleverly fresh exhibition that was categorized into four aspects: ‘visual art, sonic musical performance, the union of the audio and visual and the theoretical, neurological and anatomical insight.’ The exhibition may sound like a mouth full, but turned back cap Yeff spoke to everyone and anyone about his art, bringing clarity and order to what appeared disorderly.

Yeff is original, as a performance artist and visual artist that can talk articulately about why and how he creates what he does. The force behind the exhibition derives from Yeff’s past where he was initially diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder and dyslexia at a very young age. However, by human error, he was told later on that it was a misdiagnosis.  Through this experience, he expresses how irrelevant labels and names are in people’s mental processes, which society says otherwise. 

As you enter the exhibition, you see a flawless girl’s face photographed by Ben Hopper, with thick pen marks and trails prescribed by Yeff called ‘Slant Array#3.’  Then, enter the first room with a chess board in the centre surrounded by a mass of what looks like graffiti art through over indulgent black felt tip pen marks and cartoon drawings on large white pieces of paper. However, on closer inspection, it’s actually logical. Yeff’s piece, ‘Beatbox Theory’ presents his thought processes and musical sequences when producing sounds with his mouth. Through ‘Marks and Thought Process,’ a collection of 12 paper drawings, Yeff explained how the chessboard and its players go through a paradox when strategizing which pieces to move that suddenly transform into a spontaneous reaction which represents his thinking process as he draws.

 

 

In one room, viewers can watch videos of Yeff producing art, beat boxing in the studio and performing at the Elgar Rooms at the Royal Albert Hall. In another room, there was an opportunity for people to attempt beat boxing on the mike and watch their vocal cords produce symmetrical cymatic patterns. 

 

The highlight of the night was his live audio and visual performance where he beatboxed a combination of deep funky house, jungle and dub step tunes. Behind him was a backdrop of a live view of a speaker with white power and liquid bouncing, fluttering and shaking to the vibrations of his beatboxing bass sounds with the support of Linden Jay and Zach Walker.

 

Some may think Yeff’s art conveniently sits with Banksy and Shepard Fairey but since he is an established music artist as well, his work won't need to fit in. He has set a new trend, which he has clearly conveyed. The exhibition runs until the 27^th but this Saturday 22^nd he shall be drawing live and beatboxing in the dark. 

Salon du Chocolat: The UK celebrates its first Chocolate Fair with a bathtub filled with ganache and chocolate flavoured couture

The UK celebrates its first Chocolate Fair with a bathtub filled with ganache and chocolate flavoured couture

This weekend is the opening of the UK’s first chocolate fair hosted by Olympia and ran by the great Salon du Chocolate.

With a legacy of 18 years behind them, Sylvie Douce and François Jeantet (founders of Salon du Chocolat) have celebrated their love of chocolate worldwide and finally brought it to London collaborating with over 80 UK participants in creating a splendidly delightful event.

Tonight was the Gala evening, which included master chocolatier Marc Demarquette filling up a bathtub with chocolate ganache and a model receiving a chocolate spa treatment.

There was also a grand fashion show by designers and chocolatiers, which included Lindt Excellence joining forces with artist Paul Wayne Gregory to create a classical dress “Eternal Diamond” by Graduate Fashion Show Week 2013 winner, Lauren Smith.

The dress of the night, however, was Les Sucreries de Mélodie’s that was sensual through its presentation of delicately crafted cupcakes and macaroons.

Gillian Kiamil, halls director of Olympia said, “We hope to not only welcome chocolatiers from our home country but also introduce the international industry to our beautiful venue.”

From the 18^th to the 20^th, there will be tasting rooms, kids workshops, demonstrations by the best pastry chefs and interactive cooking classes. Celebrity talks and demonstrations are chaired by the likes of John Waite from the Great British Bake Off, master chocolatier, Eric Landlard, Hideko Kawa, executive pastry chef from the fat duck and many other significant chocolate connoisseurs.

Kate Johns, PR director of Nudge PR, who manages all of the UK’s Chocolate week states that Salon du Chocolate in Paris, “…is a huge inspiration because it is so big, so many exhibitors, and everyone in Paris are passionate. We’ve worked closely with everyone in Paris to create this…but, we have got our own British quirkiness and creativity here.”

Salon Du Chocolate comes towards the end of the UK’s Chocolate week, which has included over 350 events involving theatre productions in York, Mayfair chocolate tours, Thornton afternoon teas and many more.