findingstufftowatch

my latest obsession is the work of Charles Freger I came first across Bretonnes, a stunning book of French headwear but Wildermann an earlier book is inspiringly 'zany' http://www.charlesfreger.com/portfolio/wilder-mann/ the site has some truly beautifully odd costumes. meanwhile unlocked is a film full of intentions which have to be read and reread to make sense of direction and misdirection. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1734493/ Thor: Ragnarok is laugh out loud thrill a minute super hero knowing madness - excellent. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3501632/?ref_=nv_sr_1 murder on the orient express strangely flat and more of a case of who cares than who done it. late to this series but now working through inside No 9  - it is wonderfully dark with curious twists and turns. Marc Radcliff's 6 music special on Mark E Smith was wonderful - but just sad that he had to die for us to get the programme. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09rjjpw  Meanwhile my favourite comment about the man was by Tony Wilson and the track Industrial Estate - a whole song whose only lyrics are those of the title, with one or two yeah yeahs thrown in for good measure https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wo-OEj-EE-Y the clip below  is not the conversation but it's worth a watch from the past with Tony Wilson and added Paul Morley within an array of fashion madness https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhLao7SdzIE

brainblowingaboutbrains

the synthetic anatomy project at Kings continues to blow my mind...today I have seen a video of an opera singer awake and actually singing whilst having a brain operation where they turned his ability to sing off with electric probes. I was moved to tears. This on top of engaging with medical software imaging that I is a fairly steep learning curve, holding a chicken foetus, learning that monkey brains are smoother, making sense of grey and white brain matter and the concept behind CAT scanning. Next it's engaging with the software that interfaces with the 3D printer whilst developing my understanding of anatomy by working with brain data sets. My session today was a mixture of the brutal delivery of atypical material in a unfamiliar context but tempered by amazing amounts of good natured engagement. I hope that the students can take some of the ideas on board and make use of the lateral thinking skills embedded within the workshop. 

fullonvirtualheartsurgery

Work wise it's been a full on week, the process of planning permission is underway at Chelmsford so should hopefully, maybe start making work soonish.  Assessment time at NUA  is an immersive exercise and takes all sorts of energy but it's exciting to spend quality time with the work submitted. Tutorials with OCA students has been wonderfully creative. They are taking on the huge task of challenging their working patterns to create new work within a new context, testing boundaries. For my part I have been made aware of a huge range of new work and ideas alongside providing advice and support. Synthetic anatomy has seen me attempting to take on board learning 3D medical imaging software. It's a steep curve but awesome - working on the heart virtually is fairly mind blowing - can't wait to try and 3D print my efforts. The end of the f***ing world is a great road movie coming of age season - watched it all, 8 episodes in one go - yea that compelling http://www.imdb.com/title/tt6257970/ Gilbert and George at White Cube - what to say - I loved the sign warning of bad language outside, although fucking became so oblivious that it ceased to actually have the impact it can have in isolation. Its Condo in London time http://www.condocomplex.org/london/ so decided to check out a few spaces in the east end - loved the nipping from space to space festival vibe

busybusyanatomybuilding

A busy week ahead with year 3 assessments at NUA, OCA tutorials for Testing Boundaries and general activity such as workshops - Hybrid thinking/construction is at the core of this session. You will be beginning to think about construction. You will be exploring where book becomes pleat and folding becomes smocking. You will of started off making simple smocking techniques, pleating and book experimental book structures. Needles, thread, paper and cloth will be provided. Meanwhile day 1 contact with students as part of the synthetic anatomy project at Kings was excellent. The energy in the room was so positive and solutions to bridge building and subsequent presentations were full of learning and thinking that will go on to support the project later.  some films - Three Billboards outside Ebbing Missouri is a remarkable film - it takes the viewer on an extraordinary journey that can't be guessed http://www.imdb.com/title/tt5027774/ Mark Felt: The Man who brought down the White House is a film full of very dramatic swirling enigmatic music that includes references to telephones and telecommunication in general whilst pointing out the obvious imagery on screen. Man with an iron heart is a down the line but not exactly word for actual historical fact of Nazi action in WW2. 

thedisplayissue

At a recent trip to the British Museum I spent some time looking at the objects that held the objects in the exhibition cases. The break has given time to explore ideas of display as work and work as display. How books and bookart is presented is an ongoing concern, it becomes a focus on the MA Book Art Course at Camberwell so I'm channelling some of those ideas.

some films...The Disaster Artist - unsure if its knowingness is a good or bad thing - when it's not clear if one is laughing with or at its always challenging. Mudbound is just relentlessly oppressive and it happens in lots of mud. Last Flag Flying is a mismatch of a film with, tonally all over the place. The second series of Lady Dynamite https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gSxKR0Cirs takes a number of turns that makes you realise mental health is at the core of the writing as the structure develops more layers with flights of fancy and symbolism standing in for linear narrative - truly challenging such that the talking dogs becomes the most 'regular' activity in the whole series!

walkingsmokingwatchingthedarkness

a week of long walks - came across another example of smoking architecture in Orford - to add to my collection - https://www.slideshare.net/l.bicknell/smoking-architecture  The next stage in the work for Goldlay Sq is that the title of the piece will lead the public to a social platform where the research that supported the thinking and making can be viewed - thinking @knownknowledge is the answer. Posts later. season 4 black mirror was as expectedly dark as it should be and at its best when engaging with technology that appears to already be here, but is it becoming a place to scare the children and promote fear of the future?....meanwhile all these sleepless nights - a truly beautiful film that shines a light on the stupid glorious wonderfulness of youth - it just hangs around being young - how wondrous. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt5146068/ The remake of The Beguiled http://www.imdb.com/title/tt5592248/?ref_=nv_sr_1 by Sofia Coppola has some interesting directorial choices in relationship to the original with Clint Eastwood - check out the mad trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n47_BZ2pj5U