21.7.06

Bla

So, I've been to the V&A twice this week. I was under the impression the National Art Library would have a free and boundless wireless network for me to use. Nope. But that's ok, windows 2000 with heavy keys makes me all nostalgic. And I love imagining the piles of books resting under the creaky floorboards, all the art books ever published creatively stored. (I hope that's not just a rumour.)

I finally saw the modernism show and now I want more Chaplin in my life. Looked around the new Islamic art gallery too, the Ardabil carpet is beautiful. Kudos to William Morris. Encased in a glass tomb that doesn't reflect light, it's unlit for 50 out of 60 minutes which is actually more stunning than the other way round.

Last week we heard Neil Spinner talk about cybernetics and feedback loops at the Barbican, starting off with Debord's map of Paris which also starts off the Future City show (which is worth it). Overwhelming amounts of good information, albeit in a painful typeface.

I've been listening to a Greek Cypriot radio station a bit too much. Something must be up if I think Hellenic pop is necessary. They make in-jokes about the similarities between French and Greek language too. Well I'm offline most days now, so no Fonal records jukebox for me.

I've chosen parks over Pure Data/Python/Blender engine fun at Futuresonic (fool) - the heat is too much. But Koolhaas & Balmond's pavilion is nice to sit next to, it should really lift off the ground. There are lots of things happening inside it soon. The AA's project review site is good too, their show's on til July 28th.

11.7.06

in September

I'll be in Paris. Just found out I've been accepted to study at ENSAAMA Olivier de Serres. Apparently it looks like this:


Here's a diagram of how they do things (I'll be in the BTS section)


I don't know much about Paris (least of all where I'll be staying) but three places I'll be frequenting: l'ircam, Pont Neuf and le Corbusier foundation. Anyone got tips?

6.7.06

Summer holiday.

Leopard Leg went on a mini tour last weekend, we had fun. I came to the conclusion that star jumps should cure most ills (if your driver's being violently sick, give him this handy advice at service stations.) Encores can be good. And no one likes international football apart from me. Allez les Bleus. Anyway.

The Serpentine Pavilion is almost up! (We are on Day 43 of construction.) I read somewhere of a 24 hour marathon talk, but am yet to find the details. There's a calendar documenting the whole process with lovely photographs.

Slowly easing into summertime too, via DMZ and Tate Moss' 11 hour spectacular (on a Bow Backs riverbank).

In other news, I managed to catch only a few degree shows but that's ok because they're a little deflating and Free range is slightly terrifying. And in other other news, we set up lots of fans in the Whitechapel the other month, and here's a video of what some of it looked like.

electric fans at the whitechapel gallery