- Master show Carberwell

So, this is the invitation to the MA show happening at the Carberwell College of Arts from where i just arrived. I was really excited about this one, so, when i left home at 6:30 and planning to get there by 7, i was hopping to enjoy 2 hours of great work...

Well, i did, in a way. But then, as i was about to go to the Fine Art galleries a friendly fella tells me that the College was just about to close, not, therefore, as advertised on the Facebook invitation that i was sent. Bear in mind, at 8, it closes.

The first galleries i visited were the illustration ones, and there is some jaw-dropping work, really. In fact, most of the work is absolutely incredible, these will be the vanguard illustrators in a couple of years, no doubt about it. Then, of course, there is the average work, just some of it. Bad work, i haven't seen.

This guy's work, for example, was amazing. His name is Will Morris and the reason i picked his card and not from others, was due to the ammount of work he presented. Incredible. He made an entire comic book, very funny, about some Scotish fishermen. I guess the text has been written by him, in a nice Northen accent - "shite!" His personal blog is, willmorris.blogspot.com, check it out.

To be honest, i find it quite unfair to select this or other work out of what was on offer, but hey, my intention is uniquely to invite you to go there and see by yourselves. This one is by Weiyi Li and again, just one that for some reason catched my eye more than others. 

I find her work very unique - i mean, personal - , again, check some more of her work at weiyilicreation.tumblr.com, its well worth the few minutes it takes to explore.

Well, here is the last link with information on how to get there in case you came to my blog on time and want to have a go at it. Yes, it is free, of course.  http://newsevents.arts.ac.uk/event/camberwell-summer-shows-2011-ma

See you soon...

- FdA Degree show

This is a very small selection of the excellent work that is currently displayed at the London College of Communication. The work is from final year students of the course that i am on. Uff, the bar as been set really high i have the feeling. Next year will be us, organizing and exposing at the exhibition. Start your journey into the work here, or, alternatively and highly recommended, pop up there. The exhibition will last until the 8th of July.

- Street art vs Friezing art

There was a period in my life were the nostalgic feeling of a Sunday evening was non existing. On Mondays i would be told which days i would work the following week, with luck or by insisting i would eventually get two days off in a row. Some of you better than others understand what i mean, but well, what i want to say is that i am getting that feeling now again. And it feels so good...

The weekend was great, went partying on Saturday, met different people and with one of them, a Brazilian film maker (you) i ended up discussing the environment and potential of street art. Its a fabulous world, full of concept, Human, approachable and with the mission (i don't necessarily like the need of mission or goal in art but..) of making art more available to people. We didn't talk about it but i think on the ground of the movement there is also a dislike of the amount of advertising and marketing strategies all over the place, and an insurgent desire of competing for the spots/canvas in the landscape.

The conversation started because on my way the the pub, in the Old Street area, i saw three big paintings on the wall of a building which had two train wagons on top. Surrealism? No, street art.

Unlike most of the times, the exhibition had not finished yet and the sign was inviting me to come back the next day, today, and enjoy the works from different galleries and solo artist from around the world. The Brazilian film maker had been there just before we met, and so our conversation started.

Today is today and i there i went. Its in Great Eastern Street by the way, closer to Bishops Gate than Old street, the exhibition is over now, but there will be stuff going on. Which number? I don't know, look for the two wagons. Its easier.

Did you notice? Admission free. Not that London is badly served in terms of free access to art, but in this particular weekend, which culminates with the last day of the Frieze art festival in the Regents Park (and it's £15 entrance fee) i thought, hum, i'm liking this already.

The door is rather narrow, the entrance lacks all the flamboyance that generally comes with international exhibitions and you see this sign. You turn left, then right and the first work you see is a Banksy screen print. I am a huge admirer os this artist's work but it was nice to notice the little importance that it acquired in the overall space. The point was not to use his name as a promoter of the event, but, as a street artist, there he was represented.

This was probably the piece that most impact had on me and so i put it here first. It was unbelievable to feel the power of this painting hitting my chest. It has depth, strength, it's an illustration but abstract, black and white, full of feeling to be absorbed. Can you imagine this in front of you while you wait for the bus in the morning?

The exhibition was composed by 12 stands, there was work made from materials collected on the streets, there was work on wood, on canvas, there was work by the black rat press studio from London (all pieces sold out), there was work from Titi Freak, a Brazilian exposing as a solo artist and with a concept based on colors, there was people, there was that very nice vibe of an umpretentious art gallery. And Dios mio, how good the work was...

Below is a small selection on what impressed me the most.

For more info, check them out by simply clicking in the link below. Make sure you click by pressing your Cmd or Ctrl key so you wont leave this blog. www.monikerartfair.com

Hope you enjoyed what i absolutely had to share with you.

Have nice weeks...

- The story of the Portuguese fella who dared becoming an artist. 1/?

There was not enough air.

The vacuum on my chest was so strong that i felt like imploding. Decided that if i was to implode, then better rush to a last coffee and cigarette.

Six or seven steps, not to sure, separated the top from the bottom of the fancy mezzanine in my fancy flat in Notting Hill. Downstairs all the tools and materials to make my beverage were in stand by, attracting each other with very very very very little evidence, but hey, i am not going to try and deny Newton's ideas about such things, and, to be fair, such thoughts did not cross my mind at the time which therefore makes it a bit, just a bit, irrelevant for the account i want to give here.

So, there was no air, but, a couple of minutes later there was a nescafe being drank and a couple of fags on successive carburation (this computer doesn't know the word carburation, lol).

It was my day off.

A quick glance at my tips box would have revealed more than 600 pounds. I was making goood money up-selling sides of ham and gruyere cheese to the fanatics of overpriced organic food. I was really good at it i must say. Like a robot. Hello Madam, haven't seen you this week, is baby John better from the tonsillitis? Oh really!? But that is great news, i'm glad for you Mr Patton, would you like a side of tapenade with your salad, no no, yes yes, thank you very much, that is really kind of you. Fuck, i'm hungry, i want to go on break, sorry Manager, the floor is ok, do you mind if i go on break now, my apologies Manager, you are right..