Wednesday, 9 December 2009
Jewellery Box
In a small exhibition I noticed a small jewellery box. It was made out of porcelain, had a fine painting of peacocks on the lid and had a gold clip to shut it. The key words for it would be delicate, pure and fragile. I could imagine it being on a young women's dressing table holding a pair of pearl earrings. If this box as on an antique stall in Portobello market I would have walked right passed it or if I saw it I probably wouldn't have stopped thinking it was just another imitation of vintage jewellery boxes.
Chair
In Notting Hill I came across an antique shop and in the window was a very imposing chair. It made me think of a throne. The base and outlines are made out of wood painted gold with lots of heavy baroque details. The cousins and back of the chair where made out of a detailed beige and gold flowery heavy fabric. It reminds me of power, royalty, rococo.
If this Baroque chair was on a stall in the street the people walking by would notice it but would look at it thinking it's bad taste and over the top.
If this Baroque chair was on a stall in the street the people walking by would notice it but would look at it thinking it's bad taste and over the top.
Telescope
Walking around Portobello market I found a telescope under a pile of junk on a stall. It's made out of wood, black and golden metal and is about 1 meter hight. It stands on a wooden tripod. This object caught my eye because it reminded me a a similar telescope my grandpa used to have when I was a child.
The key words that came to my mind when I saw this object where vintage, adventure, voyage, world, wealth, museum. I could imagine this telescope in a explorer's town house office right next to a big wooden globe.
If this was exposed in a museum I think people would admire it and observe it in it's detail. They would try and guess the story behind it and who it belonged to.
The key words that came to my mind when I saw this object where vintage, adventure, voyage, world, wealth, museum. I could imagine this telescope in a explorer's town house office right next to a big wooden globe.
If this was exposed in a museum I think people would admire it and observe it in it's detail. They would try and guess the story behind it and who it belonged to.
Notting Hill
Notting hill is a part of London situated west of the centre in the Chelsea and Kensington district.
Fourty years ago Notting Hill was definitly a no-go area. It was described as a "massive slum" full of multi occupied houses. But in the past 30 years there has been a massive transformation and now has a great statue.
This area is popular for antique and music shops around Notting Hill Gate.
It's very quiet on week days but on saturdays the place is packed for the Portobello market. The market sells mostly antiques but because of the tourists is has become less authentic. Notting Hill is also known for it's carnival which takes place in august. It's a celebration of the Caribbean culture. The carnval started in the 60's as a positiv responce to immigrant communities.
The name Notting Hill is very old and comes from the Saxons "Cnotta".
This area used to be entirely rural and was part of Kensington's parish.
Notting Hill Gate is where the gate was installed on London's main road to maintain it's quality. This gate was taken away in the 19th century.
Notting Hills big Town-houses where designed by Ladbroke Thomas Allon. His idea was to build the houses surrounding a commune garden, so the gardens are not visible from the street.
Once built the Notting hill houses where not as popular as expected because rich families like living more central. So the houses where inspired by the Belgravia models but cheaper.
In the 20th century when wealthy families stopped employing domestiques the biggest houses where divided in multiple lodgings. But in the 80's the occupation of the whole house was fashionable again and now Notting hill is one of London's areas the most appreciated.
Fourty years ago Notting Hill was definitly a no-go area. It was described as a "massive slum" full of multi occupied houses. But in the past 30 years there has been a massive transformation and now has a great statue.
This area is popular for antique and music shops around Notting Hill Gate.
It's very quiet on week days but on saturdays the place is packed for the Portobello market. The market sells mostly antiques but because of the tourists is has become less authentic. Notting Hill is also known for it's carnival which takes place in august. It's a celebration of the Caribbean culture. The carnval started in the 60's as a positiv responce to immigrant communities.
The name Notting Hill is very old and comes from the Saxons "Cnotta".
This area used to be entirely rural and was part of Kensington's parish.
Notting Hill Gate is where the gate was installed on London's main road to maintain it's quality. This gate was taken away in the 19th century.
Notting Hills big Town-houses where designed by Ladbroke Thomas Allon. His idea was to build the houses surrounding a commune garden, so the gardens are not visible from the street.
Once built the Notting hill houses where not as popular as expected because rich families like living more central. So the houses where inspired by the Belgravia models but cheaper.
In the 20th century when wealthy families stopped employing domestiques the biggest houses where divided in multiple lodgings. But in the 80's the occupation of the whole house was fashionable again and now Notting hill is one of London's areas the most appreciated.
Tuesday, 8 December 2009
Telling Tales
When I entered the exhibition I had a feeling of anxiety, the whole atmosphere was disturbing. The detail of the work was beautiful and gave me a inspiration for enchantment.
In 'The Forest Glade' the 'Petit Jardin' chair caught my attention. I found it intriguing in it's detail. It had a traditional enchanted fairytale look. The disordered natural shapes and the flowery cuttings give the idea of forest vegetation but the laser cut shapes are so neat and sharp it makes it look dangerous. The colours and material used give a futuristic and almost unfinished design to this piece.
In 'Heaven and Hell' I didn't really know what to think of 'Damned.MGX'. At first I found it disturbing, it looked like a pile of corpses and violent bodies. It reminded me of some kind of barbaric battle scene. But when I looked closer I found a certain grace. Some of the bodies look like their floating, as if they were in water. The repetition an synchronization reminded me of a water ballet. But even though the colour, shape of the sculpture and bodies look pure their tortured faces give a disturbing, morbid feeling.
In the 'Enchanted Castle' I was amazed by the lightness I found in Jeroem Verhaeven's 'Cinderella Table'. It is made of marble and very imposing but it looks smooth and light. I like how the designer used the outline of a classic table and the material that would be found in a wealthy household. I found interesting how he used the traditional look and mutated it in a very modern shape cut in an old solid bloc.
The objects of the exhibition are well lit and displayed as if they were put in a living situation. In the 'enchanted castle' the mirrors on the walls and floor give an oppressing feeling to the room. The objects are reflected, multiplied and are shown in different angles to the public which creates a dramatic sensation.
These art pieces are all very different from one another in their shapes and colours but all have the same theme. This is what makes them relate to each other and work together in creating a ambiance to the room. I could make my collection more interesting by finding a way to make my objects relate to each other in space and theme to get a feeling of nostalgia.
The titles ' Enchanted Castle' and 'Heaven and Hell' are two titles I find appropriate for these exhibits.
In 'Enchanted Castle' the objects and furniture are fantastical. The designs of many of these objects recall the 18th century which is often evoked by fairytale writers and illustrators. Some of the exposed objects are a parody of high status by their exageration, materials and changes of scales. These objects show a image of wealth and magic as we can often find in fairy tales.
In 'Heaven and Hell' it is not all clear what resembles more to heaven or to hell. Some of these objects are heavenly in their shape and grace but look more like hell in their meaning or detail. This room is like a conflict between life and death, judgement and salvation. It all has to do with the mortality of men and often the afterlife. The materials are manly cold and hard but the shapes are purified.
I particularly liked 'Linen-Cupboard-House' I find the subject of childhood interesting in many ways. This piece reflects well the innocence, simplicity and naiveness in the way the children build houses for their make believe adventures.
In 'The Forest Glade' the 'Petit Jardin' chair caught my attention. I found it intriguing in it's detail. It had a traditional enchanted fairytale look. The disordered natural shapes and the flowery cuttings give the idea of forest vegetation but the laser cut shapes are so neat and sharp it makes it look dangerous. The colours and material used give a futuristic and almost unfinished design to this piece.
In 'Heaven and Hell' I didn't really know what to think of 'Damned.MGX'. At first I found it disturbing, it looked like a pile of corpses and violent bodies. It reminded me of some kind of barbaric battle scene. But when I looked closer I found a certain grace. Some of the bodies look like their floating, as if they were in water. The repetition an synchronization reminded me of a water ballet. But even though the colour, shape of the sculpture and bodies look pure their tortured faces give a disturbing, morbid feeling.
In the 'Enchanted Castle' I was amazed by the lightness I found in Jeroem Verhaeven's 'Cinderella Table'. It is made of marble and very imposing but it looks smooth and light. I like how the designer used the outline of a classic table and the material that would be found in a wealthy household. I found interesting how he used the traditional look and mutated it in a very modern shape cut in an old solid bloc.
The objects of the exhibition are well lit and displayed as if they were put in a living situation. In the 'enchanted castle' the mirrors on the walls and floor give an oppressing feeling to the room. The objects are reflected, multiplied and are shown in different angles to the public which creates a dramatic sensation.
These art pieces are all very different from one another in their shapes and colours but all have the same theme. This is what makes them relate to each other and work together in creating a ambiance to the room. I could make my collection more interesting by finding a way to make my objects relate to each other in space and theme to get a feeling of nostalgia.
The titles ' Enchanted Castle' and 'Heaven and Hell' are two titles I find appropriate for these exhibits.
In 'Enchanted Castle' the objects and furniture are fantastical. The designs of many of these objects recall the 18th century which is often evoked by fairytale writers and illustrators. Some of the exposed objects are a parody of high status by their exageration, materials and changes of scales. These objects show a image of wealth and magic as we can often find in fairy tales.
In 'Heaven and Hell' it is not all clear what resembles more to heaven or to hell. Some of these objects are heavenly in their shape and grace but look more like hell in their meaning or detail. This room is like a conflict between life and death, judgement and salvation. It all has to do with the mortality of men and often the afterlife. The materials are manly cold and hard but the shapes are purified.
I particularly liked 'Linen-Cupboard-House' I find the subject of childhood interesting in many ways. This piece reflects well the innocence, simplicity and naiveness in the way the children build houses for their make believe adventures.
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