Tag Archives: photography

Absurd Observations a portrait study of Bestival exploring ‘The Art of Dressing Up’

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© Kent Mathews and Dan Smith

© Kent Mathews and Dan Smith

Absurd Observations:
A portrait study from Bestival exploring “The Art of Dressing Up”

By Kent Mathews and Dan Smith

23rd July – 10th August 2014

The appeal of Bestival seems to grow each year attracting free-spirits and music lovers alike and creating a truly unique experience for all who attend. Having been the first music festival I ever went to, I jumped at the chance to attend a photo exhibition which has set out to encapsulate the beautiful and bohemian vibe Bestival go-ers can’t seem to get enough of. Held at the Proud Galleries in Camden. ‘Absurd Observations’ features studio portraits taken from Bestival’s book, ’The Art of Dressing Up’ The portraits are a vivid and offer a stylish insight of Bestival go-ers in all of their fancy dress glory taken by photographers Kent Mathews and Dan Smith.

Both hailing from London, Mathews and Smith have carved out very successful photographic careers. Having originally studied Art, Kent Mathews then went on to graduate in Film and Photographic Art. He then went on to work as a fashion and portrait photographer travelling the world and creating an impressive international profile for himself. Dan Smith initially started out in Biology but changed his direction to photography focussing on fashion photography. Smith then went on to work for iconic titles such as Face and Untold and contributing to British Vogue, Vanity Fair and Harpers and Bazaar. Mathews and Smith being friends for years were both keen on collaborating, and it was their love of Bestival which led them to The Bestival Photo Studio.

© Kent Mathews and Dan Smith

 

It’s no surprise really that Bestival continues to go from strength to strength every year as it really is like no other festival. It’s hard to pin it down to one thing when it comes to what makes it truly special but there are a few stand outs what with the magical setting and fun touches such as the WI tea tent and Wishing rave tree, but one of its main feature’s that definitely sets it apart is that it was not only the first festival to incorporate fancy dress but is now the biggest fancy dress party in the world. Every year, Rob and Josie Da Bank, the founders of Bestival, come up with a theme and on the Saturday hold a fancy dress parade for everyone to show off their weird and wonderful creations, (usually with an equally exciting artist on the main stage), my particular favourite soundtrack was The Village People. Its incredible how something as simple as fancy dress has helped create this aura surrounding Bestival and it’s a vibe that is felt by anyone that attends. Evidently, it was the extravagance and extremities of Bestival go-ers and their fancy dress efforts that spurned Matthews and Smith to want to encapsulate this feeling and so The Bestival Photo Studio was born. Mathews explains, “Our goal was to photograph the beautiful mayhem of Bestival goers in a studio setting out of the context of the festival. We approached the portraits with a formulaic methodology and dead pan expression in order to give the body of work a consistency and a feeling reminiscent of a scientific study.”

© Kent Mathews and Dan Smith

To create that truly authentic ‘Bestival experience’, the exhibition was underscored by the legend that is Rob Da Bank with a slideshow of the portraits projected onto the bricks of Proud Galleries. There is something truly mesmerising dancing to the sounds of Bestival whilst watching these ‘dead pan expressions’ which Mathews refers to, dressed in the most extravagant, ridiculous, coolest, silliest and down right hilarious costumes. It’s always a thrill when one of your favourite artists pops up looking silly and fantastic in fancy dress but personally, it was the true beauty and effort of the regular festival attendee which is inspiring here. Mathews and Smith have steered well clear of the ‘off your face’ cliché that usually frequents the average festival go-er something that is bandied around in media so much these days and it just goes to show that their perspective is much more powerful and really captures and stays true to the essence of what makes Bestival one of a kind.

© Kent Mathews and Dan Smith

Absurd Observations will act as a prequel to Bestival and will give the general public a chance to see the photographs which have set out to capture the true essence of such an enchanting and surreal world. The exhibition is free and will run from 23rd July-10 August 2014. As well as this, signed prints are available through the proud website www.proud.co.uk.

Proud continues to be one of the most visited destinations in London boasting three galleries, two live music venues and three Cabaret clubs and continues to expand.

Proud Galleries
The Horse Hospital Stables Market

Chalk Farm Road

London
NW1 8AH

 

keshini misha.

Interview with Alexander Devrient

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Interviewing the talented Alexander Devrient was such fun, he’s dashing, eloquent and such a gentleman. You will recognise him for his latest role in Emmerdale Farm as the french love interest to Kerry. His rather dramatic entrance was too funny for words and if you watched it I am sure it would have had you gripped. The story line is unfolding and he is fast becoming one of my favourite actors. I am not going to spoil it for you in anyway, but you must keep your eyes on this rather beautiful chap.

He’s worked with the likes of Guy Richie on the set of Sherlock Holmes, and Jude Law was very excited to work with him, as was I the other day. I got to photograph this wonderful TV personality and create some rather cool images for the interview. We had such a great chat and he was a joy yo work with.

  Alexander Devrient

Q. What made you get into acting and was it at an early age you knew you had a calling.

A. I’ve always tremendously enjoyed acting and performing. I took drama classes as a kid, played in every school play and later, managed to see a lot of professional theatre as a teenager.

Saying that, it was only at University that I realised I wanted to make a profession out of my passion. I applied for Drama School in my 3rd year of studying Economics and International Relations. I felt I had to give it a shot and luckily I got in. A few months after finishing my degree I started acting training.

Q. Where did you grow up.

A. I grew up in Brussels, Belgium but my dad is Argentinean/German and my mum is Lebanese. My household was always a mishmash of languages. My mum spoke French to us, my dad German. When they didn’t want us to understand what they were saying they spoke Spanish.

Alexander Devrient

Q. How have your parents influenced your career

A. My parents have always been very supportive but my biggest influence has been my Lebanese granddad. He’s performed on stages in Cambridge, Paris and Beirut since 1957. He absolutely adores theatre. In February, I was playing Anglo-French production Poilu & Tommy here in London. We opened the same night as he did with his play in Beirut. He’s 80 years old now. Magic!

 

Q. What was it like to be asked to join the cast of Emmerdale

A. It was a beautiful feeling indeed. Emmerdale is a British TV institution, the first episode was aired in 1972. The longevity of this series is incredible.

 

Q. What would be the biggest achievement you could imagine

A. Leaving a lasting mark in the industry for generations to come.

 

 

Q. Working with such great actors and directors it must be hard when you are not working on a project. How do you stay focused and motivated

A. I attend workshops, go to the theatre, and watch films. It’s important to be in tune with the industry and learn from the best.

I also work as a Voice Over artist and do the occasional freelance broadcasting work.

 Alexander Devrient

Q. What role would you just love to play.

A. Gabriel Macht’s Harvey Specter in Suits.

 

Q. Who in history would you have loved to star with

A. Klaus Kinski, Rita Hayworth and Jack Nicholson would have to top that list.

 

Q. You have striking looks, do you get spotted and recognised in the street, if so how do you respond.

A. I can still roam the streets relatively freely but when I do get stopped the responses to my work are always very positive which is great.

 

Alexander Devrient

Q. What has been the most wonderful experience to come out of acting

A. I get to work with an array of talented people from all around the world and what do we do? We essentially tell stories. That’s a wonderful gift that comes with acting.

 

Q. One last cheeky question…what role do you think you could have played far better than the original and why!!

A. Give me the chance to play Lestat de Lioncourt and I’ll show you why.

We really look forward to following your career and all you lovely readers make sure you do to! Follow Alexander on Twitter @ADevrient if you want to pop me a little tweet I’m over here @sarahbacchus for any other information regarding my photography head over to sarahbacchus.com and take a look at our lifestyle blog SLBStyle.com 

This interview and shoot was held at the beautiful Mamounia Lounge in Mayfair, I want to thank them for their hospitality and for allowing me to take over an entire room for a few hours! Tweet them @MamounialLounge

Designer watch- Demelza and the Daisies

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As we are now full swing into 2014 and Summer is nearly upon us,  it is that time of year we start thinking about our new wardrobe, out with the baggy jumpers and start shaving your legs again! This also means it is time to steer away from the high street and start investing in some one off designer pieces. Now this does not mean they have to cost the earth. So lets look at one of our featured designers.

 

Demelza and the Daisies (What a fab name!) is  a bespoke womenswear designer based in SE London. All garments are made to measure ensuring they fit perfectly,  garments are Inspired by a music lifestyle and the Japanese Lolita fashion.

Her previous collections have included designing one off pieces for individuals, photographers and private collections.

DSC_5699_pp DSC_5647_pp DSC_5761

Past collection (Photography by Emma-Jane Photography: www.emma-janephoto.co.uk)

 

She has recently launched some new Spring 2014 designs, including this lovely vintage skater dress, which we love!

Demelza-_flowers___pearls

 

If you are interested in contacting Demelza and the Daisies or purchasing some lush Spring pieces, go to thew website at:http://demelzainthedaisies.bigcartel.com/about

Spring is in the air with Yull shoes floral collection

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Spring is now finally in the air.. or sort of, if you squint really hard over the London horizon. But if you want to bring the sunshine out even more through sheer willpower and positive actions we recommend investing in a pair of Yull shoes just for the occasion.

 

Emma-Jane Photography Yull5 Emma-Jane Photography Yull4

This years is the launch of the Spring 14 collection from the very talented designs of this company. A personal favourite is the chelsea flower shoes, which is perfect for Spring and to see you into Summer time in the city. These little beauties come in grey, pink and green with a lovely little floral detail on the back. There sis also a new matching handbag… I feel my own purse opening up as we speak…

Emma-Jane Photography Yull3Emma-Jane Photography Yull 1Emma-Jane Photography Yull 2

You can go to www.yull.co.uk to buy some yourself!

Images by Emma-Jane Lewis www.emma-janephoto.co.uk

Cities At Dawn Workshops: A Photographers Dream

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asWe are a huge fan of these Cities At Dawn workshops, they teach you how to capture  London, Paris and Venice at dawn. We have a blog from one half of Cities At Dawn Anthony Epes, (the other half is his wife Diana Bird, both are an incredible, talented team) You can also read about ‘the art of seeing’ which is what Anthony wants to help people develop on the workshops alongside all the technical stuff.

An adventure in Paris By Anthony Epes.

Last week a group of talented, eager and inquisitive amateur photographers joined me in Paris for my first Paris at Dawn workshop. It was a truly incredible, intense and inspiring experience.  After four days they had created a great portfolio of photos, we’d had many conversations about photography and walked miles exploring the beautiful, pretty, epic, gritty and sometimes crazy streets of Paris. There were many bars visited and a good amount of delicious food taken in.

On our first morning we met at 4am when Paris was still heavy in darkness and wandered through the beautiful cobbled streets of Montmartre, past the debris of last night’s fun and the many cafes that line the streets that are usually heaving with people. The winding roads and alleys (and many steps!) took us up to Sacre Coeur. We met people along the way – a group of French revelers intent on continuing the night, a painter I know who was out walking his dog, a few workers on their way home – and as is usual when there is no one else around, people were friendly and chatted to us along the way, curious to find out what we were doing up at such an hour and wanting to see out work.By old Shoreditch Station

The dawn didn’t disappoint. We stood on the hill by Sacre Coeur and watched as Paris was lit up by a red and yellow sun. The group were instantly inspired and a furry of activity, running up and down the steps, trying to capture the amazing dawn light as it changed rapidly. I was there to assist, giving tips and providing guidance.

Dawn gives you a tiny window of opportunity to see some of the most beautiful light of the day, you have to be prepared and you have to be quick. Every dawn is different, sometimes you might have an epic sky for a few hours or you can be waiting for hours and then suddenly for 30 seconds  the sky burst with incredible light, only to vanish in seconds. Be prepared or miss out on the best light of your life. It always gives me a thrill to wait and see what each morning will bring.

The next morning we headed down to Notre Dame on the Seine and Ile St Louis. Sunrise over any river, especially one that has so many beautiful bridges like in Paris, is a good opportunity for great photos . I really enjoyed introducing the group to these iconic places, even though I have been to these spots dozens of times, the beauty of Paris is so incredible that even I manage to get new shots each time I visit. This little stretch of the city is one of my favourite places to shoot, the little lamps by the river, the grand imposing Notre Dame, the pretty little bridges.

cad-6Our Parisian adventure also included lots of technical and composition sessions, and a 1-2-1 with each of  the photographers, for me to look over their portfolios and give them some advice about how they can each develop. I love getting to know each person’s body of work and it helps me when I am out and about to give advice that is specific to them.

We also took an afternoon walk from my apartment in Batignolles along Pigalle and the ‘saucy’ bit of the city (and past the Moulin Rouge, which looks much smaller in real life than one imagines), to Rue Barbes which is a heavily north and West African area with a great French and ethnic market and food shops, through the Sri Lankan area around the gritty Gare du Nord (where the smells of curries and parathas coming from the cafes make your mouth water) across Jardin Villemin, one of those pretty parks the Parisians do so well, and ending up at Canal St Martin a sort of London East-Endish cool area. Design shops, cool bars, a couple of galleries line the canal which is beautiful, especially in the morning with its high green bridges and tall trees. We stopped at Le Comptoir General, a very cool bar/cafe that’s down a little unmarked alley way, and had African street food and some much deserved beer.

The workshop finished up at my apartment on Sunday morning, over an indulgent breakfast of buttery croissants and cad-2chocolaty, custard pasties. We looked over the images the group had got, talked about our experiences and discussed any lingering questions. And then reluctantly, we all left to pack up and go home to our real lives. I found it incredibly inspiring to spend this time with these people who were so curious and interested in discovering Paris, taking photos and building their skills. Being with other people who share your passion is such a pleasure. Talking photos, taking photos, exploring, being together – it’s such a joy. We all came away inspired by each other and of course by Paris, at dawn.

 
Workshop dates for 2014 are:
 

 

cities at dawn cities at dawn cities at dawn cities at dawn

Celia Birtwell Portraits By David Hockney On Display

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Portraits of textile designer Celia Birtwell will be on display during Dulwich Picture Gallery’s major exhibition ‘Hockney, Printmaker’ (5 February- 11 May 2013). The show is timed to coincide with the 60th anniversary of David Hockney’s first print, and will provide an instructive and entertaining overview of the artist’s career as printmaker. Grouped by theme and technique in a series of displays, the exhibition featuring over 100 works will include eight portraits of Celia created between 1973 and 1998.

Celia first saw Hockney in 1968 in Portobello Road, and later met him again through Ossie Clark who was friends with Hockney at the Royal College of Art. After this time she became a regular presence in the artist’s work, including his prints; of which she features in approximately 30, constituting about a quarter of his total printed portrait oeuvre. A shared interest in aesthetics and a fascination with each other’s work and style have drawn them together. Hockney said “She’s playful, funny. When I first met her, I was attracted to the fact that she could make me laugh, and that’s a very big appeal to me”

Celia Birtwell portraits by David Hockney on display
Hockney’s depictions of her show his attitude towards portraiture in general, that it should be based on a psychological insight into his sitters’ lives, hence his aversion to commissioned portraits. Hockney believes that you can only draw someone when you know them and the closer the relationship the better the portrait.

Many of the Celia portraits reference the private, domestic scenes of Matisse and late 19th century artists such as Degas, depicting women engaged in routine activities, dreaming or sunk in thought. The portraits of her included in the show span a quarter of a century, and we can see that as Hockney grew in confidence, they became increasingly vibrant, energetic and bold, such as An Image of Celia, State II (1984-86). He created his larger lithographs, such as Big Celia Print #2, using long-handled brushes and dilute lithographic inks. The drips and splashes attest to the speed with which the prints were executed; a refreshing contrast to traditional lithographic portraits, which often took days to complete.

Celia Birtwell said:

“We have always felt completely comfortable in each other’s company. We amused each other. I found posing for him to be a very intimate, and silent, affair…Before commencing we have a conversation about how he wants me to look. I could look left or right. He may say, ‘Move your arm.’ ‘Sit further back.’ ‘Look out of the window.’ then comes the moment when he suddenly says, ‘I like that.’ whilst he’s drawing me I can see the intensity, struggle and concentration on his face. The intensity is extraordinary. After an hour or so he’ll say, ‘do you want to take a break, luvvie?’ Sometimes I take a peek at the portrait, other times I prefer to wait until it’s finished. He always says he doesn’t appeal to vanity. Whatever my feelings are, they are always amazing.”

‘Hockney, Printmaker’ is curated by Richard Lloyd, International Head of the Print Department at Christie’s. Loans have been secured from key lenders including Salt’s Mill, Saltaire, David Hockney Inc., David Hockney Foundation, National Gallery of Art, Washington, National Gallery of Art, Canberra, Bradford Museums and Galleries, Tate and Private Collections. A fully illustrated colour catalogue published by Scala accompanies the exhibition and features an illuminating text by Celia Birtwell. It will explore the key themes in the exhibition in the context of the artist’s biography, together with texts from contributors such as Marco Livingstone, John Kasmin, Peter Tatchell and Martin Gayford.

Image: Celia Birtwell sitting for Hockney as he draws Celia with Wind and Snow from his Weather series and Chair – ,- The Colony, Malibu pinned to wall. Gemini G.E.L., artist’s studio, Los Angleles, California. National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, gift of Kenneth Tyler 2001.

 

Rolling Stones Only Contemporary Portrait Series Released in London

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Michael Donald has been selected by Ronnie Wood to do new portraits of The Rolling Stones, the only series of contemporary portraits of the whole band to ever be released, to be displayed at Castle Fine Art from 7th Feb – 2nd March.

Half of the series was shot in Stagroves, the house Mick owned in 1971 where the band started to record Exile on Main Street. Ronnie was shot in London and Keith in New York. There are some fascinating stories to be told from the shoot.

keithrichards rollingstones

Christmas Art Attack Night

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Paola Berta hosted a cosy, VIP Charity Christmas night for the creative industries at brand, newly refurbished, venue “BUCCI” located in the heart of Knighsbridge.

Guests were encouraged bringing along presents (i.e. toys) in support of the “BE MY SANTA” Klash Entertainent TV Christmas project. On Christmas day, the presents will be gifted to those, less fortunate, children which will be spending their Christmas at the Ormond Street Children Hospital.

Graham Swain in the center! #Christmas party 2013

Graham Swain in the center! #Christmas party 2013

Michelle Castillo #Christmas party 2013

Michelle Castillo #Christmas party 2013

Maria Inonectima #Christmas party 2013 #live_art

Maria Inonectima #Christmas party 2013 #live_art

Paola Berta, Chanise Thompson #Christmas party 2013

Paola Berta, Chanise Thompson #Christmas party 2013

Robbie Moffat, Paola Berta #Christmas party 2013 #BUCCI #Knightsbridge

Robbie Moffat, Paola Berta #Christmas party 2013 #BUCCI #Knightsbridge

Tony James #Christmas party 2013

Tony James #Christmas party 2013

The event started with a Christmas inspired live art painting by Maria Inonectima and carried on with an intro to life coaching by Dr Anna Maria Sanna, followed by dance and singing performances.

Dr A. M. Sanna introduced guests to the the importance of developing a method to achieve successful results in life, something people might want to particular evaluate at the beginning of a New Year.

Inonectima Fashion brand in collaboration with Aneta Ka, showcased – via a fun and surprising undressing dance sequence “Emanation” – a new piece from the latest Inonectima Fashion brand collection.

Actress and singer, Michelle Castillo – originally from Los Angeles, recently, relocated in London – performed some lovely songs.

In between the guests in attendance producer Robbie Moffat, filmmaker and musician Paul Wiffen, performer and broadcaster Graham Swain, actress Mary Bennett, TV presenter Chanise Thompson.

Guests enjoyed the red carpet photoshot by the live art painted banner and were treated with goodie bags sponsored by Chinara Enterprises and Wild Cat Energy Drinks.

Photography by Sergio Mattioli