Spot of Heaven in London

Holland Park is a beautiful to be. 

I don't know if you know this but before London, I was studying in North Yorkshire.

10 Years ago when i first arrived, the smell of manure put me and my family off,  the endless amount of countryside made me feel i was in the middle of nowhere, it rained a lot, was dirty and so on....

During my study there, i have learnt how to appreciate the beauty of its nature. 

Frankly i miss it, i miss the green landscapes, the peace and quiet and the opportunity to step away from hectic situations and find a soundless spot to clear your mind in.

London's heavy noise pollution such as, people, traffic, more traffic and others like construction can get to much. 

This park is my solution. 

One of many entrances into the park

I stepped in and already felt lighter, this place has relaxed me and i could feel its effect immediately. 

Lovely garden designs and plenty of places to sit to absorb the surroundings

Flower beds at every corner

A more interactive chess for anyone, not only the elderly

What a great place to cuddle your partner or have some lunch.

Isolated from London's busy atmosphere

There is a wide variety of flowers.
These are extremely alluring, especially when seen up close.

Kyoto Park

This is a small part of Holland Park.
This truly is a spot to be in when you are in London.
Although London has these large parks such as Kensington Gardens, this little spot here brings in a Japanese Culture.
It's peaceful, not crowded.
Stunning architecture.
Fresh air, none of that pollutant stuff form city centre.

Captivating place to be

Wonderful little waterfall to sit by

Artistic architectural features at every glance

Whilst I was here, I did 2 drawings. 

For this i used watercolours. 

I planned to do some impressionist painting with a touch of fauvism for my project

I do feel slightly uncomfortable painting outdoors so i stated small. It is probably because im not use to it but impressionist artist in the past use to always do it. There is not much of that anymore and i would like to bring it back. 

I really enjoyed it. It rained the day before so it was very wet which only helped with my supply of water when it came to using water-colours, i used the water puddles on the bench to my disposal. 

I would like to do more of this, but to further develop this, i would need to paint on a canvas and use an easel.......... not sure I'm ready for that but as soon as i am, ill show you what i did. 

Besides the breathtaking views and nature, there were plenty of wildlife to admire

2 favourites, the Peacock and the Koi fish. 

The were at least a dozen of Koi fishes in the Kyoto Park pond

There were several Peacocks around but I paid a little more attention on this one, its colours were more vibrant than the others. 

So if you do live in London, give this Park a visit. You would probably see me there sometime painting it's scenery because this wont be the last time i visit. 

Ill be back

Incredible Exhibition - South London Gallery: Oscar Murillo

Cultural Orienteering Part 1

Our task - Go around London and discover certain galleries that were given to us on a list

The first gallery our group went to was SLG

Oscar Murillo : If i was to draw a line, this journey started approximately 400km north of the equator. 

Fot those who haven't been to this exhibition yet, try to, its really something. 

The moment i walked in, i thought to myself "What a dump" and "What is this?". This was because everything was scattered about, pieces were stuck on the walls with tape?! Very poorly exhibited...or was it. I knew i had not fully understand the concept so i went to read the description of the show outside. First looks can be rather deceiving.                                     

                                                                              This exhibition, Murillo has delivered most of his studio content into this exhibition space, creating an installation which is itself, a work in progress.

 These pieces introduce ideas around processes of transformation,
there was some sort of edible substance in these plastic bags, then sculptures of them on the tables. It seemed that the substance had been transformed into another form using machinery.

The most putting off thing was that it has a stench and that flies were hovering them, not expected in a gallery, however i guess this does create a cultural atmosphere in where the artist did his research

This is Interesting!!!  

The paintings on the floor,  they have been folded and placed there on  purpose, and for sale, and people can walk on them .

Murillo wanted  paintings to become denser, dirtier and further degraded as people walk over them throughout the course of the exhibition. Weird huh? 

The paintings were worth 400 pounds each! On the floor, folded, ready for purchase. 

Personally i didn't walk over them, i felt somehow disrespectful towards the artist even if he encouraged it. My peers felt differently. 

 Contrast in texture, The raised floor level was smooth, clean
The lower level was covered with food bits, dirt, pretty much scraps from his workings. I found the texture incredibly interesting to walk on. It was a piece of art itself in that manner.

Lucky Dip

This was my favourite part of the visit. Only because i spoke to a man who worked there and it transformed into a fascinating discussion.

If we had simply walked in and left afterwards, we would not have fully understood Murillo's concept through this piece, for those who visit art galleries, ask the people there about the work, it only leads to better understanding.

This part of the show, located on the next floor up was called "Lucky Dip"
Murillo devised a lottery, each ticket is silk-screened printed.
Tickets are worked on by Murillo using oil paint.
Each ticket has its own individual number, name of buyer, style, colours and is signed on the reverse by the artist.

The tickets, they represent hope, luck, fortune and much more. When Murillo sells the ticket, and puts it up, he has this sense of ownership over someone. How would it feel holding onto someone's hopes and dreams?

What's amazing is that the tickets are not cheap. Each ticket is worth 2,500 pounds.
We asked the staff who worked there how much has he sold, he said 60. I calculated, it is around 150,00 pounds!!
That's not the best part, he has done this is the span of 3 weeks.
50,000 pounds - each week
7,142.86 pounds - each day
297 pounds - each hour
5 pounds - each minute

If my calculations are correct and this is right then OH MY GOODNESS!!

Each ticket has a uniqueness to it. Not only does the name of the buyer help with that but the colours are never the same. Numbers are written into the oil paint.

This is his space in which he deals with the tickets, he comes in on the weekends to work on them.
Its nice to see what it was like the last time he was here, it brings a sense of him into the work 24-7.

Holding onto faith of other people is rare. The possibility of winning a huge sum of money or loosing what you spent to purchase the ticket is always a gamble. 

I was mostly amazed on how much money Murillo made in such a short period of time. Being an artist is financially difficult which was why he inspired me through this project. 

Not that I'm going to concentrate on projects that will make me money. 

Tickets can be purchased online or through the gallery, so if you are interested....
Be quick though, it ends 7:30pm on the 18th October.

Thank you for reading

Eugene Lee

:)

Let down - Cultural Orienteering Part 2

Cultural Orienteering Part 2

This exhibition is by the artist Brian Calvin

We were walking through a bunch of houses in London trying to find this gallery, I asked "Are you sure we are in the right place?'

The area did not seem the place for a gallery. 

We came across this black gate, and rang the bell. 

Apparently it wasn't open yet, the show is opening tonight but they let us in

What shocked me was the gallery space. The entrance was tight, barely fit through, the reception area was small and compact. The walkway leading to the gallery space was poorly lit. 

Saw a bright light at the end of this hallway (Above Image). 

The stairway into the gallery space was unique. From a worn down layer into a white clean space. 

(Above Image) 

Gallery space was large, bigger than i expected. Like the TARDIS, Bigger on the inside than it is on the outside. 

It was a shock to us all when we saw this and compared to what we saw outside. 

Only Paintings.  Calvin's new paintings. There is lots of empty space in between. It feels slightly empty, it was a rather quick view of the show. 

          

These are the two which i liked. These two pieces reminded me of the works of Attasit Pokpong. During my internship at Sotheby's Hong Kong Ltd this summer, i was rather fascinated by his work. 

He said that facial expressions can not lie, they are the window to our soul. 

I like how the mouth are slightly open, this suggest an open reaction, is this person about to say something, react/respond toward something or what?

It has a mystery to it, there is a past and future, we cant see it but we imagine it. 

Very good pieces. 

 Beconsfield Gallery

Presenting Judith Dean's : Phase 4

Dean's work is concerned with ideas of territory and flaming, value and exchange.

I was not a fan of this show, and neither were my group

Large spaces but they place small photographs on the walls. Photographs are a 2D object so when placed poorly on a wall this large, the only thing we see when we walk in is the space, the photographs are invisible.

Photographs were poorly placed up, one was on the floor, don't know if it was suppose to be there.
With a space like this, 3D installations, sculptures or large paintings would be more appropriate.

2nd Gallery space. Underneath the train line. Noise from the train, movement creating vibrations that run along the walls and into our soles is quite a feeling.
As you can see in this image above, all you can see really is the space, walls around and the empty floor.

But too the pieces in this space were uninspiring. Nothing popped out and grabbed our attention. 

Ended on a low. 

Out of the 6 galleries on the list, we visited 4. 4th was a pub called "Flying Dutchman" but it was closed when we arrived there.

It was however a great trip, everyone bonded and we got to know London just a little bit more.

Im not good at drawing portraits of people, or painting, but i really want to try, i like that an expression is a window to your soul. Interest me. Better get practising.

Eugene Lee :)

Art made by Prisoners, Offenders, Secure Patients and Detainees

So i heard from a friend that there was this exhibition, where all the artwork there were made from criminals, people in prison.

This immediately caught my attention.

For those living in London, This Exhibition is at the South Bank Centre, SE1 8XX
Its Free Admission

This was it's Entrance piece. "Pirate Ship"
Artist at Bluebird House, Hampshire (Secure mental health unit, under 18's)

The "Pirate Ship" was entirely made out of recycled material, cardboard.

I was really fascinated by this piece due to the fact that it was all made from somebody's hands.

It shows that when somebody puts their heart, mind and soul into something, possibilities are endless.
I love creating things using my hands, this is a great encouragement in motivating me to do so.

Very good work ... but not my favourite piece.

 "Son of a Red Man"
Artist at HM Prison & Young Offender Institution Parc, Wales

I was interested in this because of its facial expression.
When i was at the gallery, being surrounded by the works created by offenders, i absorbed a strong sense of regret, memories, hopes and dreams.
It was rather emotional for me because i felt that some of the artist really felt sincere and regret and expressed it through a medium of art.

Looking at this sculpture, i feel upset, somehow making me think about the wrongs i did in the past, like i may have hurt someone and didn't notice.

This is a very powerful piece to me, the favourite of the day
I also want to start ceramics, its always been a fascination but never really experienced it.

I also want to say this, It doesn't matter who you are and what you have done in the past, it is what you do in the present and the future that makes you who you are.
These people, although stated as criminals and offenders, have actually inspired me, they showed me a glimpse of their affliction and how they are conquering it. A meanings to a true artist?

 "Forgiveness - The Prodigal Son"
Artist at Ashworth Hospital, Merseyside (Secure mental health unit)

Th title aroused my interest immediately.
Forgiveness.
We all have our secrets, we hold onto the things we've done wrong. The only for closure is forgiveness, but some of us are often too afraid to ask or not willing to forgive.

Just the title got me thinking.
You have to understand that everyone makes mistakes, your close friend or even family. Next time they do something wrong, forgive them. If no one makes mistakes, no one can learn from them and improve.

 "Mercury, Messenger of the Gods"
HM Prison Whatton, Nottinghamshire
(Right side piece)

I looked closely at this piece, i followed the marks on the page, i could see in depth lumps around the eyes, going in. I felt as if he (Rob) put more pressure down onto the page as he was colouring the eyes. Like he'd seen something bad and wanted to erase it. Emotional whilst drawing.



"Bluer Shade of Green" (One above)
Greenwich office, London Probation Trust
This was simply a beautiful portrait, Beautiful colours, beautiful girl and beautifully painted.
I rather like the lens flare effect in this painting. Maybe she is his (Nigel) girlfriend or wife waiting for him to return. At home? His place? Was it an anniversary? Does she seem upset, worried or about to quit? Paintings like these raises so many questions it sparks unlimited interest.

 "The Last Time We Met"
HM Prison Wakefield, West Yorkshire

Sorry about the slight reflection of me, this was a piece behind glass so harder to shoot.

Again, the title interest me.
This is a memory so dear to him/her.
Were they a family once upon a time?

Memories like this are hard to forget, love is such a powerful emotion that it can drive him to do good, and return to this scenario once again.
Certain memories can keep a person together, motivate those to accomplish the impossible.

I would just like to thank the Koestler Trust and Southbank Centre for continuing their partnership and showing the works of prisoners, offenders, secure patients and detainees.

Anyone can create art, art doesn't necessarily mean a painting or a drawing, it is something with meaning that you express to others in a form. Art is life, anything and everything you see is Art.

If you disagree, question or tell me about it, i would love to talk to you about it and hear what you have to say.

Love you all
Smile as big as you can NOW :)

Eugene Lee

First Exhibition at Chelsea College of Art and Design....First of many

Wow, this is weird...

Never have done a blog before so if i am doing something wrong, which is highly likely, please let me knoe.

So the day before this day, which was 1st of October, we had to bring something in.
A piece of work, any medium, anything really, just proof that you are someone capable of creating Art.

I brought in 2 photographs.

These 2 photographs were created using a feature on my DSLR camera called "Image Overlay"
The First time i experimented with this feature, i was like "This is really cool", but "cool" isn't something you should say as a Fine art Student :s

The more i experimented with it, the more it fascinated me.

This isn's something you do on photoshop, it is straight on your DSLR so you still have that sense of being a photographer.

These images were taken in Mong Kok, Hong Kong. I took images of scenes that interested me, the colour, the form, atmosphere. What are the factors in life that interest you?
Hong kong is CROWDED with people, i mean there's just asians everywhere.

Mong kok is not a high class area, it is filled with old, damaged and ageing buildings. Walls have lost it's paint, water leaking from every floor, rubbish at every corner...this is what i like to shoot. Do you know why?
I bet your thinking "eeewwww" "gross"

I love it, because it is real, natural and real life. Nothing in life is absolute perfect.

This shows history and life happening. This image up top, i took one shot of this scene upright and another shot upside down.
Now when i say this to people they are like "OMG you had to stand upside-down to take it??!"
No....I simply flipped the camera upside down.

Then combining the two images together on the feature "Image Overlay" and the Camera does the rest.
If i didn't like it, i would take another picture and another and another, until i was satisfied basically.

The one up top is called "Hong Kong Apartments #2"
It shows a modern approach in refurbishing
It uses bright colours on a greyish white building, likely to liven up buildings around.
Bridge in the middle is for public use, get to the places they need to go. Connects everything and everyone together.

Now this one on my left here is my favourite. "Hong Kong Apartments"
I have also gotten a few compliments on this which i am proud of.
I extra-larged the image so you can see every detail. Along the sides you have the yellowy green and white buildings which are very old. Some extremely damaged, a cheap place to live.
And in the middle, you have the Markets.

I love the markets and so does everyone who lives and comes to Hong Kong, why? Because everything and yes i mean EVERYTHING is rather cheap and its like (Cowboy Voice) "A box of chocolate, you never know what your gonna..." find.

The only places in this photograph where it is not crowded are the skies.

The reason why i enjoy using this technique in Hong Kong is because it exaggerates the popularity of this location.


You still here or have i lost you? Hope Not :)


On Tuesday, i places the two photographs on the wall. I tried it the other way around but gut told me this was the better layout.

I would have liked to printed them out on a huge scale, i'm taking big, probably not as big as your thinking, like A0 maybe....is that big?
Ooooo, Maybe like 2 meters high, for the photograph on the left.
Giving you a sense that your there, like looking through a glass.

Tutors split the group of 25 into groups of 4. We each talked about our piece, and then when we reunited with everyone else, the ones you talked to about your piece had to tell everyone else about it.
Good method in getting everyone to talk and making sure they listened.

I had some good ideas thrown at me like "Why not try double exposure photography?"
I have looked up a few artist who do this and looks rather interesting.
It does look like a photograph made for posters or a music album cover but the idea of using a film camera interest me. A lot.

We all looked around at other people's work. Many concepts intrigued me however their outcome did not. Some were lacking the "effort look" This is something i created within myself.
I am someone who likes to make something with my hands, whether its painting, sculpture or photography, but the actual piece has to be strong, to back up its concept or else it looses interest on both ends. I enjoy it when seeing a piece of art and thinking "he/she must have worked so hard to do this".

There were not a lot of painting,  this is something i want to get back into, but i am going to talk about this on another blog because this is getting loooonnnnnnggg and i'm worried that you're falling asleep.

should have had a frame around my piece?

What sort of photography do you like? What makes your unique compared to others?

Love Eugene