Cake with a cause

From August 27th-29th The Future Gallery will be hosting Cake Britain; the world's first edible art exhibition!


Artists including David A Smith and George Morton-Clarke will collaborate with bakers such as Prudence Staite and Lily Vanilli to create an array of arty cakes, buns and biscuits. Visitors are also invited to get involved, as workshops and masterclasses will take place over the weekend. 


All the artworks displayed are fresh fare, which is where visitors get an opportunity to interact i.e. eat, their way through the pieces on display. 


Finally, some art you can really get your teeth in to!

I thought I'd include a few of my favourite cakes to set the mood. Rainbow cake seen on www.fredbutlerstyle.com, cupcakes and burger birthday cake from www.alicethebaker.blogspot.com


Cake Britain at The Future Gallery
5 Great Newport Street
London WC2H 7JB
020 3301 4727
10am - 6pm, 27-29/08/10
The exhibition's theme of 'fair' is extended to the public, as the exhibition is free to get into - though a charitable donation is requested.

Dynasty

Whilst in Paris recently, I checked out great exhibition called Dynasty. Held between the Palais de Tokyo and the neighbouring Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris, the exhibition features the work of 40 emerging French artists-with each artist exhibiting one work in each location. There were some spectacular works on show - ranging from traditional painting, to sculpture and video.

A few of the works that particularly struck me were Vincent Ganivet’s freestanding concrete cinderblock arch, which is bound by nylon ropes and structured with small wooden plinths. (Looking dwarfed by the giant arch in this picture, is my Bo Bo companion Harry. Check out his blog, which documents bizarre titbits, musings and mumbles in Paris and beyond, at www.isitisitisit.blogspot.com

Fabien Giraud and Raphaël Siboni’s high definition video of a sunset, filmed without the use of lens or filter demonstrates the artists’ vision of the world as a fluid landscape.

Gaëlle Boucand’s geometric shaped sculptures covered in butterfly wings were absolutely beautiful. The contrast of the sculptures’ man-made hard lines against the natural beauty and colour of the butterfly wings was really mesmerising.  

Florian Pugnaine and David Raffini exhibited a high shine crushed and contorted metal sculpture. Accompanying this was a video demonstrating the process of creating it, using high pressure air streams.

Another favourite was Nicolas Milhé’s taxidermy hyena with gold tooth. What’s not to love?!

It’s a great exhibition and definitely worth visiting before it finishes on September 5^th. The sporadic references to the namesake 1980s cult t.v. programme are somewhat random, but once you embrace this - it’s all good! 

Palais de Tokyo

www.palaisdetokyo.com  

Musee d'Art moderne de la ville de Paris/ARC

www.mam.paris.fr

What a dude!

I really must start referencing the images I take, as I can't remember the name of this piece-nor the artist!

Anyway, I saw this sculture on a recent trip to Paris. He sits in the foyer of the Museum of Modern Art, and it looks as though he's made entirely of spaghetti! His sad eyes protrude from the sea of spaghetti that forms his body, and his 10 foot scale makes him a real spectacle. I couldn't help but think of Roald Dahl's BFG when I saw him.

 

I hope you like him as much as I do.

Delicate yet Dominating

I don't know where this image is from, or even who it's by; but I just love the colour, form and texture of it. For me, it's really satisfying to look at.

The Old Curiosity Shop

I’ve just been told about this amazing store in New York called Evolution.

As well as having an in-house entomology department, the shop sells and rents out props of preserved butterflies, beetles, fossils, seashells, skulls and skeletons, medical models, and tribal art.

The website’s really well designed, and while I’m yet to visit the actual store (definitely next on my next trip to New York) I imagine it to be a treasure trove of curiosities, where one might stumble upon a human skull or rare coral – both of which are sold here.

I’m a particular fan of the beetles, although only when they're encased in a wax mould you understand!  Check these bad boys out: Fred, Doris, Boris, Will and Frank.

The Evolution Store

120 Spring Street 


New York, NY 10012 


USA

Tel: (212) 343-1114

Darkroom

Today I'm working in Darkroom, a beautiful fashion and interiors concept store on Lamb's Conduit Street, London.

The shop hosts bi-monthly art exhibitions and seasonal themes; the summer theme entitled 'Into Africa' shows an array of African inspired pieces, from Darkroom's own African textile cushions to antique terracotta necklaces from Mali, both shown below.

The brand listing is one to be revered; leather bags from Fleet Ilya, chunky jewellery from Macha, sunglasses by Alexander Wang - they've got it all!

If you haven't already been, I urge you to pop down and take a look. Or visit their new online store, where all products are available to buy.

For more information visit www.darkroomlondon.com

Guerilla Gardening

I saw these flower grenades recently on Daily Candy. Now I'm no litter bug, but I like the idea of launching one of these into the dreary urban abyss and watching what grows.

For me, their beauty is that they're made to be broken - and that something totally natural forms from the contained cavity.

Horticulture for city slickers.

Designer Food

I find this video strangely fascinating. Directer Stephen Blaise and creative direction Catherine Camille Cushman asked a selection of designers to create different cakes; the results are almost as beautiful as the clothing they make.

Watch the video and see if you can guess which designer created which culinary delight-answers below
.:FASHION 16X9:.

Mocha Cake with Cherry Blossom's: Miu Miu

Chocolate Mocha Dome: AF Vandervorst

Mirror Caramel Cake: Prada

Orange White Chocolate Tiramisu Cake: Zero Maria Cornejo

Striped Cake with Chocolate Roses: Fendi

Chocolate Torte with Chantilly Cream: Prada