Reggae Britannia

Being a fan of all things reggae, Dub and Ska - and of most things BBC, I've been looking forward to the BBC's Reggae Britannia series for a while now. 

This morning I watched Reggae Britannia on the iPlayer (something else I'm a big fan of!) It was really interesting to understand the dichotomy between British and Jamaican reggae music, and its impact on mainstream pop music - I never knew that Boy George's Culture Club was so heavily influenced by reggae music. Nor, in my ignorance - did I realise the extent of racial division in British culture of the time. It shocked me, and yet it's so recent. 

I highly recommend watching the documentary here and stay tuned for the rest of the series. 

P.S. Straight after watching the show, I had to listen to all the old classics. Here's a few... 

Dreadlock Holiday - 10CC

Natty Dread She Want - Big Youth

Dub Fire - Aswad

loving You - Janet Kay

Everything I Own - Ken Boothe

Cherry Oh Baby - UB40

Back To Life - Soul II Soul

Pass the Dutchie - Musical Youth

Two Soups and a Honeybun

Justin "Kutmah" McNulty is a prolific artist and DJ on the Los Angeles creative scene, so you can imagine it was a shock and horror to many when he was arrested from his home by seven armed police officers in the middle of the night.

Detained on unprovoked immigration issues, McNulty was held in a New Mexico prison for two months where he was allowed only one hour of natural sunlight per day.
It was in this hour when McNulty watched the animals and birds roam free, that he started drawing mystical totem-like creatures, 39 of which are on display in this exhibition.

Showing endearing asymmetry - McNulty had only a pencil and ID card to create the pieces' strong lines, these pieces have a haunting ethereal quality, which contrasts against their graphic quality.
This may not be a big budget art show, but the story and the pieces speak for themselves. I definitely urge you to go see it.

Two Soups and a Honeybun runs from January 20th – February 20th
18 Hewitt Street: Powered by Protein
London
EC21 3NN
Open: Tuesday – Saturday 11am – 6pm
See more of Kutmah's work at www.kutmah.com

Inspiration

Some more images that I love today...

Richard Serra sculpture at LACMA

Transylvania by Chris Dean

 A.F Vandervoorst

 The Selby

Unknown source

Ring by Kim Buck

 Orsta gallery, Sweden

Bianca Jagger

Unkown source

3DD

Henry Hargreaves' book entitled 3DD celebrates breasts in all their voluminous 3D glory!

For more 3DDs visit www.three-dd.com

Influencers

Who's your influencer?


INFLUENCERS FULL VERSION from R+I creative on Vimeo.

Simple symmetry

I've been in Paris this week, and amongst all the hustle and bustle of the shows, this simple fruit stall caught my eye. I love the super simple visual merchandising, and the graphic effect of colourful layered fruit.

Very Prada spring summer 2011…

 

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

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.