Pop up design market finds

Check this out: a pendant light (in an obvious very English style) and hoody salt and pepper shakers. 2 things I saw at the Pop Up Design Market at Truman Brewery (Brick Lane) this weekend. I picked up a flyer that told me that I can buy them online on their website http://www.hiddenartshop.com/ and I can highly recommend it: I love their stuff!

What they say on their website: "For over 20 years Hidden Art have been supporting and promoting talented designers and designer-makers to transform their passion into products."

According to a lady on the market, I could only buy something there at the spot or get it delivered by ordering online. So you can't buy it in any shop or at let's say a weekly market booth somewhere in London, which I find weird and a missed opportunity (although of course it cost avoiding or profit maximizing in a way). I'm gonna phone in soon because I saw something I want to have by the end of next week, and I'll ask them and let you know!

Tate window

Nice set up outside Tate Modern in one of their windows which made a cool pic I think. I've been looking for the explanation of this on the website, trying to figure out what it means but I couldn't find it. Next time I go by (probably within a week) I'll ask and let you know. The words I can make up are "languages, speaks, loud squeaky voice". Quite curious to get info on it.

Also on in Tate Modern now is the big black box by Miroslaw Balka. I highly recommend to just walk in. Don't spoil it for yourself and use a mobile to find your way, or look back, or use a flash camera. It's a sensational experience, in the way that it tickles your senses. You can only see a bit (after adapting to the almost pitch black), what you hear sounds slightly different, and you end up putting your hands where you're going to not bump into someone or hitthe wall. Once you reach the back, turn around. It's cool how much you can see then, all of a sudden you literally see the light and see just about everything and you're back to normal. Very cool.

I've also visited the Pop Life exhibition. My companion hated it, I loved it, but then again, I'm a Pop Art fan. It is indeed a celebration of pop culture which is what makes it so controversial. The funniest display to me was the video of Kirsten Dunst "turning Japanese", a video that was a collaboration between director McG and artist Takashi Murakami, whose style I recognized from Kanye West his album's artwork. Even funnier, I tried to find it on YouTube and I noticed that I wasn't the only one looking for it judging by the comments of people who saw the clip at Tate and as myself could only find a series of pictures of Kirsten Dunst during the shooting. Well there you go, if that isn't pop culture ... People see exhibit, find something they like, look for it online on the most popular video website YouTube so they could at least find or even own a copy, can't find it but comment on it and on each other's posts therefore communicating with strangers across the world about one object that is the embodiment of pop culture ... Think about it.

You'll find out in my blogs: I like pop culture, and I'm not afraid to say it :)!

Update

Good afternoon my dearest blog readers,

it's a beautiful day in London, a bit chilly but not too cold, blue sky and nice sun, My kind of day ...

I am still living in the amazing city that is London. I have decided to make a few changes to the lay out and content of my blog. I think you all know by now that I've settled in ok, that I am finding my way around the city and that I am enjoying every minute of it. Therefore, from now on my blog will be less of "Hi family and friends, I'm still alive" and more about the fantastic city of London and what there is to find, to see, to hear and how I interpret and experience all the wonderful things in London. As you may have noticed, I'm very much into culture (music and arts in particular) so I will make this more into a lifestyle and "whats on" blog with some tips, reviews, and reporting on interesting bits that crossed my path. I am doing this for my own personal gain of reflecting on things and maybe I can inform others along the way.

My family and friends are of course still welcome and the new blog posts will show you that I am still doing alright, and I'll post the occasional picture. Let me know if you want some more of something, and I'll adjust! Reactions are always very nice of course :)!

So look out for my new blog post!

Camille DG