Thurs 24th July: Bishi Performance at Viktor & Rolf Exhibition

Bishi's performances are always one-off experiences and never the same as the last. This was no exception and a privilege to witness. She embraced the theatrics of the setting and had a choreographed entrance with a cortege and lace canopy costume. She then climbed the steps of a tower platform installed next to V&R's dollhouse where she performed set against a backdrop of visuals that accompanied each tune.


Specially commissioned photographs: Anna Leader

Fri 25th July: V&A Village Fete

Thurs 24th July: Sweatshop

Maki is in dying lanterns today................

Wed 23rd July: Gifts from Grizzly Bear

On a recent trip to Germany, James Ganio picked me up some point-of-sale bits from dry cleaning company "Fred Butler" including these cute little sweeties in the shape of thier penguin logo. Super lush surprise, thanks James!
It is due to this company that my business has become "Fred Butler Style" as they already owned the domain "fredbutler.com" when I first bought mine. So I suppose its good fate because I like the way I had to improvise to find another name ..........

Tue 22 July: Clinkerchink!

Preparations have been under way, getting ready for Friday late / Village Fete at the V&A museum where Teo and I are masterminding a photo booth stall "Pose Me A Postcard". Mishkin are our chief photographers and many hands have been helping make the props and costumes to replicate the postcards selected from the V&A catalogue.
Its a timed game which was our main objective with this project. To reinstate that adrenalin frenzy once encountered with the "chocolate game" at kids birthday parties. Or perhaps a little like the erratic anxious energy of the contestants on the "Crystal Maze". So if you fancy a go at our dress-up portrait bonanza head down to Exhibition road at the weekend. Other stalls include "Helium Kareokee" and "Foam Topiary". Other stall holders include Tatty Devine and Rob Ryan.

Sunday 20th July: Street & Studio

The new photography exhibition at the Tate Modern is "Street & Studio". I was mislead by the Juergen Teller "Go See" picture on the poster and thought that it would be all contemporary. But it is actually a complete history from the 1880's with so many different subjects and photographer's that it is a great investigation. I loved seeing the glamorous Richard Avedon's as much as the gritty Henri Cartier-Bressons. Don't miss this as I nearly did!

Here is one of my own "Go See" pics from about 2002 when I was helping AsFOUR cast for their show.

Sat 19th July: Charleston House

The ladies (Me, Vicky & Anna) went on a Saturday field trip to Charleston house. It was home of the Bloomsbury Group's artists Vanessa Bell and Duncun Grant since 1916 with various changes of inhabitants (their interchanging lovers and offspring). They free-hand painted every surface in the house aswell as using thier own textile designs to upholster. Its such an inspiring and magical place to visit. The tour explains how the duo left presents for each other in the form of a portrait on a bed head or still life on the reverse of a door panel. The best description is written by Vanessa's grandaughter Virgina Nicholson:

"Charleston was a place where, for both children and adults, messy creativity was a way of life....Art was something that everyone could do. Paint and clay, mud, glue and matches, were all endlessly available. ...There is a wonderfully uninhibited, irreveverent quality to the decoration of the house which is that of a child let loose to experiment and which is extraordinarily liberating. Part of the exhilaration that people experience from looking at the brilliantly colourful designs that crowned the Charleston walls and furniture, comes from that sense of confidence and fearlessness. The Charleston artists did not deal with caution. What if the surfaces weren't properly prepared? What if there was rising damp?...Their creative wells never showed any signs of drying up, so if the table top decorations wore out, they could always just paint some new ones on top....."

Its a great time to go as there are numerous Duncun Grant paintings on loan to Charleston until November as it is the 30th anniversary of his death. These are dotted around the rooms and help add to the story told by the tour guide........






Photography is not permitted in the house so here is a snap from the book and exterior thanks to Anna Leader