Design Girl Returns with a Vengeance

OK - so I may have gotten ever so slightly side tracked recently, but I am now back on form and will be bitching about the usual design-y (or not so design-y) stuff around town.

For today, just to ease you back in, I am posting a few random images captured on my iPhone whilst walking around town doing my usual day to day thing.  Don't worry if the images don't make any sense - they're not supposed to.  Just enjoy the beauty of it.  I just snap at stuff sometimes because I feel like it, or because I can't quite figure it out at the time and hope to figure it out later.  Deal with it!

In no apparent order....

quack quack!

Trust me - he's well fit!

Did you miss me?

Little People in our Big Bad World

  The Book 'Little People in the City' by the street artist, Slinkachu, is available to buy from Amazon.  I am only plugging this because it really is a great little book to have as a keeper for your bookshelf.  It has been recently revised and retitled to 'Big Bad City', the bilingual version - so if you fancy buying it in Dutch as well, then be my guest.

Slinkachu is a London based street artist and photographer who likes to work in miniature.  His original work started in 2006; 'The Inner City Snail; A Slow Moving Street Art Project', which involved decorating live snail shells with a creative gesture of some sort. These installations were then captured through the lens, before releasing again into nature (well street side anyway).  

No snails were harmed during the making of this artwork.  In fact, the lucky few snails are now living the life of riley as highly paid celebs in the insect world.  All good.

The more recent work of Slinkachu (the main feature of his book), has captured the imagination of many of us design fiends.  Entitled 'Little People; The Tiny Street Art Project', the artist uses railway figures (which he customises himself, using a still hand and much patience) and places them in inner city locations - sometimes using props to create a thought provoking scene, which is then captured on film (or more accurately, on digital).  Hence, the book is a collection of photography based on this.  

Up to now Slinkachu has been London based, but a recent itch has given him (and some of his friends), the urge to go sightseeing...

This month Slinkachu has also been over to Italy, to the Fame Festival, where he has been working on some installations with sound.  Check this out:

You may think that this artist likes to create mini worlds in our big bad world, to make him self feel like a giant.  I would beg to differ.  What Slinkachu, I hope will be able to do, is make us all stop.  Take notice.  Again, practice some mindful thinking.

So far, it seems that all the installations appear to be on the ground. Perhaps the artist would consider bringing his miniatures to eye level and above? After all, us grumpy Londoners rarely smile as it is, so if we see one of these installations and do smile (which we will), it may be nice to coincide that smile with the passing by of a stranger.  Just a thought.

Slinkachu is certainly one to watch out for - as are his little army of friends.  Check out the Slinkachu website to see a full profile and check out the blog to follow the 'Little People' in action.

A Design Girl Day Out - Tate Modern Massive

It was a grey day in London and I needed a bit of an oomph, so as I had some spare time (between jobs), I decided to play my 'Design Girl About Town' theme to the max (and be a little self indulgent).  Decision - to hit our fabulous Tate Modern Exhibition and spend the day enjoying it to it's full capacity.  I hit the Northern Line and exited at London Bridge, where my magical Monday began.

As always, I walked around with my eyes and ears open; being London, you never know what little hidden gems and design-y tit bits you can find.  After cutting through Borough Market (of course pretty dead today), I turned down Stoney Street before hitting the river.  Boo! I found my first little piece of street art - look familiar?!  Hmmm.

Anyway - as I continue, I then I see some questionable writing on a wall - which makes me wonder whether someone has the number of a good therapist? (No judgement - of course.)

After giggling to myself and strutting along to the rhythm of the beat (iPod naturally on full blast), I cruise along until I finally reach my destination - Tate Modern.  Ahhhh.  I haven't been for ages, so I was really quite excited.  The main exhibit 'Exposed' has been on for a while so I am glad I am finally getting round to seeing it.

So - what did I think?  Well - the idea that the camera, since it's invention, has been used to capture images of people unawares.  Some imagery was humourous, some thought provoking and some just down right dark and/or dirty.   From hidden war cameras to modern day paparazzi shots....

Poor Paris - Off to be Locked Up!

.....to our nations world famous obsession with CCTV!

My favourite piece, however, was the 'Ballad of Sexual Dependency' - a slide show, that I have to admit, really moved me. It was made up of hundreds of photographs taken by Nan Goldin over three decades and was so personal and raw and uncensored - it was all consuming and brought me to a place of 'realness'.  Documenting the unbelievably intimate lives of her friends and lovers, (and probably some random strangers that she picked up in bars across New York and Boston), the slideshow was a graphic depiction of life, love, sex, drug use, violence, death, pain, fear, vulnerability and so much more.  With an unbelievable apt soundtrack with lyrics evoking the relevant emotions, to say I was choked doesn't even cover it! Seriously, it was worth the day out just for this - Room 8 (by the way).

Following on from this - I checked out the rest of the place and forgot how much fun the free stuff at Tate Modern has to offer.

Great day at Tate Modern...

Design Girl signing off from her day of indulgence....

Before I go - look what I found on my way home....

London makes me smile too....

Roger and out.

The Urban Green Line

What are you barking on about now – I can hear you asking?  Well, it's called The Urban Green Line and is, well - exactly what it says on the tin.

This initiative (created by none other than the second batch of MA Innovation Management students at Central Saint Martins), is about to kick off after having received funding earlier this year.  This is all since winning the regional finals at the Audi Design Foundation’s 'Sustain our Nation’ competition.  Impressive, huh?!

In a nut shell - The Urban Green Line is designed to inspire you to live a greener and more active lifestyle, through the encouragement of co-creation with the community - (as in us Londoners). 

So OK, it may just seem like a green line running across the ground – but really, it’s so much more!  When you find out that the idea is to connect us all with green spaces and green thinkers alike, you should be impressed by the initiative, encouraging us city folk to enjoy the outside – whether it be simply walking, or taking part in a little guerilla gardening (as is suggested).

The fun part, is that this line is for anyone to engage with - so even you reading this now – you can put a line down anywhere you want - that is, if you think you are able to lead us to a cool green space in London. 

As well as being visually entertaining in reality, the Urban Green Line will also be supported by online activity, (mainly a website and the usual social media channels).  This will allow co-creation to evolve through people tagging these spaces on a virtual map and generally spreading the love - trying to remain focused on all things green and sustainable around London (although who knows how some people will spin it - let's see).  

If you're not already sold, then I will end on the best bit - it doesn’t cost a thing.  

(Not such...) Wasted Spaces

The Smile Project is the latest project from non-profit organisation Wasted Spaces; having made it a challenge to transform vacant properties (as well as other weird and wonderful spaces), into exciting art experiences.  Their idea is to create platforms for emerging artists and cunning creative thinkers (which is what they are), to engage communities through live ‘real-space’ installations. 


Wembley has been the focal location so far, with three projects to date having livened up an otherwise dull part of London (come on – there’s no sugar coating it – we’re talking about Wembley!). Previous projects include the Hello Wall and the Wembley Wall Project – both using a huge, well - wall - (didn't see that one coming did you?).  All this with the hope to project a little joy to the local community.  Touching isn't it?  The Hello Wall was designed to allowed people to interact with the wall via Twitter  by Tweeting commands to @thehellowall, using shapes (triangles, squares, circles), commands (more, less, shake) or just say hello@thehellowall.

The Hello Wall

The Wembley Wall Project then showcased the digital work of three internationally renowed artists – David Dope, Robert Hodgin and Rafael Rozendaal.  This definitely livened up an otherwise dead wall space and brought a little wonderment to Wembley.  Thank god.

Wembley Wall Project

With so many people showing skepticism and as a result excluding themselves from the art world, it was about time someone brought a little creativity to the public direct. We all know London can be a drab place, so if we can use art and digital media to allow us to escape reality (even just for a little while), isn’t it worth a shot?  So many of us complain of having a mundane and repetitive routine (doing and seeing the same stuff day in and day out) - isn’t it a great idea to then stir things up and give us something inspiring to look at - something that makes us break away from our normal niggling thinking and even make us smile?  With the aptly named Smile Project this is what Wasted Spaces in provoking us to do (albeit subliminally) with their latest activity.   By planting random obscure installations and interventions across Wembley, the idea is simple – to make passers by 'smile' and as a result, try to liven up our somewhat cynical nation (don't get all defensive - you know exactly what I'm talking about!)

The Smile Project (Aaaah!)

I hope you all join me in a sigh of relief that this creative and thought provoking bunch are actually making the effort to snap us out of the doom and gloom, that we Londoners are famous for.  To get a real flavour of these exciting projects, check out the video clips at the Wasted Spaces website or on Vimeo and repeat after me **Sigh**

Angry Dan

Meet Bob The Builder's arch nemesis.  He's a bit hot headed apparently.  I guess I would be too if there were pigeons pooping all over my work space!

No seriously, I was enchanted to find this customised warning sign at the entrance to a Central London building site. Who said British builders were all hard nuts?  There must be a bit of artistic temperament there somewhere.  How sweet.

Cut it out!

I like to think that our nation's beloved pseudo-anonymous graffiti artist just popped in to Whole Foods on Parkway, when he was overcome with emotion for this particular street post.  The likelihood however, is that this was yet another unoriginal wannabe street artist.  If I'm correct, then cut it out!

This is London, where a little bit of originality goes a long way.  Copycats will get slated.

If it was you Banksy - welcome to Camden!

What happened to Barbie?

If art were to imitate life, Mattel could potentially be looking at a law suit!

'In the early hours of this morning, Brunette Barbie was found dead, down a back street in Camden.  With her hair disheveled, she was lying face down on the side of the road.  Witnesses claim that the Camden Caners had been harassing her for months.  The Police investigation continues.'