optimist prime
we are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the starsArchive for London
Dain 1943 – who hell he?
Caught this great little piece of street art in Shoreditch yesterday, and thought I’d try to find out the story behind the man… but to no avail.
I DID however find another Dain 1943 piece photographed in Brooklyn earlier in the month, with the caption “Seious thug back in da day”. So who was he? And who’s responsible for the cross-Atlantic homage?
Glug! London launches its Xmas exhibition with a bang!
The Glug! London event last night was brilliant.
Even better, Paul Rayment (wonderful glue illustrator) won with his neon video:
And old Lateral mate of mine Siaron Hughes came second with her gorgeous little book, where she interviewed her neighbours on what they wanted for Christmas. She’s currently working on a book about the dodgy chicken shops of London – watch this space!
Here are some pics of the event:
All I want for Xmas, Glug! London style
“More Notworking than Networking”, Glug! is a brilliant organisation set up by old glue compatriot Nick Clemant (he of the inexhaustable font collection).
I helped judge the inaugral Xmas competition, and never have I felt so dwarfed by the judging talent – Vaughan Oliver is just my absolute hero for his great work for The Pixies! So much more daunting than jusst having agency bods on the panel!
After finishing the judging only yesterday (over 150 entries!) I’m heading to the event tonight, where I’ll finally get to see the winners!
The commodification of the street
Not much to say here really, except that some auction house has tried to get really “cool” by hosting their exhibition/sale of street art in Shoreditch. Pity they tacked their horrible banner over one of Shepard Fairey’s pieces in situ. Wonder if they keven know what they’ve done here…
Gorgeous Swiss street art in Dalson carpark
Check out this smashing piece of work from the rooftop of the studios at enjoythis (all ex-glue designers from my team, and smashing they are too!).
Peter Saville at Creative Social
Yep, saw the Black Prince talk tonight (haha).
He was well entertaining. And wasn’t half the ego I expected.
The most interesting point he made was about working with the dynamics of a band, and how there’s ALWAYS one person in control, who is effectively your client. One strong personality in the group. Except for New Order once Ian Curtis and Joy Devision had departed. It was very much a band not wanting to take on that role in case they were struck down by lightning… And they all started to disagree with each other just out of principle. Must have made for interesting times…
Looks pretty and is obviously some kind of political statement…
But the exact nature of the meaning eludes me.
Still, it really jumps out at you…
The Decapitator is back!!!
My favourite secret squirrel, the Shoreditch Decapitaor, is back doing what he does best. This was taken on Great Eastern Street this morning, on the way to work…
The mysterious Watson Bros
Around the back of the office here, there’s a mysterious bronze plaque tucked up under a mail slot on a very nondescript door.
“By appointment to H.I.M The Sultan of Turkey The Shah of Persia”
But are they the same Watson Bros (established 1885) that craft handmade guns and rifles? Or something more life-affirming? I’m desperate to peep in the mail slot, but a bit scared of what I might see…
Incredible skeletal windows at Harvey Nicks
Heading off to work from a talk at the IPA this morning, and wandered past these immaculately constructed coathanger carcassses running through the front windows of Harvey Nichols.
My photos aren’t great, but the giant skeletal remains of strange fish and beasts stretched through the length of the glass display space along Knightsbridge… Wow…
