Past Present Future London

Past Present Future Paris

2012-02-25T20:10:00.001Z

Paris, city of love, great art, fine wine and tourism. Avoid the croque monsieurs, Eiffel Tower, and embrace the alternative Parisienne experience with Past Present Future. The catacombs were our first stop, an underground cavern of walls made from human bones and skulls. Not for the faint of heart, you walk through dimly lit tunnels waiting to meet the thickly stacked bones. It is reckoned that between 6 and 7 million bodies worth of bones lie here, stacked high like bricks. And just when you think there can't possibly be more bones, they continue to line the walls. To keep up the deathly theme, we strolled over to Cimetière du Montparnasse to see the resting place of the late great Serge Gainsbourg. I left him a cigarette.

If you're not so interested in the morbid, and are a market fiend like me, then dive into the flea markets of Paris. They may seem daunting at first (especially if your French is a little rusty) but Porte de Vanves was wonderful, a truly authentic massive French antiques market full of friendly faces. I especially liked seeing four sellers gathered round the back of their stall playing cards and drinking coffee, hardly batting an eyelid when someone came and looked at their items. But the highlight came after finding three Seventies Playboys for 5 euros (bargain!) when a jolly French woman came through the crowd pushing a trolley laden with hot home made hot chocolate. The best I've ever tasted, laced with cinnamon, ginger and more secret spices, it was gloopy and rich like the stuff I have dreams about. So keep your eyes peeled for her at midday and follow the sweet smell of chocolate.

Porte De Clignancourt is more of a village of permanent store holders selling anything from very expensive Baroque furniture to vintage Deco lighting. It's worth a look for inspiration, but beware, some of it is quite expensive, and the sheer scale of this village is a lot to get round in a few hours. My best buys were 10 vintage postcards costing 50 cents each. You can't argue with that!

If you've done The Louvre and Musée D'Orsay and are after something a little more interesting and unusual, then you must go to Musée Gustave Moreau. The artist exhibited his impressive works in his home, which was recently turned into a museum dedicated to his beautiful paintings. This is not stuffy boring religious art, it packs a punch and the minute details on Moreau's colossal canvases are so fine they are almost invisible. And you can get up really close to inspect his brushstrokes. There are no ropes holding you back as you peer at the Mona Lisa. And that spiral staircase is a stairway to heaven...

"We'll always have Paris."

Life Drawing with Draw in Light

2012-02-16T12:23:00.001Z

If you're at a loose end this weekend and wishing to avoid fashion week mayhem, I can't urge you more than to check out Past Present Future's dear friend's Draw In Light and their exclusive presentation tomorrow.

The Whitechapel based beautiful duo just keep getting better and better and they are inviting you to experience a slither of their dreamy existence with a live life drawing class to accompany their latest collection 'Take Heart'. That's right, nude models and wonderful screen printed clothes embellished with hearts, skeletons and all manor of bones and body parts. A perfect union of art and fashion, Harry and Polly nail the combination of aesthetics and science every season. Do you need an excuse? Go and RSVP Now!

Paolo Roversi

2012-02-03T11:08:00.002Z

I had been looking forward to the opening of Paolo Roversi's latest exhibition at The Wapping Project Bankside ever since a friend had sent over the invitation. Roversi's work is a master class in the art of fine photography, his most beautiful shots have the quality of a painting. The photographs were magically lit in the spacious white gallery, and the setting certainly did justice to the grandeur of his work.

Roversi's style is beautifully minimal. An old school photographer who shoots his subject's against a dusty grey backdrop, perhaps seating them on a stool or chair and that's it. It may seem simple enough, but the behind the scenes shots that the exhibition shows amongst images of his muse Guinevere Van Seenus, show the secret architecture of Roversi's Paris studio. And despite using black and white film, Roversi's grayscale colour palate has tones and hues which leap out as though they are full of colour. I was attracted like a magnet to his portrait of a young Natalia Vodianova, all wolfish big eyes and perfect skin. Swoon.

Roversi was in attendance at the opening, and seemed like the kind Italian grandfather you never had. There is a sense of lightness and ease to his work, but he is crystal clear and to the point when it comes to his work, saying of photography, "To succeed, you must combine the light of the past with the light of the future. Photography is not just a recreation of reality, it's a revelation.” Now, go and see the revelation for yourself.

Exhibition ends March 31st.

Harper Smith

2012-01-21T07:53:00.004Z

I have been having a secret love affair with Californian photographer Harper Smith's work since I stumbled across it last year, (unbeknown to Harper and my boyfriend.) I like to think of it as my dirty little secret, and every time I find myself spending hours gazing over her work, she just keeps seducing me further into my obsession.

So, I thought it was high time I shared my favourite photographer with faithful readers of Past Present Future. Harper has such a delicate touch when it comes to capturing her female subjects suspended in natural settings with dreamy ethereal haziness. Harper and her girls encapsulate the freedom of the open road, I can see her bombing down Route 66 in a silver trailer with nothing but the wind in her hair, a bottle of whisky, a camera and several rolls of film. Now that's the life right?

Continue to Harper's website.

Charmed Life

2012-01-04T15:10:00.024Z

Meet Sir Henry Wellcome, obsessive collector and wonderful hoarder of strange objects. An exceedingly well travelled man, as his tribal costumes suggests, Wellcome amassed a great amount of curious finds which are now displayed in his namesake museum of oddities, The Wellcome Collection.

Along with the permanent collection of medical finds, The Wellcome Collection is currently showing two free exhibitions, (yes, free, so there's no excuse not to go.) 'Mexican Miracle Paintings' display's ex-votos, small paintings on metal plates of gratitude to the saints of the Mexican Church. A wall of metal swirling shapes is particularly mesmerising, as you get closer you realise they are all individual tokens donated in prayer to bring good health to body and soul.

But it was 'Charmed life' a melding of folklore collector Edward Lovett and contemporary artist Felicity Powell's work which really attracted my flighty magpie eye. A glass horse shoe shaped table encases amulets and trinkets of good luck, all once of great spiritual or superstitious importance to their long deceased carrier.

This may seem bold, but The Wellcome Collection is my new favourite museum in London. The whole building is displayed beautifully, even the toilets are designed to inspire, a quote from Nabokov emblazoned on the wall so you take note when you leave. "No science without fancy. No art without facts." I spent all morning there, and had a nice little scribble too. Go people go.

A Trip to the Moon (1902)

2011-12-31T09:51:00.000Z

HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM PAST PRESENT FUTURE!

Paulina Otylie Surys

2011-12-15T19:17:00.005Z

Paulina Surys is a rare gem in a digital fashion world. She is happiest developing her photographs in the darkroom using old methods to keep her work tinged with the mysticism of the past. Paulina then hand paints a rainbow of crystal colours over her images during processing just like 19th century analogue photographers did way back when.

After falling head over heels in love with her work, I was lucky enough to shoot with Paulina, and I can't wait to see how the dark room deals with the shots she took. Each of Paulina's shoots have a cleverly considered story, a gothic narrative or a mythical theme showing the female form departed from the modern world and cast into a fairytale realm. Deep, dark, mysterious and ever so beautiful.

See more of Paulina's work here.

No. 14 Stratford Grove

2011-12-15T19:06:00.002Z

A beautiful location house, that you can peruse for vintage curiosities, and then buy! Seems too good to be true, but beautiful 14 Stratford Grove in Putney is often used as a location for shoots and is an ever changing home to antique knick-knacks from giant vintage silver christmas baubles, to miniature old lab bottles (I swooned over the bronze "Poison" alchemy bottle.)

I had the pleasure of shooting there recently and spoke to the lady of the house, photographer Helen Fickling about her treasure trove of unusual finds. Helen and her family open their home every summer and host a Vintage Pop Up Shop in their garden. Every June, 'Open Garden Weekend' sees people gather for afternoon tea and home-made cup cakes to raise money for Meningitis Research, a cause very close to the Fickling family's heart. A lovely idea, and a great excuse to get some reasonably priced vintage and antiques. The only problem is that not everything in Helen's house is for sale. So when I fell for the mickey mouse filled glittery Retro cocktail cabinet, I left somewhat dismayed. But don't worry, I came home with a couple of very special buys...

Find out more about 'Open Garden Weekend' at 14 Stratford Grove here.

Etienne Jules Marey

2011-12-04T19:47:00.016Z

The Degas exhibition at The Royal Academy, is a must see. Especially if you love ballet. I happen not to. So as soon as I'd wafted past another room of paintings of dancers practicing, all with an Impressionist scatter of colour, my eyes gladly met a section dedicated to Etienne Jules Marey and Eadweard Muybridge, contemporaries of Degas who influenced his work.

Etienne Jules Marey, and Eadweard Muybridge (check old blog post on this guy) were the first photographers of movement, their studies of animals and humans in motion came to form the landscape of modern art. Marey's iconic work combines multiple angles of a period of motion into a single image, creating a surreal yet scientific record of the subtle changes that occur which make a swing, a gallop, or a swoop. So what? Well, before Muybridge and Marey, the mechanics of movement had been taken very much for granted, no one had deciphered what happened to muscles, bones and skin in each stage of motion. Pretty clever really.

You Are Home

2011-12-04T18:33:00.031Z

A bedroom should be an escape, a retreat from the clamour of the world. A room can change, just like your wardrobe does depending on the change in season. A shrine to your loved ones, fill the place with frames and photographs, and remember that warm-coloured light is the perfect way to soothe your soul during these cold months.

Frugality can lead to some of the most interesting home decor ideas. Never underestimate markets and car boot sales, haggle and get a bargain which you certainly wouldn't find in Ikea. Today, I stumbled upon these beautiful vintage glass mannequin heads, and adapted the rouge glazed head into a lamp. Now there's another man in my life....

Francoise Hardy

2011-12-02T05:40:00.003Z

Francoise Hardy, French chanteuse and possibly the most beautiful girl in the world. She seems to have slipped through the radar of the usual icons we still clamour over today. Not as overtly sexual as a certain other famed Frenchie (Bardot), Hardy had the voice and face of an angel.

Her talents as a singer and musician led to a lot of intrigue from the media during the height of her fame. However, she is a beautiful shrinking violet, shy of the admiration her very existence brought on.

"I am not comfortable with my professional life really, so the word 'icon'- it's as though you were talking about someone else, it's not me really...I feel happy when I'm on my bed, in my room with a good book."

We haven't given you a dose of a style icon in a while, so here's an early Christmas present. Hardy, an unwitting style icon, which just makes her look even more covetable. And she is oblivious to the power of her jaw-dropping beauty. The feline eyeliner, the minimal understated sex appeal, the tan. It's all there. So put on some 80 dernier black tights, a shift dress and embrace a style legend.

Little Noise Sessions: Goldfrapp & Alpines

2011-11-28T10:56:00.000Z

Chapels and churches have housed some truly one off music experiences. The type of gigs where you walk away feeling as though you’ve been witness to a performance that could never be repeated ever again. The gothic setting of Saint John’s Church in Hackney was the perfect place for ethereal beauty Alison Goldfrapp and her deer-masked choir, wonderfully dressed violinists and golden harp to play a very special gig.

Alpines opened the Little Noise Session, in aid of Mencap and set the whimsical tone of the evening. The soulful and sensitive voice of beautiful sequin clad lead singer Catherine boomed around the church, stunning a somewhat chattery crowd into complete silence. They stormed through a powerful set of songs such as singles ‘Ice and Arrows’ and ‘Cocoon’ whose poetic lyrics suited the space perfectly. They left the crowd hungry for more, giving only an acoustic taste of the depth of their nouveau pop.

After a priest had blessed the stage by swinging about an incense burner, filling the church with frankincense scented smoke, Goldfrapp took to the stage. They had clearly taken the setting into account when deciding on their set, going for an acoustic rendition of their glitter soaked pop hits. Alison cast a spell of tranquillity over the crowd playing songs from their haunting debut ‘Felt Mountain’ scattered with those catchy pop songs they’re famed for such as ‘Ooh La La.’ The standout performance was when Alison, whose multifaceted voice which sounds doused in special effects (that’s just her, nothing added) broke into ‘Utopia’ hitting the high notes with a Doctor Who-Operatic wail. A perfect close to an epic gig.

David Hamilton

2011-11-18T12:56:00.000Z

Dreamy David Hamilton. Not him, the dreamboat's that are his subjects and the general sense of hazy, beautiful innocence that oozes from his incredible legacy of work. Photographing young girls often got Hamilton into hot water, (allegations over "sexualising young girls" and all that malarky) but his style is entirely original and iconic, paving the way for the sense of underdone femininity that a certain Corinne Day went on to present.

Hamilton became renowned also for his film work, directing the soft focus style he'd developed over the 60's and 70's into movement, weaving a realm of beautiful unreality. Not bad for a boy from Dorset whose evacuation during WWII cut off his academic studies.

Frank Habicht

2011-11-17T08:58:00.000Z

As sixties fanatics, we thought we would have come across the name Frank Habicht sooner. We'd probably seen his iconic images, of Mick n Keith, Jane and Serge, but not realised that this man did a whole lot more than document the rich and famous. He captured a decade in change, his beautiful black and white images show how free love reigned and the established ideals of stuffy Englishness came under the scrutiny of some wonderful hippies. FAB

Daniel Dueckminor

2011-11-14T16:26:00.001Z

Winter's setting in. And the chilly winds are bringing back nostalgic thoughts of the cold months we Londoner's endure year in, year out. These shots by 20 year old German Daniel Dueckminor, (yes 20 years of age!) show the splendour of the change in seasons on an epic scale. Nature's changing architecture is Dueckminor's subject, the beauty of the transformation of the elements a strong enough subject to stand alone. We're expecting colossal things for this talented young guy.

All images courtesy of Daniel Dueckminor.

Deborah Turbeville

2011-11-08T10:39:00.000Z

Deborah Turbeville captures women in a realm of otherworldly hazy beauty with the touch of a fine artist. She made her name in the eighties photographing Christy Turlington and Linda Evangelista for Vogue, and her iconic style is being replicated by contemporary photographers the world over.

Her photographs have a filmic nostalgic quality. And we're all aboard the journey into the wonderful world of Turbeville.

Mari Sarai: Naked

2011-10-26T08:59:00.001+01:00

Naked. Vulnerable. Exposed. Raw. Mari Sarai's nude portraits of beautiful women are naked with attitude. Maybe this is down to the female perspective with which these women are captured in their unapologetic nudity. They sure as hell aren't revealing themselves for a man's eye.

What comes across most, is a sense of fun and liberation. A kind of girl power that the Spice Girls targeted at young girls, which seems to have dwindled in recent years. It's obvious that Sarai loves the masters of nude photography, there are glimmers of Helmut Newton in their sleek black and white delivery. But, Sarai's new book 'Naked' shows that sister's are doing it for themselves.

James Stopforth

2011-09-18T15:03:00.001+01:00

Wow! is the first word that springs to mind when you look at James Stopforth's ingenious photographs. With a background in set design, James creates extensive and beautiful props to feature in his theatrical photographs which have the scenic quality of a film still.

His surreal work captures a moment in time and builds a narrative for the viewer which many other photographs simply do not have the power or inclination to do. Stopforth assisted Tim Walker for years before he started his own projects, so big things are to be expected from this bright young thing.

All images courtesy of James Stopforth.

See more at James's website.

Corinne Day

2011-09-08T09:56:00.000+01:00

Portraits of a bandy teenager, with a freckle speckled make up free face, the epitome of nineties grunge beauty are hanging in a super-clean white gallery nestled amongst the priciest of luxury shops. This sets me up for the sense of paradox that surrounds Day’s work.

Day was widely known for pioneering anti-fashion photography, causing controversy with the so called ‘heroin chic’ look (after Trainspotting heroin has never seemed that chic to me) and rose to fame with her ‘Summer of Love’ shoot for now defunct magazine The Face. Her honest way of capturing youthful innocence caught the eye of the fashion elite, and Day’s shots began to feature on the cover of Vogue. From rebelling against an era of glamazons, Day and a gawky teenager began to penetrate fashions inner circle and inspire a new era of fashion for everyone. Quite the controversy.

As I open the glass door and stroll into the hospital-white gallery, I am greeted by Little Miss Moss, all frizzy haired, bambi-doe-eyed and voluptuous lips. I sigh at the thought of this sixteen year old pretty girl before all the rockin’ and rollin’, and wonder what was going through her mind at this stage in her life. Could she have predicted that her face would become the most admired and photographed of the 21st century? Gazing at Moss on the beach, beer in hand, donning a bikini and floppy sunhat, I’m transported to the sunnier climes of Borneo, and smile at the sense of frivolity and natural ease that Day captured in a single frame. The nicest thing about Day’s work, is the sense of personality, models were allowed to smile, and laugh and generally lark about, even if their eyes creased up and the clothes didn’t look as good, something that is perhaps finding its way back into fashion today (see the new Lanvin film featuring Karen Elson and Raquel Zimmerman getting down in couture.) The whole exhibition has the candid intimacy of flicking through a mate’s album of holiday snaps (if your mate happened to be a dab hand with a camera and your other mate happened to be breathtakingly beautiful.) The exhibition pays tribute to the much missed Corinne Day, who tragically passed away last year, and is truly worth a visit if you're a die-hard Day fan and/or Moss worshipper.

Exhibition ends October 1st. For more information visit Gimpel Fils website.

Jessica May Underwood

2011-08-17T18:30:00.003+01:00

Illustrator extraordinaire Jessica May Underwood is one helluva talented lady. We are totally in awe of the way she can draw skulls, claws and gothic images with a delicacy of line like that of a nimble fingered nymph.

The fashion world is falling over themselves to get Underwood to illustrate for them, from iconic Alexander McQueen silk scarves to beautiful tropical prints for Henry Holland and wispy designs for Hermione De Paula. Having studied at St Martins, Jessica is well on the rise to stellar status and with some seriously dreamy drawings in her arsenal, the design world is hers for the taking.

All images courtesy of Jessica May Underwood.

Glamour of the Gods

2011-07-29T21:03:00.000+01:00

Oooooooh swoon, the National Portrait Gallery are spoiling us with a sumptuous exhibition of Hollywood archive photography from the Golden Age of cinema. Glamour of the Gods immortalises young actors and actresses in their heyday through sepia toned beautiful photographs which offer rare behind the scenes access to truly iconic films. Go and have a stroll and immerse yourself in timeless images that are sure to inspire you to make a martini and watch old movies all night.

Exhibition ends October 23rd. Find out more from the National Portrait Gallery website

Lina Scheynius

2011-07-11T09:31:00.000+01:00

After a successful career as a model, Swedish born Lina allowed her interest in photography to take centre stage. Her dreamy and timeless photographs are breathtakingly beautiful due to their natural content, and her use of light is super hazy and lovely.

Her work captures a moment in a raw and truthful way, as she has always veered away from the trap of getting involved with commercial photography. We're in love with each and every dream soaked image...

The Rebel Dining Society

2011-06-10T09:44:00.000+01:00

Inspired by the Green Hour, the time between 5 and 7 when Oscar Wilde along with bohemians of the 19th century would meet and drink absinthe, Pernod and The Rebel Dining Society are bringing foodies a season of culinary treats. Each week, a different cocktail conoisssur creates 5 cocktails to compliment 5 tasting dishes created by Chef Shay Ola. The event offers those who enjoy fine dining an evening without the stuffiness (and massive bill) and a taste of something quite unusual.

As we arrive in the secret warehouse, we are swept up to the top of the building and swiftly our first cocktail is thrust upon us. A mixture of absinthe, lime and cucumber, aptly named 'The Green Beast' we are broken into the pattern of drinking copious amounts of the aniseed green liquid. There follows another cocktail, (there's 6 in total actually) and our first course of strawberry and basil bruschetta with prawns, (crazy but it works!) along with yet another luminous creation. The squid with chorizo dust and courgette tagliatelle was delicious, so delicious that we, with total non-fine dining etiquette, gobbled up the finely constructed dish with gusto, only to regret such haste and wish we'd savoured each precious mouthful.

With each course we're taught how to create the cocktails which aim to balance the strength of the absinthe flavour to become a refreshing compliment to the dish served alongside it. The French Pearl, a combination of gin, sparing amounts of absinthe, lime and mint tastes kinda like a mojito, which makes it one of the more desirable cocktails. Cidre Amore, to go with the braised Pork Belly, enamours some of the guests on our table, but is a recipe for disaster the next day, (mum and dad always taught me 'don't mix your drinks.')

Secret supper clubs aren't anything new, trendies and foodies have been popping up dinner parties for specially selected guests for quite some time now. But The Rebel Dining Society offers an entrance into a secret convent along with a relaxed and friendly atmosphere all for the reasonable price of £40. We even got to speak to chef Shay after the meal and got a real sense of the blood, sweat and passion that goes into creating such an innovative and interactive idea. We didn't end up hallucinating as Wilde and his chums intended, but here's a word of warning; if you're up early for work the next morning, go easy on those cocktails...

Braised Pork Belly with Butternut Squash and Fennel Terrine and Apple Jelly.

Raspberry and Green Tea Caviar.

Banana Split (with a twist.)

For more information and tickets for The Green Hour, check out The Rebel Dining Society's website.

Beth Hoeckel

2011-06-06T11:22:00.000+01:00

Holy Hoeckel, we're in love. Born and raised in Baltimore, young artist Beth Hoeckel is a real clever clogs and uses archive images and mixed media to create surreal collages. Taking particular inspiration from mountains, moons, and all the wonders of the natural world, Beth situates people in habitat's that in a normal realm of reason, they just couldn't be. But we're in Hoeckel territory now, anything is possible...

Beth sure ain't a one trick pony, her work ranging from collage, photography and drawing, we just love her quirky style and humorous reinvention of old forgotten photographs to create scenic images that wouldn't look out of place in a mood board for 'The Man Who Fell to Earth.' Now everyone, get your scissors and glue out and get cutting and pasting.

For more information, visit Hoeckel's website

Pam Glew

2011-05-25T15:32:00.000+01:00

Beautiful and the Damned, the title of Pam Glew's third London show is pretty apt . Taken from F. Scott Fitzgerald's timeless clasic, Glew's reinvention of screen goddesses and musicians of the 20's and 30's are equally as decadent and traginc as their fictional counterparts.

Taking inspiration from the American Jazz age and Old Hollywood glamour, Glew immortalises her subjects with sumptuous mystique. A period defined by excess and hedonism, the faces of these icons are made into pop art for a new generation. The young artist recreates on fabric the black and white effect of silent film by using similar textures to that of early cinema.
The reincarnation of of these women creates a similar effect to Warhol's infamous screen prints of Liz Taylor and Marilyn Monroe. But Glew's are much nicer. Well we think so anyway...

Beautiful and the Damned is exhibited from today to May 19th at Blackall Studios.

Sam Spenser

2011-05-22T15:51:00.004+01:00

Artist Sam Spenser is a very cool dude. Having studied film, Spenser's passion for mainstream film making waned and his desire to create sculptural fine art rose to the surface. 'Bloom' composed in 2007 became a much talked about sensation, the use of hundreds of egg yellow umbrella's scattered amongst the branches of a tree to create a petal like illusion shows the sense of humour and the attitude to nature and the man-made that Spenser takes.

Sam likes to keep a closed lid on his up coming projects but we just love his ethos of recycling and salvage, as he takes obsolete and forgotten objects and transforms them to create new sculptures. Spenser talks about his process romantically: "Reclaimed material has a history by definition – it’s a kind of soul or resonance that develops in the core of any used object." Past Present Future adore this young artist's approach to contemporary art as something which encompasses all things old with the new. The future is Sam Spenser.

Make sure to vote for Sam Spenser to win his own show at SCOPE through Art Takes London.

Visit Sam Spenser's website.

Alexander McQueen

2011-05-05T21:46:00.001+01:00

Following the Royal Wedding and Sarah Burton's momentous wedding dress design for Kate, it seems that McQueen mania is in the air. And the fever has gone global. New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art are currently exhibiting a retrospective of the late designers most beautiful creations entitled 'Savage Beauty.'

McQueen's reputation as fashion rebel seems to have taken a turn as the fashion house was selected for the highly coveted role of designing the most talked about dress of the year. However, the fashion maverick, in images from the exhibition, shows that he always knew how to throw the theatrics back into fashion. We particularly love the golden feather jacket with the grandeur and effect to make the wearer resemble a gilded phoenix. Let's just hope the best of British returns home to be shown in his native land. Rule Brittania.

Lykke Li

2011-04-15T11:49:00.003+01:00

Last night Swedish pop sensation Lykke Li and her ensemble of black clad musicians brought their ultra-cool European tunes to a highly anticipating Shepherd's Bush Empire in a haze of smoke, lights and black chiffon drapes. Fog filled the stage as Li waded in to blast London with hits ranging from her two albums, her most recent 'Wounded Rhymes' is already being called a timeless classic by some of music's toughest critics.

Li rose to fame in 2007 with the cutesy hit 'Little Bit', but it seems as the singer grows up, (she's now 25) her style has transformed from songs about falling in love with teenage shyness to stomping drum based beats like 'Get Some' which allow her to demonstrate her inner rock and roll goddess. Wearing a black leotard and punky boots, Li flits from being a dark ethereal warrior to an evocative femme fatale, wrapping herself up in her long cloak for a heartbreaking rendition of 'Unrequited Love'. This is exactly the petite songstress's appeal. She sings her mellow songs with only the support of a guitar like an innocent child, but for upbeat rocking songs like 'I Follow Rivers' she dances with visceral stage prowess, shaking her shaggy main with zeal.

As she prowled back onstage for her encore, the crowd broke out into a frenzy for her new albums opening track 'Youth Knows No Pain', to which Li replied, 'Finally, you're dancing. Well it's too late.' She won the crowd over from the word go, girls wanting to be her, and boys wanting to... Well, take her for a beer. We left with a major crush. Stylish and talented, Lykke Li is what music has been missing for a long time.

Vali Myers

2011-03-30T22:57:00.001+01:00

Australian artist Vali Myers was in all ways extraordinary. From her witch like charm to her razor sharp wit, she specialised in drawing, painting and creating short films. Arguably, her body was the main vehicle she used to communicate power and beauty all in an eccentric and bohemian shell.

She rubbed shoulders with the likes of Patti Smith and Salvador Dali, so found her avant-garde interests cultivated by highly creative friendships. In 2003, Myers ended her battle with cancer but was not defeated by her illness, saying near the end of her life:

"I've had 72 absolutely flaming years. It doesn't bother me at all, because, you know love, when you've lived like I have, you've done it all. I put all my effort into living; any dope can drop dead. I'm in the hospital now, and I guess I'll kick the bucket here. Every beetle does it, every bird, everybody. You come into the world and then you go."

These photographs show the span of her career as a living, breathing work of art. We particularly like the pictures of Myers and her beloved fox, aptly named, Foxy. We reckon the name works both for the pet and the doe eyed owner. Foxy lady...

E.O. Hoppé

2011-03-30T21:26:00.003+01:00

Hoppé is considered as one of the most influential photographers of the 20th century, becoming as infamous as the subjects he photographed. He shot the likes of Albert Einstein, Aldous Huxley and Francis Bacon, attracting politicians and personalities to seek a portrait taken through his famous lens.

The National Portrait Gallery is currently showing a retrospective of the range of Hoppé's career, showing images of refined ballet dancer's to street scenes which serve as social documents of the class and social restrictions of the time. The beauty of the human form is a consistent theme in his ethereal photographs, but Hoppé turns the conventions of aesthetics around as his use of the human figure is almost haunting. Spooky....

Draw in Light: 'True North'

2011-03-30T18:17:00.001+01:00

Here at Past Present Future, we've already confessed our undying love for design duo Harry and Polly and their beautiful label Draw in Light. This season the girls have put their hand to using beautiful silks to add a touch of luxury to their screen printing wonders.

'True North' is full of gorgeously sumptuous colours; rusty golden tones, burnt out reds, and bleached out creams form the palette for their draping, flowing designs. What's more, every piece is hand made in London by the fair hands of H & P so they are real bespoke one off garments. We're particularly hankering after the winged dresses.... Gimmme

Find out more about Draw in Light

All images courtesy of Draw in Light.

John Stezaker

2011-02-22T21:12:00.010Z

Vintage photographs, memories of times bygone, they're just some of the many things that we all love to collect. Stezaker has made a career out of it, but his pieces are not merely a collage of smiling faces. Using antique photographs, Stezaker transforms them by cutting, layering and in doing so creates interesting illusions with the human body. A face in profile becomes a mountain, a pair of eyes, a bridge, you get the idea...

The Whitechapel Gallery's extensive exhibition of his work from the 70's to today begs that all too familiar question. Is a bunch of postcards and old photographs art? Whilst some of the cleverly constructed compositions are interesting and provoking, some of his DIY art seems to lack that fineness and sensitivity which is the basis of great art. But we still like their eery allusiveness.

Visit the Whitechapel Gallery website here

Maurizio Anzeri

2011-02-07T20:34:00.011Z

From a distance, these look like some sort of voodoo maimed photographs, but they are in fact hand embroidered archive images by artist Maurizio Anzeri. A little freaky? Yes. Totally clever? Definitely. Anzeri who has always been interested in the possibilities created through using vintage photographs developed his technique from drawing on top of his finds, until one day he decided to stitch on them. And the results are beautiful.

His technique of using bright thread and modern compositions on the faces these portraits resonates with Past Present Future's love of artists who rework the old to an entirely new purpose. By only using black and white photographs from the 40's to the 60's, the original photograph has quite a different feel to a contemporary one. The archive images seem like the type you'd be likely to find in your grandparent's attic so they create a very personal and intimate portrait of an individual's life. And with the addition of Anzeri's, sometimes comic style of vibrant embroidery, they are given a whole new lease of life.

Cecil Beaton's Scrapbook

2011-02-01T12:01:00.005Z

He photographed everyone from Queen Elizabeth to The Rolling Stones, so you'd expect his personal scrap book to be pretty insightful as to Cecil Beaton's interest into the lives of the beautiful subjects he photographed. Assouline have published his personal scrap book, containing drawings, postcards and well, scraps which the photographer avidly collected.

At the hefty price of £175 this is no ordinary coffee table book, but a chance to enter the private realm of the artist's mind and see just what got the famous photographer going. Images from the book are rare and personal, the pages full of inspiring and interesting pictures, which are all arranged beautifully in the most elegant of scrapbooks. Better start saving...

John Barry

2011-01-31T19:56:00.009Z

The late John Barry's compositions are some of the most famous in cinematic history, his infamous Bond themes featuring the likes of Nancy Sinatra and Shirley Bassey forged the sleek image of Ian Fleming's spy. Past Present Future pays tribute to a man who created a musical legacy which spanned most of his life and gained him the acclaim of five Oscars.

He made the violin cool and we think he certainly had a midas touch, casting a sensuous appeal and a sense of class and glamour over everything he put his very talented hands to. We're leaving it to Barry to explain exactly what made him such a sensation and ensured that such a legacy will undoubtedly never be achieved by a single man again.

"You know when you’ve got it, and you know when you haven’t. When you’ve got it, you say, ‘Ah, Jesus, that’s it.’ And if someone asks, ‘Please explain what it is,’ I say, ‘It’s working, isn’t it? That’s what it is.’ It’s got the goods because it’s affecting you in a lovely way, or in a sad way that breaks your heart.”

The Wild Unknown

2011-01-30T21:40:00.006Z

We are constantly on the look out for beautiful things to adorn our living rooms and these prisms by The Wild Unknown are just perfect. These beautiful glass decorations have been filled with desert sand, driftwood and feathers all found in The Great Lakes of North America. When we look at them we hear "Midnight Cowboy", think of desert drives under moolit skies and can hear the gentle howl of a coyote. We love.

For more natural wonders go to The Wild Unknown website

Convulsive Beauty

2011-01-23T20:24:00.007Z

Surrealism has provided the art world with some incredible works, maestro's such as Salvador Dali and his infamous melting clocks becoming synonomous with this transportive mode of representation. It is less usual for surrealism to permeate the photographic form. Surveillance style shots and voyeuristic angles create images with surreal intentions, forcing the viewer to reconsider the image they are viewing and showing another dimension to well loved individuals. The small but sweet James Hyman Gallery is exhibiting photographs by well loved photographers, Man Ray and Brassai are comfortably nestled between shots by David Bailey. Head down to check out some rarely seen images of Sophia Loren and Jane Fonda, which eerily show the on and off screen process for the actress. Pretty freaky....

Exhibition ends February 5th.

Alexander Korzer-Robinson

2011-01-09T16:51:00.011Z

Having taken a degree in psychology, it's clear that Bristol based artist Alexander Korzer-Robinson puts much of his knowledge of the field to good use through his art. He sources encyclopedia's and antique picture books, creating new artistic presentations which reflect the psychological landscape of the mind. We just love the way the German artist recycles and reuses disused books to create new and thoughtful pieces.

The process is painstaking, Korzer-Robinson going through each page of the book individually and cutting around the images he wants to expose, then sealing the pages so that they don't move. Precision and simplicity is part of the charm of his work; the notion of memory and past being redefined through a new narrative being weaved by these ornate picture boxes. Well we say picture boxes, we mean sculptures. We certainly can hardly call them dusty old books anymore.

See more of Alexander's art on his website

William Eggleston

2011-01-05T21:16:00.014Z

William Eggleston pioneered colour photography way back when, so it may come as a surprise that he used black and white film to take distinct and sensitive photographs documenting life in the fifties. "Before Colour" celebrates these previously unpublished monochrome shots which were taken in Memphis and are some of the first images taken by this famed colour photographer.

The new book shows the start of Eggleston's interest in the mundane and everyday aspects of human life; suburbia and cityscapes composing most of the scenery. His famous democratic-gaze means that the normalcy of lawns, garages and diners become fascinating and encapsulate the rise of commercialism in America. And to think it has only come to light recently that Eggleston could put his eye to a camera and capture the same snapshot style he is famous for in black and white. Pretty rad....

René Gruau

2011-01-02T17:32:00.006Z

René Gruau's illustrations for Christian Dior have become synonymous with the fashion house, his sleek, simple and clean brushstrokes embodying the elegance of female sophistication. Somerset House have been home to a beautiful retrospective of the artist's work for Dior and his work French publications such as French Vogue, L'Officiel and Flair magazine, many of which have not been exhibited.

What is perhaps most staggering about the collection is the simplicity of Gruau's gouache and watercolour drawings, how Gruau takes classical imagery; flowers, swans, perfume bottles, and reinvents them for a super-chic contemporary purpose. These works, which range from his early 40's drawings to bold illustrations of 80's fashion, always retain that intuition to capturing female elegance. His fascination with women started at a young age; he drew his first woman in stockings aged 14. The exhibition is a departure from the graphic and modern fashion imagery which is splattered across magazines today, and the luxury of his collaborations with his friend Dior, sure show us a thing or two about sophistication. Three cheers for René!

The Hermes Scarf

2010-12-29T18:01:00.007Z

Ah, the Hermes scarf, that immortal silk square which epitomises that iconic French class. The fashion house have given the scarf a bit of a revamp, and are encouraging people to rethink the way they wear their scarf. J'aime mon Carré! I Love My Scarf! is an exhibition sweeping across Paris, New York, Tokyo and of course London, celebrating the scarf and the various ways in which it can be used in art and a fashion piece. These shots of the scarf's being used in a fantastic decorative display at the Rochelle School of Art caught Past Present Future's eye. We would love it if our bedroom looked like this. And don't forget to check out Hermes knotting cards online for new ideas to wear your scarf (even if it isn't Hermes.)

Fashion in Film

2010-12-22T08:30:00.008Z

If you missed the third Fashion in Film Festival this year, do not fear, there's only one more year until the next one. The festival swept across London early in December and saw places like the Tate and the Barbican inviting visitors into the world of extravagant aesthetic beauty. "Birds of Paradise" was the inspiration for this years exhibition and each venue played host to showing films with delicious costumes and rare performances. Past Present Future has scoured for stills from the films being shown, so here's a taste of the festival's delights.

The festival showed rare films from the 20's right up to the current day such as "The Ziegfield Girl", "The Red Heels" and "Pink Narcissus." The films really are a feast for the eyes, opulent and brimming with unusual and splendid costumes, bound to inspire fashionistas into adopting old trends. As a fairly new venture, the Fashion in Film Festival is in collaboration with major galleries and archives worldwide, and due to its current success is expected to continue annually for a long time. Or at least until they run out of beautiful films to show. We've got a while then...

For full details, check out Fashion in Film's website

Bianca Jagger

2010-12-20T10:04:00.004Z

An early christmas present from Past Present Future, Bianca Jagger. Formerly half of one of the coolest couples in rock and roll, Bianca famously arrived at Studio 54 on her birthday riding a white horse tethered to a naked man. Now a human rights activist, Jagger is one of the most beautiful and stylish women around, and we just love her.

Vintage typewriters

2010-12-20T09:28:00.005Z

As this age gets more and more technologically sophisticated, with ipads, macs and laptops endlessly being reinvented, becoming slimmer and more light weight, there's something archaic and romantic about a heavy and bulky old typewriter. Not only do they serve a very practical purpose, but as objects in themselves, they are beautiful pieces of vintage furniture. If Past Present Future were to write a novel, the only suitable mode would be an old typewriter.

Typewriters and their many parts are having a bit of a revamp too, the latest trend being jewellery made from typing keys. What really caught our eye is these sculptures which are fashioned from old parts of vintage typewriters (that were hopefully far past their original purpose.) Although they do look a little bit like the quirky metal ornaments that you find in a doctors office, they show how the old can be put to a new allbeit quirky use. Check out Etsy for ideas and pieces which incorporate our favourite toy.

Julia deVille

2010-12-11T12:49:00.003Z

Taxidermy is pretty huge right now, people are tripping over themselves to get some horns to adorn their living room, or a weird animal skull to serve as a table ornamant. Slightly morbid? Yes. Really cool? Definitely. With artists like Polly Morgan exhibiting their art work to much acclaim, it's clear that the taboo of stuffing animals is beginning to diminish. Julia deVille incorporates jewellery design into her taxidermy art, and her pieces are equally as sculptural as they are wearable.

The Melbourne based designer is inspired by Memento Mori, the mourning jewellery from the 15th century to the 18th century, and this interest in preserving something after it has deceased comes through in the style of her work, each animal element living on to create new beauty. She is similarly interested in Victorian mourning jewellery, and the use of taxidermy is used to nostalgic and sentimental effect, the delicacy of her pieces showing the fragility of life. Wear them, look at them, frame them, her creations are original and beautiful. We at Past Present Future are particularly captivated by her sparrow wing broaches, with their slightly bionic metal chains and attachments. Probably best not to wear if popping out for some groceries though...

Julia deVille's website

Iosselliani

2010-12-11T10:09:00.005Z

Skulls, Skulls, Skulls. Yes we know that they've been reincarnated pretty much every season since McQueen created the silk skull scarf, but they are still a great design for pretty much anything and everything. They have something ancient, tribal and gothic about them, and Iosselliani's faceted gem and gold designs have caught our eye for adding a touch of luxury and glamour to the skull design. And if they end up in Past Present Future's stocking this year, we'll be very happy.

See more Iosselliani designs here

Marlene Dietrich

2010-12-11T09:11:00.008Z

The original femme fatale would have been 109 this christmas, and is credited with triggering one of Past Present Future's favourite looks; women dressed as men. Marlene Dietrich is the ultimate bisexual icon, not only due to her own vivacious sex life, (she had lesbian and straight relationships right into her seventies) but also her penchant for wearing immaculately tailored suits, tails and top hats. The black and white pictures of her from her early career are the epitomy of classical and aloof chic. German born Dietrich's dulcet and sultry tones came to represent her ambiguity as a woman, and with the bone structure of a marble sculpture, she is the antithesis of pretty femininity and a temptress to men and women.

Apart from being one of the most famous and beautiful actresses around the thirties, Dietrich was a staunch anti-Nazi, and her strong political discernment led her to visit the troops fighting during WWII, leaving a trail of glamour everywhere she went. She famously went to the front line to sign autographs and visited the injured soldiers in hospitals, signing their casts and never hesitating to plant a kiss on their lips if asked. Dietrich was a wonder, the women she played on screen becoming equally as dramatic and fantastic as her real life story. And she looked the epitomy of cool the entire time. What a lady...

Mary McCartney

2010-11-02T21:23:00.008Z

Mary McCartney used her camera to hide behind, and at a distance, record the world she was faced with. This initial interest in photography as surveillance is ever prevalent in her current work, her portraits exploring the backstage of performance and the preparation of the performer. For someone who had to face the daunting possibilities of being the eldest daughter of one of the most famous couples in rock and roll, Paul and Linda, Mary put her eye to good use in capturing the sensitive world of those in the public eye in a relaxed and intimate way.

McCartney's long awaited exhibition, which is accompanied by her debut book "From Where I Stand" shows portraits from the beginning of her career which started in 1994. Close family portraits are included, there's Stella with no make and Paul sporting a rugged beard whilst riding a horse. The images are personal and reveal the offstage persona of many a famous face. And of course there's friend Kate Moss, captured aloof and deliberately underdone, nonchalantly gazing straight down the camera lens, banishing any modelly pretense.

McCartney's studies of behind the scenes aspects of theatre are especially beautiful. Her black and white portraits of dancers and performers readying themselves for the stage, conjure the importance of surveillance within photography throughout this century. Her photographs could easily be likened to the work of Lee Miller or Brassai, due to their raw and chic sleekness, and also for the subjects unawareness that they are having their picture taken. If anything, the collection displays McCartney's intuitive attitude to subtlety. No picture is crude, every pose is just right. Following in the footsteps of her mother, renowned for her personal portraits of The Beatles and co, Mary has a similar intuition to document people with truth and honesty. The exhibition has the appeal of a collection of photographs of close friends and is certainly worth a visit to see another McCartney prove that the family is full of talent.

Exhibition ends November 22nd. For more information visit the Michael Hoppen Gallery website

Alpines

2010-10-12T19:32:00.010+01:00

Alpines describe their music as "Night Pop". I can see where they get their nocturnal preference from, their songs conjuring elemental, dark and archaic imagery that ought to be listened to in a very dark room (possibly with a candle burning). The duo, compiled of Catherine and Bob combine this with a fascination of visionary art, futuristic sounds with a dash of surrealism to create otherworldly and mystical pop. With a burgeoning record deal and the fashion elite at their feet, (Rankin featured Alpines track "Drive" in a film collaboration with Hannah Marshall) the pair are bound for success. Catherine took the time to answer Past Present Future's 10 questions, letting us into the mysterious world of all things Alpines. We have a bit of a crush...

1. If you could bring someone back from the past, who would it be?
My Grandparents. I never really got to know any of my grand parents as they died before I was born or in my early childhood. I feel there is a big part of my family history that I am never going to fully understand. To me it’s important to know your heritage and pass stories from your ancestors down to further generations.

2. If you could steal any piece of art, what would it be?
I studied History of Art at university so my brain instantly fills up with thousands of works of art I would want to steal. However, it wouldn't be for its value, it would have to be because of my sheer love of the piece. The contemporary works I would steal would be any painting by Fiona Rae. I love the way she combines graphics and fine art in her work and I’ve attempted to copy one of her paintings in the past, which I found very challenging. I would also steal one of Antony Gormley's men and if I had the time, I’d also steal a Self Portrait in pencil by Da Vinci.

3. What’s your most treasured possession?
I have a few truly treasured possessions, but the key one would be my piano. The time when I am most at peace is when I am playing piano.

4. Who would be in your dream band?
Bass - Paul McCartney
Drums - Jon Theodore
Programming - Burial
Guitar - John Schofield
Guitar - John Frusciante
Trumpet - Miles Davies
Vocals and Piano - Aretha Franklin
Vocals - Sam Cooke
Grace Jones (to look amazing and sing a line or two)

5. Who have you got your eye on at the moment?
Jamie Woon. His voice is phenomenal above all else and what is better still is that he is making an album with one of Bob and I's favourite producers: Burial. 'Night Air' is incredible.

6. What’s your ideal day in London?
I’d start with a cycle to Ham Gate in Richmond Park, leave the bike and then walk up to Pembroke Lodge. I’d maybe stop for a picnic and then stroll onto Richmond Hill whilst watching the sunset over London, drink in hand from the Roebuck Pub. Both Bob and I grew up in Kingston and spent much of our childhood in Richmond Park, so it holds a lot of memories for us. It’s also where I learnt to ride a bike so that will always stay with me.

7. What’s currently hanging on your bedroom wall?
An Egon Schiele print, four vintage hats, a Pierrot clown sitting on a crescent moon mirror, a signed David Attenborough photo and a few posters of nights I have played in the past.

8. If you could invent something for the future, what would it be?
Ever since I watched Back To The Future I wished that the hover boards existed. However, I have been told by someone who knows about science that I would have to defy the laws of gravity in order to make this dream a reality.

9. What are you most looking forward to?
Mainly seeing parts of the world I have never seen before through playing music. I think this must be every musicians dream. I am also looking forward to making my first album.

10. What do you want to be when you grow up?
I would love all the things I used to dream of when I was a kid to come true. Namely, to have a shop full of things I have made. I love designing and making clothes and headdresses and every show I play I endeavor to make a new garment to wear. I also would love to be an explorer and help save an endangered species. I get very over emotional about animals and nature and when I’m older and wiser I would like to physically do something to make a difference.

Listen to Alpines on their website

Shadow Catchers

2010-10-12T08:41:00.006+01:00

The V & A will launch tomorrow "Shadow Catchers", an exhibition documenting five contemporary artists who work without a camera, catching light and darkness in their prints to create truly original and dream like images. Using scientific technique, Floris Neusüss, Pierre Cordier, Susan Derges, Garry Fabian Miller and Adam Fuss create their own primary material, as unlike a photograph, each screen is the original source and by being developed, becomes it's own negative. This way of working, is exciting in that there is a certain level of unexpectedness; the artist not knowing exactly how their impressions of light and chemicals upon the photographic paper will turn out.

Floris Neusüss, one of the original shadow catchers, has dedicated his life to teaching the craft and his images show the effect natural and human shapes can have when scanned and shone bright light onto to create stark contrasts in an ethereal way. The fascination with the foetus comes through in some of his earlier 60's images which were created in Berlin, showing the human figure to be submerged in a childish position of repose, conjuring subconscious ideas of fertility and birth.

Pierre Cordier used highly scientific methods to create his art, photographic paper serving as his canvas which allows him the freedom to experiment with the potential of chemigram and create unique and unusual images. The picture below, demonstrates how much of a master Cordier was with using chemicals as watercolours upon gelatin-silver photographic paper, creating a range of hues and tones in this experiment.

Adam Fuss's images carry on the some of the themes and practices used and devised by Neusüss, but as an artist working from the 80's to the present, advancements in photographic development allow Fuss to use colour and light to an even more descriptive degree. His work is very objective, using the shadows of a patterned dress, a snake wriggling trough water and a flock of birds to capture a lasting imprint of the subjects movement so that they are preserved in a state of perfect stillness. His images are incredibly ghostly and ominous, due to the haze of light he creates, which appears as a sort of mist above the outline of his subject. Symbolism was of great importance to these five artists, and to Fuss, the meaning of the figure within his images is equally as important to the light and shadow effects of the piece.

For more information, visit the V&A's website

James Barnor

2010-10-05T11:10:00.007+01:00

James Barnor's legacy as a photographer is vast. His career has spanned an amazing sixty years, and led him to become a renowned fashion photographer. Yet before this transition into commercial photography, Barnor documented African life within Britain throughout the sixties and seventies. He moved to London in 1959 and immediately began recording the social changes around the city, specifically the appearance of black people in England.

There are no downtrodden faces here, but glamorous, beautiful and proud people who are celebrated for their difference. The collection of photographs currently being exhibited at Rivington Place are valuable imprints of the history of race and division in London, and show the splendour of sixties and seventies culture from young bouffant haired girls in shift dresses, to wizened faced old gentleman. Barnor is an important part of the progression of photo-documentation and this series of pictures are well worth a look to gain a glimpse into the shape of London several decades ago.

Exhibition ends November 27th. For more information visit Rivington Place's website

Owen Cutts

2010-09-30T09:59:00.010+01:00

Rising London singer and songwriter Owen Cutts took some time to answer 10 questions with Past Present Future London. Owen combines his love of folk, soul and hip-hop into his music, which should be booming from a stereo near you anytime soon.

1. If you could bring someone back from the past, who would it be?
I think I would bring back someone like Otis Redding because he died a month before 'Sitting On The Dock Of The Bay' was released. To me that’s some tragic shit, I would love to bring him back just so he could see how huge that record is. How it is still played and loved today; also because he was only 26. I'd also like to bring back someone like J Edgar Hoover and say "Look J, I've brought you back to life, now tell me some shit. What actually went down?" That guy took some secrets to the grave, and I want to know them. Lastly, it would have to be John Lennon and George Harrison. I’d try and get “The Beatles” to do one last show. I'd find Paul McCartney and say "Paul, Ringo is blatantly up for it, I don't even need to ask him, what do you reckon?" That would be amazing, to see “The Beatles”.

2. If you could steal any piece of art, what would it be?
This is something I've always wanted to do. Plan and execute stealing a painting or perform a jewellery heist. It would have to be a big one like The Mona Lisa, The Scream or Monet’s Garden. I'd get a team together and plot for months in a little rented apartment somewhere in Paris. I'd get the blueprints of the Gallery and study the security carefully. We'd all have different roles. I wouldn't want to run in guns a’ blazing, more like using disguise and distraction. I reckon I'd be quite good at it.

3. What’s your most treasured possession?
It’s probably my treasure chest. Only joking. I really don't know, it's between my guitar because my Dad got it for me. It’s a beautiful guitar and although you can always buy another one, that one is special. I always remember which guitar I wrote each song on, and I've written a lot of songs that I'm proud of on that particular guitar. I also treasure my Grandpa's hat. We had the same size head and I have his old straw hat. It fits perfectly and he died a long time ago. I never let anyone borrow it. I love that hat.

4. Who would be in your dream band?
Drums - Quest Love
Bass - John Entwistle or Aston Barrett (from the Wailers)
Lead Guitar - Jimi Hendrix
Keys - Stevie Wonder or my mate Kevin
Xylophone - Evelyn Glennie
Violin - my boy Rick Dangerous
Guitar - Tommy Baxter
Backing vocals - Boys 2 Men
Lead Vocals - Me

Wicked band!

5. Who have you got your eye on at the moment?
I really like “Everything Everything”. My mate showed them to me and I was instantly a fan. And Cee Lo Green. I know he's not new but I honestly think he's got the best voice of our generation and he's got a new album coming out soon. Gnarls Barkley really brought him to masses, both of those albums are just sensational. I can't wait for his album, after hearing 'Fuck You' or 'Forget You' for the kids.

6. What is your ideal day in London?
My ideal day would start with me waking up at around 10am to a blazing hot day. I'd get out of bed, put a record on, sit down to a full English breakfast (minus mushrooms and beans) with Mouse (Owen’s girlfriend). I’d sip a fresh orange juice and step outside. Then I'd go for a drive with her in an old convertible around London. We’d stop off at Marine Ices for a scoop then on to Queens Park where I'd meet all my pals and chill in the sun. Then we’d all grab a spot of lunch from L'angolos (an amazing deli round the corner). Next, jump in the convertible with my boys following us to Wembley, where England are playing Germany in the World Cup final. You can guess the outcome. To celebrate being champions of the world we all go to The Roundhouse in Camden where I'm playing a show with my dream band from question four. By that point I probably won’t remember the rest.

7. What is currently hanging on your bedroom wall?
Nothing at the moment because I’ve just moved. But I used to have my vinyl’s up there. I'd pick the best album covers and rest them on two nails. I had a whole wall covered in albums. When I got bored of one I'd just take it down and replace it. It was brilliant, like swappable art. On the opposite wall I hung all my hats up, I collect hats. So I had a line of Trilby’s then a line of straw hats then a line of flat caps and so on and so on. It looked really nice, two opposing walls with objects on them. I once asked my mate Joe who would win in a fight, my hats or my records. He didn't know.

8. If you could invent something for the future, what would it be?
Prescription wind screens. 3D phones. Un-poppable footballs. Walki- Talkie Hats. I would actually love to invent a cigarette that’s not bad for you.

9. What are you most looking forward to?
I'm really looking forward to touring. I just think that's going to be so much fun. Taking your music on the road, surely that’s the goal. I love going to different places, seeing something you're not used to seeing, meeting people and long car journeys. If you can do that as well as play a gig every night, then you're laughing.

10. What do you want to be when you grow up?
NOT BALD. I don't care as long as I'm not bald. That shit scares me. I know I'm probably heading there because most men do, but I hope I don't go bald........please. Or a Master Chocolatier, like those Lindt guys. They get to swoosh round chocolate all day with those big whisk things and wear amazing chef hats. In fact, I don't care if I'm bald as long as I can be a Master Chocolatier.

Check out Owen's myspace here

Images courtesy of Reggie Yates Photography

Barney Bubbles

2010-09-24T10:00:00.008+01:00

To coincide with The London Design Festival, the English cult graphic artist Barney Bubbles is being celebrated at London's Chelsea Space. The maverick designer created artwork for countless seventies and eighties bands, from Hawkwind to Ian Drury and The Blockheads, and the vast exhibition features rare sketches, student notebooks and equipment which offer a glimpse into the life and work of this legendary contemporary artist.

"Process: The Working Practices of Barney Bubbles" is designed to give the appeal of an operating studio, prints and pieces are pinned to walls loosely and haphazardly, conjuring the chaotic atmosphere of this troubled underground artist. The span of his work, cumulative to two decades, is splendid and broad and shows the progression of his work, right up to his untimely death in 1983. Bubbles, real name Colin Fulcher suffered from bipolar disorder, and troubled with debts and rejection of his work, the illustrious illustrator committed suicide. It is only in recent years, that he has been honoured with memorial exhibits, and biographically recorded. "Reasons to be Cheerful: The Life and Work of Barney Bubbles", a monograph of his working life has been revised for a new release this year to coincide with "Process" and was named Mojo's book of the year, (so it must be good then.)

With a surname resembling too closely Michael Jackson's pet chimpanzee, Barney Bubbles met a similarly tragic end; falling out of favour with the people who had adored and celebrated him. But one thing is for sure, Bubbles effect on music and graphic design is legendary, and his legacy of artwork has inspired present and future designers, the world over.

Exhibition ends October 23rd.

Still Corners

2010-09-23T22:01:00.003+01:00

London based quintet "Still Corners" have the power to transport their listener to a realm of ethereal, hazy fantasy. With their delicate organ sounds and lead singer Tessa's softly angelic tones, "Still Corners" recapture 60's production with modern pop beats all finished with a whimsical and ghostly sensitivity. Their sound isn't one that makes you want to dance, rather sway in a trance like motion to their soothing melodies and swirling synths. The band have a few London shows coming up, so be sure to catch them in a small venue before they reach new spheres of success. Just don't expect to thrash it out on the dancefloor; be hypnotised by their majestic style.

Check out "Still Corners" myspace here.

Faye Toogood

2010-09-22T22:05:00.014+01:00

Studio Toogood, the brain child of Faye Toogood is, to put it simply, too good. This is a lady that has the most fine inclination as to what makes beautiful and clever interior styling. With a portfolio continually bursting with the hippest of brands, from collaborations with Comme des Garcons, to Liberty of London, this former art student is making some serious waves throughout the fashion and lifestyle worlds with her original concepts. Past Present Future are currently lusting after her sleek combination of the antiquated with modern design and wish she'd make us a sweet little home of our own....

Elne

2010-09-16T17:56:00.008+01:00

These three shots by London based Lithuanian photographer Elne have transported Past Present Future to the ethereal realm of playful fantasy. We want to twirl our skirts in a sunny wooded forest too. Elne's natural fashion photography doesn't focus on the subjects clothing. Their personality and character shines through above all else, and that makes her imagery all the more whimsical and majestic. We heart her....

Visit Elne's website

Vivienne Westwood

2010-09-16T16:35:00.011+01:00

The ground floor of Oxford Street's Selfridges currently resembles a Santa's grotto. But once you have waded through sequin baubles and festive decorations, you come to an altogether more slick and chic cavern of wonders. Ultralounge is currently home to a shoe retrospective of Vivienne Westwood's most famous and outrageous designs, from the stiletto that brought Naomi Cambell crashing down on the catwalk like a wounded gazelle, to the seminal pirate boot, the glass boxes that fill the dark space show the astonishing architectural structure of her footwear.

The exhibition chronicles just how prolific a designer Westwood is, the range of shoes chartering from 1973 to 2010. Apart from the diversity of her designs, the structure of the space gives a faceted impression to the display boxes, multiple reflections of shoes creating an opulent atmosphere. Each cabinet is lit with a spotlight, like a relic sat in a museum, the shoe is itself illuminated amongst the excess of black walls. To be honest, it's a hell of a lot to take in if you're simply popping in. Everywhere you turn there's another creation which looks like it shouldn't be put on someone's great big hoof. Westwood's pieces are deliciously impractical for everyday wear. But then it wouldn't be much fun if fashion were practical now would it?

Shoes to make you fly, winged like a Greek mythological creature.

The shoe that toppled Miss Campbell.....

Westwood's eighties masterpiece, the pirate boot.

Exhibition ends September 22nd.

Erin Wasson by Nan Goldin

2010-09-11T22:03:00.013+01:00

Nan Goldin's raw and personal photography has never been about fashion. So her collaboration with Erin Wasson for Melbourne based design company Scanlan and Theodore comes as a surprise. For a photographer whose work has featured the unconventionally beautiful; transsexuals to drag queens, bruised domestic abuse victims to dying aids patients, shooting Wasson is a stark contrast to her usual subject matter.

These shots from Scanlan and Theodore's current look book show Goldin's visceral and dark style in capturing her subjects vulnerability, but also show Wasson's effortless "don't give a fuck attitude." The model, designer and all round wonder is pictured wandering through an abandoned, dark and empty house, offering a brooding and moody setting for the clothes. Although the brand hail from Australia, this series of photos were just too beautiful not to post, their deep colours contrasting against the beauty of the clothing, and of course Wasson's femininity. We at Past Present Future are really beginning to wish we were from the land of Oz right now...

Bardot as Chaplin

2010-09-11T19:34:00.008+01:00

Brigitte Bardot seemed to have a short attention span. During filming in 1965 for "Viva Maria" the actress grew bored of her filming schedule and was filling her time with reading the likes of Hemingway and Faulkner, (whilst probably smoking profusely.) One day, she popped out of her trailer, her perfect face adorned with a moustache and clad in suit and bowler hat. Her impressions of the famous mime Charlie Chaplin, show Bardot's adorable and playful side when she was at the height of her fame, and before her more recent controversial religious and political statements. A young blonde French girl as the ever sombre Chaplin is funny and heart warming, and shows how much of a chameleon Bardot was in front of the camera. She abandons vanity, pulling silly faces, but of course, looks all the more beautiful.

Eadweard Muybridge

2010-09-11T15:03:00.013+01:00

Eadweard Muybridge's photography was pivotal in the progression of modern cinema, film and imagery. The Tate Britain are celebrating his motion picture series showing animals and humans in the process of movement, from the simple twirling of a woman's skirt, to two men leapfrogging over one another; these images revive the antiquated style of photography that we here at Past Present Future are enthused by.

Muybridge was famously dubbed "the photographer who proved horses could fly", and his method of shooting his subjects at a supper fast shutter speed, allowed him to capture detailed muscular movement and changes in their body shape which without such scrutiny, had been previously overlooked. A self-confessed murderer and general odd ball, the eccentric photographer migrated from his native Kingston Upon Thames, in search of success as an artist in San Francisco and the exhibition chronicles the progression of his career. His photos could be scientific experiments from the level of detail to each shot as milliseconds of movement are beautifully documented.

The discovery of cinema eclipsed Muybridge's achievements on recording the subject in motion, yet his simple black and white grid formations are serenely simple and extremely contemporary in light of minimal and deconstructed art, and show a raw and stripped naturalness to human motion and traversing. Muybridge's studies serve as reference for performance, dance, acting; all genres of art, and despite his death at the very beginning of the twentieth century, his photography has revealed to many the secrets of movement within photography.

Visit the Tate Britain website for more information. Exhibition ends January 16th.

Metropolis

2010-09-09T18:23:00.001+01:00

Fritz Lang's science fiction masterpiece was the most expensive silent movie to ever be made, costing an astonishing 5 million reichsmark, a small fortune in 1920's Germany. It was heavily critiqued for being too long in previews, the three and a half hour epic being severely cut before public views. Until now, the missing tapes were presumed lost, but by sheer chance, they have been discovered and are due to be made into the previously unseen original form of the film.

The reels of film were found in the archives of the Museum of Cinema in Buenos Aires and are believed to make the lengthy plot more comprehensible, revealing more characters and extra scenes. The copy exists as a private collector came to own a full version before the final cut was made and had until now been thought to be lost. The find is proving very exciting to film buffs the world over.

The film set in 2000, shows two struggling worlds, the underbelly of workers and the classes above who control them. "Metropolis", is visually stunning and shaped the direction of film where the fantastic became possible, but it is a social comment on the future of human society, played against a robo-Frankenstein invention. Lang's stunning visuals are so important to the world of cinema as "Metropolis" was one of the first films ever made, let alone the most expensive, and with its futuristic style, brings a contrast between 1930's fashion and sci-fi mechanics. Stills from the film show the beauty of "Metropolis" and the extensive design, costume and landscapes that made Lang's masterpiece so central to the progression of 20th century cinema.

Terry O'Neill

2010-09-02T17:26:00.013+01:00

Terry O'Neill's iconic photographs of the beautiful and famous epitomise sixties cool, and for a limited time, "The Little Black Gallery" is showing a selection of these wonderful images. The exhibition entitled, "Guys and Dolls" features models, musicians and actors in circumstances you wouldn't expect to see them in, offering a candid and personal glimpse into the lives of these glamorous creatures. Audrey Hepburn is pictured swimming in 1967 looking every inch the bedraggled urchin, whilst still managing to retain that timeless perfection that made her so iconic.

Faye Dunaway, O'Neill's then wife is pictured the morning after her Oscar win in 1977 for "Network". She looks relaxed and a little disaffected as she reclines at a hotel swimming pool, surrounded by a selection of newspapers featuring fellow successful winners from the night before. O'Neill had a particular talent for making the most beautiful of women even more radiant, from Jean Shrimpton to Marianne Faithful in full corset and suspenders, O'Neill's female subjects were guaranteed to look spectacular under his lens. That's not to say his male subjects were any less fantastic; particular favourites include Rod Stewart in a leopard suit, the singer exuding rock and roll sex appeal and that peacockish attitude that demands attention. Fortunately, O'Neill was privileged enough to be friend to many a talented and pretty face, and this small collection of photographs is well worth a visit for anyone who has a penchant for the sleek, sexy and stylish times of bygone.

Exhibition ends October 30th.

For more information, go to The Little Black Gallery's Website

Biba's Back

2010-08-30T19:15:00.011+01:00

After Bella Freud's brief flirtation with bringing back Biba, Barbara Hulanicki's famous fashion store is being rebranded once more by a high street chain. Freud's garments captured the style of the Biba girl, the collection was full of high waisted trousers, elegant suiting and beautiful patterned silk shirts, yet the affordable origins of the brand got lost somewhere; garment came with very un-Biba girl price tag. The brand is back again, this time in the hands of a high street giant, and the excitement which Biba's golden letters and art nouveau design held for so many of Hulanicki's fans is steadily diminishing.

You'd expect us to be zealous and filled with joy that the worlds' most beautiful shop, which originated as the infamous Kings Road store where The Rolling Stones came to get their girlfriends clad out whilst picking up something equally opulent for themselves, is back on our high streets. It seems the old Biba is not quite as it once was. The original shop itself was breathtaking and is incomparable to the corporate fashion chains that take up most of Oxford Street. A haven of beautiful art Deco interior combined with 1930's lighting decorations and maroon velvet chaise longues', a haze of leopard print, feathers and decadence. Yet within this setting of luxury, the clothing, the accessories and the make up was all within the price range of a teenage girl, high fashion for the high street, leading the way for London style to become one of the most highly regarded and sought after in the entire world.

We would be excited, if it weren't for the fact that Hulanicki sold Biba in 1975 and despite still being involved in the fashion industry (we swooned at her Topshop collection), has no ties with the Biba name. That would explain why the most chic and beautiful of shops has been taken to the high street, House Of Fraser using the brands name for a collection of party clothes which wouldn't look out of place in a non-descript, slightly naff shop (*coughs* River Island perhaps). The collection has none of the trendy cut dresses, brightly coloured paisleys or hippy blouses which encapsulated the excitement of the swinging sixties. The designs are typical and lack lustre in comparison to the unusual and anti-conventional aesthetic of the forward thinking Biba brand.

It seems the legendary Biba, founded by Hulanicki as an act of rebellion against the state of sixties fashion, will never be recreated with the same impact it had during the decadent and psychedelic sixties. Past Present Future London remembers Hulanicki's original Biba, the shop that makes us envy our mothers. Lucky girls...

Hendrix in Britain

2010-08-26T09:43:00.017+01:00

Its hard to imagine the dwelling place of Jimi Hendrix, the enigma and legend shrouded in mystery as a result of his early death. One can fantasize about him living in the psychedelic haze of his lyrics; brightly clad in coloured velvets and bound in patterned silk scarfs amongst a smoke filled room similarly adorned with beautiful tapestries and fabrics. The caterpillar perched on his toadstool in Alice in Wonderland, sucking at his hookah.

For a limited time, the Mayfair attic flat that Hendrix loved and lived in is open for public visitations. His relationship with Britain has always been strong, Hendrix being welcomed by the British audience well before his success in the U.S. and his London flat is the only place the singer ever called home. Kathy Etchingham, pictured above, Hendrix's long standing girlfriend at the time, lived with him and describes trips to Portebello Market to gather decorations for their Brook Street home, which included turquoise velvet curtains and a scarlet patterned carpet. It seems my imaginings were true.

Hendrix was an orphan, and Britain adopted him, paving the way for his musical success the world over. Handel House, which was home to baroque composer George Frideric Handel from 1723 until his death in 1759 is a place filled with significant musical heritage; Handel an old fashioned classic, Hendrix a progressive artist who has shaped the history of guitar playing ever since. To commemorate the 40th anniversary of Hendrix's death, Handel House Museum is also holding an exhibition "Hendrix in Britain" which contains memorabilia, clothing and photographs of the singer in his heyday. His death on September 18th in 1970 aged 27 is one of the most famous days in music history and Handel House's celebration of this maverick peacock is bound to have flattered the cool cat, as the whole of september is dedicated to him.

Kathy Etchingham - "The flat was the ideal place for us – at the heart of London at a time when the city was the centre of the music world – but we were still somehow able to spend very relaxed days there, away from the limelight."

This rare opportunity to catch a glimpse of the life of the early departed musician is not going unnoticed, many days of the visit days are now compleately sold out, so ensure you book quickly.

Hendrix Flat Visits run from September 15th to 26th. The exhibition, "Hendrix in Britain" ends November 7th.

For booking information visit the Handel House Museum Website

The Lumière Brothers

2010-08-24T11:26:00.012+01:00

The Lumière Brothers pioneered the first colour photography, and the film below, "The Serpentine Dance" (c. 1899) starring Loie Fuller is one of the first movies ever made. Although the film is in colour, the shots were taken in black and white and then each frame was painstakingly coloured to give the vibrant effect of shades of orange, fading into turquoise and then peaking back to bright yellow. The effect is beautiful, and it shows that amongst much 19th century documentation, there were the Lumière Brothers, injecting some life into the black and white grainy pictures associated with this era.

The two French men went on to open the first ever cinema, holding a private screening of projected motion pictures in 1895, paving the way for 20th century moving art. They are truly significant in the shaping of the film industry and history of photography as they invented the first colour film, Autochrome. We are paying tribute to them today, here at Past Present Future as all the movies we love and photos we adore would not be possible if it weren't for this magnificent pair. There is a romance and ethereal presence to their pictures, particularly those of french life that embodies the countries elegance and energy all with a bright and colourful sophistication. The brothers were certainly true to their namesake, lumière meaning light, as their images and films bring almost psychedelic brightness to each and every one of their subjects due to the vibrancy of colour added to each image.

Alfie's Antique Market

2010-08-20T21:26:00.017+01:00

Since opening in 1976, Alfie's Antique Market has been a famed centre for rare antiques and vintage finds all conveniently housed under the same roof. With over 100 dealers in the Art Deco building, it is a fantastic place for all antiquated minds to convene and source beautiful souvenirs and get great fashion ideas too. The maze like layout leads you through haphazardly, allowing you to unexpectedly stumble upon a stall boasting unusual trinkets and jewellery to find next door a trove of leather trunks sandwiched between a vintage book stall. One thing to note is the considerable range in price at Alfie's. It is possible to pick up something truly one off, but be prepared to pay a bit more for it. The quirky old dealers also add to the eccentric vibe and the market is great for inspiration and ideas of how to add an antique quality to your home even if you are not intending on shopping. For more information visit the Alfie's Antique Market Website

I stumbled upon these beautiful mother of pearl engraved tablets which were used in the 18th century as pieces in board games. How utterly decadent. They were a real bargain at £4 to £8 pounds a piece and could be used to decorate a plain table by using them as a shell like mosaic.

For those in search of bolder items to add a vintage feel to your home, these beautiful leather trunks should keep you happy. This particular stall has dozens of old trunks in all different shapes and sizes and are in pristine condition. It is possible to hunt around and find cheaper trunks at flea markets and on ebay, but these near perfect, well cared for trunks are a great find for anyone who likes the travelling motif in their home.

The basement is home to 20th Century art and furniture and has some super chic, lux retro style tables, chairs and ornaments to give an interior a James Bond pad sleekness. Much of the stock is from the 40's right up to the current day so there is a broad spectrum of contemporary art too. Keep an eye out for quirky lighting and modern chandeliers to bring a futuristic style to an interior.

Alfie's Antiques Centre, open 10 - 6 Monday to Saturday.

All images by Chloe Hayward

Judy and Jane Aldridge

2010-08-20T11:42:00.012+01:00

Mother and daughter, Judy and Jane Aldridge are similarly in tune with past, current and future trends and as designers and top fashion bloggers their sense of style has really struck a chord with us at Past Present Future. The pair invited Nowness.com into their Dallas home, and the photographs by Douglas Friedman prove that their stylish designs in fashion carry all the way through to their house which is a mecca full of beautiful antiques and vintage ornaments. Their passion for collecting has allowed them to track down unusual jewellery and vintage couture, all of which are displayed like a box of treasures in their gorgeous home. A mixture of 70's retro and Art Deco, Judy and Jane's home encapsulates how the old and antique can come into a modern home and create a truly unique style designed for opulent living.

It is their beetle pendants that have really been causing an online buzz and have travelled across the atlantic to the eyes of Past Present Future much to our delight. The bold golden insects are so detailed in design and intricately made that they look like the have been caught mid crawl and cast in bronze ready to be hung around your neck. These creepy crawlies are beautiful and unlike a lot of modern jewellery due to their rustic and realistic appeal. Prices range from $180.00 to $280.00 and are cast in bronze. Find the little critters at Atlantis Dry Goods

Check out Judy's Blog, Atlantis Home
Check out Jane's Blog Sea of Shoes

Draw In Light

2010-08-18T14:04:00.009+01:00

Having your first collection snapped up by Liberty is a rather comfortable position for any designer to be in. Fashion duo "Draw in Light" is made up of childhood friends Harry and Polly and as their success as a design team is burgeoning, they are staying true to less commercial forms of production.From their London studio, the pair use traditional silk screen printing to create one off contemporary garments and encorporate the technique famously used by Warhol to create a sense of nostalgia, harking back to now disused arts.

With fashion week looming, the pair are busy getting their second collection ready hot on the heels of "Open Screen" their debut. The beautifully shot images taken from their first look book below show just how refreshing a range "Draw in Light" are offering. T Shirts with unique prints and patterns are a far departure from the generic shapes of All Saints' vests and high street copies. These girls are just finding their feet in the big bad world of fashion and here at Past Present Future we are catching them just before they rocket up the fashion ladder. All the lights are green for "Draw in Light".

Here are some shots of Polly and Harry at work in their studio.

Follow Harry and Polly's Blog

Check out their website and a beautiful video to accompany their first look book.
Draw in Light video

Faris Badwan

2010-08-18T13:48:00.015+01:00

The Horrors may be well known for their gothic look and loud punkish sounds, but lead singer Faris Badwan is making a name for himself in the art world, with his second exhibition in two years. Badwan, having studied illustration at St. Martin’s College of Art has always maintained a natural interest in drawing and his chance to exhibit these detailed line sketches came as a surprise to the frontman. "Drawing a Straight Line" features drawings, paintings and film projections from his own personal collection which until he was approached by a gallery, were not intended for exhibition.

Badwan's simplicity in style is what makes the drawings so compelling and powerful as they have been created by black fineliner alone in the most part. It's hard to imagine the bushy black haired singer spending hours, painstakingly scribbling in such detail, but the exhibition offers a glimpse into the other side of rock and roll, when the band are left to their own artistic devices. The exhibition is currently running at The Book Club on Leonard Street, EC1.

The following drawings are from Badwan's debut 2009 show and similarly capture the beautiful composition of line, pattern and tone with a strange and free sense of expression. They are less controlled than the clearer images of his new exhibition, as he instead covers the blank space with doodles and almost invisible lines of poetry as they blend into the complexity of his sketches.

The Book Club

Bright Young Things

2010-08-16T11:48:00.009+01:00

"Oh You Pretty Things", David Bowie's famous screech; a lyric somewhat reminiscent of the "Bright Young Things" of the 20's, who were determined to forget about the sorrow around war ridden England and dance the night away, fizzing with champagne and leaving a trail of glitter behind them. Decadence was everything, from drink to drugs, elaborate parties and non P C fancy dress (one of the sets themed parties was a Beggars Ball), this young set are still inspiration for literature and fashion to this day.

Stephen Fry's film adaptation of Evelyn Vaugh's "Vile Bodies" encapsulates the beautiful and decadent times in which the post war young aristocrats lived, throwing lavish and extravagant fancy dress parties and frittering away money they didn't have. The image conscious set tried to maintain their aristocratic upbringing, but as a result of the First World War, many were penniless. The vampirish set shown in "Bright Young Things", compiled of Emily Mortimer, Michael Sheen and James McAvoy, document the plot of Vaugh's famous novel and show the beginnings of the gossip column, celebrity and scandal. The film is true to Vaugh's satiric motives in "Vile Bodies" and shows the comedic lifestyle of these young things, but inevitably the party cannot last forever. With the Second World War looming the book takes a turn, showing the dust begin to settle on these beautiful night creatures as the last record is played on this era of frivolity and fun.

Cecil Beaton's career as a photographer began around the hubbub of the bright young things, his photographs of Stephen Tennant, Baba Beaton, the Mitford Sisters and other infamous party goers have lived on and captured the shameless opulence of the 20's and 30's. Beaton is one of the original rock and rollers, in his sixties still hanging out with the coolest cats in the music and art scene, photographing the likes of The Rolling Stones, Marilyn Monroe and Andy Warhol.

These were the times before open homosexuality, and Beaton's iconic photographs of Tennant in androgynous repose, made up and glossed to perfection were the first attempts to shatter these gendered roles. A time filled with war, soldiers going off to never return and male bravado, being openly gay caused outrage amongst the press and public. Back to Bowie, his famous song could well have been about Tennant and his motley crew, driving their mothers and fathers insane with their disregard for societal roles and determination to have a jolly good time. Hooray!!

Raymond Cauchetier

2010-08-08T10:43:00.017+01:00

Raymond Chauchetier has created some of the most celebrated images of the French Nouvelle Cinema scene, but until now, the man himself has not been acknowledged as the taker of these photographs. James Hyman Gallery's current exhibition "La Nouvelle Vague" is a beautiful collection of candid behind the scenes photographs, capturing the sensitivity of rare moments between filming. London is the city that brings this glimpse of iconic Paris to the public and is a rare opportunity to see the beginnings of New Wave French art.

The exhibition confirms why Caucheterie is the greatest photographer of the French New Wave Cinema period, gaining access to the films of Jean Luc Godard such as "Breathless" before they became the seminal pieces of French film that they now are. The images show perfectly that inimitable French sophistication and sexuality which has transcended into fashion, film and photography. Cauchetier is the original, the master of capturing a pout, a breath of smoke, or a carefree stroll down the Champs Elysee.

Cauchetier's iconic black and white photographs incapsulate the French city and the chic Parisian street life, showing the beautiful landscape which these films have come to embody. He is still going strong at the grand old age of ninety, and shows contemporary photographers what makes a classy, classic and truly striking image. Oooh La La.

For more information visit James Hyman Gallery

Exhibition ends August 28th.

Polly Morgan

2010-08-03T17:23:00.016+01:00

Taxidermy has long been associated with ageing men with a penchant for hunting and then displaying the fruits of their labour, on the walls of lavish country homes, horns, heads and all. Not any more. Within five years Polly Morgan has changed the stuffy (no pun intended) expectations of taxidermy, and transformed the possibilities for stuffed animals and birds. Morgan incorporates them into scenes with lifelike exuberance perching a magpie on a bakelite telephone, poised to snap at anyone who dare lift the receiver. Since her first works, Morgan has confessed to wanting her work to be "less ornamental and more monumental", creating narratives through the death of these creatures and immortalising them forever.

Morgan's latest exhibition "Psychopomps" features four pieces, each linked by Morgan's interest in Greek mythology and the theme of birds. Wings were often believed to be man's source of flight and Morgan harnesses the birds winged powers in her work. Systematic Inflamation inverts the image of the caged bird, instead the metal carriage is suspended as if being pulled upwards by the flutter of firey coloured canaries and finches. Atrial Flutter shows a rib cage suspended by brightly coloured miniature balloons and a vibrant red cardinal where the heart should be, exploring the relationship between life and death. This is a departure from the morbid and melancholic tone of her earlier works, each bird being given a new lease of life as they are transformed into positions where they appear to be alive, mid squawk.

"I started off learning taxidermy with no particular intention to become an artist but neither did i want to be a traditional taxidermist mounting pets or hunting trophies." Polly Morgan.

Atrial Flutter

Systematic Inflamation

Blue Fever & Black Fever create spectacular shadows across the gallery space, the pieces serving as giant disco balls exploding with wings of crows and pigeons. Both pieces are surreal in their composition, masses of headless birds all strangely joined. On second look they could be a flock of birds all feeding together in tight sychronisation creating an image of the birds natural behaviour. The exhibition marks the publication of Morgan's first book, "Psychopomps", documenting the progression of her work and describing the process which got her hooked. A read not for the faint hearted that's for sure.

Blue Fever

Black Fever

Exhibition ends September 25th. Entrance Free. 6 Burlington Gardens, WC2.

For more information go to Haunch of Venison

All images by Chloe Hayward

Sally Mann

2010-07-30T12:33:00.026+01:00

Sally Mann's photographic career has inspired controversy in the past, her portraits of her three children at their home in Virginia being critiqued for their showing of the young nude body and being heavily censored in the US (one particular magazine placed black strips over the eyes, nipples and privates of a beautiful shot of Mann's daughter.) The Photographers' Gallery's current exhibition "The Family and the Land" is a retrospective of Mann's long and successful career and displays the remarkable progression of her photography from the sensitive and intimate portraits of "Immediate Family" to her landscape portraiture in the collection "Deep South" and finally "What Remains", a study in the ageing and decomposing process.

Time Magazine named her "America's Best Photographer" in 2001 and her first UK exhibition marks the significant impression Mann has had on the contemporary photographic scene. Her large black and white prints have a powerful resonance with universal issues; life, death, youth, and ageing, and each series in her astonishing back catalogue documents the importance of the people closest to her.

"Immediate Family"

Mann's "Immediate Family" charts over ten years of her children growing up and shows what she believes makes great art; focusing on the people that are most important to you.

Mann uses old fashioned and now rarely used photographic techniques to create an antique feel, including antique cameras used in World War II and in particular wet plate collodian. This particular process causes a deeper distinction between light and dark pigment, creating a striking and powerful image. Mann uses the flaws and effects of this developing process to add to the mysterious atmosphere of her photographs, a dark crease around the outline of the image or a smear going through the smoothness of the picture creating an old and completely rare impression.

"Deep South"

Her home in Virginia has featured in much of her work, "Deep South" shows her increasing focus on the beauty and mystery of the natural landscape. This section of the exhibition has a ghosty feel due to the misty fog rising from the knotted roots of trees and branches bowing to the ground in perfect formation. Mann's photographs offer an escape from the normality and mundaneness of everyday life and creates another way of looking at a lake or an abandoned road. They are beautiful and ethereal, offering a glimpse of an otherworldly realm despite the content being the American Southern landscape.

"What Remains"

For more information go to The Photographers' Gallery

Exhibition ends September 19th 2010.

Origins of the Autograph

2010-07-26T09:48:00.018+01:00

A signed photograph of Che Guevara fetched £6,600 at auction recently. Queen Elizabeth I went for £24,000. So how is it that a small section of scrawl can become so highly valued. Where did the autograph come from?

Artists have always left a mark of authenticity on their work, whether it be on a Greek vase or Da Vinci's Mona Lisa, the signature means everything. Within the last century there has been an increasing fascination with the collecting of autographs. From children in Disneyland taking a small book around and asking for each costumed characters signature, to grown men hoarding ancient collections of sportsmen's autographs, child and adult alike feel an affinity with the author and have been given a memento of that specific moment shared.

Why is it that this century has a particular fascination with accumulating celebrities signatures and in some cases, placing a high price on such a scribble. It could be that by having a piece of a famous persons handwriting, people feel they have forged a connection with them, and therefore feel involved in their private and previously inpenetrable world. A persons hand is very well, personal and having ones own name written in their hand and better yet a personal message (squeals), the fan feels as if their years of dedication have been rewarded. And even more so when the author of such an autograph is deceased. The photograph with their own name is all the fan has left of them to remember that they existed.

An autograph will last forever, even if the celebrity doesn't or the adoration. It marks the immortality of celebrity culture and once framed and put in a neat place on a bathroom wall, is always a reminder a moment cherished between artist and fan. So next time you see a hoard of fans queuing at the backstage door for a boy band or girl group, just think of the meaning this small token will have for them and the immortality the pristine photograph will come to have.

The Wyeth Family: Three Generations of American Art

2010-07-23T20:42:00.021+01:00

It is a rare thing to find one family who have continued through each generation to inherit their predecessors artistic talents. The Wyeth family are an extraordinary exception, and through three generations, the American artists have not only passed on their natural gifts, but with each generation expanded upon their fathers and grandfathers talents to transform the shape of American realist art.

The Dulwich Picture Gallery are showing a unique opportunity to view the development of each generation's work side by side. The exhibition is courtesy of the Bank of America, and shows in a very English setting, the talents of these realist artists with documenting the American landscape.

N. C. Wyeth

N. C. Wyeth was one of America's finest illustrators, famed for his images for illustrated books such as Robinson Crusoe and Treasure Island. His illustrations are rich in colour and fantasy and bring the stories they advertise to life.

Andrew Wyeth

His son Andrew is created a name for himself as one of the greatest American realist painters, often portraying the regional landscape of his homeland. Often referred to as "The Painter of the People" Wyeth became highly regarded for his portraits of American life and his eery images often focus on the emptiness of the natural landscape, whether it be a field golden with hay or a snowy path. Taught by his father, Andrew Wyeth has captured the same talent for the slightly strange and disconcerting, a figure alone and abandoned or a raggedy lace curtain caught by the wind blowing through an open window showing the stillness of life.

James Browning Wyeth

Andrew's son James Browning Wyeth has continued the prolific reputation of the Wyeth family, painting the life he had grown up with in a darker style focusing on the strange objects he was surrounded by. Portraits of pumpkins and tractors develop the American horror film image, stark, aggressive and brooding, many of his paintings delve into Wyeth's heritage and continue the themes set out by his father by focusing on landscape and still life.

Henriette Wyeth

N. C.'s daughter Henriette, not to be outdone by her brother's artistic talents, has become highly regarded as one of the finest female painters of this century. Her still life paintings are a departure from the organic pallette of her family, and show with a more feminine delicacy, the beauty of objects, such as shells and flowers. She introduces far more colour into her images to lift the drabness of the American landscape she is so linked to and in doing so creates far lighter and less disturbing images, often focusing on the human form in a beautiful way distant from the male strength present in her brother and nephews paintings.

Apart from the Freud family, it is infrequent for one surname to produce so many artists which have affected the shape of modern art. I wonder what it would be like to be a Wyeth and really good at maths? Unusual i'm sure.

Exhibition ends 22nd of August.

Dulwich Picture
Gallery