Tuesday 30 April 2013

Andreas Erikksonn - Coincidental Mapping @ Stephen Friedman Gallery




ANDREAS ERIKSSON - COINCIDENTAL MAPPING
27 April 2013 - 25 May 2013

Stephen Friedman Gallery is delighted to announce its first exhibition of work by Andreas Eriksson.
Born in 1975, this is the Swedish artist's first solo exhibition in the UK and follows his lauded presentation for the Nordic Pavilion at the 2011 Venice Biennale. Eriksson's acutely atmospheric paintings, tapestries, sculptures and photographs relate to his daily life and the natural surroundings of his native Scandinavia. This body of work sits somewhere between abstraction and figuration, creating an enigmatic window to the outside world that feels at once familiar and mysterious.

Inspired by the Romantic Nordic tradition, Eriksson's work also alludes to but remains separate from what historian Robert Rosenblum called the ‘Northern Romantic tradition', a line that started with Caspar David Friedrich and extends to Wassily Kandinsky, Paul Klee and onto Barnett Newman and Mark Rothko. However, unlike these artists, Eriksson does not refer to his relationship to nature as religious yet his work conveys the same calm, atmospheric and harmonic qualities.

Eriksson's output reflects a sense of the isolation of nature, a factor of Eriksson's everyday life as his studio is located deep in Medelplana in the Swedish countryside. Eriksson uses these natural surroundings, as experienced on his daily walks, as the source for the work. He does not merely map this landscape but, experimenting with formalism and material, impresses on the viewer his visual and emotional experience of these everyday encounters.

The exhibition at Stephen Friedman Gallery will include a group of new painting, ranging from the intimate to the epic in scale. Eriksson's paintings continue the exploration of his reactions to the perception and experience of the outside world. The gestural, textured forms, layering and distinct brushwork convey both his feelings and emotions when encountering nature, allowing the work to dwell between these real and imagined places. Complementing these paintings will be a group of new tapestries; densely packed woven landscapes rich in both texture and colour. The works appear both as patchwork landscapes seen from above and magnified details of organic form and texture; an intimate personal encounter with nature and expansive vista at the same time. These intricate tapestries rely on the dominance of vertical and horizontal lines in parallel and the reductive use of colour that is also a feature of his paintings.

The exhibition ‘Coincidental Mapping' provokes both the sensual and the conceptual, expanding a fleeting observation and an overlooked detail, whilst asking us to pause, consider and reflect. The same properties that are important in the artist's experience of nature remain integral to his work.

The exhibition runs from 27 April to 25 May 2013 in our No. 11 Old Burlington Street gallery.

Monday 29 April 2013

Mamma Andersson - Gooseberry @ Stephen Friedman Gallery




MAMMA ANDERSSON - GOOSEBERRY
27 April 2013 - 25 May 2013

Stephen Friedman Gallery is delighted to announce an exhibition of new paintings by established Swedish artist Mamma Andersson.

This is the artist's fourth solo exhibition at the gallery and follows highly acclaimed survey shows at Moderna Museet, Sweden; Camden Arts Centre, UK and Aspen Art Museum, USA.

Born in 1962, Andersson paints from her subconscious, creating complex compositions that bring together a variety of sources including Nordic figurative painting, folk art, film imagery and her personal history. This exhibition shows the development of Andersson's recognisable painterly style in sensuous new paintings populated by ghostly figures amid dreamlike interiors and seemingly calm vistas.

The title of the exhibition, ‘Gooseberry', refers to the bittersweet fruit: its complex taste bound by its prickly and yet beautiful translucent exterior. It also draws to mind the English expression ‘to play gooseberry' whereby someone feels alienated, observing a scene but not being a part of it. Such intertwining and hidden analogies resonate strongly with Andersson who delights in hinted and disjointed narratives. Her paintings invite our reading through their enticing familiarity, and yet deny a specific storyline, much like disparate film stills suspended in time. The viewer becomes an outside voyeur, drawn in to untangle the artist's vision.

Andersson takes a collagist approach to her source imagery, drawing from both personal and public spheres. In two complimentary paintings entitled 'Hello' and ‘Goodbye', Andersson uses a found image of the interior of a burgled clock shop, taken from a photograph of the crime scene. Reflected onto each canvas, akin to a Rorschach ink blot, we see in ‘Hello' the artist's grandfather approaching us and in its counterpart her mother is walking away. Andersson states: 'On one side this has come to be a very personal piece, but at the same time it is very general'.

During her painting process Andersson's technique changes from meticulous detail to gestural abstraction, as loose washes give way to stark lines, thick impasto and graphic figuration. Inspired by Japanese print-making, she uses oil on board to layer textures and in this exhibition uses broad applications of dark paint. This is seen particularly in ‘Family Ties' where a group of otherworldly, brooding figures are joined together in a haunting circle dance. Alternating between sparse and concentrated brushstrokes, Andersson conjures up emotive scenarios that speak to the human condition.

Hallucinatory and enigmatic, the paintings in ‘Gooseberry' present the artist's distinct and personal visual language imbued with a sense of mystery and magic.

The exhibition runs from 27 April to 25 May 2013 in our 25-28 Old Burlington Street gallery.

Source

Friday 26 April 2013

Beyond


“BEYOND” is an exclusive documentary featuring photographer Joey L. Set in Varanasi, India. The documentary by filmmaker Cale Glendening follows Joey and his assistant Ryan as they complete their latest photo series- “Holy Men.”
Created by: Cale Glendening, Joey L., Ryan McCarney
Directed by: Cale Glendening
Edit/Color: Chris Dowsett, Cale Glendening, Joey L., Megan Miller, John Carrington 
Graphic/Titles: James Zanoni
Original Score: Stephen Keech,Tony Anderson
All Photographs: Joey L.
Guiding/Translation: Raju Verma, Tejinder Singh
Special Thanks: Jesica Bruzzi / BH Photo, Kessler Crane

Friday 19 April 2013

Exhibition Collective



One theme. 13 artists. 
Stoke Newington Library Gallery 
2-5 May 2013 

Come celebrate with us this May bank holiday weekend, as we launch our first ever exhibition. 

 From the 2nd-5th May the Stoke Newington Library Gallery will be transformed into a pop-up living room. Made up of 13 inquisitive and diverse creative professionals and artistic mediums, the exhibition will curate the work together under the collective theme of ‘light & dark’.

For the past six months, the artists of Exhibition Collective have worked together exploring collaboration and challenging themselves to think differently about their creative process. The artists have developed a synergy across their work and become a support network to each other. Via workshops centred on the theme ‘light & dark’ they have built up a body of work to be exhibited this May.

Join the artists to view and discuss their work & the collaborative workshops, and stay for a drink in the transformed gallery.

All exhibition artwork will be for sale.
Thursday May 6-10pm – Private View
Friday 3 May 12-9pm
Saturday 4 10am-5pm
Sunday 5 May 10am-4pm



http://beta01.exhibitioncollective.co.uk/exhibitions/light-and-dark

Wednesday 17 April 2013

Trilby vs Fedora


1: Trilby Vs Fedora

One of the main problems for our customers; and fellow hat wearers, is what is the difference between a trilby hat and a fedora?  Well after hours of research and hundreds of articles we are to proud announce that..... it all depends. Read on...

There seems to be a huge difference in opinion and primarily this boils down to the fact that trilby is essentially a British term, whereas fedora is preferred by our friends across the pond.

Lock & Co, a London based hat company founded in 1676 do actually classify the two items as different.  They believe a trilby to have a shorter brim which is angled down at the front and slightly turned up at the back. The fedora has a much wider brim which is more level. (as sported by Indiana). As Lock & Co are official hatters to the Royal family they are probably worth listening to, but unfortunately few people understand the classification or just choose to ignore it.

American based companies tend to use the term fedora regardless of the hat's shape, as it is a term their customers are more familiar with, and the same happens over here with trilby. So the lines between the two are gradually being eroded away leaving us with two names which are interchangeable.

So.... even though officially these are two different hats, terminology-wise they are slowly becoming one, it just depends on where you live; Fedora in the US and Trilby in the UK. At equip we're going to stay true to our roots and henceforth this style of hat will always be known as: the trilby.
Source

2: So what is actually the difference between a fedora and trilby hat??
Indiana Jones Trilby or Fedora?

As an American living in the UK, I have noticed quite a difference in the English language used here compared to our version in the US.  You catch the tube not the subway.  You put on trousers not pants.  You grab a pint with mates not a beer with buddies.  And of course you watch the football instead of soccer. 

As hatters we have run into a few problems which arise from this difference in language.  Our company first noticed that UK based websites were calling the Indiana Jones hat a trilby instead of a fedora. This was contradictory to everything we had known as American hatters.  In the states a trilby hat is a short brimmed, cut and sewn hat that is more like what Sean Connery wears in the 3rd Indiana Jones movie than what Harrison Ford wears.  So of course we were perplexed as to what to name this classic hat on our UK site.

Many evenings were spent looking at what other sites were calling trilby hats and what they were calling fedora hats.  Unfortunately, we noticed that it seemed to be at the companies’ discretion.  There is no guideline, or industry standard when it comes to this.  We would meet with different hat manufacturers and each had their own opinion on the matter. 

We have had this same naming issue with many hats.  In the states flat caps are ivy caps.  Baker boy hats are newsboy caps.  Fancy dress hats are novelty hats.  All we were hoping to do was create a site which was easy to use and navigate, and instead we couldn’t even decide what to name our categories and products.

As of now, we still have no clear indication that there is an objective definition as to what a trilby should be and what a fedora should be.  So, we made up our own definitions.  That’s right; we put our foot down.  Now we are saying, “trilbys are 2 inches or less, fedoras are over 2 inches bottom line.”

Some may ask “Why did you choose this random length of 2 inches?”  As an internet company we have to try and market our hats to the public the best that we can.  But as hatters we also want to hold on to some traditional industry lingo.  We couldn’t bring ourselves to name a big brimmed hat (the Indiana Jones hat) a trilby, it seemed contrary to what we had learned from many years in the business. 

That is it.  We leave it at that.  If you have hard proof that can show us a trilby is x and a fedora is y, then we will gladly change our product names.  Until then, we are staying with our own made up terms and hope that the world follows.  Don’t get us started on whether or not it is a bowler or a derby. 


Source: 


3: What’s the Difference Between a Trilby Hat and a Fedora Hat ?  Both hats have a dipped crown,



What’s the Difference Between a Trilby Hat and a Fedora Hat ?
How can you tell whether a hat is a trilby or a Fedora and which is the best one to buy ?
Here’s me and my day out on Monday . . .


What’s the Difference Between a Trilby Hat and a Fedora Hat ?
The way to tell the a Fedora from a Trilby is simple, it’s all down to brim size.
A gentleman’s Fedora has a broader brim, say 6 to 7cms approximately whereas the Trilby is narrower, about 4 to 5cms.
The sizes are approximate of course but it gives you an idea of ratio

Source: 



Thursday 11 April 2013


Measures, Metres, Inches or Licks. 
Two blue licks away. Or a mood's distance A to B. 

The scale we choose do indeed
construct the brittle throats of little
women's morning views. Though if used rightly, 
or should I even say chosen wisely, 
you have to rise above the inch-deep (7-9"). 

One Tailor went to school, and the
other was too cool. Cutting the weaves, 
placeing their threads, the first one said, 
"Thou art a fool" and by noon he was dead. 


Monday 8 April 2013

JIMI HENDRIX Pop-Up Store Opens In London; 2nd - 12th April 2013

The first-ever JIMI HENDRIX pop-up store is to be opened in the heart of Soho (8 Ganton Street, London) to celebrate the release of his 'new' album, People, Hell And Angels. The store will open for a limited time only from Monday, April 1 – Friday, April 12 at 8 Ganton Street London, just off the world famous Carnaby Street. The store will sell a limited collection of merchandise and will feature Fender Plug & Play demo stations in addition to hosting a Gered Mankowitz photography exhibition.

Check out a photo of the store-front below:



World renowned music photographer, Gered Mankowitz, will be making a special appearance at the store from 3–6pm on Saturday, April 6, where he will be talking about working with Jimi Hendrix, and will be available to sign prints of his work, which have been exclusively printed for the pop-up store. The Jimi Hendrix pop-up store will feature the new album People, Hell and Angels as well as the entire Jimi Hendrix music and video catalogue (including CDs, LPs, DVDs and Blu-ray releases), including a number of titles that have never been available in the UK. It will also sell authorized limited edition Jimi Hendrix merchandise, including clothing, posters, art, books, collectible items, and guitar accessories including pick tins, guitar straps, and effects pedals. There will also be some very special merchandise pieces that have been created specifically for the store itself. People, Hell and Angels, debuted at No. 2 on the US Billboard 200 chart last week selling 72,000 copies. It marks Hendrix' highest-charting album since 1968, when Electric Ladyland spent two weeks at No. 1. Hendrix most recently visited the top 10 of the chart when another from-the-vaults album, 2010's Valleys of Neptune, debuted and peaked at No. 4.



All 12 tracks on People, Hell & Angels were recorded between 1968 and 1970 and were meant for First Days Of The New Rising Sun, the follow up to Electric Ladyland that Hendrix was working on when he passed away in 1970.

A new portrait of Hendrix - made from 4,000 Fender plectrums - will go on public display for the first time. The mosaic, which measures 105 x 80cm, was created by Manchester artist Ed Chapman.

Source

Friday 5 April 2013

Cream White Flannel Trousers & Sportscoats



Recently, we discussed suits and jacket from the 1960s, outlining the details of fashion styles at the time. Today, we will turn back to 1928 and focus on a German fashion illustration that highlights the great menswear tradition of wearing cream white flannel trousers with sportscoats.


Grey Suit

Let’s start by looking at the gentleman on the very left. He may not be wearing the aforementioned combination, but he certainly looks sharp! He is wearing a mid grey double breasted suit with six buttons, and two closing buttons. The gorge is low, the lapel has a rounded belly and the pockets align with the bottom row of buttons.

The full cut, high rise trousers have a decently sized cuff of about 2.5″ (6.5 cm), and are not cut overly long. Surprisingly, he wears mid brown shoes with a mid grey suit! While most men elegant men have now recognized that brown shoes can go perfectly with a grey suit, back then this must have been extremely fashion forward and borderline daring!

The light colored shirt has very subtle stripes and features a very long tab collar, over which he wears a red, white, turquoise and black striped tie. Interestingly, the knot is very thin and long, which makes it very different from a regular four-in-hand knot or a windsor knot. Most ties, especially those from Italy, have a much thicker interlining that would it make almost impossible to create such a knot. I think it suits him well, especially since he has such a slender build.

Considering the brown shoes were so different back then, the matching grey Homburg-style hat, the sand colored unlined gloves and the white pocket square helps to keep the outfit muted and elegant.


Ivory / Cream Flannel Trousers & Sportscoats

The two gentleman to the right both wear brown sportscoats with white cream flannel trousers and spectator shoes, but there are a number of distinct differences in their outfits.

The men in the middle wears a classic panama hat with a navy blue hat band (notice the top crease), and a pale brown jacket. This is not the typical sports jacket because it features (slightly) peaked lapels that are very round and rather short despite the closing button sitting slightly below the natural waist. The patch pockets with flaps clearly underline the casual character of this coat, although the peaked lapels and the the four cuff buttons are anything but casual. Usually these were reserved for more formal garments, like city suits or dinner jackets, whereas sports coats had one or two cuff buttons and notched lapels. The shirt is greyish-blue and has a similar collar to the other gentleman, with the exception that he wears a small collar bar. The rounded shirt button cuff was only seen on casual garments and it was a rather new feature at this point in time. The polka dot tie harmonizes well with the shirt and has the same narrow knot as his companion.

The trousers are once again full cut and have a high rise. So, although the front quarters are quite round, you cannot see the waistband of the trousers. Personally, I much prefer this look over combinations where I can see the belt and the tie peaking out underneath the buttoned jacket.Unfortunately, only very few men wear cream or ivory flannel trousers anymore. Of course, they are heavy and prone to stains – but they are so versatile and elegant! They are an excellent palette against which to contrast a range of dark jackets and sportscoats.

Paired with brown / white spectators, this outfit would certainly standout in most cities of the world today, but in 1928 this was a commonplace combination. For example, clotheshorse Rudolph Valentino would often wear these ivory colored trousers.

The person on the very right wears a darker brown, notched lapel single breasted jacket with jetted pockets. Interestingly, there are no flaps and he wears four cuff buttons in combination with cuff links. His peach colored shirt works great with his skin tone and the striped tie. As I mentioned before in the modern tailor shirt review, this kind of color is extremely useful since it can be combined with so many outfits -  every man should have at least one in their closet. Buying a shirt in this color is a fantastic way to expand upon your neutral shirt collection without creating redundancies.

His trousers have the same cut as the others, but this shade of cream is a little darker and will resist dirt a little more than the other pair. Nevertheless, I prefer the white flannel trousers in the middle. No matter if they are worn with a navy blue blazer, a houndstooth coat or  with a brown sportscoat like our subjects today, the wearer will always look great.

In regards to accessories, I should note that the color of his straw hat is much darker than the  panama in the middle. In combination with a walking cane, the overall look is very different from the middle ensemble, despite the obvious similarities.

What do you think about the outfits and more importantly, would you wear cream white flannel pants? I have yet to obtain a pair, but they are on the top of my list!

Source: