Looks can be deceiving

This artwork is absolutely amazing. It LOOKS like its an installation of crushed foil front on, but is actually a woven canvas. You can see the intricate work in the following two images.

A new Etsy-ian is born…

So with motherhood going well, and I’ve learnt to better cope with my  little one after three months and a bit, I decided that it is time to get cracking on my own little home business. I spent the whole weekend setting up my Etsy Shop, FaceBook Page and Twitter account, and then linking it all together. Am by no means tech-savvy, but boy, after this little exercise, suffice to say I at least have the whole  social net-working situation down pat!

For those of you who are new to Etsy, it is an online marketplace for all sellers of handmade goods of arts and crafts, or vintage items. Be warned yourself, once you get in there, you’ll find it hard to get out, as there are just too too many goodies for sale by all the talented people out there!

Please click here to view my new online shop.

Flower face

Wouldn’t it be great if flowers had happy faces, could sway and sing beautiful little songs that uplifts your spirits. No doubt that’s what this artist had in mind…

Self portraits

Do you see yourself as the world sees you? Most of us have a different idea of ourselves compared to what our peers and family see us as. Most of us don’t even realise it, I don’t think. Which is why it is always interesting when an artist chooses to do a portrait of themselves.

Yayoi Kusama, an artist who could be said to live in a kaleidoscopic world of schizophrenic colours, did a self portrait in black and white. I am not an art critic. But perhaps it is a metaphor for truth as often been described as black and white, and she believes that she is being honest in her representation of self to the world. In a painting not distracted by colour, we begin to read more of the lines, patterns and shading used to construct her face and background.

Colour my world

Some other sculptures of Yayoi Kusama from the art fair. Stumbling across these brought a huge smile to the face. Her artwork really lifts up your spirits with their loud colours and sense of humour!! Much needed for a weekday!

I love pumpkin

Yayoi Kusama was exhibiting at the art fair and had a few paintings and sculptures there. Did not see the real sculpture of the pumpkin, the japanese gallery didn’t bring it. The gallery owner told me I could order a mini pumkin (about twice the size of a ottoman) for USD 350,000!!!

Another Anish Kapoor

 

 

 

Another Anish Kapoor artwork from the fair.

 

The below is an artwork called Turning The World Upside Down. I haven’t seen it personally as it is located at the Israel Museum, but I love the interactive nature of his sculptures.

Also decided to include an image of Anish Kapoor jewellery collaboration with Bulgari. Its so beautiful. I saw some other jewellery of his at the art fair yesterday, but didn’t manage to take good photographs of it.

 

 

 

 

ART HK 2011 – Sample of artworks

 

 

 

Art HK 11 is a an international art fair where galleries from all over the world gather to showcase their best and most popular works. Below is an art work by Anish Kapoor – a round domed dish of mirrors that shows your reflection when you stand at a specific spot relative to the dish. Very fun to play with!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

BoDW – Day 02

Just a couple of photos from today’s BoDW… didn’t get very good pictures today as was seated too close to screen resulting in bad screen resolution!

Business of Design Week – Day 01

Business of Design Week kicked off today early with pomp and ceremony, with an opening speech by Henry Tang – the Secretary of State HK. This year’s conference is a joint affair with partnering country Japan, which means we had many Japanese speakers. Good thing we had simultaneous translations provided through headsets! Today’s tracks we attended were on Fashion and Apparel, below are highlights of today’s speeches.

Without a doubt though, the speech that left the deepest impression is by Dai Fujiwara, right-hand man to Issey Miyake himself for 15 years, starting off as a young textile designer, and now a close partner in the process of design, conceptual philosophy and textile engineering. An excellent and succinct speaker (in Japanese, though he generously gave the translator lots of time to do her job), he gave a run down on the conceptual process/thinking behind A POC – garments designed to be made from a single piece of cloth, thus minimizing wastage, yet producing unique cuts of clothing for the end user. Click here and here if you’d like to know more. He also played a few cool video clips they’ve made, one of which I’ve included below.

The day was topped off with a fashion parade by three young local designers. It is refreshing to find local designers doing well in the industry. The Chinese are oft known for their financial capabilities, but contemporary design is young yet in this culture. Further critical work and thinking will have to continue in designing for the future.