Francis Bacon

Francis Bacon was a known eccentric throughout his life time, being sacked from many jobs and careers and finally after a trip to Paris finding his heart and soul in art. First of all he was an interior designer displaying rugs and furniture at exhibitions. However, what i love Francis Bacon for is his art pieces.

Bacon used a variety of materials to create his pieces and they were often shocking and enlightening for his time. They often had colourful backgrounds with a strong pen and ink coming through the paper and he often used gouache paint to allow the colours to really stand out strongly.

One of Bacon's own favourite pieces that he did and one of mine also was 'wound for a crucifixion' (top image) This expresses the bright colours mixed with deep blacks and ink very well and the feeling and intent behind the picture at the time would have been very ground breaking. He was one of the first painters to dare into the world of abstract and for his subject matter to be bold and opinionated.

I think Bacon's style has had alot of effect on artists even to this day, the way he paints and creates his pieces is still a very fashionable look now and therefore i believe he must be one of the most influencial artists of the 20th century to create a style within abstract that has stuck for such a long period of time.

Durham Cathedral

Durham Cathedral has always been an amazing building, however for the past few years they have been building and repairing the outside to make it look even better. It's such a huge building as soon as you walk in you are practically swallowed by it's height and stature, it makes you feel so small and instantly quiet. It's been named 'one of the great architechtural experiences of Europe' and i can understand why. The way the building is structured and designed is just mind blowing, every single detail seems to be still perfectly intact.

The Cathedral was built in 1093 and took 40 years to complete. A snip when you think how much work there was to do and the resources that would have been available to them at this time. The Cathedral is in honour of St Cuthbert, the saint that is best loved in the North and obviously was made for worship. It is 496 feet from West to East across the Cathedrals span, and is such an impressive and strong building to see situated at the top of Durham.

Over the years, the Cathedral has since then become a landmark for Durham, and hosts suitable events and cermonies. Such as the University of Durham's graduation service and they even had some Harry Potter filming.

I think Durham Cathedral is a piece of classic architecture that amazes me every single time i walk into it. You can't help but let your eyes wander and take in every pillar, window, arch...everything about the building shows great skill and determination and i like to see that it is in as much use today then it ever was.

Sue Walker

Sue Walker is a well established thriller author. I love thriller novels, to really capture my attention in a book alot of the time there has to be a constant cliff hanger, that total 'i can't put this down' feeling. I tend to read a book in a week and then not bother reading for another month. The experience has to be intense and Sue Walker manages this with her books.

She has had three very successful books called 'The dead Pool', 'The Reckoning' and 'The Reunion'. The reunion is my favourite book that she has written, it's a constant display of her ability to capture fear and tension. Although the books arn't scary to the point where you can't turn your bedroom light off on a night time they certainly get you in the moment, Walker doesn't write just for the sake of scaring you, she writes a great plot and a complexed ending.

This particular book is about how a group of pyschologically disturbed teenagers who are in a group called 'the unit' are haunted by their past when they are all middle aged and have gone their seperate ways-it follows one character discovering what happened in her past, on one particular night. With many mysterious killings going on around her the book oozes tension and a need to know how it's going to end and what really happened that night. It shows very well how a early bad start to life can effect and torture people, the book shows real pyschological depth and research into how certain illnesses and troubles can effect people in certain ways.

Much like Ian Rankin, Sue walker was made to write thriller novels. Her covers are often haunting in themselves, suggesting a situation but not really showing it. Her work definitely stands out in the crowd of many average thriller writers.

Hairspray

The new version of Hairspray came out as a movie in 2007. Before this in 2002 it had been a stage musical which after the huge success of the film is now filling out alot more seats touring around the world.

When i first saw the trailer (above) i was sort of torn. The idea of a totally happy jolly musical film is good in someways but i wasn't sure if it wouldn't just end up annoying me, ending up on the same wave length as something such as High School Musical. However, i did enjoy it, enough to buy the DVD, know all the songs by heart and pretty much all the lines too. Although it is a musical film it is all very tongue and cheek, and infact so brilliantly scripted and directed that the film is of a high standard and class too, actually producing a storyline along with the bunch of songs.

Adding to the tongue and cheek are the characters, especially John Travoltas role as a woman...which has to sort of been seen to be believed. However, surprisingly it seemed to have quite a touching moral running through the whole film, only coming out light heartedly but it was nice to see a deeper meaning to the singing and dancing.

The film was directed by Adam Shankman and written by John Waters. They are both working on a sequel of the film now.

Architecture in Dubai

You hear more and more lately of British people escaping to Dubai, fleeing taxes and starting up home in this lush hot area. Dubai is steadily becoming famous for it's architecture, every building that is being built seems to be topping the last for it's obscure shape, height, width, colour. Everything you see seems to be top modern living.

All i am trying to decide is...is it enough? Would you want to live in a culture that is totally based on high tec fashion, that has no real soul and depth, only pristine living to an almost scary extent. I can't decide if i would love or hate it. Or if i would love it for a week and then miss Englands mistakes, inaccuracies and just general personality.

However, you can't deny the buildings in Dubai are beautifully structured and executed. The bottom picture is the tallest building in world currently standing at 2,257 feet tall and it's offically opening in 2009 so who know's how tall it will be then! The dubai towers (middle picture) are an amazing set of buildings, one being a six star hotel and others offices and spas ranging between 57 and 94 floors. With a lagoon in the middle and a view of the sea you cant argue these buildings are visually stunning and so incredibly well designed, they are also due for completion in 2009. The top picture is Burj Al Arab. A hotel which is situated on a artificial island and connected to mainland by a curving private bridge.

I do love all the architecture seen above, i think i would like to see Dubai in many years, actually completed rather than in constant work, then create my opinion.

The Gallery of Modern Art- Edinburgh

Being from Newcastle, instead of instinctively going down to London to see the art galleries and museums we generally instead decide to head upwards and see what Edinburgh has to offer. I have been to the majority of Edinburgh's galleries and think it's an amazing city for art and culture.They have great classic galleries such as the Portrait Gallery and The National Gallery of Scotland, which hold that very proper and grand feeling as you walk around and observe mainly renaissance art and onto the late ninteenth century. The paintings are generally oil and watercolour of landscapes and people. I like going and wandering around this type of gallery, there is something very British about it all.

However, my favourite gallery to visit in Edinburgh is the Gallery of Modern Art. It's a little further out then the other galleries but it is sat in it's own grounds and as soon as you enter you are surrounded by art visually. The way the gardens are sculptured all appears very modern (designed and resculptured by Charles Jencks in 2002) in contrast with the grand old building. There are sculptures and art pieces even on the grass, capturing your attention straight away.

The first floor of the Gallery of Modern Art is generally used for special Exhibitions, one artist will have a full display and payment will be taken. Although this is a small area, there has been alot of great names to have exhibitions with it. The second floor is the more permanent area, having pieces come in and out on loan but generally keeping the same theme and feel. They have French and Russian early twentieth century art, expressionist modern art including paintings from Picasso and Matisse.

With something for everyones taste the gallery also has post war work. Including pieces from Francis Bacon (who i saw a full exhibition of on the downstairs area one year), Andy Warhol, Lucian Freud and many more. They extend to even more modern work by having pieces from artists such as Damien Hurst and Tracey Emin- Who is currently having a full exhibition there. With such a huge range of artists and styles within the gallery you just never get bored, walking round from one room to the next there is always something new to catch your eye, no piece looks like the last one did and as is the way with alot of modern art you can stand pondering over the meaning behind what can often be some stranges pieces of work for a long while.

I think its great to visit a gallery that stands out and you remember it piece by piece rather then everything as a whole. It's definitely the gallery i would always go back to in Edinburgh.

Blinky...The Friendly Hen

I found this book by Jeffrey Vallance called 'Blinky'. It is about the author going down to a local supermarket, buying a frozen hen and then burying it like you would bury a human being. The story shows how he buys a casket, what is written on the hens head stone and even how much all the expenses came too...

There is a total air of mystery about this book. Who knows if it's taking the michael or trying to prove a point...I'm not even sure if i like or dislike it, all i know is that it totally stands out to me and makes me think 'what the hell?' and not walk away from it quickly.

Why Blinky? Why bother? The book almost seems so odd it does a complete 360 and by the time your finished reading the perfectly sensible copy you are thinking...yeah, why not just go and buy a hen and bury it?

I think probably it's the complete weirdness and total lack of reason that makes this book sort of work.

Roald Dahl

http://www.roalddahl.com/

I was looking up some of the favourite childhood authors, see if i could gain any inspiration from them and remind myself of all the old books i used to read. One of these, of course, was Roald Dahl. However, when going onto Roald Dahls website i realised that it seemed to be the website itself that was interesting me!

Of course, it's sort of set out for people about ten years younger than me, (not saying i didnt have a go on the flying peach game however) but it's just the set up and thought that has gone into setting this website up that's really impressed me. There is constant movement of characters and a hand that comes over to write on the screen. Not only are the characters in the background of the website but they just wander over the screen when you're in the middle of reading something etc, which is such a good added extra.

I loved Quentin Blakes illustration, it's one of my favourite looks for a cartoon. Seeing it plastered all over the website is good, keeps up with the theme that Roald Dahl always had and apparently gets everyone old and new having a good click around to see whats going on!

Amelie

Amelie is the type of film that once you watch it you just want to rewind and watch it again so you can pick up all the little things you missed the first time. It has many sub plots winding around each other as we see Amelie grow every year. It's a very complexed yet an easy going film, which is a very hard thing to achieve.

The basic plot of the film is around watching Amelie grow up and find out who she wants to be throughout a series of experiments and mystery. She finds a box hidden in her room from a boy when he lived there in his youth, she tracks down the boy and from then on vows to bring happiness to others always. Along the way finding her own happiness also.

Amelie is wrongly diagnosed with a heart condition by her father and therefore her heart beat is fast throughout her life and her personality seems to match it. The films sets and colour also seems to match that almost hyper yet nervous feeling too. Every colour seems to be in a high resolution with lots of red and greens and the music is very quick and happy.

Audrey Tautou plays Amelie. With her pale face and big eyes she brings such an innocence to the role which is exactly what Amelie needs to be. Everytime you watch this film you pick up on something new or realise the depth and meaning of one of the sub plots. It's definitely a film that is worth taking the time out to watch.

The Sage

The Sage is a large music centre on the Quayside of Gateshead that was built in 2004 for bands, orchestras, opera singers and every type of music genre. It was purposely made to have great accoustics for music inside and therefore when you hear music being played inside it is an incredible experience.

The Sage was built by Foster and Partners and is a beautiful building. When it was first being built it was questioned and picked up on alot-the shape and sheer space that this building was taking up on the riverside i think worried some people but as it started to piece together some came around to The Sage and its design. I think it flows into the river almost, matching the surrounding architecture well. It brings a good modern feel to the area.

However some really dislike The Sage calling it various names and comparing it to things such as a slug. Everyone's opinion is entitled, i think it's great to see a building that stands out abit and i certainly don't think it's ugly or animal like at all.

The Baltic

Mariko Mori

Yoshitomo Nara + Graf

The Baltic is a contempory visual art gallery on Gatesheads Quayside. I really love going to The Baltic because it's alot different to other art galleries. Instead of concentrating on how one piece or painting looks they have alot of artists who design a whole room or area around their pieces too. The art is everywhere, even whilst you are going up the stairs you will be greeted with a series of artwork that is matching to that area.

They have alot of installation art within the gallery which i love. Seeing how each piece is developed in parts or recorded and shown interests me alot and i think often can be alot more stimulating to people then just staring at a piece of paper. Also, The Baltic has no permanent exhibition so everytime that you go in something new is beaming back at you, every one of them unique and often quite puzzling. They have big artists and not so well known ones, they choose their displays on talent rather than fame.

The two pictures above are examples of what is on at The Baltic now. Mariko Mori is a Japanese artist who in her exhibition is showing her opinion of an invisible world and our consciousness within it. Yoshitomo Nara and Graf (a design company) have designed the second exhibition which is a series of characters displayed on everyday objects and situations, showing in a very bold way how art can fit into everyday life.

Ian Rankin

My favourite author is a man named Ian Rankin. He is most well known for writing books around the character Rebus. A police detective who lives in and around Edinburgh. The first Rebus novel came out in 1987 and he has kept his audience entertained with the ongoing journey of John Rebus's life since then.

The Rebus novels have been famous and loved world over, being best sellers in several countries. The first Rebus novel was 'Knots and Crosses' and the final one which was published in 2007 was called 'exit music'. I have read both of them and many inbetween. The quality stays throughout every book, Rankin never slips or faults-hence his huge fan base. 'Exit music' was a particular favourite of mine, because it was the final Rebus book. I was interested to see how such a complexed character would be left, how emotional it would be and most of all if Rankin could really pull of a spectacular finale...which he did.

It's great to read a series of novels that are all amazing in their individual right, i love a book that you literally can not put down and these books definitely fit the bill. I think they also look the part, every cover has been done in the same style, dark mysterious background pictures with and stamping font of Ian Rankin's name. I looked alot at these covers for inspiration whilst we did our book cover project in year one of graphics.

It's a pity the Rebus novels are now done but i think it was left on a high. They are now being made into TV dramas which are mainly shown on ITV.

Sean Henry- Man with potential selves

These are three bronze figures that are in Newcastle's city centre. They were produced by a man named Sean Henry who is known for placing sculpures of life sized people into urban areas and waiting for a reaction.

Henry has put figures all across the world in various situations and cities. People standing up, lying down, heads on walls, holding children. He also does oil paintings of people in the same style but his sculptures have created his real fame and talking point. They are situated often in city centres as this obviously gives Henry the biggest reaction back to his work but he has been known to put his sculptures into forest areas, play grounds etc. Every situation holding a different reaction for Henrys work.

This particular statue comes in three parts, the three potential parts of a man. One where the man is stood still, another where he is walking and the final one where he is balanced on his elbow.

I decided to talk about these statues because i believe that they are something a little different to the norm. They stand out in Newcastles city centre yet blend in at the same time. Tradtional sculpures and statues have their place but when talking about how something really has an impact, the man with potential selves seems to stand out in the crowd.

These pieces are lifesized, when you are walking down a busy street they look just like everybody else, until you see the one balancing on his elbow, not an everyday skill. Many people bump into them and apologise whilst still going on their way and not realising what they have even done. After an inital reaction of wonderment from alot of the locals these figures have become a liked and admired part of the town-and often a source of amusement too.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

"How happy is the vestal's lot. The world forgetting, by the world forgot. Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind. Each pray'r accepted, each wish resign'd"

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is one of my all time favourite films. It must have been one of the most complicated films to shoot, direct and edit for a very long time in my opinion. The whole film is memories that are slowly erasing. Sets are constantly falling apart as the actors are in them, they flip from place to place and repeat scenes often with less content then they had in the first time.

The quote above is what the film is basically about. A couple that erase each other so they can just get over each other once and for all. The quote implies what the film shows, there is peace on a mind that knows no other complications-forgotten memories do not need to be moved on from. However, twists and turns within this film make it harder and harder for memories to be erased and with Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet running around Joel's (Carrey's character) mind trying to stop the erasing for the whole film, you get to see their relationship from beginning to what appears to be the end.

I had never seen Jim Carrey in a serious role before and he shocked me actually, i think he managed to bring just the right amount of humour in rather than he usual goofy ways and really brought some emotion to the part. Kate Winslet is also amazing as the slightly mad character of Clementine who matches her hair colour to basically what mood she is in. She was nominated for an Oscar for the role but instead it went to the writing team of the film for 'Best writing and orignal screen play'.

Although this film should appear to be rather complicated to keep up with, it actually flows very well, much to the amazing skills of the editor Valdis Oskarsdottir and the special effects expert Mark Bero who must have had the patience of a saint to put together every little detail from every scene and gel them together to make perfect sense. I have put the trailer from the film below to see some snippets from it...