davidthedesigner

peinture sur le motif pour le nouvel age post-photographique

Well, that's nice to hear about Mike's (and Mrs Mike's) Paris jaunt, isn't it? And I'm really looking forward to part two. Ou la partie deux, I suppose I ought to say.

So let's stick with all that French stuff for a bit, because yesterday I popped along to Tate Britain (as one does) to take a peek at 'Peinture Sur Le Motif Pour Le Nouvel Age Post-Photographique'. Not a title that you're familiar with, I would imagine. But if I tell you that the English title is 'Bigger Trees Near Warter', then you might then work out that I'm talking about the biggest painting that David Hockney has ever produced, and which he has donated to the Tate. And boy, it certainly is big.

This is my hasty snap of it, which doesn't do it justice at all - but it does give you some idea of the scale. What this picture doesn't show, though, nor any other that I've seen, is that actually the painting covers three walls of the gallery. That was something that disconcerted me when I first walked in: because I hadn't expected to see three of the things. And at first I couldn't quite work out what was going on. Because my brain was telling me that here were three separate paintings, with the assumption that they must somehow be different to each other. But a closer examination revealed that the two on the flanking walls were colour photographic copies. But it took me a little while to work it out. That's a clever trick that Hockney's pulled off there. Because it makes one consider (or at least it made me consider) the differences between the painting itself and the photographic copies. Because, make no mistake about it, those copies are as faithful as one can get. But the more you look, the more you realise there's a subtlety and a 'soul' to what's on canvas which pixels alone simply can't capture. And if you want to know what I'm talking about, go along and have a very careful look at the area of pink branches to the left of that woman in my snap above. Consider just how many different pinks you can see in that cluster of branches - then compare to the photographic copies, and you'll see exactly what I mean.

And while you're about it, go up really close and take a good look at the third canvas up on the far left and in the top right-hand corner you might spot a stray pubic hair trapped in the oil paint which defines one of the single branches. Whether or not it's David Hockney's though, I couldn't tell you.

...and it's goodbye from me, and hello from him

I'm not at all sure that I should be telling you this, but I have to go off and do my civic duty and sit on a jury for a little while. It might only be for a day or two (according to my 'summons') - but who knows, I might get a big one.

Anyway, while I'm away, Mike would like to have a word or two. I'm sure you'll remember Mike: he's been here before, though not for a while. And he's the one who's off to Paris on the 22nd, having won my smiley competition.

Be nice to him, won't you?

david pearson is over there

We all love the work of David Pearson, don't we? Well, now you can read what he has to say in his own words by popping over to Canada and taking a peek at The Casual Optimist (and thanks to David's working neighbour Alistair for the heads up).

And when you get to the bottom of the interview take a look at the preceding post, which happens to have a reference to little old me.

all quiet on the eastern front

I was tootling around the blogosphere yesterday and I came across this: the identity for Art Setouchi 2010. The designer's name was mentioned: Kenya Hara - one that I didn't recognise. I don't know whether you do? Anyway, on further investigation I find that Kenya Hara is the art director of Muji.

A record of his work is full of very beautiful, elegant and restrained design solutions. And then I found a video of a presentation that he gave at the 2008 Imprint Culture Lab. Before you watch it, though, it's worth reflecting upon that TED talk given by Philippe Starck that I told you about a while ago. Compare and contrast, one might say. Because Hara certainly doesn't have the charisma and showmanship that Starcke possesses in spades. But listen to what he has to say - and then judge him (and Starcke, for that matter) by his work.

shakespeare gets glasered

MILTON GLASER DRAWS & LECTURES from C. Coy on Vimeo.

Just in case you haven't seen it elsewhere.

the right approach always helps

Tony Meeuwissen Retrospective - on now until the end of October

I get lots of requests to put links on this blog. And 99% them fall on deaf ears. Especially the ones that describe my blog as being 'awesome' - that's an instant giveaway that whoever's emailing hasn't read a single word. So if you're thinking of asking me to feature something on here and you're going to try flattery by telling me that the blog is awesome, then don't bother. Except, of course, you wouldn't be reading this, would you?

But Ian Blackwell's not like that at all. He sent me a very nice email this morning (and I hope he won't mind me repeating it here):

Dear David,
I came across your blog entry for the Billy Liar book cover this morning. Tony is a friend of mine and I have been checking out some things for him on the internet.
I thought that you may be interested to know that he is having a retrospective exhibition here in Stroud Gloucestershire. It is a beautiful and interesting exhibition and I am helping him try to drum up interest from further afield than the surrounding area.
You can check the details at: www.museuminthepark.org.uk
Please get in touch if you want any other information.
Congratulations on your blog, very insightful and amusing. not always the case with blogs.
Best wishes,
Ian Blackwell

Ian, I'm very happy to help spread the word.

And the rest of you: this exhibition looks to be absolutely ace (or at least the four of diamonds). You should get yourself down to Gloucestershire before the end of the month.

on a roll again

I was listening to Dame Ellen MacArthur the other day (as you do). In fact I was ironing myself a shirt whilst listening to Desert Island Discs.

Anyway, I was struck by what she had to say about sustainable living:  “When you sail on a boat you take with you the minimum of resources. You don’t waste anything. You don’t leave the light on; you don’t leave a computer screen on. And I realised that on land we take what we want.

“You’d never do that on a boat. If you need some kitchen roll, you tear off a corner, not a whole square. But someone somewhere thought that a perforated line was what everyone needs.” 

That's worth remembering the next time somebody tries to greenwash you.

this made me smile #84

It's amusing once you know that it's the dustbin belonging to Lindisfarne Abbey.

Via Nick Hand's blog. Nick is a fellow graphic designer who (I think) used to work for Thirteen in Bristol, but now works for Howies. I'm not sure whether he's employed by them, or works freelance and they're a major client - not that it matters terribly much (to us, that is: I'm sure that it does matter to Nick). But what does matter to us is that Nick is just about halfway through a clockwise cycle around the coast of Great Britain. You can read all about it on his web site slowcoast. He's doing it to raise money for the Parkinson's Disease Society, inspired by his big brother Bob. You can read about that and sponsor him with a little bit of cash, which would be a good thing to do.

grab yourself a few hockneys (but you'll have to be quick)

Actually, not that many of you will have been reading this blog since its start. But if you had of been (or indeed, if you have) then you might have noticed that my first declared hero was David Hockney (and that post isn't quite complete because TypePad lost the picture). So I was looking forward to last night's 'Imagine' film on the BBC. In the event, though, I found it rather frustrating. It was a nice enough portrait of someone who still has a sense of mischief and a wonderful mastery of the craft of painting. But I found the lack of information or proper explanation let the whole thing down. As a small example, the film creates the impression that it's documenting the last three years of Hockney's working life. And it talks at length about his return to Yorkshire and cites the paintings he did of and for his friend Jonathan Silver. Yet Silver died in 1997, and the film fails to explain that Hockney's return to Yorkshire as a subject matter covers a much longer period than just the past three years.

But, anyway, that's enough of my gripe. And on a brighter note, Hockney is giving away three of his iPhone art images.

 

But you'll have to be quick because they're only available for download today and tomorrow.

england, scotland and wales: things to see

Actually, I'm going to do this in reverse order. So we'll kick off with Wales.

If you're in or around Cardiff this week, then you should pop along and see the degree shows at Cardiff School of Art & Design (on until this Friday). Cardiff has given us some pretty good student bloggers in the past year, most notably (in my probably not completely impartial opinion) Sian and Tom Harle. In fact, if you ask Tom nicely, he'll arrange to give you a guided tour. I'm looking forward to following Tom's blog as he leaves academia and moves out into the big wide world of working for money.

Next up to Glasgow School of Art, where you have an extra day in hand, since their show is open until Saturday.

There you'll find a set of wonderful illustrations of Glasgow's ice cream parlours by Louise Lockhart made up into a guide book, working together with Rosie Ferrier (and thanks to Anne at I Like for the heads up).

And finally back down south of the border to Chelmsford, where botanical illustrator Niki Simpson will be exhibiting at the RHS Hyde Hall Garden between 23rd June and 31st October. Niki's work really is ground breaking and has deservedly won her many awards. Catch it if you can.