May 2012 - Page 3 of 8

David Shrigley: Brain Activity

David Shrigley makes everyone laugh, point and talk about his work all the time! I never visited an exhibition that touched and created joy in everyone, with all types of backgrounds, from kids to art critics.

There was this part of the exhibition that you could see a lot of very small sculptures of these characters that he created and then, right before them you could read: “Do not trespass or alarm will be activated”. Of course, some of the visitors trespassed – and the alarm rang!

On the side, some visitors were getting stuck, not finding the next room. The wall had a hole and everyone was supposed to be passing there.

I found this trailer below made by the southbank centre with an interview with David Shrigley:

And the pictures I found here and here (they didn’t allow me to take pictures).

Visiting the exhibition of one my favorite artists right in between two trips? It wasn’t luck, I think this time was fate! 😀 I happened to bump into a wall covered with his drawings on the day I went to see Cindy Sherman’s exhibition two months ago!

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Deborah is known in Brazil as Tartaruga Feliz (Happy Turtle). She’s a self-taught illustrator and animator who is born in Brazil. She travels the world while working, and attributes it to the best experience she has had in her life so far. You can see more of her work on her website, and she just launched a new website, Garatujas Fantásticas with 3 of her friends that has exclusive content for kids in Brazil!

Inspiration: Foxes

Happy Monday folks!

I’ve gone a bit fox crazy on Sunday, and I’ve been looking at way too many foxes to count. So here’s a bit of what I’ve stumbled upon online:

1. The Stripey Fox mini print by Amy Blackwell, Folksy

2. Fox Cushions, HOWKAPOW

3. The Official Fox Sox gear by Jay Howell

4. Julianna Swaney’s Golden Animal print, The Working Proof

5. It’s going to Be a Good Day print by Kristiana Parn

6. Wooden fox necklace by Finest Imaginery at The Curious Pancake

7. Le Fox Petite Necklace by Leanimale

8. Fox & Rabbit Tapered Mug by Julia Davey, Folksy

9. The Fantastic Fox Sling by littleoddforest

Review: Blank Slate Books: Luchadoras & We can still be friends

I’m very much drawn to diary-style comics. I’m not sure if there’s a genre for them, or a category, but if there were, I’d love to know exactly what they’re called! They sometimes border on the mundane – but isn’t that what life is at times? There’s no big drama at the corner, merely small surprises and upsets every now and then that makes you want to reach out to the characters and give them a hug or a pat on the back.

So much for superheroes!

My fascination with the mundane is satiated by some of Blank Slate Book’s offerings: Berlin and That by Oliver East, Home and Away & We Can Still Be Friends both by Mawil. They also sent over an interesting comic called Luchadoras by Peggy Adam, and I’ll get into two of my favorites from the list.

LUCHADORAS BY PEGGY ADAM

I love this book.

Now that I’ve got that out of the way, I’ll tell you why.

Luchadoras is a fictional story that takes place during the height of the Cuidad Juarez femicides in the state of Chihuahua, Mexico. Since 1993, more than 300 women have been found murdered (speculations have said that actual death toll could be much higher). The bodies of victims (typically aged between 12 and 22), would be found abandoned on the outskirts of town, often showing signs of rape or torture.

Peggy Adam’s story of Alma – a woman who attempts to escape her abusive gang-member fiancé – weaves layers into real-life scenarios. Shadowed by the murders that hits close to home on one too many occasions, Peggy deftly brings out a gamut of emotions experienced by each character – remorse, rage, fear and more. You can almost feel for them in all their hand-wringing, knife-wielding glory.

All I can say is she’s made a book into a drama; and for a graphic novel, it’s one of the best I’ve read so far.

WE CAN STILL BE FRIENDS BY MAWIL

Markus Witzel, who goes by the pen name of Mawil, has established a reputation in Europe for his cataloging of the awkwardness of relationships – which is precisely what We Can Still be Friends is about. Chronicling Mawil’s foray into relationships (or the attempt thereof), the book is a trip down memory lane for Mawil and his buddies as they regale around their buddy’s tale of heart-wrenching stories of unrequited love and awkward situations involving the heart.

The intro says it best: “Mawil explores that crushing moment we’ve all experienced when our hopes and dreams are crushed, our stomachs are turned inside-out, and we want the ground to swallow us up.” His books have been translated into English, and I’m glad someone did – his fluid and organic illustrations are refreshingly goofy and perfect at the same time.

If you’ve ever had your heart broken, this is for you.

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You can purchase these books over at Blank Slate Books!

Have a great weekend folks!