London is Friezing

David Shrigley's 'Ostrich', 2009

Last night I was taken to the preview of Frieze Art Fair. A Frieze virgin, I was advised not to look at the art, but at the people. How is one to view the art anyway in such a frenzied atmosphere? Hundreds of posh, face-lifted women and colourfully dressed men fluttered around the huge tent currently set up in Regent's Park, delicately holding champagne flutes and barely noticing anything but their fellow party-goers. Listening to dealers from Berlin try to sell an extremely high heeled woman a horrible plastic lightbox (something about "the intensity of the light is very in this year") or spotting a man dressed oh so casually as a hooker-booted snail (complete with a butterfly tiara) made the evening totally worth it.

Of all the fab and not so fab art that I did manage to catch a glimpse of, the stand out for me was Galleri Nicolai Wallner's booth devoted to artist David Shrigley. Complete with his famous taxidermied animals and clever drawings, his self-awareness and love for mocking the pretentiousness of the people and galleries that support him was refreshing and much appreciated at this particular schmoozefest.

Sunday nights

Sunday nights usually involve a glass of red wine and some good tv reruns (currently addicted to Gilmore Girls). You're usually too exhausted from the night before, or too stressed about the week to come to do anything productive. So when my friends took me to The Haggerston this past Sunday, I fell in love. It is an incredibly relaxed, friendly pub in Dalston with great beer and surprisingly good-looking people. Best of all, Sunday nights a jazz band sets up at the front of the pub and plays a fantastic gig til about midnight. Jazz and a pint on a Sunday night - what could be better?

Tuesday afternoons

Following some business in Vauxhall this morning, I found myself with an entire afternoon with nothing to do (minus all the things I am avoiding doing...) So I wandered over to Pimlico, and into the Tate Britain, who just this August launched an exhibit on British Romantics. Nothing like a gray London afternoon to visit Constable, Turner and Blake. Also on display are Fiona Banner's decommissioned fighter planes, placed in fascinating juxtaposition to the Tate's classical grand hall.

I ran out of energy to see the Turner Prize winners, and wandered along the river into my favourite little park, The Victoria Tower Gardens, just behind the parliament buildings. The park offers gorgeous views down the Thames, and always seems to block out the busy noise of the capital.

Walking past Big Ben, then past Inigo Jones' wonderful Whitehall Palace, I found myself in Trafalgar Square, officially having taken a proper tourist route. Feeling back in my home territory (anything past Westminster bridge always feels foreign to me) I went to my old stomping grounds, Somerset House. I worked there while studying at UCL and the place brings back such happy memories, I couldn't resist. I rang a friend at the Courtauld and we met on the terrace overlooking the river.

What a perfect afternoon it turned out to be.

Anti-Design?

In response to the admittedly commercial London Design Festival, Neville Brody (of Research Studios and RCA) started the Anti Design Festival. The brochure describes the programme "in constant flux, as projects become more defined, or less, as the time approaches."

I love the idea of unfinished, ever-evolving work. I also love his challenge to the corporate world of design, which I agree in many cases is far too safe and repetitive. However, I'm not completely convinced (as I gathered many weren't) with his vision of anti design. Set up in a warehouse-like space on Redchurch, three rooms exhibited a variety of work by anonymous 'artists'. The 30 creations in 30 days piece was fantastic (best creation: chair consisting of beach balls in a net), as was the wall of manifestos. We really do need to bring the manifesto back..

But other aspects were so typically anti- the 'man' that I couldn't help role my eyes. For example, in one room installed like a bourgeois salon with its walls covered in works, I asked the gallery attendant for the name of one of the artists who's work I really admired. His response was "Oh, well, the point is to remain anonymous. You know, it's not about selling the work, so like, we didn't put names up." To which I replied, "But what if I like the work and want to see more of it?" So he ran off to his boss, got a list of names of exhibitors, and kindly gave me the chap's name. And then I rolled my eyes.

Love the idea of a shake up and wish I had had time to visit an evening programme (themes included "Painting on Music" and "Obsessive Classification Disorder"). Maybe next year!

ps: I would normally give credit to the works pictured above, but in the spirit of the ADF, I'll keep it anonymous.

Matilda

Matilda is a new company that imports Australian design to the UK. I regret not taking photos at the launch party, because the gallery was packed and the guests spilled onto Redchurch Street. Here is a look at the gallery before the madness:

Villajoiosa, Spain

Viaduct: Northern Lights

Curated by Gitta Gschwendnter in Viaduct's new exhibition space in Clerkenwell.

Coolest. Toilets. Ever.

A friend somehow became acquainted with the director of Belgrade Design Week and was invited to their party last week at Sketch on Conduit Street. The party was fun as far as cocktail parties go, but the real highlight were the toilets! That might sound funny, but if you don't believe me go see for yourself! I'm obsessed and will be frequenting those toilets whenever I'm in the Oxford Circus area.

V&A Install

This is Innovation Greenhouse, curated by Pete Collard and Katarzyna Jezowska in the Tunnel entrance of the Victoria and Albert Museum. Although I left once plastic sheet was up, the boys stayed all night to get the installation ready for the morning. The greenhouse tied in with an exhibition in the Sackler Centre next door on the innovative use of plant based material in design.





I must admit, my favourite part of the night was sneaking off with my staff badge to wander the halls of the great museum alone. As much as I encourage public museums, they really are so much better without tourists!

More Venice

Allow me to describe my perfect afternoon in Venice...