Tuesday, 18 March 2014

Teen Angst and Other Stories

Petra Collins has just started her first Solo Exhibition in Manhattan, and while that's a really faraway reality for me as a South African I've seen a bunch of her works all over the internet in recent weeks. By 21 she's done so much and is making a big name for herself and its kinda making me feel inadequate and has sent me spiralling down that all too familiar road of Self Doubt and Existential Crisis's. I am Jacks own self hatred.
It hasn't helped that we've been studying the Gendered image of people in the media - which included a lot of weird movies with people either being really violent or creepy.

I've read a lot about what Collins has to say about her work, which has been in the making since she was 15 and so depicts the trials and tribulations of growing up as a woman and struggling with sexuality and identity in a world that has already made up your mind for you in a sense. It really is hard being a girl, and especially one that doesn't meat the 'Norms' of society.

"Discharge", her first Solo Exhibition is a documentation of what it's like to be a young teenage girl growing up in a Social Mediated society and what it means to be struggling with your sexuality and with the idea of womanhood in modern life.
*Click on the images for a better viewing mode.



Collins has been met with much controversy over her works (like her Vagina TShirt design for American Apparel and her Instagram pictures) and has been trying to make a way for Women in Art to really be heard and have their works showcased in a predominantly male dominated sect of the Cultural world. She has started an initiative, about 3 years ago now, called: The Ardonous. You can read more about it here, and see some of the works by featured female artists as well. Its flipping fantastic to see the different interpretations of what it means to be young and female in this world and in a society that has pretty much been based on hiding away from the world as soon as you've reached puberty.

I pretty much wanna be her because she has no fear and I wish I had that quality within me.
Yup.
Petra Collins e'rybody.

&Kathrynwhat

Monday, 17 March 2014

Sorry, I'm Allergic...

"She eats her art for breakfast"

She calls it Banana Graffiti, and every night she'll paint on her banana before eating it the next morning. Her need for Banana Graffiti came from her understanding that inspiration is all around you, you only have to chose to be inspired by it. These are only a few of my favourites, you can see more of her wonderful creations here.








Too bad I'm allergic to bananas...
&KathrynWhat

Sunday, 23 February 2014

Art in Anarchy.

"Right now I like making ink drawings on adhered together sheets of vintage book paper, there is a fragility to these images that I find interesting (as if the wind may blow them away at any moment) and the hand drawn stark black lines against the intricate printed words of the book pages offer a strange fusion and depth that seems to give the images a kind of 'meaning' and back story, even though unconnected in a contrived way."

Loui Jover, an artist from Australia has been drawing since he was a kid. His work at first glance is starling and bold, but once you look deeper you find it to soften and grow as through the paintings seep through the old paper becoming one with their story. I like the bold black lines that make a statement and the pastel colours that forge their way through, wanting to be noticed. I like that fact that he uses pop-cultured images to prove his point. 
Its like Graffiti of the utmost anarchy, to paint on the printed word.








"I never pick the image for the pages or visa-versa they just collide as chance permits, any meaning they may have is purely created by the observer and their own imaginings." 

&KathrynWhat

Saturday, 8 February 2014

Call It What You Want.

Javier Perez, or @cintascotch as he's known on Instagram, uses his instant social media access to share his unique illustrations. By taking what we know is one thing, but adapting it through creativity makes it really beautifully something else. In his Bio he explains that his work is "simple and minimal, so that people can take a break from the saturation of photos".
His work is playful and expressive and makes me feel happy to look at. I like to imagine the process he went through to arrive at the illustration. It would be fun to live in his brain and see how wonderful it is, even if only for a day.












You can check out more of his work on Instagram here.

&KathrynWhat

Wednesday, 5 February 2014

Skull&Heart



Trouble & Daughter are a small band from Toronto, Canada. I found their stuff on Youtube and fell in love almost immediately. Their simple melodies and sweet harmonies make rainy days seem like something to live for. With a name like trouble and daughter, one can only expect to expect a little bit of rough mixed in with some subtle melody of love. I think the music really comes alive through Jenni and James' vocal play.
Their EP, which is self produced includes musical talent from a few of their friends along the way.
Their eclectic sound and chilled vibe really brings some thing trendy to their music. 
Check out some of their videos, here's mine:
Favourite Song:
Trouble & Daughter - Is It Bad

Favourite Video:
Trouble & Daughter - Love song

 Okay, I'm done obsessing over these amazing cats now.
&KathrynWhat

Tuesday, 4 February 2014

Pop. Culture

I think Sam Spratt has just over taken the lead position in my comprehensive list of 'Creative People I Like'. Not only is his work unique and exciting, it's so varied and amazing to look at in awe.
From Portraits of Pop Stars to Actors and even some goofy Caricatures of Neil Patric Harris, Zack Galifiakis and even some Angry Birds his works are truly inspiring. 

"Pop Music"
Michael Jackson

Amy Winehouse

Lady Gaga
"Harry Potter"
Voldemort

'Expecto Patronum'
"Fandom"
Inspector Spacetime - Community
&KathrynWhat