BIG MIND POUR.

Its so easy to create a facade around ourselves these days. There is so much techonolgy that helps us to hide from reality. We have the ability to invent whetever persona we want to project with the help of digital. Digital photography, editing programmes and the internet. As well as these being undeniably useful tools which aid us in directly influencing and controlling our own lives, it is hindering our usual social interations. Therefore in addition to our online constructed-selves, it is also affecting and instigating a new way of meeting, talking, building relationships, and formulating opinions on one another.

Pre- social networking, for example, meeting a new perSon, we would spend the initial time with an individual, processing what we could about them; first impressions, what they looked like, maybe briefly overviewing their 'look', subconsciously analysing their body language and their responce to us. After this we would have a vague but significant outline for who we determine this person to be; then it would be a back- of- the- mind ponder until we next met them.
Now im not saying that with techonology this process does not exist, but for the mass of youth [and im sure its spreading to a whole spectrum of ages], a hugely incriminating backlog of information at our finger tips. Potentially we can find out who they know, what they like doing, have access to an infinate number of otherwise private photos, which can then be exploited by the ever questionning and fantasical human. This means that we can now invent and judge enormously on the unsuspecting individual we had a 10 minute converstion with! All we needed was a first and second name and BOOM- I know who you are! Its a bit stalker! Usually this would have been the stuff of thrillers, 'who is lurking about looking at your records' 'i want to know everything about you'. its quite an eerie prospect, but its not even given a thought as its become second nature, its a part of what we use the internet for. Its so unfair but in ways its absolutly brilliant. Im certainly guilty of it. How much trouble can this get us in? How many relationships could be destroy before we have even given them a chance? For a society that is entirely judgemental anyway its a vehicle for a huge range of negative issues that i wont even get into; bullying, expolitation, intimidation and embarressment.

This need to access information, and the ease at which we can all attain it, is why i believe that its ultimately a negative happening.

For a shy and unnoticed person the internet can be the confidence, the person with all the jokes a massive proportion of friends we have never met, yet have spoken to about our lives in the minutest of details- truth or fantasy. We can take hundreds of photos til we get that one shot that is perfect. We can entirely forge our own being. For the better part however its not reached obsession or criminal stage yet! but we do have in the back of our minds the guilt of looking at other people and judging, so we in turn make sure what is on show on our own pages is acceptable to us for what we want people to see of us. Have you noticed how many people have got hundreds of photos up of different times and locations yet have the same poise? Is this spontanious or terribly contrived? Has our willingness to let go and have fun dissappeared for the fear of someone capturing the moment and plastering it all over the internet for people to witness and concoct their visions of who we are as a person?

My own personal experience of this is that you can stumble upon an image where the person looks so interesting, so full of spirit and energy and then you meet them and its entirely disappointing and frustrating. They are nothing that you had percived them to be. The problem is that we build up such an idolised creation that there is nothing that can reach the our standards. This leads onto a whole other dimension however. Its where the whole debate of media pressure, of body image, of celebrity obsession comes into play; its about putting people on a pedestal and trying to make them out to be perfect but its a losing battle!

I have realised that in this blog I have wandered into such a huge range of issues! I have started something here. Watch out.....

WHAT A WONDER.

A LITTLE ENTERPRISE- SYC

Southend is proud to announce upon the art world a trio of enthusiastic entrepreneurs whose ambition is making art and promoting other emerging talent from their home town. There has been an abundance of creativity seeping from the borough, in the past we have seen infamous fashionable social scenes, some niche musical accomplishments but of late the arts side has seemed to have become stagnant, the Beecroft Gallery, Southends biggest institution, self-confessing its ‘stuffiness’; but a fresh young collective is forming and it comes with a powerful driving force behind them.

After a few years of branding the name Southend Young Creatives along with a small grouping of artists on the social networking site, Myspace, Darren Berry, took his established group to new levels when he decided it needed to be brought to the real world. The Graphic design graduate, decided along with Peter Brenchley, music student, to organise their debut show merging the creative arts with music. Along the way Charlotte Hopson, artist, joined the triumvirate for promotions, and between them gathered a strong collective of working and practising artists, in which created a bold exhibition teeming with energy and enthusiasm. Each artist held their own, not one piece was out of place. Emphasis was that the work be varied, unbound by the constraints of other shows and staying clear of pretension, making the collection refreshing and inspiring. All art forms were included, from sculpture to painting, printmaking, illustration and photography, unpolluted by stuffy expectations of the tired question of ‘What is art?’. The artists included were chosen because of their passion and rawness of style, the honest approach to doing what they love doing. The exhibition was bursting with blossoming talent and was a huge success with the visitors. Over 200 of the public streamed in and out of the venue, the newly renovated upstairs of the Railway Hotel, keeping a constant babble of interested and often pleasantly surprised people congregated. Local press showed their support and local business made worthy contribution to make the show exceed all expectations.

The vigour of the organiser’s means this is no one hit wonder. SYC were part of the Village Green Festival in Chalkwell Park last month in conjunction with Metal Organisation. It was a day of fun interactive artwork, where young and old got involved as well as promotion and live music from local DJS. There were also some t-shirt designs going round with plucky artists quick to organise their next commissions. Stalls displayed refreshing art work that the Creatives are quickly being recognised for and the whole day was filled with as much excitement and passion as the previous. The next shows in the pipeline, focus on expanding and taking the coterie around the country, Nottingham being their next target. . .

Importantly SYC are advocating the unpolluted idea it is not art for arts sake, its about creating something visually interesting that everyone can partake in. With the current economic climate people need a release, to be able to go and enjoy themselves. The events are free and there really is something for everyone!

So citizens, there is no excuse in saying your bored or that there is nothing to do in Southend because the Young Creatives will be nurturing their enterprise to not simply give support to local artists and to make an impression on the art world, but for people to be able to get involved and inspired by art but most of all to just have a really good day out!’

I can safely say that Southend Young Creatives has arrived and judging on its triumphs so far id definitely say WATCH THIS SPACE!

MIND BABBLE

there is a real sense of urgency with everything I find myself doing at the moment. I dont seem content in sitting still. I think there is a growing apprehension in the future and what will happen, whether it be job, living, my situation in general. Is it the age?

ive also had the niggling contemplation of tradition and values. Is culture all for themselves? Divorce rapidly increasing, affairs, jobs being one and only priority. Does this mean the next generation are going to be lonely, childless?

LAYERS.,DISTORT

These are some images taken by Peter Brenchley, model Daryl, I have contrasted them for a basis for an up and coming paint project.

WHATS BEGINNING>,// WHAT SHOULD END>...

So I’ve finally escaped the deceiving bubble of Loughborough, evaded the grips of the safety of the small town community, left the student roar and set up camp in Nottingham. Being in Loughborough I’m sure for the few is a nice little nest with a few mainstream niceties to all get mindlessly wrecked sleep with each other and listen to bad music.. but hey its university isn’t this what we do…? Banter about how sick we all were that night, the exceedingly thoughtless conversations with the next pretend adult who also just found vodka and a funnel and all kid ourselves that this is the life? No. To be perfectly frank this is something that I needed be no part of. If people really took a outsiders perspective of what they were moronically doing with their days, wake, piss, headache, eat rubbish food, do the least amount of work possible moan about a lecture, narrate the weekends pointless debaucheries, eat more crap, feel like crap, do nothing, look really slobby, wear your jack wills and uggs/ or flip-flops in winter if your one of those, and then get battered again. What exactly is that existence? Why live for the weekend? What is it that makes doing nothing and only talking booze and drugs and the opposite sex so appealing to the mass of youth? Why has this become the only culture? Why not live for the days? What is it that means that the majority need to live nocturnally and waste what is potentially the best time period? No responsibility, no really urgency for jobs, nothing to hold you back, the chance to really learn and develop your subject, to flourish and improve as a person. Why not use the opportunity to become who you need to be?I’m glad I’m out of this dead end nothingness. It is vibrancy, energy, youth with ambition and flare, people who dare to be different and who can see something beyond the confines of university that I need to be around. Being in a city will be the basis of this but it will not provide me with everything so casually that I need no enforcement of process or effort on my part,,,, I will take every opportunity Nottingham offers me and make my own. It will be an environment for me to prosper but not without personally draining every little bit of life that will better me as an artist and as a person. Its not about accepting things that happen its about using and bettering them. Its about making time to do that bit extra that will make me stand out from the crowd. Extra research. More reading. Work experience. Blogging. Meeting people. Taking time to listen to people who give invaluable advice. If you’re being told an opinion listen to it. If someone tells you to look up so and so then fucking do it, they are telling you for a reason…. That’s another thing about all of us. There’s a certain arrogance in ignoring lectures, tutors…. And I’m guilty of all of this myself, its just that I’ve bloody realised what a huge mistake I’ve been making so far. I’ve my first step, and there is no way I’m looking back.

DANDY IN THE UNDERWORLD.

OVER THE PAST FEW DAYS,/---->
I have researched and discovered the term DANDYISM.
Whilst reading a rather delightful, and openly expressive document called S Magazine, I came across an article about Sebastian Horsley, an artist I'd never heard about, and one who has made an impression, but one I do not care to remember.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFPJQdkblpc
PRICK BASICALLY.

A brief outline about him would be a pompous English, wealthy, supposedly reformed drug addict, who crucified himself for art, in the Phillipines; which was filmed by Sarah Lucas and photographed by Dennis Morris. In a rather blasphemous attempt at creating enough contraversy to get himself noticed for 10 minutes.

He is clearly one of those artists who has no talent, only one to shock and bemuse. The Telegraph described him as--- 'Horsley hopes that "my existence is a work of art", but the joke is that he's a show-off who can't do anything. '

His attitude is one that I depise and his arrogance really grated me. 'I THANK THE LORD EVERYDAY THAT HE MADE ME THIS BEAUTIFUL.'.. really?
Now my work is involved in beauty, and I'm intereted in the issues with Body Dismorphia.. and if anyone has it... its Horsley. Hes ugly inside and out.

The fact he is an open misognist, [hater of women] envoked the urge to go chop off his dick.... even so his clever way with words has made the label on himself look acceptable.....
"A MISOGYNIST IS A MAN WHO HATES WOMEN AS MUCH AS WOMEN HATE EACH OTHER. A HOMOPHOBE IS A MAN WHO HATES FAGGOTS AS MUCH AS THEY HATE THEMSELVES."

His ideas are so warped and distorted but he seems so sure of himself that you start to believe him. He is definately someone who if you met him, you would really want to hate him in huge amounts, but his flare and charisma together with his manipulating narration would quickly have you doubting yourself.
Although Horsley is clearly a very fucked up soul, with no morals or worth of any other human being other than himself; it did make me aware of the word DANDY.

A dandy is a person, a born unbeliever who mocks everything. Who openly and obviously lives against society and bourgeois values; bearing pretension and disdain, yet [in my opinion] is just bitter that they do not belong.

"TO BE EXTREMELY WELL DRESSED IS, I SUPPOSE, A FORM OF DISGUISE AND A MEANS OF SELF ASSURANCE." [Gerald Murphy]

This is a particularly interesting debate. Do people dress to fit in with the masses? Or do people dress in a way to knowingly contradict this? Is it only for the 'well dressed'? Surely that is a matter of opinion. What is well dressed? wearing expenisve clothes.. wearing socially or fashionably acceptable clothes? Being 'different.?'
In the term of the Dandy, these people would consisder the clothes of the aristocracy well dressed, yet they have a blatant disregard for the aristocrasy and hope to live their lives opposed to theirs.
It all seems confused to me.

In conclusion----
Is it true to say that peoples identity can be transferred in their clothes? If someone was to change our appearence with their own style and tastes would we feel different?
If we feel that we look good in what we wear then surely the idea that it is a means of self asurance is correct. We feel confident. People who have definate style or an aversion to wearing anything that someone else might be wearing.. does this mean they are self assured or arrogant>? Or maybe we cannot mearly keep this labelling so ridgid.
I need to explore these ideas.