Street art can take on many a form. Traditionally developed in public spaces, perhaps the medium of aerosol painted stencilled guerrilla art may be first image that pops into mind. Contemporary street artists are changing the perceptions of the artform everyday and the stigma of vandalism that once stood is being broken down piece by piece. There’s something rather special about street art style and in particular large mural pieces. Perhaps it’s the size of space or the freedom to create an artwork that’s organic and evolves within that space? All of which brings me on to the latest work of London based artist Luke Embden.

Luke’s work stems from a passion for graffiti, Pop Art flavours and freeform typography. His style is extremely bold and has a spontaneous flow to it yet retains a clean aesthetic throughout its multiple layers of lines, shapes and illustrations. Using a variety of mediums he experiments with screen printing and risography to create the stunning final output.

Having worked for a host of clients since graduating in 2005 his latest mural work is for beverage company Desperados, implementing lemons, limes, tequila leafs and sunset; all elements that sum up what the Desperados brand means to its fan base.

The most impressive element of Luke’s work seems to be just how well his ideas flow and how his style can be used in multiple applications. Impressive work.

Check out more of his activities here!

If you are looking for original artwork, submit a brief now!

Paper Boat Creative

Jasper James is a photographer who is lucky enough to have worked and lived in New York, London and Beijing, covering projects from some of the world’s largest design and advertising clients. His client list includes an impressive array of names including Ferrari, British Airways, Wallpaper magazine and Marks & Spencer however it’s a personal project of his that recently caught our eye.

A series of photographs titled ‘city silhouettes’ James mentions ‘these photos are an ongoing project shot at various locations around Asia. The number of people living in urban areas outnumbered those living in rural areas. I thought it would be interesting to shoot portraits of these city dwellers combined with the image of a cityscape’.

The resulting imagery is simply stunning to behold combining simplicity and complexity in the final compositions. Each image features a single person (or in a select few two people) facing an industrialised landscape of skyscrapers and hazy horizons. Impressively the images are made in camera with just basic adjustments in contrast and colour to achieve the end result; no retouching.

This series of photographs manages to ‘capture life in a new, and surely lasting, age of urbanism’.

View more of Jasper James’ work at here!

If you want ro source the hottest, international artwork for campaigns or events, submit a brief now!

Paper Boat Creative

A powerful force is dominating the planet. Its influence has been seen throughout, with more and more converting to their cause. Its enemy now is hit by a combination of its mightiest champions. While it sounds like the plot of a movie, it could equally sum up the challenge DC Comics is facing against its rival Marvel.

The fact is that Marvel has been particularly dominant in the film world in terms of both quantity and (for the most part) quality. The Avengers was the culmination of this, a combination of a number of Marvel’s biggest hitting properties (with the exception of Spiderman and X Men, still technically owned in the film universe by Sony and Fox).

This has put DC Comics in an awkward position. Its most popular films thus far have been Batman Begins and its box office busting sequel The Dark Knight (though it seems that The Avengers will surpass that soon enough). If you have seen Christopher Nolan’s take on the Batman legend it is fairly safe to say that its sense of heightened realism does not really fit with the idea of a multi superhero mash up.

It is also fair to say that DC’s other big hitters have not reached the same heights. The Green Lantern film was deemed a commercial disaster, a Wonder Woman TV series flopped while Superman Returns failed to achieve the grosses its large budget needed to justify. Nolan is executive producer on the new Superman film Man Of Steel. However he has insisted that this will be separate from the Batman universe which seems to suggest an Avengers style franchise is less than likely.

There are rumours that after the third Nolan Batman film The Dark Knight Rises there will be a “reboot” of the franchise, sparking rumours that is being done in order to make a more franchise friendly Batman and to lead up to a Justice League film.

Ironically there was talk of a CGI adaptation of Justice League directed by George Miller before Marvel began their dominance of the superhero movie box office. However it appears that this approach has not found favour as recent news suggested that this project has been quietly abandoned.

The problem with DC is that it could be argued that they do not have the same range of characters that Marvel have. Their biggest names are admittedly the ones that the archetypal “man in the street” first thinks of. They have also managed to create some popular TV series based on their work, ranging from the much cherished 1992 Batman animated series through to the long running Smallville, a prequel series explaining how Clark Kent came to be Superman.

Sadly these successes also make it more difficult for DC to match Marvel in this respect. There is the difficulty that any attempt to introduce characters in stand alone films before bringing out a Justice League film would face accusations of copying Marvel’s successful formula. Also any fans of DC would inevitably have their own particular favourite interpretation, making it harder to come up with something fresh.

I would argue that the main advantage DC would have if they ever do decide to make a Justice League film is their villains. The villains were arguably the weakest point of The Avengers, which is perhaps inevitable given the amount of focus that was placed on the heroes coming together and their conflict.

A classic DC plot involves villains such as Lex Luthor and The Joker coming together to fight Batman, Wonder Woman et al. The conflict of the hyper intelligent and perceptive Lex conflicting with the unpredictability of The Joker is an intriguing one and a challenge for any film maker.

My fear when I hear “franchise friendly” and “DC” is that I also hear the words “Batman and Robin” and “camp monstrosity that almost killed a great character.” It is their responsibility to ensure that the heroes and villains that generations have to come to love are treated with the respect they deserve.

I feel that if DC wanted to do this properly then they should focus on what they can do, rather than trying to cash in on the success of their rivals.

If you are looking for original artwork, brief the Exchange now!

Rob

There’s something rather satisfying about seeing design merge into it’s environment. Whilst high profile, bold design solutions are great fun to look at and interact with, the ‘look at me’ attitude quite often has a limited run in terms of how long the idea keeps its flare and audience interest. On the other hand there is design that blends seamlessly with its surroundings, the perfectly executed design you don’t even notice but works fantastically for that very reason. German artist Cornelia Konrads latest work Land Art Installations manages to combine both of these qualities in spectacular fashion.

The Land Art Installations reside in a selection of natural landscapes across the world. The structures seamlessly give the impression of defying gravity and use natural materials found within the chosen landscape to create a quietly perfect yet breathtaking spectacle. Rocks, branches, logs are just some of the materials used and ascend without complication into the air above despite their construction being the complete opposite.

Described as the ‘contemplative interaction between nature and man-made culture’ the pieces certainly look rather spectacular and demand attention with their architectural structure, yet somehow blend into their vicinity in a minimalist manner.

Created thoughtfully with a concept that surrounds good use of material and landscape or another generic piece of modern art? You decide.

Check out more of Konrads work here!

If you want to source the hottest, international artwork for campaigns, brief the Exchange now!

Paper Boat Creative

When was the last time you visited an edible exhibition? Were there jelly crystal portraits and biscuit shearing sheds on display at your last museum visit? If you took advantage of the amazing FEAST exhibit during your last museum excursion, then you were able to experience an artistic feast that is unlike any other exhibit.

Four Months of Feasting

FEAST: Radical Hospitality in Contemporary Art is a one-of-its-kind project where artists from all over the world congregate to share their experience over meals. This unique exhibit began in February 2012. It is set to continue until June 2012. The exhibition spans over a period of 4 months. The participatory meals and art work is taking place in the Smart Museum and in various parts of Chicago. For certain projects, guests are chosen by lottery. For other events guests are chosen randomly.

Enjoy the Greeting Ceremony

A unique feature is the way people are greeted. Each individual is addressed with a spoonful of jelly. This custom is practiced in Serbia where guests are welcomed into the house with jelly. The idea behind this greeting is to sweeten the entry of a guest. The same reasoning for this ritual is behind the greeting ceremony for the Feast exhibition.

Unique Projects on Exhibit

The names of the works of art are as unique as their concepts. For example, Mella Jaarsma’s  project is titled: I Eat You Eat Me. Here the participants have to wear Jaarsma’s designed sculpture that inherently brings two people close to feed each other. Jaarsma’s project is great way to bond with your museum partner.

The Act of Drinking Beer with Friends is Highest form of Art from Tom Marioni’s perspective. Once a month, friends get free beer. This project was inspired by the Japanese tea ceremony.

In a certain restaurant in Chelsea, Alison Knowles ordered the same food item at lunch. She always requested a tuna fish sandwich with butter and lettuce but no mayonnaise. This meal was always accompanied by a glass of buttermilk. Knowles made a composition out of this everyday affair in her unique work of art.

A Feast for Everyone

From Gordon Matta-Clark to Rirkrit Tiravanija, talented artists are flocking to this feast. This remarkable exhibit is a feast unlike any other, and you won’t want to miss it.

If you are looking for unique artwork, brief the Exchange now!

mimosa creations

It is sometimes said that if you become a writer you will never enjoy another film again. The good ones make you despair that you will never attain the giddy heights of their quality, the bad ones make you grind your teeth and wonder why their mediocrity exists while your delightful genius remains unrecognised.

I have to say I disagree with this philosophy. Great stuff is there to be enjoyed and if possible influence to be gleamed from it. Bad films can be unintentionally hilarious or just simply so terrible you do what you can to wipe them out from your memory. And sometimes there are films that simply fill a void and just leave you feeling happy you had a good night out without really being wowed or scowling and feeling ripped off.

For those of you not familiar with Marvel’s recent output of films Avengers Assembled (known as simply The Avengers elsewhere but presumably changed in the UK due to potential confusion with the camp sixties spy show, or more likely with the truly awful 1997 cinematic adaptation) is the culmination of a massive superhero crossover of Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk and so forth.

In some respects this is something that has not really been seen in films. True crossovers such as Alien versus Predator have preceded it but this is probably the first example of the kind seen in comics where a number of characters come together on one team.

Part of this has been hints throughout various titles including Thor, The Incredible Hulk and so forth. This has included cameo appearances from different characters in the different films, end credit blink and you’ll miss it in jokes and foreshadowing in the narratives of the films themselves.

The question inevitably for the viewer is how well this ambitious idea would work when put together. Would it be possibly to have characters such as the charismatic Tony Stark (aka Iron Man) alongside the more steely determination of focus of Captain America? More to the point would we find out more about Hawkeye (played by Jeremy Renner, also involved in the latest Bourne and Mission Impossible films) and Black Widow (featured in the underwhelming Iron Man 2)?

The answer is it works…just about. True there are certain elements I am not a fan of (eg usage of mind control, some convenient plotting) and inevitably with a big cast of heroes someone is going to miss out. However I think this was also true of the first X-Men film and could be more to do with the nature of this kind of ensemble film.

However one personal criticism I have is that the first X-Men film did have more female characters and more to the point a variety of them. Maria Hill of SHIELD doesn’t get that much to do in this, while the Black Widow’s back story seems to be mainly hinted at without fully going into depth.

This is equally the case with Hawkeye, a character whose past is linked with Black Widow’s in the comics and the recent Earth’s Mightiest Heroes cartoon (and I have to be honest I think the cartoon handled it better).

However these are more minor flaws than anything overly serious. Some critics have said the film is a tad overlong in the middle but to be honest a lot of films have this problem and it is not easy to deal with. The action sequences are fun and there’s plenty of smashing so can’t really argue with that.

With all these superheroes you also need a top notch villain. Step forward Loki. He was arguably the highlight of the film version of Thor and Tom Hiddleston delights in his role even more here, more than living up to the “God of Mischief”.

As with the previous Marvel superhero films the patient people who sit through the credits are rewarded with a neat little tease, suggesting there is more to come from this multi franchise. Overall while I’m not entirely sure it merited years of hype, it was a pleasing enough roller coaster and I look forward to another soon enough!

If you are looking for original artwork, brief the Exchange now!

Rob

I’ve always thought it’s a shame that contemporary art isn’t more affordable for everyone. So I was delighted to hear about Monograph-Art a new art site specialising in limited edition artworks from leading contemporary artists such as Damien Hirst, Banksy and Marc Quinn that launches online this month.

With prices ranging from £300 for a covetable £300 Lucie Bennet Buttercup wink print and  £900 for a highly sought after Jamie Reid  Tea & Sympathy in Royal Gold there’s  bound to be something for all tastes. Oh, and of course if you feel like a splurge you could always buy your very own Damien Hirst piece for just over £13,000. And at that price just make sure its hung way out of reach of those sticky mitts !

If you are looking for original artwork, submit a brief now!

Chloe

Japanese artist Makoto Tojiki’s impressive work has been the discussion of many a critic recently. ‘No Shadow’ is an exhibition display showcasing life-sized sculptures of humans and animals that glow using the light emitted from thousands of individual LED lights.

The three dimensional sculptures made of hanging light strands demonstrate the contrast between light and shadow; also exercising low energy lighting technology.

Tojiki supposedly begins his concept process by studying the shadow created by a living organism, before constructing the massive light stand sculptures. Displayed in dark interiors, the lights appear as a solid structure from a distance but at closer glance emit a brightly lit shadow. When the rooms main lights are engaged the sculptures disappear leaving a translucent outline of the organism that was there.

Without a doubt these pieces evoke a sense of playfulness, wonder and intrigue and it’s quite hard to tear your eyes from the almost godly or extraterrestrial creatures.

If you are looking for unique artwork, brief the Exchange now!

Paper Boat Creative

Is it art or is it vandalism? Achill Henge on Ireland’s most Western point in Europe divides opinion.

Created by a local developer who lost millions when the property bubble burst along with the Celtic Tiger economy, Achill-Henge rises out of a mountain like a modern day coliseum.

A masterpiece of construction, built in one day last November, the ring of stone has divided opinion in Ireland, with some critics lauding the site and others lambasting it as wanton destruction of a place of natural beauty.

And now the High Court has ordered the construction to be torn down as it is in breach of planning regulations I was keen to see this structure with my own eyes.

Climbing up 1 and a half miles of boggy mountain to reach the site, hidden at first by marsh land, I followed a muddy track where I turned a corner and the first glimpse took my breath away.

Against the ever changing skyline Achil-Henge stands proud, built in concrete, like a tomb to the Celtic tiger. Its 30 columns are daubed in graffiti from fellow sympathizers to those railing against the destruction of the landscape.

As I contemplated the structure, a rainbow appeared in the sky, a moving backdrop to one man’s gargantuan expression of imagination and daring do.

And as the rainbow faded away I couldn’t help thinking it was a timely metaphor for the dashed hopes of the Celtic tiger, with the pot of gold that held so many promises for many, vanishing into thin air.

If you are looking for original artwork, brief the Exchange now!

Chloe

Photography tools and tricks have changed throughout the years, but the universal love of imagery never fades. Here are 6 tips that will help photography lovers stand out from the crowd.

1. Don’t Limit Your Perspective

It’s a digital world, so what is holding you back from taking as many shots as you need? Take multiple shots at multiple angles of your subject. You will be surprised at how a simple perspective change can enhance the artistic quality of any scene. By simply moving your camera away from your regular eye level, you may be able to help others see what you see in your subject.

2. Remember the Rule of Thirds

When you’re following the rule of thirds you mentally divide the scene in the LCD screen into nine equal parts using a grid pattern, and you line up your subject up with these vertical and horizontal lines and cross sections.  The rule of thirds helps your photo have a more balanced appearance.  However, if your subject only has a big empty space in the opposite third of your camera’s LCD screen, your end result may be side heavy.  If your layout is side heavy, try balancing the scene with a less important object in the opposite third. Although some cameras include grid patterns to help users, this rule is a basic trick many photographers learn to do naturally.

3. Less is More

If you want to show how dew drops gather on a field of wildflowers, you would not necessarily need a picture of the entire field. Since your focus would be the dew itself, then in this case it would be best to focus in on one flower. To enhance your photography, keep your subjects uncluttered. By staying focused on only the scenery necessary to accentuate your subject, you can really make your photos shine.

4.  Don’t Forget Your Memory

Go ahead and invest in a larger memory card or two for your camera. If you don’t, you’ll be sure to miss out on the perfect shot due to a full memory card. If you remember to keep plenty of memory on hand, you won’t have to feel pressured to delete a potential masterpiece in order to make room for a new one.

5. Tripods Can Be Worth the Trouble

Although tripods can be hassle at time, when you use one you will be able to use more of the built-in features of your camera.  If you use a tripod along with the self timer setting on your camera, you will be able to join those exciting group picture shots. So be sure to tuck in your tripod as you pack up for your vacation.

6. Hold Your Breath

A simple trick to help you steady yourself and the camera is to take a deep breath, hold it, and then take the picture. The breath-holding method helps you to freeze before taking the shot and eliminates blurriness.

As with everything creative, there are no hard and fast rules.  These 6 tips can be very helpful for certain circumstances, but photography enthusiasts must determine for themselves the best way to share their world with others. Always remember that a camera is a tool, but you are the artist.

If you are looking for original artwork for your new website, brief the Exchange now!

mimosa creations