Edward Bawden

Since becoming a lino cutter I have come to realise what a genious Edward Bawden is, not only in his lino cuts but also in his paintings, design work, graphic posters, wallpaper designs etc etc.




What is really interesting a special about him is that he is a cross disciplinary artist/designer.

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I find this really inspiring. Illustration is somewhere between Graphics and fine Art and Bawden is a good example fo someone who can switch between these areas. I feel like I would like to have the ability to do this and also be experimental and turn my hand to many different areas.

Ristorante Immoratale

In Febuary I saw a Familie Flöz production of Ristorante Immortale. This was a silent performance with 4 actors all wearing masks (some of which played two characters).
Familie Flöz is an international pool of theater makers – actors, musicians, dancers, directors, mask-, light- and costume designers, dramatic advisors and other good souls from ten nations. They are based in Berlin and have shown here regularly at Admiraldspalast Theatre (http://www.admiralspalast.de/).


"It is a moving yet bizarre family that apparently rose up from the dark womb of the earth through a long shaft to reach daylight for the very first time. It was this very image that put Familie Flöz on the map of international theater in 1996. Behind this metaphor is also the philosophy of an entirely distinct working method of this ever-changing group of theater makers."

www.floez.net

William Kentridge at Hamburger Bahnhof

One of the most amazing artists adn draftsman. His animations are incredible! I recently saw an exhibition of his at the Hamburger Bahnhof in Berlin. One of which was part of an exhibition called 'Schmerz' ie pain this piece by Kentridge was called 'The History of the main complaint'

His animations are made with a single piece of paper,unlike all other hand drawn animations. So you can see the drawing being rubbed out and made over again. They are very beautiful.


Also there was an exhibition on his work for a series of animations of 'Journey to the Moon'.



inspiration for Kentridge (above)



The Hamburger Bahnhof is also well worth a visit. It is the old disued station of Berlin turned into a gigantic gallery. All 20th century art and beyond from Twombly to Beuys set in an immense, architectural space.

ATAK German Illustrator

ATAK aka Georg Barber

He was born in Frankfurt but has lived and worked as an artist/comci artist/illustrator in Berlin for many years!

He is an Illustrator who's work I have been collecting since being in Berlin is ATAK. I recently have bought one of his prints which I am delighted with!



Today I bought a comic of his called 'Alice'. This is comic based on 'Alice in Wonderland' but with a different plot and a subversive edge. He is also included in the 'Die Tollen Hefte Series', with ADA - von Gertrude Stein
Die Tollen Hefte Nr.25 made in Septemaber 2005.

Alice



Die Tollen Hefte images





His images are all hand drawn with handwritten text also. He draws inspiration from many areas but prodominently from 1800 to 1900s. His images can be quite dark and wicked but there is a strong sense of humour and irony. They also have a strong sense of nostalgia.

I find his work really inspiring as I love his clever compositions, his reference points, his quirky characters and odd narratives. Also the way he makes them with lots of pattern, spots, naive line, colour and over lapping colour.