 PHOTOGRAPHS TO MAKE YOU THINK BY SARA DARLING Look closely at these photographs and you might be surprised at the models. They could be people you know. British photographer, artist and documentary film maker, Bex Day has captured some of the UK's older transgender community in a moving exhibition, to raise awareness to the gender stereotypes which are often inflicted by society. Choosing to call the show 'Hen', which translates into Swedish as the gender-neutral personal pronoun, 'they, the exhibition at London's Herrick Gallery explores how stagnant and narrow minded the art world actually is. Featuring 30 subjects over the age of forty, Hen tells the personal stories of those within the community, and the common themes that unite them. Aiming to expose gender stereotypes, and explore how they have affected the older transgender community, the exhibition showcases real people and questions how we define gender and these alienating classifications. Curated by Sandrine Servent, Mina Raven and Co-Curated by William Esdale, and BKN, there is support from Stonewall Housing. Check it out from April 1st - April 7th 2019 11- 18:30 Herrick Gallery, 93 Picadilly, Mayfair, London, W1J 7NQ HenExhibition.com
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Editor: Christopher George
Russian queer disco performance art crew SADO OPERA continue in their flamboyant quest to subvert dance music norms and political statements, with a new protest song against corruption in their home country and the global toxic patriarchy. The Berlin-based music collective describe the song as “a stomping army of middle fingers, pointing at every man who has stepped on the backs of others to gain power" – a defiant image that builds on the finger-pointing Time’s Up movement, and celebrates feminism’s ongoing part in the wider political struggle against oppression. Article: Christopher George Blick Bassy will release a new album, 1958, on March 8, 2019, following his acclaimed 2015 release, Akö. 1958 is a defiant tribute to the heroes who fought and died for the independence of Bassy's native Cameroon. A tender and soulful selection of songs, the album is sung in Bassa, Blick’s ancestral language. Bassy is trailing the album announcement with lead single ‘Ngwa’, which arrives via this dramatic video Blick Bassy freedom fighter character in the video is hunted down by French soldiers - Blick says; "In school we studied the French version of what happened. The way I learned it in the books was that they were agitators, troublemakers. Which is wrong. Um Nyobé was in this movement hidden in the mountains, organising the Cameroonian People’s Union, and the truth about what happened has never been out." Pre-order ‘1958’ here: https://lnk.to/Blickbassy-1958   Editor: Christopher George As part of our current series of interviews with artists exhibiting at this year’s Talented Art Fair – at the Old Truman Brewery from 1 to 3 March - we talked to Alexa Harris about her work and influences. In a few words, who are you and what do you do? I am Alexa Harris, a mixed media artist. I work from my studio based in West London in the creative hub known as Kindred Studios. I work across several mediums constantly exploring the language of what I do. I am currently painting in oils and always drawing. What is your background? I was born and bred in Leeds, went to Jacob Kramer School of Art, then studied Fine art at Nottingham Trent University. In the early years I trained in theatre design at The National Youth Theatre. My professional career has spanned across television, theatre and film, which has brought me to where I am creatively today. How would you describe your work? Talk us through your creative process, My work has rawness, which is both abstracted and deconstructed. l love an unfinished edge; an unfilled area in a landscape or a headless figure. This keeps my interest to full immersion. I am excited by colour and form and playing with light. I am obsessed by the three-dimensionality of the line and how one can literally cut space. My work is multi-layered, in colour, form and meaning. Surfaces are always important to me. From layering, making and preparing new quality surfaces, using handcrafted hand stained and ripped collage. These stages are often experimental and an exciting part of my process. Knowing when to stop, keeping a freshness and clarity of the mark is important. I know when something is overworked it’s gone too far, I have to strip it back down again. I try to reveal the subject’s strength and fragility simultaneously, which is hard.  Who and what are your biggest influences? My late father, who was an artist, is a particular influence. When I had to clear his studio I discovered unseen works and a plethora of exciting found objects. More than simply objects, for me they were jolts of memory filled with nostalgia and aroma that I have the privilege to protect and reinvent. Growing up, I have always loved going to the ballet and the magic created on stage stayed with me. When I draw and paint the nude it’s the fascination of the human form in space that is mirrored. Playing with light and weight is what I try to do in my work to capture an essence of a moment and of space. Bill Viola’s video works about life, religion and death, and Nam June Paik’s video art and installations have always inspired me. So have Man Ray’s Photography and conceptual works and friendship with Marcel Duchamp. Frank Auerbach and the London School have definitely shaped how I work today and my constant excitement of mark making, oils and finding beauty in the banal everyday and distortions of form. Who would you say are your favourite contemporary artists? The list is long but would have to include Robert Rauschenberg, Marlene Dumas, Jenny Saville, Francis Bacon, Michael Andrews, Gavin Turk, Bob and Roberta Smith, Sean Scully and, of course, Bill Viola.  What makes you get up and create art? My studio is the place I need to be. In my old - and sometimes cold - Victorian studio in Queens Park, I am surrounded by my mysterious found objects; some suspended overhead like my Dad’s smoking pipe, or his black hat or an old casino dice, which sit on my Danish cheese board worktable, all in the need to be transformed into something that speaks to me. Finding a language for my work to come to life is what drives me. Be it through painting abstracted landscapes on corrugated board, which has become an obsession. My work is a visual conversation, pushing and pulling and constantly challenging me. What will you be showing at Talented Art Fair? I’ll be showing a series of new landscapes as well as nudes Also, if ready,‘ Dad’s chair’ which is a new part from my recent installation, ‘Does that mean you’re not coming to dinner?’  TALENTED ART FAIR runs from 1-3 March at Old Truman Brewery in Shoreditch, London E1 Entry is free on Saturday and Sunday (12-6.30pm) Private View on Friday (6-9pm) is ticketed For more information and tickets, visit: https://www.talentedartfair.com/ The Talented Art Fair is back at the Old Truman Brewery for its third edition from 1 to 3 March 2019. As part of a series of interviews with some of the exhibiting artists, we caught up with landscape artist John Ball ahead of the fair to find out more about him and his work.  In just a few words, who are you and what do you do? My name is John Ball and I make paintings. What is your background? I studied at the London Metropolitan University in Whitechapel and lived in East London for many years before moving out to the suburbs. How would you describe your work? A bleak, atmospheric interpretation of the modern landscape, a study of socio-economic decline and regeneration Talk us through your creative process, I work from my own photographs which I process in photoshop before rendering in oils. Who and what are your biggest influences? I Love a bit of Edward Hopper and early Hockney and am Inspired by the photorealistic painting style of artists like John Baeder, Ralph Goings, John Salt, and Robert Bechtle. More recently, Banksy’s Dismaland played a big part in renewing my interest in painting; it was inspiring to see such an eclectic mix of contemporary artists collaborating on such an innovative project. In my opinion it was a totally unique and unpretentious approach to an art exhibition with such a good balance of dark humour and political satire that really captured the imagination of the general public. I’d say I am influenced as much by film and video games as I am by photography and painting. Movies by David Lynch, Alejandro Jodorowsky, George A Romero, Stanley Kubrick,and Quentin Tarantino have played a big part in influencing my practice. I don’t get much time to play video games these days but am still a big fan of the GTA series and more recently have been dipping into Red Dead Redemption 2 which is absolutely incredible!  You were a finalist on the Sky Arts Landscape Painter of the Year. How would you describe the experience? It was a great experience, I hadn’t really been painting very much by the time I applied and was pretty much thrown in at the deep end! I was up against full time professional artists so it was a real boost to my confidence when I got through to the semi finals. It certainly had a positive effect on my productivity and has generated a lot of interest. Who would you say are your favourite contemporary artists? There are some really great landscape artists out there at the moment. I really like the work of Andy Cropper, Paul Regan, Jonathan Stockley, Alex Selkowitz, and Timothy Horn to name but a few. What makes you get up and create art? I guess there is just something in the back of my brain ticking away that drives me to create. People say to me I see the world differently and see beauty in the mundane. I suppose I am just trying to make people see the way I see if only for a minute. I hope that doesn’t sound too pretentious; I think I would paint these things whether anyone was looking or not. What will you be showing at Talented Art Fair? I will be exhibiting a selection of my contemporary landscape paintings alongside some original pencil studies and limited edition prints. TALENTED ART FAIR runs from 1-3 March at the Old Truman Brewery in Shoreditch, London E1 Entry is free on Saturday and Sunday (12-6.30pm) Tickets for the Private View on Friday (6-9pm) are available here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/talented-art-fair-2019-tickets-52362324121
 Editor: Christopher George Photographer Angus Malcolm striking images of the Warwick Rowers baring all celebrating 10 years of their best-selling charity calendar and luxurious, ultra-high end coffee table book in these tasteful artistic nude portraits. The legendary annual photo shoot to produce the calendar & book takes the bronzed rowing team to exotic shoot locations all over world as they celebrate the naked athletic form.
This year's calendar has been recognized with significant number of awards, innovation and social impact, not to mention being twice voted as UK's "Charity Calendar of the Year." Producer and iconic photographer Angus Malcolm along with generations of Warwick Rowers began the initiative in England in 2009 with the goal to highlight the role that straight men - and particularly the men usually classified as "jocks" - can play in promoting a fairer, more inclusive world. Sales of Warwick Rowers' famous calendar products have funded the establishment of Sport Allies, a highly regarded charity that promotes gender equality and inclusion. The calendar project has contributed earned nearly $200,000 for the Sports Allies charity. If the guys can have Kate Upton and Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issues, then the ladies are due for their own tantalizing eye candy with the Warwick Rowers.   French electro music pioneer Vitalic launches a new project with Rebeka Warrior, in what will become a classic European video and single. A visual delight, Continental Excellence, Electro Perfection... Vitalic meets Rebeka Warrior for a new collaboration called Kompromat. German vocals on top of Vitalic's trademark production and synth, inspired by old-school Berlin techno, somewhere between Einstürzende Neubauten and Crash Course in Science.  A vegan cookbook with bite!
By Sara Darling There might be sceptics out there who think that vegans (poor things) just eat beans and rice, but the only type of vegetable that those uneducated folk eat is probably a fried potato chip! Vegans (and vegetarians) just have to be a little experimental in the kitchen, and having been a veggie lover for decades, I was quite looking forward to expanding my culinary prowess in the kitchen. So donning my favourite pinny, I got stuck in to the Hungry Soul cookbook by Jacques Brennan over the Christmas holidays. So while everyone else in my vicinity (I was in Wales after all), was tucking into sausage rolls and cheese on sticks, I was embracing avocados, and spicy salsa. I’ve never been much of a Jamie- and the idea of flesh in my fridge repulses me, but I was keen to find out what I could conjure up beyond cauliflower cheese, and Quorn chilli. Hungry Soul is a book for beginners. Each page has drawings and very simple recipes- which to be honest was perfect for me. I don’t like waiting when I’m hungry, and I like to taste as I go.. So it might appear veganism is good for those Kitchen Nazis like myself!!! Split into sections- including soups, salads, stir fries, sweets and sides (and other things which don’t begin with S!) I could easily get tempted with the likes of colcannon, pea and potato masala and satay noodles- and that’s with the ingredients I already have at home. If I did feel like slipping off the vegan- wagon for a while, a lot of the recipes can be adapted to use animal based products, and who knows whether they would taste better with cheese? There’s enough recipes to get you through the rest of Veganuary and beyond, so there is no time better to jump on the plant based bandwagon. Now who wants to come round mine for some cauliflower chowder? Hungry Soul- how to cook 100% Vegan by Jacques Brennan is out now on Troubador. Buy yours here with 15% Veganuary discount.  AMERICANA COMES TO LONDON by Sara Darling When I got to spend the day with The Luck, I had no idea that siblings could get on so well! But Max and Esmay Luck are so in tune with each other, that they have even formed a band. Growing up in London, early influences were Fleetwood Mac, Simon & Garfunkel, and The Cranberries, which were the soundtrack to their youth, and although both musical, they didn't join forces as a band until 2011. Since then, they have been honing a unique blend of Americana, which is a mixture of country, bluegrass, R&B and blues, which they blend it into a folky soulful (often acoustic) set.  Spending time in LA has enabled the band to hone their act, and now the Americana-folk songs are coming to a radio station near you! They even released a single every week in December! You can see them live at various locations around the UK in the spring, and London's celebration of all things Americana -AmericanaFest, which takes place on 29-31 Jan. Early bird tickets are £22, available here Check out more and listen to the toe-tappingly good tunes on their website here  CREDITS Photographer: Benjamin Ealovega Stylist: Sara Darling Talent: The Luck Duo Shot 1 Max Jeans: Model's Own Shirt: Stylist's Own Waistcoat: Child of the Jago Boots: Base London Esmay Dress: Ba&sh Hat: Locke and Co Necklace and rings: Katherine Alexandra Brunacci Boots: Free People Shot 2 Esmay Dress: Scotch & Soda Jacket: Vintage Necklace: Katherine Alexandra Brunacci Boots: Model's own Max Shirt: Remus Uomo Jeans and boots: Model's own Shirt & scarf: Vintage Shot 3 Max Shirt: Weekday Jeans and boots: Model's Own Scarf: Katherine Story Esmay Dress: Phannatiq Scarf: Child of the Jago Hat: Minnatonka Ring: Nanette Lapore Boots: Model's Own  Editor: Christopher George Philip Colbert’s boisterous multidisciplinary art projects have won the support of the likes of Karl Lagerfeld and Lady Gaga as well as exhibitions worldwide at Art Basel, Frieze London, Tate Modern and Wavelengths, China. Now he announces the latest move in his pop universe: his second solo show of his large-scale paintings at Saatchi Gallery, all narrated through his lobster alter-ego. Previously described by American Vogue’s Andre Leon Talley as “the godson of Andy Warhol”, Colbert presents eight large-scale canvases at a packed Saatchi Gallery where we attended along with hundreds of people queuing around the block for the opening event.
Conceived as a dialogue between himself and his pop forefathers, the paintings ruminate on their contributions in the face of popular culture and his own autobiographical journey within this landscape. Paul Forster of the Saatchi Gallery has said, “Philip Colbert’s works are energetic and vibrant examples of contemporary art that illustrate the saturation of art history and pop culture in society.” Colbert’s punk-pop journey via his studio collective, the Rodnik Band allowed him to gracefully circumvent the fashion and design universe, while art functioned as his true objective. From his east London studio, he has conjured-up limited edition Duchamp-inspired urinal dresses and wearable art frocks. Sequinned tins of Campbell’s Soup attire and bejewelled fried eggs were sold in Dover Street Market and Collette in Paris and worn by Sienna Miller, Cara Delevingne, Anna Della Russo, Lady Gaga and more. Philip Colbert 
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