Although the idea that I may be able to leave the house in anything less than Arctic attire seems like a distant dream, it helps to have a sneaky peak at what we might be wearing if that day ever arrives...
The future looks bright with this brilliantly eccentric and fabulously colourful array of S/S trends.. and you never know, this year we may see the return of the flair.... lets hope that if I venture out in any such attire I shall do it with rather more style than my 14 year old self.... (dreadful memories...horrendous family photos)... We learn with age.... hopefully..
Absolutely loved this exhibition, and so glad that I battled through the blizzard (minus socks and gloves)that had hit East London to see it. It was a fantastic collaboration which highlighted the great importance of cover design in both the selling of a book and the recognition of iconic status. I think it is vital that this aspect of publishing is kept alive amidst the mighty power of digitalisation. The book covers were beautiful not just in themselves but for the way in which they revealed the way in which the artists saw and interpreted the books. I was truly inspired and I hope that collaborations of this kind will continue to be cultivated and perhaps we may see some of these designs on penguin publications in the future! Above are a selection of my favourites!
1. Alexander Korzer-Robinson, Inner life II; 2. Chris Stain - "Grapes of Wrath" (John Steinbeck); 3.Curtis Kulig -"Can't Read"; 4. David Bray "Excitability - Selected Stories"; 5. David Walker, "The Subterranians" (Jack Kerouac); 6. Hellovon, "Metamorphosis" (Kafka); 7.Jaybo "Howl"; 8. Mikey "The Stranger" (Albert Camus); 9. Ripo "Cat in the Hat"; 10. Russ Mills "City of Thieves" (Ian Livingstone); 11. Russ Mills "Forest of Doom" (Ian Livingstone);12. Russ Mills "House of Hell" (Steve Jackson) 13. Russ Mills "The Citadel of Chaos" (Steve Jackson); 14. San, "The Myth of Sisyphus" (Albert Camus); 15. Shepard Fairey "Animal Farm" (Orwell); 16. Shepard Fairey "1984" (Orwell); 17. Viktor Vauthier, "Hamlet" (Shakespeare).
See more about the exhibition and future exhibitions at Stolen Space.
Thursday, 16 December 2010
Off to see the 'Never Judge...?' exhibition at Stolen Space tomorrow. Very excited! My favourite publisher and my favourite gallery: total perfection! xx
Saturday, 11 December 2010
Very very excited for Christmas, the mulled wine, the obligatory mince pies (which I don't really like, but have to try at least once every year), Ice Skating at Somerset House, The Grinch, Candy Canes.. i could go on forever!! Also, possibly the only time of the year its socially permissible to listen to Mariah Carey. Genius..
{First two images from ANZU (gorgeous and fascinating blog and the 3rd from {this is glamorous}) - possibly one of my favourite blogs ever...}
Now my essays are finally handed in and I have a few precious hours to do everything that I have had to sacrifice in favour of the "beloved" library, I have been trawling some of my favourite blogs to find a selection of images I came across this beautiful quote from E.E Cummings (unfortunately found in Charlie St. Cloud.. but we'll let that little misdemeanour slip... shhhh)....
Dive For Dreams
By E.E. Cummings
Dive for dreams
or a slogan may topple you
(trees are their roots
and wind is wind)
Trust your heart
if the seas catch fire
(and live by love
though the stars walk backward)
Honour the past
but welcome the future
(and dance your death
away at this wedding)
Never mind a world
with its villains or heroes
(for god likes girls
and tomorrow and the earth).
“Lady Chatterley’s Lover is a tale of two eras, a tale of revolution, but above all a tale, told with a great tenderness, about the nature of selfhood.”
As a novel of its time, written in 1928, the both loving and deeply passionate affair of Lady Chatterley epitomises the individual struggle against the cold mass of a society in which “industry came before the individual” and illustrates a desire to uncover the very roots of relation and identity. It is a pleasure to read. Both poetic and compelling, Lawrence’s style lacks any air of pretension, allowing the story unfold naturally without the feeling that certain themes are being forced into your line of vision. The vast range of ideas that flow within the narrative create a richness which imbues the reader with a sense of excitement, of change and of possibility. Lawrence notes, in a line which greatly resonated with me, that "a woman has to live her life, or live to repent not having lived it" a powerful message to not just women, but to the whole of society, to truly live.
For someone to refer to the novel as merely one about sex, would suggest a narrow-mindedness that fails to acknowledge the vast impact of Lawrence’s writing. It was at first odd to come across scenes of such an explicit nature in a novel of such traditional framework, yet it was refreshing and allowed nothing to be held back in the name of prudence – everything that needed to be said was said in the most fitting way. Sex is not the overriding theme of the novel but something that allows for the frank exploration of other ideas.
As a publication of the 1960’s our orange-bound Lady sparked a revolution that was to change the face of society, reverberating through both literature and politics. It revealed a fear within the ruling classes and exemplified within the legal tradition a blindness and a refusal to acknowledge the unsettled nature of society outside a very narrow line of vision. It marked a transition from the cold and rather prudish 50’s into the colourful and liberal 60’s.
Allen Lane’s vision for Penguin was produce books of great worth at small expense, thereby opening up the world of literature to everyone. This ethos was maintained with his decision to publish Lady Chatterley, for it reinforced Penguin’s role in giving a voice to both authors and to the reading public. The result of the trial heralded a new age for both the freedom of speech and expression. It is incredible to think that one small novel could have played such a vital role in the readjustment of national values; the sheer power of words and ideas are not to be underestimated.
View my review on the Penguin minisite, plus lots of other brilliant stuff about the novel...
Tuesday, 2 November 2010
{Willa Cather - O'Pioneers!}
Heard this beautiful quote in my American Fiction lecture this afternoon, it seems to epitomise the spirit of America for its pioneers with its endless sense of possibility....
Monday, 18 October 2010
Saturday, 16 October 2010
There is something wonderfully romantic and fittingly personal about writing letters. Keep in touch this winter with these beautiful hand printed cards from Archivist Press.
"THROUGHOUT history, some books have changed the world. They have transformed the way we see ourselves - and each other. They have inspired debate, dissent, war and revolution. They have enlightened, outraged, provoked and comforted. They have enriched lives - and destroyed them. Now Penguin brings you the works of the great thinkers, pioneers, radicals and visionaries whose ideas shook civilization, and helped make us who we are." - Penguin Books.
In this sharp and witty essay, No.91, of the Great Ideas series, George Eliot launches a witty and cleverly constructed observation of silly novels by equally ridiculous Lady Novelists. Displaying qualities quite unlike her frilly opposition, she addresses the various crimes of ‘Silly Novel’s’ ranging from the historical to the oracular. Her satire and sharpened wit is delicious and the essay is shaped distinctly by her own voice. I would have very much liked to meet Eliot.
This is very much an essay based, understandably, around the novels that were popular and in discussion at the time. To this extent I was unfamiliar with many of the examples discussed, yet, aside from this rather embarrassing hole in my knowledge of literature, I still found certain elements absorbing.
The chapter on Madame de Sable and the influence of the French salon, paints a picture of 17th Century life which evokes within the reader a longing to have been part of something so influential and unique. In this sense, the essay can be seen not only as an amusing account of a certain breed of novel, but also as a gateway to a new genre. Furthermore we can use the basic elements such as character and plot, cunningly observed by this intelligent writer, and apply them to novels perhaps a little more familiar such as Jane Eyre, or Eliot’s own “Mill on the Floss’.
Something that must also not go unmentioned are the beautiful designs embossed onto the cover of each novel, which both complement the subject matter and unite the series as a whole. The idea behind the series is exciting and not only will I be returning to this little edition, but I’m eager to start reading the next.
Finally H&M have opened an online store for the UK and with it a beautiful homeware collection - these cushion covers are fabulously vintage!
