New Comer from Berlin...

At Gonkat's studio, a wooden train from Germany has newly joined the collection of miniature toys...it's a "Birthday Train" from Berin!!

じゃ～ん！！

可愛い！！！

The incredibly cute train has a function of celebrating a birthday of children aged between 1-6..though none of us in the studio are THAT young, we were just so excited to (re)perform the celebration with it again...

Mixing Up the Characters

One of the regular activities in my life is to meet up with my mentor. Mike is an inspiring art lover who cultivates his work in coaching while managing his busy schedule at a broadcasting company.

It's always a pleasure to meet him and on Thursday, he has invited me to join his old friends Elena and David - both of them which wonderfully friendly and fascinating! As Elena works as a researcher and editor, and David as a African/Egyptian drummer, the night was full of rhythmical inter-exchange of ideas, memories, and excitement that we acquire out of our lives!

I love the dynamism that flows out of the conversations, each of our strong characters being mixed up in one pot of time - and I think I'm very lucky to be always surrounded by warm-hearted and inspiring people like them.

Meeting - London Asia Week

ASIA HOUSE, WEST LONDON. Gonkar had a meeting with organizers of the London Asia Week, Anna and Verginia to discuss an upcoming projects they will be working together. What project? It will be a surprise!

Portrait and Interview: L'Uomo Vogue

I'm happy to announce that Gonkar Gyatso will now be featured in May/June issue of L'Uomo Vogue, men's version of fashion magazine Italian Vogue.

The issue will feature a selection of artists who will be exhibiting at the Venice Biennial 2009. And as other artists, Gonkar will be presented in a photography portrait in his studio, together with interview text on his page. The photo shoot and interview will be done by the middle of next month - looking forward to seeing published version of the issue lined up on book shop shelves!!

On Photography

MEMBER'S ROOM AT THE TATE MODERN. While the warm light of the Spring was shining thought the glass window, four writers (aka artists) got together to have a discussion on photography.

The meeting was on the next issue of Invisible Man Paper, edited by OKO GOTO and published by the photography gallery G/P in Tokyo. The discussion had mainly evolved around the idea of self-reflectivity, as one of the contributors PAUL O'KANE had recently been commissioned to write on the subject. The idea also fit nicely with the contributing photographer THIJS GROOT WASSINK's recent work "Don't Smile Now...Save it for Later!," where he takes a series of photographies by sitting inside of instant id photo machines with a mirror in his hands.

The issue consists of short texts on photography (Japanese/English) by four writers on one side, and a photo image by one photographer on the other side. Date of the release: TBA.

Interview Article Out Now

Gonkar's interview article on the Tower Hamlet's local newspaper East End Life is out now - and will be delivered to the home of people in the East End, London. As the artist wish to be a "people's artist" whose image and accessibility is down to the earth, we are very happy about the exposure in the local community. If you would like to know about the detail of the article, please feel free to get in touch.

Taste of Spring!!! Salmon with Lemon Grass

Every weekend with a bit of time is an opportunity to try cooking something new... this time it was fresh salmons with lemon grass!!

beautiful colour... cut the surface diagonally and stuff finely chopped lemon grass, onion, and garlic

salmons ride on the ship of foil, going into the oven

safely came out

their company is asparagus!!!

Salad, asparagus, salmon with lemon grass, brown rice with Greek basil...hmm....YUM.

Blue Horse on Reservation

At Gonkar's second studio room up stairs, his "blue horse" (his favourite, broken yet charming blue chair) is now semi-permanently reserved for no-one to sit down unless s/he knows how to handle (balance on) the horse for safety purpose.

The horse smiling at the camera with a twisted neck

I can't remember how many times I fell off from him while I was sitting there...

The master of the blue horse (Gonkar)

Peculiar Tree

A peculiar tree weaving into the fence...doesn't it hurt?

Opera at Theatrical Theatre - Carmen at the Royal Albert Hall

On one weekend in the beginning of Spring, I had a nice surprise to visit the Royal Albert Hall to watch Carmen, a Spanish-based French opera that has been loved for more than a century.

The architecture of the Hall was spectacular as expected - which at the same time proposed a challenge to the actual performance not to be absorbed by the overwhelming venue, especially with the disadvantage of being very far away from most of the audiences! Also, it was very culturally specific experience to watch the passionate story line of the opera being performed in reserved accent of English, in the Victorian theatre.

Although it was very enjoyable experience and performance (including the brilliant singing and theatre arts), it is possible that the actual performance of the opera was rather drowned in the theatricality of the theatre - the Royal Albert Hall. As to the idea of works of art best seen in a white cube, an opera like this might have been best to be watched in a rather minimalist hall, or a hall that is culturally specific to the content of the opera, in this case, Spain.


Though, I have to say, I loved the view of threes hanged in the ceiling and once again pulled down to the ground...!!!

The New Spitz in Dalston - AKIRA SAKATA / YUMI HARA CAWKWELL / CHARLES HAYWARD at Cafe OTO

When the music venue Spitz had to move out from the Spitalfields in 2007, all the experimental music lovers were sobbing with disappointment, collecting petitions to save the fate of the much-loved venue. However, the future of our music theme has changed when Cafe OTO was born in the Dalston last summer. Ever since then, the cafe is holding gigs of experimental music almost every night.


Last night at the cafe was the gig of AKIRA SAKATA / YUMI HARA CAWKWELL / CHARLES HAYWARD. To witness the performance of extraordinarly talented musicians was ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!! All the acts were inprovised, totally one-off with mixture of free-jazz, Japanese traditional Utai (a type of singing), and progressive dramming - you cannot possibly categorize the performance into a certain type of music. It was BEYOND the boader of "EXPERIMENTAL" sound.

And I just LOVE the laid-back attitude of the musicians, who purely want the audience as well as themselves to ENJOY the acts - we were absorbed by the energy-filled, strong character that (propably the) most of us have never witnessed for a long time.

Yumi Hara Cawkwell was saying that Cafe OTO is the only venue in London that is holding gigs of experimental music almost every night. In other words, the venue was now the new Spitz where all the starvations of progressive music are being fed in the cultural city. I can't wait to witness another night of mind-browing performance!


*this post will be later on updated with interviews of the performers.

Pictures for Domestic Sphere

Last Saturday, I knocked on the door of the Stephanie Hoppen gallery in Chelsea, London. It was an opening of new exhibition FLOWER EXTRAVAGANZA, organized by my very good friend Daniela.

What is so unique and interesting about this galley is that they specialise in Contemporary paintings and photographies that can be hang on the wall of houses. Well, yes, it might not sounds as unique - any paintings and photos could be hang on the wall of any premises.


However, in the minutes you walk into the gallery, you realise that the style of curation is definitely different from other major Contemporary Art galleries whose common style is very much of minimalist - works of art curated in a "white cube". At the Stephanie Hoppen, pictures are curated alongside with antique furnitures and flower vases, which does create a homely atmosphere. When you actually go up stairs to view some more works, you feel like you are visiting someone's home.

This is because the owner of the gallery Stephanie Hoppen is an internationally known interior designer whose interests varies from works of art to the variation of curtains. In other words, her fascination in works of art is centred around interior design for domestic sphere. Therefore, art and photography are meant to be displayed in combination to sofa, beds, tables, curtains and even types of music you would listen the most in your private room.

Here at the Stephanie Hoppen, Art is not something autonomous - it is rather something that can be part of your everyday life at home, as part of everything else.


*One of the Stephanie Hoppen's books on art and photography at home is Picuture Perfect.
She is also taking a part at the London Design Week 2009 (15-20th March), and signing copies of her new book Perfect Curtains.

Kidnapping the Roses

Upcoming Press Exposures...

This week at the Sweet Tea House, Gonkar had two photo shoots of himself for two upcoming press exposures; one for the N.Y. based Contemporary Visual Culture magazine Art Asia Pacific, and the other for the Tower Hamlet's local free newspaper East End Life. He will be featured as one of the hot topics in both of the publications, together with the news of attending Venice Biennale 2009. We are very happy that the news is going to be shared in the different levels and types of media - one in global & exclusice, and the other in local & inclusive.

Renovating the Web Sites

Last Wednesday, Gonkar and I had a meeting with a web designer Tim from Alpine Interactive. Why? To discuss and exchange ideas for up-coming web sites of Gonkar and his gallery, the Sweet Tea House. Tim is a very considerate, thoughtful, and professional designer who is full of ideas - it's very fascinating to witness and be part of the process of transforming something old into the new, with the hands of someone like him.

The web sites are under renovation, and are coming soon...!

*The place where we had the meeting is Saf Restaurant in Shoreditch, whose botanically focused menu is "London's first and finest."

* I would also like to thank Hana, an illustrator who is a very good friend of mine and is a wife of Tim, for introducing us to the fine works of Tim.

Gifts from Tibet...

Hmmm....white bags of gifts! It's March and spring is coming to London, but it seems that Mr.Santa has arrived to the Sweet Tea House again (though most of us are rather close to Buddhist culture,) HO HO HO. Well, they are actually not from Father Christmas - they are gifts that has been sent by Gonkar's friends in Tibet!!!

Insides are Barley Flour and Yack Meat.

Apparently, Barley Flour (photo below) is commonly used to make porrige in the morning (instead of oat.)


And the dried Yack Meat (photo below) - which I never ever had before - is common daily Tibetan staple eaten as a snack. As the yacks are grown freely in the wild land, they are organic too.

Although I normally do not eat meat, I was so curious and tempted to try....

So Gonkar picked up the softest one for me, and I did try it!

It still felt quite hard, and tastes very...WILD!! (i.e.taste of red meat, full of blood and energy.haha)

You would certainly maintian your teeth very healthy and strong too, if you grew up chewing this "snack" every day.

And having thought about the fact that elderly people in Tibet still go to Pilgrimage for two hours every morning (= walking on the MOUNTAIN for TWO HOURS EVERY MORNING), together with these diets, there's no wonder why they have a very long and strong lives in Tibet!

By the way....(Arts TV Production)

By the way, I've jut noticed that Saatchi's Best of British is apparently produced by the Princess Production – the same production company which had also been commissioned by the Channel 4 to produce another reality art show Big Art Project in 2005.

Although, one of the big differences between the two programmes is that while the latter is audience participant type & community focused, the former is not.

---------------------------------------

Also, for understanding of the British history of Arts TV production & relations, Art of Arts TV (last autumn’s BBC FOUR programme series – no longer available on the iPlayer but can still be watched in the Goldsmiths College Library) is very useful.

“X-factor in Art”: Reality Art Show on BBC Two

On Saturday early evening when I was on my way back from work, reading a weekly company newspaper that I got from my boyfriend, I found out that there will be a new “reality art show” with Charles Saatchi coming up on BBC Two this autumn.

The article on ariel (written by Claire Barrett) starts with the following statement that was made by Francis Bacon:

“[A]rtists aren’t born [;] they need to meet the right people”

Having used to discuss about this controversial idea quite passionately with my friends when I was in an ”Art School,” I was drawn into the article on the train.

The idea is that in the University class room, we have studied the canonical idea of the figure of artist being represented or recognized as a genius, and yet later on realised that it can actually be a matter of who you know rather than just what you produce in the reality outside the class room that will define the future of an artist – it was a question of nurture or nature, or a matter of having the both to be come an “Artist” with the big capital “A”.

The central idea of this upcoming programme Saatchi’s Best of British is to invite Charles Saatchi as the key figure to pick up 6 amateur artists, and to nurture the talent (and people connection, possibly) for over 3 months at a specially created Art School where the artists will be enrolled into.

The interesting point is that Saatchi will not appear directly in front of the camera – rather, “We see him as a kind of Charlie figure from Charlie’s Angels,” giving suggestions and opinions to the artists as well as tutors who will be mentoring the students. In other words, here, Saatchi is almost presented as a God like figure. With the image of Saatchi as an art dealer being synonymous to the image of success in Art, the artists’ success seemed to be guaranteed with the blessing of the God of Art World Saatchi.

In the art theory class I used to attend, what mattered was more of the figure of artists themselves being genius or God/des like. However, the history might have slightly shifted its spotlight to the dealers with God/des like talents as well as (social & financial) authority, and of course, a great passion for Art.

*Saatchi’s Best of British; Entry to the competition is open to any UK resident who is over 18, and is not represented by a gallery. You can register on www.submityourart.com for further detail and submit your work until the mid night of 28^th March, 2009. Hurry, hurry!

*The Press Release from the BBC can be read from here.

Banksy on Sale - Urban Art at Bonhams

Urban Art
Tuesday 24 February 2009
New Bond Street
http://www.bonhams.com/cgi-bin/public.sh/pubweb/publicSite.r?sContinent=EUR&screen=Urbanart

The auction had far more relaxed atmosphere and setting than the Contemporary Evening Sale at Sotheby's, which I and my friends have attended earlier on the month (Some of the starting prices as low as 500 pounds).

Main pieces were that of Banksy, with his "Anarchy Rat" (below, estimated price £30,000 - 50,000 according to the Bonhams) loudly printed on the cover of the evening's catalogue.

"Anarchy Rat" (2006), Banksy

With increasing number of buyers and collectors (some of which buying for their children's bed room!), have the political claims of "street art" made a success of leaking into the social arena where their voice should be heard the most?

*The last image was taken from the Bonhams web site for non-commercial purposes.
All the other photos are taken by myself otherwise it is stated.

a rose and bottle

"a rose and bottle in the ocean of bed duvet" (2009)

I've recently started making a series of photographies of roses.
I like them in the state of its buds,
I like them in the state of its zeniths, and
I like them in the state of its decay.
What I like about them the most is the smell I can be absorbed on my bedsheets.