Alexander McQueen

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1. Jan Svankmajer - Dimensions of Dialogue, Part 2

   by Anna Trevelyan on 2009-12-02 18:54:49

   The first half of this film has realy made an impact on me. I remember being shown this years ago by my old tutor Daniela Hatfield. I’m not sure why but for some reason I always think about it and come back to watch it. Quite inspirational I think…

2. Q&A with Alex Noble

   by Anna Trevelyan on 2009-11-03 16:21:42

   So for my first blog for this exciting new site I wanted to show you something London based, something contemporary and relevant, something exciting that would be interesting to many different types of people, this is why I decided to interview Alex Noble. He is very much involved in the London creative industry in so many ways, he is constantly making new pieces for multiple editorials, pop stars and shows but he is also talented in so many other areas. Please do look him up! Hope you enjoy, love Anna xx

   www.allisalexnoble.blogspot.com
   www.gallerysuperstore.blogspot.com

   ANNA TREVELYAN: So currently you’re working as fashion designer, painter, curator, artist and general creative being, how do you find the time and space to do all these things?

   ALEX NOBLE : Phew! Well it can get pretty crazy at times and try to be very organized, I have to evoke the spirit of an octopus and imagine I have eight limbs that work independently of each other!
   But seriously it’s a lot of fun, I get bored easily so the mayhem of the different projects keeps me inspired and while I work on one thing I’m planning the next.

   AT: What is your studio space like? How have you created it to inspire you?

   AN: I’m very lucky in the fact that I have a really good sized space to work in, with different areas set up for different practices, although these often overlap into one big ‘creation’. It’s a real curiosity cabinet as I like to have all my work, objects, props and fabrics out all the time as constant inspiration. I like to create off the cuff installations in the studio, simply for visual stimulation and I suppose a constant realization of a thought process.

   AT: Tell me about the curation projects your doing at Dalston superstore, what has really excited you about it? What has been a highlight?

   AN: Curating the Gallery Superstore is a great partnership with the rest of my work and I really see curating as an art form, it’s all about personal taste and putting that on the line through other artists for a wider audience. Facilitating other peoples work is also a refreshing change rather than pushing your self constantly and an amazing way to further contacts, ideas and bounce off other people. ‘Beautiful Freaks’ by Ralf Obergfell was definitely a high light, the show encompassed a photography exhibition and a huge installation that completely changed the whole atmosphere and environment of the bar. It was like walking into another world of seedy and theatrical transgendered mayhem! Inbetween the artist’s solo shows I curate group exhibitions, the next one focusing on the subject of the male nude and it’s place in contemporary society, advertising, art and fashion, it’s a very exciting and controversial show – NOUVEAU NUDE, opening on the 12th of November

   AT: You have a lot of access to artists internationally and locally, is there anyone out there that is exciting you that we should know about?

   AN: For the Nouveau Nude show I have some really exciting artists showing, like photographer Mikel Marton who’s been making waves in the states with his male nude and self portraits. Also a collection of home grown talents including Emma Gibson and Elizabeth Eamer, it will be Gibson’s second time exhibiting at the Superstore and her incredibly detailed and deeply concept driven installations are ones to watch (soon to be seen at the White Chapel Art Gallery). Another name from the show who is one to watch next year is installation artist and photographer Moses Powers who’s theatrical set ups tell eerie stories of disturbed yet romantic characters.
   www.egibson.co.uk
   www.mosespowers.carbonmade.com
   www.toxicboy.net envoy-mikelmarton.blogspot.com
   www.elizabetheamer.com

   AT: Although you are clearly talented in so many areas, i first knew you and always think of you predominantly as a painter/artist… do you feel that this is your true passion? And how do you continue to challenge and express yourself within your art?

   AN: My art work is always on the forefront of my thoughts, my first memories are of scribbling with felt tips at nursery school and my whole family are creatives so I really think it is an innate part of me. Although it wasn’t long before I started to scribble dresses, not so much designs but my early drawings were always of amazonian warrior women in harnesses or angels in floating in an abundance of drapery. More recently I’ve pushed my work from moving from the female to male form, this has opened up my thought and practical process in a huge way as it leads to a lot of challenging questions about my own relationship with masculinity and homosexuality. I’m always experimenting with materials and what i use as my canvas which often helps direct the journey a piece of work will take.

   AT: You work alot with us in collaborative projects for LAdy Gaga, what is it you like about designing for her, what do you think she represents in pop culture?

   AN: Lady Ga Ga is simply the perfect muse, there is nothing you ‘can’t’ do which is the perfect client and the briefs I receive from you guys are always totally inspirirational. It’s the dream job really!
   I think she is really refreshing in pop, she is definitely an Icon in a way that we haven’t seen for a while. She’s like the Prince or Madonna of this decade, stylish, controversial, sexual and intelligent. The music industry has been so saturised with ‘poppet’s’ in recent years that it’s great to see so many individual female artists pushing through and making waves in the business. It’s so funny because some of my friends think she puts some kind of subliminal hypnotic messages in her music and videos because they can’t stop thinking about her, and I just say….....’that’s why she’s got it!’ Love her or hate her, every one is talking about her.

   AT: You yourself have a really unique style, notably your amazing tattoo’s could you explain some of them, where you got the idea, what they represent to you?

   AN: I suppose my tattoo’s mainly represent me, none of them have a deep rooted concept connected to them they are just images of things I’ve thought about for a long time, some times been obsessed with and inspired by. They are mainly all of female body parts and animals. I have two from favourite artists, one from H.R Geiger and one from Egon Schiele, both of whom I find truly inspirational and adore their work and have a personal connection with it. I have a few I designed my self but I prefer to have other’s work who i admire on my skin and that’s why they have all been done by different people. I’ve always had to save up and wait a long time between my tattoo’s and I think that makes the process more sacred too.
   I think it’s hard to ‘explain’ my tattoos but I will say that being heavily into tattoo’s is an innate thing, it’s definitely an undeniable part of ones being and I think that’s backed up by the fact that it’s such a tribal practice and forms a huge part of a lot of ancient culture.

   AT: Lastly, but probably most importantly, I am coming round for dinner tonight, what are you going to cook for me?

   AN: hahaha I’m not cooking!

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