K.L.V.

Open/Closed

2012-02-17T22:02:00.000Z

On Friday 10th February the Art School Disco collective exhibted work within a biscuit factory in Bermondsey, ranging from kites, painting, prints, videography and hats. So enjoy these photos of our artwork as taken by myself and photographer for the night, Sabina Campbell.

Simon Abbott

Ben Phe

Johnny Ace

Ed Brown

Katie Allen

The space

Keiron LeVine

Ancestors

2012-02-13T18:00:00.000Z

My first hat/headdress/mask collection:

Mesozoic

This mask/headband was one of the first ideas of the collection, in fact it sparked off the idea for collections name of 'Ancestors'. Mesozoic is the era that encompasses the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous periods where Dinosaurs existed.

Pounce

This hat was to make the link between the Dinosaur design and those that are bird or feather based. The name inspiration is obvious, even more so when worn as the lizard is very animated.

Majesty

Inspired by the diverse range of headdresses from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in particular those of the Yaka and Pende people as well as the Bwami society of the Lega. The name signifies the importance of head wear as a representation of power.

Ara

Ara is the genera of parrot that the scarlet macaw belongs to, the same species that these feathers belonged to. Using them in head wear is reminiscent of South American styles where the macaws are naturally found.

Trove

As the name suggests this is intended to be a a treasure pile of kinds but also a nest. Much like the magpie or the bower bird who collect coloured/shiny objects to adorn their nests/bowers.

Wildnernis

The German and Dutch variation of the world 'wilderness'. This piece is a combination of British and European birds and butterflies, combined with the famous Mohawk hairstyle which has been in existence from around 392 B.C. to 201 B.C. with a mummified corpse discovered in Ireland to back this up.

Pelt

The first of two masks, Pelt highlights the habit of animal print being associated with African mammals (except Tigers). There are also links here to the DR Congolese headdresses and their use of animal skin or parts.

Era

A collage of fossilised creatures with the name 'Era' being self explanatory.

Skulk

Apart from sounding extremely similar to skull, the most prominent material used, 'Skulk' is also the term for a group of foxes which the skull happens to belong to. I found, cleaned and treated it myself then wore it to the private view of Open Close pop up exhibition I shall blog about shortly. It's the only hat to feature a mammal part.

Slumber

The second piece that deals directly with dead animal, 'Slumber' of course means sleep which is what some consider death. The way in which the sparrow is preserved allows it to sleep amongst the feathers of others. The sparrow itself was a present from when I left Southampton.

Images and Headwear by KLV

Creature Discomforts

2012-02-05T17:45:00.000Z

Just some animals-in-art internet sightings

Trove, Wildernis and Majesty

2012-01-27T20:46:00.000Z

With the 'Open/Closed: A pop up gallery' coming up fast, I've decided to make a selection of hats and headdresses to be suspended from the ceiling/beams and hopefully to be interacted with by the private view guests. The latest additions to the collection are:

Trove

The original idea was to create a nest like base however I combined this with the cocoon habits of the caddisfly (in particular the project of the Hubert Duprat). Another influence was the bower bird, who collects coloured items to decorate a small area for the purpose of courtship, leading on to other birds with similar habits such as magpies.

Wildernis

Dutch for Wilderness, this piece is a composite of large European bird feathers and pre printed butterflies from a book of cut out DIY mobiles.

Majesty

Majesty was made during my weekend stay in Southampton, though the influences for the piece can be found as far as the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Feather trim, leopard print button and gold chain form the majority and hopefully it's vaguely reminscent of a central African headpiece.

Images by KLV

ASD

2012-01-19T23:21:00.000Z

My recent contributions to Illustration blog Art School Disco

Name: In the 7th Moon, The Chief Turned Into a Swimming Fish and Ate the Head of His Enemy By Magic
Theme: Epic/legendary songs
Inspiration: Kasai Allstars (Congolese 25 piece super-band), metamorphosis

Name: Tree a Plant
Theme: New Years Resolutions
Inspiration: Reversal of plant a tree resolution, green energy, lower carbon footprints

Name: Happy New Year Katie
Theme: Secret Santa
Inspiration: Yvette Yang fashion typefaces, cats

Images by KLV

Stage Face - Colour Symbolism

2012-01-17T10:46:00.000Z

Kathakali

Kathakali originates in Kerela, India. It is a combination theatrical dance, song and mythology and is for the most part secular in that there is no connection with temple worship, though there are Hindu ritual and rebirth themes present. In Kathakali, the make up is the character and this particularly complex make up follows some of the following symbolism:

Green: Good

Red: Anger

Black: What is repellent

Yellow: Wonder

Eye makeup: Oval/lotus shapes for good , block/square for evil

The make up makes the character which makes the mood or abstract aspect of life

Peking Opera

Now to East Asia and Peking Opera which has distant religious roots but is generally another secular entertainment. Characters are once again heavily defined by the the face and the expressions determined by mask and make up, from feminine gentleness to brutality. Artistically stylized designs are vital in Peking Opera to provide the audience with instantly recognisable characters and historic figures. Once again we have integral colour symbolism:

Gold: Divinity, supernatural beings

Yellow: The imperial colour, reticence (whole face)

Black: Impetuousness or (strict) law abiding

Red: Courage, loyalty, faithfulness

White: Brutality (whole face), scoundrel/clown (patch across nose & eyes)

Blue: Cruelty

Green: Demon/devil

Made in the Congo

2012-01-16T00:36:00.000Z

The images and quotes below are from my newly acquired copy of 'Royal Museum for Central Africa - Collections of the RMCA. Headdresses'. (Thanks again Katie)

As the 11th biggest country in the world, it is no surprise that the range of traditional headwear in the the Democratic Republic of the Congo is as vast as the place itself. As with other cultures, headdresses in the DRC are symbols of power and an accumulation of wealth with materials such as cowries, which arrived from colonial exchange, being displayed on the person to indicate their value. Materials used varies incredibly from feathers to hides as well as bone, teeth and hair, presented as tribute to chiefs and kings of various hierarchies. This book doesn't merely show examples of DR Congolese headdresses but gives details of their significance to the wearer, as well as specific back stories where available. These headpieces are then grouped by material, ethnic group/religion, region and context.

Lega - The Bwami society

The eastern DR Congolese Lega people often belonged to the political, religious and social structure known as Bwami, the initiation ceremony of which was 'viewed as an organised form of resistance by certain colonial administrators.' The basic materials worn by entrance level initiates of Bwami consisted of fibres, cowries and leather but these caps were worn underneath more complex headdresses as the candidate progresses through the initiation. The spectacle of the final rank in Bwami society fascinates me, as the 'Kindi' (highest rank) are the only members permitted to wear elephant tail, hornbill beak and possibly eland hide. Infact at this level of Bwami, it's possible that personal taste defined the selection of adornment.

It appears to me that the more complete and grand the animal part used, the closer the wearer is to the force of nature and therefore to power. This book confirms this as well as delving into more specific symbolism for example the elephant tail which being 'a herd animal, symbolised solidarity among Bwami members.'

Feathers

Unconfirmed origin but almost certainly from the DRC, red jungle fowl feathers used.

This headdress was worn for Likita dances and ceremonies. The feathers are fishing owl combined with rhinoceros beetle thorax

Giant blue turaco and hornbill feathers worn by men of the Mungongi society amongst the Yaka and Pende peoples

Luba grey parrot/grey woodpigeon headdress. This piece is particularly interesting due to the sheer volume of parrot feathers for a start, over 500, which would have used the tail feathers of around 50 birds. Though frequently used, Luba headdresses like these are rarely photographed. The unobtainability of the materials used benefited the courts of the Luba Kingdomthrough use of ritual and sway over conquered regions and trading partners.

Luba grey parrot/assorted goose and duck feathers (left), Mangbetu headdress with various guinea fowl and eagle owl feathers

Animal hide

Goat hide Ngundu headdress and silver monkey Egbaka headdress

Leopard scalp headdress, possibly from Bwami society

Pangolin headdress, DRC

Though I have posted some of my favourite animal based headdresses above, 'Royal Museum for Central Africa - Collections of the RMCA. Headdresses' contains many more. Details of the collectors are provided alongside the controversy of their collector or looter status, combined with information of the 'Scramble for African Art' to give readers another dimension to the collection. Not only does the book touch on animal symbolism it also delves into anti-colonial headdresses that contrast with western influenced designs. This publication is ideal for anyone interested in anthropology, hats/headdresses or many aspects of African culture.

Naranza and the Terrible Lizards

2012-01-15T12:38:00.000Z

The Naranza (Venetian for Orange) hairband was made as a gift and is a combination of similar feathers that I've used before, the orange/black tipped feathers being the main interest. Another gift was my first pair of earrings where I used the nostalgic (for me) plastic dinosaurs that I've previously featured on a hairband.

Images by KLV

Island Creatures - Part 2

2012-01-14T16:10:00.000Z

Since the last post I've been out walking the same areas once again. This time I stumbled across the charismatic red squirrels (5 of them!), a kestrel and a couple of buzzards.

Images by KLV

Living Jewels

2012-01-12T00:41:00.000Z

The title says it all.

Thanks to Katie for this one!

Island Creatures

2012-01-10T23:32:00.001Z

Since I now live on the Isle of Wight with a dog that needs plenty of walking, I've spent significantly more time outside and particularly along what I think is the Eastern Yar River (or a tributary of). I've always liked the woods, fields, rivers and marshes behind my house so it's been great coming across the local wildlife on an almost daily basis. Normally I'd take mallards and pheasants for granted as they're common enough but really they're pretty interesting birds with beautiful feathers! Them, along with various other species that inhabit the Sandown/Alverstone area, make dog walking a lot more interesting.

Speaking of interesting, on a walk last week I came across an unfamiliar bird which turned out to be a 'Grey Peacock Pheasant'. This creature is also known as the 'Burmese Peacock' and it's the national bird of Burma/Myanmar, making it even more surprising to find it near my house on the Isle of Wight!

Images by KLV

Christophe Coppens

2012-01-07T23:15:00.000Z

Promotional fashion videos by Christophe Coppens

'The Collector' evokes thoughts of animal, anatomy, myth and the macabre.

'Women of the Fields' (feat. Roisin Murphy). Think adornment, rurality, nature and ritual.

Various Coppens works

Tongue in Shoe

2012-01-04T23:57:00.000Z

Shin Murayama and his masks made of footwear

The NYE Post

2012-01-03T20:08:00.001Z

This NYE consisted of drinking, dancing, seeing old friends and acquaintances whilst dressed in smart attire with parrot feathers upon my head. The theme was Hollywood and it took place at the Cygnet Hotel, a place that I must have passed thousands of times in my life but never thought I'd spend NYE there. Saying that I was expecting a good night and these expectations were surpassed, one of the better nights to see in the new year.

Happy New Year..

Images by KLV

Ara - The Parrot

2012-01-03T01:24:00.001Z

Having bought my ticket for the Hollywood themed party at the Cygnet Hotel, post to follow, I decided to assemble a statement piece for the occasion. Months ago I received bunches of feathers from a friend via Sea View Wildlife Experience (formerly Flamingo Park) and these included about six macaw feathers. I can't be certain but my best guess is that they belonged to a scarlet macaw (amongst the more well known), as depending on lighting all the primary colours can be seen much like in this particular bird. Anyway when it came to constructing a headpiece with these beautiful feathers I began with the standard hairband style using millinery wire much like I've posted previously and the gold stag detail is present thanks to Katie, which I think finished off the piece nicely and also helped me decide the wearing gold or silver jewellery dilemma! The name 'Ara' is also the genus of macaws to which the most famous belong. It is also a constellation, Latin for Altar and specifically that used by Zeus.

I love the effect my camera flash has on the feathers!

Images by KLV

The Christmas Post

2012-01-03T01:20:00.001Z

Belated Christmas wishes!

Island famous Christmas lights display, around the corner from my house and visited on Christmas Eve.

Izzy enjoys her presents

Mum models her hairband, handmade by me of course!

Drinks at the pub with the family

Presents! Including.. Harrods tea, ciders, animal print bedding, peacock feather cushion, Russian doll candle, bag made out of a zip, book about African headdresses, sewing kit, bracelet and much more not pictured. Very grateful.

Images by KLV

So Long Southampton

2012-01-02T23:47:00.002Z

I must admit that leaving Southampton just before the festive season (moved out 18th December) wasn't ideal though I realised some time ago that it needed to happen. To say goodbye to Southampton I hosted a party and by that I mean I provided a house with music that generally only I liked and got very drunk surrounded by people I like and will miss. It felt good to have the turn out I did and I was pleasantly surprised by some presents including a last minute appearance from my ex housemate, who travelled from London to stay the weekend, and a pair of dead sparrows.

Images by KLV

Hairbands: Ignite, Allure, Mesozoica

2011-12-23T01:24:00.001Z

Ignite

Allure

Mesozoica

Ignite: A commission

Allure: A present

Mesozoica: Just because I wanted to include plastic dinosaurs

Below are a couple of gifts I recently received. Firstly a wallet (interior and exterior photographed) from my mum via her Japanese friend, some silks from a friend and below that is the very beginnings of a hat with the working title of Avis.

Images by KLV

Hairbands: Verdant, Fuchsia, Citrine & Argent

2011-12-08T11:18:00.001Z

These first two hairbands are based around the favourite colours of their respective owners and though normally I wouldn't use such bright colours, the magentas and greens were certainly appropriate this time around. Below 'Verdant' and 'Fuchsia' are two other hairbands I've recently made, the first 'Citrine' was a birthday present for my flatmate and 'Argent' a commission.

Verdant

Fuchsia

Citrine

Argent

Hairbands and images by KLV

Hornimans

2011-12-06T19:07:00.001Z

This post is certainly overdue as I actually visited the Horniman Museum and Gardens about a year and a half ago, though I mentioned it in a previous post I didn't upload many of the photos. For me it's the perfect blend of anthropology and natural history with the added bonus of an aquarium. There are actually too many highlights for me to list, as it's certainly one of the most interesting places I've been to, but I've never seen such an intriguing array of African masks, worldwide artefacts and I'm quite sure I've not seen a taxidermy walrus before either. Thank you to Katie for taking me..

Images by KLV

Amaranthine Serpetine

2011-11-26T18:44:00.001Z

The photography of Mark Laita focuses on the variation of colour, pattern and shape of numerous animals by providing us with such a range of species for comparison. Bright, intricate and definitely beautiful shots of birds, snakes and sea creatures all with black backgrounds to provide contrast is what attracts me to Laita's work, though quite seemingly a simplistic idea I believe focusing on the creatures really brings out their identity. In 'Amaranthine' we are presented with a life after death where the vibrance of the bird species flourishes in their still state, no less than when they were alive which in a sense provides an idea of immortality prompting thename of the collection. The beauty of each branch from the tree of life can really be appreciated in photos such as these and in 'Sea' we see the diverse array of creatures dancing underneath their reflection in their waterworld. 'Serpentine' however is an illustration of the slender, fluid movement of the snake as well as the range of colour and pattern each species is born with. Definitely an inspiration to mythology as well as visually very applicable for a typeface. My interpretation of 'Created Equal' is obviously that we are indeed one species with each individual born the same and it is indeed down to the circumstances which we grow up around and our experiences that determine the differences. Though I also feel that try as we may to differentiate ourselves from one another, to a degree we are all the same with only our thought processes and life choices really making a little difference in the overall view. However on another note when presented together you see that the great, the ordinary and the despicable have little contrast if you look past their own created image and see them as human.

Highstreet Animalia

2011-11-24T21:00:00.001Z

It's been a while since I've bought any new clothes so I'm very excited about my leopard print River Island T-shirt. It was £16 which is maybe twice if not thrice the price of what I'd normally pay for just a T-shirt but thankfully I didn't have to pay for it, my Dad came to visit and it's exactly what I've been wanting so I'm particularly appreciative. To go with this, a couple days later I found some what I'd say is classy animal print underwear, not only that but the Topman jewellery sale had a few little gems on offer.

Some feather experimentation with Camilla and my feather trim. Now that my millinery cotton wire is on the way I'll finally be able to start up with the hairband production!

Images by KLV

Northern Carvings

2011-11-23T18:19:00.001Z

For some reason or another I'm Facebook friends with Inuit throat singer Tanya 'Tagaq' Gillis and due to that I occasionally see some interesting Inuit art. I also remember a project from Uni which focused on worldwide, other than western, views on depicting imagery and upon choosing Inuit styles to study I find the overall perception of this art familiar, though the only name that sticks in mind is Jessie Oonark. Though the materials used could be considered controversial with skulls, claws, antlers and tusk making up the majority. I love the raw beauty found in these sculptures, evenmore so when they become wearable such as in the work of Ruben Anton Komangapik who includes jewellery in his range of sculpture based work. Another favourite is Davidee Itulu, the antler etchings are amazing! Here they are below:

Nick Sikkuark, Mark Tunglik, Emily Pangnerk Illuitok

John Terriak

Ruben Anton Komangapik

Davidialuk Alasua Amittu

Ruth Qaulluaryuk

Creature Couture

2011-11-19T16:20:00.001Z

The ways in which big fashion names draw influence from the natural world are diverse and relentless. On Trend de la Creme the curator has made numerous keen eyed comparisons between a seasonal catwalk collection with certain branches of Kingdom Animalia. I selected some of the more striking or unusual similarities below but there are many more on the previously mentioned blog.

Alexander McQueen - Moth

Alexis Mabille - Parchment Worm

André Lima - Origami Penguin

Ding Yong - Cocoon

Jean Paul Gaultier - Cicada

Nicole Firetto - Bird

Oscar de la Renta - Octopus

Rodarte - Fighting Fish

Valentino - Jellyfish

Zac Posen - Moth

Air & Ocean

2011-11-17T12:37:00.001Z

Flight Ban Lifted

The Revol-Ocean is at hand

Images by KLV

Heppy Birthday

2011-11-16T00:15:00.001Z

Back on the 3rd of November Hepwright's Original Vintage opened late to celebrate one year of their Bedford Place shop in Southampton, which I happily attended. It was a great mix of creatives, clothes and wine which I thoroughly enjoyed, thank you Mama Hep!

Images by KLV

The Halloween Post

2011-11-01T23:39:00.000Z

So on Saturday I celebrated Halloween in my regular weekend style by getting drunk at the Dungeon, which by the way is an alternative club in Southampton. Originally the only thing about the outfit I'd decided on was wearing my ostrich feather headdress, though I quickly thought to add facepaints and my trusted roll of black faux fur which I trimmed down for a cloak. I also helped out a bit with my flatmate's outfit by sewing feathers and Christmas decorations to a headband to enhance a snow princess look.

Above is my make up for the evening and below my inspiration and though I didn't create my design with these images firmly in mind, there was definitely some subconscious influence to say the least. Obviously mine isn't as elaborate or of cultural significance but you get the idea with the quite similar colour palettes.

Images (except 2nd/3rd) by KLV

The Drop of a Hat

2011-10-20T23:36:00.000+01:00

This post is dedicated to my newly found millinery inspiration

Rebecca Coffee

What I find so striking about the first image is the clear links to Ethiopian culture as I was immediately put in mind of the tribal headdresses of the Omo Valley, as taken by Hans Silvester.

James Faulkner

The interesting yet controversial material of road kill in millinery.

Loren Anthony James-Wood

With a strong avian influence, this millinery style is a nod to the 'plume boom' where many birds were used whole in the making of hats.

Coconut

These two images headdresses/hats are both formed from coconut, the first of unknown origin and the other from Rarotonga, Cook Islands. I found them whilst sourcing imagery for my coconut collage for Art School Disco, finding the shapes and use of material particularly inspiring.

Noel Stewart

I think the success of Stewart's designs at such sizes is what appeals to me the most, that and the use of mussels in the headpiece below is genius!

Whole birds

These images are from tumblr so I have no idea where they originally came from, though they are a great demonstration of the fad that was stuffing and attaching whole birds.

Piers Atkinson

I've found that the right combination of the exotic, the fun, the alluring combined with a varnish of professionalism is apparent in Atkinson's work. Another vast array of of materials from which to draw inspiration from.

Ashley Lloyd

The macabre work of Ashley Lloyd is extremely in tune with my personal taste. Shrouded in mystery and shamanic influences, Lloyd uses materials that allow the hat to become one step further than an accessory towards an apparent human/animal mutation.

Riitta Ikonen

Though Ikonen's imagery is not entirely about the hat, there would be no photographs without this focal point. Forms such as ice, grass and seaweed have all been utilized in this form of hat making which of course solidifies the often recurring natural influence.

The following two images may not be hats yet are still extremely intriguing! Also by Riitta Ikonen.

Of Hair and Mirror

2011-10-19T22:04:00.000+01:00

The following images are the result of playing around with my webcam whilst wearing my various headdress creations, though the only effect worth experimenting with in this way was the mirror image. The low quality images do actually depict interesting shapes and possible ideas considering future headdresses as well as breathing new form into the pieces!

On a different note, though still relevant to the head, I had a friend over at the weekend for dinner and seeing as I quite like ruining people's hair I decided to create a few masterpieces.. Honestly though I was quite happy with how the styles looked, especially the hair turban. It was fun!

Goodnight!

Images by KLV

Night Parade of One Hundred Demons

2011-10-15T12:25:00.001+01:00

This collage was created for the newly founded Art School Disco blog to which I've recently been invited to. '6 Brit illustrators tackle a new theme every week ~ Ben Phe, Simon Abbott, Ed Brown, Johnny Ace, Katie Allen & KLV', so don't forget to check for updates on the Art School Disco twitter too. This weeks theme was 'Devil', as well as colour coded, so here is my collage which is made from dissected images of Japanese Bugaku and Gyodo masks.

Image by KLV

Justin Smith

2011-10-14T11:25:00.000+01:00

One of the many milliners brought to my attention recently, Justin Smith has an immensely broad array of styles, forms and colours in the hats he produces. I originally only intended to create just one post on my recent millinery inspiration but since there was so much work by Smith that I love he gets his own. Amongst all of his collections, this selection more than sums up my taste of feathers, general animal inspiration and tribal/cultural influences.

Millinery

2011-10-13T21:09:00.000+01:00

I'm now over a month into my Millinery Internship and I've learnt a huge amount already, not just specific techniques either as now I can actually sew and use an iron (ha!). The more complex processes I am now capable of include blocking materials such as Pinok pok, Sinamay and Buckram which is followed by drying, stiffening (glue like substance applied with a paint brush), ironing and then removing the hat from the block. With the basic form taking shape, I've then learnt to sew in wire to strengthen and a Petersham around the rough edge inside for aesthetic reasons which is accompanied by elastic. I've found it very enjoyable to learn these new skills though at times it can be rather tricky and sometimes painful, the tougher material of Buckram being the culprit for most of the pain!

Of course once the basic hat shape is complete it's time to add to it! I've learnt about a much wider scale of materials than I'd usually consider and how to attach them, such as spray mounting silk and sewing feathers. The use of feathers is my favourite, as you may be aware, so I'll find that knowledge particularly valuable as well as learning what else can look best on certain hats/colours. Headbands are something I've also started making which are relatively simple in comparison, so using these skills I designed and created my own for my flatmate's birthday at the beginning of the month with happy results all round! Also note the buffalo farm..

Here in the last photos is Sharon and I and after picking me up from my millinery we took a trip to Kingston to see 'Starglider', a Roy Brown exhibition about masks, sci-fi and human ritual. It was decided that night that I would write articles for online publication 5th Character of which Sharon is Editor in Chief and you can read my first three here: Starglider, Worlds of Wonder, D is for Donut.

There will be much more to come considering the millinery and 5th Character but for now I decided to post a photo of how my hair.. I wish it would stay like the bottom photo more often.

Images by KLV

Sacrifice

2011-10-07T21:39:00.000+01:00

Throughout the world you can see that animal kind is intrinsically linked to the ritual behaviour of the human race, as offerings or even beings that are presented with offerings themselves.

The Vulture

Quite hard for the Western mind to comprehend is the Tibetan practice of sky burial. The souls of deceased Tibetans are believed to leave the body upon death and their corpses offered to scavengers such as vultures with cremation and burial not ideal in a land without timber but an abundance of permafrost. There are apparently around 1,075 sky burial sites and the full practice involves three preparation days of chanting and then the bodies are cut into chunks for the benefit of the vultures, who I've read are seen as 'Dakini' or 'sky dancers' that transfer the soul to the sky and if provided with human donations will avoid eating living creature as well as contributing to the 'circle of life'.

The Bear

Both the Ainu people of Japan and the Nivkh people of Sakhalin (Russia) practice(d) a similar ceremony centred around the bear. A highly controversial ritual that was, according to online sources, revived or has continued to take place and involves the sacrifice of a young bear that is hand reared by locals. The bears are seen as gods or at least as good as and are therefore treated to superior food and presented with a banquet before it is killed, either by arrow or strangulation. An originally religious ceremony that was dedicated to the spirit of the bear returning to the mountain gods and ensuring benevolence for the clans, the bear festivals have since transferred to a cultural practice and issues of animal cruelty are brought forward.

Kakapo & Kagu

2011-10-04T18:16:00.003+01:00

Here are two more collages made today, coincidentally both flightless birds beginning with K! The Kagu or 'Ghost of the Forest' is the only existing species in its family with no strong links to other bird families, making it a very unique creature indeed. Coming from New Caledonia it is very much at risk from introduced species and deforestation, this has resulted in its endangered status. The Kakapo suffers similar issues as it evolved in New Zealand where natural predators and food abundance eradicated the need for flight, however Europeans brought an array of predators with them causing the world's only flightless parrot to become critically endangered.

Images by KLV

Swan & Finch

2011-10-03T16:59:00.004+01:00

After buying a brilliant bird book in a charity shop I've now decided to put it to use, in my usual manner of course. Though I've collaged various animals together onto human bodies before, the idea this time is to focus on birds and to form high fashion looks with the qualities of particular species or families so that the collages embody the shape, colour and texture of the creatures. Swan and Finch are what I have so far..

Images by KLV

The Tide of Fabric

2011-09-20T12:48:00.003+01:00

I couldn't sleep particularly well last night so decided to get on youtube and listen to some classic trip hop (Tricky, Portishead, Massive Attack), during this I remembered the band Morcheeba and then came to realise they had actually released new material with the original vocalist. A bit slow maybe but I'm glad I found this out as one of the music videos is quite beautiful, the movement of fabric being key. This hypnotic flow of material was not a one off within the work of director Ian Bonhote as I explored a little further, here are some of the striking moments within the videos.

Images by Ian Bonhote

Hundred Faces

2011-09-18T15:49:00.001+01:00

It's been a while but finally another post is here and better yet a post featuring my latest photoshoot with local photography company Obsidian AIC. The headdress used was constructed back in the Spring and I'd never found a use for it until now, so it was particularly pleasant to be there for this woodland shoot. The idea for the headdress came from Mongolian designs and you can see some of the design process in a previous post. The first set of more orange-hued images were taken by me, personally I'd like to think they convey an atmosphere of intrigue and mystery but with the close ups I'm also happy with how the collage blends into the face, distorting and morphing into her own appearance as opposed to simply wearing a mask. The photos by Obsidian project a more dramatic energy and I also believe the darkness of the background accentuates the post apocolyptic atmosphere, aided by the general outfit also.

Images by KLV (last two by Obsidian AIC)

Through the Glass

2011-09-09T01:06:00.001+01:00

Being the highly sentimental type with an attachment to material goods in a way that highly associates them with the connected person, I decided to take some photographs of my Granddad's old shed and greenhouse which of course are full of his belongings. The two buildings have almost never been entered since he moved to the home so it's interesting if sad, for me anyway, to see them in a state of decay yet at the same time everything is there that I remember even down to the paintbrushes in soak on top of the water butt. It's as if these spaces represent how the memory and use of these two small buildings are locked away from my Granddad's mind, now full of dust and cobwebs. I clearly remember playing with dried beans and pretending they were people when I was really quite young, as well as seeing their tortoise scuttle around the greenhouse, alot faster than some people may think. On the other side of the garden is the gate that connected my Grandparent's house and that of Uncle Chick, who sadly died over the Christmas period last year. This gate has been blocked off with the current occupants of the house choosing to leave the hedges overgrown, that's life and I know it but I do miss going round there. I know I'm lucky to have these memories and I'm truly grateful to my Grandad and Uncle Chick (Nan too of course!) for giving me such a great time during the time I spent with them to look back on. Thank you!

There is some happier news aswell as my Mum bought a dog that same weekend, so here are some photos of the cute little scruffball.

Images by KLV

Stone, Lace & Antler

2011-09-03T00:00:00.001+01:00

It's been a while since I'd made any collages, hand made or digital, but some recent photos have brought the inspiration back! Today I visited the New Forest and after some crab fishing and sunbathing, my friend Nikki was buried underneath the pebble beach with only her face emerging. The second image is compiled of photos where I was experimenting with some lace offcuts given to me, in the hope to create some kind of shroud/headdress/mask. Lastly are the antlers that appeared in a previous post, this time manipulated digitally.

Images by KLV

In my Country

2011-09-02T19:18:00.000+01:00

Daniel Stier has formed this intimate exploration of immigration in London, representing the need for individuals to keep their national identity but at the same time intergrating into the wider community. The traditional costume is visually contrasted with the often bleak urban background 'as a bastion of cultural resistance in a globalised world which tends to flatten anything distinctive.' It also provides a sense of humanity to the subject of immigration, which can often be controversial.

Venus and Furs

2011-09-01T23:59:00.000+01:00

Swiss photographer Yann Gross was commissioned to capture the 10 finalist designers of the Hyères Festival 2011. The designers are as follows: Juliette Alleaume and Marie Vial, Mads Dinesen, Michael Kampe, Maryam Kordbacheh, Oriane Leclercq, Janosch Mallwitz, Émilie Meldem, Céline Méteil, Oda Pausma, Léa Peckre.

Keeping with the animals and fashion theme that I adore so much, here are some images from the Paris Haute Couture SS11 catwalk and their counterparts. 'The animal kingdom reigns supreme in the fashion world yet again', now that is what I like to hear.

A Comparative View of the Human and Animal Frame

2011-08-30T19:49:00.000+01:00

by Benjamin Waterhouse Hawkins

Maynard Switzer

2011-08-29T19:01:00.001+01:00

Amongst the large portfolio of photographer Maynard Switzer, I found imagery that documents the vibrant and diverse looks of worldwide cultures. From China to Morocco, Bolivia to India and everywhere in between, colour is vital for the independent expression of ceremonial, national and day to day attire.

Painted Faces

2011-08-26T16:25:00.001+01:00

On Sunday I made an appearance at my friend Amy's birthday tattoo party and though I don't want one myself I did enjoy the face paints! Nikki, pictured next to me in the top image, did a surprisingly good job on my blue tiger face and it was a fun afternoon! I also went out on the Wednesday for the first time in a while, wearing my beloved River Island blazer and bird skull necklace - oh how I love them! Overall, it's been an odd week as this was my last at the CDG jobcentre course so I thought I'd have some of my friends I met there over for films/food etc and as you can see Hannah tried out my fake furs! The headdress Tash is wearing will be used soon with Obsidian AIC, so photos will follow once that has taken place. Also on the horizon is my millinery internship, again I'll update more once it starts properly and the same goes for my SoFair Social Enterprise voluntary position.

Images by KLV

Variation of Orders

2011-08-22T23:23:00.000+01:00

My current favourite song 'Variation of Birds' has what I feel to be beautiful lyrics about the characteristic of our feathered friends as the name suggests. Though the song is not particularly easy to listen to for some people, I think this YouTube user summarized the feel of it very accurately!

'This is absolute genius. First birds sang, and man imitated. Then man built instruments to sing with him. Then, man built a synthesizer to make music without him. Then, the synthesizer built bird song. It isn't just bodies that evolve. When I listen to this album, I can see the evolution of art.'

So that there are three sorts of birds which use their wings
for more purposes than flying
the steamer as paddles the penguin as fins
and the ostrich spreads its plumes like sails to the breeze.

When I really think about the amount and variation of differences between the classes, orders, species and even sub species of animals it actually blows my mind a little. Adaptable to mother nature and in some cases so specifically so that they could not survive anywherelse on Earth, the more I learn the more humbled I am by such an abundance of life. I think some of these differences between creatures, such as Ungulates and the order of Carnivora, is really brought forward when there are no other distractions. In the work of Sharon Montrose, the photograph is simply the animal and nothing more, bringing out the individuality of this living thing and when compared to other photos from the collection turns into a study of the variation I mentioned before. Not only this but stripping the animals of their natural surroundings, or of any surroundings at all really, highlights a sense of emotive innocence but also a sense of no defence as though they are dependent on this manmade world they've been placed in. Feathers, flippers, beaks, stripes, pouches, claws, antlers, scales and fur, I find it so necessary not only to my work as an artist but also a necessity to human life.

Bournemouth Air Festival

2011-08-21T18:47:00.000+01:00

After a little while of talking about it/planning with my CDG coursemates, we decided to go to the Bournemouth Air Festival yesterday. Most of us met up at Southampton train station, ready for our little adventure which was the first day trip I've had with my coursemates, unless you count the pub of course. One thing about CDG is if you can avoid the mind numbing boredom five days a week in the right ways, you can get some damn good friends out of it like I did. So anyway with beer in hand we watched the air display and first up were the Red Arrows, who of course everyone is familiar with (I'd imagine), and they put on a great show as expected. I can't really remember the rest of the aircraft names except the Blades but regardless of that I really enjoyed myself and despite the rain that greeted us in Bournemouth at first, it did brighten up to the other end of the scale resulting in sunburn but at least the weather allowed me to take as many photos as I wanted. I love the streams of smoke that billowed out of the airborne structures as they hurtled past performing some rather complex maneuvers, the shapes they created were great! In other photos though it deceivingly appears as if they're motionless, as if just placed onto the blue background. In any case, considering I'm not particularly interested in man made transportation I had a lot of fun and same goes for my recent trip to Beaulieu! However, there was an awfully somber tone at the end of the day as we were informed that after the show one of the Red Arrows crashed and sadly lost his life upon attempting to steer clear of residential areas. Rest in Peace Jon Egging!

Images by KLV

InterRail Part 6: Italy

2011-08-19T00:24:00.000+01:00

Only a couple of months since I last posted part 5.. but here is the final installment, Italy! To get there from Croatia we had to take the overnight ferry from Split to Ancona which was tiring to say the least, though Chris was generous when it came to sleeping arrangements as we had agreed to swap half way but he let me have the bed the whole time, like a gentleman! Despite this we were all extremely tired when reaching Ancona, a place that is far from the highlights of our journey, and upon locating our hostel we realised it was in the not so desirable part of town. This was made worse by an error at check in where the receptionist, who spoke no English, refused to acknowledge that I was also booked in for the room. This meant that Chris and I had to traipse around Ancona with little sleep at around 7/8am to find an internet cafe that had a printer so we could prove we were all booked in. Our mission failed but luckily Hannah, Rachael and Katie composed a vague sentence from an Italian handbook to indicate that there was an error with our check in, thankfully it all worked out only for us to be thrown out the hostel at 10am as it is closed pretty much all day! Though Ancona had a fair share of rundown buildings there was a nice side to it too, we went up to a church which did have great coastal views and there was also a market but overall there are plenty of other places I'd visit before returning here! As our InterRail ticket was coming to an end, we decided to make the most of the last evening and take a train inland to Fabriano. To be quite honest I barely remember anything about it, especially as it was dark so we only really found a restaurant to eat in and then had a walk around the streets, was pleasant enough though.

Our train from Ancona to Rome was around 12€, very cheap I thought! However we couldn't get straight into Rome so we spent one night on the outside, in a business hotel which wasn't that bad at all though too far away from the city itself for any kind of sightseeing. Upon arriving in the capital, we left the train station (filled with many who appeared to be prepared to sleep with their luggage outside) and only had a short walk around the corner to Pop Inn Hostel. Much like Hostel Veselova in Ljubljana, the rooms were colour coded and overall I highly recommend it if you are visiting Rome in fact Hannah liked it so much she stayed there on a return journey. As in Paris, we had a big list of attractions to visit and of course the most well known is the Colloseum, the huge structure was incredible and made even better by the special 1€ May day price! This famous landmark surrounded by various Piazzas and of course the Roman Forum, an expanse of architectural ruins that are really worth seeing. Of course there is plenty of other attractions too, such as the Pantheon, the Spanish Stairs, the Trevi Fountain, the Mouth of Truth, the Baths of Caracalla - I saw them all and more! Unfortunately it rained a fair amount of our stay but not during our 'Dark Heart of Rome' tour that informed us of the macabre past of the city, another worthwhile decision. I think it was earlier that day that we technically visited another country, Vatican City. Such sites we explored were St. Peter's Square, the Vatican Museum and of course the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel by Michelangelo. As you can imagine, the strict religious feel runs deep and there was even no compromise when I lost my friends in the tombs of the Popes and wasn't allowed to find them, still secretly hold a little grudge for that.. Despite the rain, Rome was immensely memorable and a great end to an amazing trip. Of course it couldn't have happened without the friends I went with so many thanks to them and all the little characters we met on the way!

Images by KLV

Panoramas of Prague

2011-08-18T18:17:00.005+01:00

First of all, this is my 150th post so I'd like to thank everyone who has decided to follow this blog as it's much appreciated! Anyway on to the topic, some time ago now I posted about my holiday to Stockholm and the panoramic photos I took there in the horribly below frozen temperatures. This time the photos are from my University trip to the Czech Republic where we stayed in Wenceslas square, there was plenty of Pilsner Urquell (beer), snow and walking around but of course it was another great holiday!

View from Petřín Lookout Tower

Vltava river

Old Town Square

Near the Franz Kafka Museum

Unknown Modern Art Museum

Images by KLV

Paper Cut

2011-08-17T20:38:00.000+01:00

A material that has endless possibilities, the pure simplicity of paper makes a statement in itself. Though I started off with collage, my first 3D work began with white paper and have since used it in fashion shoots, headdresses, cards and installations. I'm keen to discover more uses and how others apply it to their art, since having a huge pack of A1 paper in the cupboard I have plenty of room to experiment!

Alexandra Zaharova & Ilya Plotnikov

Amy Flurry and Nikki Salk

Federica Roncaldier

Jum Nakao

Manuel Minino

Nicolas Henri

Pratt + Paper & Ralph

Le Creative Sweatshop

A Head Above the Rest

2011-08-16T23:42:00.000+01:00

My love of headdresses, an extension of the body. That which adorns the head of course.

Platonov Pavel

Zuhal Kocan

Camilla Franks

Tomihiro Kono

Mandy Greer

Shilpa Chavan

Trust me when I say I could easily continue this post, better stop now though.

Churchill

2011-08-15T20:33:00.001+01:00

As mentioned in the previous post, I went to the wedding of good friends Katie and Daniel the weekend just passed as the 'Maid of Honour' equivalent. The ceremony was lovely with the hall decorated using bunting and lavender with that quite rare feeling of pride and happiness coming over me! Having met many wedding guests at the hen do meal (or previous to that), it was nice to see them again and of course meet plenty of others too. My mingling ability was helped no end by the bottle of wine, intended to accompany the meals, that I clutched and consumed as I was milling about the venue. Despite the wine I could have been worse, though sleeping in an arm chair overnight is not ideal, and I managed to sign the register and other important tasks with a clear enough head! By the way, I love my new jacket/blazer thing that I was lucky enough to find in River Island for only £15 that accompanied my sale River Island shirt and sale Topman corsage. Anyway, my little darling Katie looked the part, Dan too! They better have had a good time.

Images by KLV

Ring Ring

2011-08-14T21:38:00.000+01:00

With the constant need to buy new jewellery, I luckily remembered there was still money on the Topman card my brother gave me so headed straight on down there, conveniently during a sale! At only £1 each for the five rings I now have, Topman jewellery sales are still one of my favourite things though my overall favourite thing right now is the Etsy necklace given to me by Katie! I've seen similar styles around before and have been craving one for some time now, though morbid I think this bird skull is beautiful!

KEEP CALM AND CARRION

Lastly, this is what I wore to the wedding (post to follow) I went to at the weekend.

Images by KLV (except poster)

Michelle Knowles

2011-08-14T13:46:00.000+01:00

Some time ago now I found the work of Michelle Knowles, around the time of creating this blog actually, and I absolutely adore both her creations and the themes they follow. An artist on the same wave length and this description sums it up well:

'Michelle Knowles is a Brisbane based, emerging contemporary artist. Her practice explores notions such as the uncanny, the fetishisation of objects, performance and ritual, the otherworldly and imaginary spaces. A curiosity in belief systems and broader spirituality is the catalyst for experiments in both video and photographic works that utilise objects, including handmade artefacts, as tools for transformation.'

Weight of the World

2011-08-10T19:21:00.001+01:00

The sculpture work of artist Pim Palsgraaf is a demonstration of the relationship and effects created by culture and nature. Named 'Multiscapes', these pieces depict the weight of humanity and its development on the shoulders of Kingdom Animalia, growing on these creatures like a tumour with no apparent end and engulfing them in urban expansion or decay. In some animals this urbanisation has buckled them to the knees or is actually growing from within, an effective point made here I feel.

Rosanna Webster

2011-08-08T17:01:00.001+01:00

The projections and collages of Rosanna Webster do make me think 'I wish I'd done that' as though the style is not so dissimilar to mine, the work has taken a slightly different direction and it really makes me want to experiment! Another artist interested in the animal, tribal, anthropology and nature relationship is what I like to see!

"A series of images in response to primitive beliefs in a fluidity between human and animal forms, and therianthropes. In many early hunter gatherer societies animals were seen as messengers between worlds with costumes and ritual used to aid spiritual practice. The images here were inspired by the idea that through animal costume and imitation spiritual transgression could occur."

Birds of Beaulieu

2011-08-07T14:13:00.000+01:00

Last weekend I went to Beaulieu with the family, which was great of course and even my brother graced us with his presence! Of course there are plenty of cars around and I was surprised at how interesting I actually found them, well mainly the old cars, penny farthings etc. They even had a 'dress up in old jackets and sit in an old car' area which was good fun, as well as riding around in an iconic london bus. So another great day out to add to my list, first time I'd been there too which is quite surprising seeing how close it is. Anyway, what I noticed besides the cars was birds, either taxidermy, real or in various art forms and most of them pretty interesting!

Images by KLV

Winchester Fashion Week - The Designers

2011-08-02T21:48:00.001+01:00

Last Thursday, I and a few friends attended the very first show of the first Winchester Fashion Week 'Cirque du Fashion Show'. The evening was lovely, especially since my name was on the designer/guestlist and accompanying this was a free program, with the catwalk show lasting around an hour there was plenty of clothing and headpieces on display. I haven't seen any photographs from the actual event but a few of the designers are as follows:

As for my own work, two of my headdresses I created this year were displayed on the night and I was happy with the choice of outfit they were matched with. Running up to the event, images of these headdresses were displayed around Winchester.

As well as this, here are some images of the shoot I attended from the Winchester Fashion Week facebook page.

Images by Rashi Rajguru

Geography Nation

2011-07-27T17:26:00.000+01:00

During the time I was locked out of my flat a couple weeks ago, I had the chance to look through some pretty amazing National Geographic books at my friends house. One was divided into continent and the other a series of portraits and through these I discovered several tribes and traditions that I wasn't aware of/didn't know much about, so I did a little further research.

Mangbetu

From the Congo, the Mangbetu are known for their practice of head binding where infants had their heads wrapped in layers of braided string or cloth, not so dissimilar to Chinese foot binding. The results were elongated skulls that acted as both a testament to the standards of beauty and an indicator of power but this continues with 'The head among the Mangbetu (and other peoples) is the apex, the place of intellect, thought and even the soul. Therefore its elaboration, its adornment, emphasizes its importance.' Source. As can be seen on this blog, a comparison has been made between Mangebtu cranial manipulation and the Christian Dior Spring 2009 hairstyles, I've posted photos from each below.

Ainu

The Ainu are an ethnic group that derive from Hokkaido in Japan who have historically been restricted under reforms during the Meji period/Edo period etc, however their tradition of the female moustache like tattoo remained until 1998 when the last woman with the full traditional tattoo died. According to mythological accounts, tattoo was brought to earth by the “ancestral mother” and was a neccessary step regarding both marriage and the afterlife, with the pain of the custom acting as preparation for childbirth. On a more spirtitual level, “the wives of the deities were tattooed in a similar fashion as the Ainu women, so that when evil demons would see it, they would mistake the women for deities and therefore stay away”.