For Arts Sakes!

Tuesday evening found me trotting up to Brick Lane for the preview of the Emmanuelle Tricoire exhibition In Utero at the EastGallery. Emmanuelle is a Paris based photographer who after shooting nothing for a year embarked on a mission to shoot intimate black and white portraits of ordinary people. After all In Utero means ‘In the Uterus’ and these photographs display subjects who range from the bold to the somewhat vulnerable and or sweet. All in all a coleection of very intimate portraits.

Having first bumped into my friend, birthday boy Wasif with his lady Cherrelle (is it possible not to bump into someone you know up the lane?) I finally got to the gallery that was glowing like a beacon and filled with people actually looking at the art. I know that’s what’s supposed to happen at an exhibit but you know a lot of the time at private views people are too busy quaffing wine and chit chatting and the art becomes secondary!

Anyways after accepting a glass of wine J I made my way around each portrait and I have to say each photo draws you in. Perhaps because they were shot in Emmanuelle ‘s apartment each subject felt comfortable enough to emote their true selves. There is some nudity but it isn’t gratuitous. Even if they were clothed they’d still be naked via the expression in their eyes or their stance. One photo shows a man with fantastic tattoos that look virtually like fine art and it was like portrait within a portrait. Hands down my favorite is of a man of substantial girth, heavily tattooed his vest around his neck. He’s standing in light but surrounded by darkness and to me it was like he was on stage auditioning and at any moment he’s going to belt out a song or recite some sonnets! I love that photo!

Emmanuelle was there looking effortlessly stylish. You’ve heard of fingerless gloves? I can best describe her hand accessories as ‘handless’. Inspired! My good friend and up and coming photographer Joe Murphy (he hung the portraits) introduced me to Tricoire and I got him to take the photo of her featured in this blog with my iphone.

It was a fabulous evening and I eavesdropped on some interesting conversations held by the arty creative types present that made me say to myself (must do better) ha! The exhibit runs until April 5^th. Make sure you check it out....Resident St Luker - Delphina :)

NABS Big Bash 2011

We had a great time last Thursday at NABS Big Bash. We got our Mad Men themed glad rags back out of the cupboards from our Christmas party and danced the night away.

It was a great event that raised a lot of money and awareness, click here to see what other great work NABS do.

Amie :-)

Alastair Campbell tweets RNIB

Alistair Campbell has joined Stephen Fry in tweeting about our RNIB I'd Miss campaign.

Let the tweeting continue to raise more awareness to RNIB's great work.

Amie

TIM WINS BOOK AWARD

Last night I traveled up North to collect the 2011 Manchester Fiction City award. It's an award for the best novel of the year voted for by school pupils from the Manchester area. By coincidence, the ceremony was held just a few yards from my old school, so in my acceptance speech I could tell the audience what Manchester used to be like before they were born in the early nineties. Thanks to all at St Lukes who let me take emergency time off to go to the ceremony.

Our new Harvester Ad!

Look at our new Harvester ad that released today! Be sure to listen with earphones or good speakers so you get the full effect of the ad, the idea relies on sound more than anything.

Not sure about you but it makes me hungry just looking at it! Yum Yum Yum!

Would love to hear what you think!

Amie

Stephen Fry tweeting about RNIB!

Who better than the literary master himself - Stephen Fry tweeting about our RNIB Campaign.

With over 2 million followers, we are over the moon that such a high profile celebrity is supporting our campaign and sharing which books he would miss the most!

St. Luke's launches RNIB social network campaign for World Book Day

On World Book Day (3rd March) St. Luke's is launching a social networking campaign on behalf of RNIB to highlight the acute shortage of books accessible to blind and partially sighted people, especially children. A film that will be seeded via RNIB’s YouTube channel invites people to spread the word about this problem and support RNIB’s cause via their social networks. Then by ‘liking’ RNIB and posting their favourite childhood stories on Facebook and Twitter, supporters will help to boost RNIB’s profile online. Click facebook.com/rnibuk to get involved.

Amie