Over the weekend of the 25th-28th of April 2013, The Other Art Fair took place at London. The Other Art Fair serves as a platform for undiscovered artists to independently showcase their work to gallerists, curators, critics and collectors. The four days provided artists not just to sell their work, but also to evaluate the reaction of the public to their pieces and build contacts for future collaborations.
The Other Art Fair not only helps artists during the four day fair but throughout the year. They support artists through free seminars and workshops, provide opportunity to sell online and connect individuals with companies and associations. Through the connection with The Other Art Fair, artists have been able to gain work with galleries in London, Paris, New York and Berlin.
One of the greatest advantages of visiting The Other Art Fair was the interaction with various artists. One gets to discuss the art pieces with the artists like finding the meaning behind them or understanding the different techniques used in the creation processes.
When visiting The Other Art Fair, I found a number of talented artists showing all different forms of art that were on display, making it an interesting environment. All of the artists were more than happy to talk about their pieces and what their inspirations were. I enjoyed the personal conversation about the artists and their background. Their conversations gave me a greater appreciation for their work. Also, I thought it was nice that they had an area where children were able to go and create different crafts.
The top 5 artists that I found are:
1) Rachel Ann Stevenson who had amazing statues that were a combination of realistic yet abstract characteristics. The pieces had a sense of darkness yet were beautiful at the same time, which is what really drew my interest. My favorite piece of work that was displayed was a man who was wearing a top hat with bunny ears. To me the piece had a very elegant appearance and reminded me of a ballet dancer.
2) Cat Soubbotnik with amazing photographs. They were many normal objects that she was able to add a distinct and interesting twist to.
3) Nigel Moores with beautiful paintings. His work was very deep and made me look at all aspects of the painting. His work was more abstract than some of the other artists, which made him unique and hence his art stood out from others.
4) Urbantag with beautiful and artistic photographs. His pictures were very moving and made you think deeper into what was actually being photographed. I liked his use of different flags shown in the photographs.
5) The Family Business had very talented artists doing live tattooing. This was interesting because the artist must be able to create an image that someone else is imagining. The work shown at this station was all very neat and clean. Some of the tattoos that were on display looked very realistic and looked more like a painting than a typical tattoo.
For all those who are wondering what we are talking about, here it is!
Creative Live 3 finished with a bang on the 23rd of February 2013 at The Social, Oxford Circus. Check out the teaser video of our event of that night – http://blog.elexu.com/creative-live-promo-video/ To make the event more peppy and competitive, we decided to conduct a challenge for our artists, who were performing on that day. Participants who were set for the challenge were band Mercia, singer Alba, boy band The Ignition Boys, photographers Vincent Cui, Thomas Sergeant and Shure Yu!
The competition started a few weeks before our Creative Live Event and it was simple. All our artists had to do was bring in their supporters to the event and whoever brought in the largest number, bags an exciting prize! Now, isn’t that fun?!
It was a close competition considering the fan following our artists have but we can have just one winner! And our winner, Vincent Cui, walked away with an ‘’artsy’’ prize. Vincent is now a proud owner of a National Art Pass for a year! What more? He gets good discounts at major exhibitions, free entry to over 200 museums, galleries and historic houses and become a member of the Art Fund, who help museums and galleries all over the UK to buy great art! Now that’s what we call, being a ‘responsible artist’! Great going, Vincent!
Brief on our visual artist, Vincent Cui.
Born October 31, 1980 in Beijing, China, Vincent currently lives and works in London.
From a young age Vincent Cui has been interested in a variety of art forms. His first inspirations came from the deep rooted traditions of Chinese culture found in his home town of Beijing. In his early teens he learned to play guitar and in high school built his own rock band. Whilst exploring different media throughout his teens he has learnt sound engineering, mastered recording technology and joined this together with a passion for photography.
Gaining industry experience within the documentary department of BTV strengthened his knowledge and skills within Journalism, Directing and Editorial positions.
In 2006 he created his own photography business, opening his own studio and worked commercially for major magazines and brands. In 2009 he came to London to study MA Fashion Photography at London College of Fashion. After graduating, he started up Vincent Cui Studio in East London and has since showcased a proven ability to deliver outstanding photographic projects.
Vincent’s work showcased during Creative Live was the Green Smoke collection and a short film named ‘Sleepwalking’.
As a student coming from small town America (De Pere, Wisconsin to be exact), I was excited to receive the opportunity to study abroad in London and intern at Elexu. “Excited” being the understatement of the year. Never before was I able to receive an opportunity as such.
The process for me to study abroad was simple. All I had to do was set up an appointment with a study abroad advisor at my college. In a period of three months I filled out a stack of paperwork, applied for a UK Visa, and before I knew it, I was on a jet to London. Little did I know that this first step of asking about studying abroad would lead to a chain reaction of asking and receiving more opportunities.
As someone with literally no sense of orientation in combination of having no GPS on my phone, it has been a necessity for me to ask strangers in London for directions. After the first week of successfully making my way around the massive city through asking, I learned that strangers can be wonderful and it is not so scary to approach someone with a question. More often than not, people are been willing to give a helping hand.
Please continue reading, because this blog post has more substance than about teaching you how to ask for directions. I understand that most people will be able to do so, especially when lost in a large city. This example is merely a template to be applied in other situations in life.
I have received several unforgettable opportunities using this template. At London Fashion Week I was able to receive access to a fashion show by asking a security guard for permission, although I had no credibility to have access into the show. I was also able to receive a chance to shadow a journalist at Sky by asking a tour guide, I made it into the Brit awards for free by asking two people who had just left for their tickets, and I got to go back stage at a show at Ministry of Sound to meet chart topping DJ, Kaskade. These experiences were unforgettable in themselves, but I will also not forget that it was just the enthusiasm and initiative of asking that allowed me to enjoy them.
I think as most of us go through life, we tend to get in a habit of playing too much by the rules. Get in the queue, do not slurp your tea, and most of all, do not talk to people on the tube! But why not break these social norms sometimes? It is a natural human tendency to avoid awkward or uncomfortable situations. Although it may be difficult, it is better to sacrifice that few seconds of embarrassment than to lose out on an opportunity all because you may have been too scared to just ask.
I am not saying that asking will get you anything you want, but it may work out a few times for the situations in which you did. And is it not better to ask and know than to not ask and never know if something would have worked out? You may remember that cheesy, but true quote by Wayne Gretzky, “You miss one hundred percent of the shots that you don’t take.” On this track, I should also recommend Paul Arden’s book, It’s not how good you are, it’s how good you want to be, which illustrates that sometimes people appreciate the initiative to ask more than anything. These simple and common sense theories shouldbe enforced within us at all times!
Although I have already leaned a lot from my classes in London, the lesson that I have learned about the initiate of asking is something that I value more than any textbook knowledge. I hope that this blog post inspires and challenges you to learn the same lesson that I have through my experience in London so far. So the next time you see an opportunity, do not be scared to take advantage of it!
Elexu’s third Creative Live was perhaps the best we have hosted and we thank you for being part of it. We had a great range of musicians from the soulful Alba & Maggie all the way to the beats of DJ Sai at the end of the night. We also had Owin Media running the creative photo booth which produced some of the best photo’s of the night and they also played a short film on a projector….music, film and photography…Creative Live has got it all!
Joe Bateman is the Director of the Rushes Soho Shorts Festival, an incredible 14-year-old festival. All genres of short film including drama, documentary, animation, music video, and broadcast design including online or mobile content, title sequences, have made this festival one of the Internationals Film festival. Joe has over 16 years experience in film festivals, programming and event organizing. He started his career as a stage manager for musical festivals and theater projects in the UK, US and South Africa. He joined City Screen in 1997 and transferred to Curzon Cinemas in 1999 developing the role of Head of Special Programming and Private Events. In 2004, Joe moved to The Hospital Club where he looked after their film and event program, finally settling at Rushes in 2007.
The Rushes Soho Shorts Festival is a competition festival for filmmakers. The annual festival is a huge source to find connections, meet people and have the possibility to do a great work. An incredible opportunity to help new talent to get in to the industry and also give the opportunity for the industry organisations to give back to the creative world.. The work of newcomers and more established filmmakers is promoted by screening their work at cinemas, screening rooms and cafes throughout Soho and London’s West End. From 1999 through to 2012 the annual activities takes place in ten days and the competitive categories were:
The International Award
The Long Form Award
The Documentary Award
The Short Film Award
The Animation Award
The Music Video Award
The Pushing Boundaries Award
The Newcomers Award
At the conclusion of the festival the Rushes Awards are held to announce the most acclaimed production from each category. Judges ranging across the creative industries vote for their favorite films, the 3 finalists from each category being invited to attend to hear the announcement, with all attendees then invited to celebrate and commiserate at a Closing Night Party.
Here is the Interview with Joe Bateman August 2012.
This year there won’t be the Rushes Soho Shorts Festival, but the Encounters Short Film and Animation Festival have opened their doors for film submissions for their competitions.
Now is your chance to get noticed on an international stage and compete for up to £12,000 in cash prizes.
On an ordinary day I get up around 7 o clock, I lie awake for while and mentally analyse whether I have hit the mile stone that I set myself for that particular day. Whether I have or not I tell myself “Keep going Aaron. Consistency is the key and your almost there. You are on the right path to make your life better.” I clamber out of bed and go straight to my computer and check all my emails and voicemails; to give me a detailed motivation of my day.
I walk to my local Tesco express and buy myself a vegetarian breakfast and lunch. Although I’m living on a budget I try to be conscious about what I eat. From the tender age of four I decided that I wanted to be a vegetarian because I’m a firm believer that it’s important to keep your body healthy.
My company is Runway Republic; an online fashion platform that creates a micro-site for designers, boutiques and vintage sellers to nationally and internationally trade. It also has a social network aspect to it all, which allows all fashion lovers, buyers and sellers to connect under one roof.
I was exposed to a certain lifestyle at a very young age and I saw the benefits and downfalls that came with the environment that I was developing in. I managed to get myself in trouble with the police and made unnecessary enemies. However, I was so desperate to separate myself from the individuals that appeared to not want to prosper in life. After watching my older sister graduate and develop in her career and also graduating myself, I knew that if I put my energy into something positive there was a reward that would make me proud unlike the negative aspects to my lifestyle.
After many mornings and nights wandering around my neighbourhood I noticed that there were no young black males to look up to, except rappers or athletes but that wasn’t the conduit I wanted, I saw myself as an intelligent black male so I decided I would represent that figure in society. I put myself to the test. I want to show other black youths that there is space for them on the corporate ladder. I feel like there is a lot of weight resting on my shoulders but I use this added pressure as motivation.
No two days are the same ever since I started up Runway Republic. The day that we first got financial aid for Runway Republic was such a joyful day, particularly because I knew as a young black male it would be harder to find financial support. Working in the fashion industry I discovered the importance of conducting myself in a professional manor and being well presented. So just before I leave my house for any business meetings I make sure that I have a fresh hair cut, intoxicating cologne and a trusting smile.
After a relaxing shower and shave, I drive down to our office proudly in ford focus after I sold my B.M.W in order to invest the money into Runway Republic. I sold and used everything that I’ve ever owned my savings, shares and my car. As I drive I try to ignore the burn from my tired eyes after a night at work. I had to get a night job in order to keep myself alive while I get Runway Republic off the ground and although it doesn’t pay for holidays to Hawaii it’s enough for me to treat myself to a cheeky Kit-Kat now and then. Working at night and running a company during the day is hell on earth, it’s mentally and physically tiring.
My youth allows me to take off my CEO hat and put on my worker hat on in the night and switch it back in the morning without running out of batteries. It’s difficult to give up when I don’t understand the word no. The good thing about being an entrepreneur in this decade is that young people are forced to be more ambitious so we are taken more seriously in the public eye. People often ask me if my race has been a barrier to me operating on a daily basis but I think that constraints are self inflicted, not to say racism doesn’t exist but if I feel like I’m being hindered because of my race I’m not going to allow that to determine my success and enough doors had been opened for me to confidently believe that anything is possible.
Some days when I’m travelling between the office and work I have my ordinary human doubts and I start thinking of alternative ideas but then I remember that a wise man once told me “why have a plan b if you know plan a is going to work”
At the end of the day I return home with a brain full of worries and anxiety but my family and close friends are a comfort to my mind. There so much diversity of intellect and beliefs among my relatives and companions.
Before I got to sleep I am consoled by knowing that I will never give up because my ambition has no limits.
One afternoon in January Elexu interviewed The Ignition Boys, a 5 piece band from five different cultures and backgrounds joined together to create music. We got to talk to them about the band and there upcoming album breaking all the rules which is due for release later in the year.
Part 1
Part 2
TIB are performing at Elexu Creative Live on 23/02/2013. Come down for a great night of music,
photography and films. Just click here for all the details and get your discounted VIP ticket.
What is better than having a coffee with three filmmakers on Wednesday afternoon? This what happened on the 16 of January at Elexu. Throwing out ideas, dreams and future collaboration, Cherryl Martin and me spent a lovely afternoon in the company of Adrian Scott, Ilie Zubascu and Karen Bacellar.
Three different backgrounds, three different countries, three different personalities but one common passion.
Adrian Scott
An English guy with a great energy and believes in his dreams.
He started writing alone in his room when he was just a kid, today Adrian Scott, works with many people within the British Film Industry and hopes to spread his knowledge and indeed to learn from the best in the world.
Experienced scriptwriter, producer and director and Co-founder of Mellow 9 Productions, he has already given seminars on his experiences as a scriptwriter in schools and colleges.
One of his relevant works is Victim. He worked on this project as one of the writers. A powerful urban thriller about justice, society, self-respect and redemption. Is the story of one young man’s attempts to break out of a cycle of violence and is a vibrant and authentic picture of the consequences of crime. In cinemas June 2012
Ilie Zubascu
Fresh and kind Romanian.
Ilie is currently MA Video Production and Film Studies student at University of West London.
Ilie passion is in video and film production, especially digital film making. He would like to use the art of film to make an impact through story telling and wants to inspire other to write their own life stories.
Recently he working in the documentary film production of the filmography world . The project that he is currently involved is a documentary based on a Iranian family. The film is shot around the court hearings of the Iranian girl that seeks asylum in the UK. She was already refused once and now is on her second court hearing.
The documentary will be finished around June – July of this year.
One of his recent projects is “Peste toate Isuse esti Tu”
A short film presented for IPhone film festival. Have a watch below.
Karen Bacellar
Lovely and sparkling American.
Karen is currently studying for an MA in Film Studies at University College London. She is currently working on a few writing projects and in pre-production for a short film that she hopes to shoot in March. The short film is entitled, Act Like Me, and is about an aspiring actress, who with the help of an acting coach finds the emotional peace necessary to perform an audition monologue.
Evelyn Victorious is one of the most recent projects. The short film is about an aspiring jazz singer, who makes her rival sick in order to gain the main stage position at a cabaret. Her Video can be found on vimeo here.
Karen has worked on several small film productions and aspires to be a filmmaker. Meanwhile, she writes scripts and muses about life and film on her blog, BlondeScarlett.
Elexu film community is growing up, and competitions are already running in our platform. If you have a dream, you have to stand up for your self, don’t wait for something, but do something. If you are a potential filmmaker, have a look in our platform to get the chance to compete in one of our competition, do the first step and start to live your dream.
Elexu had the privileged of interviewing Arundhati Misra an actress trying to make it in one of the worlds toughest businesses, Acting!
So tell us a bit about yourself?
I’m 23 years old, born and brought up in Delhi, trained on the job…
I started off with community theatre when I was 12 years old, and then continued to do theatre in school and university (a lot during my undergrad in Mumbai) and then came to London to do a Masters and tried to get into professional acting here.
What inspired you to get into acting?
I don’t know, but I was 13 when I realized that I wanted to. It was not a ‘big moment’ at all or a revelation of sorts. It was merely a class play for my English lesson (Taming of the Shrew- Shakespeare). The play was being performed in front of my class and hence it was a very small school activity. But it made me think, “This is so much fun, this is what I want to do!”
What I find inspiring is when you have lines, sentences and a script and you create a scene, a character from nothing at all and sometimes it’s amazing. And you have brought life to this script, this character.
So inspires you?
Someone I really admire is Mark Ruffalo from The Avengers. “This man went on eight hundred ill-fated auditions. Auditions for bad karate movies and shows about cops on bikes. Auditions in which — and this one is hard to picture — Richard Grieco trash-talked him. Even in a town where rejection is as common as multigrain pancakes, eight hundred auditions is a lot. Epic even.” And, this always makes me think ‘If he can, I can as well’.
I really hope I don’t I have to go to 600 auditions.
Favourite Movie and Why?
A movie that left me absolutely raptured was A Single Man. The reason for that would be that it makes you feel, from start to finish, exactly the way the director, actors and everyone want you to. There is so much clarity because there was no character I didn’t understand, no scene that didn’t fit in! And also, while watching it you’re a 100% present and not thinking of anything else.
Moreover, you can feel his love for his partner, you can see and feel his heart aching, feel his sadness, loneliness..It’s a perfectly made masterpiece.
What has been your best acting experience?
‘Fear and Misery of the Third Reich’ which is a Bertoit Brecht play. I did this during my Masters programme and the reason it was my best acting experience was because the director was absolutely brilliant. It was basically a series of short mini stories and the director adopted the directing style of Bertoit Brecht. So, there were no lights on stage, only torches that the backstage crew were holding up on stage, the crew were on stage with the actors, the audience were blindfolded for a while. Basically, the audience were to be involved at every stage, he used the audience during the play, engaged them, surprised them in original ways, in fact engaged them sometimes even without them realizing it. So, it was a very creatively satisfying experience…very different!
Tips for others trying to make it in the acting business
Don’t give up! Don’t give up! Don’t give up!
It’s extremely hard and there are days when you feel like you are in the wrong profession and that everything is just ridiculous but those are the moments to stay positive.
“The world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows. It is a very mean and nasty place and it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain’t how hard you hit; it’s about how hard you can get hit, and keep moving forward. How much you can take, and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done. Now, if you know what you’re worth, then go out and get what you’re worth. But you gotta be willing to take the hit!!”
After overindulging myself in December, I definitely burnt a few calories by whirling around London in January trying to find the best venue and planning our next event.
Et voila!
The events team can proudly confirm and announce that Elexu Creative Live is happening again! This time it will be held at
The Social bar/club by Oxford Circus on Saturday 23rd February! As usual, you guys can expect amazing entertainment including: live music, photography and short films. The full set list has yet to be confirmed, so if you (or someone you know) would be interested in showcasing your creative talent, please email me at emily.poon@elexu.org before the 10th February and we will get a conversation rolling!
For this event, we’ll be hanging out at a venue where the Chemical Brothers have played and recorded an album, enjoying fantastic acts, sipping on chilled beverages (perhaps even sampling their “bar experiment” LTD which offers interesting cocktails) and networking with like minded individuals. We are super excited here at the Elexu office and we really hope you guys can come and enjoy the fun night we’ve organised!
It is £5 at the door, but if you sign-up to the Elexu platform, we will send you an e-ticket with a unique QR code and pin (*proud moment for events and development team*) that will gain you entry for £2 at the door! Visit www.elexu.com/invite and sign up online to reserve your place. Remember to include your:
Name
Email Address
VIP Access Code: CRE8LIV3
If you are already signed up on the Elexu platform, please send your RSVP to events@elexu.org. We look forward to seeing you all!
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