French duo Daft Punk continue to unite music from the past, present and future for their latest release ‘Random Access Memories’. ‘Random Access Memories’ is Daft Punk’s first studio album in seven years, after devoting the majority of their time to the 2010 film soundtrack ‘Tron: Legacy’.‘Random Access Memories’ draws on their roots of French [...]
Stonehenge is known across the world as an icon of Britishness and so a great symbol to represent these isles abroad. But much of the talk surrounding the ancient stone circle can be a bit po-faced – all a bit stiff upper lip and all. So the artist Jeremy Deller set about reintroducing some fun [...]
We love the atmosphere and dark humour in this imaginative and aptly named beauty shoot from photographer Anna Ciupryk and make up artist Monika Kolodziej. These characters inhabit a dark place but there’s a sense of mischief and fun in the execution giving each look a warped and surreal edge. photography by Anna Ciupryk www.anionam.com [...]
A battle of wills: a gruelling contest of endurance and sheer determination whose lone victor will finish physically and mentally exhausted, having outlasted all challengers. Defeated rivals will literally stumble away, collapsing into chairs or leaving in a dazed state, some seemingly unaware of where or even who they are. The victor will be too [...]
Geoffrey Farmer’s The Surgeon and the Photographer is being shown in its completed form for the first time in the UK at the Barbican’s Curve gallery. The Curve is a unique 90-metre exhibition space that wraps around the back of the Barbican concert hall. Open since 2006, contemporary artists have been commissioned to respond to [...]
It seems that what could be construed as two artistically distinct domains are in fact more closely related and compatible than we can imagine… Ryoji Ikeda, on the 27th and 28th March, demonstrated the extraordinary unity of science and art in his recent UK premiere of Superposition at the Barbican, through a stunning and thought-provoking [...]
Thuy Duong Nguyen - Vietnamese designer of London based fashion label Thu Thu – is clearly one very busy lady. Having waited through the chaos of the last London fashion week, plus its aftermath, Claire Hazelton spoke to her about Thu Thu’s colourful, cheerful yet elegant and pattern-dense SS13 line, a collection inspired by artist Gerhard Richter and [...]
The latest on-ear headphones from Skullcandy, the long awaited Navigator, hit all good retailers this month. The headphones are a perfect blend of style and cutting edge technology and the compact size and wearability make a force to be reckoned with fashion conscious consumers who are after that high quality music experience. Headphones [...]
Jim Morrall talks to Berliner Julia Heuse about her AW13 collection, inspired by Duchamp’s objets trouvés. Flaking paint, decomposing surfaces and trash are Julia’s objets trouvés of choice. Translating an unrecognised beauty in the banal into a line of menswear and womenswear, the Berlin fashion designer has created a collection that is surprisingly accessible. Her aesthetic [...]
This is a polite warning. You don’t want to mess with these fashionistas. Great shoot carried out with great finesse and passion by photographer Leonardo V – a favourite of ours here at Flux. Photography: Leonardo V Assistant: Ilan Wagner & Elia Spielberg Styling: Nichelle Cole Production and Art Direction: Enok Groven@LeonardoV studio All clothes by [...]
Musician and composer John Parish, best known for his work with PJ Harvey, is, on the 16th April, releasing Screenplay, an album of a selection of his film music. Feature writer, Claire Hazelton, had a chat with John to find out more about the album and his involvement with the Filmic 2013 Festival in Bristol, [...]
“The order so often heard – ‘Be a man’ – implies that it does not go without saying that manliness may not be as natural as one would think… Being a man implies a labour, an effort that does not seem to be demanded of women. It is rare to hear the words ‘be a [...]
In the deepest, darkest, shadiest corner of pop is the world of painter Nathan James. This is a world like no other: a world in which you can expect to be offered pills by a tripped out Mickey Mouse, in which you can expect to meet perverts, groping, freaks and repulsiveness; this is a place [...]
The Southbank Centre’s Harmonic Series, now in its third season, continues to excite and intrigue. Not everything works at artist-in-residence Oliver Coates’ attempt to pair pieces by Andrew Hamilton, Alvin Lucier, Morton Feldman (as well as Bach and John Dowland) with light installations at the Hayward Gallery Light Show, but the slightly shambolic nature of [...]
Contrasting painters inspired the Spring Summer 2013 collection by London based womenswear label, Shao Yen. Synonymous for designer Shao Yen Chen’s bold use of unusual materials, the SS13 collection incorporates his iconic knitwear fusing cutting-edge with commercial appeal. Born in Yilan, Taiwan, Chen is an inventive, exciting new designer whose trademark is experimentation [...]
Inventively mixing the weird and wonderful with amazing conceptual fashion vision as ever, we thought you would love to see these images of the new AW13/14 collection by Marios. Marios describe themselves as a brand for contempories and modernettes, and with artistic functionality high on the list they are a firm favourite. The stand out [...]
José Mourinho said ‘the world would stop’ to watch Real Madrid play Manchester United in the Champions League. At the Southbank Centre, however, life went on regardless as we witnessed the newest chapter in the extraordinary career of ‘America’s greatest living composer’, Steve Reich. And whilst the sporting contest was ruined by an attention-seeking referee, [...]
Located due east of Colchester, where Franco-Germanic rivers breakout into the North Sea, Rotterdam is one of the lesser known of our near-European neighbours. The largest port in the world until 2004, when the Shanghai juggernaut surpassed it, the city’s maritime relevance tends to dominate its image in the eyes of outsiders. More than a [...]
“I suppose I’m a performance artist, but I fucking hate that word”, says Jeremy Hutchinson grinning. He looks stubbly and slightly cheeky as he sips his tea. “It’s the connotations of performance artist, like noone wants to be a performance artist because…” he pauses thoughtfully. “They all sound like nobs.” Jeremy is a Slade graduate [...]
This Orientation is the first exhibition at Summit Gallery – a unique, new space in Hackney Wick, East London. Riccardo Iacono has been the artist in residence there for the last month. He expresses that he is “interested in environments that want to play and make a mess”. This seems well suited to Summit Gallery’s [...]
In This Land explores the mindset of contemporary Israel, investigating the psyche of a population living with, and seemingly trapped by, a collective siege mentality. The series reflects on Israel’s fiercely unwavering beliefs that its identity is embedded in the very fabric of the land, with its past, present and future inextricably linked to the [...]
Supported by fashion trend forecasting megalith, WGSN, this week has seen the third consecutive season of the Who’s Next Paris / Arts Thread collaboration devoted to promoting new fashion talent. The showcase is a great opportunity for new designers to showcase their collection at WHO’S NEXT PARIS to the worldwide fashion industry. Last year designers received orders from [...]
They say you get the politicians you deserve. I hope that’s not true as ours are a sorry bunch. They are so painfully conscious of their own self image and the media that it guides or should I say warps their thinking and thus sometimes their policies. This is clear to see when it comes [...]
“I’ve seen how democracy is under duress, But I’ve never seen a nipple in the Daily Express.” (John Cooper Clarke) Tabloids’ indiscriminate muckraking produces a telling mash-up of porn and politics. Both embody the workings of power, and power requires a dynamic between have/have not.The problem of porn is its insistence on a retro-futurism of [...]
Waiting to emerge from a dark grey winter, we have this wonderful new spring fashion editorial by Yosuke Demukai. In an unnatural monochrome universe, surreal vibrant flashes of colour threaten to invade in accessories, hair and makeup. Recommended and for full credits view in fullscreen. Photographer YOSUKE DEMUKAI Fashion Editor MAGDALENA NAWROCKA @ STORYGIVER [...]
“Ars longa, vita brevis” – Life is short, Art eternal. ‘Death: A Self Portrait’ at the Wellcome Collection in London exhibits an array of around 300 diverse works devoted to the iconography and aesthetic that surrounds the theme of death. Richard Harris, a former antique print dealer based in Chicago, has assembled the exhibition out [...]
review by Robert Leeming If you research the history of the right wing in the UK and the US all you will find is binders full of bastards. That’s just a cheep and idle point of view there, and it’s easy to tout. To paraphrase, possibly even plagiarize, Woody Allen: “Saying you’re right wing is not [...]
FOLD Gallery is currently showing a solo exhibition by Tim Davies until 22nd of December. Davies lives and works in Swansea and was chosen to represent Wales at the 54th Venice Biennale in 2011. As a researcher, artist and curator, his work is often conceptual and site responsive, using an array of mediums to examine [...]
Featuring the undulating patterns from the latest collection by Polish designer, Mateusz Paja, this is a shoot exploring texture and surface. Combining still life and fashion, we love the contrast of shape and stillness, organic folds and subtle beauty. Photographer Dominik Tarabanski, adds his own narrative:- “Surface is a visual dialogue between the body, the fabric, space and [...]
Ben Wheatley was present for a preview screening of his latest film Sightseers and introduced the film by joking that “it was made with cynicism…there were lots of focus groups”. This statement sums up Wheatley’s work quite well. Having worked as a writer on comedy series such as Modern Toss and The Wrong Door, his [...]
An Interview with MAREUNROL’S on their SS13 menswear collection, Episode 2 Words by Claire Hazelton Photography by Iveta Vaivode It is dark. Shadows stretch out across the floors depicting distorted silhouettes of strangely shaped headdresses. Garments, frozen in movement, draped over downcast faces, seem to succumb to an uncontrollable and external force. The scene seems [...]
KISS made such an impression on me when I was younger. I was taken aback when I first saw images of the band staring out at me from the shelves of the local record store. The deranged face paint, the characters and the sheer mystique surrounding the band was quite legendary. Kids young and old [...]
Food and travel feature by Claire Hazelton To begin: a stunningly constructed Italian platter with tender pieces of salmon, breaded turkey and exquisitely prepared vegetables paired with Peroni and cheeses at Dego Bar… ….then, perfectly crafted cocktails at London’s famous Martin Creed-designed Sketch (a place known, not only for design, food and drink, but [...]
Illum Sphere is gaining much respect for the brand of experimental sonic wizardry that he brings to his own music and his productions for others. He also has a bespoke club night called Hoya:Hoya that is on the lips of those in the know in his native Manchester. His singular style, with influences from hip hop, techno, [...]
‘I’ve had quite a lot of luck with drawing’, says Illustrator Brian Grimwood as we sit down to talk about his new book and retrospective. We are sat by the window whilst the finishing touches are being added to the exhibition around us at WORK Gallery. I have a quick look around before the interview [...]
Kopparberg ün-establishment is a series of creative events taking place in October in Manchester and London. It has a genuine creative focus, is free to attend and has a great line up of guests from art, music, fashion, publishing, invention and design. We were excited to be invited to get involved ourselves, and you can [...]
Last week, Grimes & I were sorting through nuclear warheads. They were like huge rounds of cheese, and some had gone mouldy. It was a tough job, but at least we were together. I didn’t have to prove to her who I was. Just as she was in my dreamworld, I existed in hers too. [...]
What are you into? Do your interests include cinema, faux drag queens, caravans or bioengineered footballs grown from living cells? If so, I hope you got down to AND festival of culture last week. “Abandon Normal Devices” took place in Manchester and around the North West with a unique partnership between Cornerhouse, FACT and loads [...]
Stepping out solo for the first time in six years, Cat Power (Chan Marshall) presents her new album Sun. She has become well known more recently for her covers and collaborative work with artists such as Beck and the Velvet Underground. Renowned for her grungy style and soulful melancholy song writing, it is not unusual [...]
Gudrun Ludvig and Gudrun Rógvadóttir are the pals who share the same name gone design duo, behind the brand Gudrun & Gudrun. Made from 100% natural wool that remains untreated and undyed, Gudrun & Gudrun produce handmade knitwear that carries both style and a conscience. The two women hail from a sparsely populated group [...]
Dr. Martens are a staple of British alternative style. Generations have taken the footwear to their hearts, and the brand has come to represent underground UK youth in all its subversive glory. Dr. Martens are an icon you can buy into – from teenagers outstretching their shackles in suburban towns and villages, to urban creatives [...]
This looks like a fascinating evening – a special screening of the documentary film ‘Lawrence of Belgravia’ followed by an encounter with Lawrence himself – there’s no surname – just Lawrence – plus Paul Kelly the director. This will all take place on Saturday 13th October in a suitably atmospheric space in the historic 1830 Warehouse [...]
How do you fancy wielding a guitar that actually doubles as a piece of art by none other than Damien Hirst himself? But do you frame it and mount it on your wall and wait a few years for the value to rise or do you use it on stage as you make your own [...]
Words Robert Leeming I guess I would class myself as something of a modern Mancunian expert. I’ve lived in the city just about twenty five years and witnessed its transformation from decaying post-war, post-industrial relic, to modern swaggering metropolis. It is a revolution which is both joyful and gut-wrenching, gut-wrenching because the change has been so total, [...]
Wondering where our all new, Olympic inspired background has come from? Well, we’ve been getting ready for the Olympics at FLUX with a few toe-touches and a lot of remote flicking. And for an alternative Olympic celebration, we’d like to point you in the direction of East London’s LIK+NEON who have commissioned illustrator, Tom Edwards, to bring [...]
This fashion shoot jumped out at us the moment we first saw it – these are bold images shot by Rossella Vanon. The figures come across almost like religious icons you might find in a Byzantine church. Are they saviours deserving of our devotion or like Narcissus consumed by love only for themselves? [...]
Imagine, you’re doing a spot of shopping or heading to a bar and you suddenly find yourself over a great chasm staring down at a giant fireball. Well if you get yourself down to London’s Portobello Square you’ll be able to do just that. This is where brilliant street art really scores, away from the [...]
This is an exquisite series of images, shot and styled by Natasha Kertes that explores our notions of Milk. Natasha uses black and white and all shades in between in this fashion shoot to question how we think and feel about this vital substance. Milk is both an everyday item that you might find in [...]
#Unravel is an experimental sound art piece by Arab Strap’s Aidan Moffat and Glasgow art & music collective, FOUND. Supported by Dewar’s whisky, it takes a look at fluid versions of the truth. What is the truth? We often see the truth as something undeniable and solid. In actual fact truth is malleable and constantly evolving. [...]
Audi City is an exciting new venture from the carmaker that uses technology to create space in the our urban centres. Currently over 50% of the earth’s human population live in cities, a percentage that is rising all the time. The idea is to bridge the gap between real and virtual space and encourage new [...]
Our favourite new sneakers from fashion to sportsfield!