Semi-Domesticated

Semi-Domesticated is an initiative of Deidre Ritsche (Canada) and Anette Hansen (Norway), two friends who live in Kreuzberg Berlin. They are lovers of vintage, recycled, upcycled fashion, furniture and design, and curate (roughly) monthly Show & Sell events for young designers whose work fits this criteria, in their little boutique on Manteuffelstrasse.

Their recent Valentine's Day event was a treasure trove of vintage clothes, corsets, jewellery, naughty lamps, feather fascinators etc, showcased in a boudoir atmosphere, complete with handmade lingerie lightfitting!

The next event is Birds of Spring on 5th & 6th March. My recycled leather bird brooches are included in this next show and sell, which will take place while I am in hospital still, post birth! So, any Berliners reading, get to Kreuzberg and help bring spring to Berlin. I will look forward to seeing photos.

Manteuffelstrasse 58, 10999 Berlin-Kreuzberg

Kenny Muhammed

At the moment I have the incredible fortune to be in Cartagena Spain, in the Murcia region where my husband is working. And it so happens there is the fascinating Manifesta 8 contemporary European art biennale on here since yesterday!

I visited one of the Murcia venues yesterday, an old derelict post office in the centre of the elegant, slightly crumbling city, and was particularly taken by a video work featuring beatboxer Kenny Muhammed, born NY in 1968. He musically interpreted the prayers of several artists for their work in the future and Kenny had me riveted. He made every sound of what sounded like 6 simultaneous tracks!! 

I had the most beautiful moment afterwards, wandering the streets, when I ran into him, stopped him to check it was him, and yes it was. A charming man of huge talent. Check him out. He has an album coming out soon and I will be dancing with my pregnant belly to it in the coming months!

The Tiger with Play2C

At the moment I am doing the costume design for Play2C's new English language theatre production of the short, funny piece called The Tiger, by Murray Schisgal, directed by Ali von Stein. I'm madly sewing away for the Long Island housewife character Gloria (played by Khema de Silva), who is kidnapped by Ben (Stu Alexander), postman and philosopher and taken to his dingy New York basement where surprising things happen...!

Our production opens next Thursday night 29th July and runs for three nights at Play2C studio, starting at 8pm. It will return in the autumn for a second run.

Please come along if you live in Berlin. It's a part of the new series 'A Play and A Drink'. Will be fun! Special thanks to Flavia Scuderi for her graphic design.

Play2C Studio
Schlesische Strasse 38
2 Hof, 1 O.G.
10997 Berlin

Niche Art & Architecture tours Berlin

I stumbled across this very cool site/concept as I was location searching for my husband and my shamanic wedding party venue (of all things!). Niche are a group of 3 lovely German women who lead tours of art or architecture, available in several languages, around this fascinating city of Berlin. What a wonderful idea and I will certainly take one in the autumn when the summer festivities cool down on my agenda.

Olafur Eliasson fog rooms

Yesterday I finished my little cultural catch-up with the Frida Kahlo retrospective and Olafur Eliasson's first Berlin solo show at the Martin Gropius Bau.

I was moved most by Olafur Eliasson's fog rooms which need to be experienced for their pure foggy joy. Always one for a sensory adventure, they were the works that I enjoyed due to their interactive nature - to bathe in coloured fog felt beautiful to me.

Frida Kahlo's work has always interested me for its symbolism and strong female honesty and vulnerability. To see so much of it in one place was a treat indeed! The heaviness of her story was palpable and I admit, I was relieved to have left the Eliasson work until last on my long afternoon at the museum.

from the tongue

I am delighted to be one of many artists showing in Joetta Maue's exhibition from the tongue, showcasing contemporary works on paper and fibre art using text, opening on 24th June 2010 at Lotus Gallery Space, 34 North Moore St, Tribeca, NY, New York.

Please drop in if you live in NY between 8-10pm on the Thursday 24th June for the opening. The show runs until 6 August, which gives you plenty of time to visit it once or twice, or even thrice!

I cannot make it this time for the opening due to my imminent wedding and moving house, but I will most definitely be there in spirit and my glove works will be proudly representing me there, and oh so happy to be travelling across the Atlantic!

Roderik Henderson

Last night my friend Sabine and I went to the Sony World Photography Awards here, and saw a selection of winners from 2009. One of the photographers work we fell in love with was that of Dutchman Roderik Henderson.

On show were only these two of his award-winning series "Transvoid", a series of people waiting in their cars where he lived in remote British Columbia Canada. They are exquisitely intimate and nostalgic somehow, the gleam of an elderly lady's silver tooth in the moody light, fixing one portrait for me with the final perfect touch.

Street Pianos

This morning I was listening to some beautiful Rachmaninov Piano etudes as I sewed a piece of clothing for a friend, so it seems appropriate to continue the piano vibe now with the art project of British artist Luke Jerram titled "Play Me I'm Yours" in which he puts numerous pianos in cities around the world, to be played at the will and desire of anyone in the public! What a lovely idea to bring interactive art and music together and put the onus on all pianists out there to contribute to the success of the work and brighten up those passing's day.

Check his website for news and details of where to find a piano to play... http://www.streetpianos.com/

Dance Parade NYC

Oh to be in New York city this coming Saturday 16th May!!! Dance Parade is happening. I ask all of those readers in NYC to get yourself, your feet, legs, hips and booty down to Broadway at 1pm to shake it, wiggle it, jump it, sweat it, bump and grind it all the way to Tompkins Square Park, and have oodles of fun for me too... I'd be there if I could, let me tell you - there's not much I love more than dancing for pure pleasure... Have been known to happily dance in public... Check the link for more details.

The official site: http://danceparade.org/EE/