Feminism, Paxman, Smith, cats, mice & Tories

Just illustrated an article in the Guardian's 'Comment & Debate' section (Sat 30 June 2012) written by Tanya Gold about Jeremy Paxman's recent mauling of Chloe Smith on Newsnight. 'How dare Chloe Smith's anonymous colleague describe her as a 'mouse' while Paxman gets to be a cat.... except that such a stand, although tempting, is a distraction, a (mouse) trap and a waste of time. Defend Chloe Smith from her sniggering colleagues? Why? Why stand in solidarity with a woman who stands in solidarity only with herself? Full article on Guardian website

Library of Lost Books

I have been sent a book by the 'Library of Lost Books', an ongoing project to rescue old, discarded and damaged books to be re-made or re-imagined by 40 artists. The book I have been sent is a catalogue of books in the lending department of Richmond Library. As I opened the book it fell apart between the entries for 'God' and 'Gold'. Is this prophetic? I'll start developing ideas soon...  The final works will be shown as part of the opening festival of the new Library of Birmingham in September 2013 and will then travel around the UK.

Le Rock 'Satanique'

The French magazine, Courier International are re-using an image I titled  'Little Red Riding Hoodie' I originally made for the Guardian about the mythologizing, stereotyping and demonisation of youth as 'chavs'. The image is now accompanying an article about satanic rock (as far as I can make out!). 

V&A: 'Designing the Decades 1960s'

Image for a poster I made for the V&A which went out to Art Colleges this summer. It was designed to echo and run alongside events and courses including 'Designing the Decades 1960s' and 'From Biba to Topshop'. This is the final piece of work for the series I've worked on with the V&A over the past year and a half. It has been a grand job and I've really enjoyed pilfering the remarkable collection! The legendary Leah Fusco is going to be one of the illustrators working with the V&A this year.

Win in V&A illustration Awards 2012

Really pleased to announce that I've won a V&A Illustration Award for the book cover I illustrated and designed for the novel 'The Outsider' by Albert Camus  - a hardback version commissioned by The Folio Society through a competition launched by House of Illustration last year. Really nice Awards evening. V chuffed!

Recollect at Wysing Arts Centre

Went to the opening of 'Recollect', an exhibition at Wysing Arts Centre exploring architecture and memory. A beautiful and interesting show including work by Jackie Chettur,  Sean Edwards and Rosie Pedlow & Joe King. Jackie Chettur's work took the novel 'Ethan Frome' by Edith Warton and explored the tensions of the narrative through a reading, a 3D photographic reconstruction and some re-inscribed versions of the book since it's first printing in 1911. Great stuff! Here is an image of one of Jackie's earlier pieces - '310' which showed at g39 in Cardiff a while back.