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Showing posts with label 2016. Show all posts
GALLERY HOPPING IN THE LOWER WEST SIDE
Thursday, 29 December 2016
Dotted throughout a few streets in the Lower West Side are hundreds of independent galleries, each with their own concepts and stories to tell. During my October trip to New York, we spent a seemingly fleeting hour hopping from one to another, posing in front of the various exhibits and dancing through the studios.
Each gallery had something rare and invaluable in New York City - space. Gaping white studios meant the art was the sole focus of your attention, not an easy task in a city known for its compact and loud industrial landscape.
Hans-Peter Feldmann
Jochen Holz at Chamber
Mike Womack: Crawl Space
Jonas Wood: Portraits
How to Make the Perfect Hot Chocolate
Friday, 2 December 2016
Welcome to leXmas! I'm going to make as many videos as I can this December as part of my new festive series. Make sure you're subscribed so you don't miss all the fun.
-LEXI
The Year The World Went Crazy
Saturday, 12 November 2016
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I was discussing my blog with someone recently, and they referred to it as 'light reading'. Overall, they were very complimentary, and told me how much they admired me for doing what I do. My blog, by and large, is designed to be a light read - my musings on fashion, art, social trends and media. I occasionally comment on issues beyond my normal realm such as politics. For example, I wrote this piece in June, asking why 16 year olds weren't given a vote in the EU referendum.
I acknowledge that this isn't normally a space where I make profound revelations about philosophy, or discuss the inner mechanics of the human mind. However I'd like to think that when I delve into heavier issues, my blog is becomes more than 'light reading'.
That brings me to the present day. On Wednesday the 9th of November, 2016, Donald Trump was elected as President of the United States. And the global reaction was huge. There was shock, tears, anger, fear. Somewhere in the world, I'm sure there were cheers, hugs, smiles, celebrations. It's the former bracket of reactions which I fell into.
I'm going to remember exactly where I was when the US election result came in. And I'm going to do the same for the day when the Brexit Referendum was announced. These events and this year, 2016, will be studied in history, by my children, your children and their children. My advice is remember where you were, remember how you felt, because it will be important to hand on those stories to the next generation. It will be a tale of deep divisions, of political classes being challenged by different groups who are united only by their discontent. It will be remembered as a time of setbacks, protests, possibly revolution. And who knows what else?
The other question we must ask - what do we do now?
-LEXI
New York City
Saturday, 5 November 2016
I returned from New York City on Sunday, and went straight to school the next morning to endure a packed week of play rehearsals, art classes, tests and various other time-consuming activities of higher education. With not even a day to recover from the jet lag and reflect on my week in New York, it all feels like a wonderful dream.
We spent our days in art galleries and wandering the city streets. Most of the time I was in awe that I had made it back to a place I had idolised in my head for the last three years, and couldn't contain my delight, offering my peers golden insights, such as 'I LOVE THIS TOWN!'
It was different to how I remembered it, but magical in an entirely new way. I saw revolutionary works of art, ones I never fully appreciated on a screen or in pages of a textbook. I met amazing people, each with their own charming New York story to tell. I spent an evening at a ritzy gentlemen's club on the Upper East Side, mingling with people each with a different claim to success, and the next on the floor of the YMCA eating Chinese Food without any cutlery, crying with laughter - both were unforgettable.
The thing I loved most of all, was that I felt so at home. I felt comfortable among the masses of people pacing down the streets with purpose and intolerance. I felt untroubled waking up to the view of the towering glass buildings each morning. I was content.
When we got in the car to leave for the airport, I told myself it was time to go, it was good that I was leaving. I was tired after all, and New York is an intense place to be. Except as soon as I turned around to see the skyline getting further and further away in the distance, my heart broke. We're going the wrong way, I thought.
I miss it already, but I know I'll be back. I think of it now as a glimpse into my future.
START SPREADING THE NEWS
Sunday, 23 October 2016
I'm leaving today!!!
Yes, in a mere few hours I am leaving my beloved family behind and heading to none other than New York City. I've talked about my love for New York before on this blog, and it remains true that it's my favourite place in the world. Having not been there in over three years, I'm excited to see if I connect with it in the same way, as naturally, 13 to 16 is a fairly significant period in one's life where a lot can change. I'm also returning on different circumstances. Instead of travelling with my family, I'm going with a group of students, including some of my best friends, to see and make art.
I can guarantee some killer blog posts upon my return, but for now I encourage you to follow my instagram and twitter to keep up with my adventures @LEXILIKESBLOG.
Goodbye London, HELLO NEW YORK.
Painting a Portait - stepping back from the age of Instagram
Sunday, 9 October 2016
Throughout my school career, there have been cycles of self portraits in the art department. Each year, the lower sixth embark on the theme of 'Identity', eventually leading to an oil painting self-portrait. It's such an iconic thing at my school, and now that I have the task of creating my own, it's pretty daunting.
Not only is there an element of legacy, and a standard to meet, but there's also the question of how I want to permanently capture myself. In an age of instagram and snapchat, I'm very familiar with my own face. I see it all the time, and capture myself on different days, in different moods, and different outfits. But all of those photos are fleeting. They eventually get buried in streams of more and more photos on a screen. However with something as singular, and as tangible as a painting, it's very different. I have one canvas, one frame to convey myself at 16. And in the fast-paced digital world, having only one frame is not something I'm used to. There's also the added dimension of interpretation, both of the artist, and the viewer.
It's that permanence of a portrait that puzzles me. So I decided to go back to basics, and capture myself in a very raw light. It's a starting point for sure.
AUTUMN INSPIRATION
Saturday, 1 October 2016
Autumn is my favourite season. I've written about it before, but the magic transition from Summer to Autumn, and then Autumn to Winter, always inspires. At the moment I'm obsessed the moody, suburban colour palettes of the '70s and '80s. Warm tones of orange, red and brown, contrasted with dark green and blue. I've been re-watching Stranger Things, and have such an appreciation for the visuals of the show, which perfectly enhance the twisted suburban setting. I'm also really into a recent series made by Vogue, which you can watch HERE, featuring Camille Rowe titled 'What On Earth Is Wellness'. Each episode is fascinating, and explores a different area of the craze that is wellness. Camille Rowe is such a warm and endearing person to watch too. Along with the great content, once again the visuals are stunning, and tie in perfectly with the aesthetic I'm into at the moment. Here's my digital mood board for Autumn 2016. All photos are from my tumblr, or screenshots from the shows.
It's my favourite time of year.
-LEXI
Tales from Turkey
Friday, 2 September 2016
The final chapter of my summer was my trip to Kaş, Turkey with my family.
It was largely filled with lazy days at our villa overlooking the ocean, ending each night with dinner in the town, and an episode of Stranger Things. Now that I'm back at school and reflecting on our time in the sun, it all seems like a daydream - beautiful, hazy, and fleeting.
Maybe it's the fact that half of my DNA is from my Australian father, but I love the sea. I'm sure many have this affection for the beach, but I really love the sea. It sounds pretty cheesy, but I feel very at peace with myself by the water. The fact that we had a winding path from our house leading down to a private pier on the waterfront was incredible, and I'm so grateful. The water was at times almost artificially blue, littered with masses of tiny silver fish which were like darts shooting past you.
Kas as a town was vibrant and welcoming. The area by the pier was pretty touristy, but dotted through side streets and passageways there was a real sense of home. Hand crafted leather goods, silver jewellery stores like caves of treasure and memorable independent businesses. Cats and dogs seemed to wander aimlessly throughout and contrasting motorbikes roared past you with fierce purpose and little care. It was colourful, non-threatening and authentic.
The sky was always worth looking at - sunrises with warmth, sunsets with clarity, and a full moon which illuminated the water so beautifully I was unable to capture it.
My Internship at CNN
Tuesday, 19 July 2016
I completed an internship at CNN (Turner Broadcasting), working partly in the
business side and partly in the newsroom. It was an incredible
experience. I met smart people, sat in on fascinating meetings that gave me a
real insight into the way the media business works, and was able to
actively contribute.
I’ve had
my blog for three years and have constantly asked myself questions about how to
build an audience, what content resonates with people and what strategies work
best for engagement. It was fascinating to find that
CNN/Turner Broadcasting, an organisation that reaches billions of people
each and every week, routinely ask themselves virtually the same
questions. Of course the scale is much grander and the stakes higher, as
they are a business and need to generate income, but much of the discussion was
around content and audience engagement. It was thrilling to gain insights
into how it all works.
I’m
pleased to say that the team put me to work while I was there.
One
highlight was researching and curating my millennial thoughts on CNN's new
internal startup, Great Big Story. It creates such good content, and tells
fascinating and powerful stories, so I highly recommend checking it out. Below
is one of my favourite videos they've created.
I spent a
day (and one very early morning) working in the newsroom. One of the
highlights was producing a piece on Brexit for the
breakfast news show. I was asked to track down two under-24 year
olds with opposing views – one who voted to leave the EU and one who voted to
remain for an on-air debate. I managed to find them, pre-interview them,
and then booked them to go on air the next morning. I volunteered to go
to the studio just off Oxford Street at 6:30am to watch from
the control room as the piece went out. It also meant I could make
sure that the two guys turned up and on time! It was
a very rewarding feeling, seeing something
you organised go out on live TV. It was a great
piece, see a screenshot below.
I went to
a conference by Westminster eForum, and heard insights on the future of
monetising digital content from people from CNN, Deloitte, News UK, Featured
Artists Coalition, The Lad Bible and more. During the panel discussion I
asked the marketing director of The Lad Bible, Mimi Turner, a question on
misogyny. You can see the transcript of below. I was engaged throughout the
whole conference, especially as digital content is something I invest a lot of
time in.
One of my more lightweight, but very enjoyable, tasks was to screen cartoons
for airlines for sensitive content (Turner Broadcasting owns Cartoon Network).
I am well versed in the Power Puff Girls relaunch and We Bare Bears, which has
honestly become one of my favourite shows.
It was a
wonderful experience for which I am enormously grateful.
Thanks to Greg, Natalie, Owen and the rest of the team for being so welcoming
and generous. Thanks, too, for asking for and listening to my views; for
giving me real insights into such an extraordinary business; and for the
opportunity to contribute.
CAMBRIDGE GRADUATION
Tuesday, 5 July 2016
Recently, my dear brother Jack graduated from Cambridge University. Watch my account of the day below or click HERE.
It is still bizarre to me that he is now a fully fledged adult, who will start working in September, and that education (for the most part) is behind him. There are certain junctions of his life that I remember vividly, as a bystander. One is the day we went to buy him suits for sixth form, and I thought he looked so mature. I also a remember a week later, dropping him off at the tube station for his work experience, again, standing in awe of my sophisticated older brother. It's funny now I am at that exact same period of my life, and I don't feel nearly as grown-up as I thought I would.
I remember going to visit Cambridge with him, and being incredibly jealous he got to start his life so soon, longing for the day I could leave school. Now, I am close to applying to university myself, and whilst it is still an exciting prospect, I don't feel such a desire to give up my teenage years. In fact, I'm starting to really enjoy them.
So now I wonder where Jack and I will be on the day of my graduation. It's daunting to even speculate how different our lives will be.
If you're interested in Jack and his Cambridge experience, he's followed the wise path of his little sister and started a blog. If you're interested in reading (highly recomend) check it out HERE.
Congratulations brother, I'm very proud.
-LEXI
PRESSURE WASHER ART...
Thursday, 23 June 2016
During my exams, I day-dreamed of the glamour of summertime. The sunshine, the sea, the sand. I had visions of all sorts of idyllic day-trips and long nights to come.
So far, it hasn't worked out that way.
The highlight of my week was the purchase of a high intensity pressure-washer. Much to my mother's delight, I offered to give it a go, given my new free schedule. The satisfaction of disapearing dirt was pleasing in itself, but the artist in me couldn't resist getting creative. Thus, the dragon was born. Yes, I actually used a garden terrace pressure washer to create a piece of art. Yes, I am actually writing a blog post on it. No, I have definitely not run out of ideas.
All jokes aside, it feels so good to be blogging and getting creative again (even if it is only with high intensity garden tools).
-LEXI
Why can't we vote in the EU Referendum?
Tuesday, 21 June 2016
A once in a lifetime political decision is to be made by the UK this Thursday - that is whether or not the UK should remain part of the European Union. There have been countless articles, new reports, debates and claims arguing for both sides. It has been a bitter campaign which has divided the country. Should I be interested? Absolutely. Should I have the right to vote as this a decision that will affect my generation more than anyone else? Yes. Am I and other 16-17 year olds allowed to vote? No.
Regardless of the outcome, we younger people will have to deal with the consequences of the decision. Our voices should have been heard in this debate and we should have been involved in the decision making process.
Politicians will argue that young people have not been engaged in this debate and have shown little interest in the issue. I would argue that had we been given the right to vote, we would have been actively engaged and made sure our voices were heard.
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Regardless of the outcome, we younger people will have to deal with the consequences of the decision. Our voices should have been heard in this debate and we should have been involved in the decision making process.
Politicians will argue that young people have not been engaged in this debate and have shown little interest in the issue. I would argue that had we been given the right to vote, we would have been actively engaged and made sure our voices were heard.
I wrote an article last May about whether 16 year olds should be given the vote, highlighting the keen interest in the general election shown by my peers and dispelling the myth, in my view, that young people aren't interested in politics. However, on the EU referendum, there has been some evidence that young people (18-24 year olds) are not engaged in the debate. The Electoral Reform Society published that 21% of 18- to 24-year-olds say they are very interested in the EU referendum, compared with 47% of those over 65. According to this article by The Independent, this is due to 'missed opportunities to educate young people about the benefits of membership'.
I argued last year that the interest shown in the general election from young people was due to the mass of information spread on social media. With a newfound tool for exposure, every party was able to get its policies heard, and in turn, views were formed.
Perhaps the lack of efficient and effective internet campaigning is the reason young people are not more interested in this monumental decision.
Perhaps the lack of efficient and effective internet campaigning is the reason young people are not more interested in this monumental decision.
Lowering the voting age was considered in December last year, but was blocked by MPs in a vote 303 to 253. Despite the fact young people will deal with the referendum result more so than anyone else, Conservative Justice Minister Lord Faulks argued the move could "seriously undermine the legitimacy of the referendum". Thanks very much Lord Faulks. According to this BBC piece, It would have cost £6m for 16-17 year olds to be able to vote. Did this influence the decision not to allow us our voice?
What confuses and angers me most is that 16 year olds were given the vote in the Scottish Referendum. And quite right too, as this was a once in a generation decision. The Electoral Reform Society said that based on the Scottish Referendum, 16-17 year olds have higher rates of turnout than 18 to 24 year olds. I believe that if we were given a vote in the EU referendum, we would have actively taken part in the debate. The fact the voting age was lowered to 16 would, in itself, create such a buzz it would trigger interest in the key issues and spark active debate among young people and across social media.
Do you agree? If you had the right to vote, would you be taking part? Do you want a vote?
-LEXI
-LEXI
PLAYING WITH PORTRAITURE
Thursday, 14 April 2016
I'm in a daze of textbooks, colourful pens and Dexter episodes. My recent outfits have consisted of a diverse range of pyjamas and gym clothes. My first exam is about two weeks away and I've yet to have any major breakdowns, which I'd consider a major victory. In case it's not evident by my lacking internet presence, I'm currently studying for my GCSEs. It's a little mundane, but it'll be over in just over two months, so I'm not too worried.
I've lacked the time to create much, but I did play around last night with some self portraits, which I thought I'd share.
Fashion Utopias
Saturday, 12 March 2016
A little slice of Fashion Week that I forgot to blog about was the International Fashion Showcase: Fashion Utopias exhibition at Somerset House. I saw a taste of it at the Print Matters press breakfast, but it was lovely to see the other countries' work too.
Above is a stunning display from the Philippines' section. The Phillipine Embassy very kindly invited me to the show, and I was amazed at their designers' edgy creations. In particular, I'm obsessed with this killer red embellished dress by Thian Rodriguez.
It was so nice to see such an eclectic range of designs, each country interpreting the theme in their own way. It was also great to see upcoming designers make their mark on London's fashion scene. If you want to read more about the exhibit, and there is such a cool range that I recommend you do, click HERE and HERE.
-LEXI
The Fashion Week Formula
Friday, 4 March 2016
To conclude the fashion week posts, I thought I'd share what I wore. Fashion week is this weird hybrid of a business meeting, a competitive school mufti-day and one of the coolest parties you've ever been to. So what do you wear to a thing like that?
Edeline Lee AW16
Sunday, 21 February 2016
Held at the On|Off showcase at the Vinyl Factory in Soho, the Edeline Lee presentation featured an unusual cold-weather colour scheme of white and lilac, with pops of green and red. The backdrop of shredded paper, bright lights and a checker board floor created a contemporary theatrical set for the London based, but Canadian born designer's elegant collection.
Trench coats and jumpsuits were made more modern in light and fun fabrics.
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