Concrete Playground: You're the Spitting Image of Your Former Self

Feature on Buenos Aires artist Irina Werner who goes Back to the Future. Click here.

Richard Kern & VBS.TV = In Various States of Undress - Naturally.

Last night was the opening night of Richard Kern's exhibition 'Shot by Kern Europe'. It was an affair like so many other (Vice) affairs before it. Upon entering the Hoxton Square exhibition I was greeted with a number of portraits lining bleak white walls. The portraits were of semi-nude / completely nude girls partaking in some menial activity. Smoking a bong/joint, embracing in the forest, lying on a bed, brushing teeth etc. The exhibition follows Kern on a six-country European tour in which he shot girls in various states of undress.

Initially I felt like I was in some parallel universe; staring at complete porn with 10 guys standing around me also 'appreciating' Kern's work. There was even a video in a small separate room that watched as a curvy Spanish lass sultrily swayed in front of the camera before removing her bra and then drawing on herself (boobs, stomach, bottom) with a purple texta. But the best had to be the one from the photographer's classic 'Up-Skirt' Series. A 4x5 display of 20 different standing ladies from the perception of someone who uses a camera while lying between their legs. Birds eye view, indeed.

Enjoy.

The dark-haired girl in the end photo of the above work is in fact the drummer in the Big Pink and singer and drummer in punk-rock noise-machine Comanechi. I had previously interviewed Comanechi and as a result instantly recognised her photo. Later outside I ran into her and congratulated her. It went something along the lines of: "Congratulations I think everyone in Shoreditch has now seen your boobies". My interview with her will be in the next issue of 'SUP Mag.

Speaking of quite a few east-end girls I know were approached to have their own semi/completely nude photos taken by the infamous US photographer. All but one refused. For her efforts Jana will be paid £50. Ch-ching.

Admittedly I will say that the very popular (I wonder why?) VBS.TV behind the scenes series is a rather interesting watch. The show interviews the girls in the photos about why they've agreed to be shot in such compromising positions etc. Obviously the Americans always have the most inane responses.

LeCool Ldn - Light Speed Champion Interview

Sign up to LeCool London for all the salacious (free) tidbits that this generous city has on offer.

Dazed Digital Article : Face Hunter / Yvan Rodic

Click here for Behind the Face Hunter on Dazed Digital

I Remember You

In life, there is always that person that you meet for the first and last time, all at once. This is not to say that you never see them again, on the contrary. In fact, you may see them quite often, but always from a distance. From the other side of the room or as you walk out of a shop. You haven't forgotten who they are, but you've seen one another so many times that finally acknowledging them may seem odd.

In London, I met a guy. He was French. We spoke about France and he told me how much he hated Lyon. Lyon, a town in south-west France and where I'd lived for half year.

After I left London, I discovered his blog http://viktorvautier.blogspot.com/ and find his photographic work rather intriguing.




Goodhood, a shop come gallery in Hoxton, East London.







Truman Brewery.



His girlfriend Ella.



Ella. Turn left and you're at my old abode.



He rides Fixxis.

Ldn Face Hunter: 'Brick Lane Masses We Like Grime'

This dude was photographed by the Face Hunter, on London's Brick Lane. Face Hunter usually stops you if your outfit impresses him, but I guess for this guy it was the ensemble.

Wow, if someone can shed some light on what's going on down below. Please enlighten me. After closer inspection I believe the bike peddles have been replaced with skate-like-boards?

Upon learning the name of the above-mentioned I will google to my heart's content.

Any thoughts?

Photographer Mario Testino

German VOGUE June 08

Kerrry Skarbakka - The Shower

Bad day?

'The Shower' by philosophical photographer Kerrry Skarbakka.

A Linguistic Jigsaw

When words are more than just respective groups of congregated letters, their effect is incandescent.. But not just any words, certain words, and when these pieces of lingo find one another and create the harmonious civil ceremony known as a sentence or phrase, I swear I see tiny sparks fly...

One phrase that has recently been lingering in my cerebral membrane is:

'Fleshy Gratification'

Who doesn't love a l'il bit of fleshy gratification, where it counts?

What's even more exciting than this glorious concept, is how time can completely influence the way you perceive the unification of our linguistic counterparts.

The first time I laid eyes on this 'textual duo' was February 2008, in London. I was reading the editors note in the well informed Timeout guide. A sort of bi-monthly bible, a 'what's on in your city' kind of deal. No sooner had my beady pupils scanned the line than had I whipped out a biro and underlined the beauties. I managed to interweave it into a couple of everyday conversations, once during a vis-à-vis and the other in a witty texto. Unfortunately, neither form of communication seemed worthy enough. Truthfully, I saw bigger and better things for my 'fleshy gratification' and maybe this is it?

I could get all Carrie Bradshaw on your ass and delve into the difference between relationships and a little bit of the ol' 'fleshy gratification'. Where a wo(man) is content with the sexual intimacy of another and not really bothered about the rest. Is that sleazy? No, not if the feeling is mutual and you're both benefiting. Emphasis on the mutual satisfaction bit.

Watching 'Reality Bites' recently, one of the many surly characters was of the opinion that 'sex ruins friendships'. The only reason this quote stood out to me was because no more than two weeks ago, two friends, on separate occasions, told me the exact opposite. Apparently, you have nothing to hide, once you've bared it all. Sounds pretty logical.

Just some local sex in your city to chew on.

Then you can reach for the other extreme - the extreme that takes' fleshy gratification' to a whole other level. But you'd have to ask pomie comedian/nymphomanic Russel Brand.
His are the words, on the pages, that are under the command of my flittering finger-tips. And I got to say, these words I talk of, they ain't so bad.

So check out: Russell Brand's 'My Booky Wook' ...

Disclaimer: This isn't the end of the 'Fleshy Gratification' saga.

Ooooo pretty.

Brookly based photographer Meg Watcher.

megwachter.com