Automata

If anyone's got a spare few quid, please buy me these 19th century pistols. Estimate $6m. Surely worth it for the surprise birds....!





To be honest, I'd rather have this amazing caterpillar from 1820...


The Ethiopian Caterpillar from HODINKEE on Vimeo.

Institute for Artist Management

Stumbled across this great website this morning, the Institute for Artist Management.

There are a series of links to amazing features - it's used by media groups to purchase photo essays etc for weekend newspaper magazines etc.

How about David Chancellor's photographic series of stuffed animals in cases?

Or how about David Maisel's re-photographed x-rays of remains from classical antiquity?

There's an incredible range to check out.

BP Portrait Prize - NPG London

This year's BP Portrait Prize exhibition has just opened at the National Portrait Gallery, London. I have to admit I've become rather jaded with this annual painting exhibition - despite exhibiting over 50 fairly diverse paintings each year, it somehow seems formulaic holistically... I have come to expect certain types of painting to be represented.  Nonetheless, winning is a big deal - part of the prize involves being commissioned by the NPG to produce a portrait which will enter their permanent collection.

Third Prize - 'Just to Feel Normal' by Ian Cumberland. Oil on linen, 150x100cm

Nonetheless, it's well worth a look in (free entry).

This year activists protested outside the gallery at the opening, against the use of the sponsor BP. It's hardly the first time that an exhibition has used such powerful but controversial sponsors - the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition once had oil smeared over the displays by activists protesting against the 'wholly inappropriate' use of sponsor Shell in an exhibition which featured endangered species and habitats (Shell is no longer the sponsor of that event). Short video clip below:

Great White Silence

I saw this BFI restored film today at the Curzon Millbank: astonishing. The very limited London screenings are finished now, but the DVD is coming soon. HUGELY recommended. Stunning new soundtrack and astonishing imagery.




Here's the BFI restorers answering questions about how they worked with the official footage of Scott's tragic and heroic expedition:




And finally, a short film about the creation of the new score to accompany this silent masterpiece:

Heatherwick

I've probably mentioned Heatherwick's astonishing sculpture/design/architecture on this blog before, but here's the man himself talking about his studio's work, from the always-engaging TED site:



(Hat-tip to HCB!)

High Line

I've probably been to NYC half a dozen times now, and will be heading there again in October - but it was only two years ago that I discovered the existence of the High Line park, although I think it was probably not long opened. As the Independent reports, the park is about to be considerably expanded - great news.

This former raised railway line provides bizarre and spectacular views of Manhattan in the serene environments of a wild garden park, a fantastic antidote to the fast-pace of the city.