Miss Revolutionary Idol Berserker

Posted on July 4, 2016 by Toothpicker

Amidst the Brexit storm, a Japanese company of 25 performers brought chaos and frenzy to the Pit at the Barbican; nonetheless it was still more predictable and endurable than the political turmoil that was unfolding during the week.

Part of LIFT Festival 2016, the sold out 45-minute show Miss Revolutionary Idol Berserker pays tribute to the Japanese subculture – “otagei” (オタ芸) or “wotagei” (ヲタ芸) – the geeky dance routines performed by superfans to their Japanese pop idols.

Founded by Tokyo-based artist Toco Nikaido, the show is neither theatre nor pop concert; though it is certainly a stimulating form of entertainment that enhances the senses.

Before the show, we were warned about the noise level and water guns, and so we were given rain ponchos and ear plugs as our ‘protections’. Once inside the theatre, it was interesting to see how the entire space – walls and seats – were all covered in plastic sheets!

Aside from the introduction at the beginning, I can’t explain what really went on in the following 40 minutes. I saw the energetic performers danced, sang (in Japanese), jumped, clapped, sprayed water and threw objects at the audience, and ran around urging the audience to join in. It is mad, anarchistic, bewildering, and overwhelming. There is no narrative to the piece, and you are supposed to immerse yourself in the commotion and go with the ride.

As much as I enjoyed the show, I felt that it could have been crazier! Something was lacking for me, and I can’t even pinpoint what it is. However, I appreciated the effort of the performers, especially when they lined up in the corridor to greet us individually as we left the theatre.

As I mentioned, the show is not intellectual, it is a show where you can unwind and act silly, so what more can you ask for when the world outside is even more chaotic than inside the theatre?

Open Garden Squares Weekend 2016

Posted on June 22, 2016 by Toothpicker

Inner Temple Garden

According to a report commissioned by the City of London Corporation in 2013, London is the greenest city in Europe, with over 47% green space in the city. There are also countless of private and communal gardens in the city, and they are usually out of bounds to the general public. The only opportunity to visit these gardens are usually through special events or the annual Open Garden Squares weekend. After seeing a 2 for 1 offer on Timeout, I decided that it was time to explore the hidden gardens in London.

With over 200 gardens across 25 boroughs, it was hard to know where to start. Unfortunately, I was traveling extensively before the event and I didn’t manage to do much preparation beforehand. At the last minute, my friend suggested visiting the historical Inner Temple Garden, which is usually open for a few hours during weekdays.

The three-acre garden’s history can be traced back to 1591; it has wide rectangular lawns and a rare and unusual collection of trees. The garden is extremely tranquil, and it is easy to forget that you are in central London when you are strolling inside.

Top 2 rows: Beech garden at Barbican; Bottom: Fann Street Wildlife Garden

Our next stop was the Barbican Estate as there are 3 gardens in the vicinity. The Beech garden is open to the public, and so visitors and residents can all enjoy the colourful mixed of perennials, grasses and bulbs.

Aside of the public garden, the residents can also enjoy the 2000 square metres Fann Street Wildlife Garden within the estate. The Garden was created over the basements of buildings that were bombed during WW2 when the Barbican Estate was built in the 1970s. Run by the Barbican residents, the wildlife garden has a pond, pollinator bed, shrubbery, wildflower border, meadow and wooded area. We also met some friendly residents/volunteers who were happy to chat to us about the history of the site, and their efforts to run this special garden.

The Golden Baggers at the Golden Lane Estate

The last garden of the day was The Golden Baggers at The Golden Lane Estate nearby. Started in 2010, the community allotment was set up by residents of the Golden Lane Estate, and now 40 individual boxes of fruits, vegetables, salad crops are grown on the site of the former nursery playground. A small wildlife garden and a communal herb garden are recently to the thriving site.

Ashworth Mansions Garden

The next day, I decided to explore the wealthy residential neighbourhood in West London: Maida Vale. Maida Vale is renowned for the mansion blocks that line its broad avenues and give the area a very distinctive, and European feel. I was curious to see the communal inner gardens that are hidden from street views, and it was quite pleasantly surprised to see these private and well-maintained gardens.

Ashworth Mansions is area’s leading estate of mansion flats. Built 1899-1900, the Mansions was designed by Bohmer and Gibbs (architects of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel), and it comprises 105 flats in two imposing Queen Anne revival blocks facing each other across extensive communal gardens.

The garden is not huge, but it is well designed and is separated by a variety of trees and a pergola in the middle. Aside from herb and wild flower gardens, it also has lovely knot garden at the back.

Formosa Garden

Formosa Garden is hidden behind a narrow alleyway between 2 buildings, and so I was quite startled to see a vast open triangular green space surrounded by rows of houses. It is not as cosy as the previous garden, but the space is great for kids to enjoy nature and many outdoor activities.

Crescent Garden

The stucco-fronted houses around the Crescent Garden were built between 1860 – 1880, including some grade II-listed balconied terrace. In the 1970s local residents defeated plans by the Church Commissioners to turn the garden into communal car parking.

Now the three-acre communal garden has lawns, interesting trees, island beds and many unusual plants and shrubs. There is also a children’s play area in the middle. The garden was recently given an award as London’s best large private garden square, and I especially love the variety of flowers at this garden.

Triangle garden, Randolph Crescent

My last garden in the area was the garden Triangle Garden in Randolph Crescent. The perfectly proportioned and triangular garden is surrounded by original white stucco houses, dating from the 1860s. There is a central island of London plane trees that are over 100 years old, and some black iron benches, which I believe are original.

Across London, there are many small and unusual gardens run by charities and local communities, and one of my favourite is The World Peace Garden next to Hampstead Heath Overground station.

I believe these gardens are important to local residents and even passerby as they can nourish us and provide tranquil spaces for all busy Londoners.

The World Peace Garden

London in bloom

Christmas markets 2015

Posted on December 29, 2015 by Toothpicker

Three weekends of Christmas market at the Barbican Centre

I admit that I am not a natural salesperson. I have always worked behind the scenes, and selling face to face is a ‘skill’ that I had to learn when I started this business.

I know that popping up once a year is not enough for a small business, but I am not sure if I can cope with doing several pop ups all year round. Having gained some market experiences in the previous years, I decided to apply for two Christmas markets this year and I was lucky to be accepted by both.

Six market days over three weekends may not sound like a lot to other vendors, but doing it solo with no car nor assistant, it was not an easy task for me. Despite feeling exhausted during and after the markets, the experience had been extremely positive and beneficial, and it made me realise that offline shopping is still important for businesses that sell physical products.

Aside from the rather dim concrete foyer, I thoroughly enjoyed selling at the Barbican. I found the staff very friendly (offering few of us free wine and food in the evening), and I loved selling among other like-minded designers, artisans and traders. Not only did we look out for each other at the market, we also bought from each other as a way of supporting independent businesses.

Our jam-packed table is a far cry from our ‘minimalist’ website

Selling face to face enables me to see how customers react towards our products and provides an opportunity for me to talk to them directly. At the end of the day, the activity is about human interactions, and it is a skill that requires observation, patience and consistency. Am I able to convey my passion and enthusiasm to potential customers during our brief conversations? Probably not all the time, but I try my best without being pushy or aggressive. It turns out that practice does make a difference, and I believe that my communication and selling skills improved as the days went by.

Top: My lovely neighbour Nina from Imagination illustrated; 4th middle: Nina’s beautiful illustrated Sagittarian notebook (my birthday present from her); 2nd row: Korean illustrator Kelci Jun; Bottom left: Kelci’s illustrations of bridges in London; 3rd row: Molly from Molly and the wolf; 4th left: Another wonderful neighbour Martha from Caliz London; 4th right: Chopping board from Growth rings; Bottom right: lino printed stationery from We make here

It is a shame that most of the independent designers and artisans I spoke to do not have retail outlets, and we can only sell our products online or via Christmas or crafts or design markets in London. London’s streets have become more homogeneous in recent years, with high streets being dominated by chained stores backed by big corporations; meanwhile independent shops are being squeezed out because of unaffordable rents. Judging from the sales and customers’ enthusiasm at these markets, it is clear that Londoners are supportive of independent designers and businesses, yet having a brick and mortar store in London is a far-fetched dream for most of us. Will things change anytime soon? I doubt it, so in the meantime, we all just have to find our ways to survive in a vast ocean with limited supplies and an inflatable boat!

A popular one day annual event – Primrose Hill designer sale at St Mary’s church

Upcoming Christmas markets in London

Posted on December 3, 2015 by Toothpicker

Our advent calendar-inspired pop-up promotional card

This December, we will pop up for three weekends in London! We are very happy to be selected as one of the vendors to be selling at the Barbican this year. I have often visited the Barbican for events and exhibitions, so I am thrilled to be selling at such an iconic venue in London.

Our other one-day pop-up will be at St Mary’s church in Primrose Hill, a smaller and more local event, but I am sure it will be fun and quite family oriented.

We will be selling among other independent designers and traders, so if you are looking for something unique, then do pay us a visit or alternatively support your local Christmas markets if you live outside of London.

We look forward to seeing you at our Christmas pop ups this year!

Sahara soul at the Barbican

Posted on October 24, 2014 by Toothpicker

I have always had a fascination with the Sahara. I think what appeals to me is its mystery, beauty, danger, scale, harshness, unpredictability and ‘nothingness’. In my early 20s, I read Paul Bowles‘ novels, listened to his music and embarked on an adventure with a companion to the Sahara via Morocco. It was the first time I had ever seen a desert, but the two-hour camel ride into the desert and oasis was far from comfortable. We suffered from heat exhaustion (it was over 42 degrees), so our ‘romantic’ view of the desert was dashed instantly. Yet it was hard to forget the hospitality we received from the Tuareg/ ‘Blue People’ and the breath-taking view of the desert. Many years later, I returned to the Sahara again from the Tunisian side, it was a more pleasant journey, but the desert remained as mysterious as ever.

Sunset at Saraha

Last month I went to the second Sahara Soul concert at the Barbican centre. My memories of the desert returned, and I felt like I was back in time. The evening was a celebration of the desert, its people and music. Although I felt that the programme was slightly too long, the energy and passion of the musicians was felt by the audience and we didn’t need to understand the lyrics to appreciate the beautiful music. Unlike the traditional African or tribal music, the music being performed is influenced by other genres and styles, so it is contemporary and distinctive. Meanwhile, it also acts as a powerful weapon to draw people’s attention to the ongoing conflicts in Western Africa. The performers are not well-known in the UK, but they are talented and compelling, so I want to share their music here:

Nabil Baly Othmani is is the son of iconic Algerian Tuareg singer Othman Bali. Nabil is following in his footsteps, while at the same time carving out his own musical path. His music is a mix of flamenco, fuzzy rock, melancholy folk and even electronica, so it is unique and refreshing.

Nabil Baly Othmani – Menna (2014)

Steve Shehan & Nabil Othmani – Awalin (2009)

Tartit is a Tuareg band from the Timbuktu region of of Mali consists of five women and four men, all of whom are Tamasheq-speaking Tuareg. Tartit formed in 1992 in a refugee camp in Mauritania, where their music was a means of survival in the face of the economic, social and political difficulties in the region. Tartit’s compositions include traditional Tuareg ballads, dances and call-and-response songs. These instruments are accompanied by chants and percussive handclaps.

Tartit – Ichichilla

Born in the Sahrawi refugee camps in Algeria and now based in Barcelona, Aziza Brahim is the granddaughter of Al Khadra, the legendary ‘Sahrawi war poetess’. Playing hand drums and backed by a Spanish acoustic band which infuses flamenco and jazz to her Sahrawi rhythms, Aziza is using her music to make people aware of the conflict in her homeland.

Aziza Brahim – Julud (2014)

Young Mauritanian singer Noura Mint Seymali is the daughter of Dimi Mint Abba, the ‘Diva of the Desert’. Noura fuses ancient and modern Moorish influences, blending psychedelic guitars and transcendental grooves with impassioned, commanding vocals.

Noura Mint Seymali – Tzenni (2014)

Digital Revolution at Barbican Centre

Posted on August 22, 2014 by Toothpicker

There are many excellent summer exhibitions in London this year but if you are looking for one with a wow factor, you need to visit the immersive Digital Revolution at the Barbican. It is nostalgic, futuristic, interactive, fun and entertaining!

If like me, you are able to recognise (or even owned) the games and products in the first ‘archaeology’ section of the exhibition, then you would probably feel prehistoric! There are Pac-man, Pong, Apple’s original Macintosh (which I once owned) and handheld video games like Nintendo’s Game & Watch and Game Boy (which I also owned), so playing Tetris and Pac-man at the exhibition really brought back childhood memories.

Beyond the nostalgic section, there are 12 other sections including an off-site one. One of the section, Creative Spaces showcases the visual technology of blockbuster films, Inception and Gravity. Another one, Sound & Vision features a special installation ‘The Pyramidi’ made for the gallery by global music artist and entrepreneur will.i.am in collaboration with London-based Japanese sound designer Yuri Suzuki. You can watch part of it in the short video below, but it does not capture the 3-D and sound effects that can be seen and heard in person.

The Pyramidi by will.i.am and Yuri Suzuki

Another hightlights at the exhibition is Chris Milk‘s The Treachery of Sanctuary, a large-scale interactive triptych: a story of birth, death, and transfiguration that uses projections of the participants’ own bodies to unlock a new artistic language.

And in the last section of the Curve gallery space, there are intallations by DevArt, a celebration of art made with code, using technology as the canvas. Some of the world’s finest interactive artists Karsten Schmidt, Zach Lieberman, and the duo Varvara Guljajeva and Mar Canet are commissioned by Google and the Barbican to create large interactive installations including ‘Play the World’ Piano, ‘Co(de)factory’ and ‘Wishing Wall’. You can watch a video of the concept and making of Varvara Guljajeva and Mar Canet‘s wonderful ‘Wishing Wall’ below:

Varvara Guljajeva and Mar Canet’s ‘Wishing Wall’

Another impressive installation, ‘Umbrellium Assemblance’ is located below in the Pits theatre where you it is pitch dark with only three-dimensional light field where you can collaborate with others to shape, manipulate and interact with the light source from above.

And finally visitors can even spend time at the Indie Games Space and play games created by cult indepenent game devlopers.

Left: Chris Milk‘s The Treachery of Sanctuary; Middle: The Pyramidi by will.i.am and Yuri Suzuki; Right: Karsten Schmidt’s Co(de)factory

Like many people (generally people born before 1984), I have a complex and conflicted relationship in regards to digital technology. It is essential for what I do, yet I want to see it merely as a tool to enhance my life/work rather than being taken over by it or becoming too dependent on it. However, it is harder to find that balance these days unless we make very conscious to not let it become intrusive or discruptive to our lives.

The exhibition reveals how digital technology has shaped and changed our lives in the past 30+ years, and it would be interesting to see how it continues to evolve. Yet it is also disconcerting to think that the older generation (like my parents’ generation) who is not familiar with the digital technology is now being isolated or marginalised. If advancing digital technology is meant to enhance and improve our lives and future, then is it fair to neglect the computer-illiterates in our society? Not only it makes them feel powerless, it also means that they would need to depend on others to get simple tasks done for them.

My mum often complains and says,”The world is moving too fast and I can’t catch up.” Well, to be honest, neither can I.

Gaetano Pesce & Pop Art design

Posted on December 8, 2013 by Toothpicker

ScreenTalk with Gaetano Pesce and Peter Lang at Barbican

Lately, I have been extremely busy and so I haven’t been doing much apart from working or attending business-related events. Finally, I was able to take some time off because a while ago I had booked to see “Italy – The New Domestic Landscape“, MoMA 1972, organised by The Architecture Foundation and Barbican. The film is one of many selected to complement the Pop Art Design exhibition that is showing at the Barbican Art Gallery now.

I went to see the exhibition right before the screening, and although I am not a huge fan of Pop Art, I enjoyed the exhibition and learned more about the movement and its effects on even designs today. I probably would not have visited the exhibition if it was called ‘Pop Art’ but with the word ‘design’ at the end, it made a difference and I was intrigued.

The show features big names from the Pop Art scene like Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, Peter Blake; and from the design scene: Charles and Ray Eames, Ettore Sottsass and Gaetano Pesce. The interesting aspect about the exhibition is that the work chosen really reflect the era and culture of that period. The idea of using one design but produced in different bright colours was popular at the time, yet nothing much has changed decades later ( thanks to Apple for reviving this trend). Aside from the playful and extravagant designer pieces, I was particularly happy to see Tupperware and photos of the ‘cool’ Tupperware party!

Left: Gaetano Pesce’s Up armchair (1969); Right: Moloch lamp (1970)

“Italy – The New Domestic Landscape” is a collection of short films made specifically for the exhibition under the same title which was held at New York’s Museum of Modern Art in 1972. The exhibition was divided into two areas, one under ‘objects’ and the other under ‘environments’. Hence, the films developed by the Italian designers and architects were closely linked to the two topics. Some of them were very experimental/ avant garde and some with hidden political messages or black humour. The legendery Italian architect/ designer/ film and music-maker, Gaetano Pesce ( who is eccentric and humourous) was involved in this project, and so it was exciting to hear him talk about the project and his furniture design which is also on display at the Pop art design exhibition. Surprisingly, four decades on, the films are still compelling and original, it just shows the importance of Italian design culture and how deeply rooted it is in Italy. And even with new or emerging competitions from other countries, I still believe that Italian design will continue to stay as one of the forerunners in the world of design.

Song Dong’s ‘Waste not’ exhibition

Posted on June 13, 2012 by Toothpicker

The problem with London is that there are too many cultural activities going on all the time, so it’s hard to keep up sometimes. I almost missed the mesmorizing ‘Waste not‘ exhibition by Chinese artist, Song Dong at the Barbican Centre, it was luckily that I managed to catch it at the last minute. It has been a long time since I felt genuinely moved by an art exhibition, and it made me think hard about my own family ‘junk’ issue!

The exhibition comprised over 10,000 household possessions, collected by the artist’s mother, Zhao Xiangyuan over a period of five decades. Zhao started collecting at the beginning of the Cultural Revolution as a means of survival, but gradually these objects took over her life, fulfilling the emptiness that she suffered after the death of her husband in 2002.

The initial installation was created in 2005 by Song Dong, installed with his mother as a way to help her cope with her grief and put her memories in order. Tragically, Zhao died in a car accident in 2009, but Song’s family would reunite and work on the installation as it travels and exhibits around the world.

Personally, I have also been dealing with the huge collection of ‘stuff’ that my family has accumulated over the years. Like Zhao, my mother doesn’t like to throw things out, she often claims that these objects would be useful one day especially like jam jars, plastic containers, used envelopes and old magazines etc. Some of the items that I discovered during a clearance recently could be considered as museum pieces!

While many of us get attached to items that have sentimental value, I failed to understand my mother’s persistence in keeping the ‘useless’ objects until this exhibition…

I am sure that most visitors to the exhibition can somehow relate to the story behind because it is not so much about art, but about human emotions, family bonds, memories and nostalgia that we all share regardless of our nationalities, ages, gender and backgrounds.

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