ISSUE4

ISSUE4/03

What does earth mean to you? Not the earth as a whole, we aren’t thinking of Miss World answers, but your personal earth, the places you tread every day, the things you interact with, the beauty you see in your surroundings. To us London is home; yes, to some it might be dirty, overcrowded and noisy but we call it raw, thriving and alive. In the first of our elements issues we discover a modern interpretation of Earth. We have taken to the streets to find the reality of the urban arts, culture and style in London, what canvas this piece of earth lends to artists, how it inspires designers and the talented musicians produced from its neighborhoods.

So this month we met up with Deptford’s Only Girl about her musical journey and performing at Glastonbury this summer (page 53). We took our editorial out into the back streets of London for a sports luxe feel (page 24) and met up with one of Shoreditch’s resident artists, Alo, who talked us through the political meaning behind his work and why he is different to other street artists.

While Alo knows exactly how he wants his art to be portrayed we asked our features writer Harriet Dixon, who openly admits to be ‘no art buff’ to get an outsiders opinion on modern art in ‘what’s the point of it?’ On page 20 One modern artist and graphic designer who we love is rising star Chiyedza Gavhure, her ‘Forked’ work really stood out to us, you can see her exclusive piece for BeExposed on page 62 and our very own fork eds below!

Enjoy the issue,

TIffany and Helen xx

info@beexposed.co.uk

BeHeard

Only Girl

Soundcloud

Features

Modern Art -What’s the point of it?

Alo interview

Normcore

Will Prince

YR Store

Get the look

Beinstyle

Get the look

Beinspired

make up and BeAUTY

issue 4:

mel dawsonmusic writer

ISSUE4/05

Harriet DixonFeatures writer

From page 20 Harriet’s explores the world of modern art.

rakelle mauricifashion writer

Rakelle met up with the founders of YRstore to create some exclusive tees

holly daviesmake up artist

Holly reveals the products needed to get the look from our fashion editorial

will harperstyling assistant

Styling guru and bubble blowingextrodinaire Will bought the laughs to set

kevin hunterfeatures writer

Kevin quizzed artist Alo on his politicalmessages and colourful paintings

Mel has been catching up withLondon’s freshest musical talent

max tusonfashion writer

Max explains about the new trendof being normal or ‘normcore’, page 49

jordan grovesphotographer

Jordan’s been busy papping the graduatesat GFW and street style for ‘normcore’

holly dunbarmusic writer

Holly asked Only girl about playing atGlastonbury on page 53

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words and photographyby kevin hunter

an interview with

ISSUE4/08

I started to see beautifully distorted forms grace build-ings across East London. Wide eyed beings with thin wiry frames, haunted expressions crying tears suggest-ing stories that go far beyond the medium used to concoct them. I see lost personalities, souls, zombie like crying out for help, the marginalised, the poor, the homeless. Bright colours push them forward but they seem almost shy, shoulders hunched, heads bowed, fearful and fragile yet powerful in their ability to cause emotion. Conveying the feeling of being helpless, deceived, caught up in the tornado that is life wandering lost through the mass of concrete and crowds. Life and London can get you that way sometimes. Add a hint of African art with an expressionist approach and this is a combination that makes for an interesting and provocative blend of the tribal and the conceptual. With statements like "Poor vs Poor" and "False Flag" adorning some of these paintings there is a definite political tone. These works are not merely just paintings they are a social commentary of the age. I caught up with Alo on Bethnal Green road for an espresso and to discuss his work.

How would you describe your style?

I like to reflect emotion through colours I'm really focused on colour contrasts. I wanted to be different than the other street artists at the moment who mostly take inspiration from pop art.

I think the way you paint blurs the line between fine art and street art. Would you call yourself a street artist or just an artist?

I would like to be considered an artist who paints people and I paint them anywhere. I paint on canvas, on walls, even if I find a door in the rubbish I'll paint on that. I don't feel like a street artist in the classical term I just feel like an artist who paints everywhere.

Who do you think is the greatest artist is of all time?

Instead of the greatest artist I will say the greatest art movement and that to me is the German Expressionists. It's the idea of expressionism that made me say I have to paint. Out of these guys Kirchner has been the most important.

What is your opinion on the art establishment?

I was really disappointed by the normal, typical fine art world because I think it's really corrupt and it's focused on making money. But I have also been disappointed by the street art scene,

I thought it was something more pure but it is just the same machine as the fine art scene that I used to criticise. I now don't have a good opinion on either side, I think it's up to the artist to have their own idea and go with that. I try not to think too much about these worlds because I'm really confused by them.

Do you think with the rise of the internet and social media, artists will continue to use the streets to show their work?

I think social media is a little bit of a problem. I do use Facebook because in a city like London it gave me the chance to make connections and I use it for posting pictures of my work. At the same time I think it is dangerous because it's based on the ego of the person so a lot of people begin to feel that they are important just because they get some likes. I think it creates a false reality and a lot of artists spend more time focused on advertising themselves on social media than they do spending it on developing their work.

What is your opinion of modern art?

I think it has to be re-thought. I think it has got to the point of being too rationalised, an art in which you need the so-called "Experts" to understand why a work should be expansive. I think people have started to get fed up of this kind of art and are looking for something more real, direct. I think that's why street art has been so successful.

There is a definite nod to the political in your work, for instance you have "Poor Vs Poor" on one of your paint-ings; to me that is a reference to the divide and conquer techniques currently being used by the government to turn the "working class" on people receiving benefits. Are these issues close to your heart, do you feel like they need speaking about?

ISSUE4/09

You are right what you said about "Poor Vs Poor" it's the divide and conquer idea that always works and people sometimes don't realise they are being manipulated. I paint a lot of homeless people; it's another way to focus on social classes the more disenfranchised people that are invisible to most. On some pieces I write "Hale to the Looser" which is a reference to people who think some of these people are losers but they are not losers they are just living life in a different way.

Would you describe yourself as anti establishment?

Yeah, I'm anti everything. Although in my experience anytime I have been involved in anything anti establish-ment I have been disappointed. I have been disap-pointed by the movements of people claiming to be anti establishment. So yeah I feel a little bit alone in that I don't have a group that I feel to belong to and I don't feel like I belong to official society.

In your opinion what political or social issue needs addressing at the moment?

I don't think an artist should teach anything to anyone, but its right to have a position. In my opinion I'm focused on the way in which the power divides people to rule them, letting them focus on stupid divisions not to understand the real enemy. That's why I write "poor vs poor".

If you could paint a portrait of a person from history who would it be and why?

I have done already, I painted Gaetano Bresci, he was an Italian anarchist immigrant in America. He came back to Italy when King Umberto I in 1900 let the army shoot and kill several people who were protesting for bread. He came back and shot the king who died. I'm not saying that killing is right; I see it as a story against injustice, as Bresci said "I didn't kill Umberto, I killed a principle"

‘people begin to feel that they are important just because they get some

facebook likes’

you can see more of alo’s work and findout about future exhibitions at his

website www.alostreetart.blogspot.co.uk

ISSUE4/10

get the look

Jerome Dreyfuss is a French accessories designer and is married to Isabel

Marant, surely a match made in heaven, imagine their wardrobes! His beautiful bags are lustworthy because of their

quality materials (such as smooth calf hair and shearling), abundant style and their masculine cool. Each bag is named

after a male so they can become your new love affair, our current crush is on

the leopard print Florent.www.jerome-dreyfuss.com

1. The LUSTWORTHY BAG:

Jerome Dreyfuss

ISSUE4/11

Native Youth have a fresh take on how men should wear co-ordinates, from parrot prints to Hawaiian tropics and our

favourite this dyed marl combo as they continue to experiment with dyes and treatments conventionally applied

to denim, exploring techniques and washes further onto jersey.

www.native-youth.com

Matter Matters is a modern and witty accessories brand based in Hong Kong. They take inspiration from artist such as David Hockney and Edward

Hopper and care about form and quality materials; we particularly like the box and bucket bags in

bright block colours. www.mattermatters.bigcartel.com

2.

3.

4.

Filling pieces fills the gap between street wear and smart, with sporty yett classic designs. The brand uses quality leathers and detailed embossing with cool colour combinations as well as regular collaborations and special editions. Check out their new low tops with perforated cotton mesh and black 3M panels at their pop up at Boxpark.www.shop.gsrnnfillingpieces.com

7.

ISSUE4/12

Sophisticated design with a touch of Scandinavian cool Second Female and sister label Just Female

are our new favourite high street brands for affordable and chic staples with a bit of edge.

www.secondfemale.com

5.

House of Sunny say ‘keep it clean, keep it sharp’ and that is what collection 3.0 says to us. Punchy orange and oversized zips are pared back with monochrome

prints and simple, boxy silhouettes for a fresh and uncomplicated modern look.

www.houseofsunny.com

The WOW speaker is a solo wireless speaker that uses Bluetooth connectivity, allowing you to take

music with you without wires. It also comes in lots of different colours, so you can have one for

every room of the house!www.kakkoii-me.com

6.

ISSUE4/13

We first featured the beautiful handcrafted jewellery of Jade Mellor back in Issue 1. Now back with a new collection her inspiration follows on from Tate Britain’s Ruin Lust and she calls this work a ‘celebration of

modern ruin’. As in the Tate’s recent exhibition Jade explores the positive aspects in the unravelling of our environment and finds beauty in urban decay.

http://jademellor.com

9.

8.

YESIMFRENCH was born from a homemade capsule collection of five sweatshirts. Nowadays, YESIMFRENCH

has settled in Seoul with an identity based in architectural, casual and sportswear, where different families of materials are blended together to build a

sport-minimalist silhouette.The production and the design are all made in South

Korea by a French designer who graduated from Atelier Chardon Savard, Paris, we think the brand is a great mix of French chic and Korean cool and will be snapping up

the mesh dresses and coated shorts for our SS14 holiday wardrobes.

http://www.yesimfrench.com

The entrepreneurial mind fascinates us. To think of a new prod-uct or concept mixed with the much needed business acumen to generate the next best thing is so admirable. For this issues BeInspired series we are proud to present to you Tim and Tom,

Check out our latest editorial where we have collaborated with the booming new brand. We have designed our very own t-shirts to fit the theme of this urban issue, and had them made up with the help of the Topman team, where YR Store have now set up camp. Fashion writer Rakelle was greeted at Oxford Streets Topman by the lovely Flick and Melissa who helped her with our custom

screens where you can experiment with colours, prints and

Once you have picked your design or selected your custom artwork, you’re good to go! This design is then printed onto a big transfer sheet and your unique piece is then placed over a t-shirt and fused under a heat press. Within less than 10 minutes your t-shirt is ready!

We caught up with Tim, a partner of the brand about how it all came about and what they have planned for the future with YR Store.

Firstly, for anyone who isn’t aware what is the idea of YR Store and how did you come up with the name?

YR Store - pronounced 'your store' is the name of our fashion and

designs in store on large touch screens or coming soon, on mobile, tablet and online. Customers can come in to the store or download the app and very quickly create unique and bespoke designs. Right

scarves. Soon to come will be leotards, leggings, swimming shorts and even home wares.

look great - but very quickly and easily using our app. As the custom-er is at the centre of this and anyone can now be a designer it really

From there we shortened it to YR and here we are!

The entrepreneurial mind fascinates us. To think of a new prod-uct or concept mixed with the much needed business acumen to generate the next best thing is so admirable. For this issues BeInspired series we are proud to present to you Tim and Tom,

Check out our latest editorial where we have collaborated with the booming new brand. We have designed our very own t-shirts to fit the theme of this urban issue, and had them made up with the help of the Topman team, where YR Store have now set up camp. Fashion writer Rakelle was greeted at Oxford Streets Topman by the lovely Flick and Melissa who helped her with our custom

screens where you can experiment with colours, prints and

Once you have picked your design or selected your custom artwork, you’re good to go! This design is then printed onto a big transfer sheet and your unique piece is then placed over a t-shirt and fused under a heat press. Within less than 10 minutes your t-shirt is ready!

We caught up with Tim, a partner of the brand about how it all came about and what they have planned for the future with YR Store.

Firstly, for anyone who isn’t aware what is the idea of YR Store and how did you come up with the name?

YR Store - pronounced 'your store' is the name of our fashion and

designs in store on large touch screens or coming soon, on mobile, tablet and online. Customers can come in to the store or download the app and very quickly create unique and bespoke designs. Right

scarves. Soon to come will be leotards, leggings, swimming shorts and even home wares.

look great - but very quickly and easily using our app. As the custom-er is at the centre of this and anyone can now be a designer it really

From there we shortened it to YR and here we are!

You now host a spot in Topshop and Topman, is there anyone else who you would like to collaborate with?

Yes we have some ideas - from musicians to print designers we have a huge list. There is a couple of great collabs coming up, so watch this space.

What’s been your favourite design?

Wow, there have been so many! I hold a special place for the

-ble monochrome designs made over a two day period, they were some of my favourite designs.

Is there anyone who you would love to see wearing your tshirts?

I think the boys from Disclosure would love to create their own designs!

So you recently plugged yourself in Topshop, congrats! Can you let us in on any plans for 2014?

Topshop has been a roller coaster ride, we have a new wom-en’s wear range including crops and racer bank tanks and soon

to come, tote bags and phone covers. We are working on our app launching July 8th. This is huge for us and means that

smartphone, tablet or online. We then ship it within 48hours. We also have new garments, big collabs and some new pop-up

Lastly, if you weren’t doing this what would be your dream job?

I guess this is my dream job, I can't think of any job I would

we had unlimited money to do the things we want to with YR

business grow.

Well, myself and Tom are the directors of the company and we met at school. We both worked in technology, Tom designing

with some amazing ideas. With the other people who make up the YR Store team we all had a love of street inspired fashion and this combined with tech has led us to where we are. At school I think Tom and I both wanted our own busi-nesses so we did all we can to make that happen. I want to be a true entrepreneur with the ability to have an idea and turn it

How did you come up with the idea in the first place - what inspired you?

Our love of tech and fashion - all over print was an emerging trend and we felt we could offer this as a live service packaged up so that it wasn't a print shop but a fashion label. From a

the shopping experience. Combining everything into one concept gave us YR Store.

debut in June at Kingly Court/ Carnaby street?

We had the idea in April and started worked at the beginning of May - we built the first store from an idea to reality in four weeks. It was very, very tough but amazing fun. We stayed there seven weeks and then opened in Boxpark - we are

-ent to last June.

Were there any struggles?

money so had to do everything in house or ask friends for

wanted to make sure we made the most of our opportunity to open a store. The biggest struggle was trying to guess what people would want - and trying to put too much into the store. We have a much simpler offer now.

Do you have any advice for any young start-ups?

that they want to do something or have an idea, it’s said all

and sustaining it are the hard parts. But if you don't start you will never get anywhere. Also, keep costs low, prove the market, prove the product at the lowest possible cost in the easiest way, they build from there. Words: Rakelle Maurici

You now host a spot in Topshop and Topman, is there anyone else who you would like to collaborate with?

Yes we have some ideas - from musicians to print designers we have a huge list. There is a couple of great collabs coming up, so watch this space.

What’s been your favourite design?

Wow, there have been so many! I hold a special place for the

-ble monochrome designs made over a two day period, they were some of my favourite designs.

Is there anyone who you would love to see wearing your tshirts?

I think the boys from Disclosure would love to create their own designs!

So you recently plugged yourself in Topshop, congrats! Can you let us in on any plans for 2014?

Topshop has been a roller coaster ride, we have a new wom-en’s wear range including crops and racer bank tanks and soon

to come, tote bags and phone covers. We are working on our app launching July 8th. This is huge for us and means that

smartphone, tablet or online. We then ship it within 48hours. We also have new garments, big collabs and some new pop-up

Lastly, if you weren’t doing this what would be your dream job?

I guess this is my dream job, I can't think of any job I would

we had unlimited money to do the things we want to with YR

business grow.

Well, myself and Tom are the directors of the company and we met at school. We both worked in technology, Tom designing

with some amazing ideas. With the other people who make up the YR Store team we all had a love of street inspired fashion and this combined with tech has led us to where we are. At school I think Tom and I both wanted our own busi-nesses so we did all we can to make that happen. I want to be a true entrepreneur with the ability to have an idea and turn it

How did you come up with the idea in the first place - what inspired you?

Our love of tech and fashion - all over print was an emerging trend and we felt we could offer this as a live service packaged up so that it wasn't a print shop but a fashion label. From a

the shopping experience. Combining everything into one concept gave us YR Store.

debut in June at Kingly Court/ Carnaby street?

We had the idea in April and started worked at the beginning of May - we built the first store from an idea to reality in four weeks. It was very, very tough but amazing fun. We stayed there seven weeks and then opened in Boxpark - we are

-ent to last June.

Were there any struggles?

money so had to do everything in house or ask friends for

wanted to make sure we made the most of our opportunity to open a store. The biggest struggle was trying to guess what people would want - and trying to put too much into the store. We have a much simpler offer now.

Do you have any advice for any young start-ups?

that they want to do something or have an idea, it’s said all

and sustaining it are the hard parts. But if you don't start you will never get anywhere. Also, keep costs low, prove the market, prove the product at the lowest possible cost in the easiest way, they build from there. Words: Rakelle Maurici

Words by Harriet Dixon

photograph from artfund.org

banksy: avon and somerset constabul

ary

image from

sotherbys.com

So he’s done it again. Recently, two new pieces by the elusive Banksy appeared; an image of three trenchcoated spooks holding bugging equipment around a telephone box in Cheltenham, and an image of a man and a woman embracing while staring over each other's shoulders at their respective mobile phones on a wall in Bristol. These new pieces have stirred up new debate around the status and ownership of modern art; does displaying art in the public domain lessen its integrity and gravitas? Does it become ‘street’ art; not the ‘proper’ art respectfully observed in the hallowed halls of art galleries? By subverting the traditional notions of how art ‘should be’, the context of where the art is displayed can have as much significance as the piece itself. As far back as the knuckle-grazing Neanderthals drawing on cave walls with mud, artistic expression (in its many guises) has formed an important narrative of our history; a reflection of the social, cultural and economic context of the time. But has modern art metamorphosed too far, becoming predominantly a medium through which to shock, repulse and confuse its audience, with no real meaning behind it?

Now I’m no art buff, but can the video of a penis (sorry mum) going up, then down (!), really be considered ‘art’? Such provoca-tive pieces formed the artist Martin Creed’s latest exhibition at the Hayward Gallery, ironically entitled “What’s the point of it?” The exhibition has become best known for its room filled with balloons; showing how art can be a sensory experience (and a lot of fun I imagine!) Slightly deviating from this is the films of people defecating and vomiting; if we wanted to see that kind of activity I’m sure any Central London club after midnight on a Saturday could oblige. My friend Jo attended the exhibition, and concluded, “The message that he was getting across (I think) was about how art can make you feel rather than it actually having a specific meaning and I definitely think he did that – some of the exhibition put you in awe, some shocked you and some even annoyed you – but I think that was kind of the point.” Consider-ing Creed won the Turner Prize in 2001 for an exhibition which consisted of an empty room with lights going on and off at 5 second intervals, the controversial and perhaps incomprehensi-ble elements of his latest exhibition (Blu-tack on the wall, anyone?) doesn’t come as a surprise. Enthusiasts called his Turner-prize winning exhibition “a statement against the clutter and consumerism in the world”; my opinion differs somewhat, but I think therein lies the crux of modern art: it generates and divides opinion.

World Wars and, in particular, the horrors of Auschwitz. This opened my eyes to the influence of Surrealism on modern art today; many of the paintings on show at the Tate Modern defy rational explanation, but, putting my cynicism aside, maybe that’s the point. Art is not necessarily meant to be ‘understood’ but instead it can act as a catalyst for new thoughts, emotions and perspectives which stay with us long after leaving the gallery. My personal opinion is that I find a lot of art very beautiful and meaningful, but I become frustrated and critical when I believe the artists are trying to be too obscure and clever; I feel that art should offer everyone some kind of connection, whether positive or negative. Art by its very nature is subjective; it lacks the certainty of mathematical equations and scientific break-throughs, and opens up a different part of our brains. In a modern world bombarded by the cacophony of 24/7 news and social media, perhaps a little art is good for our souls (just spare us the penis video next time, please).

A new retrospective that takes modern ‘street’ art into a staid gallery is unauthorised by the artist in question, Banksy, but will surely be well attended by the public who are intrigued and in awe of the elusive artist.

Banksy’s former art dealer, Steve Lazarides has created the exhibition with 70 career spanning pieces, some of which are also for sale, for rather a pretty penny at up to £500,000. Lazarides justifies the exhibition by saying ‘if these guys can’t make things and sell things, the only people that can be street artists are the children of the rich and famous.’ Although he is honest enough to admit that his former client would not approve of his actions saying ‘He’s hate it. He’s never done an exhibition in a gallery... when he puts shows on it’s been an event rather than an exhibition the whole thing is a performance piece.’

While Banksy may not approve we will be hot footing it down to Sotheby‘s S2 gallery for Banksy: The Unauthorised Retro-spective from 11th June – 25th July.

In the same vein as Banksy, in recent years there have been an increasing number of public exhibitions with a social or charita-ble agenda behind them. Last summer, Bristol hosted “Gromits Unleashed”, a series of 92 sculptures of everyone’s favourite animated dog designed by famous artists, designers and celebri-ties, and prominent local artists. This exemplifies how modern art is transcending the traditional boundaries of galleries and muse-ums and entering the public arena to delight and inspire passers-by; and all for a great cause, with the auction of the sculptures raising £2.3m for Bristol Children’s Hospital. Similarly, over the past 2 years there have been a number of painted elephant sculptures popping up across the UK (and the world), all part of Elephant Parade, an open air exhibition that seeks to attract public awareness and support for Asian elephant conser-vation. Exhibitions such as these provide a refreshing respite to the commercial aesthetic of city centres; demonstrating the malleability of modern art, which I think should be encouraged, particularly in making art accessible for children and inspiring them to put down their iPads and be creative.

I recently ventured to the Tate Modern and found the atmos-phere tangibly different to that of the outside world; it felt stiller, hypnotic - almost timeless, as though existing in a separate time zone from the city buzz outside. As I perused the Surrealist zone, I felt genuinely moved by the artists’ struggles to find meaning and creative expression in a world which had just witnessed two

“films of people defecating and vomiting; if we wanted to see that kind of activity I’m sure any Central

London club after midnight on a Saturday could oblige”

love it or hate it? modern art and the arts in general are

worth billions of pounds to the uk economy. from street art to the tate modern it comes in many differeny guises. we asked our

features editor harriet dixon for her opinion on the subject as an art novice and she discovered a little more than she bargained

for...

Words by Harriet Dixon

photograph from artfund.org

banksy: avon and somerset constabul

ary

image from

sotherbys.com

So he’s done it again. Recently, two new pieces by the elusive Banksy appeared; an image of three trenchcoated spooks holding bugging equipment around a telephone box in Cheltenham, and an image of a man and a woman embracing while staring over each other's shoulders at their respective mobile phones on a wall in Bristol. These new pieces have stirred up new debate around the status and ownership of modern art; does displaying art in the public domain lessen its integrity and gravitas? Does it become ‘street’ art; not the ‘proper’ art respectfully observed in the hallowed halls of art galleries? By subverting the traditional notions of how art ‘should be’, the context of where the art is displayed can have as much significance as the piece itself. As far back as the knuckle-grazing Neanderthals drawing on cave walls with mud, artistic expression (in its many guises) has formed an important narrative of our history; a reflection of the social, cultural and economic context of the time. But has modern art metamorphosed too far, becoming predominantly a medium through which to shock, repulse and confuse its audience, with no real meaning behind it?

Now I’m no art buff, but can the video of a penis (sorry mum) going up, then down (!), really be considered ‘art’? Such provoca-tive pieces formed the artist Martin Creed’s latest exhibition at the Hayward Gallery, ironically entitled “What’s the point of it?” The exhibition has become best known for its room filled with balloons; showing how art can be a sensory experience (and a lot of fun I imagine!) Slightly deviating from this is the films of people defecating and vomiting; if we wanted to see that kind of activity I’m sure any Central London club after midnight on a Saturday could oblige. My friend Jo attended the exhibition, and concluded, “The message that he was getting across (I think) was about how art can make you feel rather than it actually having a specific meaning and I definitely think he did that – some of the exhibition put you in awe, some shocked you and some even annoyed you – but I think that was kind of the point.” Consider-ing Creed won the Turner Prize in 2001 for an exhibition which consisted of an empty room with lights going on and off at 5 second intervals, the controversial and perhaps incomprehensi-ble elements of his latest exhibition (Blu-tack on the wall, anyone?) doesn’t come as a surprise. Enthusiasts called his Turner-prize winning exhibition “a statement against the clutter and consumerism in the world”; my opinion differs somewhat, but I think therein lies the crux of modern art: it generates and divides opinion.

World Wars and, in particular, the horrors of Auschwitz. This opened my eyes to the influence of Surrealism on modern art today; many of the paintings on show at the Tate Modern defy rational explanation, but, putting my cynicism aside, maybe that’s the point. Art is not necessarily meant to be ‘understood’ but instead it can act as a catalyst for new thoughts, emotions and perspectives which stay with us long after leaving the gallery. My personal opinion is that I find a lot of art very beautiful and meaningful, but I become frustrated and critical when I believe the artists are trying to be too obscure and clever; I feel that art should offer everyone some kind of connection, whether positive or negative. Art by its very nature is subjective; it lacks the certainty of mathematical equations and scientific break-throughs, and opens up a different part of our brains. In a modern world bombarded by the cacophony of 24/7 news and social media, perhaps a little art is good for our souls (just spare us the penis video next time, please).

A new retrospective that takes modern ‘street’ art into a staid gallery is unauthorised by the artist in question, Banksy, but will surely be well attended by the public who are intrigued and in awe of the elusive artist.

Banksy’s former art dealer, Steve Lazarides has created the exhibition with 70 career spanning pieces, some of which are also for sale, for rather a pretty penny at up to £500,000. Lazarides justifies the exhibition by saying ‘if these guys can’t make things and sell things, the only people that can be street artists are the children of the rich and famous.’ Although he is honest enough to admit that his former client would not approve of his actions saying ‘He’s hate it. He’s never done an exhibition in a gallery... when he puts shows on it’s been an event rather than an exhibition the whole thing is a performance piece.’

While Banksy may not approve we will be hot footing it down to Sotheby‘s S2 gallery for Banksy: The Unauthorised Retro-spective from 11th June – 25th July.

In the same vein as Banksy, in recent years there have been an increasing number of public exhibitions with a social or charita-ble agenda behind them. Last summer, Bristol hosted “Gromits Unleashed”, a series of 92 sculptures of everyone’s favourite animated dog designed by famous artists, designers and celebri-ties, and prominent local artists. This exemplifies how modern art is transcending the traditional boundaries of galleries and muse-ums and entering the public arena to delight and inspire passers-by; and all for a great cause, with the auction of the sculptures raising £2.3m for Bristol Children’s Hospital. Similarly, over the past 2 years there have been a number of painted elephant sculptures popping up across the UK (and the world), all part of Elephant Parade, an open air exhibition that seeks to attract public awareness and support for Asian elephant conser-vation. Exhibitions such as these provide a refreshing respite to the commercial aesthetic of city centres; demonstrating the malleability of modern art, which I think should be encouraged, particularly in making art accessible for children and inspiring them to put down their iPads and be creative.

I recently ventured to the Tate Modern and found the atmos-phere tangibly different to that of the outside world; it felt stiller, hypnotic - almost timeless, as though existing in a separate time zone from the city buzz outside. As I perused the Surrealist zone, I felt genuinely moved by the artists’ struggles to find meaning and creative expression in a world which had just witnessed two

“films of people defecating and vomiting; if we wanted to see that kind of activity I’m sure any Central

London club after midnight on a Saturday could oblige”

love it or hate it? modern art and the arts in general are

worth billions of pounds to the uk economy. from street art to the tate modern it comes in many differeny guises. we asked our

features editor harriet dixon for her opinion on the subject as an art novice and she discovered a little more than she bargained

for...

Will Prince (@WILLPRINCEART)

injects personality and humor into his art. He has the skill to capture the true essence of each subject, making each piece instantly recognizable.

It is undoubtedly clear that Will is heading for great success. With over eleven thousand followers on Instagram (me included) he certainly has a

very soon if not already! If Will hasn’t drawn you, you simply haven’t made it yet.

covers, displaying some very familiar faces. www.willprinceart.com/shop

If you like what you see, stay locked into BeExposed for some exclusive content from Mr. Prince later on this year.

Words: TIFFANY BARON

Will Prince (@WILLPRINCEART)

injects personality and humor into his art. He has the skill to capture the true essence of each subject, making each piece instantly recognizable.

It is undoubtedly clear that Will is heading for great success. With over eleven thousand followers on Instagram (me included) he certainly has a

very soon if not already! If Will hasn’t drawn you, you simply haven’t made it yet.

covers, displaying some very familiar faces. www.willprinceart.com/shop

If you like what you see, stay locked into BeExposed for some exclusive content from Mr. Prince later on this year.

Words: TIFFANY BARON

headphones: urbanears, t-shirt: beexposed @ yrstore, black leather shorts: of the realm

Photographer: radek bayekphotographers assistant: benjamin youdretoucher: Dana Hosova Models: uka batbayarbrieuc @ amck modelshair and Make up: holly daviesstyling and creative direction: beexposedStylists assistant: will harperLocation: box studios

headphones: urbanears, t-shirt: beexposed @ yrstore, black leather shorts: of the realm

Photographer: radek bayekphotographers assistant: benjamin youdretoucher: Dana Hosova Models: uka batbayarbrieuc @ amck modelshair and Make up: holly daviesstyling and creative direction: beexposedStylists assistant: will harperLocation: box studios

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headphones: urbanears, t-shirt: beexposed @ yrstore, black leather shorts: of the realm

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glasses:Transitions for Orgreen

headphones:urbanears

printed vest:beexposed @yrstore suede crop top:

nicola bushell

hi tops:feiyue

sweat vest:tiffany baron

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knitwear: nicola bushell, t-shirt: married to the mob, leather shorts: of the realm necklace: topshop

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jacket: rhiannon wakefield, scarf: Gudrun & gudrun cap and shorts: stylists own

jacket: rh

iannon w

akefiel

d, scarf: Gudrun &

gudrun cap an

d shorts: styl

ists own

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shirt:rhiannonwakefield

cap:newera

raglan crew:supremebeing

trainers:filling pieces

sunglasses:Antony Morato

string vest:supremebeing

jacket and shorts: rh

iannon w

akefield, glasses: Transitions for Lindberg, socks: american apparel

jacket and shorts: rh

iannon w

akefield, glasses: Transitions for Lindberg, socks: american apparel

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jacket and shorts: rhiannon wakefield, glasses: Transitions for Lindberg, socks: american apparel

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t-shirt: beexposed @ yrstore, coated trousers: nicola bushell, bag: topshop, shirt: stylists own

t-shirt: beexposed @

yrstore, coated trousers: nicol

a bushell, bag: topsh

op, shirt: styl

ists own

t-shirt: beexposed @

yrstore, coated trousers: nicol

a bushell, bag: topsh

op, shirt: styl

ists own

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jacket and shorts: caslazur, Shoes: converse

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jacket and shorts: caslazur, Shoes: converse

uka w

ears: leath

er jacket: of th

e realm, sil

k dress: l

f mark

ey, bag: helen butch

erbrieuc w

ears: jacket an

d trousers: rhian

non w

akefiel

d, sunglasses: An

tony M

orato trainers: fil

ling pieces

headphones: molami, JACKET: ong oaj pairam

make up and beauty

Photography: Radek Bayekretouch: Dana Hosovassistant: Benjamin Youd Makeup and words: Holly DAvies

headphones: molami, JACKET: ong oaj pairam

make up and beauty

Photography: Radek Bayekretouch: Dana Hosovassistant: Benjamin Youd Makeup and words: Holly DAvies

á

coverage.

2. Pro- long wear concealer applied with MAC 252 brush under the eyes and anywhere else more coverage is needed.

powder brush in figure of three under the cheek bones, along side of temples and under the jawline

contour and warmer glow.

4. Mac Lingering eyebrow pencil to shape and

drawing a line under and above the brows to create a clean shape.

blusher such as Mac Harmony blusher on the cheeks.

6. Liquid last waterproof liquid eyeliner applied along the top lid and extended with a flick. To create the cut crease draw a line back into the crease of

have more control.

7. For long voluminous lashes apply Mac in extreme

8. To finish this graphic bold look add a bright pink

perfect summer shade!

I designed the look around one of this season’s trends 'new eye-deal' which focuses the main feature of the makeup on the eyes. This look is a 50's reboot on the classic winged liner. I created the winged out shape and extended the liner into the crease of the eye (cut crease) giving a more defined look.I paired the look with a bold neon pink lip perfect for the summer!Here's a list of products to get the look!

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

1.

1.For this look it is all about light bouncing off the skin

and metallic products to create disco ball skin. I have created a smoky blue eye using shimmery shades in the inner and outer corners of the eyes leaving the

1. Apply Mac strobe crème all over face as a primer to give an iridescent glow to the skin. This amazing crème

product can be used under or over the makeup to make the light bounce of the skin in a sliver/pink tone. For a more subtle finish just apply to the high planes of the

cheekbones.

fiber brush such as Mac 130 and buff a small amount

SPF perfect for summer.

mineralise highlighter along the high planes of the cheek bones, along the nose and Cupid bow to give a pop to

the skin.

4. To add contrast to the highlight use a cream based product to contour underneath the cheekbones using a

concealer two shades darker than your own skin tone, such as Mac studio finish. Use a small fluffy brush and

apply concealer in a line from the ear to the mouth and blend to create the shadow.

5. For the eyes line the waterline with black kohl liner all the way around the eye and define the brows with a

pencil for a clean sharp shape. Mac lingering brow pencil is my favorite for that sharp shape.

6. Apply a metallic deep blue eye shadow such as Mac pressed pigment in 'blue willow' or 'smoky' to in the inner and outer corners of the eye lid and smoke out

around the eye. For that 3D effect leave the center part of the eyelid with no product as it will make the eye pop

7. Add liquid liner such as Mac 'boot black' and lashings

eyes.

8. Finish the look by adding a nude glossy lip such as Mac Dazzleglass in 'bare necessity'. These have blue

look whiter.

2.

1.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

7.

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Words: Max Tuson, Photography: Jordan Groves

The world of fashion trends is a somewhat fleeting and often repetitive thing. We’ve all heard, seen and probably attempted the late noughties Hipsta look. And every summer we’re told that Boho-chic will once again be our go-to for the festival season.

This Spring however a new trend has indeed finally sprung. Not based on artificial flamboyance or a desperation to stand out in a crowd, Normcore is the buzzword that is rounding up all those who disregard the urge to cover yourself in designer labels and who are happy instead, with looking well, pretty damn normal.

For let me tell you this; being normal has never been more ‘NOW’.

It isn’t however anything spectacularly new. A pair of old Levi’s jeans and a plain t-shirt has been seen and worn before. My dad is Normcore; he just doesn’t know it yet. That is the secret of this new trend, there is no escaping it. All those trying to shun the world of forced fashion and label loving style have in-turn become the latest sought after look.

We found that look on the streets of the capital.

CAUGHT IN THE NORMOn the streets with Normcore; the trend that has turned normality into the latest of fashion cliques.

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•navy beanie hat

Regatta fleece acquired fromhis Nan

Black Nike Stefan Janoskicolab trainers

Max Granger is a model living in London, originally from Yorkshire

What does the word Normcore mean to you?

It means, post pretence in its rawest most judgemental, imploding form.

Would you describe yourself as Normcore?

No; but I realise that's how I’m probably defined and I'm not too up my own arse to reject it entirely.

So do you think Normcore is a trend?

Yeah, definitely, it's too intentional and noticeable not to be.

Personally would you say your style has evolved since moving to London?

Yeah, it's definitely informed the way I dress, If I think about it I’d probably say it’s had a negative effect. There’s too much to look at here, almost too much diversity. It's had the same effect on my artwork. London can be very distracting.

normcoremale

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•Calvin Klein jeans cap, Ebay

•• String bag, Sports Direct

•• Black Reebok trainers

Sarah Small is a student at Central St Martins from Harrow, London

How would you define your style?

Lazy, comfy, boring, suburban, sports direct

Do you put a lot of thought in to what you wear?

Not at all, I just go for the easiest thing, that or whatever’s clean. I only ever wear trainers though, so I never have to worry about what’s on my toes.

Do you think growing up in London has influenced your style?

Zone five doesn’t really have much going for it in terms of style, but I’ve definitely become much more conscious of how I dress since being at Central St Martins and being in Central London all the time for Uni.

Finally, would you consider yourself Normcore?

Not really, I didn’t even know it was a thing until last week. I’m just a suburban dresser forever.

normcoreFemale

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female vocalists who are strongly on our radar in this musical mist are, soulful singer Only Girl and classically trained Alice Amelia. Turn our pages to read, watch and listen to these emerging stars.

If you haven't yet heard of singer/songwriter Only girl then I'm sure you will by the end of summer, with her exciting line up of festival performances and many unplugged sessions across London. Recently jumping onto the

music scene and leaving her background in photography behind, Only girl has set herself big goals to make her mark in the music industry.

Her sweet ethereal voice has melted the ears of Glastonbury’s Michael Eavis and she is now set to play at the Avalon cafe at Glastonbury 2014. One big tick off Ellen's bucket list stating "It's my first time to Glastonbury; I said

I never wanted to go unless I was performing!" So a heads up to all you Glasto campers, make sure you visit the Avalon cafe on Sunday 6.30pm to catch the voice of Only girl. If (like me) you didn't manage to get yourself a

Glasto ticket this year, you can also catch Only girl performing at i-D magazines Flying Circus stage at Farr Fest on the 19th July.

With these high grade and exciting bookings plus being such a humble person, it was a no brainer for our team to catch up with Ellen to give us an insight into what inspires her to write her music, life, and her plans for 2014.

Read her interview below and watch the behind the scenes video of our shoot where you can find Ellen wearing some of the freshest new designers in London.

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Where did the name Only girl come from?

I didn’t just want to use my name or a nickname; so I wanted to come up with a stage name that encap-sulated me as a person. I’m from a big Irish family and I have four brothers, I am the only girl and it’s something people always say to me ‘ah so you’re the only girl’ and I guess I kind of picked up on that. What sort of music did you listen to growing up, have they influenced you?

I used to listen to the Spice Girls I when I was young, Destiny’s Child were just coming out and that time was all about female empowerment, I even had my own Spice Girls band called ‘Saucy’ haha. Although I also liked punk music, house and electronic from quite a young age, so I guess I have mixed all those elements together.

Where has your musical background come from?

My Dad played the guitar and he taught me the piano, which helped me start to write music. I used to do silly little holiday talent shows and things, I sang ‘my heart will go on’ when I was about 12, I probably totally messed it up but I was always actively involved in it all. However, at uni I moved away from music a bit to do photography. I did lots of live band photography and took pictures of people of stage, one day I thought ‘why am I not doing that myself anymore?’ I think I just didn’t really believe I could do it as a full time career as it’s so hard to get into but as I’ve got older and my confidence has grown I just thought I would give it a go.

So how would you describe your lyrics?

The lyrics are all from personal experience, whether it’s from a break up a few years ago or just things happening now but I think people say that they can feel the emotion in the lyrics which is what I want, people to relate to it in their own way. I think it’s important to have meaningful lyrics that you really believe in, for some reason people really resonate with the sad songs more? I usually come up with a melody first though, that’s where the hook usually comes from, people usually remember a catchy rhythm over the lyrics so I have learnt to write that way around.

www.onlygirlmusic.comtwitter: onlygirlmusicfacebook/onlygirlmusic

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Is it hard to come up with an identity as an artist?

I think that it’s really important so your fans can really work out who you are but it’s important to be yourself. It has to be natural and from the heart because people can tell if you are fake, they can easily sniff out the bullshit. Things like what you wear on stage and how you chat to the crowd are more important than you think; I actually did this couple of days performance training and it helped me realise who I wanted to be as an artist, they asked some really good questions that made you assess yourself.

How did it come about that you performed for Michael Eavis?

They do a competition for emerging talent and I got through to the final 100 which is a bloggers choice. They then choose 8 from those final 100; I couldn’t believe it because I think about 8000 people apply? Everyone playing is really different too, really diverse. Then we went to Glastonbury to perform to a panel of judges including Michael, Huw Stevens and a couple more big music names but they were really nice and down to earth so that was cool. I didn’t actually win that competition but I followed it up afterwards and they put me in touch with the booking agents there and it’s actually worked out and now I’m booked and playing at Glasto!

What are your plans for the next few years?

Well by the end of this year I want to get my album finished and have another EP out, my first single is out in the next few months so I am just getting everything together. Next year would be amazing to release the album, that’s what it’s all heading towards and then I would love to support someone on tour. There’s a guy I really like called Sampha who’s also a producer and has amazing vocals, I would love to work and collaborate with him, I think having a male and female voice blending together is nice.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given about the music industry?

The best advice I have been given is to be true to yourself and don’t let other people mould you too much, you have to stick to your guns, if you think it’s right in your heart go with it. That also comes down to being assertive, you don’t want to be a bitch but at the same time it’s your music and personality so you have to go with what you can be true to in the long run.

Art Direction and Styling: BeExposedPhotography: Catherine O’Donnell

MUA: Lorna ShepherdHair Stylist: Heidi Janes

Interview: Mel Dawson and Holly DunbarFashion Assistant: Will Harper

Jewellery: Maria Francesca PepeJacket: Caslazur

Classically trained on the piano from the age of 6, singer/songwriter Alice Amelia was born in to a

father who’s a composer and violinist for the London Royal Opera House orchestra. This strong musical background has created solid roots of

expression through music.Having just released her 3rd EP “11”, Alice’s career thus far has already seen her take the stage at the 2012 Olympics, support Ellie Goulding & perform at Glastonbury 2013.

Interview: Tiffany Baron

If you had one wish?That it was possible to eat endless amounts of

Where did your love of music stem from?I was born in to a musical family, most of my family members being musicians of some sort another. My mum also use to sing and perform

What kind of music did you listen to when growing up and do you feel this played a big part in your style of music today?Gosh, I grew up listening to so much different music thanks to my parents diverse taste. My Dad would bust out classical, hardcore jazz and

Then on the flip side we’d be cruising down the

Motown and things like the Dirty Dancing soundtrack.

You have just launched your new (EP “11”), which we love! How has this been received

going this year? Thanks! It’s been received great so far with loads of downloads, awesome reviews and blog posts. Obviously being independent, it is diffi-cult to push it to a large-scale audience without a massive budget, but it’s doing well consider-

-ing, ever-growing.

Your video, (for “Soul”) was filmed by Paul

how did you know he was right to shoot your video? One of Paul’s work colleagues came to one of my gigs in Brighton and put me in touch with him; I needed a music video and he wanted

he is really passionate about what he does and most importantly he really understood the song on a deeper level. The 3 boxes

and why?There are so many people I want to work with, that is so difficult to answer agh!! I guess right now, I’d love to work with SBTRKT. He’s got the vibes.

We have heard that you supported Ellie Golding back in 2009! How did this come about and would you say this has this affected your career? It was literally about a week before Ellie got big mainstream and was at a venue in Cam-bridge. I had just started on the proper gig

and the promoter of the gig got in touch. I

all honesty haha! It’s definitely been good to have on the ‘cv’ though.

Would you say though that you prefer play-ing to a larger audience or smaller more

It really depends on the crowd - I’ve played -

much easier to banter with a smaller crowd, which I love to do. But then with a larger audience it’s a completely different ball game, there’s so much energy in the air for everyone to bounce off, which in turn makes me feel more relaxed and able to just fucking go for it haha.

What’s lined up for you over the coming year?

doing a lot of behind-the-scenes work in terms of planning my next career moves,

producers. There are some super big things in the pipeline which I’m peeing my pants with

right now though.

What's playing on your I-pod right now?D’Angelo, Sampha, Disclosure, SZA, Thunder-

loads of old school 90s hip hop, so much goodness!

JoJo - Leave (Get Out) such a classic.

Classically trained on the piano from the age of 6, singer/songwriter Alice Amelia was born in to a

father who’s a composer and violinist for the London Royal Opera House orchestra. This strong musical background has created solid roots of

expression through music.Having just released her 3rd EP “11”, Alice’s career thus far has already seen her take the stage at the 2012 Olympics, support Ellie Goulding & perform at Glastonbury 2013.

Interview: Tiffany Baron

If you had one wish?That it was possible to eat endless amounts of

Where did your love of music stem from?I was born in to a musical family, most of my family members being musicians of some sort another. My mum also use to sing and perform

What kind of music did you listen to when growing up and do you feel this played a big part in your style of music today?Gosh, I grew up listening to so much different music thanks to my parents diverse taste. My Dad would bust out classical, hardcore jazz and

Then on the flip side we’d be cruising down the

Motown and things like the Dirty Dancing soundtrack.

You have just launched your new (EP “11”), which we love! How has this been received

going this year? Thanks! It’s been received great so far with loads of downloads, awesome reviews and blog posts. Obviously being independent, it is diffi-cult to push it to a large-scale audience without a massive budget, but it’s doing well consider-

-ing, ever-growing.

Your video, (for “Soul”) was filmed by Paul

how did you know he was right to shoot your video? One of Paul’s work colleagues came to one of my gigs in Brighton and put me in touch with him; I needed a music video and he wanted

he is really passionate about what he does and most importantly he really understood the song on a deeper level. The 3 boxes

and why?There are so many people I want to work with, that is so difficult to answer agh!! I guess right now, I’d love to work with SBTRKT. He’s got the vibes.

We have heard that you supported Ellie Golding back in 2009! How did this come about and would you say this has this affected your career? It was literally about a week before Ellie got big mainstream and was at a venue in Cam-bridge. I had just started on the proper gig

and the promoter of the gig got in touch. I

all honesty haha! It’s definitely been good to have on the ‘cv’ though.

Would you say though that you prefer play-ing to a larger audience or smaller more

It really depends on the crowd - I’ve played -

much easier to banter with a smaller crowd, which I love to do. But then with a larger audience it’s a completely different ball game, there’s so much energy in the air for everyone to bounce off, which in turn makes me feel more relaxed and able to just fucking go for it haha.

What’s lined up for you over the coming year?

doing a lot of behind-the-scenes work in terms of planning my next career moves,

producers. There are some super big things in the pipeline which I’m peeing my pants with

right now though.

What's playing on your I-pod right now?D’Angelo, Sampha, Disclosure, SZA, Thunder-

loads of old school 90s hip hop, so much goodness!

JoJo - Leave (Get Out) such a classic.

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www.pjcasey.co.uk

Meet Paul Casey, Producer and Director of Alice Amelia’s most recent music video ‘Soul’. This talented videographer has roller coasted his way through the TV industry since graduating from Gloucestershire Uni and is now producing, directing and shooting content for broadcast and online.Paul has grown to be a trusted and integral part of Jamie Oliver’s television/online production team, winning various awards including “Best Original Web Channel” at the Broadcast Digital Awards 2013 for “Jamie Oliver’s Foodtube” channel. Fast becoming a big deal for producing and shooting food content, he now steps into the world of music creating a beautiful video for Alice Amelia’s latest single ‘Soul’.

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In this issue we are talking about city living and how as individuals our Earth affects us. How do you think growing up in London has affected your art, your career and your interests?

Growing up in London has given me direct exposure to such a vast range of people, cultures and art and design inspiration. I have lived in London my whole life and believe its social diversity, history and enriched culture are a great influence on my work. In London there is always something, somewhere or someone new (or old) to be explored.

You studied graphic design at the University of East London, how did you find the course?

I never intended to study graphic design and illustration, when I originally applied for my foundation degree my plan was to go on to study architecture. After a year I realised that wasn't where my passion lay. During the first year I worried a lot about my lack of digital skills in graphics. I had never used Adobe packages and teaching the creative suite is not part of the course. However a tutor told me that without concept or understanding of the idea you wish to communicate those skills are of little use, he said "you can't polish a turd!" I taught myself over the next 2 years, thank God for YouTube. Part of my final major project was actually a moving image piece created in After Effects something I would never had believed I could do.

What were the most important things you learnt?Personally, how to take criticism 'positively' and to have confidence in my ideas and work. Technically, typography and layout composition have been really important to my work.

Now as well as working freelance you work for Com-munity Links. Can you tell us more about the charity, how they help people and young creatives can get involved?

Community Links is an east London social action charity working with 16,000 people each year. It has over 35 years experience working in one of the most deprived, diverse and vibrant areas in the country.I am part of the Enterprise Team a project funded by Barclays. We work with 18-35 year olds who wish to set up their own businesses, providing a free three step training programme as well as practical advice and opportunities to improve business skills and confidence.

My role is to provide marketing and graphic design for the project and work in particular with participants who are arts based. A major part of the project is Established East London our practice trading opportunity. We set up and run pop up market stalls and shops in order to give young artists the chance to retail in high profile environments. Last year I ran a pop up shop in Westfield Stratford City over the summer. This gave 47 entrepreneurs the chance to retail in a high profile environment. Our vision is to create a retail environment that is supportive, engaging, challenging and open to new ideas.

we caught up with east london based graphic designer and artist chiyedza gavhure about her inspiration, living in london and her ‘fork ed mafia’ exclusive piece for beexposed.

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What is the most challenging part of creating art for you?

Probably the bit after having an initial idea and doing preliminary research; after that I tend to have so much going on, mood boards, articles, colour swatches, types etc, it's then a case of honing in on one idea. I find that hard, I can get carried away, I want it all!

Can you give us some advice for entrepreneurs and freelancers?

I started off doing small jobs for people whilst at uni, often for not much money or even free. It's important to show consistency and efficiency in the way you work and deliver projects. People will come back and word of mouth is the best form of advertising for most freelancers. It’s about building a strong client base. Organisation and clear communication with clients is very important, but don't let people take what you do for granted there is a reason they require your skill or expertise.

Your personal work involves the ‘Fork ed mafia’ can you explain a bit more about that concept and where the idea came from?

It was mostly a random one! At home about two years ago I had spent a lot of time working on illustrations for an exhibition a friend of mine was organising in Brick Lane. Until then I’d say much of my work had quite a delicate perhaps poetic feel and was almost all in pastel and neutral tones. I wanted a contrast and the night before the exhibition decided I would create one piece totally different. I have a lot of friends who are into street especially on London graffiti scene; I get inspiration from some of the work they produce in the Forks. I wanted to do something that was more a reflection of me at the time; my style, life and thoughts about the direction I wanted my work to take. It had changed a lot since leaving uni so I guess it was a reaction to that.

What are you plans for the summer? Are you going anywhere to inspire you creatively? Or to any cool events?

For me summer is for festivals, I love them. I spend the rest of the year creating and buying costumes for summer festival frolicking! I love the atmosphere, happiness, colours, music and freedom.

What’s next for you, where would you like to be in say 5 or 10 years time?

I would love to work on the set up and creation of a festival that would be the dream. I get a great buzz from working with different clients and seeing their brand or style grow and become recognised. I definitely want to pursue my career working in the arts sector I believe that to take part in, engage with and have access to arts based activities, performances and events positively benefits individuals and has the potential to improve, on a long term basis, the lives of people that use, interact and live in the areas where services are made available. In a city that is as inter-connected and culturally diverse as London access to arts should be an integral part of the regeneration and development of public spaces.