Matias Faldbakken: shocked into abstractation.

I WENT TO AN EXHIBIT RECENTLY AT THE IKON GALLERY IN TOWN AS IT WAS RECOMENDED TO ME BY ONE OF MY TEACHERS AS THERE WAS A SUICIDE EXHIBITION ON WHICH WOULD HELP ME GATHER INSPIRATION FOR MY GARMENT HOWEVER AS I ENTERED I FOUND MYSELF LOOKING AROUND THE 1ST FLOOR AT THE 'SHOCKED INTO ABSTRACTATION' EXHIBIT WHICH I FOUND FASCINATING. THIS EXHIBIT CONSISTED OF A BURNT CAR, SOME CASSETTE TAPES, TAPE ARRANGED ON VARIOUS CANVAS'S AND A WALL COVERED IN SPLATTERED PAINT.OF COURSE THERE WAS A MEANING TO EACH OF THESE PIECES HOWEVER. AS I READ THROUGH THE ARTIST'S BOOK I FOUND MYSELF LOOKING AT THESE PIECES IN A DIFFERENT LIGHT. FOR INSTANCE THE CAR WAS NO MORE THAN A CAR 'THAT HAS BEEN BURNT DOWN TO A DYSFUNCTIONAL CARCASS AND THAT HAS BEEN NAMED ABSTRACT' MATIAS ALSO SAID THAT 'THE WHOLE POINT WAS TAKING AN OBJECT THAT WOULD IMMEDIATELY HAVE ALL KINDS OF DRAMATIC POLITICAL CONNOTATIONS AND THEN EMPTYING IT OG ALL SUCH THINGS, ENDING UP WITH WHAT IS ESSENTIALLY A RATHER VAPID FORMAL GESTURE' - THIS WAS ESSENTIALLY HOW I FELT ABOUT MY VOODOO DOLLS, HOW THEY WERE BASICALLY NOTHING MORE THAN A HAIR MOULD OF A WHAT WAS FORMALLY A PLASTIC DOLL HOWEVER STRIPPED TO A CAST IT COULD BE INTERPRETED IN SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS.
I LOVE IT HOW ALL HIS WORK MAKES YOU QUESTION WHAT HIS MOTIVE OR REASONING WAS TO CREATE IT AND LAY IT OUT IN THE WAY THAT HE HAS, APPARENTLY HELF HEARTEDNESS IS THE CORE PART OF HIS PRODUCTION, HE WOULD LEAVE THE OBJECTS IN THE WAY THE MOVERS LEFT THEM TO ADD TO THE ABSTRACT NATURE OF THE PIECES WHICH I PERSONALLY THINK IS REALLY CLEVER AS EACH PIECE DOSEN'T LOOK TO THOUGHT OUT.

jacob kimmie.

- A MONTH OR TWO AGO MY TEACHER EMILY ASKED US WEATHER WE WOULD LIKE TO WORK WITH A FASHION DESIGNER CALLED JACOB KIMMIE TO HELP HIM PREPAR FOR LONDON FASHION WEEK, IF WE DESIRED THE OPPERTUNITY WE WERE TO SEND HER A 500 WORD ESSAY ON WHY WE SHOULD BE CHOSEN FOR IT, THIS WAS ALSO OPEN TO THE SECOND AND FOUNDATION YEARS.
AT FIRST I WASN'T GOING TO BECAUSE I DIDN'T THINK I WOULD HAVE A CHANCE BUT SENT MY EMAIL LAST MINUTE REGARDLESS JUST SO I WOULDN'T REGRET IT LATER.
WE THEN BROKE UP FOR CHRISTMAS AND CAME BACK AND THE PEOPLE CHOSEN WERE ANNOUNCED WHEN WE ARRIVED MONDAY MORNING. I WAS TO BE PUT FORTH FOR AN INTERVIEW WITH 18 OTHERS. I WAS ABSOLUTLY SHOCKED, MY EMAIL WAS PROBABLY 100 WORDS LONG AND CONCISTED OF ME BABBLING ON ABOUT HOW MUCH I'D LOVE TO WORK FOR HIM AND HOW GOOD MY ATTENDANCE AND PUNCTUALITY WAS WHICH PROBABLY MADE HER PULL A FACE AS SHE READ IT AS I'M CONSTANTLY LATE AND SPEND MOST MY MORNINGS BEFORE COLLEGE IN COSTA.
ANYWAY, AFTER THE RESULTS WERE ANNOUNCED WE WERE TOLD THE INTERVIEW WAS AT 5PM ON THE SAME DAY! I DON'T THINK IV'E LOOKED WORSE FOR A NORMAL DAY OF COLLEGE SO I MET KERRY, WENT HOME AND CAME OUT DRESSED IN A SUMMER DRESS AND A FUR COAT TO BRAVE THE SNOW, NOT MY BEST IDEA! I NEARLY SLIPPED 29239 TIMES AND THOUGHT I'D ENTER MY INTERVIEW COVERED IN SLUSH. 10 CARAMEL MACCHIATO'S LATER I BRAVED THE WALK DOWN DIGBETH IN MY SOAKING WET DOLLY SHOES, SHAKING WITH COLD AND NERVES AND ARRIVED AT MY INTERVIEW.
I SAT DOWN NOT EVEN THINKING TO TAKE MY COAT OFF AND SPOKE ABOUT HOW MUCH I LOVED FASHION AND MY ASPIRATIONS TO BECOME A FASHION DESIGNER ONE DAY, I PERSONALLY DIDN'T THINK IT WENT VERY WELL AS I JUST SAT THERE TWIDDLING MY THUMBS FOR MOST OF THE INTERVIEW NOT KNOWING WHAT TO SAY HOWEVER I GOT IT!
I WAS THRILLED AS IM QUITE A BIG FAN OF HIS ANYWAY SO IM SO HAPPY THAT I CAN SAY I WORKED WITH HIM AND HOPEFULLY LEARN ALOT.

SO HELLO LONDON FASHION WEEK, NOW FOR THE NEXT CHALLENGE. WHAT TO WEAR?

carole ann duffy.

Beloved sweetheart bastard. Not a day since then

I haven't wished him dead, Prayed for it

so hard I've dark green pebbles for eyes,

ropes on the back of my hands I could strangle with.



Spinster. I stink and remember. Whole days

in bed cawing Nooooo at the wall; the dress

yellowing, trembling if I open the wardrobe;

the slewed mirror, full-length, her, myself, who did this



to me? Puce curses that are sounds not words.

Some nights better, the lost body over me,

my fluent tongue in its mouth in its ear

then down till I suddenly bite awake. Love's



hate behind a white veil; a red balloon bursting

in my face. Bang. I stabbed at a wedding-cake.

Give me a male corpse for a long slow honeymoon.

Don't think it's only the heart that b-b-b-breaks.

///

Salome



I'd done it before

(and doubtless I'll do it again,

sooner or later)

woke up with a head on the pillow beside me -whose? -

what did it matter?

Good- looking, of course, dark hair, rather matted;

the reddish beard several shades lighter;

with very deep lines around the eyes,

from pain, I'd guess, maybe laughter;

and a beautiful crimson mouth that obviously knew

how to flatter...

which I kissed...

Colder than pewter.

Strange. What was his name? Peter?



Simon? Andrew? John? J knew I'd feel better

for tea, dry toast, no butter,

so rang for the maid.

And, indeed, her innocent clatter

of cups and plates,

her clearing of clutter,

her regional patter,

were just what needed -

hungover and wrecked as J was from a night on the batter.



Never again!

I needed to clean up my act,

get fitter,

cut out the booze and the fags and the sex.

Yes. And as for the latter,

it was time to turf out the blighter,

the beater or biter,

who'd come like a lamb to the slaughter

to Salome's bed.



In tile mirror, I saw my eyes glitter.

I flung back the sticky red sheets,

and there, like I said -and ain't life a bitch -

was his head on a platter.



- THERES NO REAL REASON FOR POSTING THESE IF I'M HONEST,I JUST LOVE THE DUFFY POEMS. I REMEMBER STUDYING THEM IN ENGLISH BEFORE AND BECOMING INSPIRED BY THIS WOMANS AMAZING ABILITY TO WRITE POETRY AND TRANSFORM THE CONVENTIONAL LOVE POEM INTO SOMETHING QUITE CONTRIVERSIAL AND BEAUTIFUL AT THE SAME TIME.
I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO HEAR THIS WOMAN PERFORM EACH OF HER MOST FAMOUS POEMS AT WOLVERHAMPTON BEFORE AS WE WENT ON AN ENGLISH TRIP. THE DAY OVERALL WAS TEDIOUS, IT CONCISTED OF BORING INDIVIDUALS READING THERE DULL POEMS WITH NO SUBSTANCE AND DESCRIBING HOW THEY WERE INSPIRED TO WRITE THEM IN THE FIRST PLACE.
I REMEMBER WHEN DUFFY CAME OUT THOUGH, THE WHOLE MOOD CHANGED IN THE ROOM AND SUDDENLY MOST PEOPLE SAT UP AND SHE BECAME DRAWN IN BY THE WOMAN STANDING AT THE PODEUM RECITING HER POEMS. I SAY MOST PEOPLE, QUITE ALOT DIDN'T GET HER AND WONDERED WHY SHE WROTE ABOUT SUCH THINGS, I LIKED HER THOUGH, I LIKE PEOPLE THAT TAKE A DIFFERENT APPROACH TO THINGS, I PARTICULARLY LOVE HER POEMS BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO SEARCH DEEPER TO FIND THE TRUE MEANING WHICH GIVES THEM DEPTH.
I'D LOVE TO WRITE POETRY, ME AND KERRY TRIED ON THE WAY BACK I BELIEVE, IT WASN'T TO BAD AS I RECALL, NOTHING CAME OF IT THOUGH, IT WENT ON OUR MYSPACE FOR A SHORT WHILE THEN WE TOOK IT OFF, I MAY TAKE MORE TIME TO FIND POEMS LIKE THIS, IT MAY HELP ME DRAW INSPIRATION FOR MY DESIGNS AT SOME POINT.

london.

8:00AM, WAKE UP, COFFEE, GET DRESSED, HEAD TO MOOR STREET. THIS WAS MY FIRST TIME TO LONDON, WHAT HAVE I BEEN DOING FOR SIXTEEN YEARS? I'VE BEEN MISSING OUT! HELLO TOPSHOP WITH 33738FLOORS, HEAVEN.
I ACTUALLY LOVE IT THERE, THE SCENERY, THE PEOPLE, THE ATMOSPHERE, THE STREET PERFORMERS, LONDON HAS EVERYTHING POSSIBLE ON OFFER, AND THE BOYS, OOOLALA.
I LOVE HOW FASHION HAS NO BOUNDRIES THERE ASWELL AND EVERYONE LOOKS DIFFERENT.
I ALSO LOVE HOW WE MADE IT OUT OF THE RAIN (AFTER GETTING SOAKED BY A BUS) AND FOUND REFUGE IN A STARBUCKS AND THE FIRST PERSON I SAW WAS THE STYLIST OFF RICKKI LAKE!
I CAN'T WAIT TO MOVE THERE WHEN I'M OLDER, IT'S THE PLACE TO BE, RIDDEN WITH OPPERTUNITY AND FRESH FACES, EVERYWHERE YOU TURN THERES SOMETHING DIFFERENT, WEST END STARS SIGNING AUTOGRAPHS AT THE BACK GATES, TRAMPS SITTING ON THE FLOOR IN A PICADILY CIRCUS DRAWING THE SCENERY, MEN ON UNICYCLYES, POLICE ON HORSES PACING DOWN THE OLD COBBLED STREETS.
IT WAS AS PRETTY AS I PICTURED, EVEN WITH THE MANIC RUSH OF HUMAN TRAFFIC, WE DECIDED TO CAPTURE THIS, FIRST OF ALL WITH A FEW GENERAL SNAP SHOTS OF GRAPHITI, A WOMAN FEEDING THE PIGEONS IN A 'FEED THE BIRDS' FASHION, THEN WE SET UP THE TRIPOD AND THE START OF THE ROAD LEADING UP TO BUCKINGHAM PALACE AND SET THE CAMERA ON MACRO AND TRIED TO BLUR THE CARS TRAVELLING PAST. OKAY, WE DID GET A FEW STRANGE LOOKS BUT WE GOT A FEW PHOTOS IN THE END.
I WOULD HAVE LOVED TO CHECK OUT ALL THE VINTAGE STORES BUT THERE JUST WASN'T ENOUGH TIME TO DO IT ALL IN ONE DAY! NEXT TIME!

4.11.09 college photoshoot.

I DID THIS PHOTOSHOOT FOR A PROJECT FOR COLLEGE AS WE HAD TO DESIGN A STAND FOR THE CLOTHES SHOW, OUR DESIGN WAS TO HAVE THE BIRMINGHAM STREET SCENE IN A PHOTO VERSION AND TO CONTINUE THE REST USING GRAPHIC DESIGN, THESE PHOTOS WERE TO BE PHOTOSHOPPED TO GET RID OF THE BACKGROUND AND TO BE PLACED ONTO THE STREET SCENE TO LOOK ASIF SHE WAS WALKING DOWN THE STREET.
WE CHOSE MEL (FROM THE SECOND YEAR) TO MODEL AS SHE LOOKS EDGY AND CARRYS OF THE CLOTHES WELL (WHICH WERE MADE ALSO BY THE SECOND YEARS).
WE DID NOT WIN THE COMPETITION HOWEVER BUT I WAS PLEASED WITH THE END RESULT, I WOULD HAVE LIKED TO STAGE THIS PHOTOSHOOT IN A PROPER SET UP WITH PROPER LIGHTING HOWEVER AS IT WOULD HAVE MADE THEM LOOK MORE PROFESSIONAL.

le german market, birmingham.

I LOVE THE GERMAN MARKET, IT'S ONE OF MY FAVOURITE PLACES TO GO AT CHRISTMAS TIME WITH IT'S VARIETY OF OLD FASHIONED TOYS AND FOOD, AND NOT TO MENTION THE GORGEOUS MEN BEHIND EACH STALL ;)
I DECIDED TO GO THERE ONE DAY TO SEE WHAT I COULD CAPTURE AND THATS WHAT THE TURN OUT WAS.

19/12/09 SK headline gig/02 academy, birmingham.

THESE PHOTOS WERE TAKEN AT THE STRANGLE KOJAK HEADLINE GIG WHICH WAS A HUGE GIG FOR THEM HELD AT ACADEMY 2, BIRMINGHAM, EVEN SHARING THE BANNER WITH BABYSHAMBLES.
THIS WAS A SELL OUT GIG SELLING OVER 6OO TICKETS FOR THE LAUNCH OF THERE NEW EP.
I LIKE THESE PHOTOS HOWEVER I WISH I HAD PHOTOSHOP SO I DONT HAVE TO REDUCE THE SIZE AND COPY AND PASTE THEM INTO PAINT, WRITE MY LOGO ON AND THEN SAVE THEM AS IT REDUCES THE PICTURE QUALITY.
ALSO, OTHER IDEAS FOR MY LOGO WOULD BE APPREICATED, THIS IS A TEMP FOR NOW JUST TO PREVENT COPYRIGHT.