Creativity in the UK

TATE-MODERN

The TATE: MODERN

After five weeks in London, our adventure is coming to an end. This trip has been an exciting and eye-opening experience that I will never forget. I feel that I have learned so much through my classes, vacations, and just walking around the city. I have met amazing people and experienced things I never knew existed. London is truly a remarkable city and is going to be hard to leave.

Our first week here, I could already tell how different London was from America. The people, the customs, the manners… they were all unlike our usual culture. Of course I noticed the crazy outfits, the bright red busses, the incredible architecture, but the thing I noticed most was how original the people were. The people of London seem to be true individuals. Everybody here has their own style. It does not matter to them what other people are thinking, they do not care. In the United States I see more groups and “cliques” of people- groups of friends that all dress the same and like to always do things together. In London, when getting on the tube, you notice that it seems like everybody is alone or in a couple. They are not occupied with their friends and chatting as they ride the train. Everybody is quietly sitting and keeping to them selves. It was very easy to point out our group as tourists because of the way we all traveled together and giggled throughout the train rides. The London people just care about themselves and have no interest in judging others or feeling insecure.

This past week we visited the exposed exhibit at the Tate Modern. This was a great example of how unique London culture is. I have never seen anything like this type of art in the US. The exhibit focused on Voyeurism, Surveillance, and the Camera. It was a series of photos taken without the subject knowing. It started with candid photos of everyday people and then moved to paparazzi photos of celebrities. Some of the photos dated back many years ago during Elizabeth Taylor’s younger years. It was very interesting to see how much photography has progressed through time. The exhibit then turned a little more gruesome. It featured candid photos of prostitutes and people having sex in public. I found these pictures a bit disturbing and sad. I didn’t think that the artwork could get anymore depressing, and then I saw the photos displayed of live suicide acts. There were photos of people jumping out of buildings and off bridges, plummeting to their death. The photos got worse and worse. The photographs themselves were honestly outstanding pieces of artwork, but the things that they featured were terrifying.

The Tate exhibit is just one example of how different London’s culture is. It has such a diverse group of individuals. Some of these individuals obviously enjoy viewing these gruesome photographs for pleasure. It is amazing to see all the different kinds of people and the different activities offered. London has inspired me to try to branch out and be more unique myself.

Banksy

Bansky

Bansky is an anonymous graffiti artist who paints his incredible graffiti on buildings and walls all across the UK and other various locations. He presents his ideas and aspects of politics in street art around the world. Although some believe Bansky’s art to be vandalism and a disturbance to neighborhoods, others are inspired by it and see it as beautiful art. His art is praised more by younger generations. These followers of Bansky seek out his work and try to imitate him with graffiti of their own. People have found that this graffiti is a great way to be able to speak out and express their thoughts. It is truly amazing how Bansky is able to inspire such appreciation and also provoke such fury among his viewers. Bansky also does paid work for charities and illustrations for corporations, including ad campaigns.

It is a mystery how Bansky has been able to keep his identity a secret. He works hard to keep his real name out of the spotlight of the media. Recently people have spotted him without his mask and found clues into his true identity. However, very few people have been able to interview Bansky face-to-face and truly get a good look at the man who creates such marvelous artwork.

In this photo, Bansky presents a painter applying wallpaper onto the side of a building. The wallpaper is covered in graffiti art. I believe that Bansky is trying to speak back to all of the people who have been criticizing his work and calling it vandalism. I think he is just trying to make a statement that street art in general is truly beautiful and should be desired in a neighborhood. It gives a location character and gives people a chance to present ideas. By painting a man applying graffiti wallpaper, it seems like he is saying that street graffiti is so beautiful that someone would want it in their home as wall paper.

Symbols

Numbers

10.

London Elephant Parade

London Elephant Parade 2010

“Big Heart Open Mind” by: Julia Rogers

Green Park

All around London you can see these beautiful displays of creative art. London’s Elephant Parade is a conservation campaign that is raising money and support for the crisis being faced with the endangered Asian Elephant. These remarkable displays of creativity have enhanced the environment in areas throughout the city. There are 250 elephants total. You can find them in bunches in different parks, or you can find them individually sitting on the sidewalk in front of a building. Each elephant is auctioned off and the bids are used for the cause.

This elephant caught my eye when I was walking through Green Park. It’s bright colors and unusual pattern are what first attracted me to it. It looks like at first the elephant was just painted with black and white stripes. Then the artist finds a way to transform a dull, boring pattern into something abstract and bright. This happy, fun, and bright elephant could put anybody in a better mood and add amazing amounts of joy to everyone in the environment surrounding it.