Put down your paintbrushes... the secret to being a successful artist is out...

Image copyright Congo the Chimpanzee

I was reading some article on how to make it as an artist. They churned out some spiel on how you should be creative and relevant..... creative and artist, are you sure!!!!

They then gave a list of 10 things to do to make it as an artist......

10. Be smart. (i'm fairly smart, even if I do say so myself)

9. Know your weaknesses. (easy.... lack of funds)

8. Know your strengths (a good conceptual eye... yep, only the one)

7. The artist must be willing to be critiqued by third parties (non-family/friend) (feel free)

6. You can't let one opinion bring you down. (I won't and I don't)

5. Practice your craft. (I am doing)

4. Be proactive and get involved. (involved and procative is my double-barreled middle name)

3. Play with other people. (not sure what it's implying, but I like to play)

2. Take chances (tick)

1. Be assertive. (10 out of 10... Now give me some money!)

I often wonder who actually comes up with lists like these. I'd like to meet them. Ask them why the frig they feel the need to share such wisdom with us. Do they think they are going to change the life of any 'artist' by writing this bollocks. 

The bottom line is this...  there are millions and millions of 'artists' out there..... you can have as many top 10 lists as you want, but unless you have (some) talent and a big fat slice of luck then you'll probably just end up writing on a blog, moaning about it all whilst teaching the next generation to be optimistic about the world. 

On another note, this week i've mostly been listening to THESE.

Cause and Effect

Glinka

Reuters Best of the Year

Image copyright VALENTIN FLAURAUD

I spotted this over at Manchester Photography Blog. Some fantastic and powerful images to be seen via the Reuters Best of the Year website HERE.

I particularly love image No. 11 by MARKO DJURICA, No.23 by DANISH SIDDIQU, No.33 by ADREES LATIF  (reminds of a Jeff Wall photograph), No.53 by ANDREW BIRAJ and number 5 by VALENTIN FLAURAUD (my favourite).

have a butchers. See what you think.

Not been posting on here for a while. work and what not blah blah blah.... but I will be posting more over the next few days, so turn your internet off now!!!!

Cause and Effect

15 minutes of fame

It's so cold at the moment!! Yikes!!! I'm sure some of you are getting tired of listening to us bleating on about stuff so as Warhol once predicted we are offering our own 15 minutes of fame. We are gonna start regularly doing interviews with people around town that you might wanna know about! If you would like to be considered for a short interview on our blog please email us at causeandeffect@hotmail.co.uk

Anouska
Cause and Effect

BlankWeekend is here...

Image copyright Raggaphoto

Blank Media are putting together a massive and spectacular weekend of art events in and around Manchester City Centre, November 12 - 14. Lots of interesting things going on from street art to photography and fine art exhibitions at various locations. Read here for a nice little write up on the weekend and some very kind words written about yours truly! Ooooooh my mum would be proud.

Glinka

Cause and Effect

Jeff Wall v's Gregory Crewdson....

I was having a good old chin wag with a fellow photo type and the works of Jeff Wall and Gregory Crewdson came up in terms of whose was better. As a fan of both I'm able to appreciate that they are great photographers but for me Jeff Wall is the man. If ever you've seen his photo's in the flesh you'll know how amazing they are (not that Crewdson's aren't) 


Here's three of may favourite photo's by both...

Jeff Wall

Gregory Crewdson

... what do you guys reckon?

Glinka

Cause and Effect

Temporary Autonomous Arts 10-13th November.

This looks so interesting and one not to miss. The Temporary Autonomous Arts exhibition starts on the 10th November until the 13th at a secret disused location. The idea of this creative event is to encompass all disciplines of art, from workshops to poetry, film, photography, installations and pretty much everything! It's open for everyone to join in and take part or volunteer. To find out more details check out their pages -
http://www.taaexhibitions.org/
http://www.myspace.com/taamanchester


Anouska
Cause and Effect

Brian Griffin

Image copyright Brian Griffin

I've long been an admirer of Brian Griffin's work but I've never really been blown away by it. There's no doubting that he's a top photographer/artist and he is regarded by many as Britain's best photographer. I love The Big Tie project he did but some of his other stuff I just don't connect, although I can appreciate the technical qualities. Anyway, do check out his website and have a ganders for yourselves. See what you think.

Cause and Effect

Glinka

The Diving bell and The Butterfly!!!!

Anouska posted THIS last week. I myself watched it last night and all I can add to her original post is bloody 'ell! I don't think I've ever seen anything like it. Amazing!

Cause and Effect

Glinka

November, November...

I Normally hate the month of November. It's right after halloween, which I hate, every night it's dark by 5pm, it's always bleeding wet and then there's bonfire night - which I can not stand!

But low and behold, despite all the above, the month of November 2010 seems to be a good one. I managed to get a 'proper' job (my mum will finally be happy), I am also celebrating some other good, personal news and there are some good exhibitions coming up....

Novemeber 11th at Nexus Art Cafe there is a show called 'Flesh and Blood' (when on their website click on ART to see more details on the show). 


'Flesh and Blood is a creative insight, through mixed and multi-media, photography and video, reflecting the diverse experience of family… in all its oddness'. 
Sounds right up my street. Canny wait! Although there is no mention on the Nexus website, I hear from very good source that Cause and Effect favourite, Debbie Yates is exhibiting as part of the show.

As well as that there is also BlankWeekend, which if you read closely enough on their website, you'll see that I'm one of the participating artists where, in exchange for some of your pennies you can grab yourself some marvellous art! 

More to come....

Cause and Effect

Glinka 

Free Money For Young Photographers!!!

It certainly does sound to good to be true. And for me it is! I am no longer 'young', well not young enough to qualify for this. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrr! Why, because I'm not 29, is it presumed that I'm ok for cash?! I'd love an opportunity to get my hands on £1000 or so for a project. Please someone start a funding programme just for people in their 30's!!!!!! Anyway, I'm basically just jealous as I AM too old to qualify for THIS. (I know I don't look a day over 24!)


But if you are aged between16-25 (although it does say that it stretches the upper age limit to 30 since it is so hard to break into photography) then what are you waiting for?


In the mean time, anyone got a dirty car? Because I have a bucket and sponge!


Glinka


Cause and Effect

Le Scaphandre et le Papillon - The Diving bell and The Butterfly

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly is a true story about Jean - Dominique Bauby, a fashion editor at Elle who suffered a devastating stroke. His stroke left him with 'locked in' syndrome, with movement only in his left eye. The film is an adaptation of his book 'Le Scaphandre et le Papillon' which he wrote with a translator using the blink of his left eye as the only means of communicating. It is very moving story, witty at times and humbling. I can't think of a more traumatic circumstance than what 'Jean - Do' had to endure.

I really wanted to see this film for a long time but I was putting it off because I thought I would find the subject matter quite difficult because as a child my own father suffered a stroke and subsequent paraylsis. I shouldn't have worried, the film is beautifully shot and captivating. You see insights into his life working at a glossy magazine, his regrets with past loves... (you can't help but think he was a bit of a player), the relationship he had with his father and his own kids. It's a great film and one I would whole heartedly recommend if you haven't seen it already.
Anouska
Cause and Effect

Antoine D'Agata

Image copyright Antoine D'Agata

Nothing new here in terms of work but I just can't get away from Antoine D'Agata's work. The most refreshing and perhaps surprising member of magnum photography.  

“The night, the sex, the wandering… and the need to photograph it all, not so much the perceived act but more like a simple exposure to common and even extreme experiences… It is an inseparable part of photographic practice, in a certain sense, to grasp at existence or risk, desire, the unconsciousness and chance, all of which continue to be essential elements. No moral posturing, no judgement, simply the principle of affirmation, necessary to explore certain universes, to go deep inside, without any care. A ride into photography to the vanishing point of orgasm and death.”

“I photograph to face the world. I engage the same inexhaustible protocol, traversing and being traversed by experiences whose common denominator is excess. Confronting the inherent contradictions to the use of documentary photography, I document what I live and live the situations I document. I structure a physical and psychic path overshadowed by risk, hazard, desire and unconsciousness in a frantic search for the feeling of being alive,being part of life, belonging to life. To give a transcription of my position in the social and physical order, to escape organic and political passivity, I invent a scenario that I condemned myself to live out, to the letter and in the flesh.”

— Antoine D’Agata

D'Agata seems to live on the edge, and yet it still doesn't seem to satisfy his sexual fix. Powerful, shocking, empty and beautiful.... his images have it all and after viewing them for the umpteenth time, I still don't know how to feel - except I know I bleeding love 'em. Antoine D'Agata, a cross between Robert Capa and Henri Cartier Bresson on smack!