Tales From A Reading Room

East is East

Last Saturday a dear friend of mine organized a fantastic tour of East London Street Art. The Sun was shinning and temperatures high, we started our day by meeting up at Shoreditch House for some brunch, good friends and family from London and two friends from Spain who are not all familiar with East London our group in its self is a melting pot of nationalities as none of us are born in London.

Once fed and energized we strolled to Liverpool station to meet our Street Art knowledge bank and off we went to discover the vast art that is spread out over parts of East London. Concentrating around the Brick Lane area, which is filled with history, like the legend of Jack the Ripper and many layers of cultures, religions and famous artists.  I knew the area well enough having lived in London for more than 20 years but did not know much about street art and how big it has become in the East and around London.

It was a enriching day, sun, art, history and great friends. I recommend this to everyone, yet another thing that makes London so special is that its always filled with surprises.

I love you London xo

All pictures taken by Vision of Splendor with my iPhone.

Here is the link to book your tour,

http://www.insider-london.co.uk/london-graffiti-artists-walking-tours/

“I am Worthy of Love and Respect, I Love and Approve of Myself Exactly as I am. I am Safe”

Chocolate Layers

Murray Fredericks

" The Photography is not a documentary, I don't even call it landscapes as such. It's about space, it's about the mind's relationship to emptiness and a visual representations of that" Murray Fredericks

 Australian born Murray Fredericks is no ordinary photographer, he sets of on solo journeys to remote locations for weeks at a time, with only the horizon line as his point of reference, using time-lapse sequences to shoot these surreal and magical images.

He deliberately avoids any animal, natural or human features that would give his work a sense of scale to his pictures. His work connects you to earth and draws your vision to infinity, solitude and fortitude, it is yet very human and otherworldly at the same time.

Whether shooting in Lake Eyre Australia or a remote glacial vastness of Greenland, both with constantly changing weather, storms, rain, Aurora Borelis , the Sun, the Stars and the Moon are what keeps him company.

Watch the Salt Documentary a fascinating look into his journey that the final product speaks volumes of. I encountered his work in London Hamilton's Gallery Murray's where owner Tim Jeffrey's had hosted his first solo UK exhibition, I was so enchanted that I bought a piece on the spot, not something I have ever done, but oh so worth it, I stare at the beautiful horizon everyday and it brings me a sense of peace and lightness.

Click on the Short TimeLapse sequence called Iridium it is mesmerizing, he also has been featured in National Geographic and his works sit in the private collection of Elton John,Valentino and National Portrait Gallery amongst many others.

www.murrayfredericks.com.au/projects/salt/video/Iridium_733.webm

www.murrayfredericks.com.au

To buy or view his work contact Hamiltons Gallery his representative in London,

www.hamiltonsgallery.com

Saluti da Capri

Arrivo!! Photo via Google

Ave Ceasar Photo Vision of Splendor

Il Mare Slim Aarons

Love the signs...One of these is my Hotel.. photo via Tumblr.

Capri Style 1970's by Slim Aarons

Pink Heaven photo via Tumblr

Mama Mia the best plate of Pasta in the world! Photo by Vision of Splendor

Long beautiful walk to Marina Piccola Via Krupp..

Nothing to do with Capri...but David Gandy looks Italian and dresses beautifully like the men did in the past..and basically no need to explain. Bello

A room with a view, blue and green...photo by Vision of Splendor

Bella Marisa in Capri 1970's by Slim Aarons. This is how I wish I looked on the beach.

Capri Traditional "gozzi"...me on this very soon.

Arrivederci London! On my way to the magic of Capri sun, sea, beauty, Amore and mangare mangare and mangare. xo

The Incarnations of Kimiko Yoshida

LOUIS XIV AS THE RISING SUN IN "LE BALLET DE LA NUIT" AT VERSAILLES. SELF-PORTRAIT, 2010. COURTESY PACO RABANNE

SULTAN SALADIN THE GREAT. SELF-PORTRAIT, 2010. COURTESY PACO RABANNE

GODDESS OF WAR ATHENA BY KLIMT. SELF-PORTRAIT, 2010.   COURTESY PACO RABANNE

WISE KING MELCHIOR BY MANTEGNA. SELF-PORTRAIT, 2010. COURTESY PACO RABANNE

THE GOLDEN BRIDE FROM FEZ, SELF-PORTRAIT 2005. COURTESY OF THE ISRAEL MUSUEM, JERUSALEM

QUEEN OF FRANCE MARIE DE' MEDICI BY RUBENS. SELF-PORTRAIT, 2010. COURTESY PACO RABANNE

EL CONQUISTADOR HERNAN CORTES AS EL DORADO. SELF-PORTRAIT, 2010. COURTESY PACO RABANNE

LAST SAMURAI KATSUMOTO. SELF-PORTRAIT, 2010. COURTESY OF PACO RABANNE.

THE TORERO BRIDE WITH A BLACK SUIT OF LIGHTS , REMEMBERING PICASSO. SELF-PORTRAIT 2006.

ASSOMPTION OF VIRGIN MARY BY TINTORETTO. SELF-PORTRAIT, 2010. COURTESY OF PACO RABANNE.

SAINT AUGUSTIN BY EL GRECO. SELF-PORTRAIT, 2010. COURTESY OF PACO RABANNE.

WOMAN OF ALGIERS BY DELACROIX. SELF-PORTRAIT, 2007-2009

PHARAON BY GUSTAVE DORÉ, SELF-PORTRAIT, 2007-2009

SISTINE MADONNA BY RAPHAEL. SELF-PORTRAIT, 2010. COURTESY OF PACO RABANNE.

KING OF FRANCE FRANCOIS I BY JEAN CLOUET. SELF-PORTRAIT, 2010.COURTESY OF PACO RABANNE.

JUDITH BY CRANACH THE ELDER. SELF-PORTRAIT, 2010. COURTESY OF PACO RABANNE.

THE CAPRICIOUS GIRL BY WATTEAU. SELF-PORTRAIT, 2010. COURTESY OF PACO RABANNE.

ZAPATA BY DIEGO RIVERA. SELF-PORTRAIT, 2010. COURTESY OF PACO RABANNE.

QUEEN MARIANA OF AUSTRIA BY VELASQUEZ. SELF-PORTRAIT, 2010. COURTESY OF PACO RABANNE.

HECATE, THE GREEK GODDESS OF THE MOON AND THE SPIRIT OF THE DEAD, BY WILLIAM BLAKE. SELF-PORTRAIT, 2010

DON QUIXOTE BY PICASSO. SELF-PORTRAIT, 2010. COURTESY OF PACO RABANNE.

THE SILVER BERBER BRIDE, MOROCCO, EARLY XX th CENTURY. SELF-PORTRAIT 2005. COURTESY OF THE ISRAEL MUSUEM, JERUSALEM

THE MEXICAN BRIDE,  SELF PORTRAIT 2012

THE RED EGYPTIAN BRIDE (HARRY WINSTON). SELF-PORTRAIT, 2008

THE BRIDE GRAND COMMANDEUR DE LA LEGION D'HONNEUR. SELF-PORTRAIT 2006

THE RED PALESTINIAN BRIDE , EARLY XX th CENTURY. SELF-PORTRAIT 2005. COURTESY OF THE ISRAEL MUSUEM, JERUSALEM

THE MAO BRIDE RED GUARD RED. SELF-PORTRAIT, 2009

"A fundamental part of Japanese culture is linked to the notion of disappearance.

Unlike the West, in Japan we use makeup in order to disappear, to erase our identity. The basic idea behind my makeup is tied to the geisha’s traditional use of a ghostly-white makeup, called ” doran ” which leaves only the outline of her eyes and bright red lips visible. Makeup in Japan is not perceived as a way of making a woman become more beautiful, but rather as a way of transforming her into an abstraction of a woman. She becomes an “idea of a woman “, rather than an “ideal woman.” It is a way of dying." text by Barbara Oudiz

Transformation, Metamorphism, Shape Shifter. These are the words that come into my mind when I look at Kimiko Yoshida and her impacting self portraits. All the pictures use always the same setting, same subject, same lighting, same framing. She does her own make-up, lighting and design using a Hasselbald camera with no retouching or editing. 

I find these images so deep and mesmerising, the Series "Painting, Self- Portrait" where she transforms herself into people from famous historical portraits with pieces from Paco Rabanne's Haute Couture collections works of art in themselves are my personal favourites. 

Do go to her website and see her extensive portafolio of work I had a hard time not putting all her work on this post, then this would just be pages and pages long. I spent hours reading, there are also lots of in depth articles on her and great interviews, Kimiko you are a fascinating lady!

Am hoping that she will do a show in London someday soon. 

All images Via Kimiko Yoshida

NEW SITE FOR VISION OF SPLENDOR

Photo by Vision of Splendor Miami January 2014

Vision of Splendor has a new site! 

Will keep this tumblr site but content will change in the future, but for upgraded version go to the new site below. 

Follow me there xo

www.visionofsplendor.com

Long Live The Queen

Majestic: The artist's impression of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee flotilla recalls Canaletto's famous painting, River Thames with St. Paul's Cathedral on Lord Mayor's Day, c.1747-48

Newly Crowned Queen on the Cover of 1956 Empire Day Pamphlet.

Flags Regent Street and all over London.

Brora Shop Front

Royal Barge for the Diamond Jubilee Flotilla

Elizabeth by Cecil Beaton

Diamond Jubilee Cake baked for The Queen by The Military Caterers which took more than 500 hrs to make.

Tower Bridge with British Flag Colours for the Jubilee via Press Association

Don't Mess with The Queen

Hackett Jubilee Windows

Anya Hindmarch Jubilee Windows

Love her smilling.

Harrods

The Queen in a Hardy Amies white lace ensemble on her tour of Australia and New Zealand in 1953-1954. Look at her tiny waist.  Photo: Rex Features

Coronation Day

Mama and Son

Buckingham Palace

The Windsors

Rendering of Diamond Jubilee Stage at Buckingham Palace

Coronation Dress by Norman Hartnell

Long Live The Queen.

Convent Garden Union Flags

This weekend London and the rest of the United Kingdom will be in full splendor for our Majesty The Queen's Diamond Jubilee to celebrate 60 years of her reign.

LONG LIVE THE QUEEN! xo

Sources via,

www.telegraph.co.uk

www.dailymail.co.uk

TODAY IS VISION OF SPLENDOR'S 2ND BIRTHDAY! 

Enjoy the show. x