For immediate release – 6th August 2015
East Meets West Design Week: 19 – 27 September 2015
Opens for submissions from Artists, Curators, Fashion Designers and Creatives for Exhibition and the first Global Art Trail
Based in the waterfront location of Canary Wharf, The Museum of Cultural Arts (MOCA) is an event led gallery, celebrating and showcasing art from around world that launched the forthcoming East Meets West Design Week 2015 in July.
Cited as a ‘soft’ launch, the event gave invited guests a literal taste of the curatorial concept in which ‘art took-over’ the former NHS Canary Wharf Walk-In Surgery, with consultation rooms transformed into art galleries boasting the individual or collective style and artistry of those selected to show.
Emerging talents included: a trio of all female family artists from the Olympic borough of Newham; Zalika Ladeatte Williams uses the ancient art discipline of pointillism in some of her portraits, one starkly resembling the singer: Rihanna with self-taught elder sister Azaria showing abstract paintings.
Fashion Degree students Tara Khemeri and Sinead Gabriel from Kingston University shared a room and in true student style transformed it into a gallery everyone was proud of. Old boxes were disguised as white mounts to display their individual portfolios with Khemeri portraying inspiration from the film: ‘Girl Interrupted’ starring: Keira Knightly and Angelina Jolie by making extensive use of 3Dimensional work to emphasise mental illness. Her novel concepts use masks, raw and organic materials to explore and express vulnerability, hidden emotion, and the fear of judgement.
Sinead who began to gain recognition in 2013 when she accepted an internship with the renowned Welsh Fashion Designer: Julien Macdonald, which saw her help to produce delicate, hand embroidered ballet leotards, decorated in Swarovski diamonds for the Queen’s Coronation, demonstrated her interest in the intricacies of distortion, which were potently expressed in her illustration of the young British model: Cara Delevingne dressed in a distorted colourful print.
On approach to the large three panelled glass frontage visitors were immediately met with a mix of colour and black white images reminiscent of the 1960s in which models donned ‘the bob’ haircut by sixties iconic hair stylist Vidal Sassoon and wore skirts, shorts or dresses above the knee, produced by fashion designer Mary Quant and who, dependent on your perspective was seen as both controversial and revolutionary with her introduction of the mini-skirt. To fit this ideology of ‘for’ or ‘against’ a mannequin stood bare yet eloquently placed, non-descript amidst the imagery, leaving the viewer open to definition.
Another panel heralded the work of Upcycling artist and emerging talent Gemma Seddon who alike Ladeatte Williams uses the art discipline; pointillism in some of her work. Seddon’ rendition of a glass top table stood proudly on display, attracting much attention as viewers reading the display panel learnt it had been constructed from an old cable reel and reclaimed materials:
“The decoupage illustrations and the map came from broken books and torn maps. The piece demonstrated the beauty in the lost, once loved then discarded Items. I have chosen to distort the contents of the map as I find that this is indeed the issue that we as a race are having. We have distorted views of our world and for some; there is a loss of knowledge for nature, feeling of compassion and understanding.”
Upon entry through the central panel visitors were immediately wowed by the latest offering from Stained Glass Studio Artist; Matthew Lloyd Winder whose ‘Winderlitebox’ functions from a handheld device that remotely controls the mood emitted, adding to the fun of the bespoke design which can pulsate flashes of the colours painted on glass and framed squarely to hang decadently on any wall or can be changed to create ambience or serenity when stationary as a beautiful painting.
The central atrium donned a mysterious metal chair made of tubular pipes, one of which had a wine bottle in. Created by adults on the Streets of Growth initiative, founder Darren Way uses art to engage with young men and women aged from 14-25 to express emotion. The project has gained corporate support from HSBC and currently has pieces of artwork on display in the bank’ Canary Wharf branch. The chair evoked much conversation as exhibitors invited visitors to entertain the question: Is it a chair or a wine-rack? The verdict remains open.
Standing proudly to the right was a ‘Cityscape’ decked in harmonious hues of blue, pink, white, brown, yellow and others aptly befitting the location that left many a viewer enraptured. The Oxo Tower based artist Sara Sherwood, excellently captures the reflections, shapes and angles of the city, back-dropped against a sunset of orange. Set at a respectable distance sat one of Sherwood’ large original oil on canvas abstract paintings, displaying swoops of inspired emotion as sashayed brush strokes expressed in a merriment of shades delighted visitors with many lingering in its rapture.
The piece de resistance however was the Museum of Cultural Arts playful twist on its name. With the reception desk transformed into a bar, guests and visitors alike were treated to MOCA beverages courtesy of sponsors: Harries Coffee and MOCA Chocolate Marshmallows, with slices of Cognac Cake provided by, cake connoisseurs: “Lyck Your Lips” on offer. Wine donated by event supporter: Streets of Growth flowed complementarily with a light buffet and beverages supplied by the organiser.
The 1960’ exhibition by Curator and Gallerist: Lorraine Gabriel was originally curated and shown at South Kensington’ Victoria & Albert Museum in 2011. Images which were cleverly displayed, interwoven between walls and galleries hung in sequence maintaining the running, if interjected, sixties theme. One such image featured the artist P. P. Arnold whose Cat Stevens rendition of the classic song: The First Cut is the Deepest made it to No.1 in the charts in the late sixties.
Globally artists from as far as Japan in East Asia, Hampton, Virginia in America and others from across Europe, including: Italy, Switzerland and Belgium participated digitally at MOCA’ opening which launched: “East Meets West Design Week 2015” which will run for nine days alongside the London Design Festival. A core element of the event will take place digitally through a Global Art Trail linking art, artists, artisans and creatives to consumers and art lovers around the world.
Following the launch the “Museum of Cultural Arts” is in negotiations to sell and supply artworks to a Bespoke Furniture and Home Furnishings Contemporary Design Company and interested in opportunities with retail outlets that enable art to be seen and purchased by more consumers, in turn helping MoCA’ artists to be sustainable.
Organiser, gallerist and curator Lorraine Gabriel, believes: “Art should be more readily available for consumers” and says, “we live in a digital age, where everything we need is accessible online, this needs to be extended to viewing exhibitions making the industry more inclusive and accessible to people varying in technological skills and age. MoCA paves the way to experiencing, enjoying and owning art in homes, places of work and interest whilst supporting artists and keeping the industry alive.”
‘East Meets West Design Week 2015’ which starts in the East of London is the world’ only festival focused on a celebration of art, championing artists and the creative industries.
The event runs from 19 – 27 September with a Global Art Trail. Submissions must be made via the event website where applicants require: 1) An image of their work. 2) A link to their website and; 3) An article/press ready copy about the piece, themselves and their work as part of the registration process and have until midnight on 28th of August to get the Early Bird Entry rate of £100.00.
To enter visit: http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/east-meets-west-design-week-19th-27th-september-2015-tickets-8573356139
Ends
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PRESS
Notes to Editors
About
The Museum of Cultural Arts | MoCA UK
The Museum of Cultural Arts or MoCA UK is a social enterprise that provides a platform for artists to reach new audiences and be sustainable. MoCA who make art available for exhibition and purchase through a strong bias towards collaboration in order to broaden capacity, are developing a creative hub for artists to generate new initiatives and opportunities for growth.
Works of art will be showcased and distributed digitally, exhibited through events and private views with opportunities created commercially for retail and supply of art. The gallery which has a global remit is open for submissions to artists and suppliers seeking representation.
Artists Representation
Artists interested in representation can apply with an introduction and image via email to the: ceo@moca-uk.org. There is an administrative fee at the point of application of: £46.00
Mocha
MoCA’ sells a range of Mocha beverage and Mocha Chocolate Marshmallows will be on sale digitally from September. The gallery is interesting in supplying and promoting Mocha products from its sister site www.mocchaa.co.uk (launching September 2015)
Lorraine Gabriel
MoCA’ CEO, who holds a Master of Arts in Curating Contemporary Design (2014), found her niche during a business partnership at the infamous Victoria and Albert Museum (2008) where she initiated public programming, curated a sixties’ themed Exhibition and produced and artistically directed a Film Festival during the three years tenure. A lover of the arts, Gabriel who has worked with a range of dignitaries and celebrities boasts a portfolio that spans the creative industries, events management and entertainment media through procurement of corporate accounts, endorsements and sponsorships in theatre, fashion, music, film distribution and cinema.
Jon Daniel
A classically trained Graphic Designer Jon Daniel produces effective and award-winning campaigns for his clients. He is a Curator whose work has been shown at the Victoria and Albert Museum of Childhood (2010) leading to his own line of products and clothing. In 2013 Jon became a regular contributor to Design Week magazine with his column: Four Corners. 2015 has seen him go from strength to strength with major branding campaigns in America and Britain, including, for Metropolis (USA) and the Ogilvy & Mather Group (UK). Daniel, leads on Branding and Creative Direction at MoCA.
Press Office:
Gabriel Media International
Enquiries please email: admin@eastmeetswestdesignweek.com
East Meets West Design Week: 19 - 27 September 2015 www.eastmeetswestdesignweek.com
Contact for Lorraine Gabriel
+44 (0) 7941 143 412
Press Images:
Available on request