“We are consumers, addicted. We need to ask ourselves – this t-shirt, where did it come from? A devastated place with devastated people?” – Bia Saldanha, 28 July 2011



Through Bia’s hesitant English – impressively peppered with the vocabulary of her respective fields – there was a message, a mantra, that seemed to resonate from her core with every sentence she spoke. The message? That as people, as a united force of humanity, we must end the selfishness, stop the excuses and start acting on the fact that our Earth cannot bear the brunt of our reckless lifestyle choices much longer. 

I was sitting at the far back of the still, woody space of The Hub, King’s Cross, looking on at Bia, eco journalist Lucy Siegle and novelist Ed Siegle’s discussion unraveling.

If there’s one thing I learnt on that warm Thursday evening, it’s that when a lady like Bia Saldanha gives out such a message from across the room, you sit up straight, strain your ears and listen. Living in the heart of the Amazon rainforest for 20 years definitely grants you a credible opinion on our Earth’s complex ecosystem and how it can be saved. And it only takes a minute or two of hearing Bia speak on the subject to get a sense of just how special she really is. A Brazilian woman who’s dedicated her years to both supporting the indigenous rubber farmers of Amazonia and aiding the battle against deforestation, Bia traded in a life running a stylish clothing boutique in Rio de Janeiro to live in the rainforest with her family and help the Seringueiros (the native rubber tappers) overcome their defeat by mainstream industrial production.

Illustration by Michelle Urvall Nyrén

But why should we care? Why should we listen? We all know of the damage upon the rainforest through mass deforestation and, for example, that Brazil lost nearly 150,000 square kilometers of forest—an area larger than Greece – between 2000 and 2006 alone. But the basis of why we should think again before discarding these past few lines as just another statistic lies in the words of Lucy Siegle; that we are in “the last chance saloon” when it comes to saving the rainforest. And, to further quote the fabulous Bia,

“You can’t imagine how strong, powerful and important the rainforest is if you haven’t been there”.

Illustration by Claire Kearns

With a background in the fashion industry, Bia began her pioneering work after a trip into the Amazon to search for new materials for her clothing line. She described how she found the indigenous rubber tappers storing their goods in traditional waterproof sacks. She then relayed her excitement of noticing how the sack material looked remarkably like leather when it was, in fact, cotton canvas covered in the extracted rubber from the trees. Bia took the idea for wild rubber “leather” handbags and had hundreds made, all of which completely sold out in the 1992 UN Earth Summit in Brazil. And so her crusade against the mass producers began. 


The Amazon is, in fact, the only place in the world where rubber trees grow in the wild. When ecological and fair-trade brand Veja began their essential collaboration with Bia in 2007, they were already buying wild rubber from the rubber tappers. Veja are a French brand known for their ultra-cool sneakers and luxe accessories, whose products are sourced and produced solely in Brazil. They now work with Bia and use her independent, direct means of extracting wild rubber to produce their bags and footwear.

VEJA – CAOUTCHOUC SAUVAGE D’AMAZONIE from Veja on Vimeo.

In what can only be seen as a triumph in the fight for sustainable fashion, Bia Saldanha has also worked with Hermès, using her ‘vegan leather’ made of wild rubber to collaborate on an accessories collection for the luxury French fashion house.

Despite the dedication and ground-breaking work that’s been recognized the world over, however, Bia hasn’t received the support she justly deserves. In the discussion, she spelt out the level of sheer power and influence that Brazil’s central bank has over what is and isn’t permitted to function in the country. After struggling against many financial disagreements, Bia even faced being shut down completely, despite the continuous funding to unsustainable companies and projects, including the vast amount of cattle ranches that make up 60-70% of deforestation in the Amazon today.


“I’ve now devoted 16 years to this,” said Bia. “It’s more than a business; it’s a cult.”

Illustration by Charlotte Hoyle

It’s not that she aims to trade with the giant companies, however. “There’s not enough wild rubber to supply the big companies. We don’t want to trade with anyone in particular but we do want to ask those companies, where does your rubber come from? These companies are just looking for marketing, they don’t care.”

Ed Siegle, author of new book Invisibles which is partially set in Brazil, contributed stating “With a lot of these issues, we’re all aware of them but we don’t do anything about it.” Lucy intervened – “That’s because we don’t know what the options are.”

To me, Lucy Siegle made an invaluable contribution to the event. She spoke of writing her latest book ‘To Die For” (Harper Collins; 2010) which she described as “engaging with the producer’s story”, and how she felt about the “contrast between her and the mainstream industry”, recounting fashion as a “vacuum that we know nothing about”. “We are now so distant from the producer,” she said “that the degradation of the consumer, the producer and the place is now inevitable.”

Photographs courtesy of Veja

She went onto ask the frustrating question, something I’d never put my mind to, of “Who are these people telling us what to wear? Telling us to buy this fast, discount fashion?” She feels that we are “told to shop for the economy”. Her answer to this has been to find a few brands that she can “rely on”.

The discussion moved on to the debate of ‘design and production – which should come first?’. Lucy Siegle, naturally, spoke in favour of production, upholding it as the healthier method in place of paper designs being sent across the world for the fastest and cheapest production possible. She believes instead that we need to be taking inspiration from the methods of Bia, who at the outset went into the forest – to the source – in search of materials, from which she then created her designs. This, she says, is a solution.

Photographs courtesy of Veja

Bia declares that her long-standing mission is to “protect the rainforest through economic alternatives”. And I say we need more ground-breaking fashion entrepreneurs like her. In the constant clash between nature and human demands, the more Bias we have in the world today, the brighter our future will be.

And with this mantra that seemed to beam from Bia’s every sentence; she most certainly wasn’t aiming it at the big logger companies or sweat shops or factories, definitely not. It’s US she meant. All of us. It’s you who sits right there wearing clothes that you really know nothing about. Someone’s hands, somewhere in the world, grew that cotton and dyed that fabric and stitched that pocket and, thus far, to you in your life it has made no difference. We’re all perpetrators and I’m most certainly one too. But after last Thursday, I’ll definitely be doing two things – reading Lucy Siegle’s book “To Die For” and taking a long, hard look at me and my wardrobe. And may I suggest you do the same.

The new publication from Silent City, ‘Art and Activism’, poses three key questions: Should art be separated from activism? Should art have a political value or function? Should art be radical, critical, resistant or subversive? While Silent City has chosen activism as the focus of its examination, the key question is one that can be applied to any art discussion: What do we want art to say about ourselves?

“The political value of art will always be disputed, [but] it cannot be denied that there is a relationship,” says the Silent City trio. “Modern UK activism is incredibly creative, from the actions of Climate Camp to art collectives such as the Vacuum Cleaner. It may not be always overly political, but it is far from separate.” At all times in history, art has told a story about the politics of its time; just consider the identity of the people in the pictures, or the subtle ways in which the artist undermined the status quo.

Claire Roberts at the Silent City symposium. All photography by Sally Mumby-Croft.

Art and Activism
‘Art and Activism’, which Silent City hopes to publish later this year, was created from submissions following a call-out to several arts websites. The final choice was up to Sally Mumby-Croft, Cara Nahaul and Emily Whitebread, who had partnered with Peter Eramian, editor of Shoppinghour, for the project. Designed by Simon Sherlock, the finished product contains a combination of photojournalism, poems, essays and documentation of actions undertaken by the artists.

Last year Silent City presented a symposium (review) focusing mainly on climate change, but this latest publication shows the trio has a broader mandate.

“The original idea behind Silent City was to produce three separate exhibitions, exploring the three pillars of the UN’s 2005 World Summit outcome document: economic development, social development, and environmental protection,” says Silent City, pointing out how these three elements are interconnected. The symposium included references to social and economic consequences of climate change, meaning ’Art and Activism’ felt like a natural progression.

The big issues
As the issue of climate change moves from being a scientific concept to something that infiltrates everyday life, people increasingly feel like they want to do something. But where do we start with such an overwhelming issue?

“It’s overwhelming because it is a crisis that affects humanity as a whole,” says Silent City, referencing Anthony Giddens’ book ‘The Politics of Climate Change’. “He explains that this is precisely one of the reasons why we cannot face up to the consequences of climate change. Society is always pressed by more ‘immediate’ concerns – a situation which is taken advantage of by politicians and policy makers who continue to distance themselves from making radical and concrete gestures towards combating the issues.”

Having said that, the past year has seen activism come back on the agenda in a big way, with widespread protests against coalition cuts and the rise of activist groups.

“[This shows] activism trying to find alternative dialogues and use inspiring visual methods to find alternative solutions. The work of Art Not Oil and Liberate Tate in the face of the BP oil spill is immensely inspiring,” says Silent City, further listing the emergence of Art Uncut, the occupation of the Slade School of Fine Art and the development of the Free School.

Sally Mumby-Croft has created a short film, ‘Edgeland’, bringing attention to how parts of the Hackney Marshes are being sacrificed for the Olympics – but this is an issue where little can be done.

“I wanted to draw attention to the spaces so often ignored or perceived as desolate. [The East Marsh] is a space shared by many people for many different purposes and yet it has been decided that this land will be temporarily paved over to make way for a car park. A space teaming with football pitches and dog walkers will become a concrete block. I think that’s terribly sad, and I think it’s immensely important that this issue is discussed. [… ] Hopefully it will encourage viewers to question their relationship and use of public space.

Ways of seeing
Cara Nahaul, the founder of Silent City, is currently a painting fellow at Jerwood arts centre. Asked about the place of activism in a typical ‘fine arts’ practice like painting, Cara points out how she sees her practice as discussing her culture and background, and exploring it within a larger political meaning.

“I feel that audiences have moved away from the assumption of expecting ‘nice’ things from contemporary painting,” says Cara. “In attempting to discuss painting with video art, we tend to think of a hierarchical relationship in which the visual language of painting came first and cinema learnt from it. Today cinema has developed a strong and autonomous language whilst painting is often criticised for its inability to reflect on contemporary society. For me, this is where I find the freedom for my own work. Whilst I am unsure about a place for activism within painting, I believe that painting can still challenge our ways of seeing.”

Art is rarely created just to be something pretty to look at, but with each added layer of meaning it gets harder for the layman to ‘get it’. Even so, it may be wise to leave reading the leaflet till last, says Emily Whitebread, who is just finishing her degree in Art Writing.

“My personal response to writing about an exhibition or an artist is not to read too much beforehand. This works particularly well if I am unfamiliar with the artist or exhibition, as I prefer to absorb as much as possible from experiencing the work without external influences. I then incorporate these reflections in my writing and only when I feel satisfied with my initial response do I then look at external sources.”

The New Educators
Shoppinghour-editor Peter Eramian has also had a hand in selecting the works that make up ‘Art and Activism’. He describes Shoppinghour as “a hub from which we spawn other collaborative projects and events”, with an ambition to mobilise and inspire creativity in response to political, cultural and social issues. Still, Shoppinghour is not just a tool for political activism, says Peter, explaining how there is a theoretical foundation to Shoppinghour:

“Both Yasushi [Tanaka Gutiez, co-founding editor] and I are basing our doctoral research on understanding the New Educators of our time: individuals and collectives inspired by a heightened critical awareness of culture and the active employment all mediums, disciplines and practices in their critique of society and ruling ideologies. We’re fascinated by the reconstruction of the activist epistemology and its potential to subvert, and hope that through Shoppinghour others too will be fascinated with us.”

The Shoppinghour magazine is currently in the phase of significant expansion, including a new distribution deal that will see the magazine sold across London. Still, the quality of content will remain the first priority:

“We’re certainly not prepared to compromise the quality of our content. But then, neither are we cynical enough to believe that the ‘larger audience’ is somehow less sophisticated,” says Peter, adding that it may be equally complacent to reject the popular and only focus on the opposite, “that which is uncommunicative in its overabundant self-important ‘sophistication’.” So while Shoppinghour wants to tackle its subjects with “substance and gravity”, we can also expect an edge that is “playful and accessible, alternative and punchy”.

Shoppinghour issue 7 – Rights

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Keep an eye on Silent City’s website for details on ‘Art and Activism’ – here.
Sally Mumby-Croft’s film Edgeland can be viewed here.
Cara Nahaul’s work can be seen at Jerwood Space until 26th June – details here.
Emily Whitebread is part of arts group X Presents – read about their projects here.
Read more about the developments at Shoppinghour on its website here.

The Beehive Design Collective, part of the Rising Tide climate activism network in the US, has created this portable mural to draw attention to the environmental issues surrounding coal. Looking at the full True Cost of Coal poster, the level of detail is incredible. Bears, frogs, birds, factories, cars, smoke … click here for a proper close-up look.

The full poster.

The edges of the poster are full of animal life and nature, meaning if the poster is folded it will depict an untouched landscape. Fully laid out, however, the poster shows a different story, detailing the ravaging effects of coal extraction and toxic contamination.

Detail

The Beehive Collective, originating in Machias in Maine, USA, presented the poster last Thursday at the London Action Resource Centre in Whitechapel. The Collective is a volunteer-run group of activist artists, who use their artwork to run community workshops. They seek to emphasise the connections between coal mining and climate change, and also the role of capitalism in failing to rectify our environmental problems.

Detail

The artwork draws special attention to the situation in Appalachia. In this large North American mountain range it remains common to blast off entire mountaintops in search of coal, leaving behind a landscape resembling moon craters. It took two and a half years to make the poster, with it being a truly collaborative project on behalf of the Collective.

Detail

For more information, including buying a poster, see the Beehive Design Collective website. The London Action Resource Centre is at 62 Fieldgate Street, Whitechapel, London E1 1ES. Find Rising Tide UK here.

Did you know that we’re all buying a third more clothing than we did a decade ago? Yep, you read that right. A third more in only 10 years. And are you also aware that today’s average household contributes 26 items of wearable clothing to landfill every year? Tallied up, that’s well over 600,000 garments in the UK alone. Can you visualise that waste? It’s A LOT.

The appropriately-named Trash Fashion exhibition is a relatively small presentation with a big message. Be honest, you can’t remember the last time that ‘textiles’ sprang to mind when thinking of world waste and pollution. Something along the lines of ‘oil’ or ‘water’ or ‘plastic bottles’ would be up there; never the words ‘clothes’, ‘dyes’, ‘fabric’. And yet, it’s a big deal. For example, a huge 17-20% of worldwide industrial water pollution is down to textile dye. The truth is that the concept of waste produced by the textiles industry is dangerously underestimated. Fact.

Illustration by Ankolie

Okay, so I didn’t predict a fashion-related exhibition at the Science Museum either. And, in its allotted space, Trash Fashion did rather stick out like a sore-thumb. One also is required to walk through the entire ground floor to actually reach the exhibition, which features steam trains, outer-space and other extravaganzas along with a large population of noisy children. As it was a Saturday, immersed in engines and spaceships, I’m guessing either über-nerdy kids or über-nerdy parents. However, I just used the word ‘über’ twice in one sentence so I’m clearly the nerd here.

All photographs courtesy of Lois Waller/Bunnipunch

Moving on, I learnt shed loads about ‘designing out waste’ in the fashion industry by wandering through. For one, I learnt that an initiative, led by Central Saint Martins, is being developed. An idea that started with a small mat of cellulose being immersed in green tea in order for it to grow into usable fabric. Fabric that is literally living and breathing. It turns out rather like leather and, having a feel of the fabric myself, couldn’t believe that it came from some bacteria bathed in green tea. Weird. Anyway, it turns out that, at this early stage, the so-called ‘Bio Couture’ is way too heavy and gooey to wear and would practically disintegrate in the rain. Nevertheless, it’s a damn-good start – the product is natural, non-toxic and compostable and scientists are working on developing the idea further all the time.

Illustration by Stephanie Melodia

Another part of the exhibition that I found enthralling was a project hosted by the London College of Fashion called ‘Knit to Fit’. It puts forward the concept of ‘Mass Customisation’, something that I could definitely see materialising in the near future. It starts with an individual having a 3D Body Scan done by a special computer that reads all, and even the very intricate, measurements of the body. This information, along with personalised details such as colour and pattern, is then transmitted to a fairly new machine in the textiles world that, before one’s very eyes, produces an entirely seamless 3D garment. No off-cuts. No waste. Considering that fashion designers are known to leave a whole 15% of the fabric they work with on the cutting-room floor, these are absolutely imperative pieces of technology in the movement towards sustainable and efficient textiles of the future. The idea is that, in the not-too-distant future, the average shopper will be able to stroll into a clothing store and have a custom-made garment made there and then that is unique to us and, most importantly, will leave absolutely no waste.

Illustration by Caroline Coates

Without a doubt, the most immediately imposing feature of the exhibition was a large, flamboyant dress, made out of 1000 pieces of folded scraps of the London Metro newspaper. It stood tall at the entrance and its grandeur seduced a small crowd to gather around and take photographs.
In my opinion, however, it just isn’t enough to rip up a few copies of the London Metro, origami fold them into numerous pieces and make a dress – not to wear, but to make a statement. Not to dismiss the skill that goes into constructing such a fiddly garment, or the fact that it DOES make a pretty huge statement. It relates waste and fashion to one another, which is crucial, through something impressive and, ironically, quite beautiful. But it’s been done. I’ve seen countless garments like these, designed for that shock-factor yet completely un-wearable. It’s time to stop representing the problem and to instead turn to the solution – to science. And this, bar the newspaper dress, is where ‘Trash Fashion’ came up trumps.

So, despite being a little late-in-the-day with this one, might not be worth trekking all the way to South Kensington to see this exhibition alone. If you do, time it in with a trip to the National History Museum or the V&A, both right next door. After all, it’s free entry. You’ll just have to hurdle past the children screaming at steam engines and Apollo 10 and I honestly don’t think you’ll regret it.

Trash Fashion: designing out waste is supported by SITA Trust as part of the No More Waste project and is free to visit at the Science Museum in London.

As part of the exhibition, there is an interactive competition whereby members of the public can submit photos of their ‘refashioned’ old garments, before and after, and could land their new design a spot in the exhibition. To upload pictures of your customised clothes go to www.flickr.com/groups/trashfashion

Kim Sklinar, aka Preloved Reloved, has set herself an interesting New Year’s challenge. For the duration of 2011, Kim isn’t going to buy any new clothes. No more high-street bargains, no more feeding corporate giants, no more fast-fashion waste, no siree. ‘Another one?’ I hear you cry – and you’d be right. But this one is a little different.

While Kim hopes to raise awareness about the amount of cheap clothing we purchase and what effects that has on the environment and people’s lives, there’s also a bigger reason closer to home. Kim’s father was diagnosed with cancer over 18 months ago, and she decided to set up the project to raise funds for Macmillan, the cancer care and support charity. Unfortunately, as of only last week, Kim’s dad won’t see the project through its fruition. But Kim will dedicate the project to his memory.

So, how do you do it? Well, Kim’s vowed to buy only vintage and from outlets like eBay, and she’ll spend more time in charity shops which also benefits all of the organisations that run them. I had a chat with her about the project and how she thinks she’ll manage it all…

Vintage shop, illustrated by Karolina Burdon

What gave you the idea for Preloved, Reloved in the first place?
Well I always like to dress a little differently. My style is mainstream with a retro edge, I suppose. I always seem to end up with a daft New Year’s resolution – last year I cycled from London to Paris for The Institute of Cancer Research. I like using my time to help others and spread awareness.

Were you a fan of vintage and upcycling before you started the project?
Yes! I always admire my friends’ outfits; well, those who wear vintage and second-hand fashion. Upcycling is something I have experimented with for ages at home and now is the time to make sure I actually finish some projects!

Where will you source your outfits?
Charity shops, vintage stores, eBay, my mum’s wardrobe…! I made a lined cape last night from linen and satin for balmy summer nights (booking a holiday soon!).

Charity shops, illustrated by Rukmunal Hakim

What does the project hope to achieve?
I want to raise awareness of numerous charities related to my Dad’s illnesses. I want my friends to know that too much of an unhealthy lifestyle is probably going to lead to an early demise. I also want to raise the profile of vintage and second-hand fashion; I remember as a kid we use to take the mick out of anyone who dressed from a charity shop. I myself as a student had a stigma against them. Now it’s become kitsch, cool and quirky. It’s good for the environment.

How much do you hope to raise and what are the funds likely to be used for?
£2500 is my Just Giving target – it goes directly to Macmillan. However, with my shopping at many different charity shops, my cash goes straight to them – win win all round! I have my thinking cap on about how to expand the project though.

eBay! Illustration by Avril Kelly

Why did you choose Macmillan?
My dad (and his dad) had cancer – he died last week unfortunately. And it wasn’t the cancer that killed him, it was his heart and his adult-onset diabetes. A poor lifestyle in his twenties and thirties caused it and he was only 57 when he passed. So as I said before, this project benefits other charities focussing on these causes too through me spending money at their outlets.

Not that far in, but have you come accross any problems so far? Has anything that happened that you weren’t expecting?
Avoiding shops is quite hard as I realised I can’t just pop into the Topshop sale and treat myself – which I suppose is good for my wallet and I’m going to do less impulse-buying on the way home from work.
With my Dad passing, I haven’t had as much time to go browsing shops as much as I’d like. This weekend, however, I’m going to the Girls of Guildford vintage fair and gig – for some serious retail therapy, cupcake-nomming and also to check out some great live music away from the bustle of London.

Vintage, illustrated by Jess Holt

What are you wearing today? Where’s it all from?
Dark blue skinny jeans, leather knee boots that I already owned with black and cream patterned blouse from River Island that I bought from Cancer Research UK. I’m also wearing red rose earrings from Magnolia Jewellery.

Do you plan to make or alter any of your clothes? If so, how?
Yes – I love sewing and making jewellery too – I made a cape last week and have upcycled a pair of old, torn jeans from my uni days into a denim mini. I have a small collection of retro patterns including a lovely dress with a pussy bow. I love being able to create something out of fabric I love: last year I went to a lovely Indian wedding and couldn’t find The Outfit – so I made a purple maxi-dress with a halterneck and glammed it up with ribbons dangling down my back. Saved myself a fortune too!

Illustration by Gilly Rochester

What else do you get up to?
I run Never Enough Notes – a music e-zine, and I’m cycling the London-Brighton this summer with my brother and friends to raise money for the British Heart Foundation.

What would be your perfect Preloved, Reloved outfit?
For daytime it would easily be vintage jeans, brown boots that look a bit worn-out, a floaty shirt or cheeky tee, a tweed jacket and a battered satchel.
For evening, I love ball gowns and retro dresses so would be something glam that I could wear with a pair of 1970s heels! Oh there’s way too much choice, I love it!

Photographs by Kim Sklinar

You can follow Kim’s efforts at the Preloved, Reloved blog; donate online here.

When my oldest pal Lydia announced her engagement and subsequent wedding, I struggled to imagine her having a generic do with a meringue dress and posed pictures. Her list of likes include folk and rock music, vintage fashion and living a sustainable day-to-day life. So it was no surprise when she declared that her wedding would take place in the woods.

I apologise in advance if this article may seem a little self-indulgent, and the truth is, it probably is. Well, sod it.

Lydia and Nathan

Photograph by Paul Saxby

Lydia and Nathan’s day began at the local town hall, with a low key ceremony. I had been so nervous about my continous blubbing throughout, but as The Beatles’ Love Me Do skipped on an old portable CD player, my tears turned to laughter. Lydia entered in a floor length Grecian-inspired dress with an artificial pose of sunflowers. Blimey, these civil ceremonies don’t last long do they? Before I knew it, they were Mr and Mrs Collingham and we were ushered outside to pose on the lawn. (Is it a civil ceremony when you get married at a registry office? I hope so).

Camping! Illustrated by Natasha Thompson

Anyway, the festivities began. Car-sharing had been arranged prior to the day (unfortunately there isn’t any easier way of getting around our small network of tiny villages) and guests had been discouraged from travelling from overseas. We arrived at the reception, set in our friend Alice’s beautiful garden. Lydia and Nathan are really fortunate to have such lovely friends who already take sustainability and climate change very seriously. The newlyweds had tried to create a festival vibe, whilst keeping carbon emisions to a minimum. We were all camping! A little camping area had been set up at the entrance to the woods, where tents had been pitched, and for a split second I could have been at any of the summer festivals – coloured tapers adorned the trees and homemade signs with directions had been painted.

Next up – food and booze. The food was incredible, and all locally sourced to reduce environmental impact. Organic elderflower champagne was provided as a reception drink, served with delicious vegan canapés. A delicious hog roast, provided by local butchers, was layed on for the meat eaters, but the menu was, by and large, vegan. Lydia’s mum had made a gorgeous mushroom en croute to accompany Ecoworks’ delicious selection of salads and nut roasts, and some of the vegatables had been sourced right here from the gardens!

The food! Illustrated by Kayleigh Bluck

Every method of recycling was taken care of!

Ecoworks is a community organisation based in Nottinghamshire with ‘the interests of people and the environment at its heart’. They work on conservation and restoration projects and run the FRESH project, which champions regeneration, education in sustainability and health.

They also run courses that encourage people to grow the good stuff and eat sustainably. Their Harvest Café van (a gorgeous converted vintage Citroën H van, no less) caters at festivals and events and specialises in vegetarian and vegan food, They provided spuds in the evening, with chilli or dahl, and a veggie breakfast the following day. I didn’t manage any of the latter because I had the world’s worst hangover, but I’m told it was a delight…

Lydia and Nathan’s dog Polly even managed to get in on the action, dressed to the nines in a ruffle of sunflowers…

Illustration of Polly by Naomi Law

I’m always hot for a Stella McCartney shoe – especially sourced on eBay at a bargain price. You can put the girl in the woods, but she’ll still wear hot shoes. AND Stella would have been proud. Sorry, I couldn’t resist… arrrrr!

Illustration by Michelle Urvall Nyrén

And so, very quickly, the afternoon turned to the evening and it was time to party, after taking a visit to one of the garden’s many eco loos. A total shock for many, this was. Wails of ‘Is that really where I go to the bloody lav?’ could be heard in the camping area, but just about everybody got used to it pretty quickly. One guest, who shall remain nameless, was even caught photographing down one…

Hay bales covered in vintage blankets created space for guests to mingle, while the epicentre was The Dome.

This recycled space appeared like a vision of the future from the 1960s, and Alice’s mum kindly informed me that it used to operate as a swimming pool cover. It was in here that local live bands played, including the wonderful 10 O’clock Horses – a suitable blend of folk, rock, roots and punk. Lydia and Nathan had their first dance to this band’s first song (as I stood aghast) and then we all had a good ol’ jig.

10 O’clock Horses, illustrated by Jaymie O’Callaghan

Candles lit the gardens, which was a bit of a struggle to begin with but we all soon got used to it and danced into the small hours. And so after a few too many organic beers and far too much shameful dancing on my behalf, it was time for bed. What a fabulous, fabulous day.

We retired to our tents, and Lydia and Nathan skipped off to their tepee to consumate their marriage…

Lydia and Nathan in front of their teepee, photographed by Paul Saxby

I have no idea if they did or not.

Bike by Mark Taplin

Sorry about that, it is in the listings, possibly you are even reading this after the exhibition has closed in which case HELLO IN THE FUTURE (look out for flying cars, in the London Transport Museum, which would be the appropriate place, just don’t pay the £10 entrance fee in hope of seeing illustrations if they have already gone.)

This is the second collaborative competition venture the Association of Illustrators and the Museum have undertaken. Due to some factors, possibly such as their acquiring of a twitter account since last year this one was considerably more competitive than the last. I have it from the actual woman whose job it was to count them that there were over 3000 entries for the 50 places in the exhibition. Am I still a little bitter that I didn’t get in? Only a little, as the standard of the work that did get in is in general very high indeed.

Life cycles by Kevin Ward

It’s a beautiful show that really exemplifies the amazing wealth and variety of Illustration talent around. Not all of the work was to my taste but given the breadth of styles included that’s not really surprising; the AOI on typically excellent form at celebrating the medium.

Amidst the variety of work from established and unknown artists some trends are discernable; many illustrators have worked in animals either using the London Zoo as an iconic destination or including pigeons or dogs to help out with the green association as this is after all an exhibition exonerating the environmental benefits of cycling in the city (woo – go bikes).

Some pieces like Jove’s beautifully designed utopian poster, Jessid Ford’s gorgeous graphic colours ‘A to B and all the sights in between’ print and Mark Taplin’s lovely single colour classic screen print style image echo the classic transport posters which the London Transport Museum has long loved and displayed and sold on postcards.

the only way to see London by Courtney Lee

Although this was my first visit to the Museum it does seem to have this dual personality. The visiting tourist children who must surely be its main market come for the fun interactive displays, the chance to get photographed driving a routemaster, and apparently the chance to run around and collect holes punched in a gotta catch em all style transport treasure trail. A brand new Boris Bicycle is the centrepiece in the tucked away gallery space where the show is housed and while I was there families and older children in groups often came in, checked off the bike on their list and left again with not more than a passing glance at the art on the walls.

I hope there are people like me and the other lone visitor giving a significant amount of time to the exhibition that also come to the Museum for its other angle – the amazing wealth it has in its association with artists both in projects like Cycling in London and other initiatives like art on the underground which has been going for years and features inspiring new art on underground station walls and in their outstanding collection of classic advertising posters which London Transport has commissioned over the decades. Many of these can be seen adorning souvenirs and postcards in the Museum shop – which happily can be accessed without paying the entrance fee. Perhaps more people would be likely to see this exhibition if it could be accessed separately from the Museum proper at a reduced fee.

Rachel Lillie’s first prize winning entry

Perhaps they could have also chosen a different image other than the winning illustration to use on their posters advertising the show which have been well spread across the city. I don’t wish to say anything against the judges choice or Rachel Lillie’s beautiful piece but as an eye catching image with a wide appeal I think there were many pieces in the show that would have been a better choice.
Evgenia Barinova’s awesome striking poster like piece on wood for example which dominates the far end of the room with its inspirational message ‘if Super Heroes couldn’t fly they’d ride a Bike!’ or Laura Callaghan’s fantastically serene flying cyclists setting a joyful example and clearly having more fun than their tube riding counterparts.

Freewheel by Laura Callaghan

There are things that make illustration itself, rather than fine art, and things that make it great. Looking at their selection of winners the AOI clearly are big fans of the medium’s capacity for a sort of dualistic immediacy – a leaf which is also a map, an aerial view which is also a bicycle and nature and cyclists incorporated into a beautiful decorative inclusive layout in the tradition of a William Morris wallpaper. (I’d quite like a Mia Nilsson wallpaper actually – anyone from Habitat buying reading?). They seem to have favoured visual sense and simple dense colour over drawing or realism. This is an ideal in illustration that I think some people seem to put on a bit of a pedestal but as I said before it is far from the only style on show.

close up of Mia Nillson’s winning artwork

Another quality of illustration – it’s relationship with and commentary on popular culture is also much in evidence here; Jamie Wieck’s hilarious the joy of cycling being an obvious standout with subtler cultural references in Patrick O’leary’s mods on push bikes instead of scooters and Ross Crawford’s lovely cockney rhyming poster combining the classic and bang up to date cultural takeoff (blessedly does not actually include the over used ‘keep calm and…’). ‘Many Artists Who Do One Thing’s awesome circus graffiti style poster is cheeky but to the point – cycling is fun, and a little bit revolutionary.

The Joy of Cycling by Jamie Wieck

Look after your Jam tart by Ross Crawford

Also present are our gorgeous children’s book style contingent with their universal appeal; Kevin Ward’s fantastic animal charactrers in retro colours(?) and Courtney Lee Bourdman’s happy happy tourists on their double decker bicycle bus (clearly uniting the Museum’s selling points perfectly); Catherine Denvir combines digital techniques for a more tongue in cheek surreal childish quality.

Speed Cycling by IGnjat Reljic Djuric

The strong classic illustrative style of simple expressive drawing is exemplified by Ignjat Reljic Djuric’s perfectly balanced piece where the cyclist seems like a plucky underdog to the epic red buildings; old favourite Belle Mellor provides a fantastically idiosyncratic interpretation although not the only illustrator to use London landmarks as hats (make of that what you will) – David Hughes also does this with as ever lovely ink lettering and layout. Judit Ferencz’s hand drawn image makes excellent use of space and Alex Bitskoff also uses layout magnificently (although not simply) with his richly coloured city wave erupting into the clean environmental space.

allways leisurely with Bicycle by Judit Ferencz

One of the things I like about illustration is that in this medium quick simple execution and epic complex work are equally as valid. What matters in an illustration is the impact and the joy and the communication. And illustrators can be amazingly skilled at thinking of new conceptual and exciting ways of presenting the same idea – their bread and butter work is often sexing up the figures in business magazines after all. Some of these pieces clearly got in to the final 50 for the idea used, others for the execution.

what’s that? you’ve snuck in your own unsuccesful entry to the competition Jenny Robins? cheeky bint.

I’ve not even talked about my very favourite school of illustration present in Cycling in London! – I love me some collage and there are fantastic examples in the work of Alison Bell whose lovely retro collage and print techniques clearly echoes the recent Varoom feature on the resurgence of the medium (how could they not include it then?); Lianne Harrison makes cool creepy bus-stop characters and Tracy Long’s tiny magazine faces on fancifull animal cyclists stole my heart, although I don’t think St Paul’s in the background adds anything. I imagine she added it to fit the brief about Cycling in London but looking at what else has got through I think she could have got away without it.

Goodbye to the Hustle and Bustle by Lianne Harrison

Eye Eye around London by Tracy Long’

I was running out of time before closing but just had time to check out Georgina Brookes’ awesome cutouty graphic layering and Clayton Junior’s ace layout and colours employing a classic illustration immediate impact swap technique.

I had to leave through a secret staircase and the Museum employee waiting to lock up behind me smiled beautifully saying “interesting exhibition isn’t it?”
Well yes, it most definitely is, but the wording of the comment shows the attitude that this is something unusual is still the norm. I go to more illustration exhibitions than fine art ones, and in this world it’s easy to forget that to most people it’s still a bit of a non-concept. (you’re an illustrator eh? Cartoons? No? Book covers then? – sound familiar?) And good on the LTM for putting on projects like this but the way it’s presented on the posters and tucked away at the back of the museum still seem to me to reinforce it’s esotericness. Which is just a little sad. But let’s not end on a down note. Maybe illustration is like the poor relation of art – but is not the bicycle the poor relation of the car? And which is cooler, greener more, you know, government endorsed?

On your bike kids.

It’s hot. The air – swimming through the dawning sun’s flare, dyed glowing green by its battle through dew-soaked tent skin – is cloaked by a comforting, mossy smell. Beyond the walls of the glowing nylon pocket, gentle phrases grumble towards a sea of bubbling indecipherable expressions, the smooth surface sound only broken by the occasional questioning voice of a slowly rising zip. Until… from a stage in a distant field…

“Dumph! Dumph! Dumph! Dumph! -”
“Yeah, mutherFUCKERS! Get the FUCK UUUP!”

Good morning, festivalgoer. Welcome to your long saved-for long weekend of bottle torpedo avoidance, flaming portaloo dousing and plastic meals dished up in polystyrene boxes.

But it doesn’t have to be this way. Steadily over the past few years, the major festival has been wrestled from the clutches of beer brands and mobile phone companies, and sent lolloping over can-strewn fields in search of a little cultural convalescence. It has emerged in such guises as the Hay Festival of Literature and the Arts, which welcomes its first visitors this week in the breathtaking Brecon Beacons National Park. Guided by the ambition to “share new visions of the world, and to do that incredibly sexy thing – to renew our sense of wonder”, the Hay Festival calls on comedians, writers, theatrical performers and musicians to deliver a 10-day programme of events that inspire, entertain and provide plenty of opportunities for wholesome escapism.

Photography by Finn Beales

Hay’s series of environment-related events include a forum on the better use of existing resources, agriculture and food sustainability workshops, and river walks; literary additions count highlights such as photographer Don McCullen in discussion with journalist Rosie Boycott, and talks from Bill Bryson, Lynn Barber and Alain De Botton; and the stage and screen element sees site-specific performances and short films played out across Hay.

The Hay Fever programme for kids plays host to the likes of Quentin Blake and Aardman Animations‘ Peter Lord, and the Rocks Riffs Guitar Workshop, Film Making in a Day, Beat-Matching and Scratching Workshop and farm visits are destined to shape a future generation of festivalgoers (and creators) with their expectations set far above late-night silent discos and stadium sell-out headliners with their osteopath on speed-dial.

The festival runs until Sunday 6th June.

I’ve never been very good at throwing away things, especially clothes. Even before the environmental impact edged its way into my subconscious (how do you recycle denim?) there was always that nagging little voice, suggesting that “maybe I will wear it again someday”. Or, more frustratingly, “but someone else might like this”.  
Who is this someone else? And how are they supposed to make use of my cast-offs when they’re hanging despondently in the back of my wardrobe?  
 


Then one day I found my answer. I stumbled across the concept of clothes-swapping; also known, since its rise in popularity, as “swishing”. The idea is simple – swap clothes you no longer wear for other people’s clothes that they no longer wear. It’s economical, it’s environmentally friendly, and it’s fun. Not surprisingly, more people are getting involved, whether it be through swishing events (bring your items, and take as many items away with you), clothes-swapping parties in clubs, and swishing websites. 
 


My introduction to swishing began online. I found a website where you can list all of your unwanted clothes and accessories, and then swap them with the neglected items of other people. I was intrigued… but could such a system really work? 
 


Illustration by Aniela Murphy

With two years of clothes swapping behind me now, I assure you it does. I still use the website on an almost daily basis, window-shopping when new items are uploaded. I browse with the thrill of retail therapy, but without suffering from consumer guilt. The only money spent is on postage, and suddenly my “not-quite-me-but-too-good-for-Oxfam” clothing items have become precious currency. Imagine if you could go into a vintage, second-hand clothing, or high-street shop and pay for your purchases with clothes you don’t want anymore?  


 
I have found some of my favourite items this way, and when people ask where I got my bag from I’m not afraid to tell them I swapped it for a blouse. 
 


In fact, another great benefit I hadn’t considered when I started is the freedom I have felt in trying new styles. Experimenting with fashion is a lot easier when there is no real money at stake, and I for one have become more creative in wearing the same item in various ways. Unlike shopping, if the items you swap for don’t work, don’t fit or are not as expected (which does happen, but that’s the gamble) you merely swap it on for something else again. This can even be a good thing, as adding new items updates your wardrobe and keeps your ‘currency’ fresh and interesting. I have found that no matter what you have to offer, there is always someone who will be interested. 
 


Of course, while the fashion and financial benefits are clear, another great reason to swish is to prevent waste. The truth is that we live in a society where shopping is a hobby, not a necessity, and where clothing is so cheaply and readily available that we no longer keep items for as long as we once did. The amount of clothing which ends up in landfill each year is heartbreaking.  
There is also desperate confusion over fashion and trends, and too often items are bought, worn once, and never see the light of day again. The silver lining of the recession was that it made us wake up to our “wear once, then toss” frame of mind, and instead of worrying about being seen in the same dress twice, we are slowly regaining the art of recycling our outfits. So put your credit card away, dig out the discarded items in your wardrobe (I bet you have at least one thing with the labels still on – right?) and make several positive changes at once.  
 


Illustration by Gemma Milly

Two Tips For Smart Swishing 

A lot of people ask me: what stops other swappers from stealing? Naturally there is an element of risk, but using common sense will help prevent being conned by “swaplifters”, those (atrociously tight-fisted) people who you agree to swap with but who never send their item. This does happen, but I have never had this happen to me and I attribute this to my two main rules: 


1) The “Post-First” Rule. 

Almost every swap website has a feedback system in place, and most regular users like to enforce the “post first” policy – where, if someone has lower feedback than you do, you can ask them to post their items first. Don’t post their item until you receive yours. If someone is unwilling to oblige this, then they’re not worth swapping with. Everyone who starts out is asked to abide by this rule, and you work your way up the ladder of trust. 


2) The “If in Doubt, Don’t Swap” Rule. 

My second rule is that if I think someone is untrustworthy or unreliable – (and you can often gauge this by their feedback, the authenticity of their listings, and their attitude in communication prior-swap) – I don’t trade. Taking a risk is never worth the time and frustration. Of course, if this ever does happen, then do remember… it was something you didn’t want anymore.  
 


Swishing 
websites

Swishing.co.uk

BigWardrobe.com

WhatsMineIsYours.com

PoshSwaps.com 

The EJF Eco Chic Pop-Up Store on Carnaby Street has been a hub of enivoronmental and ethical fashion for the past few weeks. You might recall we had a sneak peek when it first opened.

For the most savvy readers, you might also have seen our interview with Amisha Ghadiali of Think Act Vote, too. Well, these two wonderful concepts came together on Thursday, in the form of an ‘Ethical Fashion Social Network Event’.

This event, where the Ethical Fashion Forum has partnered with the Environmental Justice Foundation, Forum for the Future and Think Act Vote came together to address ‘Ethical Fashion: What does the future hold?’ with presentations including Forum for the Future’s Fashion Futures 2025.

All the attendees got a chance to enjoy the pop-up shop before curiously heading down to the basement where the talk and presentations were held; the room rapidly filled up until it was almost impossible to fit anybody else in!

Think Act Vote’s founder Amisha Ghadiali began, with introductions to some of her projects, principally discussing ‘What future do you choose?’ and then promoting her campaign – insiprational, positive thinking for the future, discussing the impending vote (which as we now know, wasn’t the most successful election ever.)

For ‘What Future Do You Choose?‘, they are compiling the thoughts of people from across the UK, which will become an anthology containing stories and images. You can easily get involved too – by filling out a short statement on the website with your ideas and proposals for the future. The anthology will also contain images of those involved in Think Act Vote, which was to be delivered to the incumbent Prime Minister. Yikes.

Amisha Ghadiali said of the project, ‘I wanted people to think positively by thinking about the kind of world they wanted to live in. I thought that instead of just putting the answers online, there was an opportunity to make a beautiful lifestyle photography book that included people’s answers. The idea is that this creative anthology will be really inspiring to all those who flick though it.”

Furthermore, the carbon neutral campaign T-shirt was dreamed up as a competition between up-and-coming fashion designers, artists and illustrators. Made in partnership with the ethical fashion label Komodo, the T-shirt has been developed with the help of a judging panel made up of some of the most influential ethical fashion designers and Illustrators, between them Katherine Hamnett and Daisy de Villeneuve.

For Amisha this was created ‘to inspire people to engage in politics through design and fashion. As this is a creative campaign, we wanted to give people the opportunity to take part and use their creative energy instead of just signing a petition. I also wanted the design to come from people rather than us.’

Fashion Futures 2025: Global Scenarios for a Sustainable Fashion Industry, presented by the Forum for the Future, looked instead at an overview of forecasted ethical fashion trends, drawn up in collaboration with Levi’s.

The report displayed four hypothetical scenarios for the years to come, being Slow is Beautiful, Community Couture, Techno Chic and Patchwork planet, all of them featured with intriguing, gorgeous and well made animations.

Now, the global apparel, accessories and luxury goods market generated total revenues of $1,334.1 billion in 2008. This industry’s opportunity to create a positive impact on global society and environment is quickly becoming top of the agenda. It is initiatives like these that are contributing to this global ethical fashion force.

The event finished with people enjoying the friendly atmosphere of the shop, picking up numerous EJF campaign literature, choosing clothes to try and wear in the hope of being photographed for the Think Act Vote book, which will soon, hopefully, be in the hands of the Prime Minister – whoever that may be.