Spare Parts

I happen to work in one of the most rewarding industries within the engineering sector. The prosthetics industry is actually considered a niche market for some, whilst still representing a whole world for all the amputees around the world.

It is a world that might seem quite straight forward and simple for most of the people, but it is actually complex and exciting. Currently, prosthetics combine materials engineering, using the same technology and processes used in Formula 1 cars (carbon fibre and related) and medical expertise, turning it into a very human engineering discipline.

It is now that probably, thanks to personalities like Oscar Pistorius (controversies aside), he has lifted the prosthetics public awareness to a whole new level. Probably his presence in the press has helped and inspired a lot of amputees to be proud of their prosthesis, to go out there and show it, and definitely, has boosted the industry to keep going forward innovating in their products. Even recently, the English Jonnie Peacock, has put Team GB hopes up winning gold running the 100 m.

And coincidentally, just in time for the warm welcomed Olympic and Paralympic Games, an exhibition called Spare Parts started to bloom in all respectable blog's newsletter advising about its content and reviewing in quite well.

This Paralympics games have succeeded as the most ticketed Games of all time, warming even more the hearts of all the athletes.

But yeah, that was Spare Parts is all about. A celebration of life improvement. A celebration of prosthetics.

A number of artist from all over the World gathered to use used prosthesis as a blank canvas and this way. The prosthesis have been donated by amputees themselves, prosthetic clinics and hospital and families of amputees.

The venue? The Rag Factory, right in the middle of Brick Lane: Curry Capital of 2012, opposite to Brick Lane's Mosque.

A pair of Endolite's Multiflex feet decorated for signalling.

Upper limb prosthetiss named 'Hannya Mask, Botan' by Xico Fmt. Apparently he used real tattoo techniques (as he is a tattoo artist), so freehand drawn, needles and ink.

Beautiful

Probably one of my favourites. Ridiculously cute transformation of what I think it is an Össur Modular III.

Upper limb prosthesis. Another really beautiful piece.

Old school prosthesis. When they used to be made out of aluminium, leather and wood.

Lovely paper cutout on what looks like an Endolite SuperSACH

I loved this upper limb transformation.

Nice hands

Beastman

CJ Munn

I called it The Nail Leg. The artwork by Patience Hodgson, from the Australian band The Grates. The leg, from Adam Hills, also Australian Actor.

Quite impressive wooden building in a cosmesis

Reminds of the current Yarn bombing street art

Another of my favourites

Loved the details of this one. Specially the highlighted shows to watch.

Stuart Huges turn. BBC reporter that unfortunately stepped on an anti-personnel mine around 2003 in Iraq. He, very kindly, offered his first prosthesis to the exhibition and his bombproof jacket and helmet. The jacket was actually there for us to try it on: quite impressive to be wearing such a heavy garment. Even though he's missing a limb, his prosthesis does not stop him for traveling all around the world and make us aware of what's happening.

Sophie De Oliveira, and her impressive job with The Alternative Limb Project. Because prosthetic covers don't have to be flesh colour. Currently this new generation are both beautiful yet realistic. I actually had the opportunity to witness the silicone laboratory myself: such an amazing craftsmanship job, carefully moulding thin layers of colour-matched silicone, that get carefully layered into the main block of silicone. So skillfull that is currently is mainly done by film prosthetic professionals.

Here a photo of Sophie, carefully placing of those silicone layers.

Very impressive alternative prosthesis also designed by Sophie:

The first one, for the model and singer Viktoria Modesta, who will actually perform on the closing ceremony of the Paralympic Games. It is very interesting checking out her portfolio of photos to see the great display of brilliant prosthesis that she wears for her show.

One of my favourites, a prosthetic arm decorated with a green snake, worn by the swimmer Jo-Jo Cranfield. It really suits her!

Here the lovely Priscilla. Amputee herself wearing a gorgeous bespoke cover.

Needless to say, I was very looking forward to seeing this exhibition.

We will all go back home on Sunday to watch the Paralympics closing ceremony (yeah, won't try to get to any public space to watch it. Been there twice. Won't try again. Long story).

That's when the proper sport withdrawal will start to kick in. Let's see what I use to ease that pain.

That will definitely be another story.

Random

This weekend was quite random.

First, on Saturday, I reserved my afternoon for a mysterious experience in Hoxton. I think I found it through this week's Le Cool newsletter, and as soon as I read the description, I signed in to get my slot for the day. Actually, it was the fact that it involved finding out about the location by means of clues sent days in advance and reading about it what made it quite interesting for me.

The event was called Traces, and it was basically a very elaborated art/furniture/jewellery display by upcoming artist inspired on the location and the theme around it.

The clues lead, drop by drop (actually, a few of them spreaded around the area, literally posted in random places) by email and Twitter, narrowing the location around Shoreditch and providing with a big of insight and history about the area, but specifically in the corner of Hoxton Overground Station. Just there in the corner: a derelict Victorian Pub in 32 Cremer Street, formerly called Harwar St. The team made a research on the archives to find out that the upstairs part of said pub, used to be a brothel (and one of the reasons was that it was a normal practice at the time, not to specify on the registry of the establishment the type of activity carried out). From them, the team developed a story, some characters and found the group of artist to base their pieces on it.

The result was a candlelit building, hidden behind a green main door, with a dense atmosphere very well recreated with the help of dried flowers, wood and all sorts (plus the +30 degrees hitting the streets of London at that time, that made it more victorian-realistic but a bit unbearable).

Everything was touchable, smellable and obviously observable. Actually, the story was so elaborate that there were (fictional) love letters from clients to the girls showing their love and subsequent anger for being ignored, very clearly portrayed in the evolution of the handwriting (the last letter of the admirer had a very clear upset calligraphy).

Such a peculiar way of exhibiting artists artwork. Definitely worth popping around, but what a pity not to be able to capture some images of the rooms.

Some more info about the pieces here.

Although for some reason I was expecting a treasure hunt or more mystery solving in there, I thought that showcasing pieces this way is a really good idea. Much more engaging, fun and different (oh well, and FREE).

 

And then my usual Sunday street art hunt, that normally ends up in Shoreditch, as it the epicentre for most of the pieces of a big chunk of artists. I went straight to Ebor St to, first of all, take evidence of the new Flip's piece.

 

 

Nice fluorescent squid with a furry cat (?) on top. Flip

Being already in the area, I remember I read about the Mexican Festival going on this weekend in Rich Mix, so I decided to pop around to sneak in and get the latest edition of the free musical magazines around.

As per usual, I took a look at the downstairs part, where the cafeteria is, as it always shows interesting little exhibitions. Actually, I went there back in May to check CityzenKane's stuff within touching distance and I loved it.

Surprise: I came across a lot of little postcards sticked to the walls. The space was empty, but there was Sarah Hyndman. Sarah is actually the person behind the exhibition, so as soon as she saw that I was quite interested, she introduced herself and briefed me into the concept of the Project.

It is called Random Project 2012, and it is a project made by people all around the world. The idea starts from choosing a number from 1 to 100. Each number is related to a specific word, so once chosen, the participants had to design a postcard related to that word and London.

 

 

 

The result is therefore, an interpretation of the views of Londoners and visitors towards that That given word and the city; or literally citing:

Random Project 2012

A growing collection of postcards which are created by everybody. These celebrate 2012 and are visually documenting a historic year. Curated by Sarah Hyndman.

Sarah's idea is to ultimately, by the end of the year, order all the postcards chronologically to get a better picture of the feelings of the participants towards the City, specially to be able to detect the change of behaviour or awareness towards the Olympics games, before and after.

 

Just as Sarah was explaining to me the concept I was getting more and more excited about it. I am aware of how blindly I am in love with London, but some others are not as much. Probably people born and raised here have seen enough of it, or tourist may have a hard time when coinciding with some disruptions in the tube; others may have the most exciting trip of their lives and others may find London just dull and overcrowded.

But it is that essence, the pros and cons, the black and the white, the good and the bad and the colourful range of opinions and points of view in between what makes it exciting. For such an overcrowded yet lonely city, this is a great way of putting together all the thoughts and make it a bit warmer.

 

Bank Holiday.

People may or may not agree with the presence of the Queen in this country, but the fact that the Jubilee is celebrated and involves a Bank Holiday is reason enough to be happy.

 

 

A visitor from Amsterdam and the ticket evidence of his/her trip to the Olympic Site

 

Great British Sunday with a Roast

 

 

 

 

Looks like it is getting a bit crowded at 10 Downing St. One at a time! (Oh, and a bit of summer romance of Boris and David).

 

 

 

 

Somebody was quite happy for Wiggins

 

 

 

Because we all know that diamond is made of carbon. Just as graphite, but different structure.

 

 

 

 

 

 

'This is not like home'. Is it better? Is it worse?

 

OH-O. I am in your pants. This one confused me. H2O? Water? I tried to applied my organic chemistry knowledge but couldn't come up with a solution. What can be in your pants with so many OH and O groups? The first thing I though was sugar, but then, it is a bit strange.

 

 

 

London. The COOLest capital! A bet this person came when it was pouring rain. Still, a lovely drawing of the city (observe the fact that is full of pigeons hehe)

 

 

I liked this one a lot. I suppose the given word was SILVER, easily linked to Silver medal for example. But is is funny how this person has related silver to grey silver hair. I would say that this person is quite young but is starting to get his/her first and becoming conscious about it. Still, he/she dignifies them by naming them Silver instead of the ordinary and depressing grey. Good one.

 

Somebody had a nice and peaceful view of the full moon laying on the grass.

 

 

Full-on football fan and fervent twitter user. I loved the way the person captured the reaction of the famous social network with all the hashtags (#Euro2012) involved and the users.

 

 

Academy Awards 2012. 'Most Miserable' performance in a feature film. A hope this person was talking about the closing ceremony.

The impressive thing is that the participants come from all around the world. From Sao Paulo to Mumbai, and all ages.

 

 

The worse thing is that I almost didn't get to see this. Just when I arrived at Rich Mix, Sarah was taking the last pictures to shut the doors of the exhibition in less than an hour.

 

But Random Project is not finished. As I said, the project will wrap up in December, with a big layout of the time scale and the evolution of the city from the point of view of resident and visitors in Postcard format. Needless to say, there is still time to send more, so do it:

 

Pick a number between 1 & 100 and send it to word@random-project.co.uk.
We'll email you your word and full details.

But talking about randomness... what's going on lately at the Sunday (Up) Market in Brick Lane?

 

Climbing walls apparently...

 

Arrow of love? Robin Hood came all the way from Nottingham to see the Olympics? A little Viking invasion?

I will find out, but that will be another story

 

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