misterious machines

While walking in the quarries, we came across some interesting looking machines. Very often they looked like like site specific art work that amazed us with textures, colours and structure.
Most of the time I could only guess what they were used for or part of what kind of bigger machinery they were.

Slate Quarry

As I mentioned, last weekend we went to Wales and visited the Vivian Slate Quarry which is located on the east shore of Llyn Padarn in Snowdonia. This particular quarry is part of the extensive Dinorwic quarrying complex that functioned from the beginning of 1869 and operated through to the 1960s. From the beginning I was amazed with the fact that this very industrial in character complex is situated right in the middle of Snowdonia National Park, surrounded with the most beautiful scenery. Unfortunately being a kind of a scar on the mountainous landscape of the Llanberis Pass.

Another surprising thing was to see how people use this abandoned-looking place now. With time it changed into a kind of public park where people go walking, jogging and local climbers climb the walls of the quarry’s galleries.
More photographs soon.

ma ke-wu yong

Designer Ma Ke is known in China for her beautiful and silent but also very reflexive clothing.
With her latest collection 'Wu Yong', which translates to 'Useless', the artist refers to China’s history and highlights the role of time, natural processes and the value of handcraft.

Here few of many amazing photographs (couldn’t make up my mind which ones to post!) taken for The Life Magazine by photographer Zhou-Mi that not only promote fashion but also tell the story about the man and earth.

More here.

I also read that Ma Ke is the subject of the film 'Useless', a poetic documentary contrasting her creation with the lives of china’s garment factory workers. This film was awarded the best documentary prize in the 64th Venice Film Festival, directed by Jia Zhang-Ke.
If it’s as moving and visually beautiful as her fashion then I need to see it!

“grey area”

Exhibited now at Deutsche Guggenheim in Berlin Julie Mehretu reminded me of Sylvano Bussotti and his unusual musical notations.
Both artists through complex compositions create enigmatic and almost impossible to define realities of their visual and musical worlds.

Myoung Ho Lee

South Korean artist Myoung Ho Lee questions representation, reality and seeing in art through series of beautiful photographs.
More here.
(via betonbabe)

Kazuyo Sejima-Director of the Venice Architecture Biennale 2010

'The buildings, the atmosphere they create and the way they are designed may be a central point of departure for the next venice architecture biennale.(...)

Now that we are in the twenty-first century, we can take this opportunity to step back and assess the spirit of our current times through this international exhibition of architecture, exploring the essence of contemporary architecture and the importance of new relationships when we enter the future.

A significant point of departure could be the concept of boundaries and the adaptation of space.(...) it could be argued that contemporary architecture is an afterthought and perhaps and easing of borders themselves.'

Kazuyo Sejima

Sejima was appointed as a director of the Venice Architecture Biennale 2010!

The japanese architect is the first woman to direct the biennale, since its inception.

Vivian Slate Quarries

We're off to Wales this weekend.
The main thing planned for this trip is to take photographs of Vivien Slate Quarries in Llanberis.
I will write about it more once I have new photos to post.
Meantime, here are few photos taken there during my last visit there.