From St Andrews Student to L.A. Pornstar- The Life of Jen J.

Three years ago, I walked into the halls of university as a sprightly young “Fresher”. I was immediately told that the ‘Opening Ball’, think of it as prom but at the start of the year, was a week later, and that I needed a date. I looked around the room full of prepubescent looking Scotsmen and thought "there is no chance I am getting a date any time soon!" As I sighed and laughed to myself, someone next to me was clearly having the same thoughts. “Let’s be dates?” she said. “Let’s!” I said.

The girl in question, Jen J., was a bubbly blonde with a charismatic personality and a penchant for kickboxing which we decided to attend together on a weekly basis, thus ensuring we got a radically taxing workout. We would high five at the end of the session, and say “See you next week ‘date’!” I would bump into her in town and she would tell me about her passion for art history, her desire to open a museum and maybe curate one day. A post-graduate student with ambition and a hard working personality made me look up to the beautiful Jen in many ways, and I often wondered what she would go on to do.

Having brilliantly completed her studies, Jen left St Andrews to start her career. I hadn’t heard from her in two years and thought it would be fun to find out what she was getting up to. I sent her a message, she sent one back: “I’m a porn star.”

Needless to say I was slightly taken aback. Call it controversial, politically incorrect, a breach of social decorum, whatever you like, there’s no denying it’s a rather unconventional profession. Then I began to think about it. Why does it matter that a career is unconventional? Surely if the person enjoys their work environment, feels respected in the workplace, abides by the law and gets payed accordingly, then there´s no problem at all. Should a dismissal of convention be enough for me to lower my views of this person? Surely not.

So the big question was, is she happy? Does she actually enjoy pretending to perform an act which is supposed to be the greatest proof of love, an emotion that porn neglects entirely? All this for the enjoyment of other human beings, who are probably lacking that very emotion? And does she pretend not to notice the fact that the adult industry presents women as sexual objects, to be used and misused? It all seems so morally distorted. Curious, I got in touch with Jen to conduct an interview and find out how she could possibly exchange her intellectual calibre for her physical one.

I found out there was no exchange at all. And that happiness, not money, was her central driving force. Jen spends her days in NYC doing interviews all over the city, most of the time made up and “in character” or in L.A filming like any other actress. On a low-key day, she attends radio shows, or interviews via emails for independent journalists. Her film days are “exciting and unexpected” and her favourite project so far was her first, on the set for the “Saw” Movie franchises, where she got her first taste of what it was to be a Vivid girl, the company she works for. To keep her feet grounded, the actress tells me she spends time exploring the classics such as Tolstoy, volunteering for an animal organisation and seeing friends as much as possible. Jen does not own a TV.

Bumble V: Why did you decide to go into the porn industry?

Jen J.: I had ventured into the adult industry before I finished my degree to help pay for school. When I finished, the economy was in shreds and I wasn't really in a position to just sit by and wait it out. Student loans don't pay themselves. I always liked my time in the industry and had no reservations about returning. However, I decided that if I was going to come back into it, I would give it my all and do the best that I possibly could. It all worked out in my favor that, right off the bat, I was signed to an exclusive contract with the industry's largest and most respected company.

V: How do your friends feel about it? Has it alienated you in any way?

J: I was actually surprised at how much support I have received straight away. As a matter of fact, people have come out of the woodwork to express their support and respect. Many have really followed my career, making an effort to read interviews and listen to me on the radio... and that's not just the males. Some people on the periphery don't really have an interest, or get the wrong idea, (those are mostly male), forgetting the person they knew and buying into a persona. But almost across the board I have had overwhelming support. People have even become protective of me. They know that I am not the type of person to be defined by my job, and give me props for having the courage.

V: How do you react when people have a negative response to your chosen career path?

J: I have never had anything said to my face, and the only time I get anything negative is usually comments on mainstream websites by people safely tucked behind their desks. I never read them anyway. I don't push myself, my choices, or my work onto anyone. I don't claim that what I do is for everyone. I'm not doing anything illegal, or clubbing baby seals here. Most people recognize that. And look, it’s a multi-billion dollar industry for a reason, and people in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.

V: Does porn depict a negative image of women in any way? Do you ever feel demeaned?

J: I think the demeaning part of porn is when people who don't understand the professional nature of the industry try to condemn us. We are making lots of money, having a great time, and every woman I know runs the set! We have "No" lists of things we won't do and people we won't work with. Our limits and boundaries are respected. Even porno film which is made to look demeaning isn't. The people who perform in those sorts of scenarios get off on it, or they wouldn't participate. It’s a very misunderstood industry, but I think if the curtain was pulled back on it, some of the fun would be taken out of watching it.

V: Is porn a healthy habit? Do you watch it? (You don’t have to answer that!)

J: I absolutely think that porn is a healthy habit. Of course everything in moderation, but I think porn allows people to live out fantasies they may not have the opportunities to do in real life. I know that it helps a lot of people out too. I get mail from our soldiers overseas, or males and females who have disabilities, or couples who have never been adventurous in the bedroom before, thanking me. So, yeah, I absolutely think porn is healthy. As far as watching it myself, it’s getting harder these days because I know all the performers, but I do like it.

V: Do you consider yourself a role model for young women out there?

J: I don't think that I'm a role model as a porn star, but I do think if people are paying attention they see that I subscribe to a few philosophies. One is that there is not just one box that everyone fits into. You can be an academic and a sex kitten. You can be very serious and cultured but also very sexually liberated. Also, this is your life, and no one else is going to live it for you. My choices aren't for everyone, but they are right for me, and I feel that by ruling out possibilities or adventures in your life, no matter how far fetched they may seem, you're selling yourself short.

V: Do you ever feel your education was a waste of time? Or has it, on the contrary, been beneficial? If so, how?

J: My education is invaluable. It has helped me to be an open minded citizen of the world. It has presented me with numerous opportunities, taught me discipline, work ethic, determination, and has been very rewarding. My education isn't going anywhere, and I plan to use my specific degree in the future.

V: How are you different from other porn stars out there?

J: . We are all our own person. I think deep down I am very similar to many of the performers. We all have a desire to perform, and a unique outlook on sex. We are all sexually empowered, and on some level have a love for the attention our profession garners. I am a little different in terms of my life story, and for me this is merely a stop on the journey, but there are tons of girls in the industry with very similar perspectives. I know a number of people with advanced degrees in my industry. I'm just me, I guess that's all that sets me apart.

V: Plans for the Future? Keep it in porn?

J: My future plans are up in the air. I have learned that all the planning in the world cannot completely dictate where life takes you. I will do porn as long as I am having fun and enjoying it. I plan on working in my field of study, settling down, doing all of those things one day. If you told me a year ago that I would be here now, I would have been surprised, so who knows what the future holds? All I know is that I won't count anything out.

Shocking and bold, I admire Jen. She should be congratulated for doing a job that makes her happy regardless of the consequentially raised eyebrows. She has chosen to take part in an industry she endorses, avoiding to reflect on the negative comments by conservative crowds. Financially independant, she understands the nature of the work and keeps her brain active when the studio lights switch off (she´s reading Macbeth at the moment). Whether she’ll choose to write her current profession on her CV, if she enters the art world, is another matter.

So, does it matter if her job is “unconventional”? As long as it´s legal and she´s not harming anyone- No. She enjoys it, she feels respected, and she isn´t letting go of her fundamental cultural interests. It´s just acting after all. In my opinion, happiness is key and, as Roosevelt once said, "Happiness is not in the mere possession of money; it lies in the joy of achievement, in the thrill of creative effort." There are no rules for what that achievement or effort may be.

Like Jen, I too once wanted to be an art curator or a gallery owner. Things change. People evolve and take unsuspected paths. Life has a funny way of sending us down strange and marvellous roads, all of which end up as beneficial learning experiences, even if they evoke regret.

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There's also no mistaking that porn is one of the top selling industry in the U.S, with Americans spending around $10 billion a year on adult entertainment. I have no doubt that Freud would have endorsed it as a healthy way for human beings to vicariously unleash unconscious desire.

271 films at the Toronto International Film Festival Keep Movie Moguls in high spirits.

It's a fact; in times of economic depression, cinema attendance goes up. Be it to obtain a sense of escapism from gloomy realities or a need for genuine culture detached from the monotony of the everyday, people of all ages are turning up to movie theatres more than they ever have in the last 30 years. Recently, at the Toronto Film Festival, a festival of movies were on show and the town was brimming with celebrities such as Drew Barrymore and Natalie Portman, whom the crowds were dying to see. Having read a few articles from journalists on site who had the opportunity to watch and review the films, here´s a selection I made of the year´s movies to watch, and most likely contenders for the 2010 Oscars.

I´ll start with the least obvious choice, The Bad Lieutenant, directed by Werner Herzog, which has had some first-class reviews. A sequel to Abel Ferrara's 1992 Bad Lieutenant, Time Magazine calls it a “dark, daft, vagrantly intoxicating melodrama”. It stars Nicolas Cage in what is said to be a brilliant comeback performance. He plays the role of Lieutenant Terence McDonagh, a drug-dealing cop filled with nervosas whose benevolent services in Hurricane Katrina lead him to addiction and severe back pains. The movie recounts his confrontations in the aftermath of the catastrophic event with a world full of crime, injustice and corruption. McDonagh´s prostitute girlfriend, with whom the relationship is more than dysfunctional, is played by Eva Mendes. The Guardian calls it “a mesmerising thriller”.




Next up, The Joneses, directed by Derrick Borte, sparked my interest. It´s been called a satire on modern day consumerism, and many have dismissed it as ill timed given the current economical climate. Demi Moore and David Duchovny play the parents of a seemingly perfect family, freshly occupying a new home in the suburbs. The affluent family that appear exemplary from the outside are actually a team of salespeople hired by a company to flaunt their belongings. The aim is to convince their neighbours to buy the same things as them so that they can be equally happy. This tale of a peculiarly manoeuvered business scheme strikes me as quite unique in its theme and plot. I sense it could either be a gem or a catastrophe.




A Single Man, based on the Christopher Isherwood novel and directed by Tom Ford has had flawless reviews. It seems the ex-Gucci fashion designer has ticked all the right boxes in his directorial debut which he financed totally independently. According to reviews in the New York Times, it is impeccably filmed with aesthetically sublime takes and artistically poignant shots. George (Colin Firth), a gay professor, tragically loses his lover and after 16 years of mourning, can only think of one thing, suicide. Information suggests Firth delivers an extraordinary performance in what the International Herald Tribune call “a celebration of the male form with a sensual reverence.” It´s a new path for the actor who breaks from his usual soft hearted Englishman to a melancholic and heartbroken man touched by the solitude of heartbreak. The part earned him the Best Actor prize at the Venice Film Festival, and most critics guarantee an Oscar Nomination.

The Top Award, the Gold Lion, at TIFF was obtained by Samuel Maoz, the Israeli director, for his film Lebanon. Aside from the usual boycotts that were ever so present with regards to Israel, the film obtained some raving reviews. Lebanon has already been described by the leading US entertainment magazine Variety as "the boldest and best" of recent films from Israel about the country's wars in Lebanon. It takes place during the 1982 Israel-Lebanon war, which Maoz himself was a part of. Apart from the opening and closing shot, the entire movie takes place in a tank containing four nervous soldiers, and this claustrophobic setting is ideal in showing the nightmare and tension of war. As a member of the audience, you must want them to stay in there and be safe yet beg to see them escape as well. It is this resulting apprehension that seems to have created the movie´s strong reactions. The film is a survivor's haunted memory of a conflict, one which is still relevant today, and was undoubtedly one of the festivals biggest hits.

Life During Wartime, directed by Todd Solondz is another film that critics worldwide were highly anticipating and overall were not disappointed by. It handles the tough subject of domestic crime with strength as it centres on a few troubled families who all have secrets. From what I gather, they have all committed some disturbing acts yet have to learn to forgive as, inevitably, family ties remain. One such act is pedophilia, to give you an idea of the scale of atrocity we are dealing with. The controversial movie is supposedly a sequel to his film Happiness, directed in 1998, but many critics fail to see it as this. I found the director’s take on it, as described by him at a press conference, most compelling: “Life During Wartime is a film about the ghosts you literally carry around with you, and about the idea of forgiveness in the face of the impossible to forgive.” The film was equally loved and loathed.

The Cadillac People’s choice award this year went to the film Precious directed by Lee Daniel and co-produced by Oprah Winfrey. The Sundance hit about an abused Harlem teenager's road to redemption through literacy has been popular amongst many critics who hail the movie as the next Slumdog Millionaire. The latter won the same prize last year and went on to win eight academy awards. The film is directed at “people with insecurities”, says Daniel, who explains he made the film “for anyone who’s ever looked in the mirror and felt unsure about the person looking back”. Based on the novel Push by Sapphire and with a major role for singer Mariah Carey, this could be set to be one of the biggest successes of the movie world.

Soul Kitchen by Fatih Akin is one I definitely will not want to be missing as I have always been such a fan of his work namely the film Head On. The film tells the story of young man's frenetic struggle to keep his offbeat restaurant in Germany going. Entertainment Weekly calls the film “brisk paced with sharp ideas and eclectic music” which is a compliment coming from a US newspaper to a Turkish filmmaker. The film also won the Special Jury Prize at the Venice International Film Festival and was amongst the favorites for many of the movie goers this year in Canada.

Another darling was Up in the Air by Jason Reitman, the Oscar nominated director of Juno. Here, the centre of attention is given to Ryan Bingham, played by George Clooney, a corporate downsizing expert whose cherished life on the road is threatened just as he is on the cusp of reaching ten million frequent flyer miles, and just after he’s met the frequent-traveler woman of his dreams. It supposedly addresses the fears and anxieties of our time and manages to connect to a large audience because, according to The Guardian, “it taps, in a rich and bold and immediate way”. George Clooney plays the part of a pure product of the new America, an addict for an existence in which everything has become systematized. Allegedly brilliant and with Clooney delivering a fine performance, it seems we have yet another Oscar Contender.

Lastly, a film festival wouldn’t be complete without some Coen Brothers action who are back with a vengeance with A serious man. Of all the movie sites and newspaper culture sections I may have studied, this came out as the best film by the majority. It appears they´ve made their most Jewish film to date, a film about physics professor Larry Gopnik and the Jewish subculture of a late-60s Minnesota town. Larry's life begins to fall apart when his wife says she wants a divorce, and in the great unraveling that follows. Working with few recognizable stars, the Coens have made a funny but what one blogger called an “odd and inquisitive" film about guilt. Paste Magazine journalist called A Serious Man “one of the most fascinating, maybe even heartfelt, renderings of a Kafkaesque sensibility that I've seen” coming up with a range of analogies in which the movie may be an Ode to Kafka, and subsequently, their best work to date. Other critics agreed and enjoyed the fact that contrary to its title, it wasn’t that serious at all.

At the Toronto International Film Festival, director Sam Mendes claimed the recession had finally hit the cinema industry. He alludes to the fading monopoly of the industry, meaning earnings have to be vastly distributed leaving small amounts for production, but the actual sales remain higher than ever. Take a look at the US Box office where companies such a media monster Viacom had a record summer selling $4.3bn worth of movie tickets. And judging from the immense selection of movies on offer for the new year, it´s clear industry players want to keep this trend going. Be it with artistic motives, or for the sake of capitalist opportunity, it seems we aren’t short of brilliant movies just yet. Enjoy it while it lasts.

Why Fluctuating Temperatures and a Boisterous Economy are Optimum Conditions for Style.

This week sees most of the world’s universities get back into functional mode. As young adults get ready for the upcoming year of frivolity and academic endeavour, it’s been on my mind what they will choose to wear in the current climates.
Peter Som- the Season´s Comeback Kid

So, I could predict some of the likely wardrobes and tell you about the year’s noteworthy items. I could tell you about the biker leather jackets by Balmain, sequined corsets by Fendi, or shoulder-padded shirts by Max Azria that were noticed on this season’s catwalks . I could update you that green is the colour according to Vogue, and silver according to recent red carpet apparitions by Lady Gaga and Katy Perry. I could also speculate that if the costumes on Gossip Girl are anything to go by, university students du jour should be wearing Gucci asymmetric minidresses, oversized Swarovski jewellery and Louboutin high heels to class.

Instead I’m going to keep it real and tell you that if there’s anything that’s fashionable at the moment it’s the Credit Crunch. The likelihood of any student owning a £1,610 Ungaro jacquard puffball skirt seems rather miniscule at this moment in time. Even stores considered budget friendly such as Zara have felt the pain of the recession, with net profit for the year down by 8%. Furthermore, sales of luxury goods have fallen by 25 % worldwide and high street sales in the UK have deteriorated by 2% in this past month alone. Some economists have speculated this is also due to irregular climate change; People fear spending money on clothes which won’t be in season just a few days later. They are at loss for what to buy; it’s too expensive, too hot, or too cold.

Balmain- jacket £6,360

So what’s the solution? I encourage using the falling economy and erratic weather conditions as an excuse to get creative with trends, and flirt with bargains. Invest in fabulous 40´s vintage and mix it up with something you already own. Revive the 80´s by cutting a skirt from your mother’s wardrobe, and nip it at the waist with a leather belt. Indulge in the tough chic trend by getting your boyfriend’s shirt and slipping it on top of some lace tights. If vintage isn’t your thing, take a peek at Christopher Kane’s latest collection for Topshop, or Alexander Wang’s T Range available on net-a-porter. Both include clothes available for a tenth of the designer’s main lines, guaranteed to keep your credit card sober.

Agness exploits her Personal Style like no one else.

At last week’s NY Fashion Week, it was all about thwarting the unhappy mood set by current climates with brighter colours and tighter shapes. Marc Jacobs’s collection, for example, was bursting with frills, sparkling lamé and harlequin diamonds. It’s as though the designers are telling us we should see the badly behaved weather/economy as an excuse to play dress up in these unsteady times. Seek incentive from this liberating approach and remember to make the outfit unique by shopping with imagination, then reason. Patricia Field sets the perfect example on the set of the SATC sequel with Carrie Bradshaw wearing an array of vintage outfits and wallet friendly brands like Halston Heritage.

Proenza Shouler, S/S 10. Bright, Bold, and in with BANG.

The global downturn is the best environment in which to remove the university uniform. It´s time to let yourself be inspired by trends, but seek to find them in unlikely and more affordable places. Counteract both weather and economy with a daring wardrobe and make a purely individual statement.

University is back and so are You.

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Precious Gems Discovered in Madrid.

If any of you have ever been to Madrid, you have no doubt visited what some call the Golden Triangle of Art. There is, however, much more than what guidebooks recommend as far as dives into the artistic realm are concerned. From varied exhibitions, galleries and national museums, Spain is lucky to have assembled some of the best works of in the history of art, and altogether provides us curious visitors with a most gratifying variety of cultural abundance.

The Spanish Capital is an enchanting place to discover the best of the Spanish masters such as some unforgettable Velazquez’s (Las Meninas) and El Greco (The Adoration of the Sheperds), located in the Prado , Madrid´s answer to the Louvre. For some exceptional canvases by the likes of Holbein (Portrait of Henry III), to Rembrandt (Self Portrait), to Degas (Swaying Dancer) and finally to Lichtenstein (Girl in the Bath), it’s the Thyssen Collection which you should rush to. For the contemporary art lovers, the Reina Sofia is the best in Spain, but French and English nationals accustomed to the likes of the Pompidou or the Tate Modern should beware, this is by far inferior. It contains some pertinent Miró’s (Portrait II) and Dalí’s (The Great Masturbator), but the rest of the collection remains to be desired. By far the most audacious and powerful masterpiece there is Guernica, one of Picasso’s most famous works painted in the midst of the Civil War as a fierce commentary on the horror of war.

Guernica- Pablo Picasso

Las Meninas- Diego Velazquez

Apart from this wonderful array of prestigious art in Madrid, I’d like to draw your attention to a few other finds that I made whilst strolling through the city’s delightful streets (many of which are undergoing renovation at the moment as an effort to boost the city’s appeal for the 2012 Olympic bid). Firstly, The Royal Palace is outstanding in its grandeur. I would go as far as saying it is on par with some of the magnificent palaces in Europe such as le Chateaux de Versailles and the Winter Palace in St Petersburg. Even though it looks smaller than both of them, it still contains an impressive 2800 rooms, only 20 of which were once occupied by the Royal Family in the late 18th Century. The other rooms were for servants, kitchen, pharmacies, bakeries and much more. It exudes luxury and refined elements, with crystal chandeliers covering the Italian decorated walls, splendid satin furniture and marble clocks gracing every corner. The mirrors add to the opulence of the palace, reflecting the light emitted by the chandeliers making the rooms look endless. The most extravagant room is the Throne Room which contains the two gold thrones surrounded by four huge lions. These thrones are now just symbols of the monarchy and are not in use, as the King of Spain, with whom I’ve had the pleasure to shake hands, no longer has absolute power. On the ceiling of this room, covered in red velvet tapestries and all the gold one could make in a generation, is the stupendous fresco by Giovanni Batista Tiepolo, which he made at the age of 68, an age where most people at the time would have been long gone. It took him seven years to complete and was most probably executed with him on a ladder, bent over backwards, reaching to provide the walls with as much detail as he could. The result is exquisite and recalls Michelangelo’s work in the Sistine Chapel.

Palacio Real- Madrid

Another place I thoroughly enjoyed whilst in Madrid was the Fine Arts Museum. Situated in the spectacular Goyeneche Palace, a finely restored and remodelled Baroque building from the 17th Century, it hosts a small but most exquisite collection by some of the world’s most renowned artists. My favourite pieces were works by Van Dycks and Rubens, and of course there are some disturbing Goyas from his black paintings, one of which, The Madhouse, still haunts me now. In fact, it was Goya’s tomb that surprised me the most, located in a tiny and beautiful church called the Hermitage of San Antonio de la Florida, twenty minutes walk from the centre. This church, displays some of Goya’s best technique of his entire career. Similarly to Tiepolo, he decorated the domed ceiling of the church with frescoes, although he succeeded in doing it in less than four months. It’s such a small church, it’s very hard to photograph the frescoes and the details are so miniscule it would be hard to do it justice with a camera, but it’s really very special. The church was painted just after Goya became deaf in 1798 and his subsequent depression and alienation from the injustice of war comes through in the art, seemingly morbid in the tone, colour scheme, and hostile interactions between the figures. In contrast to Tiepolo’s ceilings though, the paint is much more loosely applied, with silver flickers and a loss of lines. It shows a leap in his work, one that would later categorise the Romantic Movement.

Frescoes by Francisco Goya at the Hermitage of San Antonio de la Florida

Lastly, I’d like to mention the Fundacion Lazario Galdiano. I was recommended this collection by a Spanish Woman who assured me it would be well worth the journey. I went with small expectations, unsure what I would be seeing exactly. I entered a magnificient house complete with the most extensive private collections I had laid my eyes on in a while. The man in question, Mr Galdiano (1862-1947), was a very wealthy society man with a penchant for aesthetics and art who decided to invest in important works ranging from the 14th Century Spanish Art to 19th Century English art. The collection, hosted in his discerning neo-classical home, contains some truly splendid pieces such as grotesque witches by Goya (once again belonging to the Black Paintings), some delicate and very detailed Velazquez work and a miniscule and gloriously ethereal Leonardo da Vinci, El Salvador, which was my favourite. I was also treated to some striking Flemish Art from the 16th Century including one Brueghel , The Animals Embark Noah’s Ark, which caught my attention depicting Noah about to embark on a journey with all the animals surrounding him, just perfection. In addition to the paintings are pieces of jewellery which the man kindly brought his wife, with some extravagant diamond tiaras, ruby brooches and pearl hair pins included. The collection also boasts one of Europe’s finest miniature painting collections, which Mr Galdiano loved to purchase. They are extraordinarily fragile and ornate given their size and are a joy to look at. I also had the chance of being alone in the gallery on a Sunday, making my visit all the more magical.

If this hasn’t convinced you that Madrid has a wealth of treasure chests, I don’t know what will. Enjoy this sensational capital and share your discoveries with the sparkling locals who will adore hearing about your enthusiasm for their town. The buoyant ambience in the calles, welcoming atmosphere of the Tapas places, and ambitious hours of the nightlife all concord to provide an insouciant Madrilanean lifestyle, which is unique in its kind. I can only hope that when I next visit a town, I’ll be graced with equally sweet encounters.

Peace Concert in Cuba- A call for tolerance?

Columbian rocker Juanes's peace concert in Cuba "Peace without borders" is taking place as I write this. Fifteen Top Latin American, Spanish and Cuban performers are there right now in what is the most prevalent open air concert since the 1959 revolution. Half a million people have turned up under the broiling Havana sun to partake in the largest celebration they may have ever seen. The singer, best known for his hits La Camisa Negra, calls it "an apolitical expression of peace and a desire to bring nations together through music."

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A group of twenty high profile jailed political dissidents announced their support for the concert last week, causing many to believe this is a concert in favour of the current Communist regime more than about alleged "peace". Cuban Exiles in Miami such as Gloria Estefan and Willy Chirino, who were invited to play in their native country for the concert, actively refused, saying it would bring positive press for the Cuban government. They both agreed it would encourage the removal of the US Embargo on Cuba, something they passionately contest. Others have even gone as far as labelling the singer a "traitor" when he himself leads the high life in Miami. Juanes replied to this by saying the aim of the concert is only to ease political tensions. Unfortunately for Miami based critics of the Cuban Regime, Juanes's plight did not convince them and it is even rumoured that he has received multiple death threats in the last few days on his Twitter account.
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Whatever Juanes says, we cannot avoid the fact that the concert is taking place in Cuba in Revolution Square where the Communist Headquarters are located, right next to a giant sculpture of Che Guevara's head. It is also the same square in which President Fidel Castro gave his famous five hour speeches, leaving many to doubt the intent of this concert. Two of the most pro-revolutionary artists in Cuba, Silvio Rodrigez and Amaury Perez, are also taking part in the concert, making some more than sceptic.
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In a recent interview, Juanes claimed the event was meant to set aside ideological differences and "knock down our mental walls". It seems if this was really the case he should be talking more about the freedom in the country. It seems contradictory to encourage political entente, when the Cuban authorities restrict so many of its occupants to express themselves. Cuba is still a country that suffers from grave censorship issues and is still very much under the reigns of Communism with thousands of prisoners unjustly in jail due to dictatorship. Perhaps these are more pressing issues that should be addressed rather than naively calling for peace through music. It seems imminent democracy is what the country really needs. It will be interesting to see what comes of the concert, if anything.

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At least there will be beautiful music, but peace or freedom? I'm not convinced.

How Annie Leibovitz gave me a tear and then a smile.

Richard Avedon is without hesitation one of my favourite photographers of the late 20th Century. For the last official exhibition of his lifetime, he chose Annie Leibovitz to photograph him. Heralded as one of the most significant artists of contemporary photography, it goes without saying he's more than a connnoiseur when it comes to photography. The fact that he chose Leibovitz amongst the wide range of other photographers that now exist showed the woman has unrivalled talent. Apart from seeing her works in Louis Vuitton adverts and a few notable photoshoots, I wasn't overtly familiar with her work until I heard her exhibition was a must. I remembered seeing the portrait of Avedon by Leibovitz, and thinking it was very good, so I went along, curious to see what it was about Leibovitz that the great Avedon had respected.

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The exhibition concentrates on her oeuvre over the years 1990-2005, and there is enough to cover two large floors of the prestigious Consejería de Cultura y Deporte in Madrid. The works contrast between varied themes of celebrity, landscapes, and personal moments, all of which are captured with sentiment and originality. The stunning photographs she takes of landscapes seem to resemble abstract expressionist canvases in the way in which subject is removed and it is hard to decipher what we are looking at exactly, yet these weren't the most emotionally effective in my opinion. The photographs that gave me chills at times, and made me laugh at others were the ones she took during this time of people.
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Celebrities by Leibovitz are mostly covers of magazines, namely Vanity Fair, which she took over the years. Not only are these very beautiful to look at, they are also very creative in their depiction of famous stars. The infamous shot of Demi Moore totally in the nude whilst carrying her first child with Bruce Willis, was all Leibowitz´s idea. The picture is startling, not only because it shows an actress who people revere and idolise in her most natural state of being, it also shows the beauty and appeal of a pregnant woman, something which is often neglected. It takes Moore away from her celebrity status and puts her on the same level as millions of woman out there, looking more radiant than ever. Another image of a woman I particularly appreciated was one of the Queen of England standing tall in a forest wearing a black cloak, surrounded by unsettling dark lighting. It showed the woman stripped of gowns and crowns, placed in mysterious scenery, showing her for who she is, someone we do not really know yet put on pedestal due to monarchical distinction. It also attributed her with legendary status whilst radically contrasting from the usual portraits we see of the queen in pink suits.

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The setting she uses to photograph her models are at times amusing, at times more tragic depending on the message she tries to convey. The photograph of Donald Trump and his daughter Ivanka Trump was one of my favourite ones, showing the absurdity of money and glamour in a flamboyant way. Ivanka Trump poses in a gold bikini on the steps of her private jet whilst her father waits for her at the bottom of the plane in a black convertible Lamborghini Murcielago, an eccentric sports car some might say. Another shot I enjoyed was one of the Osbourne’s in their home, taken at the peak success of their reality show. It shows the superficial nature of the situation with Ozzy Osbourne on the loo naked and covered in tattoos, while his wife holds their pooch in satin pink pyjamas, all this with TV crew surrounding them. Leibovitz doesn´t just capture a moment in time, but encapsulates the absurd concept of Reality TV.

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In some of her photographs there is a distinct sense of pose and artistic direction, she does not capture her subjects au naturel, as would Mario Testino, but places them in distinct settings where their personality can best shine through. Johnny Depp and Kate Moss, photographed at the time when they were still an item, is a perfect example of Leibovitz´s compositional choice. She places Moss naked on the bed eyes open, Depp with jeans on lying on top of her seemingly asleep. Both are unquestionably attractive and the sexuality they emit in their day to day has been arrested flawlessly. The relationship between the two is so intimately taken yet obviously staged, giving the entire photograph mythical magnetism, in which the viewer cannot help but stop and stare. Along the same thread, Brad Pitt sulking in a hotel room drenched in blood orange light, bed linen and clothes also oozes divine allure.

It is not only celebrities which Leibovitz focuses on; she also takes some very real shots of life around her, often of most distressing nature. A small part of the exhibition is dedicated to pictures she took in Sarajevo after it emerged from the shadow of war. We see small children who have lost everything, mothers seeking them desperately and blood stained walls following brutal massacres. The exhibition also has pictures of people who made a difference in the world, not just celebrities, but activists whose work Leibovitz supports. One photograph I particularly liked of the latter subjects was of Rebecca Denison, the founder of WORLD (Women Organised to respond to Life threatening Diseases). Denison is shown in profile with red hands covered in words such as: Courage, Hope, and Never Give up etc. A product of Leibowitz´s creativity.

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Finally, the best and most poignant part of the exhibition for me was the set of photographs of Susan Sonntag. Being an art historian, I have come across many of Sonntag´s papers, especially those surrounding New York Modernism, but I was not familiar with the actual woman. Leibovitz started taking pictures of the very cultured woman in the early 90´s when she first learned she had cancer. As we continue the exhibition, we see her condition deteriorate and follow her difficult times through chemotherapy, subsequent fatigue and finally, her death. The photographs are not, in contrast to Leibowitz´s celebrities, posed. They are taken very fluidly in the everyday monotony of city life and are very touching in the depiction of the woman. The choice to do them in black and white re-enforces their down to earth nature and removes any artifice that might have been apparent otherwise. It is in touch with the sombre tone of the subject´s health. Overall, it acts as a tremendous proof of friendship and love from the artist who was with her every step of the way through these hard times. It shows she was willing to keep her alive through photographic medium, even though her friend (and rumoured lover) was imminently dying, thus continuously relighting the candle as it was being blown by the wind.

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These images by Leibovitz seem to act as small movies, as the artist would describe them herself. We do not see a sole moment, but a continuous flow of actions which she seizes into one single photograph. Indeed, it appears the woman dubbed a “rock and roll photographer” succeeds in this retrospective exhibition to prove the versatility of her style. From the small intimate family and friend shots taken spontaneously, to the more grandiose images of icons which are more constructed and posed, both manage to strip down the subjects to their essentials. Ultimately, this makes them more true to life than ever.

Only Time will Tell.

Time Proxies, an exhibition by Matthew Buckingham, held at the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia in Madrid, investigates the passing of time and the changes we witness in brilliant and innovative detail. The artist's main investigation lies in the art of memory and what time can make us forget or remember.The exhibition is divided into several rooms all of which hold different projects and artwork in a variety of media such as photography, sculpture and film.

In Celeritas (2009), one of the works in the exhibition, a phrase is silk-screened onto a chalk board enclosed in a wooden cupboard- these words are illuminated by light that has travelled a duration of_minutes &_seconds- The travel of time falling on the cabinet is calculated and then written in with chalk. This is intended to make us think about the speed of light as an imperceptible marker of time. This specific situation is repeated every hour and each time, the speed is calculated. The point of this is to make us feel close to the limit of temporal perception, perhaps reminded that time unfolds somewhere between seemingly instantaneous light-speed and imperceptibly slow geological time.

In another work, The Six Grandfathers, Papa Sapa, in the Year 502, 002 C.E (2002), Buckingham shows a photograph of Mount Rushmore National Memorial as it would appear in 500,000 years. This monumental sculpture, with portraits of presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln carved out of the granite mountain, has become unrecognisable. As erosion erased the monument, its cultural, political, and social values faded away. Once again, we see the way in which time can erase things from our memory but also the way in which natural temporality has that same power.

Everything I Need (2007) was by far one of my favourite works, exploring the different processes of memory activated by psychologist Charlotte Wolff's return visit to Berlin, her native city, after 45 years abroad. A series of thoughts and memories is projected onto a screen and little by little we discover her story. A Jewish Lesbian worker in the early 40's, she was lucky to escape the concentration camps by going to Paris undercover. She mentions what life was like in the past and what life is like now, and we see how her vision of the present has been shaped by events in the past. It's all very interesting. She recounts her hardships, breakthroughs and deceptions with vigour and nostalgia, making us relive the pain of certain moments. It is as though Buckingham shows us that through storytelling, we can almost go back in time and switch from present to past in a matter of seconds, even if it is only our mind which guides us through the continuum.

Another thought-provoking part of the exhibition, once again related to time and memory, focused on symbols. It showed us some of the world's now most famous symbols and how they came to be. We notice swastikas, the Anarchy sign, the peace sign and the Squatter's symbol. Next to a photograph of the symbols taken in modern time on the street or at demonstrations, we have a detailed piece of information surrounding the symbol and how it came about. It's striking to see the way in which meanings can change and alter through time, and how things can go from being one thing to another radically different. A little like Chinese whispers. We see how the swastika was actually found by Heinrich Schliemman who discovered the symbol in the site of ancient Troy and associated it with the ancient migrations of Proto-Indo-Europeans. He connected it with similar shapes found on ancient pots in Germany, and theorized that the swastika was a "significant religious symbol of our remote ancestors", linking Germanic, Greek and Indo-Iranian cultures. The work of Schliemann soon became intertwined with the völkisch movements, for which the swastika was a symbol of the "Aryan race". Several years later, that sign was to become the Nazi symbol.

All in all, an exhibition that makes one contemplate about individual life and its minute presence on earth in comparison to the gigantic spectrum of existence. It makes us reflect on the passing of time, its effects on both objects and subjects, taking the human mind as its target of experiment. The viewer is challenged by this experiment in his own time-journey through the exhibition as much as the works of art themselves. The cultural, historical and psychological inclusions in the artwork make the exhibition all the more captivating in the rare themes it tackles. Buckingham offers an eye-opening insight into the complexities of human existence, which we cannot deny deserves to be continually re-assessed...

Vintage Balenciaga is just a Christie’s Sale away.

The auction house, Christie’s, have just announced that they will be hosting a Balenciaga sale on December 9th in London. Anne Moen Bullitt’s entire wardrobe of the Forties through to the Sixties is being taken under the hammer. It promises to be one of the most elaborate fashion sales to grace the world of auction houses in a very long time.

The lady in question was born in Paris to an ambassador father and journalist mother. Whilst she studied, she met some of the world’s most renowned men namely Freud and Roosevelt, who were both her father’s close acquaintances. She then became a true socialite and heartbreaker, marrying four times until she finally settled in Ireland. Her love for fashion began much earlier, in the late Forties, when she moved to Madrid with her second husband, Nicholas Duke Biddle; a vice consul in the American embassy in Spain, and began frequenting Cristobal Balenciaga's ateliers in Madrid.

The auction will have all of Bullit’s most beautiful gowns, from featherlight evening dresses to sharply cut suits, and amounts to the most extensive Fifties Balenciaga wardrobe to be offered to the market in the last 20 years. From Forties New York, to Fifties Madrid, to Sixties Paris and Ireland, Bullitt's collection documents the evolution of her personal taste and of the mores of fashion in each decade.

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During the Sixties Bullitt shifted her loyalty from wasp-waisted Balenciaga to Lanvin for suits and evening wear, while the Seventies and Eighties saw her begin to favour Emanuel Ungaro's ready-to-wear Parallèle collections. Also available at auction is Bullitt's collection of Hermes handbags, rare Fifties Hattie Carnegie suits, dresses by Jacques Fath and Yves Saint Laurent, and an array of Irish couture by Sybil Connelly.

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I have heard through the grapevine that the woman was especially slim with a very small waist, so the sale will only be of interest to a few lucky (and wealthy) ladies out there. Regardless of this fact, I shall most definitely be attending this social event in the fashion calendar. Such events tend to gather some interesting crowds with a lot of very silly things to say. It will also be a great opportunity to see the dresses live and discover who the privileged ladies in the audience will be to obtain the highest bids. Vogue and Tatler are publicising the event as if it was their wedding so it won’t be long until the auction house starts receiving some high offers. See you in December in front of all the exquisite garments-Going once, going twice. Sold.

Richard Rogers- The last Humanist?

The Caixa Forum in Madrid is now home of a superb Richard Rogers exhibition, the infamous architect, whose lightweight, transparent and futuristic designs changed the world of architecture. The exhibition neatly goes through Rogers’ main projects from his early start with the Rogers’ family house in the early 1970’s to his latest projects such as Heathrow’s Terminal Five and the Millennium Dome.

The exhibit is superbly presented with intricately modelled maquettes of his major buildings such as Lloyds Bank in London, the Wales National Assembly and the Pompidou Centre which he designed with Renzo Piano. All of Rogers’s designs are singular in that they combine well established systems, a physical realisation of society’s values, environmentally responsible designs made with lightweight materials only and transparent structures which reveal inner activity. Rogers also requires that all his buildings be legible in terms of order, scale and expression of construction. It may seem like quite a handful but when you read the manifesto created by Rogers for his company, Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners, it nears perfection.

The desire for compact cities and small towns operated by energy efficient systems and designed with innovative techniques is at the core of this manifesto. However, where Rogers differs from other architects who have the environment as a main concern is that he sees style as being necessary for all these conditions to be fulfilled. If something isn’t nice to look at, people won’t be attracted to it. If there are two women sporting an eco-friendly t-shirt, you’ll be most likely to buy it off Claudia Schiffer than smelly Aunt Gertrude, it’s not rocket science. The thoughts that cities may be changed for economic and environmental purposes yet with sexy aesthetics in mind (forgive me if I find his architecture sexy); all for the common good and well being of society fills me with a sense of excitement.

The exhibition stresses that Rogers is particularly determined to create public spaces that encompass the diversity and complexity of the contemporary world. In all his designs he never takes for granted that people will live in and around them, and hence tries to make them as user-friendly as possible both in construction and once constructed. He creates buildings that revolve around a seductive interplay of light and shadow with simple designs and minimalist details which make them thus simple to understand and use. Rogers sees public spaces as being the physical realisation of society’s values shaped by the communities that use them. He thus thinks that through good design in social spaces, we can achieve social inclusion enhanced by environmental responsibility and thus create diversity. Combined with an urban concern and physical attractiveness is an earnest endeavour for well being in the human quotidian.

If every city from now on was to be built with these concerns in mind with buildings that abided to these principles, we might be better off as human beings. It seems his constructions generate respect and tolerance due to their implicit focus on clarity and honesty. There is no pretense in the work, no arrogance, it’s a beautiful buiding made for the people both within it and ouside of it. In fact, it helps bring them together, an important fact for democratic harmony in our capitalist society to develop. It is this human aspect that captures my interest in both his past designs and his upcoming projects.

The last part of the exhibition centres on Roger’s work in progress. The new luxury complex of penthouses situated in 1 Hyde Park in London is a prime example of the magic of his architecture. It will operate solely with geothermal heating and is fitted with special latest technology mechanisms around the complex designed to reduce carbon emissions. Meanwhile, as promised by Rogers, the entire design of the building emanates luxury and the cutting edge architecture for which he is renowned for. Similarly, the new entertainment complex in Barcelona, Los Arenas, also exhibits characteristics of style and eco-friendly design such as solar radiation with happiness of the people as its main focus. It seems that Rogers succeeds in combining hyper edgy design with green sustainability creating a better living space for society and thus enhancing future living and thinking, something our world right now can only benefit from.

Richard Rogers is the 2007 Pritzker Architecture Prize Laureate, the recipient of the RIBA Gold Medal in 1985 and winner of the 1999 Thomas Jefferson Memorial Foundation Medal. He is also winner of the 2000 Praemium Imperiale Prize for Architecture, the 2006 Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement (La Biennale di Venezia) and the 2007 Tau Sigma Delta Gold Medal. Richard Rogers was awarded the Légion d’Honneur in 1986, knighted in 1991 and made a life peer in 1996. Most recently, in 2008 he was made a Member of the Order of the Companions of Honour. The exhibition Richard Rogers +Architects-From the House to the City is now touring Europe and is now at the CaixaForum in Madrid until the 18th October 2009.

Pompidou Centre- 1976

Wales National Assembly- 2005

Lloyds Bank-1986.

Today’s Trends: Pain really is Beauty.

As I’ve been residing in Madrid for the past week, I decided I may aswell go and check out for myself what some of the famous Madrid shopping was all about...

Start again.

Apologies for the above, it was a lie.

The moment I arrived in Madrid, I dropped off my luggage and went straight to the shops which I had heard so much about. It was actually quite embarrassing how excited I was in front of some of the stores. It was everything that I wanted, at an accessible price and with more than decent quality of clothing. The shops I mention are not your usual high street shops found in London or Paris, but small boutiques in the middle of lost streets, namely in the gay district. Let me tell you I was oh so pleased with what I found. Over the knee boots: check. Sequinned Skirts: check. Draped dresses: check. Sculpted shoulder jackets: check. Mini Booties in the finest leather: check. All of this season’s hottest trends in these unknown shops sold by laid back Spanish 20 year olds, only to eager to sell it all to me, and fast.

Thus, energized by the city’s new air, I was ready to take off last season’s floaty blouse, cut off denim shorts and gladiator sandals. An autumn virgin for the new collections. First up, I tried on a body con sequinned dress with high cut shoulders. It took me about five minutes to squeeze into and a good ten minutes to take off. Not that it was too small, it’s just meant to be super tight. It looked pretty good so I went ahead and bought it but I did feel slightly flushed walking out of the shop. Next up, I wanted some sexy shoes for the new season, black and very very high was the name of the game. The store was full of wonderful, slinky things all crying to have me try them on, which I did sans hesitation. As I sat on the floor of the shop,( a chair was too complicated a process to bend over to zip the damn things ), I couldn’t help but think I looked quite silly in contrast to the glamorous shoes I was trying on, a pitiful contradiction. Slowly, I stood, with the help of a kind assistant. I stared at the reflection of my legs thinking they had probably never looked so long in all my life then, suddenly, as I took my first stride with pride...splat- on the floor where I’d started. The shoes were so high and so uncomfortable that I had fallen- I now have a huge bruise on my behind; and trust me, Im used to wearing heels. I am a silly fool, a sucker for empowering accesories, so I bought them. I will probably never wear them, but hey, they´re in the wardrobe now, give me points for effort.

These episodes of sheer torture continued as I tried on more things, from embellished leather jackets to draped mesh skirts to silver latex jumpsuits. On my way home, red cheeked and packed with heavy shopping bags on both my arms (further enhancing my agony), I wondered why designers were putting us through this. Why is it that today’s fashion is more constricted than ever? Havent we evolved enough as human beings, as women even, to be able to feel comfortable in what we wear? Why are today’s fashion houses urging us to wear tight, non elasticated structured pieces? The choice is yours inevitably and women can and do wear what they want, regardless of what goes down on the catwalk, but there’s still no denying that 2010 fashion doesn’t take comfort into consideration. Women are asked to be sharp yet laid back, sophisticated yet effortless. Is this realistic given today’s social expectations and focus on equality? Am I supposed to simply cope that my new jumpsuit is a nightmare for the little girls room? I buy these dresses because I think they look fabulous and glamorous, but I wonder if it's worth looking so sizzling if I'm tugging at my skirt for fear of indecent exposure every five minutes.

Looking at Rihanna in Kane, Madonna in Balmain , it’s all making me want to wear Uggs and Juicy all over again. You'd think the designers would have tried to take fashion back to its fundamentals given the current economical climate. Far From it. Maybe, it’s time the fash pack realised that tight might bite.

The season's hottest trend- Over the Knee boots, as seen on Kylie Minogue in Chanel and Kate Moss for Cavalli. Good luck taking them off before getting down and d in the bedroom. I say keep 'em on.

Christopher Kane. Complicated and intricate= Modern and Edgy. Sigh.

Even the tackiest of them in Leger find life hard, however much theyre smiling.

One wonders if wonderboy Christophe Decarnin, designer of BALMAIN, is to blame.

Striking film included in Noah and the Whale’s latest album tackles melancholy with poetic beauty.

I’m going to be frankly honest by saying that Noah and the Whale have never been one of my favourite bands. When I first heard “5 Years Time”, I thought it sounded childish and I couldn’t see what the fuss was about. Fuss there was, there’s no denying it. It was released in 2007 and its peak position was no. 7 on the UK Official Top 40. Not bad for a student band who had just started out in the business. Gradually though, I started to meet people who were not just keen, but proper fans, as though somehow the music had really touched them. The more hype there was surrounding the band, the more intrigued I became and it wasn’t until a close acquaintance became involved in their latest film project, The First Days of Spring, that I really began to take interest.

On a fine crisp March evening, I was invited to their concert and it is then that it struck me how talented the boys were and how many people in the audience were bewitched by their performances. For a group of public school students straight out of Manchester University, the music was truly enjoyable and the group is undoubtedly talented. Charlie Fink’s voice is gorgeous, full of devotion and one really believes every word he says. The violin arrangements which accompany the songs are filled with sentiment and help heighten the helpless yet hopeful tone of the music, which really does take you on a journey. It’s fair to say that I will never have them listed as my favourite band, but having given them a proper listen and heard them live, if you're into your indie folk rock stuff, then Noah and the Whale is exactly what you want to listen to.

The new album, the First Days of Spring, released just Monday is spectacular and it’s clear the band has evolved. A full on choir makes an appearance as well as more grandiose vocals from Fink and more depth to the music in general. Critics all round have given it praise, with only slight criticism referring to the lyrics as “wall to wall with clichés” such as by Dorian Lynksey of the Guardian five days ago. Life is full of clichés though, so inevitably music will have some too. Looking back at Dylan sometimes, I even can’t help but think some of his music is “cliché”. In defence of the band, I will say that the lyrics are, at least, real, with Fink talking us through the hopes following traumatic heartbreak, relating to his failed romance with ex-NaTW singer Laura Marling.

Along with the new album, the band decided, due to their thorough interest in cinema, to accompany it with a short 45 min film which consists of every soundtrack on the album and a few dialogues. As enchanting as the album itself, this precious film, directed by Charlie Fink and produced by Olivier Kaempfer of Parkville Pictures, is a gem. From start to finish, the viewer is left captivated, marvelling at the superb scenery shot with grace and subtlety. The tone of the movie is somewhat nostalgic, centred on a man whose one true love has died (played by It girl and model Daisy Lowe), post rupture, at the early stages of his adult life. It shows us how he spends the rest of his life mourning her loss, first as an adult in an unhappy marriage, and then as an old man wanting to end his life. It is thus deeply moving, very touching, showing the development of a man who never managed to escape the chains of love and was thus never able to fulfil a life. The film capsizes from these three periods in his life, showing flashbacks of his past happiness with the girl he adored to present moments of loss and insanity to final stages of his incomplete existence where the theme of death becomes most prominent. The scenes of the English countryside and expansive lakes shot with the morning dew, overwhelming sunshine or cascading raindrops, are breathtaking and so very apt to the soft sounds of Charlie Fink’s vocals and the band’s solitary guitars and background of strings. This simply beautiful film makes the folk-pop music come alive, bringing the lead’s singer pain of lost romance to life. A movie for “anyone with a broken heart”, and more.

“First Days of Spring”- available now on ITunes.