To mark the closing of Henry Hudson’s solo show at Trolley, we invited John Carroll from the Sir John Soane Museum to talk about the exhibition in relation to the original Hogarth painting series ‘The Rake’s Progress’ which is housed at the John Soane. Compared to artists like Sir Joshua Reynolds, Hogarth wasn’t terribly prolific, and as such the dozen or so paintings at the John Soane, is the largest collection of Hogarth’s in the world… 

At the closing night of Henry Hudson’s ‘Knappin’ exhibition at Trolley Gallery (directors Gigi Gianuzzi and Hannah Watson are such a pair of cards that they seem to be throwing both opening- and closing-night jollies for all of their shows), John Carroll, a fine William Hogarth specialist from the Sir John Soames Museum, came to tea. Each of Hudson’s ten panels are opulently painted in melted plasticine and all are amplified details of the etchings of Hogarth’s Rake’s or Harlot’s Progress, from the 1730s. Hudson has updated the Hogarth works – thankfully only subtly – with wine stains, modern-day cigarettes, canvas tacks and crumbling plaster.

YBA Keith Coventry and Elliot McDonald, curator of the Hiscox Art Fund and the Sudeley Castle shows, were part of the gin-and-raspberry-swilling audience. Carroll posited that Hogarth was ‘the first Damien Hirst,’ having made multiple copies of his copperplate engravings and sold them from the window of his studio in Leicester Square, thus ‘freeing himself from aristocratic approval’ and creatively restrictive portrait commissions. Someone’s mobile telephone then bleated out the Moonlight Sonata ringtone. ‘This has now officially become a BBC2 documentary,’said Coventry, perhaps pining for the dissolution of those former days when he had a studio in the prestigious Albany apartments, site of several late-night portrait painting parties.

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By Tim Blanks on Style.com
When Paul Smith laid eyes on Gentlemen of Bacongo, a vivid new celebration of the fashion-obsessed Congolese dandies called sapeurs, he was too inspired to wait for his next menswear show. He immediately modeled his women’s collection for Spring 2010 around Daniele Tamagni’s photos. In fact, the book’s cover was reproduced for the first look: a scaled-down pink suit, orange striped shirt, and red shoes, topped off by an orange bowler. That vivid sapeur-iste palette juiced up the show, and the menswear theme kept circling around, in a banker-striped shirt extended into a full dress, say, or the tan suit worn over checked waistcoat, collar, and tie.

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LONDON – Celebrated designer Paul Smith took London Fashion Week on a side trip to Africa Monday night with a startling show inspired by styles worn by young men in the Congo.

Smith, who made his name in colorful menswear, adapted the way musicians in the Bacongo region wear brightly colored suits with beautiful accessories and turned it into an unusual women’s wear collection.

The first model set the scene, looking androgynous in a bright pink suit with red lining and a red bowler hat. Others followed in bright colors, with pink a dominant theme for the first part of the show, which was met with thunderous applause in the ballroom of the elegant Claridge’s hotel.

After the show, Smith – beaming with pleasure – said he got the ideas from “The Gentlemen of Bacongo,” a book of photos depicting the dress of the dandies there.

“When you look at these guys, they are just magical,” he said, “The pocket handkerchiefs, the ties, the cufflinks, the watches, everything. They dress in an amazing, amazing smart way, and their attention to detail is fantastic. They are so passionate about dressing beautifully”

He said the show reflected his desire to mesh various traditions from different parts of the world.

“We used lots of prints, very optimistic colors, African prints. I love mixing all the fashions together,” he said.

The women’s suits were cut with very narrow shoulders and a long, slim style. Colors were uniformly bright. Many of the dresses mixed several patterns together, and hems were often asymmetrical.

Smith also used hot pants to set off many outfits.

The designer’s bold use of color extended to the models’ lipstick – many wore a blue-green shade that stood out sharply against their pale makeup. Others wore bright red. Smith, one of Britain’s most prominent designers, said he was pleased that London Fashion Week is celebrating its 25th anniversary with the return of some other well known talents who have not shown in London in recent years.

Sunday 27 September, 2.30pm

Photographer Robin Maddock and Managing Editor of Trolley Books Hannah Watson introduce their new publication, Our Kids Are Going to Hell, a photographic document of Maddock’s three-year journey accompanying police on the streets of east London. Followed by a signing in the main foyer with writer and Hackney resident Iain Sinclair, author of the introduction to the book. In association with: Trolley Books.

Free, no booking required.

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Margaret was joined by the two daughters Jannicke and Cathrine at Trolley for their booksigning, both are at Kingston university studying film and photography respectively, following in their mother’s footsteps!

Robin Maddock, Margaret M. de Lange and Gigi outside Trolley Gallery after last night’s launch and booksigning, thanks to everyone who came down!

Now available for pre-order from best bookseller in London – Richard Bucht, Waterstones Covent Garden

BUY GENTLEMEN OF BACONGO HERE

Wednesday, September 16, 2009
7:00pm – 10:00pm
Trolley Gallery
73a Redchurch Street
London

To celebrate the three September releases, there will be a special launch and booksigning on Wednesday 16th September for:

Daughters by Margaret M. de Lange
Our Kids Are Going To Hell by Robin Maddock

Margaret will be joined by her two daughters, the subjects of the book, and now in their twenties, and Robin will be joined by Iain Sinclair, who wrote the intro to his book about Hackney and its nocturnal activity

Please join us for the first chance to buy the books at a special one night only discount and have them signed by the authors!

DAUGHTERS

OUR KIDS ARE GOING TO HELL