The political debate sparked by Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, Maria Alyokhina and Yekaterina Samutsevich continues in literary form with Let’s Start A Pussy Riot.

Not only made in collaboration with the feminist punk rock activists, but also featuring contributions by the likes of Yoko Ono, Kim Gordon and Antony Hegarty, the book delves into the topics of women’s rights, freedom of speech and art activism through a varied selection of artists, writers and poets.

Curated by Emely Neu, edited by Jade French and made in association with Beth Siveyer of Girls Get Busy and Verity Flecknell of Storm in a Teacup, this is definitely one to add to your bookshelf.

letsstartapussyriot.com

roughtraderecords.com

Artists Anne Libby, Elise McMahon, and Sophie Stone spent springtime nurturing creative growth and awareness in a small glass box. The group inhabited a steel New York City newsstand and stocked the essentials like umbrellas for the unforgiving rain, bottled H20, crush-worthy lighters, munchies and plenty of reading material. If you haven’t stopped by, grab some boba and unwind at the intersection of Bowery and Canal Street. Petrella’s Imports will close up shop Sunday, June 30th. Twin asked about their blooming future.

How did you ladies all meet?

The three of us met in school at RISD.

 Tell us about conceiving Petrella’s Imports.

 When we thought about newsstands in the age of information, they seemed like odd points of distribution. Thus, Petrella‘s Imports is conceived as a physical outpost in a digital culture, at a time when the originary purpose of the newsstand as ‘source of information’ wanes. Our intention has been to assemble a large number of creative collaborators in order to offer a surrogate to the inventory of items normally found. Like a site, the newsstand is updated daily with new content, much of which threads through the digital realm.

How has your project progressed since?

As a point of distribution within the public space of New York City, the ‘newsstand’ is a form that we continue to be interested in examining and reconstituting. Since opening, we’ve embarked on “Live Stream”, a serial video project at PetrellasImports.com that documents and fictionalizes the newsstand’s reified integration into New York City street life. It’s partially a product of what we see and hear from the newsstand.

Typically, women are not found working in a newsstands. How did this reality influence the success of Petrella’s ?

The operation of a newsstand by women is certainly unique . Taking the broader context of street-facing city spaces, the presence of women is nearly non-existent. We’re interested in altering the expected constitution of these establishments.

Petrella’s Imports is full of riches – the stand is so carefully curated. Who did you collaborate with?

Artists from all over contributed to the collaboration that represents the inventory of the newsstand. The inventory includes artist-made magazines and newspapers as well as postcards, prepackaged food, umbrellas and cigarettes.

You encourage and engage individuals to take part in a dialogue of great social change. What has the overall reaction been like?

All of the contributors have been excited about the idea of a street-facing point of exhibition. It gave a lot of people an opportunity to reposition their work within a different economy for a different audience. We’ve been thrilled with the response from passersby who’ve come across something unusual within the patterns of everyday life.

How did you balance the intimacy of experiencing an artist’s work in a very public environment?

Art consumption in traditional contexts enjoys a slightly longer gestation than the quick, one-minute shopping stop on the sidewalk. We hope to suggest browsing and long-form consumption as a way of realigning public space with something closer to respite or philosophical recalibration.

Did you face any challenges working within the constraints of a uniform glass structure?

The particular structures around the city are recent architectural solutions, more vehicles for advertising than anything else, raking in huge amounts of money for the city. Constraint and economics were a big part of our interest, so working right up next to these civic barriers was important to the project.

Will you continue to work within New York public space? 

We’ve been in touch with a handful of institutions. None have been quite right yet, and we’re considering other public venues that would further contextualise our ends in increasingly trenchant ways. We’re continuing to take on projects that revolve around the intersection of individuals and their physical (and newly metaphysical) landscapes. As the definition of the public realm continues to change, we make blanket assumptions about ‘access’, ‘universality’ and ‘parity’ within spaces like the web. At the same time we can see a constriction, or a streamlining, of said values.

What’s up next for the group?

At the end of July we will have a web project and a show at Suzanne Geiss Company. It’s a gallery with a storefront location on Grand street and represents an opportunity for us to explore alternate definitions of public space, store-fronting and the distribution of information.

A wise woman?

Mierle Laderman Ukeles says many wise things that have informed our own belief system.

petrellasimports.com

Work by artists Gretta Johnson, Laura Hunt, Maria Salas, and PJ Rountree among many others

Inside the newsstand, a continued selection of artist publications and editions

Anne Libby’s I <3 NY plastic bag water bottles and postcards by artists

Elise Mcmahon’s lighters, Maggie Lee’s Suede’s Slick Sad Swirled, Kevin Zucker’s NYC restaurant matchbooks and Eckhaus Latta and K-hole Projects Brad and You deodorant. The door to the newsstand is also exhibition space

This weekend J Brand are inviting denim lovers down to Selfridges new denim space on the 3rd floor to celebrate the Little Black Jean, a pair now exclusive to the infamous department store. Having turned to stylist Angela Scanlon to style the Little Black Jean, she will be making an in-store appearance tomorrow to share her denim tips as well as take photos with shoppers.

Customers are invited to photograph themselves in the new style which will then be uploaded to their personal social media channels, with the hashtag #littleblackjean of course. J Brand will also be launching a worldwide competition on the 1st July asking followers to submit images of themselves in their own black jeans for the chance to win a pair of J Brand 620 in Hewson. One pair will be won each day to the image with the most votes. At the end of July there will be a grand prizewinner, chosen by both Selfridges and Angela, who will win a pair of the exclusive Little Black Jean.

 jbrandjeans.com

Tags: J Brand, Selfridges

If you are in the Big Apple, check out Elizabeth Jaeger’s show titled Music Stand. The sculptor, painter and most recently, publisher, composes mind-bending figures that always express themselves. The positions, often compromising, are emotional and physical. Twin caught up with the New York artist…

The invites for Music Stand, your first solo show in New York, were printed on 5×5 white paper napkins – I loved that. Tell us about the piece currently on display at Eli Ping.

The sculpture at Eli Ping is a tableau of two people engaged in an intimate relationship. The man, fully dressed, lays underneath the nude form of a woman. She holds his face in her hands while they both stare vacantly towards the viewer, as well as the door. His legs graze her rear as he lifts them vertically to support a single sheet of music, but only on Sundays.

Describe the correlation between live music and sculpture? Does the union of these mediums change the viewer’s experience?

Music has always seemed a lot more interesting to attend than art. I was always really jealous of my musician friends and the environments they were able to create at shows. It’s an experience of collectiveness that is super hard to manifest in a brightly lit art gallery. People turn into music zombies and really surrender themselves. With Music Stand, I was really attracted to the idea of walking through the Lower East Side on a hot Sunday and stopping to hear a saxophone play from a basement. You enter the room and find the sculpture.

Your work is highly influenced by the fluidity of human form. What inspires the movement in your work?

I spend a lot of time watching the body language of people around me – my favourite thing is watching couples flirt on the train or at a party. So much is said, even in the movement of a shoulder. A friend once told me when he flirts with a woman, he pinches her. If she lets him do it, he intuitively knows he can sleep with her. I’ve also spent a lot of time watching Yvonne Rainer, Olympic gymnasts and Jamaican dancehall on YouTube.

My most favorite silk painting – a pink one with nude figures in boots – is reminiscent of Platinum Musing, the sculpture featured in teenVAG Issue 2, with its black boots and blonde hair. Describe the influence of aesthetics within your work.

These things are really abstract for me. The hair is a continuation of the form. It expresses a certain aspect of the mood- something in the way it drapes. The color is also influential. Nails are always particular to the overall piece. These are tools that enhance an expression of femininity.

I grew up, tomboyish, in San Francisco. My mother always had a French manicure. She never let me have magazines, she didn’t like how they portrayed young women. My father ripped the cable television out of a wall in middle school because I was glued to it and wouldn’t come to dinner. Femininity has always been something of a mystery to me. It can be manipulative but it can also been sincere and vulnerable. I definitely use a higher voice and tilt my head when I want my boyfriend to do something for me but also when I’ve missed him.

In addition to creating your own work, you co-run publishing group Peradam. Print is very personal- it is concrete evidence of an artist’s story. Who have you worked with recently?

Right now I’m working with Amanda Friedman, Alexis Penny, Chen Chen & Kai Williams and Linda Simpson. All the books are very different. Amanda and I drove out to the beach to film her throwing her painting into the air for a flip book. Alexis is a true and honest storyteller. Chen & Kai are focused designers. Linda is an amazing photographer who has great love for her subjects.

The beauty of print?

I like working with people who inspire me. Making a book is a very intimate and lengthy process, you get to know people in a very honest manner. You work with them usually six months to a year. All of our artists work very differently and it’s been an amazing experience getting to know all of them.

What are you working on this summer?

Right now I’m working on a figure for a show at Interstate that opens July 5th. It’s the darkest piece to date and I’m feeling pretty nervous about it. An art show really feels like taking your clothes off in front of a ton of people you don’t know that well – it’s pretty embarrassing and sometimes exhilarating. The rest of the summer will be an intense hustle to get back on board with our art books and maybe take a nap.

A wise woman once told me _______________________.

“Don’t step on any fingers.”

elizabethjaeger.com

Controversial fragrance brand Etat Libre d’Orange have opened up their first fragrance store on our side of the pond.

Known for scents such as Secretions Magnifigues (based on the smell of sperm, blood and saliva) but also olfactory collaborations with the likes of Tilda Swinton and Rossy de Palma, this fragrance brand definitely sets itself apart from your mainstream perfumes.

If you’re on the hunt for a not-so-average fragrance, be sure to pay a visit to their Redchurch Street shop now.

etatlibredorange.com

Coinciding with the 10th anniversary of the Fashion and Textile Museum which she founded in 2003, Zandra Rhodes: Unseen offers insight into one of the British fashion industry’s most treasured eccentrics.

Through an expansive collection of textiles, dresses and original sketches, the show will explore the archive, studio and creative process behind her five decades and counting career.

Zandra Rhodes : Unseen exhibits at the Fashion and Textile Museum, 83 Bermondsey Street, SE1 3XF, from 12 July until 31 August.

ftmlondon.org

Tomorrow marks the kick-off of the annual East End Film Festival. Founded in 2000, this year’s line-up includes films like the Linda Boreman biopic Lovelace and Noah Baumbach’s latest flick, Frances Ha.

Alongside the over seventy film screenings, the events also includes the EEFF award ceremonies, Industry workshops for aspiring filmmakers and other live happenings. Previous guests have included Tracey Emin, Danny Boyle and Annie Lennox, so be sure to stop by.

East End Film Festival 2013 takes place from 25 June – 10 July.

eastendfilmfestival.com

If you’re keen to add a bit of feminist activism into your Friday routine, check out award-winning human rights organisation OBJECT. With the tagline ‘Women Not Sex Objects’, the group has been running anti-sexist campaigns for over a decade.

OBJECT fights against the ‘pornification’ of society — be it with public slogans such as Eff Off Hef!, law-changing campaigns such as Stripping The Illusion or addressing the shameless display of lads magazines at national retailers.

Visit the OBJECT website to find out how to get involved.

object.org.uk

Phaidon are set to release another great fashion publication, written by renowned fashion commentator Colin McDowell. The Anatomy of Fashion: Why We Dress the Way We Do, is an interesting investigation, mapping the history of clothes from prehistoric times to today. From 18^th Century bumpads to Alexander McQueen’s bumsters, McDowell looks at how pieces of clothing from every period has influenced the way we dress today.

McDowell also reveals intriguing facts throughout the book, such that Ancient Greek women were the first to wear bras and he also discovers the reason why shoes weren’t made with different shapes for right and left until the 1860s. With hundreds of photography, illustrations, paintings and film stills, you’ll find work by designers and artists such as Yves Saint Laurent and Jan van Eyck, Michelangelo and Coco Chanel. The Anatomy of Fashion is a lavish publication, looking at anthropological, sociological and historical perspectives on why we dress the way we do.

“The Anatomy of Fashion is such an innovative and intelligent way to narrate and explore fashion. Colin McDowell’s mind has the clarity to do this to perfection.” -Manolo Blahnik

The Anatomy of Fashion: Why We Dress the Way We Do will be published in September 2013, but you can pre-order now at phaidon.com

Tags: Colin McDowell, Phaidon

The king of vintage William Banks-Blaney has teamed up with Selfridges for a four week pop-up to showcase the best Dior and Balenciaga pieces of decades past.

WilliamVintage will be showing a range of antique pieces that spans over 100 years of fashion and includes early work by houses such as Madame Gres, Givenchy and Hartnell.

Whether it’s a 1968 Oscar de la Renta mini dress or 1955 Lanvin haute couture cocktail dress you’re after, be sure to stop by and marvel at these unique pieces of fashion history.

selfridges.com

Documentary film fans will be spoilt for choice at this week’s Open City Docs Fest, which showcases 100 international films alongside workshops, panel discussions and other live events.

Topics include the challenges of urban living, Pussy Riot, drug trafficking, subversion of art and the restorative beauty of music, so no matter what your interest, you’re sure to find its corresponding cinematic counterpart here.

Open City Docs Fest runs from June 20 to 23 at UCL/Torrington Square, WC1H 0BW.

opencitydocsfest.com

When style matches substance, you know you’ve got yourself a good fashion monograph. Hence why our inner fashion literary geek is excited by these two new publications, courtesy of i-D founder Terry Jones and Taschen, on the glunge (goth & grunge) master Rick Owens and Mr. Minimalism himself, Raf Simons.

Owens’ masterfully draped, bias-cut and beautifully melancholic designs are captured in images by Corinne Day, Sølve Sundsbø and Hans Feurer, while the anthology of Simons’ nearly two decades of understated elegance are displayed through the lens of Willy Vanderperre, Sølve Sundsbø and Alasdair McLellan. Far more than just two books full of pretty pictures, these hardcovers also feature interviews by the likes of Holly Shackleton, Jo-Ann Furniss, James Anderson, and Terry and Tricia Jones.

Say hello to your new coffee table book additions.

Stumped for inspiring weekend plans? Look no further than Meltdown Festival curated by the one and only Yoko Ono.

Kicking off with a concert by Yoko Ono Plastic Band and ending with a live performance of John Lennon and Yoko’s last album Double Fantasy, there’s lots of musicians, artists and events on offer in between.

Catch the likes of  Siouxsie and Julianna Barwick singing their tunes on stage, watch Peaches recreate Ono’s famous performance Cut Piece and pick up your copy of Rough Trade’s latest publication, Let’s Start a Pussy Riot. Alternatively see Kim Gordon and Bill Nace’s experimental project Body/Head in action, take in the poetry and music of Patti Smith or experience a special one-off show with Marianne Faithfull and Bill Frisell.

Meltdown Festival runs from 14-23 June at Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, SE1 8XX.

meltdown.southbankcentre.co.uk

It’s that time of year when resort collections start flooding in and designers show us their creations for the in-between season. With so many interesting lines to pick from, we give you the top four that made our cut…

From Acne’s free-flowing fabrics inspired by overgrown gardens, to Chloe’s over-sized silhouette, Resort 2014 has chosen to ditch the tighter figure. Riccardo Tisci took nuances from previous collections and Alexander Wang for Balenciaga took inspiration from the house’s signature billowing shape to create his latest line. All four of these designers have given us plenty to look forward to the seasons ahead.

Chloe

Clare Waight Keller’s latest collection for Chloe has what she calls “barefoot attitude,” pieces that have no need for heels. This relaxed aesthetic was seen through the ultra-wide legged trousers that came in varying lengths and colours. Crisp shirts were tucked neatly in place, trenches became gillets and soft layers took center stage.

Givenchy

Ricardo Tisci blurred both the feminine and the masculine in this collection, contrasting dense cotton fabrics such as twill and denim with materials such as silk jersey and chiffon to show opposing elements. Layers were key, creating a Holly Hobbie rag-doll look with a-line shapes, full skirts and wide pajama pants.

Acne

For Acne’s Resort 2014 line, Jonny Johansson created a more subdued collection compared to the sometimes-experimental garments seen on his catwalks. Oversized, slouchy silhouettes were created by ikat pajamas, satin dresses and biker jackets. Although inspired by Johansson’s garden, the collection featured less green, more tangerine, white and a plethora of rich, royal blues.

Balenciaga

Having travelled to Getaria, the birthplace of Cristóbal Balenciaga to look for inspiration, Alexander Wang found just that in the house’s archives. Keeping to a muted palette of white, grey and black, Wang played with shapes and length, introducing short-shorts, a theatrical bolero and shredded plastic bucket hats to the Balenciaga’s anthology.

Tags: Acne, Balenciaga, Chloe, Givenchy, Resort 2014, Twin Picks

Judith Bernstein will be talking to curator Sarah McCrory about the art of female rebellion this Thursday.

The American artist, who was a founding member of A.I.R. Gallery (the first gallery devoted to showing female artists), as well as an early member of art activist organisations including Guerilla Girls, Art Workers’ Coalition, and Fight Censorship, will be discussing her four decades of creating controversial work.

The discussion is taking place in the context of the ICA’s new exhibition Keep Your Timber Limber (Works on Paper), which examines artists who have addressed issues such as gender politics, sexuality, feminist issues, war, censorship and race from the 1940s until today.

Judith Bernstein in Conversation with Sarah McCrory takes place on 13 June at 6:45pm, at the Institute of Contemporary Arts, The Mall, SW1Y 5AH.

ica.org.uk

Amy Davidson, a BA (Hons) Fashion student at Manchester School of Art, recent won the Mulberry Accessories Award at Graduate Fashion Week for her intricate wood and laser cut leather men's accessories. Twin spoke to the young designer about her gothic architecture and French cathedral-inspired collection and post graduate plans…

How did it feel to win the Mulberry Accessories Award at 
GFW?


I couldn’t believe it, the competition was tough this year so I was 
overwhelmed with joy. It also gave me the confidence to keep designing and
 thinking of new ideas. I want to use the same methods from making these bags 
into something new.

What inspired you to pursue womenswear and men's accessories?

Throughout university and college I enjoyed designing and making feminine
 clothes. I love lace and girly printed fabrics. As I grew and developed my
 design philosophy, I began to love the idea of having these same designs on a
 man. Sometimes designing traditional feminine shapes on a woman can be quite 
predictable and bland, however if you put this on a man it becomes edgy and 
unusual. I chose accessories as a career choice because my work is very 3D. I am 
always trying to place unusual fabrications around the body, so it made more
 sense to study accessories. It’s important for me to find a career I enjoy
 and feel comfortable in.

You mentioned that you like to question why and how we wear fashion 
and how you can influence others. Would you like to elaborate on how 
this ethos feeds into your designs?

This ethos feeds into my designs by taking a generic garment and using it in a new way. In my final degree project I started making a
 traditional corset shape out of boning, then covered it in knitting and 
twisted it into new mysterious shapes around the body. The idea that we have
 to dress a certain way with certain rules doesn’t apply to my designs. I 
would much rather create an art form on the body then a generic shirt and
 pants collection.

Where do you find your inspiration and which designers do you look 
up to?


The inspiration for my collection came from my travels in France last
 summer. I visited a few cathedrals and fell in love with the intricate
 details found around the buildings and on the ceilings. I also love things 
that are delicate like lace, you can see the skill and time that went into
 making something like that. My fascination with both these things lead me to
 design detailed laser cut patterns inspired by gothic imagery.

I chose to 
use the colours black and silver because they are the colours most used in
 my research and work best with the look I tried to achieve.
 The designer I look at the most is Iris Van Herpen, she uses multiple textile techniques and unusual fashion materials to create beautiful
 garments that shock and inspire her audience.
 Another designer is Sandra Backlund, her visionary knitwear breaks the
 mould and shows how sometimes the best way to create exciting garments is to
 let the fabric inform the designs, not flat 2D drawings.

What was the process of creating your graduate accessories 
collection like?


The process of creating my graduate accessories collection was mainly trial 
and error. With most of my technical knowledge in pattern cutting and
sewing, I was faced with the challenge of using wood to create my bags. The most
 logical way for me was to have small holes around each piece of wood and sew 
them together with thick leather thread. Luckily this technique worked well
 and fitted in with the rest of my design.

How would you describe your aesthetic and how would you like to 
further develop as a designer in the future?

My design aesthetic is a real mix of my love for history, be it 
architecture or costume, and modern art. I keep my designs contemporary by 
mixing both research areas to create something original. 
I would like to further develop as a designer in the future by finding new
 ways to use my inspirational imagery. I think I would like to not be so
 literal in my design themes in the future. I enjoy collections that are not 
too overstated, where you can't see straight away where there designs came from, and that are a mix of ideas or a different take on the brand's own
 signature style.

What are your postgraduate plans?


My post graduate plans are to do some freelance design work and then a
 Masters in accessories at the Royal College of Art in September.
 My dream career scenario would be to work for Mulberry or Marc Jacobs, I 
love the quality of finish and the craftsmanship in each item. They design
 stylish accessories that are clean and sophisticated which I’m really 
interested in.

artsthread.com/p/amyloudavidson

Organic grotesqueness meets 'It' item fetishisation in Andrea Hasler's new solo exhibition.

The Zurich-born artist has recreated iconic handbags and footwear from labels such as Louis Vuitton, Dior and Jimmy Choo in her trademark wax sculptures for her Desire series, and transformed the Gusford Gallery into a boutique filled with organ-like accessories in the process.

Be sure to check out this interesting and tactilesocial commentary on the psychological effects of consumerism.

Burdens of Excess exhibits until August 10 at Gusford Gallery, 7016 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90038.

gusfordgallery.com

Artist and previous interviewee Seana Gavin headed down to the annual arts mecca The Venice Biennale this week. In the following piece, Gavin handpicks her top ten pieces from the event exclusively for Twin…

I am only just recovering from a very full week spent at The Venice Biennale. It is my third time there and its always a great experience, but this year I really connected to the work on a more personal level.

In Il Palazzo Enciclopedico in the main Giardini there was a very obvious spiritual theme, with lots of cosmic, supernatural, scientific and nature over tones which I found really inspiring and relates to some of the subjects in my own art work. Here is some of the work that I especially connected with:

Carl Gustav Jung, ‘The Red Book’ in II Palazzo Enciclopedico

Jung experienced visions, visual fantasies and premonition dreams from a young age. In 1913 he thought he was going insane after having very intense apocalyptic visions, which he soon realised were omens of the horror of 2nd World War. He began to fill notebooks with detailed descriptions of his dreams and visions which then became the ‘The Red Book’. I loved the way the pages from the book were displayed in a round shaped room – it reminded me of a scene from film ‘The Holy Mountain’ by Alejandro Jodorowsky.

Shary Boyle, Canada Pavilion

This was one of my favourite pavilions. The room was blacked out. Inspired by the moon, the only light was a subtle glow highlighting revolving moon-related sculptures. The main piece was a 3D set, containing white figures in a landscape with collage imagery projected on to it. It would flash between the white figures with a moon-like glow and the collage projected version.

Jakub Julian Ziolkowski in II Palazzo Enciclopedico

He created a series of paintings including imaginary beings, hybrid and mythological creatures. I particularly liked ‘The Sleep of Reason’ depicting a bodily and grotesque hellish landscape.

Roger Caillois’ stone collection in Il Palazzo Enciclopedico

He was a poet and theorist heavily involved in the Surrealist movement. He praised how stones appear to depict landscapes and commented on their beautiful patterning. Here his personal, well chosen stone collection was displayed in glass cases. As someone who has collected stones and crystals since I was 5, I really appreciated it and enjoyed examining his collection.

Shinro Ohtake in Il Palazzo Enciclopedico

There is a whole room full of Ohtake’s scrapbooks displayed in cases. They are held open to view random pages of his mixed media collage images responding to mass media and contemporary urban life. I love the layering and looseness of his approach.

Ryan Trecartin, Il Palazzo Enciclopedico

He creates weird uncomfortable alternative realities in video form, inspired by game shows, reality TV and talk shows featuring transgender characters and Spring Break-like American teenagers. The digital effects, bright coloured face paints and exaggerated personas create a strong flavour of a bad acid trip. Here he has collaborated with Lizzie Fitch and other artists to create sets around the viewing space that expands the environments from the videos. You feel as if you are emerged into the films.

Bedwyr Williams, ‘The Starry Messenger’, Wales in Venice

He created a series of rooms relating to the exploration of infinity and minute space. I was blown away by the video piece which took you through a journey like a string of consciousness – going from the details of the granite marble flooring beneath your feet to the galaxy in the sky.

Museo Fortuny

Axel Veervordt curated the exhibition this year in this amazing space. It consisted of Tapies’ personal art collection along with some of his own works. It is so inspiringly put together. Often the architecture becomes part of the work – as with these pieces the crumbly walls where the work is hung seems to fuse into the paintings.

Palazzo Peckham

This space was created by a group of south London based creatives. Artists including Jon Rafman, Rob Chavasse, Samara Scott and Viktor Timofeev were commissioned to create the interior. The palazzo included a bar and an internet lounge and became a hub for Londoners in Venice. Throughout the week they hosted a series of events and served a lot of aperol spritz!

Jeremy Deller, English Magic at the British Pavilion

The whole pavilion contained several works all connecting to British culture and history. One wall showed a display of Neolithic hand axes dating 4,000 BCE all found along the Thames. In a corner of the room there was a stand where you were invited to hold 2 of the axe heads carved from stone while being told the history of the objects made by pre-humans! In another interactive area you could make your own DIY Jeremy Deller print to take home. But equally worth mentioning was the seriously fun after Party which the Brits do so well – which included a spontaneous naked male dancing as the steel band played British classics such as Voodoo Ray.

Words and images by Seana Gavin

labiennale.org

seanagavin.blogspot.co.uk

Tags: Seana Gavin, Venice Biennale

The story of punk rock political rebels Pussy Riot aka Nadia, Masha and Katia is captured in Mike Lerner and Maxim Pozdorovkin’s documentary, Pussy Riot: A Punk Prayer.

Filmed over the course of six months, the film follows the trio through their controversial trial and tells the story of the women behind the neon-coloured balaclavas.

Be sure to watch this fascinating and inspiring story of political expression and artistic rebellion.

Pussy Riot: A Punk Prayer premieres on HBO on Monday June 10 at 7 pm.