Forget trawling the internet for Christmas presents, shopping around a market is far more de rigueur. Circus, the brainchild of the House of Hackney founders, promises lashings of festive spirit and unique gifts.

For five days, cherry-picked labels and creatives are setting up concept stalls selling their wares. Expect to find such brands as Les Chiffoniers, Lost Property of London, Olivia von Halle (top image), Paper London, Fred Butler and, of course, House of Hackney. Alongside fashion and homeware stands, as well as some more unconventional offerings from Polly Morgan, there will be a Christmas fair selling trees, roasted chestnuts and gift wrapping.

East London gem Lily Vanilli will be on hand selling Christmas hampers as festive foodie presents and her bakery and cider stand will serve up warming snacks for weary shoppers. Taking place in a disused power station in Shoreditch, the vibe is sure to unite the best of hip Shoreditch creativity and traditional Christmas fare.

Fred Butler

House of Hackney

Circus 11 takes place from 14th until 18th December (10am-8pm daily) at The Tramshed, Shoreditch
circus11.com
houseofhackney.com

Tags: christmas, Circus11, Fred Butler, House of Hackney, Les Chiffoniers, Lily Vanilli, Lost Property of London, Paper London, Polly Morgan, Shoreditch

It’s easy to misjudge quite how fertile Britain’s current crop of women sculptors is. Rather than headlining shows, female sculptors are more often side-lined by the art establishment in favour of big name male ‘blockbusters’. In the world of sculpture, figures like the late and great Louise Bourgeois are rare.

Clearly things need to change. And so, the Pangolin gallery have stepped forward and organised an all-female show, Women Make Sculpture, that celebrates the UK’s raw and polished sculpting talent. With pieces from established names like Sarah Lucas to emerging ones like Polly Morgan, known for her fragile taxidermy. The aim of the show isn’t to lump women into one easy gender category, but to give them the room to showcase their diversity.

As the Director of Pangolin London, Polly Bielecka says, “The exhibition is not intended to tackle gender superiority; rather it hopes to question whether female artists bring something different to contemporary British sculpture.”

From Almuth Tebbenhoff’s intricate steel wall pieces to Deborah Van der Beek’s horse head – sculpted from the detritus of war – there’s a wide enough mix of ideas and materials to prove that when women make sculpture it has everything and nothing to do with their sex.

Women Make Sculpture is at Pangolin from May 19 to June 18 2011.
pangolinlondon.com

Tags: Almuth Tebbenhoff, Deborah Van der Beek, Louise Bourgeois, Pangolin, Pangolin London, Polly Bielecka, Polly Morgan, Sarah Lucas, Women Make Sculpture

It’s all about the sublime.

BUY 

BUY 

Tags: Amie Dicke, Amy Sackville, Annie Morris, Boo Saville, Cristina Kruse, Daisy Garnett, Francesca Beard, Kate Tempest, KT Auleta , linder sterling, Louise Bourgeois, Louise Stern, Polly Morgan, tracey emin