Free Ai Weiwei.

Ever since I watched 'Imagine' featuring the outspoken Chinese artist Ai Weiwei I've been following him and his art closely and I am appalled at the treatment he and other outspoken critics of the Chinese government have received at the hands of the Chinese authorities. Weiwei has been on the authority's radar for a while and there's been a fair few attempts to silence him; from the closing of his blog to the destruction of his studio to physical harm leaving a mighty scar on the side of his head. Finally the Chinese authorities succeeded this April arresting him and placing him under "some form of house arrest, under supervision" according to his wife who only recently was allowed to visit her husband. The arrest is allegedly because of "economic crimes" however many suspect this is fabricated by the authorities just to remove Weiwei and his influence from society. Although the US and Europe have condemned his imprisonment, in my opinion there's not been enough done about this case and many others like it in China. We as a nation proudly parade our ideas of democracy around the world (sometimes even impose it on other countries) yet it seems the country has to be somewhat weak in order for us to be brave enough to properly implement influence. As we all know China is rapidly becoming a great economic power but their human rights record is disgraceful however we don't tend to criticise them very often or very loudly because we need them to 'like us.' This sits very uncomfortably with me; when we compensate our morals for profit. 

Over the past month there's thankfully been a lot about Ai Weiwei in the British media. I've read articles in the Guardian (which also features on their website, check it out!), Dazed and Confused (GREAT issue this month, articles on Burma and the Arab Spring) and the Culture magazine in the Sunday Times which featured an interview with Ai Weiwei that took place in 2006. Talking about his blog (before it was shut down) he said... 

Ai Weiwei : You can put a hundred photos in one blog entry. People often tell me "you have so many photographs from one day?!" Photographs can be about anything. I think that's really information, a free exchange, a careless, responsibility-free solution that reflects my condition very well.

Culture magazine (Hans Ulrich Obrist) : So you take photographs every day, wherever you are?

Ai Weiwei : Yes whatever the situation. I guess I was overwhelmed because when we grew up, we had no chance for any form of freedom of expression. You could even report your father or your mother to the authorities if they said something wrong...

I find the last sentence rather scary in the fact that it bears great resemblance to the society featured in George Orwell's 1984. Anyway I thought as a sort of homage to Ai Weiwei I would take a photograph everyday for a week. It's not quite as many as Ai Weiwei used to take but it's an achievable aim for me. You never know I may get snap happy and upload hundreds just like him. I'll upload them on Sunday eve. I warn you, they may be rather dull; the week ahead doesn't present itself with too much excitement and adventure. Maybe the very few of you reading this blog could do the same too?    

(Ai Weiwei's porcelin surveillance camera, symbolising the type of society that China is. These sort of cameras aren't just unique to China though...)

I encourage you to watch 'Imagine' on youtube which features everything you need to know about him, here are the links...

Part 1 - http://youtu.be/tGpvby18tr8

Part 2 - http://youtu.be/L5tV5L8kCy4

Part 3 - http://youtu.be/JQgeqDj7oWo

Part 4 - http://youtu.be/vmFOUhHuWVA

I like...

My faves from the Met Ball

(Lily Donaldson, Eva Mendes, Ginnifer Goodwin, Zoe Saldana, Lara Stone, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Isabel Lucas, Mary-Kate Olsen, Hailee Steinfeld, Sarah Jessica Parker, Blake Lively,Gwyneth Paltrow, Leelee Sobieski, Ashley Olsen, Diane Kruger and Alexa Chung.)

The fashion event of the year has been and gone again and I was not disappointed! This year the event was held in honour of the new Alexander McQueen exhibition at the museum and many attended draped in McQueen's beautiful creations most notably Sarah Jessica Parker who was one of my favourites of the night. Sarah Burton was obviously in attendance and I imagine she got many compliments on her amazing achievement dressing Kate Middleton and her sister, Pippa at the much hyped about Royal Wedding (I was fixated on the tv screen and shrieked at the first sights of Kate in THAT gorgeous, classic, lace dress). Those at the ball included 14 year old Hailee Steinfeld who dresses better than women twice her age and new girl on the scene, Australian beauty, Isabel Lucas looking relaxed in a bohemian maxi. She's definitely one to watch after her style triumph at the recent Coachella music festival. Ginnifer Goodwin supported British highstreet store Topshop in her on-trend, bold, bright green Topshop Unique number and Alexa Chung rocked her quirky sense of style in a Christopher Kane dress from his highly coveted Autumn/Winter 2011/2012 line. Madonna also looked the best I've seen her in a long while and Anna Wintour wore a sequined Chanel dress quite different from her usual attire, I was impressed...

GLASTONBURY HERE I COME!

Finally I got a Glasto ticket today with the help of my friend - I'm so happy! I'm getting there by coach which has its advantages - a discount card for food and exclusive access to solar showers and loos. I think they'll be a buzz on the coach too, maybe a bit of a sing song hehe. It also satisfies the small green conscience I have...Glastonbury is such a unique festival experience, I can't wait to chill out in the Green fields, maybe do some crafts in the Green Crafts field or get a massage in the Healing field ha, perhaps watch a debate in the Left field (Tony Benn and Caroline Lucus to speak at the fest) and of course I can't wait to see the amazing acts performing this year. On my list of must sees are Elbow, Coldplay (I imagine I will burst into tears watching both Elbow and Coldplay, yes I know I'm pathetic), Billy Bragg, Beyonce (she will be epic I'm sure), Laura Marling, Bright Eyes, Fleet Foxes, Caribou, Mumford and Sons, Cold War Kids, The Joy Formidable,  James Vincent McMorrow, Lykke Li, Jenny & Johnny, Cults, Summer Camp, City and Colour among others and I'm looking forward to listening to genres of music I don't normally listen to as I walk around like jazz and reggae...I must admit I'm slightly disappointed not to see a couple of other bands that are playing other festivals this year on the line-up but I shall not dwell on that as I feel so lucky to be going!..Oh and the food! I remember from the last and only time I went all the fruit stalls, farmer's stalls and veggie delights (I'm not a vegetarian but even I wanted some). I didn't get to enjoy Glastonbury's nightlife when I was younger so I'm eager to explore what it has to offer, I hear it's pretty wild! Hope it doesn't rain though...   

Laarrvly

Hull's attempt to brighten up their generic high street...I found this significantly more amusing than my friends; they began physically distancing themselves from me when I pulled out the camera but I felt it had to be captured even if the tree does look like it's just thrown up a children's birthday party decorations...I think it's kind of beautiful though, in the way it's so colourful and playful. 

Elle Fanning

At just 12 years old Fanning's already starred in films directed by Sofia Coppola and Alejandro González Iñárritu (two of my fave directors) and she's giving her fellow starlets a run for their money in the style stakes - oh how envious I am!

Hometown Glory

I live in a village near Grimsby and Cleethorpes and both get a lot of flack; there's not really much to do, it's a hardly a cultural hot spot. When you're young, you just want to get out quite frankly but even though they have many flaws, they have a little beauty too. I'd say Cleethorpes does more so than Grimsby, especially in the summer months. I've many a memory of me and my friends playing games on the beach and messing around on the boating lake. Cleethorpes is filled with cute cafes, restaurants, antique shops and of course a great number of delicious fish and chip shops (the best being our famous Steels restaurant, photographed above), we're quite proud of our fish round here. It also has classic seaside town essentials: arcades, bowling alleys, a pier, cheesy nightclubs (the pier being one of them. Another even has indoor grass), crazy golf, ice cream, doughnut and rock shops and a fairground. 

Cleethorpes may have the beach but Grimsby has a little gem; Gulliver's nightclub. Despite living in Leeds for a year and visiting friends at universities in other big cities, to me Gullies is still one of my favourite places to spend an eve. It maybe small, sweaty and not so clean, but I love it anyway - it's plays music I like, it's always filled with familiar faces and you can buy a vodka slush which is very nice indeed!

I took the pics above with a disposable camera (I like the effect they create) on a cold February day so Cleethorpes looks quite eerie but I kind of like the ghost town feel. When I got the photographs back, it made me appreciate the two towns on my doorstep, they ain't that bad really...

"Oh, we only sing when we're fishing!"

Got any love for your hometown?  

Billy Bragg New England

I love him.

SO cute.

Topshop - £46

Favourite looks from 2011 awards season...

 New Hollywood starlets on the scene Hailee Steinfield, Emma Stone and Mila Kunis are definitely ones to watch on the red carpet in the coming year. My two favourite looks of the whole lot are Rosamund Pike in Alexander McQueen and Michelle Williams in Chanel. I'm rather sad the awards season is over...