Grrrrrreat images of The Shrine at Rubber Cult!

Recently saw this great picture by Jan Fetishclubpix of my Latex Shrine being worshiped by the wonderful Synth!!!!
Check out the rest of his ace pictures: http://www.rubbercult.com/jan-fetishclubpix-gallery/?nggpage=5

here's another great one!!!!!

Fab reviews! Fab Events!

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Al Overdrive shoots Diamond Angel

Had a great shoot with Al Overdrive a few weeks back, today he sent me the images and I'm well blown away! He's the man!!!!!! So damn Sci-Fi it hurts!!!
http://www.facebook.com/aloverdrive
http://www.al-overdrive.com/

 here's one of me taking a breather! It's hard work in there!!!!

Making the Diamond Angel

After shooting the White Angel I wanted to make more white costumes using geometric shapes, there was something powerful about them, I really liked how they worked with the organic curves of the human body. I made a small headpiece (below, middle) and planned to make another so along side the original white angel there’d be a trio of white geometric headed Angels. 

But after seeing the picture of me sticking my arms out (for reasons I cant remember) while doing a test shot I got inspired to draw some lines from the head piece to my fingertips on Photoshop. Because I cant see through any of the headpieces and all my costumes are made specifically for me I have to get pictures taken almost every step of construction to make sure it’s working. After drawing the lines on the computer I coloured the shape in red. Then I legged it to Radical Rubber (fortunately I can get there and back home in just over an hour) and bought a roll of red latex, I’d never used red before but it just seamed to fit perfectly with the shape. I was also looking at my Return of the Jedi picture book at the time and was loving the red Emperors Royal Guards (I’ve always loved those costumes).

I had no idea what the effect would be like but I wanted to have another go at making a vacuum costume. The Manta Angel wasn’t really working (it still needs more developing) but I thought I could make something using vacuumed latex that I’d never seen anywhere else before. Since I liked the ridged shapes next to the organic human form I though it you put them both inside the vacuum something magic might happen!

So I made a cat suit and a separate latex ‘sack’ to go around my waist and cover the frame. The headpiece was made from scrap M.D.F. and the frame made from decorative dado rail from the rubbish pile. I wanted sharp edges but had to compromise and sand them all down a bit so not to rip the latex.  

With a breathing tube going to the outside and the vacuum cleaner attached we did a test. But the vacuum cleaner was way too powerful, as soon as it sucked all the air out my head felt like it was going to implode and the frame pushed so hard on my ribs I though they were going to break. A really unpleasant experience!!! Tried all sorts so make the vacuum cleaner a little less powerful but didn’t really work, and also I didn’t want to have to cart it around and worry about getting electricity for shoots/performances out on location. So I attached a rechargeable dust buster to the back and walked around doing a test. The battery didn’t last very long and also it wasn’t powerful enough so suck the latex tight! Aghhhhhhhhhhh!!!!

Was getting very frustrated, felt like I was so close yet so bloody far. After yet another unsatisfactory test in an act of desperation I decided to try something Tom (an electronic genius) told me that I thought would never work. He said you can inflate or create latex vacuums just by using your own breathing. Inhaling through your nose to suck the air out and exhaling through your mouth through a tube to the outside. Well, I didn’t think I’d be able to do it but it worked sooo well. It meant I didn’t have to carry a vacuum cleaner of any kind and also meant it was quite a bit safer too. Its quite hard work to make the vacuum so if you got into any difficulty the air would rush back in. It made the costume feel like a living thing too, I love the fact it’s powered by the human body! It’s been out into the world a number times on shoots and performances (see previous posts) and I’m in the process of making more of them for a show. 

The Shrine at Rubber Cult

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Hackney WickED Open Studios

After having great fun performing in the sand at the Red Market, Hackney Wicked asked me to come along to their Open Studios event the other weekend and perform the Diamond Angel in the Crate Brewery in Hackney Wick (I never need much persuading to go there, yummmmmy pizza & only 5 mins from home!!!!)
The Rain finally let up (not that rain matters when your completely enclosed in latex) and so got to perform right on the canal!! My glamorous assistants/bodyguards Jim & Peter thankfully lead me safely from the Crate into position with out letting me fall in the canal, I can't see anything when inside the Diamond Angel.
Here's some great pictures Anna from Hackney Wicked took!!!!
 http://www.hackneywicked.co.uk 
@Hackney_WickED

 

Weekend performances

Got an action packed weekend ahead!
I'm performing the Diamond Angel at Hackney Wicked on Friday evening at Crate Brewery
www.hackneywicked.co.uk/programe/event/open-studios

then on saturday night I'm performing the Latex Shrine at (and I'm so mega excited about this) Rubber Cult!!! This will be its first venture out into the world (still not quite finished!)
www.rubbercult.com

Cant wait!!!!!!!!

Hackney Wicked at Red!

Had a great weekend performing the Diamond Angel for Hackney Wicked at the exciting arts event Red Market (part of the Red Gallery). Was fun to perform in the middle of the day and late at night. Its the first time I've done a performance with the Angels and think am hooked! Am in the process of making more Diamond Angels, I want an army of them for the next one! Massive thanks to my glamorous assistants (I'd never be able to get in and more importantly out of the costume with out them) and to Dee for documenting it!

                                         I love this detail!!!

                                         A quick test before going out

                                         Last performance on Sunday night (this pic by Jim Lister)

 Have been busy this morning washing sand out of the latex (it gets everywhere!!!) and preparing for a shoot. Here's a bunch of links for Hackney Wicked / Red Market!
www.instagram.com/p/OwhvS1B1pl/?fb_source=og_snowlift_photo_user_message
www.redmarketlondon.com
www.twitter.com/RedMarketLondon
www.facebook.com/hackneywicked

Follow Me

Hooray! The very talented photographer Travis Hodges has got his 'Follow Me' project in the great online magazine aCurator! One of his amazing photos is a multi exposure image of me transforming into my first Angel!
Take a look!!!
www.acurator.com/#/2/149/3
 www.travishodges.co.uk/followme/

Diamond Angel Shoot

Had a great shoot yesterday with Dee!!
We shot just down the road from my house on the edge of the A12 (east london). After various experiments I followed some advice from a fellow inventor that it's possible to create a vacuum just by using your breath. I didn't think it would work but goddamn it did!! So much better than having to take a portable vacuum cleaner around and I love the fact it makes the wearer/performer who makes it all work, makes it a more holistic being (if that doesn't sound to hippy).

Got lots of friendly and at times Gung-Ho responses from passers by. It always amazes me how often people ask Dee "whats that thing there" and have no idea there's a person wearing these things.
It's a vacuum in there so I have to wear ear plugs because of the pressure, this adds to the feeling of separation from reality and I just kind of forget where I am. Being one of the hottest day's of the year yesterday I was a bit worried I'd overheat but as we shot just as the sun was going down the temperature in there was ok (just about). Apparently zipping me into the Diamond vac section is much harder than it was when we first started testing it, Dee blamed it on too many KitKat Chunkys! What a cheeky monkey!
Below is a couple of pics Dee took on her phone (taking the film to get developed today) and she also took a video of me doing the breathing to create the vacuum, I like how it makes the Angel look like some kind of alive machine!

here's the video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQxyMXTn6vE

Vac Manta Test Pic's

here's few pics Dee took during todays test! The costume needs more work and but I think it's coming together!

Manta Angel Test

Just done a test for a new vacuum Angel in my back garden. Was quite successful, needs a bit more work...For the actual shoot we going down to the muddy river banks with smoke machine!!!!

Dimond Angel Test

We just did the first test for the new Angel. Am so happy with how it looks! The way the red latex sucks against the rigid frame and my body is ace! With most of these Angels I have no idea how its actually going to look until we do these tests so it's a bit nerve wreaking, have got as far as doing a shoot (in the middle of the night in a sand pit) in the past when we realized the costume just didn't work and needed to be drastically rethought.  Think we gonna get a great shoot out of this one. The suction of the hover was WAY to powerful, felt like it was going to push the frame right though my ribs so I need to work on that. I could only stand it for a second, hence Dee having to turn the hover on and straight off again. With a little tweaking I think we will be ready to shoot this mother real soon!!!!

Network Awesome

Network Awesome certainly live up to their name!
Their site is JAM PACKED with amazing films, TV shows, documentary's and great articles. I've discovered so many amazing things on there and rediscovered so many films that were but vague and bizarre memories! I made a few ID/sting type things for them last year and have just finished this one using Dee's pictures from the White Angel shoot! I just went past the estate where these pictures where shot and now there's a massive sculpture in the middle of the court yard, it's like a giant Triffid!

Travis Hodges 'Follow me' project

Award winning photographer Travis Hodges has just revealed all the photos from his great new portrait project 'Follow Me'. One of the images is of me in my first Angel costume.
Each person that was photographed was asked to recommend the next subject. Travis photographed Dee (it's a great pic so check it out on the link below) and she put him on to me next. We did the shoot in a friends back yard who lived in the same building as our studio in Hackney Wick. Travis was interested in the transformation that takes place as I put on an Angel costume and so came up with this great image. I love the post apocalyptic feel the location has. When I see images of the Angels I don't ever think of them as me so it's strange to look at this and see the gradual transformation. 
 check out the full project on his site:
www.travishodges.co.uk/followme/
and find him on twitter: 
@TravisHodgesUK

 I recommended Pete Hodges, (no relation) an old friend and who I share the studio with to be the next subject. It's a great image of him in the studio! I look forward to doing something with Travis again!

F-Stop Magazine

Hooray! One of Dee's photos (the black & white medium format ones) of my first Angel has got into the group exhibit in this months edition of F-Stop Online Photography magazine!!!

Check it out, there's always lots of great stuff in there!!!
www.fstopmagazine.com/groupexhibition

More Medium Format Angel Photos!

Here's few more of the amazing pictures of the Black Angel Dee took on her strange camera!!!

Medium Format Angel Photos

Just rediscovered a roll of medium format film Dee took of the Black Angel. Here's a couple of my favorites!!

Scorpion Angel Shoot (getting ready)

Wrestling with my feet! Forgot Sunday morning is the busiest time in the filter beds in Hackney Marshes, everyone and their dog were out, and were all taking pictures of us. Was surprisingly warm standing in the sun!

Scorpian Shoot

Just got the film back from sundays shoot! I love Dees pictures!

iphone pic

Wow! Cameras on phones are amazing nowadays! Dee took this one during our shoot this morning...

Scorpion Angel Shoot

Just back from our shoot in Hackney Marshes! We ended up doing all the photos in the old Victorian filter beds, its so amazing down there! Gunna get the photos back in the week but Dee also shot a bit of video so check it out!!!

White Angel (behind the scenes)

One last hot cuppa in the studio before going out into the cold! Seems we either shoot on the HOTTEST or COLDEST days of the year!

 One day I'm going to make a costume that's not heavy and unwieldy to carry to the location!

White Angel Shoot

Got the film back from the shoot last weekend. So very happy! Here's a couple of them. Can't wait for this coming weekends shoot!

Footage from the Black Angel shoot

Just found this footage from the first ever Angels For Machines shoot me and Dee did this time last year, was so excited about the photos I'd completely forgot about it!

White Angel Shoot

Had another great shoot early this morning with Dee using the White Angel!
I love the complete unfazed-by-anything reactions you get in London!!! 

Quotes from passers by:
 "I bet it's cold in there!"
"Are you a magician?"
Lady: What does it represent? I want to know so I can ask him out on a date?
Dee: It's an Angel
Lady: Oooh, I can say I saw an Angel on the way to church!

Cant wait to get the film back, until then have a very quick little video Dee took on her phone!