Chris Ofili exhibition

Ofili has built an international reputation with his works that bridge the sacred and the profane, popular culture and beliefs. His exuberant paintings are renowned for their rich layering and inventive use of media, including balls of elephant dung that punctuate the canvas and support them at their base, as well as glitter, resin, map pins and magazine cut-outs.

Ofili's early works draw on a wide range of influences, from Zimbabwean cave painting to blaxploitation movies, fusing comic book heroes and icons of funk and hip-hop. For the first time, these celebrated paintings are presented alongside current developments in his practice following his move to Trinidad in 2005. While adopting a simplified colour palette and pared-down forms, his recent works continue to draw on diverse sources of inspiration, and are full of references to sensual and Biblical themes as well as explore Trinidad’s landscape and mythology.

Blythe House Archive

The V&A's Archive of Art and Design holds the working papers of individual artists and designers, as well as the records of companies and associations involved in all aspects of applied art and design. The archives can be consulted by appointment at Blythe House, located near Olympia in West London. Further information about the Archives .

The Archive of Art and Design's holdings for Fashion Textiles demonstrate a number of different facets of the creative process, from the design of textiles to their production and promotion to costume research. There is also an extensive collection of sewing and knitting patterns which, as well as providing an overview of changing fashions, act as a reminder of a time when making clothes at home was the norm.

Some of the textiles in the archive were all original print from Liberty's and other floral prints popular all the way back to the 50's. There were also home furnishing prints and wall papers dating back to the mid to late 1800's. It was really amazing to see how some of the ways in which theses textiles were made are still being done the same way in the 21st century.

EFF

The Ethical Fashion Forum aims to develop a collaborative movement which will transform social and environmental standards in the fashion industry within a decade. What they hope to promotes and support is listed below:

• The eradication of exploitation, hardship and environmental damage from the supply chains to the fashion industry and the practices of fashion businesses

• The creation of a movement led by the fashion industry, for the fashion industry, which upholds and practices more than doing no harm- actively striving to add value for people and the environment, across the entire industry sector

• Industry training and resources freely available which ensure that every single UK fashion business is aware of how they can become more sustainable, why it is important, and where to find the tools to do so

• The raising of consumer awareness in relation to sustainable fashion.

• The creation of a clear and consistent system for communication of ethical standards by fashion businesses

• A system of standards and regulations ruling out exploitative practices in the fashion industry

• Broad and fundamental change towards better practices in the fashion industry within the next 10 years

• The creation of a model and precedent for industry change which can be drawn from and built upon by other industries

One of the companies at the show was called Moluche, which was an organic hand made textiles made from alpaca hairs. They hand dyed all of there products and are very strong on keeping there company environmentally friendly. Their website shows the a ray of colors that there products come in and also give credit to the artisans who help to create the one of a kind piece.

take a peek! http://www.moluche.com/the-artisans/

One company that is very popular here in the UK is Primark. Unlike Moluche, they mass produce hundreads of thousands of products that are not naturally dyed or cared for and help to fill the landfill each year. Their clothes are of a cheap price and quality and are more of throw away clothes then of anything you would want to truly keep.

The Ardabil carpet

The Ardabil carpet will form the centre piece of the new Jameel Gallery of Islamic Art at the V&A which opened in July 2006. This most famous of Persian carpets has been the subject of endless copies ranging in size from small rugs to full scale carpets. There is an 'Ardabil' at 10 Downing Street and even Hitler had an 'Ardabil' in his office in Berlin. The real Ardabil was first seen in London in 1892 when it was exhibited in a dealers showroom in Wigmore Street. William Morris described it as 'a remarkable work of art . . the design is of singular perfection . . its size and splendour as a piece of workmanship do full justice to the beauty and intellectual qualities of the design'. It was Morris, in his capacity as one of the V&A's Art Referees, who persuaded the Museum to raise, with the aid of public subscription, the then vast sum of £2000 to purchase the carpet in March 1893. The Ardabil carpet measures 10.51m x 5.34m (34' 6" x 17' 6") and is thought to be one of the largest carpets in the world. Unknown to the Museum at the time, there was a second Ardabil, more finely knotted, which is now in the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. This carpet has lost its borders and part of its central field; a portion of the missing areas are thought to have been used to repair the carpet owned by the V&A. Occasionally fragments originally taken from the Los Angeles carpet have appeared on the open market. The two carpets were almost certainly a royal commission and would have taken about four years to weave. Their origins remain unclear but they are said to have come from a complex of shrines and mosques at Ardabil in North West Persia, burial place of Shaikh Safi al-Din, ancestor of Shah Ismail, founder of the Safavid dynasty. At one end of the Ardabil carpet, a cartouche contains an inscription which dates it to 1539/40 AD. The large central medallion is characteristic of carpets woven in Tabriz (North West Persia) and the fantastic design of the ground of the carpet consisting of two layers of swirling leaves, stems and flowers is typical of the art of the early Safavid dynasty.

Horniman Museum

The Horniman Museum was designed in 1898 by Charles Harrison Townsend, a leading architect of the Arts and Crafts movement who also designed the Whitechapel Art Gallery.

The client was a Victorian tea trader, Frederick John Horniman, who wanted a new museum to house his collection of specimens and artefacts from around the world. Horniman's mission was to bring the world to London, and he even opened part of his family home to the public so people could view the riches he had collected.

The Horniman Museum was opened in 1901 as a gift of Frederick Horniman. He, and his father John, had made their fortune in the tea trade. The business had begun in 1826 importing tea from China and India. Their breakthrough came in 1875 with the production of tea in sealed packets marketed as a cheap drink to the fast growing poulation.

Frederick as he travelled the world developed a passionate interest ethnography and became an enthusiastic collector. He lived at Surrey House in London Road and soon was overflowing with his fast expanding collection. It was open to the public and by 1890 he had moved out to another home to make more space. This was not enough and it was replaced by the current purpose built Museum in 1901. Designed by Harrison Townsend it was, and is, one of the most original Art Nouveau buildings in England with its distinctive clock tower and barrel roofed main hall.

It has expanded over the years with some less distinguished architecture. Then it benefittedfrom Millennium funding to replace these with a stunning new extension including the Musical Instrument Gallery and Education Centre. these were opened on 14 June 2002.

Sir John Soane's Museum

This heritage-listed museum was once the home of Sir John Soane (1753-1837) who, as well as being the famous architect behind the Bank of England, was also an avid collector of rarities and curiosities. He actually designed the house himself and positioned a favorable glass dome in the atrium so light could constantly spill onto every level. Manned by an enthusiastic and knowledgeable staff, the collection is not specific to a particular era or genre, instead taking in Egyptian, Classical, Medieval, Renaissance, Neo-Classical and Oriental antiquities, sculptures, paintings, casts, furniture and timepieces. Perhaps some of the strangest and rarest acquisitions are the Egyptian sarcophagus, the paintings by Turner and Canaletto, the drawings by Christopher Wren, William Hogarth's original Rake's Progress cartoons, and a mock medieval monk's parlor. Look out for the secret panels in the picture gallery which reveal more works of art when unfolded. Admission is free but the number of visitors are limited due to the building's small size and fragility, so you may have to wait in line. It's best to arrive early and always avoid Saturdays or, better still, go on the first Tuesday evening of the month to see the place bathed in candlelight. Tip: download a free audio tour from the museum's Website prior to your arrival.