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Monday Mindfulness

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Puma X Sophia Webster Launching tonight at 6pm, get a splash of fluoro and suede on your workout gear or trainers. Did I mention I love neon colours and bold prints? Can you guess what my next purchase will be? Grab yours today before they are all gooooone!

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Monday Mindfulness

Who are you? That’s right. A mother F#%&ING SUPERSTAR.

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Monday Mindfulness

Got a new place you want to reach? Let your imagination lead you to new heights.

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EVENTS

Get your FLYBOY LONDON

HEBRU BRANTLEY X FLUORESCENT SMOGG

Today, Saturday 19th August, until 5pm is your last chance to experience Flyboy London at Hoxton based gallery, Arch 402. After appearing in other major cities around the world, Hebru Brantley brings a special 3 piece collection to London. Appearing for the first time in green, gold and brass, this groundbreaking collaboration with Hebru Brantley & Fluorescent Smogg showcases his first-ever bronze sculptures in an immersive show. For Flyboy London, everything has been curated scrupulously - from the very bricks and mortar of the unique venue itself, to plinth production and choreographed lighting - to produce a stunningly immersive experience - powerfully focussed into a three-day show.

From Lupe Fiasco and Lenny Kravitz, to uber power couple Jay-Z and Beyonce’s favourite collecting artist is making his London show unmissable. Brantley’s work has been appreciated and celebrated for many years, from collaborations with Nike, Adidas and Swiss watch brand Hublot to his first US museum show coming up in September 9, 2017 at Elmhurst Art Museum. Thus showing the huge following he has in the US. Chance the rapper worked with him on the ‘Angels’ video in an ode to their shared home town of Chicago. Chance is even dressed in the same style as Flyboy as he soared through the city and features one of Brantley’s murals. And mentions his work,“I’m getting artsy fartsy/house full up of Hebru Brantley”.

Hebru Brantley, breaks down the walls of cultural boundaries through his art. Originally inspired by comics, cartoons and graffiti, pop art and the AfroCobra movement - who’s murals spoke to the empowerment of the nation’s youth in a way that was no longer relatable, and Brantley looks to offer the same hope and optimism to the nation’s youth in a more engaging way. He uses his conceptualised iconic characters, to address complex ideas around nostalgia, the mental psyche, power and hope. 

Hebru Brantley has merged all of these adopted influences to create iconic and uplifting creations, one of them being Flyboy, symbolizing the desire to soar to new heights. His 1980’s Chicago upbringing - growing up tagging trains, walls, and then some, as part of the 1990s graffiti scene - inspires Brantley’s work. He touches on tough subjects in a way is easily digestible to the viewer, by telling his stories through youthful characters and their adventures. Expressing his active imagination and fantasies, Hebru Brantley’s comic book-style compositions create narrative-driven work that incorporates his own experiences of African American and urban life in America. 

Brantley has been described as “pop-infused contemporary art inspired by Japanese anime and the bold aesthetics of street art pioneers Jean Michel Basquiat, Kaws and Keith Haring.” Although spray paint is often at the go-to medium of his mixed-media illustrations, Brantley utilizes a host of mediums from oil, acrylic, watercolour and wood to non-traditional mediums like found items, coffee and tea.

Flyboy’s character is layered and multi-faceted. Initially inspired by the Tuskegee Airmen (fighter pilots during WWII) who flew multiple missions and did not lose a single person. An exceptional achievement, notably because of their ability to preserve the lives of their comrades, but also at a time where blatant bigotry was the norm and overcame the odds to achieve great success. This history gives Flyboy, even more, relevance as it highlights just how important mainstream representation is. His bold colour palette and visually diverse imagery challenge the art worlds traditional single story of the hero or protagonist. Which in turn has given birth to iconic art work with an accessible distinct narrative.

“You’ve got animated sponges and ducks and birds and whatever, and it’s very rare to see a popular character within any medium that is African-American, Latino, even Asian. What I wanted to do was create that, but in a space of high art and be able to have some historical context to that character.” Hebru Brantley (michiganavemag.com)

For the very limited edition Flyboy sculptures, Chicago’s Brantley worked closely with Fluorescent Smogg for a year to realise his vision. Fluorescent Smogg was set up by UK artist Sickboy to be the finest quality art rendering, limited edition creating and art show production house in its field.

Brantley’s iconic Flyboy character has never been made in bronze before. Of paramount importance to Fluorescent Smogg was to produce sculptures of the absolute highest fine art standard. The pieces were initially sculpted by Brantley and Fluorescent Smogg, then cast by one of the world’s leading fine art specialists using 3000 year old methods perfected by Renaissance artists such as Donatello and Lorenzo Ghiberti. The three editions are beautifully finished in classic bronze, gold and green patina. Throughout history, bronze has been considered the ultimate fine art medium, with its potential lifespan of hundreds of years.

Hebru Brantley spoke about his pioneering bronze collaboration with Fluorescent Smogg:

"I am excited to finally be working within this medium. I have created in several other mediums and have been working up to this point. Bronze is such a historically respected medium in the art world that it is truly a unique experience to see my work in this way."

 Visit flyboylondon.com for the latest show news, updates, art releases and information  #FLYBOYLONDON

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The hunt for Flyboy London

Last night 100 limited edition badges by American artist Hebru Brantley were hidden across London by Fluorescent Smogg Gallery, the art editions and show production house to mark the opening of ‘Flyboy London - Three Editions in Bronze ‘ by Hebru Brantley x Fluorescent Smogg,   The highly collectable die cast badges of Brantley’s most iconic character, Flyboy, have been made to mark the opening of his groundbreaking immersive show, Flyboy London, on Thursday 17th August. Here Brantley reveals his first ever Flyboy bronze sculptures, made in collaboration with Fluorescent Smogg.  Today at precisely midday, collectors can visit Flyboylondon.com where they will find a map of London showing the locations of the 100 badges. Then the race is on to see who can get to them first. 

Already collected by the likes of Jay-Z and Beyoncé, Brantley’s work commands high prices on the art market. These limited edition badges of his famous Flyboy character are sure to be much sought after.   What’s even better, 10 of the badges are extra special: they give finders entry to the opening night private view where they will receive signed poster prints from Hebru Brantley and see a pioneering synched music-art-light performance by a special guest Grime music star. Those lucky enough to find badges can bring them to the show to be authenticated by Fluorescent Smogg on Friday 18th or Saturday 19th August.  

So go and get your map to be in with a chance to get your own Flyboy and perhaps even get to meet the artist himself. Are you up for the challenge?

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LIBERTY LIBERTY!                                                                            

  Liberty London Collection is popping up at Bicester Village this summer

The contemporary, fashion-forward British department store brings its iconic prints to Bicester Village this summer, until 10th September. With a mini pop-up featuring some of the most-printed pieces across fashion and accessories, including the Iphis print in a new rainbow-tastic celebration of colour.

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A must see exhibition. #soulofanation #tate #art #London #EmbraceStyle

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Monday Mindfulness

Just because you call it love, doesn’t mean that it is. Real love uplifts, heals, soothes and gives without condition. So when you say you love someone, or yourself, make sure it’s real.

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Monday Mindfulness

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Monday Mindfulness

Life is constantly offering opportunities for us to expand and grow beyond our current circumstances. Often this is presented as a challenging situation that causes us to address our perception. Take a moment to shift your world view and seize the opportunity to be better prepared to face life head on.

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Monday Mindfulness:

Get Clear

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Monday Mindfulness

Yes, you are! Now look in the mirror and repeat these words to yourself directly.

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Feed Me! Delicious brunch that tastes eeeeeven better than it looks. The salmon is cured on site and is divine! Everything tastes fresh and delicious. Excellent service and location. Get out and support a local business in your area. New brunch spot found, sealed and delivered! Roll on Summer #brunch #homemade #family #london #wildthymelondon17 #brandnew #smallbusiness

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Monday Mindfulness

Try it and see the miracles unfold before your very eyes.

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Ole!

Fun in the sun with a spontaneous visit to Leyton this afternoon. Live music by the likes of Janet 'I've been watching you' Kay & Aswad in the sunshine and glorious traditional tacos by @maiz_cochinaMex and excellent service by the two chaps pictured here. Even got some insider info of where to buy delicious rainbow trout for cerviche. #win #leytoncarnival #goodtimes

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Monday Mindfulness

And still, I rise.