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With just less than a month until Val's Day, itsbrogues.shop just got stocked up with designs to treat your significant other, significant pal or significant self to this February 14th. May include extra tenuous play on the word "cactus." 🌵

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Weekly wisdom #14

We find ourselves in a culture of avid multitaskers; a society in which getting sh*t done at the most rapid rate – while simultaneously working on other life admin – is lauded and applauded.  Whether or not the age-old adage of females outperforming males in this department rings true for you, in my mind we all do ourselves, and indeed the task(s) at hand, a disservice by mindlessly breezing through the tick boxes on our to-do lists. Above all amidst incessant email pings and non-stop notifications, it's no mean feat getting immersed in a single task without the threat of distractions and intrusions. 

I'm far from being a pro at prioritisation, but in practicing the art of cutting back and simplifying what really needs to get done, i.e. establishing what's truly important in any given moment, I'm injecting somuchmore focus into my work 'n' life flow. In turn, this – I reckon – allows me to properly get stuck into assignments, ultimately granting an increased quality of execution too.  

That being said, it's not to say there won't be occasions where this kinda multitasking mindset is unavoidable or necessary. But, but, but: Taking a more mindful, conscious approach and prioritising our daily duties as much as we can will certainly aid our overall productivity, as well as clearing up some headspace in our often cluttered craniums. 

// You can do anything, but not everything (at the same time). //

Weekly wisdom #13

❤  Straight to the point: be a nice human ❤

Issues that Matter: stand up for slow journalism

Indiegogo Campaign from Matter Magazine on Vimeo.

To me, switching off from my near entirely screen-oriented life with a good coffee and a good read is the ultimate kinda luxury. No doubt, I'm not the only one who cherishes those ever-rare moments of disconnected down time! 

Though the digitally dominated sphere has certainly had its negative ramifications for the print world, there's simultaneously - and happily, for me - been a refreshing resurgence in high quality, carefully curated creative publications. It's within this realm of top-notch, tangible reading material that Matter Magazine (founded by my achingly astute and straight up lovely friend Annie Fairchild) is firmly positioned. A first class amalgam of beautiful design, photography and academic essays, Matter is a creative crusader for slow journalism amidst our fast news culture. 

So: this is an unapologetic shout out to a very praiseworthy project that can only keep running with a little (monetary) lovin'. For its upcoming issue, 'A Lens Inverted - Essays on Great Britain,' Matter is raising funds via Indiegogo - with sweet perks for the benevolent backers. 

This is a different sorta post for me, and by no means paid promo. But I've seen firsthand the integrity, passion and damn hard work that goes on behind the scenes, and that sh*t deserves support. 

♥ CONTRIBUTE HERE ♥ 

Weekly wisdom #9

I can't help it: I have an inbuilt aversion to idleness. While I'm working on my inability to - every now and then - just chill out (one of my many peculiar idiosyncrasies), this doesn't detract from the undoubted perks to this curious characteristic of mine. List makers gonna list, doers gonna do. Just don't forget the down time too, as I'm often guilty of doing. And as hard as it may sometimes be to get started (we all have those days), there's no denying that seizing the day and ticking off that to-do list feels good. As Parkinson's Law lays down: "work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion". So set yourself tight deadlines, power through, do it.

Today: Procrastihate - the art of getting sh*t done. 

Weekly wisdom #8

Pop into any bookstore (how quaint) and you'll find shelves awash with guides preachin' how to attain mindfulness amid the madness of modern day life. So many, in fact, that the choice gets a bit, er, mind-boggling. Not to say there aren't a few gems in there. But it needn't be so complicated. 

While practicing mindfulness certainly takes dedicated and sustained effort, the principle is really very simple. Focus on the now. Be fully aware of your surroundings (note the tiniest, seemingly insignificant details). Revel in life's daily pauses (waiting for the kettle to boil, queuing at the post office). Consciously seek a space of inner stillness and uncluttered contentedness. Don't get wrapped up in it all: empty your mind, allow yourself to just be. 

Today: mindful not mind full. 

Weekly wisdom #3

Today: Unapologetically, bona fide, no half measures. 

Be really, really you! 

World Press Photo Exhibition 2014

In case you missed this year's World Press Photo Exhibition - which came to a close yesterday evening - I thought it might be apt to outline some of the highlights from the 2014 contest, having checked it out on my latest London jaunt. Housed on the main floor of Southbank Centre (a personal fave), the renowned event's 57th installment presented the most remarkable press images from the past 12 months. As per every year, a jury of reputed figures within the photojournalism realm sought out the photos that showcased a particularly outstanding amalgam of aesthetics and journalism.

As this year's jury chair Gary Knight underlined in his intro to the display, handpicking the annual photo crop is a pretty contentious endeavour; opinions on what constitutes a winning image are diverse to say the least. Above all in the field of press photography, the value of an image is not just determined by its surface beauty, but its portrayal of the story and its narrative per se. Therein lay the key concern of the judges: striking the balance between a "well-photographed" image and the means of depicting the issue at hand. The events captured, too, found themselves in a debatable hierarchy of importance, adding further complication to the selection process. 

Despite not knowing what didn't made the cut, I can most definitely vouch for the rich line-up that did. The (totally free) exhibition encompassed a whole wealth of worldwide issues in striking, highly affecting ways. Plucked from a submission selection of nearly 99,000 shots (I don't envy the jury), the winners were categorised under: Contemporary Issues, Observed Portraits, Daily Life, Sports, General News, Spot News, Nature, and Staged Portraits - all making for a collection replete with variety and giving rise to some serious reflection.  

From stark, hard-hitting portrayals of global disasters - both natural and manmade - to candid portraits of domestic violence, to vignettes of the relationships between Egyptian bodybuilders and their mothers, as well as stunning insight into the lives of bonobos in Kokolopori, 2014's World Press display was outstanding to say the least. If there was ever an expo to epitomise the age-old "picture is worth a thousand words" phrase, this was it. To a T. 

Check out the winners here.

Lemme upgrade you

As it marks the - very much temporary - end of my Berlin residence, I thought it might be fitting to give a lil facelift to the Berlin Guide I put together after spending summer here last year. Coincidentally, the very first post on It's Brogues! If you ever find yourself in the city beautiful (or perhaps already live here), I hope it serves you and your friends as a not-too-touristy guide to some of the city's standout spots. I've included a bunch of my personal favourites, which just might turn out to be yours too! Click here and enjoy.

Gallery Weekend Berlin 2014

Gallery Weekend is kind of a big deal in the Berlin creative calendar. 2014 marked the 10th year run of this internationally renowned event, which lures worldwide collectors and casual art lovers alike into the city. Berlin is a hotbed of cultural activity at the best of times, but this weekend was an extraordinarily thrivin' moment for the capital's most celebrated galleries.

As part of a petite but very complete team, I managed to see (and document) a very sizeable chunk of the 50+ galleries that opened their doors between 2-4 May. A bit tiring, ja, but worth it?

Absolutely.

Here's a lil digest of my personal stand-outs, in case you're Berlin-bound over the next month or two and fancy a gallery jaunt:

• Julian Opie @ Gerhardsen Gerner
• Bertrand Lavier @ Kewenig
• Wu Tsang at Galerie Isabella Bortolozzi
• Seth Price @ Eden Eden
• Adam McEwen @ Capitain Petzel
• Klaus vom Bruch @ Sassa Trülzsch
• Lynn Chadwick @ Blain Southern
• Liam Gillick @ Esther Schipper
• Florian Meisenberg @ Wentrup
• Keiichi Tanaami @ Galerie Gebr. Lehmann
• Zofia Kulik @ ZAK | BRANICKA
• Richard Wright @ BQ
• Memory Palaces @ carlier | gebauer
• Nadira Husain @ PSM

Artconnect Berlin X Olympus OM-D

Olympus OM-D Photography Playground

Running from: 10th of April until 25th May 2014

Opening times: daily, 11:00-19:00

Address: Zinnowitzer Straße 9 / 10115 Berlin

Video Credits

Creative Direction: Solveig Maria Ebbinghaus

Video & Edit: Martin Wolf

Speaker: Brogues Cozens-McNeelance

Music: Gunnar Zander 

Martin-Gropius-Bau: "Evidence", Ai Weiwei

This mornin' (thanks to my new post at lovely Artconnect Berlin) I was lucky enough to attend the press conference and preview of Berlin's most anticipated Ausstellung [exhibition] of the moment: "Evidence", by Ai Weiwei. Barred from leaving his native China owing to state passport seizure, the subversive artist's presence remained tangible in his caustic, powerful and outright thought-provoking show.  

Running from April 3 to July 7 at Martin-Gropius-Bau, "Evidence" is Weiwei's largest solo expo to date. Each of the 18 rooms occupied (3,000 sqm in total) exemplify his use of conceptual art for expressive and dissident means within China's authoritarian state. The works are ironic, political, sincere. They call for transparency and truth in a society where corruption is rife. From a Western perspective, it's an illuminating, all-too dumbfounding insight into internal Chinese affairs. 

  

The exhibition's vast range of media makes for a thoroughly engaging display, ranging from a room filled with 6,000 stools, to Duchamp-inspired sculptures, to 81 (2014); an exact replica of the cell in which Weiwei was illegally confined for 81 days. It's impossible to leave unaffected - let's hope it incites the kinda dialogue that needs to start.

*To sign the open letter campaigning to get Ai Weiwei's travel freedom back, click here!*

Design domingo

While on my Matadero jaunt this Sunday, I unwittingly (and all too happily) hit upon actual design dreamland. The Mercado Central de Diseño, housed in the design wing of my fave interdisciplinary creative complex, is a two-day monthly event which showcases national talent within the design field. 

Firstly, I really should big up Matadero in itself, as I don't think I've previously mentioned it on the blog. This former abattoir (plain talk: slaughterhouse) and livestock market, designed in the early 20th century by rated Spanish architect Luis Bellido, is today a stunning and vast creative breeding ground containing superabundant artistic disciplines: dance, music, performing + visual arts, fashion, literature, design, architecture, philosophy and cinema. 

The grand Plaza Matadero often accommodates open-air art installations, as well as providing the serene setting for Matadero's outdoor bar/eating area. There's even a bicicleta rental facility, if ya fancy freewheeling around the site in style. It's an all-round enchanting spot, with the building's previous life lending it both an eerie and remarkable character. Nothin' but praise.

Yesterday's design convention totally reflected the Matadero team's commitment to curating and cultivating a space of contemporary creation, where culturally minded and design-loving folk can connect, reflect and participate. One-off stalls suffused the capacious, industrial-interiored Central de Diseño, all (wo)manned by passionate designers and makers selling their innovative wares. From fashion to furniture to art works, I could've effortlessly blown my mythical €€€€s on the diverse line-up of lustworthy goods.

Here's a compilation of my STANDouts:

ALMUDENA BONILLA

BE KIND

BE-MUDE

DELEITE DESIGN

ÉNOLA

ESTUDIO BUENOS DÍAS

GENTL

JUMPER IT!

LEBREL

MS MUSTARD

RUGHARA CONCEPT STORE

SANZ i VILA

VIDAS DE PAPEL