I’ve recently traversed to Paris after the end of my second year at university, and shall be divulging my cultured voyage with you all in the following weeks to come!

© Clarisse d’Armicoles, Contact Sheet 9 (Mother), c. 2009, Archival Inkjet Print, 31 x 43 cm.

The premise of Clarisse d’Arcimoles’ artwork is to reconstruct photographs taken during her own childhood, or that of her family members, and to subsequently juxtapose the resultant images in order to highlight the transformation of the protagonist represented within the photo. In recapturing these nostalgic moments, the artist suggests that whilst the physicality of the person may have altered over time, their personality remains unwavering.

© Marcus Foster, Untitled, c. 2010, Steel, 240 x 210 cm.

Untitled (2010) is a paradoxical reinterpretation of a hot air balloon. Displaced from the sky, the structure is manufactured into a cold, bulbous form that contests its associated weightlessness. Burdened by its own mass, the structure is wrenched to the floor by the gravitational pull of the gallery space. The object ‘combines familiar ideas with a sense of the futuristic’ in a process of industrialisation. No longer buoyant, the form commands the space in which it is exhibited by taking on a sense of the monumental. Certainly, one of the most striking pieces displayed in Part Two of the Newspeak: British Art Now exhibition being held at the Saatchi Gallery at the moment.

An extensive exhibition of Andy Warhol’s work is set to be showcased at the University of Southampton between 27 March and 26 June 2011. ‘At John Hansard Gallery you can see Warhol’s hugely influential film and photography, while at Southampton City Art Gallery an iconic range of paintings, prints and posters are on show.’ It is particularly refreshing to see such a prolific artist be exhibited outside of the cultural confines of London’s art scene. This is thanks to the charitable organisation Art Fund, which strives to tour regional galleries within the United Kingdom with a reputable collection of international contemporary art. Click here for more info.

joncarling: © Jon Carling, Maiden and Creature, c. 2010.

Jon Carling’s drawings of fantastical creatures are a recent treasure that I’ve managed to come across. His exquisite draughtsmanship is something to be marvelled at. Have a click on the link above to see more of his work - you won’t be disappointed.