year about exactly?
Or is it even necessary to sum up a year?
All I know from walking around ,
meeting people from various cities ,
photographing creative thinkers,
inspiring street art and design,
and just observing what is out there
on the streets I have visited;
is that despite the continuous bombardment
of media negativity,
there is an optimism in the air.
I think these ideas can sort of elude to the
year that was;
1. Making the most of what we had.
Reinvention, recycling, craft as design,
new simplicity.
2. Overt materialism is naff.
I haven't seen many labels splashed
across Tees or flash handbags.
They have been replaced by the humble
canvas shoulder bag and yummy,
perfectly loose, basic cotton tee.
3. Icons are everywhere ,with images
of the late M.J. dominating new stands,
Obama sweatshirts still going strong
and murals inspired by rock legends
popping up all over our streets.
4. Gossip. From clothing labels,
to TV shows.. nothing spreads faster.
Via text, word of mouth, blogs or
trashy mags; tongues are wagging and
appetite for juicy tit bits of
information seems to be insatiable.
I have noticed a lot of young people
reading magazines like 'Vanity Fair'
rather than 'OK', which is perhaps a sign
that articles about the environment,
or taste makers and shape shifters with
substance, are starting to appeal more than
endless images of Brangelina.
5. Colour. Everywhere. Bright, fun , light,
and a distraction from the doom and gloom
economy.
6. Bloodsucking sex symbols.
Dark and mysterious.
Who wants to live forever. Maybe we all do
hence our fascination for vampires of late.
7.Creativity is often ignited when
economy is down. There is a definite buzz
surrounding street art projects such as the
knitted street scape in Sydney recently.
Personal style has definitely gotten more
expressive and experimental.
I have also seen a lot of street poetry,
dance and mime ( and I am not talking
about someone spray painted silver with
a statue of liberty torch made of foam
rubber in there hands.)
8. Flower Power returns. From small
flower stickers stuck on the walls of
many streets in many cities to fresh
flowers worn in peoples hair.
The symbol of a new world blooming..
hope so.
9. Pink. Rosy pink cheeks and fluro pink
sculptures. Neon hair and
hot pink 80's blazers. This colour was the
brave shade of '09.
10. Cartoon madness was painted on walls,
stuck on lamp posts and sewn onto
denim cut-offs , back pockets.
Big global brands installed huge kooky
sculptures in their flagship stores and
street artists went nuts with their twisted,
sometimes edgy and dark, but always
intriguing characters.
Happy New Year everyone and hope you
all have a creative and exciting 2010.
