Arts: Arts and Culture

The Arts at Windsor Castle

LILY BIRCH | ARTS EDITOR

Since being built in 1070, Windsor Castle has housed some of the most powerful and high-profile monarchs in the world including Henry I, Henry VIII and the late Elizabeth II. Despite the Queen still having resided in the castle at certain points in the year, most of the castle itself has been transformed into a museum for the Queens’ personal archives such as gowns, broaches, and historical artifacts. The variety of possessions and art that is on display is extraordinary, and with the value that these items hold historically, it is a privilege for them to be at arm’s reach. One of the biggest appeals for visiting Windsor Castle is the infamous Doll’s House. Queen Mary’s Doll’s House was built between 1921 and 1924 by the leading British architect Sir Edwin Lutyens. It includes contributions from over 1,500 of the finest craftsmen, artists, and manufacturers of the early twentieth century. It has a fine balance of cosiness and luxury, and features impressive details such as electricity, running hot and cold water and working lifts. The fact that this doll's house has survived a World War, and is still under intense security, truly shows how valuable and significant this artifact is. ‘It is built to outlast us all. To carry on into the future and different worlds this pattern of our own. It is a serious attempt to express our age and to show forth in dwarf proportions the limbs of our present world’.

Source: The Queen’s doll’s house, Flickr In celebration of the However, this attention to Queen’s Platinum Jubilee detail was not an easy task; in 2022, Windsor Castle is it took 12 embroideresses, hosting a special display using 18 different types of commemorating Her Majesty’s gold thread and over 3,500 Coronation. Here they are hours to complete. Take displaying Her Majesty's advantage of the proximity iconic coronation dress and the to this famous British jewellery she wore alongside castle, and explore all the it. The dress was designed art and history that it has by the British couturier to offer. Sir Norman Hartnell and was produced in ‘the finest white duchesse satin, richly Exploring embroidered in a lattice-work effect with an iconographic scheme of national and the Louvre: Commonwealth floral emblems in gold and silver the real thread and pastel-coloured silks, encrusted with seed pearls, sequins and crystals.’ masterpiece As well as the dress, also displayed is Her Majesty’s of Paris Robe of Estate. This Robe was made by the royal robe- CHLOE PLUMMER | makers Ede and Ravenscroft CONTENT WRITER of purple silk velvet. The goldwork embroidery design Converted into a museum in 1793, The Louvre features wheat ears and lies in the heart of Paris and olive branches, symbolizing contains some of history’s prosperity, and peace. What most exquisite artwork. The makes this dress so impressive site has regal origins, in the is the attention to the detail, twelfth century King Phillip the tiniest stitching and the II of France had a fortress specific combinations of satin located where the iconic glass and pearls which makes it feel pyramid now stands. After the luxurious and expensive while fortress, seeming dainty and light. King Francis I commissioned a royal residency to be built, which effectively housed members of the monarchy for over two-hundred years. However, in the tense and progressive atmosphere of the French Revolution, the building of royal residency was repurposed as a museum. From antiquities dating back to 500 BC to hosting Paris Fashion Week annually, it is not surprising that the versatility and cultural pull of the Louvre attracts on average 9.6 million visitors a year, making it the most visited museum globally. The art that is displayed in this building is divided into five floors and three wings, the Richelieu, the Sully and the Denon wing. Situated on Level -1 the walls remain the defensive brick block walls of the twelfth century fortress; the fact that art is littered between the two walls of antiquity implies the sheer importance of storytelling in the Louvre. Regarding storytelling, each piece of artwork is paired with a brief description of the artist and of what is unfolding in the painting or the sculpture, as well as the period in which the art was created. This description is translated into three languages on the physical description, and in 12 on an informative six-euro audio guide. With over 35,000 pieces of art in the Louvre, the preference of every visitor is met.

Located in the Richelieu wing, the sculptures of France are a sight that everyone should experience. When visitors turn the corner from the stairway, the light and pure stillness is stunning. The sculptures lie under a glass skylight which tell the story of where the statues were once situated, paired with trees planted amongst the exhibition. A standout sculpture amongst the French collection is the Marly Horses; these two rearing horses originally guarded the palace of Marly, the royal residence of King Louis XV. A copy of the original can also be seen at the Place de Bastille, highlighting the importance of chivalry, war, and nobility to the people of France. In the Denon wing, there is a collection of paintings of France, including Delacroix’s powerful painting titled Liberty Leading the People. Though this impressive painting is hung amongst several others, it draws focus due to the immense size and the striking colour choice. The dark colours are a perfect juxtaposition to the lone heroine, front and centre holding a French flag. This painting was a commemorative piece to celebrate the French revolution in July 1830. It still harks true to today, the feeling of liberation, strength and standing up to adversity. Exploring the Louvre is a memorable, educational, and enjoyable trip that cannot be recommended enough.

Source: Chloe Plummer

THE FOUNDER September 2022 ARTS AND CULTURE 13 Mexican Geniuses: the New Digitalised Way of Experiencing Art? Who is Vewn?

KAYLEIGH TAYLOR | CONTENT WRITER LILY BIRCH | ARTS EDITOR

Source: Vewn’s YouTube profile picture

Readers may have noticed the advertisement for Fever’s Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience. However, Fever’s newer exhibition – Mexican Geniuses: A Frida and Diego Immersive Experience – will undoubtedly be outshining those advertisements soon. The experience, housed in Dock X of Canada Water, allows viewers to dive into the work of Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera, their marriage, and their influences after death. The exhibition is split into three sections, the first being a traditional gallery highlighting the history of Frida and Diego as both individual artists as well as their married life. The Fever exhibitions have never been subtle in their indepth exploration of artists, and Mexican Geniuses is no different, with there being many discussions of their dual involvement within feminist and minority movements. Viewers are presented with a variety of sources, such as wall murals, sculptures, paintings, even a board game where players collect facts in the game. With so much to do, it is easy to get lost in learning with strangers who share this interest. The main gallery – perhaps the area that most influences the art enthusiast to attend the exhibit – is where paintings are expanded, digitally enhanced, and brought to life. With hundreds of different slides decorating the walls, the exhibit allows you to stand, sit or simply pick a view of the artistic world Frida and Diego created. As part of the experience, the voices of the pair are heard narrating over their art, acting as the genial host to their own work and immersing viewers further into the paintings. This is where viewers will spend most of their time, within four surfaces of artwork, and is a brilliant way of engaging with the collection. It can be said, then, that many people are enjoying these new mediums of engaging with the arts, especially since COVID-19. Many are looking at new ways of experiencing the traditional form of art and theatres, so digitalisation could well become the new normal. With this exhibit, the digitalisation of Frida and Diego’s lives as well as the inclusion of the Mexican government within the making of the exhibition, emphasises the democratisation of art which Frida worked in. Viewers can immerse themselves whilst not ignoring the growing issues of ownership and cultural redemption within museums and galleries. The VR experience is the last section; it entails Frida and Diego wandering with viewers through their home and to the afterlife. Not only does this act as a beautiful way of ending the experience but furthers this connection to Mexican core cultural beliefs that the two had. As per her culture, Frida Kahlo believed that death is not the end and viewers at the Mexican Geniuses exhibit leave with the voice of the pair in their minds: ‘I leave you my portrait so that you will have my presence all the days and nights that I am away from you’. We are reminded that art surrounds us, and the new digital form gaining popularity amongst the art sector is only elevating that.

If you are interested in animation, cartoons or short films but struggle to find ones that suit a more mature audience, then this channel could be your cup of tea. Vewn is a YouTube channel created by Victoria Vincent where she posts her own short, animated stories that have a mature yet youthful feeling. Filled with bright colours and sketched line drawings, her animation style feels unique and personal, making her work feel comforting, while her narratives are introspective and complex. Since being created in September 2015, the channel has garnered 1.14 million subscribers with 17 videos. The success of Vewn’s art can be explained by her individual animation style and her immersive storytelling abilities, which make a twominute video feel like a full-length film. The narratives of these stories, despite the animation style being reminiscent of joyful children’s cartoons, usually take place in unstable worlds where characters struggle to keep their heads above water. Despite the world’s she creates being surreal, places where cats can be hairdressers, the things that these characters deal with resonate with the audience. Themes of depression, anxiety and addiction which can be disturbing, feel lighter and easier with bright and comforting drawings. The most popular video of her channel currently sitting at 13M views, is called Bobo the Monkey. The three-minute video tells the story of a monkey in a zoo who attempts to escape by playing dead. With the narrative beginning with a dead monkey being dragged out of the zoo, it sets a gloomy foreboding scene. In the end, the monkey escapes to freedom, and a whole story is told in under 4 minutes. Vewn’s animations contain some dialogue, but the story is told mostly through the visual form. Vewn pays close attention to detail and leaves behind Easter eggs to further engage the viewer in the story. The small details that are embedded into each video often reference her other animations, creating the feeling of a Vewn-universe, a world where all these characters can coexist and reference one another. Vewn has created a community of supporters for her videos. Fans are engaged in her world and though it is easy to lose track of the channel, with her random uploading schedule, whenever she does post, the same audience return to enjoy a new offshoot of this world. This modern way of distributing art on a platform used by millions and how successful she has become is inspiring for young creators who want to put their work out into the world but are unsure where to start. The creator has the control and can choose to distribute their work to their liking. There is never enough art in the world and Vewns’ success is just one story. Others are producing their own art style whether it be animation, short films or short stories, and there is a place for everyone to show off their creativity and even make a living from it, showing that a niche can be taken anywhere.