| And we ended the trip with a BANG. Today we visited the Summer Palace and did the last minute gift shopping. The Summer Palace had a beautiful ambiance with exquisite views and architecture - although unfortunately it was too big to visit all of it in the time we had. Charlotte x  |
| Calligraphy with water on the pavement outside the summer palace |
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| Elaine, Pauline and Charlotte |
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| Isn't it beautiful! |
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| We have had a great time in Beijing |
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| hose are the same Lotus flowers we ate for diner last night! |
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| As a celebration meal we went to a Peking Duck restaurant where they first serve the skin, then the meat and then fry the bones...interesting |
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| one duck later |
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| The amazing Sharon, who helped us get to know Beijing as an art students who needs materials and printing yesterday, hope to see you at Chelsea |
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| The magnificent Methmn who we can't wait to welcome to London and show her the ropes like she did for us in Beijing |
The exhibition is all ready to open, we have our dresses on and we are to present to CAFA students about our work and and how our ideas developed during our time in Beijing. |
| Before the exhibition we go for a pre-opening vegetable sandwich to celebrate! |
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| All of us present our work to a an audience : Josceline has made a zine entitled 'BEANS' inspired by the crickets that are kept as children's toys/pets in Beijing |
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| one of Josceline's original drawings |
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| Helen in mid flow, talking about he work made from incense |
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| a close up |
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| some work of Helen's creations |
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| and again |
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| Lou Lou discusses her work entitled |
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| the piece is made entirely from cotton buds or Q-tips and |
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| Elaine discusses her thoughts around the absolute and balance,Elaine has also worked hard to get the image professionally mounted and hung |
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| The exhibition in full swing |
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| Kirsty and her ever changing painting |
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| Kirsty's painting is in the form of a stop frame animation of her adding and taking away |
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| Here's Keri discussing her new Beijing influenced font and the 6 seals/chops she has had carved with the font saying some very English works like Golly and Blimey! |
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CAFA students discussing Keri's work |
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| Karyna talking about her hand cut paper cubes with the light shining through the plastic to create visible mist |
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| Karyna's work in placed in two location in the gallery |
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| Meghan had created an instillation of her garment inspired by the hutongs with elements of the hutong in the exhibition |
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| here you can see the photo shoot she styled of her garment back in the hutongs where she had taken her inspiration |
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| Paulina presented her process with a series of images, her garment had taken on many different forms during it's creation and this presentation captured this |
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| Charlotte had created her work on the streets of Beijing in the Hutongs and presented this with a montage of images highlighting the cast plaster works with bright colours |
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| One of Karen's photographs of people with their cherished objects |
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| DOING THE SIGNATURE 11 POSE (the whole group) |
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| Post private view party!!!!! |
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| Helen begins her intricate instillation |
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| Taking shape |
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| thinking about where the posters should go, we have just realised they are sticky back, cool |
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| not quite there yet, we re waiting of Kirsty's digital projector to turn this into a projection room for her work |
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| By the end of the day it is taking shape, private view tomorrow |
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| Lou Lou's piece made it in one piece! |
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| So tonight's diner is cook it yourself! There was no English menu so Helen was invited into the kitchen to choose what to cook. Then the two broths arrive are placed on the stove in the middle and off you go Hot Pot! |
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| We kept losing things and finding things in the broth |
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| very yummy! |
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| Keri worked hard to design this poster in consultation with the group. The concept being that there are 11 of us and this is the known symbol for 11 we are all pleased with it and glad Keri is part of the 11, We have printed some A1 posters and A6 flyers |
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| The BIFT building in all it's glory |
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| Meghan packing up |
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| Those IKEA chairs get everywhere |
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| Methmn wondering how we re going to move Lou Lou's work |
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| The Gallery owner and Ella from the UAL offices |
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| Images of the gallery from the outside |
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| and the inside (by the way this is not our work , his is before we have removed it! |
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| Lots of potential |
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| this is the sign for one ceramic street, right around the corner from UCCA (which by the way have amazing toilets) |
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| straw tofu and celery |
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| The number one favourite spinach and peanuts and when we order 3 all the waitresses laugh |
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| Kung Po chicken |
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| Tofu with a dipping sauce |
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| demolishing it |
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| and it's gone |
