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Femme Fierce paints Leake Street Tunnel Pink

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Femme Fierce Leake Street Takeover on 8 March 2014.  Photo by Eugenie Absalom

 

International Women’s Day 2014 saw over a hundred Femme Fierce all female graffiti/street artists paint the 300 meter long Leake Street Tunnel, also known as Banksy Tunnel,  in London’s Waterloo pink, in support of Breast Cancer Care charity.

Graffiti artist by her Butterfly artwork in Leake Street Tunnel.  Photo by Eugenie Absalom

“Femme Fierce Leake Street Takeover” by Street Art Agency in partnership with Cre8 Gallery, Paint my Panda and Girls on Top, set a new graffiti record in the name of charity on Sunday, 8 March.

“Girls Reload!” graffiti work by Zabou.  Photo by Eugenie Absalom

 

All female Femme Fierce street art extravaganza, featuring some of the very best UK and global female street artists, continues till 14 March.

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London New Year Celebrations 2014

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London New Year fireworks as seen from Storey’s Gate.  Photo © Eugenie Absalom

 

London welcomed in 2014 with a spectacular multi-sensory fireworks display on the banks of the river Thames.  Special effects included fruit flavours and smells.  I recorded the fireworks from Storey’s Gate in Westminster.

London New Year fireworks 2014 video, Storey’s Gate

I was very lucky to be invited by a friend to the UK film premier of “The Artist” at the Royal Albert Hall on the New Year’s eve.  This sweet and charming black-and-white romantic comedy, set in the 1920 – 30s, pays homage to the silent era and moves the audience with its storyline and music.

Elizabeth Jones and Eugenie Absalom at The Artist live in Concert at the Royal Albert Hall

The most awarded French film in history, this silent movie by Michel Hazanavicius, was screened with London Symphony Orchestra and featured music by Ludovic Bource.

London Symphony Orchestra performs live at The Artist UK film premier.  Photo © Eugenie Absalom

The Royal Albert Hall provided an exceptional setting for this celebrated film, that won five Oscars, seven BAFTAs, six Césars and three Golden Globes.

The Artist live in Concert at the Royal Albert Hall.  Photo © Eugenie Absalom

A unique black and white magic, an extraordinary choice of film sets at Hollywood actors residences, a brilliant act by Jean Dujardin as The Artist, George Valentin and Bérénice Béjo as Peppy Miller and the film’s music by French composer Ludovic Bource, reflecting the spirit of Hollywood, blended together in a star quality performance, full of joie de vivre.

London New Year fireworks 2014, Storey’s Gate.  Photo © Eugenie Absalom

Happy New Year!

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London Open House: Embassy of the Netherlands

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My cup of Dutch coffee at the Embassy of the Netherlands.  Photo © Eugenie Absalom

 

This year Embassy of the Netherlands opened the gates for the first time in its history. On Saturday, 21 September visitors were treated to a comprehensive tour of the abstract style diplomatic mission and a cup of Dutch coffee.

 

Abstract interior of the Dutch Embassy in London.  Photo © Eugenie Absalom

 

The Dutch diplomatic mission has occupied its 38 Hyde Park Gate residence in Kensington since the end of the Second World War.

 

Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in London. Photo © Eugenie Absalom

 

The monumental red brick facade of the seven storey 19th century building is in contrast with its brand new bold and bright abstract interior design by Dutch artists. The interior designer of the Netherlands Ministry for Foreign Affairs and her colleague who is in charge of the Netherlands Government Art Collection took part in 2012 renovations at the embassy.

 

Interior of the Dutch Embassy in London. Photo © Eugenie Absalom

 

British design by Paul Smith can be seen on the fabrics of all the chairs and loose cushions.

I enjoyed a cup of bitter Dutch coffee from a retro style coffee machine in the Embassy bar and was quite impressed with hospitable and arty Dutch embassy in London.

 

The Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands portrait at the Dutch Embassy.  Photo © Eugenie Absalom

 

Visit my DEMOTIX page to view more photos of London Open House at the Embassy of the Netherlands on 21 September 2013:  Embassy of the Netherlands:  London Open House 2013


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My Photography at Eternal Eve 2013 Exhibition

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Eugenie Absalom and her photography at Eternal Eve 2013 exhibition in London.

 

Eternal Eve 2013 international contemporary art exhibition is under way at La Galleria Pall Mall in central London between 11 and 16 March.  The show is celebrating spring holidays of the 8th March and Mother’s Day.  Paintings, sculpture, digital art and photography were put together by curator Zina Bercovici to pay tribute to a woman in the contemporary society.

Female form is open to artistic interpretations.  It is displayed in a variety of shapes, techniques and styles.  Eternal Eve 2103 display combines figurative works and abstract works, representing women as seen by both male and female artists from 10 countries: UK, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Russia, Ukraine, France, Italy, India, Sweden and South Africa.

 

Eugenie Absalom and her photographs Ballerina and Model at La Galleria Pall Mall.  Photo © Eugenie Absalom

 

My photographs include:  “Galina” that shows the first female artistic director of the Bolshoi Ballet Galina Stepanenko, sitting against the backdrop of a Moscow view from the window of a ballet studio, “Model” digital art work, inspired by designer Fred Butler SS12 collection presentation at London Fashion Week 2011, “London Icons” photograph of the four London icons: red telephone box, double decker bus, black taxi and Olympic mascot statue in Strand, “Bee” image and my photograph of a young ballerina, having fun in Green Park during the London Olympics 2012.

 

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Eternal Eve 2013 exhibition video to Delilah by Sir Tom Jones at the Diamond Jubilee Concert.

La Galleria Pall Mall is inside the Royal Opera Arcade, just off Trafalgar Square and Pall Mall at 30 Royal Opera Arcade, 5b Pall Mall, London, SW1Y 4UY.   Eternal Eve 2013 dates are:  11 – 16 March 2013.

View my photos of the Eternal Eve 2013 exhibition preview at La Galleria Pall Mall on 11 March.

Inspired by Women – Eternal Eve 2013 exhibition launched in London

 

Russian artist from Norwich Gena Ivanov happened to be among the visitors of Eternal Eve 2013 exhibition preview.  He came up with this oil portrait of musician Oleg Lapidus, who played saxophone and clarinet on the night.


Exhibition Day by Gena Ivanov, oil on canvas with musician Oleg Lapidus at La Galleria Pall Mall.

 

Photos of my photos at La Galleria Pall Mall during Eternal Eve 2013 exhibition on 11 – 16 March 2013.

 

Eugenie Absalom photography at La Galleria Pall Mall.  Photo © Eugenie Absalom

 

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Olympian Body Casts and Nuclear Physicist at ROA Gallery

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Louise Giblin ARBS and her body cast sculptures at ROA Gallery.  Photo © Eugenie Absalom

 

I came across amazing body cast sculptures of Louise Giblin ARBS at the Collective of Women Artists exhibition preview at the Royal Opera Arcade (ROA) Gallery in London.

Her works represent a unique combination of skill, innovation, striking detail and creative approach to depicting her subjects.  Some of her famous sitters include Olympic heroes Kriss Akabusi MBE, Sally Gunnell OBE and Paralympian Darren Leach, who’s limited edition casts in bronze, copper and aluminium are currently displayed at the Collective of Women Artists show.   Exhibition dates are 5 – 15 March 2013.  The ROA Gallery is inside the Royal Opera Arcade, just off Pall Mall.

 

Body cast sculptures by Louise Giblin ARBS at the ROA Gallery.  Photo © Eugenie Absalom

 

Another surprise of the exhibition preview was the chef, called Sarah-Jane Victoria Brookes.  Sarah-Jane from Mayfair was serving us cooked snacks with style, appropriate for an elite art event.   The funny bit came when I learnt about her background as a nuclear physicist.

 

 

Nuclear Physics PhD and amazing chef Sarah-Jane Brookes at the ROA Gallery.  Photo © Eugenie Absalom

 

As conversation went on we left the gallery and stepped outside.  There is Ducketts book store in the Royal Opera Arcade next door to the ROA Gallery.  I noticed “Death of a Dissident:  The Poisoning of Alexander Litvinenko and the Return of the KGB” book by Alexander Goldfarb and Marina Litvinenko in its window.

Amazingly, Sarah-Jane happened to be at the same hospital as Alexander Litvinenko at the time of his poisoning, just two wards away from him.  She had a surgery for appendicitis at the time.  There was an old lady in the ward, separating her from Litvinenko.  The old lady died and they brought a coffin for her.  But they must have confused the rooms and the coffin ended up in Sarah-Jane’s ward.  She still has a very special memory of that incident and a story to tell.

View my photos of Louise Giblin ARBS at the Collective of Women Artists exhibition preview on DEMOTIX.

 

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Chinese New Year of the Snake in London

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Flying red Soho lanterns for the Year of the Snake.  Photo © Eugenie Absalom

 

Hundreds of thousands descend on central London each winter for traditional Chinese New Year celebrations, the largest outside Asia.   This year was not an exception, in spite of rain and wind.  The actual date of Chinese New Year varies year after year, but always falls between the end of January and mid February.  The Year of the Snake celebrations took place in Chinatown and Trafalgar Square on Sunday, 10 February 2013.

 

The Year of the Snake celebrations in Soho on 10.02.13.  Photo © Eugenie Absalom

 

Inside and outside a Chinese restaurant in Soho.  Photo © Eugenie Absalom

 

Due to constant rain throughout Sunday, hundreds of umbrellas were the only thing to be seen in every direction.   I still managed to take photos of the Chinese Lion dance in Soho, Trafalgar Square Chinese New Year celebrations and incredible red Soho lanterns.

 

The Lion Dance in Soho the rain.  Photo © Eugenie Absalom

The Lion Dance in Soho on Chinese New Year Sunday.  Photo © Eugenie Absalom

This annual event is organised by London Chinatown Chinese Association and supported by Mayor of London.  Chinese New Year 2014, the Year of the Horse, falls on 31 January 2014.

 

White Unicorn and red Soho lanterns.  Photo © Eugenie Absalom

 

Harrods window for the Year of the Snake.  Photo © Eugenie Absalom

 

My photos of the Chinese Year of the Snake celebrations across London:

Chinese New Year 2013 celebrations in central London

Harrods Store Window Display for Chinese Year of the Snake

Ching-He Huang Live Cooking Demonstration at Harrods Store in London

 

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Memories of London Snow 2013

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First snow of 2013 at Earl’s Court, 18.01.13.  Photo  © Eugenie Absalom

 

Snow in London is a bit of a rarity.  It only comes once in several years and causes havoc  and chaos, leading to transport disruption, school closures and power cuts.   Photos of London in snow give you a good idea of what London does not look like most of the time.  But as everywhere else on the planet snow brings romantic atmosphere and a touch of magic to London streets, historic monuments and parks.

 

Red and white colours of London in snow, 18. 01.13.  Photo © Eugenie Absalom

 

Snow 2013 stayed in London for less than in week.  As  a photographer I felt blessed on this very special occasion of seeing red London icons turn white, which created a perfect monochrome setting  for imagery.

 

Westminster Abbey  covered in snow on 20.01.13.  Photo © Eugenie Absalom

 

Photography during snowfall is a tricky business.  Camera is getting wet and fingers are freezing. Capturing snow flakes is a skill in itself, without much chance of  perfection in London.  I did what I could without causing too much damage to my camera or to my fingers.

 

London Eye kept going during snowfall on 20.01.13.  Photo © Eugenie Absalom

 

Snowfall in Westminster on 20.01.13.  Photo © Eugenie Absalom

 

You are welcome to visit my Demotix pages to view more photographs of mystical, surreal London during snowfall of 2013:

 

First snow of 2013 in London

London snowfall 2013 in Westminster and Lambeth

 

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The Diamond Recollection Presentation to HM The Queen

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HM The Queen at the JTC Diamond Recollection presentation.  Photo © RCS.

 

2012 has been marked by HM The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations across the Commonwealth.  The Royal Commonwealth Society marked the jubilee with the world’s largest online history project, called the Jubilee Time Capsule (JTC).  The Capsule represents a collection of videos, photographs, drawings, essays and poems that reflect life in the Commonwealth over the past 60 years.

37, 163 people from 66 countries submitted their memorable moments to the digital archive that will be preserved online as a memory of the Diamond Jubilee year.  Their Royal Highnesses Prince Harry and Princess Eugenie, the Dean of Westminster Dr Hall, BBC presenter George Alagiah, television presenter and a former BBC Royal reporter Jennie Bond, Oscar Pistorius and Richard Branson were among the contributors.

On Wednesday, 14 November HM The Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, visited the Royal Commonwealth Society headquarters in London to officially seal the Jubilee Time Capsule and accept the Diamond Recollection of the top 60 contributions into the Royal Collection at Windsor Castle.  12 year old Malawi boy John Samson presented HM The Queen with a gift of a Samsung’s Galaxy Note 10.1 computer tablet, containing the Diamond Recollection, chosen by a panel of judges out of  the 80, 000 entries from across the Commonwealth.

 

Dr Danny Sriskandarajah, The Very Reverend Dr Hall and Pearl Amoateng at the RCS HQ.

 

I submitted 37 contributions to the Jubilee Time Capsule and I was thrilled to find out that one of my memories was chosen to become a part of the Diamond Recollection.  Notting Hill Carnival 2011 followed London riots very closely and there was an atmosphere of uncertainty about this annual August bank holiday event.  But over a million revellers came together to celebrate Europe’s biggest street festival, that has been held in the best traditions of Rio in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea since 1966.

 

Eugenie Absalom next to Notting Hill Carnival 2011 screen at the JTC Diamond Recollection presentation.

 

Notting Hill Carnival is a magnificent British tradition.  It has its roots in the 19th century Caribbean carnivals, celebrating the emancipation of slavery.  And it has high artistic values.  Dance and music are at the heart of the carnival:  Calypso, born in the sugar plantations of Trinidad, steel bands and drummers accompany the 20 mile vibrant procession.  Afro Caribbean community of London, represented particularly by British Trinis, show off their cultural heritage at its best and provide tons of fun for the onlookers.  It is very important to preserve this fascinating event, that combines the spirit of  liberation with a deep rooted theatrical tradition, for generations to come.

 

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The Royal Collection is one of the largest and most important art collections in the world.   It is running more than a million objects and  is held in trust by The Queen as Sovereign for her successors and the nation.

 

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Diamond Jubilee Union Flags in Regent Street

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140 Union Flags over Regent Street.  Photo © Eugenie Absalom

 

 

Regent Street was draped in rows and rows of the Union Flag as the country celebrated the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.  The blue, red and white spectacle stretched for miles down the iconic shopping centre of London’s West End and set up the spirit for celebrations.

 

Union Flags next to BBC.  Photo © Eugenie Absalom

 

Commencing at the BBC building a sky of 140 flags lead to Piccadilly Circus before continuing into Regent Street in the South.

 

Union Flags over Regent Street.  Image © Eugenie Absalom

 

I am not an artist, but this stunning display of Union Flags over Regent Street inspired me to create photography based art works.   Enjoy the Diamond Jubilee in Regent Street!

 

Union Flags over Regent Street.  Image © Eugenie Absalom

 

Jubilee Union Flags in Regent Street in the Diamond Jubilee Time Capsule.

 

Art/ Photo copyright © Eugenie Absalom

 

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The Diamond Jubilee Thanksgiving Flypast

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The Diamond Jubilee RAF flypast over Trafalgar Square.  Photo © Eugenie Absalom

 

Soaking rain did not dampen spirits of the Jubilee fans, who cheered the Royal Air Force Thanksgiving flypast in Trafalgar Square on Tuesday, 5 June 2012.

The fly over went ahead in spite of wet weather conditions and marked the climax of the Diamond Jubilee Weekend. It followed the Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral and the Queen’s carriage procession through the streets of London.

Getting to Trafalgar Square was quite a challenge on Tuesday.  Thousands of fans descended on central London for the final day of the Diamond Jubilee celebrations.   The square was blocked on every side when I first tried to get in.  Eventually I made my way through the crowds with umbrellas and I found a suitable spot to watch the ceremony on the giant screen.

A cute pug, wearing Union Jack scarf and chewing a souvenir flag of its owner caught my eye.  I couldn’t resist taking out my camera in spite of the rain.

 

 

Pug dressed appropriately for the occasion.   Photo © Eugenie Absalom

 

Suddenly a deafening roaring of engines sent waves of excitement through the crowds.   All heads turned towards the cloudy skies.

The Dakota flanked by two King Air aircraft ahead of the nine Red Arrows were flying over Trafalgar Square.  Red Arrows were leaving a spectacular multi coloured trace behind them.  The formation headed towards the Mall as the Royal Family were watching the flypast from the balcony of Buckingham Palace.

18 aircraft flew over the palace.  The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight and the Red Arrows saluted The Queen on the celebration of her Diamond Jubilee at 3.30 pm.  The Land of Hope and Glory and God Save the Queen in Trafalgar Square echoed a singing tribute to monarch by thousands of fans down the Mall.

 

 

Thanksgiving RAF flypast over Trafalgar Square.  Photo © Eugenie Absalom

 

The Land of Hope and Glory and God Save the Queen in Trafalgar Square echoed a singing tribute to monarch by thousands of  fans down the Mall.

The Queen could be seen on the giant screen smiling and saluting the Royal Air Force flyover.   A soft mint coat dress of silk tulle with an elegant drape and a matching hat, designed by Angela Kelly, Swarovski crystals, pearls and snow white gloves added a fresh touch to the image of Her Majesty.  Prince Philip the Duke of Edinburgh was missing at the celebrations after being taken to the King Edward VII Hospital from Windsor Castle.

The Prince of  Wales and Duchess of Cornwall, The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry stood next to the  Queen on both sides on the balcony of Buckingham Palace and waved to the crowds as they watched the RAF flypast.

The Duchess of Cambridge looked an epitome of style in a delicate blush overlay lace dress by Alexander McQueen with a matching Nude Beaded Cocktail Hat and subtle veil over her eyes by Jane Taylor.

The Duchess of Cornwall added glamour to the event with a graphic coat by Bruce Oldfield and extravagant Philip Treacy hat.

 

 

The Diamond Jubilee Thanksgiving RAF flypast .  Photo © Eugenie Absalom

 

A celebratory cascade of rifle fire ‘feu de joie’  brought the historic moment to finale with a bang.

Singing in the rain and taking photos of the RAF flypast will certainly stay with me for years to come.

 

The Diamond Jubilee Thanksgiving Flypast in the Diamond Jubilee Time Capsule.

 

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