ELCAF / House of Illustration Fair

What am I looking at? 
We've been planning to create a zine of our own for a while now so thought it be a good idea to attend a few fairs to research, network and gather some inspiration.

What did you see? 
We went to ELCAF first which was ok. There were a few standouts but a lot of the work was quite samey and a bit 'meh'. The House of Illustration's Summer Fair was much more interesting. The stuff on show was quite diverse and included prints, comics, jewellery and embroidery. The atmosphere was a lot more relaxed and we spent much of our time socialising with artists. We took lil sis too who seemed to enjoy herself.

Was there anything you liked? 
Yes. NY based illustrator @mountaindog. Her vibrant risographs depicted surreal interpretations of Chinese proverbs which sprawled and mutated over multiple frames. We saw her at both events so couldn't resist purchasing some prints and a mini zine the second time around. We also liked the work of @xiaome1 who also worked in risograph. We like risographs.

Anything else? 
This weekend we're heading down to the South London Comic & Zine Fair where our friends @chumleypies and @ieuan_protheroe have a table and comics on show. Should be a good time.

Great.Thanks. Bye. 


find us on instagram @ninopaulito

Juno Calypso: What To Do With A Million Years

What am I looking at? 
Juno Calypso @ TJ Boulting Gallery.

Who? 
Photographer Juno Calypso came to our attention a few years ago in an ID magazine article. In it she describes booking hotel honeymoon suites to use as back drops for her self portrait series. The interiors of these hotels contain extremely gaudy features which were used to enhance the dark and otherworldly feel to her work. We were excited to hear about her London show so popped by to check out the exhibition.

Describe her stuff? 
Calypso's photos are really sexy up close. They have an elegant sheen, colours are seductively luminous and have an overall gorgeous cinematic look. At times they resemble film stills of the 70s or the revisionist style of auteurs Hélène Cattet and Bruno Forzani. There's also a touch of retro futurism, especially in photos where she is using creepy antiquated beauty devices or is straight up dressed as a green skinned alien.

Anything else? 
The interior of the lower gallery was decorated like someone's front porch with a fake lawn, trellises and even a kitsch water feature. The faint patter of music that could be heard from certain corners of the room also added to the voyeuristic subject of her work. We really like this stuff.

Great. Thanks. Bye. 

Find Nino Paulito on Instagram: @i.gate.the.gypsy