To coincide with the announcement of the exhibition From Selfie to Self-Expression, Saatchi Gallery and Huawei have joined forces to offer artists, photographers, and enthusiasts around the globe a chance to show their most creative selfies internationally, and have their work exhibited at the Saatchi Gallery as part of the #SaatchiSelfie competition.
This global competition offers a chance for entrants to express themselves by exploring and advancing the creative potential of the selfie today.
Entries must take the form of a photographic selfie. We encourage submissions that are experimental and innovative that take the selfie in exciting new directions.
Who is eligible?
The #SaatchiSelfie competition is open to anyone aged 16 or over (See www.saatchigallery.com/selfie for further details).
What prizes can you win?
The shortlist of ten winners, selected by a judging panel of renowned artists and forward-thinkers, will have their work exhibited in the Saatchi Gallery and will also receive Huawei’s newest smartphone.
The overall winner of the #SaatchiSelfie competition will be announced at the show’s launch in London on 30th March 2017 and will receive a priceless photographic experience, to be announced at a later date.
How do you enter?
It’s easy to enter. The competition is open submissions from 20th February over the course of 7 weeks, you can submit up to six selfies on www.saatchigallery.com/selfie
Selfies can only be submitted in the form of still photographic images and not any other form of work (such as video).
Once you have submitted your entries, you can post them on social media directly from your profile page on the Saatchi Gallery’s website using #SaatchiSelfie.

For further details click here.

Pina Bausch Mascura Fogo
February 10, 2017 In Review0 Comments 0
Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch, Masurca Fogo 9–12 Feb Sadler’s Wells.”The entire performance has a very upbeat and infectiously joyful vibe that is a welcome change from some of the more serious and sombre works that Bausch has produced…..” review by Sara Daniels
Masurca Fogo was originally the result of a 3-week trip to Portugal for Pina Bausch and her company, Tanztheatre Wuppertal, in 1997. The entire performance has a very upbeat and infectiously joyful vibe that is a welcome change from some of the more serious and sombre works that Bausch has produced.
The set designed by Peter Pabst is a striking sight. A white box that has a mound of contrasting black rocks, cascading from the back of the stage. This is used by the dancers as they exit and enter the stage, and is in keeping with Bausch’s use of elements in her work.
The audience are taken into the sights and sounds of Portugal. The strong rhythm and beats are heard in the varied and energetic sound track. This is echoed through the trance like choreography seen most in the solo work that transition each phase of the piece.
True to Bausch’s style, each dancer had their own personality that is displayed to the audience. We watched intimate relationships played out from the very small moments like sharing a drink, supplying food, sharing a kiss. To more complex moments that fed the idea of wanting, and needing to be loved.
The humour in the piece aided the joyful atmosphere. Props brought on stage tickled the audience, a live chicken eating a watermelon and a walrus shuffling on stage whilst a group of dancers created a waterslide are two of the most memorable!
Masurca Fogo has a lively and playful tone and it is a joy to spend the evening feeling enriched and uplifted. The show is running until Sunday 12th February and is the perfect escape from the gloomy world outside!
Review by Sara Daniels

London art fair 2017 is proof that the thriving art scene in London has not been deterred by the Brexit induced unsettled political and economic environment.
Over the years, the London Art fair has established itself as the premiere platform for Modern British and contemporary art. This year 129 UK and international galleries were represented. It displayed an amazing variety of creative mastery capturing a cross section of periods and styles ranging from the ornate and conventional to the contemporary. At the entrance of the fair was a welcoming display entitled Ten Years: A century of Art presented by The Lightbox, the museum partner of London Art fair 2017. To mark their 10th anniversary The Lightbox presented a special display of Modern British Art from the Ingram Collection which included key works by twentieth century artists such as Henri Gaudier-Brzeska, Barbara Hepworth, Henry Moore, Ben Nicholson and Eric Ravillious.
The programme featured a variety of talks, tours and programmes covering a range of topics from present day trends in contemporary photography and sculpture, the response of the art world to the current economic scenario, building and maintaining public art collections and global collaborations in the art world today and future possibilities.
The Art Projects programme at the London Art fair, now in its 13th year curated showcase of the latest contemporary art from across the globe featuring 31 galleries this year at the show. It is an important platform dedicated to nurturing emerging contemporary galleries, presenting the most stimulating contemporary practice. For example, Iniva (Institute of International visual arts) exhibited a group of six women artists. Three established artists Sutapa Biswas, Mary Evans and Joy Gregory who have selected three artists in their early-career exhibiting alongside, Sinta Tantra, Marine Lewis and Teija Williams with a bright selection of work. A competent exposure for upcoming artists by Iniva, a carefully organised handholding to provide an early momentum to aspiring young artists.
Photo 50 is another enthralling showcase of 13 contemporary and innovative photographic and lens based artists presenting 50 works most of which see their London debut this year. Entitled Gravitas this years’ edition frames fleeting moments from the adolescent world capturing various stages through to adulthood.
The fair this year presented a trendy show case of contemporary art. Matteo Massa Grande’s enthralling piece of oil and mixed media on board is a great example. Presented by Shine Artists London, Pontone Gallery, his work represents a tangential mix of light, place and architecture influenced by Padua in Italy and Hajos in Hungary. A depth of space and time is felt through the vastness and emptiness of these intricately carved interiors opening to wide vistas of nature. It leads to a subtle but deep undertone to life, energy and romance in desolation. The same gallery presented a completely modern output of thought and technique of a very natural and simplistic theme by Hwang Seontae, ‘The Sunshine Room’ is a catchy piece to the eye, created on tempered glass, sand blasted and presented with LED backlight. It will make you stop and bask in its warmth. The glorious sunshine that washes in through the window in a sketched bedroom is as organic as the warmth of a mid-morning summer sun. It draws you in on a mid-January cold London wrapped in a blanket of fog.
There was a variety of art mediums showcased which ranged from Chinese ink on found paper to oil on lasagne sheets to stainless steel bolts, nails and wood. Some of the mediums were truly pioneering like photographic inkjet prints on archival paper with watercolour paints and LED lights and acrylic, gold leaf and crystals on plexi glass. The gallery Paper presented Hannah Farrell’s work- which was a unique combination of photographic medium as a sculptural object by exploring the substance within and around the subject and its surrounding surface. Farrell combines images through the fluidity of the photographic medium and the solid static nature of sculptures. Her technique and treatment prompts questions rising from gender, the human figure, physical experiences in relation to place and the tensions between freedom and entrapment. Farrell won the De’Longhi Art projects Artist Award at the London Art Fair this year.
The London art fair is a great place to experience British and international art movements. An enthusiastic platform for both established and upcoming artists. We now look forward to the one next year for more from the continuously enriching British expertise as well as international practices for a cross section of the best in the global art scene.
Protima Chatterjee

Unique among music makers of his stature Nitin Sawhney brings his trademark charming interactive style to his live performances. He effortlessly engages the audience with a witty remark here a short anecdote there. Its almost like he is entertaining a small group of friends in his living room but the venue in question is the Royal Albert Hall and the music a path breaking cross over between Indian classical roots and western notes. A super talented group of instrumentalists and vocalists teamed with hip-hop duo Sebastian Ramirez and Honji Wang produces the kind of magic that Sawhney is known for.
The dance numbers choreographed and performed by internationally acclaimed Ramirez and Wang are stunning and immersive. They draw the audience in by sheer force of their movement perfectly blending in with the music. The duo is locked in a unique choreographic synchronisation through their style of hip hop, contemporary and acrobatic- when one is agile and mighty the other is responsive and receptive producing astonishing moments of contact choreography. Shifting force and lending texture to each others movements they create fierce and captivating moments in their dance pieces giving a dramatic edge to the show.
The evening’s presentation sets off with the captivating ‘Days are Gone’ by Eva Stone. This is followed by ‘Sunset’, an all time hit from Sawhney’s repertoire. Sung by lead vocalists J’Danah and Reema Bharadwaj it creates a tranquil mood. From here the evening keeps flitting between jazzy numbers and Indian classical vocals.
Sawhney a multi instrumentalist is equally at ease with the guitar and keyboard. As a composer he has produced an array of breathtaking music across a diverse repertoire. He has skillfully dissolved cultural boundaries through his music which has brought together sounds from across the globe.
‘Dystopian dream’ – his latest album is the output of his trailblazing musical journey across genres and styles. The programme showcased numbers from this album. ‘Time trap’ by lead instrumentalist Manu Delago accompanied by backing vocals from Eva Stone and Reema Bhardwaj is a beautifully woven piece with western and Indian elements. ‘Redlift’ by J’ Danah is a surreal piece sung from the depths of a soulfully etched voice. This set against ‘Tere Khayal’ by Reema Bharadwaj and Ashwin Srinivas is carved out of the Indian classical rhythms and compliments Sawhney’s trademark style of unifying traditional with the contemporary and the east with the west. Though the album is named ‘Dystopian dream’, ironically it produces the opposite-an euphonious harmony of sounds from multiple cultures.
Sahwney has put together a superb ensemble of gifted musicians. Aswin Srinivasan’s flute adds a layer of softness with a hint of nostalgia and longing. Soumik Datta plays beautiful music with his sarod and befittingly for this show plays his traditional Indian instrument standing up like a guitar player. And he carries it off with his music. Aref Durvesh on the tabla is phenomenal. Again like Soumik he does not adopt the posture of traditional tabla players throughout. Rather, in keeping with the relaxed style of Mr Sawhney he delivers a virtuoso performance standing up playing the tabla sometimes like a drum on a raised table.
Mr Sawhney seduces the audience with his casual conversational style and his music which moves effortlessly between haunting jazz and soul, Indian classical vocals, energetic tabla beats and mellifluous sarod and flute sounds. Its the sort of musical evening that leaves you yearning for an encore.
Protima Chatterjee

We are delighted to share with our readers an article from one of our followers and guest contributors. Thank you Arita Mukherjee.
If any of you were at The Rolling Stones Exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery, share your experience with us.
Exhibitionism: a dream come true
The scene is a dimly lit, tiny one bed flat in Edith Grove, Chelsea. There is a dank, stale odour from the discoloured, mouldy walls. The beds are unmade, cigarettes stubbed out in half eaten plates of food, a mountain of dirty dishes and chicken bones piled high on the dirty sink next to a filthy, death-trap gas cooker. And a smattering of 60’s Blues records in one corner of the room…
Welcome to Edith Grove, circa 1962, part of the reconstructed first ever flat in Chelsea shared by the greatest rock and roll band in history – The Rolling Stones. This is the first glimpse of the recently concluded, Exhibitionism at Saatchi Gallery, London – the largest exhibition of memorabilia from The Rolling Stones.
Curated over two floors the exhibition celebrated the Stones’ artistic collaborations in music, art, design, fashion and films. Straight after the revolting Chelsea flat, we moved on to a superbly atmospheric reconstruction of Olympic Studios in Barnes, south-west London, where fans had an opportunity to select a Stones track and move sliders to remix the sound through headphones. This was followed by a selection of film clips introduced by film director Martin Scorsese which immersed us in the rampant excess of the band’s late Sixties-early Seventies peak!
It was great to go behind the scenes and see an entire room dedicated to the development of the now iconic mouth and tongue logo, with a huge mock up throbbing with projected colours and textures. Designer John Pasche describes how Mick Jagger came to him with the idea for a logo based on the Hindu God Kali, and they ended up with the now iconic lips and tongue logo. The art and design section on the first floor was a reflection of the cultural influence of the band spanning decades. There’s acres on the great artists, designers and photographers they’ve worked with over the years – from Andy Warhol, Dior, Prada, Richard Hamilton to David Bailey and Gered Mankiewitz, whose stark, mod-era photography played a significant role in establishing the band’s early image.
Finally the exhibition culminated in a mind blowing backstage and 3D simulated Stones concert experience. Truly, Exhibitionism was a treasure trove of the most multi-sensory barrage of Stones stuff any fan can dream of!
Arita Mukherjee (guest contributor)
Images:The Rolling Stones archive

Cirque Eloize is contemporary circus meets west side story meets urban hip hop and break dancing. It’s placed in a futuristic cityscape partly derived from graffiti comics and science fiction where it strives to seek answers to the existential questions-where do I belong? How do I relate to my group? Who am I as an individual? Its exploration of the graffiti strewn skyscraper framed urban spaces populated by trendy young people poses interesting metaphors for city living.
Contortionists, Olympic gymnasts, jugglers, stunt bikers, in- line skaters, trampowall illusionists, break and hip hop dancers come together to create this intensely amazing city centre feeling. Office worker meets beautiful girl who is part of one of the warring gangs. The two gangs test each others mettle through a series of dazzling acts which culminate in the truly breathtaking 8 minute finale on the trampowall. On the way we meet a multi-talented cast who mesmerise the audience with some daredevil stunts. All of these is choreographed with contemporary urban dancing in the backdrop of futuristic city lights. There are several adrenalin soaked high points such as balancing on stacked up chairs, head standing dance moves, slipping down Chinese poles only to freeze before crashing to the ground , somersaulting on Cyr wheels or flying on aerial hoops. There are also more soul soothing lyrical moments created by the suspended female dancer with the in line skater.
ID directed by Jeannot Painchaud is a perfect amalgam of some breath-taking circus acts with theatre and acrobatic street dancing. In the end it’s a search for the urban soul which finds beauty and individual expression through street art and urban dancing. It’s a show which in this day of television and reality shows exposes you to the power of real time stage performance.
Protima Chatterjee
Catch our interview with Cirque Eloize below.

L-E-V’s OCD Love is a journey of raw human emotions presented in an intense and power-packed 55 minutes. Created by Sharon Eyal and Gai Behar and choreographed by Sharon Eyal, it is set to live music by Ori Lichtik. The narrative draws its inspiration from Neil Hilborn’s poem OCD. It provides a framework for the choreography as Eyal says “it was like a mould you can put your inspiration in, yourself in”. OCD is a heart wrenching poem, it depicts love which is reciprocated but end in disinterest and apathy. Silent endurance and external calmness conceals a mind on fire. OCD Love deals with this inner turmoil through untamed movements and powerful musical score. The music is focused and passionate and is an integral part of the show.
The narrative depicts feelings of love, passion, rejection, betrayal through the lens of obsessive compulsive disorder. Feelings run high like a leaping flame and eventually explode outwards. It’ s this magnitude and sheer force of the explosion that we see in a dance form in OCD Love.
The 6 dancers of the company are totally immersed in the piece. Their bodies speak precision and their energy perfectly fit in with Eyal’s movement vocabulary. The movements are adapted from classical aesthetics into Eyal’s own style. They build on the theme with their vigorous depiction of fierce instincts in the way they frame their emotions. There are a lot of extreme back arched movements, exposing the frame of the dancers’ torso producing an eerie and sometimes edgy and restless feeling. Some movements push the boundaries of human body. They are sometimes not pretty to look at, but certainly add another layer to the choreography, opening up new possibilities and dimensions to the narrative.
L-E-V was born out of a dream shared by its creators Sharon Eyal Gai, Behar and Ori Lichtik, as Eyal expresses at the after-show Q&A. With its tale of thwarted love and fierce passion their production OCD Love is a testament to their love of dance and creative fire within. L-E-V has provided a rare but brief glimpse into the rich dance and performing arts scene in Israel.This show is crying out for a longer run in the calendar.

Protima Chatterjee

Having never been to an Emerging Dancer Awards Evening, I was unsure what to expect, or how much joy one could have at such an event. I was very pleasantly surprised!
There was a wonderful, supportive and excited atmosphere in the auditorium from the very start. The usually very polite and dignified Ballet audience tonight was loud and jubilant in their appreciation of the finalists’ performances.
The evening, presented by Natasha Kaplinsky, was opened with each finalist partnered up and dancing a Pas de Deux.
From this section Jeanette Kakareka’s performance of the Black Swan was the stand out performance for me. Her presence on stage was captivating and she truly embodied the mood and tone.
Cesar Corrales also made an impact and his bounding, energetic performance was a huge hit with the audience. His leaps and turns were, in all fairness, incredibly well accomplished.
The next section of the competition was the contemporary solos. For me, the dancers that stood out here were the ones who really ventured away from the classical Ballet vocabulary that they had just performed. They allowed their body to explore, and highlight their other technical abilities. Two great examples of this, was the performances of the work of Annabelle Lopez Ochoa whose choreography recently featured in the ENB production, She Said.
By the time we reached the interval, the competition element was over. During the second act Laurretta Summerscales, who was promoted to Principal earlier this year and won the People’s Choice Award 2015, and last year’s winner, Jinhao Zhang, treated us to stunning performances. Both delivered heart felt, heart-stopping duets.
And finally came the results. Cesar Corrales won both the People’s Choice Award, as well as the 2016 Emerging Dancer Award. He is definitely one to look out for, English National Ballet have announced that he will be performing the role of Prince Siegfried in their production of Swan Lake in June.
The most touching moment for me was the announcement of a new award, the Corps de Ballet Award. It was lovely to hear Tamara Rojo speak so passionately about the ENB’s Corps de Ballet and the hard work, commitment and community work they put in. The winner Jennie Harrington was visibly moved by this recognition.
English National Ballet were presented as a warm and welcoming company who really care and look after their fellow dancers. It was a privilege to be allowed to feel a part of that dynasty during this production.
Reviewed by Sara Daniel
Images from top left: Cesar Corrales, winner of the Emerging Dancer and People’s Choice Awards with Jennie Harrington, winner of the Corps de Ballet Award/Cesar Corrales in the Contrbajo para Hombre solo by Julio Lopez/Jeanette Kakareka in the Black Swan pas-de-deux/Isabelle Brouwers in Pelican by Charlotte Edmonds (C) Laurent Liotardo

There was a huge amount of buzz created in the world of dance and social media in the lead up to She Said’s opening night. This may have been fuelled by the recent heated argument regarding the lack of female choreographers at the top of the dance industry. Tamara Rojo, who as Artistic Director of the English National Ballet made this programme of dance possible, this makes the point that ‘in 20 years of being a professional dancer, she had never performed in a ballet made by a woman.’ An interesting statistic to start the evening.
The triple bill consisted of Broken Wings by Annabelle Lopez Ochoa. This narrative driven piece depicting the life of Frida Kahlo was a colourful feast for the eyes. Rojo played the character of Frida from the young, carefree teenager, and into the tragic accident that lead Kahlo to her paintings. The stage was filled with characters straight from the canvases of Kahlo’s work. Skeletons, dressed in Day of the Dead Mexican costumes, accompanied deer, birds and monkeys. These skeletons physically manipulated Kahlo throughout the piece, including through a graphic scene portraying one of Kahlo’s miscarriages. The costumes were unforgettable, expertly in harmony with Lopez Ochoa’s choreography.
M-Dao by Yabin Wang also dealt with a narrative, this time the Greek story of Medea was the subject. Medea was exquisitely played by Lauretta Summerscales. The dramatic and tragic tale was helped along with some inventive set design. The white cloth sails that draped from the top of the stage drew a gasp from the audience as it cascaded like water down onto the floor. The whole piece was very tactile and emotive. The choreography was more centered in traditional ballet, which suited the ENB cast. The atmosphere, which was poignant throughout, finished on a very haunting note.
The evening finished with the very different Fantastic Beings by Aszure Barton. The interplay between the score by Mason Batest and the choreography was akin to watching Disney’s Fantasia. The dancers were able to physically visualize every instrument, every change in tone or pitch and rhythmic interplay. The large and anonymous cast were all dressed in slick Cunningham-esque body suits and performed to a backdrop of twinkly lights. The choreography was bold, vivacious and unpredictable.
One thing was very clear from the evening, all three of these choreographers and their works were deserving of their moment on the Sadlers Wells stage. I am really hoping that more of them, as well as other female choreographers, will be seen topping theatre bills.
Review by Sara Daniels
Photo: Tamara Rojo and Irek Mukhamedov in Broken Wings by Annabelle Lopez Ochoa (c) Laurent Liotardo