SaLon at WHITEBOX is a testament to the diversity of the UK’s freshest emerging talent. Eight recent graduates of British art schools like the Royal Academy of Art or Goldsmiths were selected to represent what SaLon considers the new wave of British art.

From spraypaint to embroidery, each artist creates a solid impression on the audience despite the collective nature of the exhibit. Although hailed as a the new generation of British art, the artists make it clear that they are more than just a unit, breaking the need for cohesion in the exhibit and favoring screaming voices of independence and change. The ways in which they voraciously attack modern British life only serves to emphasize the frustrations with the lack of societal progression.

Among the illustrious eight is explosive new talent Sarah Maple. Hailed as the new Tracey Emin by The Independent on Sunday, she was recently awarded the “4 Sensations Award” for her controversial work. Maple addresses questions of Islamic identity by placing stereotyped versions of veiled women within a Westernized fashion photography context. Various references to Kate Moss are explicitly made, if only to contrast the liberalism of the Westernized woman with that of the modesty of the Islamic woman. Her artwork is suffused with questions on religious and national identity because of her mixed religious and cultural upbringing.

More here.

When was the last time you witnessed Woody Allen and Public Enemy performing for the same event?! No, no, no this is not a prank or an episode of Flavor of Love…For the past 29 years Montreal has been hosting one of the most prestigious jazz manifestations; an event where up-and-coming talents and established artists give some of their best performances in the heart of the city.

The Montreal Jazz Festival does not only cater to jazz lovers, the array of genres and styles of music (hip-hop, bossa nova, electro-jazz, world-music…) turns the city into an even more colorful and intense cultural mosaic that attracts music lovers from all parts of the world. This year’s edition, dedicated to the memory of Oscar Petterson, had me travel me around the world-literally — in 11 days !

I started my journey, last Thursday, in Bahia with senor Gilberto Gil and his BroadBand, I then attended Reverend Green church service in Memphis on saturday, and eventually spent some time with Me Myself and I on planet rap with De La Soul. On Monday I took a crash-course in social activism with professor Chuck D. Running from venue to the other I couldn’t help but glimpsing at one of the groovy band that would made the crowd get down even in the rain … But wait, I almost forgot my “coup de coeur” Cuban piano virtuoso Roberto Fonseca. Fonseca - who accompanied the legendary Ibrahim Ferrer - and his band mesmerized the audience; I relaxed on Wednesday at McCoy Tyner’s piano recital. Last night, newcomer South African-Israeli Yoav charmed me with accoustic guitar. Unfortunately, as it is often the case with festivals of that caliber, I was not able to stop by Mrs. Franklin’s soulful class, Woody Allen’s jazz lesson; I also missed the double-bill featuring GZA and RZA and The BlindBoys of Alabama, Malian mega-star Salif Keita with Vieux Farka-Toure, or Miss Dee Dee Bridgewater…

Two more days to go and Cassandra Wilson is next!

The 2008 edition is even more special as the city of Montreal has recently undertaken the development of the “Quartier des Spectacles” (Arts District) that should be completed by next year for the Festival 30th anniversary with the opening of the Maison du Festival de Jazz. The festival also offers a variety of activities for children (games, face-painting, music workshops) as well as a guitar salon, a on-site art Gallery and wide range of other excitements!

So folks if you missed this year’s event, start saving up for a trip to the hot’n'humid Montreal summer, you won’t regret it!

More info here!

Attempting to blur the lines between fashion, art and architecture, Mobile Art is jumping head first into the avant-garde. The brainchild of Chanel’s creative director Karl Lagerfeld and architect wunderkind Zaha Hadid, the concept of a traveling gallery is a means of subverting the traditional ways in which people visit galleries, transporting the art to the people, and not the other way around. The gallery, which inhabited Hong Kong from February to April, is now closing it’s Tokyo run. Soon, it will reopen in New York, then continuing through London, Moscow and Paris.

A physical synonym of ultra-modern, the gallery itself (pictured above) is a white, streamlined loop-shaped structure, with industrial undertones. Visitors exit from the starting point of their journey, replicating the cyclical, and oftentimes fickle, nature of fashion.

The exhibit is a showcase of individual installations, all the work of twenty handpicked international artists. And whilst the gallery itself is arguably the most striking piece on display, the inspiration of the Chanel quilted handbag stirred in the artists’ some strikingly conceptual pieces, most notably “At the Bottom” by Japanese artist Tabaimo, an elevated structure in which visitors peer down into a well filled with the floating dreams of Chanel customers.

Perfectly capturing the international aesthetic of the Chanel brand, Mobile Art will be touring the world’s major cities, starting off in futuristic Tokyo and culminating in the capital of Haute Couture, Paris.

More mobility here.