Re-Wilding - Europe and the return of the PREDATORS

In the midst of the summer sun of July 2010, I heard a calling from the depths of the London Zoo and the Zoological Society of London (ZSL).

The main topic of conversation is too re-introduce predators such as Lynx, Wolverines and Wolves into areas of Europe.  This is extremely beneficial to the remaining ecosystems, by introducing the predators this can help in controlling the over-abundant number of prey species and in turn maintain the plant and habitats diversity.  Also with the re-introduction of these predators the amount of human conflicts will increase with livestock and competition with hunters.  In order to stop this the predators will be needed to fenced in, I know that this is wrong to cage animals but that is not what I am suggesting...what I am trying to get across is having extensively large nature reserves where the predators can roam and breed and not come into contact with humans and livestock.  In a similar circumstance this is similar to the game and nature reserves in Europe, America and Africa.

Event organisers:

Nathalie Pettorelli, Institute of Zoology, ZSL.
Rosie Woodroffe, Institute of Zoology, ZSL.
Sarah Durant, Institute of Zoology, ZSL.


Speakers and their topics:
Thorsten Wiegand, Helmhotz Centre for EnvironmentalResearch - UFZ, Germany.
- Modelling tools to better understand the dynamics of large carnivore reintroduction.

Guillaume Chapron, Grimso Wildlife Research Station, Swedish University of Agriculture Sciences.

- Restoring and managing wolves in Sweden.

David Hetherington, Cairngoms National Park Authority.

- Does the lynx have a cat's chance in modern Britain?

David W. Macdonald, WildCRU, Zoology Department, Oxford University.

- Rewilding the UK: reintroduction for restoration.

Ai Weiwei - The Unilever Series - Sun flower seeds

Ai Weiwei (53), born 28th August 1957.  When Ai was 1 year old he and his family were sent to sent to a labor in Xinjiang and returned to Beijing in 1975.  Ai is married to an artist Lu Qing.  Ai enrolled with the Beijing Film Academy in 1978 with the likes of Chen Kaige and Zhang Yimou and became one of the founders of "Stars", a cutting edge art group, this disbanded in 1983.

Ai's time in New York, United States of America was a conceptual time for his art career, he started by altering ready made object, also studying at the Parsons School of Design.

(Insert pic of Parsons SoD)


In 1993 Ai, returned to China, his father had fallen ill.  While here in Beijing Ai established the experimental artists in the Beijing East Village and also published the following three books: Black Cover Book (1994), White Cover Book (1995), and Grey Cover Book (1997).


Ai went closer to architecture and was the founder of FAKE Design (2003).  Back in 2000 he co-curated "FUCK OFF". Ai and HHF Architects designed a private residence in New York to house a huge China art collection, this was nominated for the Best New Private House by Wallpaper Magazine.


Ai's work has been and is exhibited across Europe, Asia and USA.


Ai has been ranked 13th out of the top 100 most powerful contemporary artists in 2010.








The Unilever Series, Sun flower seeds.


While on one of my many excursions to the extravagant Tate Modern, we came across a staggering amount of Sun Flower Seeds.  However these are not just normal seeds, the seeds have been moulded, firing in a kiln, then delicately had 4 black stripes painted on as a finishing touch.

When the exhibition first came to the Tate Modern the public were aloud to interact with the seeds, sadly this did not last that long to do the amount of dust that was caused, so they corned off the seeds and you can only view from a few feet away, both from the ground level and the first floor gangway.

What is to be taken into consideration is the time and effort it took all the people involved to construct and decorate the seeds.  Just the number alone is astronomical, by looking at the display of seeds whether it be at ground or first floor you do not actually understand the numbers that are there, what you need to do is to take the volume into account, how thick is the layer of seeds multiplied by the length and the width...then you will realise the substantial quantity.


The seeds are crafted by ancient Chinese methods from porcelain and then stripes of black paint.

Tate Modern - Bankside Power Station - History

Bankside Power Station

Once upon a time back in the 1952 the world's most popular art museum was named Bankside Power Station.  Where for the next 29 years it would serve power to the people of London.  This magnificent structure was designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scot (who had others creations around the country), behind the clad break work lies a steel frame.  In total dimensions the length will extended 200m, as far the towering chimney splitting the air to a height of 99m, thus is smaller than Saint Paul's Cathedral which is directly opposite on the north bank.  The construction was completed in 1963, enough was accomplished in 1952 and this gave the power station its life and produce power from its oil-fired generators.  This stopped due to the rise of oil in 1981, therefore classed as uneconomic.


Fast forward to 1995, winning architects Jaques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron of Herzog and Meuron were hand the Bankside power station for renovating to what we now call the Tate Modern.

Jacques Herzog & Pierre de Meuron.- Herzog & de Meuron

The vastness of the turbine hall.

The Light show at the Tate Modern

These two successful architects went on to remove the remainder of the plant but leaving behind the travelling crane that is still in place, also the glass extension on the roof.  The main turbine hall has most definitely been left behind this is unmissable as you enter the sloping ramp in to the heart of the museum.  To get a feel of how big the extinct turbines were all you have to do is look up from the bottom of the turbine hall, also on your travels when you get to the top floor and are not afraid of heights then look down...also dont forget that the length of the building is a surging 200m long.  In saying that when you are walking from the Southbank of the river Thames and you try and take a photo of this modern marvel you will not actually get the complete length of the 99m chimney, you can but then you need to take a portrait shot but you face losing the ends of the buildings...so take a few steps back and try again.

02 Arena

Upon arriving at the North Greenwich tube station instead of walking straight ahead off the escalators you need to turn about 180 degree...the first of two magnificent areas that you meet is the Peninsula Square which transcends you towards the colossal canopy that gives The 02 its significant appearance breaking the Greenwich Mean Time skyline.




Like a ripple in the water radiating out from the centre of the 02 canopy.  There are multiple sculptures, features and patterns in the ground.  Unless you have an eye for detail these are not visible at first until pointed out.




The tiling in the ground not only is radiating out like ripples on water but also transmitting out like radio waves.  Where they meet are granites of knowledge and facts.

  You can find these granite facts dotted in an orderly fashion from the station entrance to the green wall on the right hand-side to the glass covered walk that leads into the heart of the Dome sheltering the visitors from getting wet on a rainy day.

Probably the most noticeable structure that is viewed from the station and the Dome is a thin metallic spire that "On the 17th March each year will cast the shadow of the mast in the centre of this stone".

Walking toward the silver mast you get a sense of the grandeur of Peninsula Square that encompasses the Dome.

A few other interesting structures that you witness in the confines of the square have been created to reflect light inwards to the centre of the square.

After having a visually stimulating parade you enter the 02 Complex, here the engineering marvel is not hidden.  This is purposely on show to give a sense of strength and stamina of a long last modern creation that will stand the test of time.

The pure enjoyment that you get from witnessing all that the 02 Arena and Greenwich Peninsula has to offer on a platter of brutal construction that is delicately puzzled together to give meaning, life, thought, power, dominance, stature, and most significantly a landmark that pin points the centre of all time around the world as we know it.

New London Architecture

New London Architecture.

Situated off Tottenham Court Road, in the Building Centre complex.  The Centre is dedicated to hold gallery space and events in the architectural calender with a range of disciplines in the construction world.  The Building Centre works as a Trust for the education of the built environment.

Embarking the journey in to the main hall I was met with a scale 1:1500 of London stretched over a 12 meter long table covering a range from Paddington in the west and the Royal Docks in the east and from Battersea in the south and King's Cross in the north, using materials depicting existing areas to the proposed developments for the future.

Along the walls of this marvel creation are presentation boards explaining what is proposed in the individual areas, explaining the pro's and con's when the transition takes places.

In the next opening you have scale models of city corners, city blocks and the underground system.

The next level down on display is the Ecozone, this Zone has a wide array of eco friendly products that are available to all companies that are looking for a green alternative for going green.

Ecobuild 2011

An annual event that combines all eco-friendly and sustainable aspects in the UK's industries that are contesting against one another in selling their environmental products to the public.  Using a mixture of powerpoint presentations in seminars, stands with members of staff and displays of products in your face kind-of-thing.

The Barbican

The Barbican, an iconic landmark that splits the London skyline.  The Barbican complex is made up of several different divisions.  Depending how The Barbican has been brought to your knowledge will depend on how you will look at the cosmos that is integrated within.


However, with prior reading and multiple visits to The Barbican, you will first come across that it has its own underground station, this is situated on the Circle, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan Lines.  Upon arriving at The Barbican underground station you will notice three symmetrical towers that almost blog out the view of the sky, these make up The Barbican Estate.  This being a residential estate that encompasses The Barbican Centre.


The Barbican Centre is a combination of arts, dance, education, film, conferences, trading exhibitions, music and theatre.  These exhibition spaces are entwined in a multiplex space that if there were not filled with the intrigue of exhibitionist products that provoke and stimulate the minds to all that prospect to their excellence.

New British Sculpture Movement

This is a movement of art that like every other in the world of art has its pioneers.  This famous group started in the 1980's to exhibit together, they were a comprised of artists, sculptures and installation artists.  Just a few names included in this movement are Tony Cragg, Richard Deacon and Richard Wentworth.  Subjects that these pioneers would indulge in are pop and kitsch, UK environment and society, objects with meanings and colour, with and humour.

Anish Kapoor

Anish Kapoor, an Indian sculptor from Mumbai, India.  Kapoor  has lived and worked in the UK since the 70's.  Kapoor first studied art at the Hornsey College of Art after which he moved to the Chelsea School of Arts and Design.

Kapoor's initial exhibits were viewed along with others as the New British Sculpture art scene (detailed information will follow).  He followed this with international exhibitions in the Tate and Hayward Gallery, London.  Also in other international houses such as Kunsthalle, Basel; Haus der Kunst, Munich; Deutsche Guggenheim, Berlin; Reina Sofia, Madrid; M.A.K., Vienna and the I.C.A., Boston.


Anish Kapoor's work.


Mainly using monochromes and bright colours, along side materials such as wax, powder pigment, quarried stone, metal.  His thought process is to play with positives and negatives.
His most recent work was exhibited in Kensington Gardens, London using metal to bend, reflect and distort the viewer and the surroundings.


Below are several photographs that I captured for everyone to view and see Kapoors wizardry use of metal from Hyde Park.