Power Lesbians
Because of their beauty, success and shameless ambition, they break all previous stereotypes. They've been identified as a new breed; the power lesbian. Join Rebecca Loos, our host, to find out if this new breed really exists, or if it's just another Hollywood fantasy.
December 15, 2012 - [ 1 part ]
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Syd Barrett
an English singer-songwriter, guitarist, and painter, best remembered as a founding member of the band Pink Floyd. He was the lead vocalist, guitarist and primary songwriter during the band's psychedelic years, providing major musical and stylistic direction in their early work, including their name.
April 3, 2012 - [ 1 part ]
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Marc Newson
Marc Newson is an industrial designer whose imagination knows no bounds. He has created everything from the iconic Lockheed Lounge chair - the most expensive piece of furniture by a living designer ever to sell at auction - to coat hangers, dish drainers and vibrators. His latest and most audacious project is a suborbital jet that just might be the future of long-distance travel. In this profile, Marc Newson talks to Alan Yentob about his inspirations, thought processes and designs. He remembers when, aged just 23, he sculpted the Lockheed Lounge from a piece of foam in a frenzied few days. “It felt like a monumental moment.” He couldn’t get rid of the Lounges back then. Today, with just thirteen in existence, they are one of the most sought-after collectors’ items in the world. The programme follows Newson to Bodylines, an extraordinary Aston Martin panel beating workshop outside Milton Keynes, where men who usually work on vintage cars create his limited-edition furniture pieces - and one craftsman gives him a piece of his mind about the flaws in his Black Hole table. In the marble quarries of Carrara in Italy, we see the processes behind his exquisite sculptures. Newson’s designs push marble into contemporary shapes, with each piece carved from one individual block. The programme also takes in the launch of Newson’s Space Plane, which, he hopes, will one day do exactly what it says on the tin.
March 7, 2012 - [ 5 parts ]
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Ansel Adams
an American photographer and environmentalist, best known for his black-and-white photographs of the American West, especially in Yosemite National Park. With Fred Archer, Adams developed the Zone System as a way to determine proper exposure and adjust the contrast of the final print. The resulting clarity and depth characterized his photographs and the work of those to whom he taught the system. Adams primarily used large-format cameras despite their size, weight, setup time, and film cost, because their high resolution helped ensure sharpness in his images.
February 29, 2012 - [ 1 part ]
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The Unbookables
The Unbookables is a narrative documentary about stand-up comics who have spent their careers pushing the limits of comedy on stage and off. Relegated to small venues and touring in a crappy van through the Midwest they careen between the desire to succeed and the reality that there may be nothing left to lose. Road life is far from glamorous: comics come and go and cruel pranks and hard drinking punctuate their obsidian dark comedy on stage. They succeed and fail-spectacularly. When they face being fired for going too far on stage, the conflict culminates in a showdown: compromise or double down?
February 8, 2012 - [ 1 part ]
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Screamin' Jay Hawkins
The legendary Screamin' Jay Hawkins was a great influence on many musicians and his performances were so highly provocative in their originality that even today they can be considered 'revolutionary'.
January 11, 2012 - [ 1 part ]
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The Great Wave (Japanese Art Documentary)
The Great Wave off Kanagawa, sometimes referred to as 'Under a Wave off Kanagawa') is perhaps the most instantly recognisable art image from the far east. It was produced as woodblock print by the 18th century Japanese artist Hokusai who was in his 70's when he produced it. First published in 1832, it was an instant success and continues to transfix artists and historians the world over. This documentary explores the life of the artist and discusses the masterpiece itself, looking at how it was produced and what it might represent. A thought provoking and inspiring documentary for artists and anyone with an interest in the culture and art history of Japan.
January 10, 2012 - [ 5 parts ]
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Art - The Glasgow Boys
The Glasgow Boys were part of the 'Glasgow School', a circle of influential modern artists and designers who began to coalesce in Glasgow, Scotland in the 1870s, and flourished from the 1890s to sometime around 1910. These talented and pioneering painters took their inspiration from Japanese prints, French Realism and Impressionism in Paris, creating some extraordinary paintings which broke with traditions in British art.
January 10, 2012 - [ 4 parts ]
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