Cupboard Under the Stairs

‘Surrealism is the magical surprise of finding a lion in a wardrobe where you were sure of finding shirts’ - Frida Kahlo

Miriam — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 18:47:19 +0000

I love serendipity:

:: Reading and thinking about those Surrealists as we have been lately, again and again one meets a playful and morbid fascination with death.

:: Play and death: a potent combination. I was so happy to find the above fabric showing dancing, flirting, laughing Catrinas, the dead who seem to be so full of life.

:: The studied Surrealist attitude to death and play comes naturally in Mexico. On the Day of the Dead all these little folk come out to play.

:: In 1938 Andre Breton travelled to Mexico to meet Trotsky. Upon seeing Frida Kahlo’s work for the first time, he pronounced her an ‘innate Surrealist’.

:: I have just finished reading Barbara Kingsolver’s ‘The Lacuna’. What a beautiful rich book. A pleasure to read and the source of daydreams ever since. Lev Trotsky and Frida Kahlo are central characters.

:: And the fabric? See below for a sneak preview of our Surreal games, we do so hope you’ll be able to join us.

Upside Down Chess

Lucy — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 15:21:26 +0000

Cupboard has been a wee bit side tracked of late but we are back and have kicked off by delving deep into the world of Surrealist games. We have been beavering away devising a medley of Cupboard games to get the grey cells going each with their own little twist. Look out for us at the Barbican over the next couple of months we will more than likely be sporting inside out crinolines and topsy turvy bowler hats. Unlike Marcel Duchamp’s chess partner we will most definitely be clothed.

New season gatherings

Miriam — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 14:04:57 +0000

A very happy new year to you all. A time for resolutions, renewal and the gathering of new resources. Here at Cupboard we are learning the ancient art of juggling. We are juggling some exciting new work coming our way from unlikely quarters, juggling time to learn new skills, and time to plan our Barbican event later this year. Initial plans promise to provide a night of Surreal fun - our favourite kind - and games. Apologies for being so cryptic, but watch this space for further instructions on how to get involved.

Christmas Treats

Lucy — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 21:39:52 +0000

With Christmas upon us the Cupboard elves (well us) have been beavering away in the studio cooking up some festive wonders.Its a red, white and black affair this year. Here is a sneaky peak of some of our new samples. To get the full picture please head down to the Mangle Market this Saturday the 12th of December. With 30 stalls selling all sorts of wonderful delights and plenty of mulled wine and mince pies to go round there should be plenty to keep you entertained look forward to seeing you there……………..

Halloween Headwear and an Unhealthy Obsession with Seaside Towns

Lucy — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 20:34:48 +0000

Its been a while…in my defence all I have to offer is that recently I seem to be finding myself more often than not in one of England’s many weird but wonderful seaside towns. From Margate to Morecombe for all the stick they get, you really can not help but be sucked in by the faded grandeur and ..well the sticks of rock.
Not forgetting the endless tit bits of plain brilliant trivia. Did you know Margate’s scenic railway was one of only two in the world that did not run solely on momentum but required a brake man to control it? One of these very men still guards the burnt out ruin of the railway that is awaiting its re-birth thanks to all the hard work of the Dreamland Trust.
Further north to Morecombe for some unbridalled decadence (well tea and biscuits) in the truly magnificent Midland Hotel . A perfect marriage of old and new,I have found a new cultural home.
In case you are thinking all I have been doing in living it up by the sea please see below a piece of Halloween headwear created exclusively for last weekends festivities. As for Cupboard we are currently working on a new ltd edition product range and might even be poppping up in a shop near you sometime soon so keep you eyes open.

Land of the Rising Sun

Miriam — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 17:23:44 +0000

A first look at images from my trip to Japan. One of the visual highlights - and there were many - were these, tenugui. Small-ish (35×90cm) and usually cotton, these versatile pieces of fabric can be used as gift wrap, hats, towels, tablecloths, or really, just vehicles for gorgeous Japanese prints. A definition can be found here. My plan: to quilt them, add holes to feed straps through, and use them to line my daughter’s buggy. Watch this space.

Shown above are Lucy’s collection, enlarged by the two I brought back for her. So please enjoy this little taster of Japan images, the rest will follow soon, I’m a bit slow on the upload.

Hounds Tooth and My Guy

Lucy — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 19:05:40 +0000

Its 1980’s week in my world. I have been down to the Women’s Library where I lost a few hours of my life reading old copies of Blue Jeans, My Guy and J-17. Marvelling at how it was possible for it to be fashionable to look permanently electrocuted.
Then by a weird coincidence I was asked to make an 80’s mood board. Something in the phrase mood board makes me think they came up with that in the 80’s to. So have a sneaky peak there is no shortage of hounds tooth, neon, Rubik cubes and space invaders.

Flamenco Frenzy

Lucy — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 13:39:27 +0000

So.. where has the Summer gone? Whilst Miriam has been off exploring the Kookiness of Japan I have been on the train of weddings, festivals and flamenco (see flamenco friend above).

All this seems to have put the brakes on the art of making for a short while although I have managed to churn out a new set of Russian friends (see above) but I must confess the crochet is on pause.
However, The birth of September promises new challenges. The cogs have been oiled and we are ready for action so watch this space ……

Exquisitely Cadavared

Miriam — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 15:06:04 +0000

Phew…those crazy surrealists have a lot to answer for. Well, we had all the fun of the fair on Friday and Saturday down at the V&A Village Fete. The rain (mostly) held off, special thanks to Sue and Tone for the last-minute loan of a gazebo. Our cadavers got a good work out, we barely looked up for two days as all the lovely V&A punters chose their characters with impressive amounts of thought and care.

Its basically a giant game of consequences. We’ve packed the mermaid, strongman, jester, white rabbit, crocodile and the Russian doll away for a well-deserved rest, but we have a feeling we haven’t seen the last of them. Huge thanks to our lovely helpers Howard, Jackie, Jason, Liz, Sinead and especially Pete and Carolyn.

Why Matryoshka?

Lucy — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 11:09:01 +0000

So, this week with Miriam away on her hols I have been left to play. Russian Dolls are the order of the day. It was whilst customizing a set of these seemingly friendly rounded wooden ladies that it struck me, what is a Matryoshka?

Apparently according to Russian Crafts here is the answer.
Russian wooden dolls within smaller dolls were called matryoshka. In old Russian among peasants the name Matryona or Matriosha was a very popular female name. Scholars says this name has a Latin root “mater” and means “Mother”. This name was associated with the image of of a mother of a big peasant family who was very healthy and had a portly figure.

If you are curious to see thier faces check out our Tales from the Cupboard page in the work section.
As for more woolly pursuits thanks to an ingenious suggestion from a friend to use a mirror to make the images left hander friendly I can now proudly say I have reached page 3 of the Ladybird book to learning crochet……watch this space.