Photographer Natalia Skobeeva, whose photos are exhibited here at BELLYFLOP, is exhibiting from Friday 21st of November (day of opening party) at Viewfinder Gallery. Her exhibition is called Peculiar Processes, which is what the exhibition practically and sensationally is about:

Natalia Skobeeva first solo show rails against the ‘picture-perfect’ attitudes of the digital age. Projects include cyanotypes, film of London which has been buried in coffee, and using expired film, all revealing unpredictable results.

Last night I went to see DV8’s To Be Straight With You. I am not going to write a review about it. I just want to express my respect for the performers for showing such courage.

At one point in the piece a mobile phone rings and the performer on stage reacts to it immediately saying something like: “Switch off your mobile phones. We can’t be sure that you are not communicating with people from outside that might come in only to cause trouble.”

This suddenly made me aware of the risk the performers actually were taking during the performance and that they in fact could be in danger. So I sat there, still, watching them, and I feared for their lives. I am sure I reacted as intended, but I still think it is worth our respect and appreciation for these performers to speak up about quite a serious issue, knowing what personal consequences it might have for them.

1950’s. Dancers wearing oversized replicas of cigarette boxes and cowboy boots, tapping across the stage in TV commercial spots. There are certain things they make you do, and yes you do it because you believe it’s one step closer to stardom – sell-out at its finest.

With this discovery, the missing link between dancers and their cigarettes has now been found. Cigarettes and dancers have actually become one. What will be the next thing? A cup of coffee with a dancer swimming around in it?

Click here for video of Old Gold Dancing Cigarettes