Enough with the Found Art………

This oversubscribed genre of art finally earned my ire today. I was at the Frieze Art Fair, an annual event hosted by Frieze magazine in Regent's Park. It features around 150 contemporary art galleries from all over the world. The organization and variety of modern art is fantastic and I thought the installations below were cool.



But back to my original rant on the dilution of modern art by two subversive genres!

It was OK when Marcel Duchamp took a urinal, stood it on its head and called it art. And, even when Tracey Emin displayed her unmade bed with sweat and blood stained sheets (go figure!), one could say "metaphor for shock and awe", but a new generation of rag-tag, slacker, dumpster-diving artists is taking way too many liberties, and I protest! In the context of a staid art gallery a "found art" installation serves to stimulate and jar one's senses. In moderation, soggy rolls of toilet paper, bits of chicken wire, used bottle-caps and piles of used shoes juxtaposed against a clean-cut context and surrounded by a few post-modern masters is actually cool. But, for the first time today at Frieze, I was confronted en masse by the proliferation of found and trash art - aisles and aisles of it, which would make hobos feel at home.




A few messages for these artists:

• Found art is so 1998 and passe
  
• Bondage and kink have ceased to be art forms and are back in the porn genre
  
• Collage is an admirable art form, especially if you are five
• "Used Kleenex and Hypodermic Needles" is NOT a mixed medium
• Yes, we are aware that we are a post-post-modern wasteful society and materialistic consumption has left us soul-less
• And, we are generation blasé who cannot be jarred from our jaded fugue by your assortment of bodkins and candy wrappers

In short, quit your lazy art and try harder!

The other genre of art that's past its peak is "refrigerator magnet poetry art", akin to when you make stubby sentences on your fridge using a small selection of words printed on magnets. You've probably seen its artistic equivalent at a museum too - typically a large canvas washed with primary or solid colors, with random 'pop'py angst-filled words scrawled on it to form a terrible haiku-like inscription like,

"Paradoxical Rage Flagellation Yerba-Matte

Tea and Sympathy Yellow Submarine Obnoxious Ocean

Latte Kicking Screaming Gucci Little Piggy Die Corporate Bastard!"

Here is an example,

And another, which is arguably a cut-above the rest. It's an assortment of text messages that the artist had received. Enjoy!

All These Things That I’ve Done……

Having been M.I.A., I have decided to burp out a post rather than remain post-less forever.Now that I have all my appointments, classes, club and career events firmly programmed and synced between my iPhone and the school's Outlook Exchange server, at the very least, I know how in-deep I am. On a more mundane note, after successfully moving into my flat the toughest parts were finding a drying rack (since tumble dryers in this country do f*** all) and enticing British Telecom to come setup our landline so we could get internet. My flat-mates and I finally had to resort to rigging a monster human size mousetrap with a bit of cheddar outside our block of flats, to trap the BT installation engineer. It worked!

I'm visiting NYC banks at the end of October for a career trek. The rumors of the death of investment banking are highly exaggerated. Most LBS 2009 I-banking summer interns have offers in London. Hopefully they won't be rescinded – it remains to be seen. No point getting one's skivvies in a bunch. Here is my simplistic take on this - some banks were stupid, some were greed and some were plain unlucky. Like my Financial Accounting Applications Professor Oktay Urcan says (in a Turkish accent) "Unlucky camel gets eaten in desert by polar bear."

LBS classes usually start at 9ish and go till 5ish with a couple of hours in between. Then its club events, company sessions, speaker series, company visits etc. till well into the evening, which means the best time to study is still early mornings and mid- afternoons. Most evenings I'm double or triple booked and typically get done by 10PM, which is when most people head to Mumtaz for Indian or Ali Baba for late night shwarma. Friday's are typically no-class day for most streams (equivalent of cohorts).

LBS MBA Wannabees, here is some of what one can expect in the first few eight weeks of school –

• Tattoo - THIS IS HOW LBS ROCKS
  
• Two business statistics case studies that will drive you nuts
  
• Loads of introspective assignments including writing your own eulogy. Career Services and LBS Leadership curricula developers expect that these will help you become a good leader, general manager and/or help you pick the right career.
  
• Loads of assignments, pre-readings, follow-up reading and case studies for Finance, Accounting, Strategy, Corporate Ethics, Managerial Economics and General Management
  
• Loads of club kick-off meetings
  
• Two consulting case study competitions (AT Kearney and LEK/LBS), an (IPO Challenge Chicago GSB) and a couple of Venture Capital style competitions
  
• Loads of company presentations and speaker series. There was a particularly interesting talk by Jim O'Neill, Chief Economist at Goldman Sachs and the originator of the BRICs concept. His comments on what the developing world will look like in 2050 and the role India will play in it are summarized in this interesting paper.
  
• Loads of visits to companies (I visited Merrill Lynch in the City for a reception and then played a portfolio management game at Morgan Stanley's Canary Wharf offices)
  
• Preparing for career treks. LBS has one to Hong Kong, Dubai and NYC each over the next few months
  

I am currently involved with a bunch of clubs and organizations I'll post more as events occur

• Healthcare club – I'm helping with the annual conference
  
• Responsible Business Club – I'm helping arrange speaker series
  
• Finance Club – Just another member for now
  
• Black Rebel Motorcycle Club – check 'em out
  
• Tearfund – through my church, International charity focused on social justice
  
• Pratham – Organizing the annual Indo-German Business Forum in Dusseldorf, Nov 13
  

  This year's forum is being hosted by Pratham, the Indo-German Chamber of Commerce and the Indian Government. We hope to promote Indo-German commerce by educating business leaders regarding existing opportunities, by fostering insight-generation, and by providing a forum to initiate and develop business ties. The event also raises funds to support child literacy and education programmes in India. This year's forum will highlight the importance of innovation as a key driver for sustained success and growth for both indigenous and global companies operating in India, with a focus on the Lifesciences, Healthcare, Automotive and Energy sectors. Indian and German business leaders will propose ways to encourage Indo-German collaboration in order to overcome challenges posed by the economic downturn to future investments in innovation in these sectors.
  

  The event will feature several speakers and panelists including Ajay Piramal, CEO of Nicholas Piramal, Klaus Esser, Managing Partner at General Atlantic, Gautam Thapar, Chairman of Avantha Group, Nachiket Mor, Deputy MD at ICICI Bank, Amit Mehra, Managing Director at Reuters Marketlight and R. V. Shahi, Former Secretary of The Indian Ministry of Power.

Juicy Case Studies.....

Last week was Orientation week at LBS - a meticulously planned affair, complete with ice sculptures that spelt 'MBA 2010' on the LBS front lawn. Rumor has it that since "The Crown" owns the building, said Crown has to be petitioned before conducting frivolity on the front lawn. Translation - "The Crown" approves out liquor license.

The first two days however, were hosted at Lord's Cricket Ground, "Home of the Cricket". The highlights were presentations showcasing the diversity of the LBS community. Students from each of the 60 odd countries put together 2-3 minute presentations that mocked stereotypical views regarding their countrymen/women. The best presentations in my opinion were by the French, Kiwi, Australian and South American contingents. Aside for the fun and games, Orientation was in a sense a sobering coda to the entire B-school quest, and a few of my friends claim to have wiped away a tear of joy during Gareth Howells' speech that inducted us into a somewhat elite caucus.

I also met my study group, which includes Canadian and Brazilian PE professionals, a Czech lawyer, a British/Indian I-banker and a Kiwi Brand Manager/Marketing whiz. Our first challenge as a team was conquering an outdoors course over an entire day, taking on both mental and physical challenges - running, jumping, climbing trees, walking tighropes - essentially a cross between Cirque du Soleil and Fear Factor.

However for some of us, the toughest part of Orientation was answering four simple questions as part of Career Orientation Day. These questions cut to the core of who we are as individuals. Trying to honestly answer what our goals were, why we wanted to achieve them, what achieving them would do for us and whether that was what we really wanted in life, was a bit nerve wracking and humbling.

Classes started on Monday, and I'm glad I moved nearer to school. Taking the Chyube in was definitely starting to try my patience. I'm moving into my flat at the end of next week and am temporarily subletting a room from a MBA 2009 in a penthouse near the school - with fantastic views of St. Johns Wood, Marylebone, Regents Park and the London Eye. Although, what I'm really excited about is being near the school community and having more time to explore the 'burbs. Club activities have started kicking off and I'm looking forward to the Responsible Business Club. I'll updated you on this front and will post a few more pics later. In the meanwhile enjoy these.

Now back to reading cases about Honda, Apple and low-cost airlines ......

The nerd factor of the helmets kept us from looking Mission Impossible cool

Offisite Day at the Outdoors Course

Scenes from Notting Hill Carnival

LBS front lawn

Notting Hill Carnival - LBS Outing

LBS'ers - I threw this together knowing that a few of us are interested in the Carnival. I suggest going on Monday, meeting at Plowden Reception at 11 AM and departing thence via Baker St. Tube/Chyube Stop. Later in the day gets very crowded. Of course, you could go any other time Sunday or Monday - just go as a large group - apparently petty crime is prevalent given the million-odd crowd.

And feel free to circulate this to other LBS'ers and invite them.

Cheers!

KEY COMPETITIONS
21 August - Calypso Monarch Finals
23 August - 30th Panorama – National Champions of Steel (Hyde Park)
24 August - On the Road Junior Costume (several categories including King, Queen and Best Band)
25 August - On the Road Senior Costume Competition (several categories including King, Queen and Best Band)

MAS BANDS
Mas (short for masquerade) stems from the ceremonial African masking traditions, as well as the pre-lent 'Carnivales' of European Catholisism

SOUNDSYSTEMS
Soundsystems are an integral part of the Notting Hill carnival experience and traces back to 1950s Jamaica - it's dance hall and backyard party
scene with it's sound clashes and homemade PA equipment. This year's line up features 38 soundsystems spread throughout the carnival
area.

WEBSITES
http://www.nottinghillcarnival.biz/
http://www.notting-hill.org/#/nottinghillcarnival/4528607813

Saturday 23rd August

12pm – 9pm 30th National Panorama Championship
Ten of the UK's top steelbands, each comprising of between 40 and 75 musicians, compete for the title 'National Champions of Steel'. Artists will perform on stage 12pm-4pm & the Championship takes place 4pm-9pm London Notting Hill Carnival Ltd will also host a variety of stage and family activities on the day.

Sunday 24th August

6am – 10am J'ouvert
Steelbands participate in a procession to mark the official opening of the 2008 Notting Hill Carnival. Revellers daub paint and mud on themselves and that tradition has now been taken up here.

10am – 7pm Notting Hill Carnival Children's day parade

Monday 25th August

10am – 7pm Notting Hill Carnival Adult’s day parade

GETTING THERE FROM LBS
Take the Hammersmith & City Line towards Baker Street. WESTBOURNE PARK STATION: On Sunday 24 and Bank Holiday Monday 25 August, between 1100 and 1800, the station is exit only.

GETTING BACK TO LBS
Paddington (Hammersmith and City line) – on Sunday and Bank Holiday Monday it may be advisable to use this station instead of Notting Hill Gate or Royal Oak, as both stations will have diversions in place.. Most other stations in the Carnival area will be ‘exit only’ until 6-7 PM. Other stations near to the Carnival: High Street, Kensington (Circle and District lines), Kensal Green and Queen’s Park (Bakerloo line).

CABWISE is a text message-based service that helps you find a taxi or licensed minicab. Simply text HOME to 60835 to get one taxi and two
local, licensed minicab numbers sent straight to your mobile.

Is the Carnival safe to visit alone?

Carnival organizers and the police strongly advise people to NOT visit the carnival alone; arrange to meet friends and family before entering the Carnival area. They also advise bringing only a small amount of cash and leaving purses, backpacks and wallets home. Some people advise that groups wear similar coloured clothes so its easy to identify others from your group in the crush.

A mini-post from the city of mini-cabs

My move to London was smoother than expected. Not that I had anticipated pain! I had some anxiety about how my life in Boston would map to my life in London. For example, where would I find a wash-and-iron service that would be as cheap as my drycleaners in Boston? Would my flat have air-conditioning? And would there be a Starbucks within walking distance of LBS? Here is what I have found thus far.

In the “Plus” column:

London architecture, walking everywhere and liking it

I couldn’t have asked for better B-school colleagues

LBS is every bit what I had expected it to be, and I’m glad that its not part of a university campus (easier to recognize LBS students in the neighborhood)

I have fantastic flat-mates and a fantastic flat in Marylebone, a minute’s walk from the school and 221B Baker Street (Holmes, Watson?)

Even though delays and cancellations on the Chyube (a.k.a. Tube) are common, what’s entertaining are the reasons given – signaling problems, power grid failure, labor strike (Seriously, on just one short section of Jubilee Line between West Hampstead and Swiss Cottage?), sheep crossing holding up train traffic, endangered frog species mating between train tracks causing delays


The colorful and sometimes eccentric denizens of London – for example a Dickensian man with a scruffy jutting chin who marched into the bank in a purple velvet full length coat, top hat and cane and proceeded to cackle and talk with a heavy Cockney accent – could have well passed for Fagin from Oliver Twist (the pic btw is Ben Kingsley in Oliver Twist, the movie)


In the “Negatives” column

I can’t for the love of God make out the announcements on the Chyube, and when I finally figure out what they are saying, I feel incredibly stupid for not have figured it out first time the squawk-box squawked

The concept of filter coffee does not exist, even the Starbucks near the Baker St. Chyube stop has had a broken filter coffee machine for five days

Everything takes twice as long, finding a flat, getting any kind of service or a phone line or opening a bank account

There is more to report. Look for more mini-posts.