By Bethany Rex

History tells us that fashion trends often act as harbingers of economic change and fashion’s recent sombre mood is no exception. The economy has gone from boom to bust, the political landscape has changed from red to blue, but designers have gone back to black. At Yves Saint Laurent, designer Stefano Pilati dressed his models in black bowl-cut wigs and matt black lipstick, giving the collection a graphic and austere edge and at Céline, creative director Phoebe Philo’s simple, crisp, structured silhouettes have become the look of the moment.

Today after much heartfelt deliberation the winner, runner-up and finalists for the Aesthetica Short Film Competition 2010 are announced.

The competition is an exciting initiative, which supports short filmmakers and brings their work to a wider audience. We were (and are) looking for filmmakers who are driving the genre forward. Just like our editorial in the magazine, we are looking for filmmakers and artists who are engaging with cinema in new and exciting ways.

Beyond COLOR: Color in American Photography, 1950-1970, opened last week in New York. This show re-examines of a crucial moment in photography’s short history, when the artistic relevance of colour in fine art photography had yet to be determined.

It’s getting to that time of year when the art world is bursting at the seams. With all the fairs coming up in the next few weeks, as well as digital art, media and film festivals, this is one season where you can’t ever say those three horrid words –“I am bored.”

The 6th Berwick Film & Media Arts Festival opens today! There are five action-packed days of film and video art from the UK and abroad, showcasing a number of UK premieres and specially-commissioned pieces.

Interview by Stephanie Bailey

When I was offered the chance to interview Matthew Higgs via The Apartment, Athens, I jumped at the chance. An artist, curator, publisher and director of White Columns, he is known for scouring antique book stores, flea markets and other places where he might come across book covers and pages including; “Art in Times of Crisis”, “Pictures in Peril”, and “Art for Spastics,” which he then frames and presents as found conceptual art.

After visiting Derry earlier this year and seeing the murals in the Bogside, I really needed to find out more about the works and more about Northern Ireland. Created by the Bogside Artists (Thomas Kelly, William Kelly, and Kevin Hasson), these murals depict a living history. Powerful and emotive, the images resonate, however, their message transcends the Bogside and Northern Ireland, leaving a greater hope for universal peace.