Watch Robert Wilson discuss his recent collaboration with Marina Abramović in opera ‘The Life + Death of Marina Abramović’ at the Park Avenue Armory.

            

If you’re lucky enough to still get tickets to this opera, you’re in for a treat.  If not, the following images might hurt a bit, as they are that much better to experience in person, as I did Tuesday evening.  Described as a poetic piece of biographical theater by Marina herself, the production also starred Director Robert Wilson, Musical Director, Composer, Lyricist, Performer Antony + Performer Willem Dafoe.

   

It all started in 2007, with a phone call made by Marina, the self-proclaimed ‘godmother of performance art’, to director Robert Wilson, asking him if he would stage her death.  Wilson replied,’ only if I can also stage your life…’.  Initially, you question how Wilson, the undertaker, will be able to also stage someone’s life, with the same poetry applied to their death, but if you’re familiar with the director’s work at all, Robert always manages to find a way to surprise, engage + seduce.

(photo: Lucie Jansch)

While walking towards my seat, the stage captivated my attention by live dogs in the shadows.  Three corpses lied quietly on coffin shapes, lit in such a way as to make their white faces look almost as stark as LED lights,  while Dobermans randomly walked around the stage, but always starting at the same point, in unison.  Yet what really blew my mind, were the large rawhide bones, scattered about the ‘coffins’, to look like rose petals, simply by casting the perfect red light on each one.

My eyes kept getting fuller, with every amazing scene.  True, a lot of it was very conceptual, but not to the point of walking out, as each scene just arrested all of your senses in one big swoop.  Marina mentioned to The Seventh Avenue Gazette that having been a great admirer of Wilson’s work already, it was very exciting to work with him.  For her, Wilson has invented a new language of theater in relation to time + space, with iconic imagery, painting with light.  And that he does, as seen below.

(photo: Sara Krulwich)

Scene after scene, your impressed more than you were the first time + the last time after that.

(photo: Lucie Jansch)

Willem Dafoe was excellent, no matter how creepy he looked in his make-up.  In his sexy deep voice, Dafoe’s dialogue just hypnotized you into full submission, even when he made jokes in a different funny voice.  And then, there as Antony with his fierce voice + amazing presence.

                 

(photo: Lucie Jansch)

To have heard Antony sing ‘Cut The World’ live, which he penned for this project, brought tears to my eyes, in between growing goose-bumps – the best sound system in the world could never replicate the power + haunting beauty of Antony’s voice.  

‘The Life + Death of Marina Abramović’ was unforgettable + a definite must-see.

(via Crane.tv)

 

WAKE UP! to Lady Gaga singing her R. Kelly hit, ‘Do What You Want’ with Christina Aquilera, last night on ‘The Voice’, in case you missed it.  With Gaga dressed in Seventies iridescent glam, out comes Christina Aquilera from behind a giant seashell, sporting a matching look, complete with a huge platinum curly fro.

Apparently, it was Gaga’s idea to sing with Xtina + what an amazing treat – two great voices together like that, just gave me chills!  But the best part was how these two divas demonstrated their new found friendship starting with them holding hands,  followed by Lady Gaga nuzzled into Christina’s bosom + at the end, sharing a champers toast + a flick of their wigs.  I guess their feud IS really over.  

If you didn’t know it was a performance on the ‘The Voice’, you’d swear it was a Seventies Xmas special (For a hot second, I for one envisioned Cher, when Lady Gaga started singing).

Holiday Office Party Etiquette

There’s nothing I hate more than forced social functions, especially those involving the office.  Since  ‘Tis the Season’, my least fave of all is the dreaded holiday office party.  Granted, you get to dine + booze it up on the company’s dime, but, if you had to choose, wouldn’t you prefer an e-card + a monetary bonus?  If not, well I guess you’re the minority + or afraid to be honest with yourself.

Sure I’ve hated 98% of the people I’ve worked with throughout my work history, but as the saying goes, ‘Keep your enemies closer’.  That said, like it or not, if you can’t find a good enough excuse to not attend, there is some holiday office party etiquette you should follow.

  1. Whatever you wear, be true to yourself + wear something fun that can easily transition from office to party – DON’T wear something overly conservative for fear of being judged otherwise but also, DON’T resort to wearing something so tight, people will be able count your pubes!
  2. Bring make-up for that end of day touch-up – don’t assume your make-up will maintain it’s fresh morning appearance after a full at the office.  A great trick to keep your touch-up intact is to spray your face with hairspray + be sure NOT to do this while smoking.
  3. Floss + brush your teeth – even all those coworkers that you think like you, will fail to mention how your spinach from lunch has been at plain sight, all day, lodged b/w your teeth.

NOW starts the fun, when you get to the party:

  1. 4. Be sure to drink some red bull before you get there – one time, I was so bored by the presentation preceding the fun part of the office party, I fell asleep in front of the president of a company, bobbing my head back + forth.
  2. 2 drink maximum plus plenty of water, unless you have a high tolerance.  If you don’t, you’ll be sorry, something I learned the hard way.  One time I told a COO how much I thought he was a dick but in a good way, + loved him for it.  Oh, + the time I started dancing on tables + kicking some glasses for good luck.  (Ahh, good times!)
  3. Keep your small talk brief – nothing’s worse than straining your brain to find something to talk about with someone you could care less about let alone secretly dislike
  4. Don’t feel obligated to say goodbye – if key attendees like your boss see you there, you can just bounce.
  5. Most importantly, have fun!

For #FlashbackFriday, if you can’t get enough of the flawless Kate Moss, here’s fashion film ‘Everglade’, shot by Inez van Lamsweerde + Vinoodh Matadin (Inez + Vinoodh), starring Moss + a few animated friends.  What’s special about this flick is it’s interesting approach to shooting behind-the-scenes, in this case, the set of the Fall 2010 Balmain campaign.

You never quite see Kate, which just adds to the film’s allure.  Meanwhile, ‘Everglade’, the haunting Antony + the Johnsons song, which serves as the film’s soundtrack + title, along with cute + dark animations by Jo Ratcliffe + Kate’s uninhibited performance, turn this film into an exquisitely surreal little piece of cinema.

(via NOWNESS)

Under $50 Holiday Gift Guide 2013

1K/LLER COLLECTION Brass Floral Engraved Nail, BONA DRAG, $45 | 2CIVIL Women’s Golden God Cardigan, KNYEW, $50 | 3MARC BY MARC JACOBS Silicon Toggle Bracelet, NORDSTROM, $32 | 4ME & ZENA Zena Warrior Claw Ring, LAZY OAF, $50 | 5TILDON ‘Pearl Wave Armour’ Ring, NORDSTROM, $22 | 6Obtuse Paper Weights, JAYSON HOME, $18 | 7Montana Embellished Jewelled Cuff, ACCESSORIZE, $21 | 8Virtue Dolls (Calm, Bravery + Kindness), THE SCHOOL OF LIFE, $30 | 9DANIELLE FOSTER Transparent Collar Necklace, BENGT, $33 | 10kate spade new york ‘hey gorgeous’ compact mirror, NORDSTROM, $30 | 11Doubt Everything Beanie Cap, FORTY PERCENTS AGAINST RIGHTS Media Guerilla, $39 | 12Eliza Baroque Statement Earrings, ACCESSORIZE, $24 | 13Multi-layered Golden Scales Necklace, MOOREA SEAL, $18

WANTED: City Lines By Maison Faire

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Love how much these ‘City Lines’ burgundy leather gloves by Maison Faire, remind me of the late Eiko Ishioka’s costume design for Gary Oldman’s red armor in ‘Bram Stoker’s Dracula’.

You can pick up your own pair at feminine rascal, just in case you’re looking for another gift for yourself.

Adam Driver: Boy On Top on Nowness.com

For those of you anxiously awaiting the new season of Lena Dunham’s GIRLS, here’s a kinetic portrait of it’s hot male lead, Adam Driver, in ‘Dare To Wear The Foolish Clown Face’ by So It Goes magazine, to whet your appetite in the meantime.  With Chelsea’s Hudson River as the backdrop while clowning around on a rooftop, set to hip hop’s Jonwayne’s ‘Andrew’, you’re able to get lost in Driver’s haunting gaze, full of raw masculinity, you can almost smell through the screen.  

You also get to experience Driver’s hinting at his frustration of being medically discharged after two years in the US armed forces—a rejection that he feels provided the springboard for his recent creative renewal. ‘The Marine Corps is an organization that prides itself on communicating + working as a cohesive unit,’ Driver told NOWNESS.  ’We had acronyms for everything but the emphasis really wasn’t on explaining a shared experience or talking things through. I felt like I had something I wanted to say but I didn’t know how to say it—I still don’t really,’ added Driver

Not only is Adam looking forward to the next season of GIRLS, there’s also Baumbach’s next film, ”While We Were Young’, set to drop in 2015, where you can catch just a yummy bit more of him.

(via NOWNESS)

Holiday Gift Guide

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1AU JOUR LE JOUR Cream Lips Print Sweatshirt, AVENUE 32 | 2SOPHIA WEBSTER Leather Bootie, farfetch | 3OSCAR DE LA RENTA Pleated Blouse, Nordstrom | 4MEADHAM KIRCHOFF Gold Crystal Arrow Bobby Pins, AVENUE 32 | 5SARAH LOERTSCHER Large Structure Gold Hoop Earrings, BLACKBIRD | 6ARISTIDE Tiered Black Gloves, VALERY DEMURE | 7CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN Marquise Paris Clutch, MATCHES FASHION | 8ROCKWELL BY PARRA Abstract Knitted Jumper, AROHA & FRIENDS | 9PAULA CADEMARTORI Alice Folk Fringed Leather Shoulder Bag, luisaviaroma.com | 10ALBERTO GUARDIANI Lipstick Heel Tartan T-Bar Sandals, ALBERTO GUARDIANI | 11BAGUERA Vectory Mirror Clutch, vespoe | 12MONICA SORDO Cleopatra Cuff In Gold Plated Brass With Silver Spikes, ANTHEM WARES | 13CABINET Rose Plated Swarovski Crystal Inca Earrings, ANTHEM WARES | AZZEDINE ALAÏA Dotted Fleece Gloves, Browns