Here’s Matt Black‘s latest film portrait of one of our most important contemporary artists to date, JR, the self-described ‘photograffeur’. Entitled ‘JR:BLOW UP’, we get to hear from JR himself on his road to stardom from his small beginnings of tagging Parisian streets to the camera he found on the Metro which catapulted him into using photography as a means to evoke, provoke + occasionally, unite. By using photography on a larger scale, for the artist, size as well as reach, is as critical to his message.
Now a TED Prize-winner, JR’s gargantuan hand-pasted images to urban detritus, in the form of crumbling buildings, trains, garbage trucks and bridges, seems to create a sense of momentary peace, to take pause and look, hoping to figure out the subject’s thoughts + or emotions, or that of the photographer (I especially love his pieces involving eyes, where one could get lost in the many stories behind them). Part of his ‘Reflection’ series, the artist has now created a new system that allows everyone to print and post works in their own hoods, all for free to which Black says, ‘It’s true art. That’s why people want to participate.’
Of museum shows including those at the Centre Pompidou in Paris + the Los Angeles MoCA, the artist displays his work a lot differently than he would in the streets – works meant for the street, he leaves on the street. ’The street is not just the only biggest gallery that exists, but it is also a space that can’t reproduce on the inside because it touches people that could never step inside,’ JR says.
Check out these hot sunnies created by Linda Farrow for British designer Kokon to Zai, better known as KTZ. These oversized ‘Football Helmet’ style sunglasses with ‘One Piece’ lens shielded behind this intricate + unique stainless steel construction and available in 4 colorways – white, silver, gold + black – these sunglasses don’t need full-on body contact to make an impact. Finished off with ‘KTZ’ and ‘Linda Farrow Projects’ logos, printed on the inverted side of the temple, you must admit these shades are pretty sick! – I’m partial to the black ones myself.
How cool are these caps made with Hermès and Céline silk scarves? Created by Parisian label Géométrik, these limited addition caps can definitely be a great accessory to add to your arsenal of pattern play. As soon as I saw them I immediately thought about Robert Verdi’s customized Vans with his vintage Hermès scarves.
Funnny how Hermès has already been in the with the release of their new luxury scarf collaboration with COMME des GARÇONS called ‘Comme des Carrés’. The Géométrik caps are available for sale on Storm Fashion.
Born from a collaboration between Turkish designer Yazbukey with Cire Trudon, the oldest candle manufacturer, candles will never be the same. Bearing her retro touch from a pink version of the Cire Trudon label to Yazbukey’s signature plexi pout on black glass, you couldn’t have asked for a better match.
Violet + leather scent notes corrupt this scented candle due in part to many influences including classic red lips, big blow-dries + leather jackets. Obviously, it then doesn’t come as a shock how those variables resonated throughout Yazbukey’s AW/12-13 accessories line ‘Pussycat Fightclub’, seen below.
(photo: Yazbukey)
What’s an even more exciting and obvious choice, the same inspiration for the collection, Yazbukey found in cult filmmaker John Waters film ‘Cry Baby’, with Johnny Depp as lead Cry
(photo: Cry Baby film)
Baby, Ricki Lake + Traci Lords. Taking place during the 1950s with lots of motorcycles, leather moto jackets, tied neck kerchiefs, Bettie Page bangs, pencil skirts, red lips + slick hair, this definitely sounds like a time and place where ‘Pussycat Fightclub’ would fit right in.
(via Vogue France)
Hopefully it’s not too late for you to experience a more transcendent NYC cab ride by being blessed with the opportunity of seeing this charming short film by Ryan McGinley for the Icelandic band Sigur Rós. Entitled ‘Varúð’ (no. 6, Sigur Rós film experiment), part of an initiative of non-profit Art Production Fund co-founders, Yvonne Force Villareal + Doren Remen, the film was created to fill the void of playing more compelling content on taxi TVs (Too bad they can’t do the same for movie theaters while waiting for your expensive feature to play!).
Sweet in it’s simplicity, of a barefooted girl skipping along the city, throughout many NYC hoods, dressed in a light blue tee shirt dress and a banged gold shoulder-length wig, the music perfectly captures the feeling of the wanton desire to find something, which is what NYC is all about. The girl skips + skips, unbeknownst to anyone around, as the city stands still, the only way it knows how – by still going + not skipping a beat (couldn’t help it!).
The film is playing on 3,000 taxis until Feb 5.
(via WE ARE SELECTERS)
Love this fashion film for jewelry designer Noemi Klein entitled ‘Epoch 4’. Directed by Céli Lee, this film’s simplicity speaks volumes in first succumbing to literal smoke, as sexy curves against a black backdrop while eventually bowing out, having the jewelry take center stage. Within a 3D man-made organic structure, comprised of shells + scorpions, the jewelry begins to show itself, in the form of a geometric structure within.
According to Klein, ‘Epoch 4: Underwater Constellations’ continues to draw inspiration from nature. Now, the outlandish notion of the sea bottom was the main theme of the collection.’ Before the film’s end, the following quote appears which couldn’t sum it up best:
‘Every pic tells a story. Sometimes only the reverse angle tells the truth.’
Here are more of Noemi’s designs sure to persuade you to buy yourself a little something.
The anxiously awaited Comme des Carrés Scarf Collection, is a design collaboration that’s unprecdented, involving two French powerhouses that are polar opposites – the avant-garde COMME des GARÇONS + the 175 year old French luxury goods house Hermès. Set to drop next month, Hermès six scarf designs (carrés) reinterpreted by COMME des GARÇONS designer Rei Kawakubo, will be released in a limited edition of 200 of each design. Now you ask yourself, how could this be? – Rei’s work has an edge that is not understood by all + in my opinion, her designs are well-thought out ideas, if not epiphanies, made tangible through fabric + thread, surpassing being called fashion but rather wearable art; Then you have Hermès, who’s drenched in the tradition of old school luxury. Yet, it was that ‘tradition and craftsmanship’ that attracted Rei to the project since she too is as meticulous. According to Bali Barret, the deputy artistic director for women’s collections at Hermès, she mentions that Rei is ’a perfect mix of modernity and tradition and is also as exacting about her methods as Hermès is.’
So how does someone like Rei approach such a task – through lots of research. From reviewing 250 scarves from the archives, then color copies of all designs from the 1950’s, 1970’s + present day, Rei could wrap her head around what she wanted to design. Barret mentioned this was done ’so she could figure out what the treasure was,’ looking and watching everything, while asking a ton of technical questions. ‘She was very sharp and precise about printing,’ Barret added.
The first set of scarves, show remixed traditional Hermès prints such as Thalassa + Pegasus garnished with Kawakubo’s iconic polka dots, nylon gingham, heavy black lines + personal motto, live free with strong will, which looks like an Hermès scarf that’s been defiled by a poor attempt at graffitti. Then you have the giant scarf below which features several scarf designs. Like Barret, I’m sure many more will agree that Rei’s designs are not as ‘out there’ as she thought they would be, yet it’s still interesting how much restraint her designs show.
Yes, you read that right – such a class exists and taught by Project Runway Alum Anna Lynett Moss of Chiyome no less. Called ‘Fashion Theory’ through the Prison Education Initiative at the women’s jail on Riker’s Island, of all the classes Moss has taught, this one has proven to be one of the most successful (they also teach courses in law + hip hop). Usually attendance varies from 6-20, but to discuss fashion, all of 30 are in attendance, always.
Part of the class dealt with textiles especially the Ghanaian wax-print technique used in the Burberry Prorsum Resort 2012 collection which led the discussion to examine cultural
identity. Moss noted, ‘Some of my students were excited to see the fabric brought to the luxury spotlight. Others were uncomfortable with it but thought the work could be legitimized by referencing native forms more directly. I think collectively we were able to have a more nuanced understanding of that collection and move away from a purely aesthetic interpretation.’
Other topics included discussing Edward Burtynsky‘s photography who’s work highlights some of the world’s surreal industrial landscapes as seen here.
Moss said this image was to serve ‘as a reminder of what kind of conditions must exist for communities in developing nations so that we can buy sweaters for $7 from fast-fashion retailers. A new sweater shouldn’t be $7. Many of my students said they prefer purchasing clothes second-hand, which is a smart alternative,’ yet I’m sure with the abundance of inexpensive disposable fashion more visibly available specifically for the trend obsessed, they’re shopping habits might be slightly affected, making that second-hand item not so great after all.
Beauty, racial diversity, physical differences + body image in the fashion industry is also addressed where in one case they compared the all white model cast for The Row Fall 2012 collection
to the beauty of a Masai bride in November 1999 edition of National Geographic magazine.
For Moss’s students of color, chances for them to see an iconic beauty that mirrored their image, making them feel alienated by fashion advertising and on the runway.
‘We reminded ourselves that our notions of beauty are inherited and often reveal more about the values of our culture than our individual standards. It didn’t seem as if many of my students had conceptualized their personal standards of beauty in a larger context, so our conversation was very rich.’
Now if New Jersey’s Rutgers University has its ‘Politicizing Beyonce’ course, University of California at Berkeley examines ‘The Simpsons’ through the eyes of Nietzsche, Plato et al, University of Baltimore has a zombie course where students can ready themselves for a ‘zombie apocalypse’ by writing horror scripts, watching zombie flicks + drawing storyboards of their ideal monster movies, Los Angeles Occidental College has an indepth study program exploring ‘feminist and queer perspective of the phallus’, ‘Lady Gaga + the Sociology of Fame’ at the University of South Carolina + Durham University has ‘The Harry Potter and the Age of Illusion’ module, available as part of the BA in Education Studies, then teaching fashion theory in a women’s jail doesn’t sound so crazy after all, now does it?
