Art I’m Loving: El Anatsui

A few weeks ago, I attended the Brooklyn Artists Ball, an annual fundraiser event at the Brooklyn Museum. It was an incredible event – starting with a seated dinner in the Museum’s beautiful Beaux-Arts Court featuring unique tables each designed by a different artist. Dinner was followed by drinks and dancing, and the turn out was incredible.

One of my favorite aspects of this event is that the Museum’s exhibitions remain open for viewing throughout the night. It isn’t often you get to experience a museum after hours without hundreds of other people in your way when you are trying to read wall tags or see a piece close-up. This allowed for unobstructed access to the Museum’s current El Anatsui exhibition—the first solo show for the artist at a New York museum. The internationally-acclaimed African artist displayed over 30 of his metal and wood artworks that transform appropriated objects into site-specific sculptures.

Twelve monumental wall sculptures were made entirely of bottle caps “pieced together to form colorful, textured hangings that take on radically new shapes with each installation.” These installations were breathtaking; my pictures below definitely don’t do them justice. I highly recommend visiting the exhibition this summer before it closes August 4th. Visitor details can be found on the Brooklyn Museum website.

Red Block, 2010. Aluminum and copper wire, Two pieces, each 200 3/4 x 131 1/2 in.

Drainpipe, 2010. Tin and copper wire

Gli (Wall), 2010. Aluminum and copper wire

Gli (Wall) (detail), 2010. Aluminum and copper wire,

Highlights from Frieze New York

In case the New York art world was starting to get a bit weary because they hadn’t hosted a contemporary art fair in a two whole months, Frieze returned for its sophomore edition this past weekend. Under a deluxe tent on Randalls Island, 180 blue-chip galleries from all over the world brought the cream of the crop from their rosters of artists. And according to an article by Katya Kazakina on Bloomberg, it was well worth the trip. Sales within the art market have continued to soar, and Frieze proved to be no different. Kazakina references that Hauser & Wirth quickly sold 40 small versions of the gigantic puppy outside by Paul McCarthy for $25,000 each, as well as works by Rashid Johnson and Matthew Day Jackson, ranging in price from $90,000 to $175,000. Luhring Augustine sold out its Tom Friedman-devoted booth in the first hour and a half. David Zwirner sold a huge batch of Thomas Ruff photographs on opening day, all priced between $7,000 and $95,000. And they weren’t the only ones (read more here).

But whiles sales might be the most important goal for dealers at an art fair, the choice to participate is also spurred by brand awareness, maintaining an aura of prestige, and to have personal interaction with buyers. For myself, an art fair is  an opportunity to survey the range of incredible contemporary art being made across the globe today. Below are some of my top picks from the fair, but you can browse my entire photo album on facebook.

Simon Hantai at Paul Kasmin Gallery

James Nares at Paul Kasmin Gallery

Tsuruko Yamazaki at Take Ninagawa

David Benjamin Sherry at Salon 94

Pae White

Valeska Soares at Galerie Fortes Vilaca

Vik Muniz

Rashid Johnson at Hauser & Wirth

Fred Tomaselli at James Cohan Gallery

Prada’s ‘Great Gatsby’ Exhibition

So yes, I was one of the people on opening night lined up outside a movie theatre (the famous Ziegfeld theatre in New York, to be precise) to drool over Leonardo DiCaprio see Baz Luhrmann’s much-anticipated adaptation of The Great Gatsby. The movie was fantastic, the acting spot-on, and the soundtrack lived up to all the hype (would you expect anything less from Jay-Z?). It was worth every second of the 2 hours and 23 minutes, and I recommend that everyone see it.

The other drool-worthy aspect of the film (aside from Leo)? The costumes. Miuccia Prada worked with costume designer Catherine Martin to create over 40 looks for the movie, each inspired by styles from the Prada and Miu Miu archive. In an accurate tribute to the 1920s, Prada’s outfits included shimmering dressed covered in crystals and ample use of fringe, sequins, velvet, and oppulent furs. The outfits transformed Carey Mulligan into Daisy Buchanan; she nailed the role as the object of Gatsby’s obsession.

The costumes from the movie are currently on view in an exhibition in Prada’s flagship Soho retail store through today only, so be sure to see them if you live in New York! The exhibition will head to Prada’s Tokyo boutique next and will be on display June 14-30, before making a final stop at the brands’s Shanghai boutique in mid-July.

All About Punk

When the Metropolitan Museum of Art announced last fall that the following year’s exhibition at the Costume Institute would be “Punk: Chaos to Couture,” it was exciting because it was a new, different concept. After two consecutive years of designer-centric spectacles (the Alexander McQueen retrospective and the Prada-Schiaparelli exhibition, specifically), I was excited about the theme of the exhibition because it would spotlight a variety of designers at various points throughout their careers.

But the fashion elite, to whom the Met Gala is the equivalent of the Oscars red carpet, did not share in my excitement, because it put them in quite the predicament as to what they would wear. Eric Wilson even published a piece in the New York Times this past week about the predicament attendees found themselves in when trying to find an outfit. “The Costume Institute gala is many things: It is a barometer of the famous and powerful, a critical fund-raiser for the museum, a testament to the muscle of Ms. Wintour… But one important thing that it is not is a costume party,” stated Wilson. The article explained how guests faced a particular “struggle” this year because they had no idea how to dress appropriately (“struggle” being the operative word, because if your biggest problem in life revolves around what to wear to the exclusive gala you paid $25,000 to attend, then things could be a whole lot worse).

But I myself am excited to see the attire this evening, and especially those who take big risks and embrace the punk theme in all its glory. And in the spirit of punk and in honor of this year’s exhibition, I pulled together a collection of punk-inspired fashion and art. Enjoy!

Moda Operandi model (left) wears Tripp NYC Crossed Out Jeans and Balmain Leather Biker Jacket.

M’O model (right) wears Givency Embellished Cotton Jacket with Back Pleats and New York Vintage Black Peacock Mohawk

The accessories (clockwise from top left): Valentino Rockstud Leather Headband, Dr. Martens Graffiti’d by Klughas, Balmain Structured Shoulder Moto Jacket, Courtney Lee Collection Cody Bracelet, Proenza Schouler Lizard-effect Leather Cage Boots

Top Row (from left): Natalia Fabia, Hooker 1, 2011; Eric White, Apocalypse Now, 2012; Mick Rock, Kate Moss with Iggy Tee, 2002

Bottom Row: Bruce Conner, 26 Punk Photos: 11. Roz Speaks: Negative Trend, January 29, 1978, 1985; Brendan Murphy, Joa, 2012; Mick Rock, Lou Reed Transformer Cover, London, 1972

Barneys New York + Roy Lichtenstein

Looking to add a little “pop” to your living room? Or maybe your kitchen? Well look no further – Barneys New York has just launched a covetable home collection in collaboration with the estate of Roy Lichtenstein and Art Production Fund. The famed pop artist’s signature motifs are featured throughout the collection—Drawing for Kiss II covers a beach blanket, Baked Potato decorates placemats of various background colors, and ben-day dots adorn a tea set.

In honor of the partnership, Barneys Madison Avenue Flagship has devoted its windows to all things Pop (pictures below)! My pick? This amazing glass set featuring Lichtenstein’s Drawing for Paper Cup. Select pieces from the limited-edition collection are now available now on barneys.com and in Barneys stores nation wide. Plus, 25% of proceeds benefit Art Production Fund. Get them before they’re gone!

Ben-day dot-clad dishware

Glass Set, Drawing For Paper Cup, 1967

Rectangle Pillow ARRRRRFF!, 1962

A view of Barneys Madison Avenue flagship store windows

Another view of Barneys Madison Avenue flagship store windows

Barneys New York window photography by Tom Sibley courtesy of Barneys New York.

J. Crew + Liberty

In their largest collaboration to date, J. Crew called upon Liberty of London–the esteemed British print house–to update more than 30 of J. Crew’s iconic styles with Liberty’s signature florals. Head women’s designer at Liberty, Tom Mora, chose specific motifs to decorate shoes, skirts, swimwear, and more for the capsule collection. For example, “The Chive Floral,” which first debuted in Liberty’s collection in 1974, was pulled from the archives to update the Everly Pump, a mid-rise pointed heel. “The June’s Meadow Floral,” a hand-drawn motif featuring exotic blooms inspired by Abbey Gardens on the Island of Tresco, is spotted on a zip pouch perfect for a night out.

Given that florals mark one of Spring’s biggest fashion trends, my guess is this collection will sell fast. Shop to it, ladies.

Love these pants. Love this look.

Zip Pouch featuring June Meadow Floral

Everly Liberty art fabric pump

Liberty floral scarf

Liberty Perfect shirt in tresco floral

Florals are #hot

Feel the Piece + Annie Preece

Three-year-old clothing brand Feel the Piece—which specializes in sporty basics—has just unveiled a new line, Tyler Jacobs for Feel the Piece. ”Dedicated to combining high quality garments with dynamic art, the line becomes a nexus between street and style,” states Jacobs on his website. With the goal of merging street art and style, each season will feature a collection designed in collaboration with an up-and-coming LA street artist. What I love about this collection is that at its heart, it’s mission is to support emerging artistic talent by increasing their visibility to a larger audience.

For the inaugural TJ for FTP Spring 2013 collection, the brand engaged LA-based artist Annie Preece. Preece, who at the ripe age of 16 became involved with the underground graffiti art scene in San Francisco, is known for her vivid use color both in her murals and canvases. For the collection, Preece incorporated sketches and text onto FTP’s signature comfy tees, a sampling of which can be found below. Shop now on nordstrom.com.

A look from the collection

Don’t they look comfy! Reads: I’m Not a Puzzle

I know so many people who could use this tee…

Peacock, 2012

Mouth, 2012

Fashion Crush: Kerry Washington

Kerry Washington nailed it on every stop of her Django Unchained press tour. She continued to take risks into award season, and her adventurousness  paid off, landing her at the top of best-dressed lists week after week (she was one of my favorites at the Golden Globes; if you missed that post, you can read my full recap here).

While Washington knows how to rock bright colors and pushes the envelope with vibrant patterns, she always looks stunning in white. Below are a few of my favorite KW looks from the past year, and not surprisingly, many of them come in variations of my choice neutral hue.

In Giles at the

In Ralph Lauren at an event for the designer

In Peter Pilotto

In Stella McCartney at the American Music Awards

In Rodarte at the SAG Awards

In Louis Vuitton, at a Berlin photo call for Django Unchained

In Donna Karan at the Keep a Chile Alive Black Ball (*this may be from a few years ago, but I just love everything about it)

Louis Vuitton + Daniel Buren

The set of Louis Vuitton’s spring/summer 2013 runway show caused the jaws of fashionistas all over the world to drop at first sight, paralyzing many in a state of complete awe. Creative Director Marc Jacobs had enlisted artists  to showcase their talents in the form of set design for his shows before (read about his collaboration with Rachel Feinstein here), but in this instance, he pushed the envelope even further.

Just weeks before the show, Jacobs met with conceptual artist Daniel Buren, known for painting vertical stripes in a variety of public locations, including a most noteworthy installation in 1986 where he covered one of the courtyards of the Palais-Royal in Paris with columns featuring those signature stripes. Jacobs asked if Buren would be willing to design the set of his upcoming show—set to take place in the center courtyard in the Louvre—giving the artist complete creative freedom over concept and design.

Buren at first thought there was no way he could design the installation within such a short time frame, but boy did he impress the world with the perfectly-executed end result. The floor of the courtyard was outfitted with a grand white and yellow checkerboard pattern—the same that could also be found in numerous iterations throughout the 60′s-inspired collection itself. Four gigantic escalators were brought in to transport the paired-off models from the start of the “runway” to where the checkered floor began. Buren and Vuitton’s collaboration extended beyond the runway, with the checkerboard motif reappearing in the accompanying ad campaign and in the brand’s current window displays for the launch of the collection.

A wide look at the set as all the models pose on the escalators

A few of the paired-model looks from the collection

The ad campaign, with the yellow checkerboard motif a prominent element

An example of a store window design

Buren’s Palais Royal installation

Coach + Craig Costello (aka KRINK)

Coach—fresh off an incredibly successful collaboration with artist James Nares last year—has just launched their most recent artist collaboration with New York-based street artist Craig Costello. Costello is the mastermind behind the brand KRINK (a name by which he is also referred), which makes a variety of artist supplies that are preferred by top contemporary artists including assume vivid astro focus and Shantell Martin.

The limited edition Krink for Coach collection for Spring/Summer includes 12 pieces, each created through a 30-step silkscreen process and a true work of art in and of itself. The spontaneous nature of KRINK’s artwork was captured perfectly on the bags and accessories in the collection, highlighting the artist’s controlled-yet-chaotic repetition of paint drips, splashes and spatters. The collection is now available online at coach.com and in select stores.

One of 3 tote bags from the collection

Two wallets from the collection

Krink for Coach luggage tags

Lock portfolio

iPad case