Art Hag

Studio 54: Night Magic | Brooklyn Museum

Studio 54: Night Magic exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum

This is your last week to check out the Brooklyn Museum’s massive Studio 54: Night Magic exhibition chronicling the legendary nightclub’s three years of glamour, disco, and debauchery. On view are 650 objects documenting the venue’s history including photos, film, music, architectural plans, design sketches, ephemera, and lots of fabulous ‘70s era fashion.

Founded by two Brooklyn natives who met while attending Syracuse University, Ian Schrager and Steve Rubell, the club was housed in a former opera house at 254 West 54th Street. The Gallo Opera House, constructed in 1927, later became the WPA Federal Music Theatre, then the New Yorker Theatre in the 1930s. CBS took over the building in 1943, recording television shows such as What’s My Line?, The $64,000 Question, Password, and Captain Kangaroo from the vast network’s 52nd studio, Studio 52. In 1966, according to the Brooklyn Museum, the Velvet Underground recorded their first album in the same building. In 1977, Schrager, Rubell, and Jack Dushey, a business partner, leased 254 W 54th Street for their nightclub, dubbing it Studio 54 in reference to the street address.

The businessmen assembled an innovative creative team who worked for months to transform the space, incorporating the original theatrical architecture with luxe décor that accommodated evolving, elaborate sets and state-of-the-art sound and kinetic lighting systems. In lieu of disco balls and lit-up dance floors, which they considered outdated at the time, they hired set designers Richie Williamson and Dean Janoff to create the iconic Moon and Spoon graphic—an eight-foot wide crescent moon with a row of blinking lights leading from a coke spoon up to its nose. The moon adorned the back wall of the club as a cheeky wink to “the popularity of cocaine,” according to the museum.

Studio 54: Night Magic exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum

FIorucci Skirt, Antonio Lopez and Juan Ramos,1977

Fiorucci Ribbon Skirt, Antonio Lopez and Juan Ramos,1977, remade 2019

Studio 54 VIP Complimentary Drinks tIcket. Gil Lesser designed the club's deco-style logo.

L-R: Fiorucci Blouse, Antonio Lopez and Juan Ramos, 1977; Dress, Stephen Burrows, 1978; Pleated Gold Lame Gown, Zandra Rhodes, 1977.
Model Pat Cleveland dances in the Rhodes gown at Studio 54 in the Guy Marineau photo (1977) above the display.

The Moon and Spoon with Planets, designed by Richie Williamson and Dean Janoff

L-R (bottom): Halter, worn by Liza Minnelli, circa 1979; Evening Ensemble worn by Elizabeth Taylor at the Academy Awards, 1976; Dress worn by Liza Minnelli, 1978; (top) White silk and sequin ensemble worn by Liza Minnelli, 1977, all designed by Halston.

Bianca Jagger,  May 2, 1977,  photo by Rose Hartman

L-R: Sarong Gown, Halston, 1977;  Low-Back Slip Mio and Ruffle Skirt,  Norma Kamali, 1977; Super Flare Dress, Norma Kamali, 1977

Brooke Shields and Mariel Hemingway at Studio 54, 1977,  photo by Adam Scull

Studio 54 with Balloons, 1978,  photo by Tod Papageorge

Western Union Mailgram from The Andy Warhol Museum collection

Elizabeth Taylor, Halston, and Bianca Jagger at Taylor's birthday party,  March 6, 1978,  photo by Allan Tannenbaum

Two pairs of Halston metallic sandals worn by Elizabeth Taylor to events at Studio 54 in 1978.

Studio 54 guest list from April 7, 1978

Steve Rubell, Liza Minnelli, Bianca Jagger, and Andy Warhol, April 1978, photo by Roxanne Lowit

Fashion Designer Issey Miyake and Fashion Editor Diana Vreeland, 1978,  photo by Adam Scull

When Studio 54 debuted on April 26, 1977, the club instantly became a Mecca for revelers from all walks of life, or as the museum puts it “people from different sexual, sociopolitical, and financial strata.” Preceding the onslaught of the AIDS epidemic, the club offered a place to experience “sexual, gender, and creative liberation, where every patron could feel like a star,” according to the press release. The venue was a late-night playground for the biggest celebrities of the day, from movie and television stars, artists, models, singers, dancers, rock stars, writers, fashion designers, and many more.

Despite its success—with desperate mobs trying to get past the doormen each night—shady business operations led to police raids of the venue which eventually landed Schrager and Rubell in prison briefly for tax evasion. (President Obama granted Schrager a full pardon in 2017.) The two were locked up in February 1980 and Studio 54 was sold in May of that year, with Schrager and Rubell staying on as consultants. The last hurrah they helped organize was a "Busby Berkeley-inspired" Sweet 16 birthday party for Calvin Klein’s daughter in October 1982. The pair went on to open another popular nightclub, the Palladium, as well as boutique NYC hotels including the Royalton and The Paramount.

Anton Perich's photos of Jerry Hall and Patti Hansen, 1978, and his "machine paintings" of the images

Clockwise from top left: Two Men on Couch, circa 1978; Untitled, circa 1978; Untitled, circa 1978; and Untitled, circa 1978  all by Anton Perich

Velvet, Lamé, and Rhinestone Dress,  Zandra Rhodes, circa 1979

L-R: Dress (Look 9), 1979 and Dress, 1978, both Zandra Rhodes;  Dress (purple silk charmeuse), circa 1976-79, and Dress (from "Romantic Chiffon" Collection), 1974, both  Giorgio di Sant'Angelo; V-Neck Blouse, 1979, Kenny Bonavitacola

Donna Summer Sings, April 26, 1979,  photo by Allan Tannenbaum

Red Balloons, Valentine's Day 1979, photo by Dustin Pittman

Halloween 1978, photo by Hasse Persson

L-R: Top, 1978, Gauntlet Gloves, 1978, and Hooded Catsuit, 1978 all designed by Larry LeGaspi; Wrap Jumpsuit, 1979, Kenny Bonavitacola; Asymmetrical Catsuit, 1978,  Larry LeGaspi

Studio 54, acrylic and silkscreen ink on linen, 1978, Andy Warhol

Bulgari Sapphire Sautoir worn by Elizabeth Taylor to Studio 54 on May 21, 1979. Richard Burton gave Taylor the 62-carat Burmese sapphire necklace for her 40th birthday.

L-R: Norma Kamali's Sleeping Bag Coats circa 1979 and 2019 (silver), Silver Lame Parachute Dresses 2020 (top) and Slinky Dress (pink jersey), 1977, remade 2019:
Zandra Rhodes' pleated lame dress, 2019

Heavy Stud Thong Slip Mio Swimsuit, 2019, Norma Kamali; Powernet and rhinestone dress, 1991, Giorgio di Sant'Angelo and Martin Price

Studio 54 Jeans by Norma Kamali (men's and two pairs of women's), 1980, and a pair of Calvin Klein jeans

Rubell contracted HIV and passed away from AIDS related illnesses in 1989. Schrager has continued his success as a hotelier, launching the Delano in Miami, the Mondrian in Los Angeles, and more recently Public in NYC’s Lower East Side.

Though only open for 33 months, Studio 54 has had an indelible influence on pop culture and sets an imposingly high bar for nightclubs and party promoters today. Do the hustle over to the Brooklyn Museum and be transported back to the extravagance of this boogie wonderland!

Studio 54: Night Magic
Brooklyn Museum, 200 Eastern Parkway, Prospect Heights, Brooklyn
Closing November 8, 2020
Tickets: $20

Studio Visit: Jenny Belin

A portrait of Lizzo rests on an easel in artist Jenny Belin’s Park Slope studio. The charismatic performer's energy is channeled through electric blue eyeshadow and vivid pink feathers around her shoulders. "I was really happy with this one," Belin said of the newly completed work. "She’s got so much personality."

Jenny Belin stands beside her recent portrait of Lizzo

Stunning, stylish portraits of feminist icons, glamorous film stars, and a menagerie of animals, line the walls of Belin’s sunny studio overlooking 9th Street. "I’ve always painted animals because I’ve always loved animals," the artist explained Monday morning. Originally from Los Angeles, Belin was greatly influenced by her mother, Daisy. "My mom was an artist…. She always painted cats," Belin fondly recalled.

Her mother grew up in New York City and attended Music & Art High School (now LaGuardia) and Pratt Institute where she studied painting. A career in advertising brought her to California. Her mother’s history, as well as books and movies such as Desperately Seeking Susan and After Hours, convinced Belin that NYC was where she wanted to be. "I always dreamed of coming here. This is where I thought all the artists and writers lived," she said.

Jenny Belin's studio

Jenny Belin's studio

After receiving her BFA from Skidmore—and studying painting in Paris for a year—Belin moved to NYC in the 90s where she worked in the art department of Mirabella magazine. While there, Belin became interested in illustration, and had a few pieces featured in the women’s magazine as well as in The New Yorker and other publications. "It was fun but I never felt like it was something I wanted to do," she recalled. "I wanted to make my own work."

Belin’s oeuvre hints at eclectic influences that include Edgar Degas, Édouard Manet, and John Singer Sargent; musical icons David Bowie and Debbie Harry; fashion designers Emilio Pucci and Pierre Cardin; and also Mexican culture. "I’m always inspired by the art that we see and the flowers," Belin said of the country that she and her partner, Jon, visit annually. "We love the people, the food, the architecture, and the weather."

The top left painting, "Mademoiselle 1962," is a portrait of Belin's mother. The top center piece, "The Revolution is Feline," features Belin's late cat Edye.

L-R: A portrait of Belin's mother and one of her mother's pieces

In the early 2000s, Belin began painting pet portraits, charming likenesses of dogs, cats, and other critters. When commissioned for a pet portrait, Belin requests from the client multiple photos as well as personality traits and stories about the animal. The results showcase not only the pet’s physical attributes but its character as well. From an attentive Dachshund, an alert squirrel, a pink-snouted piglet, and a one-eyed Scottish Fold, Belin captures them all with loving detail. The artist’s own felines feature in her work, including the late Edye defiantly donning a pink pussyhat, and her recently adopted tuxedo cat Marco.

Belin’s alluring Boudoir series is inspired by her love of fashion, starlets, and classic cinema including Busby Berkeley and French New Wave films. Along with images of vintage lace and satin undergarments, Belin pays homage to iconic actresses such as Catherine Deneuve, Elizabeth Taylor, Anna Karina, and Anna May Wong. Unabashedly feminine, both in subject matter and style, these works are fun, commanding, and far from dainty. 

A selection of Belin's Feminist portraits available at Diana Kane, 229-B 5th Avenue in Park Slope. (L-R) Patti Smith, Toni Morrison, Joan Didion, Agnès Varda, Frida Kahlo, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Madonna, Harriet Tubman, Michelle Obama, and Cher

Belin embraced feminism early on, having attended a progressive high school in Los Angeles where she took Women’s Studies courses that invited prominent guests like Shirley Chisholm and Bella Abzug to speak. Unsettled by the 2016 election, Belin launched her popular Feminists series, featuring portraits of inspiring women from various walks of life: artists (Frida Kahlo, Patti Smith, Agnès Varda); writers (Joan Didion, Toni Morrison, Virginia Woolf); political figures (Michelle Obama, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Greta Thunberg); and performers (Cher, Madonna, Bea Arthur, Dolly Parton). Her empowering tributes to great women are available to purchase at the Diana Kane boutique in Park Slope.

Belin kicked off the Feminist series with a portrait of Ruth Bader Ginsburg that quickly sold and was reproduced in button form by Kane. After seeing Belin’s portrait of the Supreme Court Justice on social media, Bryant Johnson, Ginsburg’s personal trainer, reached out to the artist. Belin sent Johnson some RGB buttons which he shared with his client. Belin happily pointed out a handwritten thank you note from Ginsburg that is framed and displayed in her studio.

Belin's exhibit at PowerHouse on 8th, 1111 8th Avenue, Park Slope: (L-R) Embassy Cat, Archie, Mother and Child Reunion 

Belin's exhibit at PowerHouse on 8th, 1111 8th Avenue, Park Slope: (L-R) Kit Koala, Girlcat Feministe, Queenie. 100% of the proceeds from the sale of Kit Koala ($300) will be donated to the Australian Koala Foundation.

Belin's exhibit at PowerHouse on 8th, 1111 8th Avenue, Park Slope: (L-R) Virginia Woolf, Frida, Toni II

Belin's exhibit at PowerHouse on 8th, 1111 8th Avenue, Park Slope. Portraits of Grace Greenwood and Eve Babitz are on the right.

Belin is currently producing a series of silk scarves featuring flower drawings culled from the many sketchbooks lining her shelves. Along with regularly showcasing her Feminist portraits at the Diana Kane shop, a selection of 12” x 12” acrylic works is currently on view at PowerHouse on 8th. The exhibit combines pieces from Belin’s Feminist series with animal paintings—an ideal mix of compelling women and cuddly creatures. "I think they’re all about personality," Belin says of her work, "and capturing something specific whether it’s the animal or the woman."

Learn more about Belin and see more of her work at jennybelin.com and at Instagram.

Happy Halloween!

In the spirit of All Hallows' Eve, check out Mourir Aupres de Toi (To Die By Your Side), a delightful video short directed by Spike Jonze and created by designer Olympia Le-Tan (known for recreating first-edition book covers of classic titles for her wonderful collection of handbags).  Featuring stop-motion animation of 3,000 charming felt pieces meticulously hand-cut and embroidered by Le-Tan, the story takes place inside a Parisian antiquarian bookstore after hours.  With Jonze's signature playful, funny, and slightly dark touches, characters come alive, rip themselves off their book covers, flirt, and fall in love.  It's a whimsical love story set within a perfect, enchanted storybook land.  Learn more at nowness.com.  

Happy Halloween!

Spike Jonze: Mourir Auprès de Toi on Nowness.com.

 

 

 

The Kate Moss Portfolio | Danziger Projects

Wrapping up my week of posts on genuine fashion icons is Kate the Great, or Kate Moss, the most super of all supermodels.  With her slight frame, unconventional beauty, undeniable sex appeal, inimitable style, and effortless cool, the 37-year-old Moss has been a favorite of many of the world's top fashion photographers and artists throughout her 23-year(!) career.

Moss collaborated with Danziger Projects in creating an uber-deluxe, limited-edition portfolio featuring eleven 30 x 24 inch prints of her titled The Kate Moss Portfolio (only 30 were created with a starting price of $75,000 each).  The images selected for the book were taken by photographers Chuck Close, Annie Leibovitz, Glen Luchford, Mert & Marcus, Terry Richardson, David Sims, Mario Sorrenti (who shot her famous Obsession ads), Juergen Teller, Mario Testino, Inez Van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin, and Bruce Weber.  The photos are currently on view at Danziger Projects' new space on West 23rd Street along with additional rarely-seen works by Peter Blake, Herb Ritts, Gene Lemuel (whose 9 images on view show a pre-fame, 14-year-old Moss), Glen Luchford, and Mary McCartney.

This isn't the first time Moss has had portfolios devoted solely to her—W Magazine featured a special Kate Moss tribute issue back in 2003 with nine different covers featuring the supe and the current May issue of Vogue Brazil boasts a 60-page spread starring Moss shot by Mario Testino.  Among the artists who have immortalized the model are Lucian Freud whose portrait of a pregnant Moss sold for over 4 million dollars at auction in 2005, Marc Quinn who has created sculptures of Moss in bronze and gold, and Banksy.

Perhaps, as seen in some of the works at Danziger, the secret to Moss' success and longevity is her ability to convey so many different personas.  She can be the glamour puss, the sex kitten, the rocker chick, the hippie, the ingenue, the waif, the tomboy, the muse, the every woman.  Always confident, cool, and elegant, she can't seem to take a bad picture.  Moss clearly possesses a superstar quality, that je ne sais quoi, that makes her the perfect muse for photographers and artists.  Learn more at Danzigerprojects.com.  Through June 30th.

Glen Luchford, 1994

Bruce Weber, 1997

Mario Testino, 2008

Mert & Marcus, 2008

Gene Lemeul, The Divine Nine, 1988

Glen Luchford, 1994

Herb Ritts, 1997

Mary McCartney, 2004

And just because I love this...

 

Yves Saint Laurent | L'amour Fou

During his 45-year career as one of the world's most iconic and influential fashion designers, Yves Saint Laurent (1936-2008), who brought the world Le Smoking, the Safari look, the Mondrian dress, and Opium, assembled a massive and extraordinary collection of art.  Pierre Thoretton's documentary L'amour Fou, follows the late designer's life and business partner, Pierre Berge, as he readys to auction off the couple's 700+ piece art collection in 2009.  Through various interviews with Berge discussing his relationship with Saint Laurent and their extensive collection, as well as long, lingering shots of the couple's uber luxurious homes in Paris, Marrakech, and Normandy - jam packed with fine art and objets d'art, viewers get a sneak peek into the fashion power couples' private life. 

Whereas Berge glosses over Saint Laurent's depression, alcohol and drug abuse, and dismissal from Christian Dior (where at the age of 21 he was appointed head designer after Dior's death in 1957 - a decision made by Dior himself shortly before passing away), he talks about the art in detail. The couple started collecting in the 1950s, starting with a bird sculpture from West Africa, a pair of vases, and a Brancusi.  The collection kept growing, and growing, and growing to include works by Picasso, Mondrian, Degas, Leger, Matisse, Ensor, Warhol, and many more.  Interspersed between Berge's stories and glimpses of the collection are clips from Saint Laurent's runway shows (some of the first to feature models of color) and interviews with two of his muses and besties, the boho-fab Loulou de la Falaise and the impossibly cool Betty Catroux.  Constant companions of Saint Laurent's, the two fondly reminisce about their friend, his work, and their hard partying days of yore.

If this all sounds a bit convoluted - it is.  Thoretton should have chosen to focus either on YSL's life or the art collection and stuck with it.  For a more focused documentary on the life and career of YSL, check out David Teboul's Yves Saint Laurent: His Life and Times or read Alicia Drake's The Beautiful Fall: Lagerfeld, Saint Laurent, and Glorious Excess in 1970s Paris.  That being said, L'amour Fou is still worth checking out.  The access into Saint Laurent and Berge's homes, the archival footage of the designer, and the old photographs are fascinating.  The amount and quality of the art the two collected over the years (like very elegant pack rats) is staggering—their homes were like museums.  It was sad watching the appraisers value the pieces and then see the art handlers haul them away leaving big, gaping, empty spaces in their Paris home.  (There's a quick, blink-and-you'll-miss-it scene of the handlers packing away the looted, 18th-century rabbit and rat head sculptures from the Yuanming Yuan gardens that inspired Ai Weiwei's Zodiac Heads.)  It was exciting to watch the auction and see the intense bidding skyrocket straight through the roof.  The multi-millions the auction brought in was said to go towards AIDS research.

While I can't imagine parting with such magnificent, meaningful items, the 81-year-old, non-nostalgic Berge seemed very calm and intent on selling it all off—to move on and close that chapter of his life.  Playing at IFC Center.

 

 

 

Alexander McQueen | Metropolitan Museum of Art

"I want to empower women.  I want people to be afraid of the women I dress."—Alexander McQueen

Lee Alexander McQueen was born in 1969 in London.  The youngest of six children, McQueen grew up on a council estate with a taxi driver father and school teacher mother.  Leaving school at 16, the young McQueen apprenticed for two Savile Row tailors where he learned the meticulous art of cutting and constructing menswear.  After stints working for theater costumers and designers Koji Tatsuno and Romeo Gigli, McQueen attended the legendary Central Saint Martin's where he earned his Masters degree in Fashion Design.  In 1992, his entire graduate collection was bought by the fabulous, iconic fashion editor Isabella Blow, who is credited with discovering and mentoring McQueen and launching his career. 

In October 1996, McQueen was selected by the president of LVMH, Bernard Arnault, to be John Galliano's replacement as Chief Designer at Givenchy Haute Couture.  While at Givenchy McQueen learned to successfully combine his razor-sharp, bespoke tailoring skills with the fine craftsmanship of haute couture.  During McQueen's five years at Givenchy, the designer delivered beautiful, dramatic collections with a distinctive dark and edgy side.  Developing his reputation for dramatic and lavish runway shows while at Givenchy, McQueen featured robots spray painting a white dress worn by model Shalom Harlow in one show, and double-amputee model Aimee Mullins (who is also featured in Matthew Barney's Cremaster 3) walking down the catwalk on specially carved wooden prosthetics in another.  After leaving Givenchy due to creative differences, McQueen focused on his own line (which 51% of was acquired by LVMH rival the Gucci Group) and continued his ascent to be one of the industry's most daring, renowned, and respected designers.  It's no surprise then that the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute is honoring Alexander McQueen with Savage Beauty, a fantastic retrospective of the late designer's illustrious and sadly truncated career.

Featuring approximately 100 looks and 70 accessories spanning McQueen's nineteen-year career, the pieces were culled mainly from the Alexander McQueen Archive and also features a handful of his ensembles from the Givenchy Archive.  A number of pieces are loaned from collectors including stylist Katy England (whose wedding dress McQueen designed) and Daphne Guinness, the heiress and couture collector who famously purchased Isabella Blow's covetable fashion collection after Blow took her own life in 2007.  Signature McQueen designs on display include his infamous "bumster" trousers (which changed how high -or low- we wear pants), kimono-inspired jackets, and his three-point "origami" frock coat. 

The exhibition is organized into six sections:  The Romantic Mind; Romantic Gothic and Cabinet of Curiosities (highlighting the designer's references to the nineteenth century Victorian Gothic); Romantic Nationalism (displaying McQueen's Scottish pride); Romantic Exoticism (featuring works inspired by the cultures of Japan, China, Africa, India, and Turkey); Romantic Primitivism (displaying McQueen's contradictory take on primitivism "contrasting 'modern' and 'primitive,' 'civilized' and 'uncivilized'"); and Romantic Naturalism (exhibiting nature's strong and consistent influence on the designer).  The talented creative team who produced McQueen's elaborate runway shows were enlisted for the exhibition's design.  The Cabinet of Curiosities they created features shelves and nooks showcasing the various accessories, shoes, and headpieces McQueen created throughout the years alongside notable collaborators, including two of my favorites Shaun Leane (who creates gorgeous and disturbing metal pieces, ie: his rib cage corset) and well-known milliner Philip Treacy (whose hats Isabella Blow regularly wore and who recently gained notoriety for designing Princess Beatrice's "pretzel" hat for Kate and Wills' royal wedding).  Unfortunately, the pieces in the upper cases were only visible from afar—and in the over-crowded, grid-locked room, it was pretty impossible to find good vantage points.

The comprehensive exhibition features pieces from McQueen's graduate collection titled Jack the Ripper Stalks His Victims up through his final collection for A/W 2010 that was shown posthumously to rave reviews.  McQueen's design assistant of fourteen years, Sarah Burton, who was appointed Creative Director after the designer's suicide, has shown two well-received collections for the label and has made quite a name for herself in sartorial history by designing Kate Middleton's princess-appropriate wedding gown and her sister's much-loved and unforgiving bridesmaid dress.  I wondered how McQueen would have felt about his namesake brand being associated with the pomp of the royal wedding since legend has it while working on Savile Row, the designer with the bad-boy reputation embroidered "I am a cunt" into the lining of a jacket for Prince Charles.

Savage Beauty exhibits fashion at its finest—the oeuvre of a unique designer whose clothing was artistic, innovative, and evocative.  This is by far the best Costume Institute exhibit I've seen.  Though it's a shame he isn't here to receive the honor, I'm relieved that McQueen is represented in a stylish, tasteful, and elegant manner.  I cried when I read the news of McQueen's suicide on February 11, 2010 (a mere nine days after his mother succumbed to cancer).  Growing up, I followed his career and was a huge fan of his beautifully dark and daring work and rebellious "don't give a fuck" attitude.  After fashion weeks, his would always be the first shows I'd look for in magazines, and later online, to get a glimpse of his stunning clothing as well as the excitment of his shows—shows inspired by the film They Shoot Horses, Don't They?, shipwrecks, asylums, Scottish history, and much more.  His human chess game show for Spring 2005 was inspired by a scene from Harry Potter and his Fall 2006 show closed with a ghostly, life-size hologram of Kate Moss floating in gossamer fabric (see below - a small version of this is on view at the exhibit).  Insightful, articulate quotes by the designer are featured throughout the exhibit, and it's disheartening to read the many references he made to death.  One quote reads: "I oscillate between life and death, happiness and sadness, good and evil."  Sadly, now that he's gone, it seems that he wasn't just referring to his work.  Another quote near the beginning of the exhibit states: "I want to be the purveyor of a certain silhouette or a way of cutting, so that when I'm dead and gone people will know that the twenty-first century was started by Alexander McQueen."  Long live McQueen!  Learn more at metmuseum.org and at Alexandermcqueen.com.  Through July 31st.

(Sorry, photography was not allowed inside the exhibit.)

Burning Down the House, David LaChapelle, 1996, featuring Alexander McQueen and Isabella Blow

 

SHOWstudio/Nick Knight's tribute to McQueen, 2010

 

Pepper's Ghost, A/W 2006, hologram by Baillie Walsh featuring Kate Moss

Philip-Lorca diCorcia | David Zwirner

Before W became just another celebrity glorifying rag, the magazine used to regularly feature lush, evocative, edgy photo spreads shot by top art and fashion photographers.  David Zwirner's 519 West 19th space currently has on view selected works culled from eleven editorial projects created by Philip-Lorca diCorcia for W between 1997-2008.  Eleven is diCorcia's first exhibit in New York focusing exclusively on the renowned photographer's fashion work.

Along with W's former creative director Dennis Freedman, "diCorcia traveled to distinct locations around the world" including Cairo, Havana, Sao Paulo, Bangkok, Paris, Los Angles, New York, "to produce his photographic essays" (from the press release) featuring some of the coolest models of yesteryear (Kristen McMenamy, Nadja Auermann, Guinevere van Seenus, Erin O'Connor) posing alongside natives of the environs.  The "images weave together richly loaded narratives with a stylist's selection of designer-brand clothes," however they interestingly often "appear far removed from the fashion industry's traditional emphasis on formulaic beauty and harmony, and instead involve a delicate balance between glamour and grit, imagination and irony." 

Though cinematic, diCorcia shies away from revealing "[A]n explicit plot" in his mysterious and often tense photographs.  The artist's series are "ripe with ambiguous meanings and loaded connotations as characters appear and re-appear in a myriad of settings."  Why do models McMenamy and O'Connor appear to be having breakdowns in the Lost Angeles series?  What the heck is Auermann doing cradling a rooster in the middle of a cockfight ring in the Bangkok series?  Why is designer Marc Jacobs giving bitch face to a shady-looking male figure asleep in his bed in the Paris series?  And why is a bride decorating a banquet hall all by her lonesome in the Sao Paulo series?  Perhaps answers to these inquiries can be uncovered in the exhibit's accompanying book edited by Freedman and featuring each of the eleven series in their entirety.

Born in Hartford, Connecticut in 1951, the New York-based diCorcia has been creating innovative photographs for over 30 years.  His compelling works in Eleven feature seductively cryptic, sleek, surreal imagery that beautifully and tenuously straddle the line between "documentation and fiction," reality and fantasy.  Learn more at Davidzwirner.com.  Through March 5th.

W, May 2008, #15, 2008, Series: 1.Cairo, 2008

W, March 2000, #13, 2000, Series: 7.Havana, 2000 (titled Cuba Libre)

W, March 2000, #3, 2000, Series: 7.Havana 2000 (titled Cuba Libre)

W, September 2001, #6, 2001, Series: 5.Bangkok 2001

W, September 1997, #2, 1997, Series: 11.Los Angeles 1997 (titled Lost Angeles)

W, November 2003, #12, 2003, Series: 3.Sao Paulo 2003

W, September 2001, #4, 2001, Series: 5.Bangkok 2001

W, September 1997, #9, 1997, Series: 11.Los Angeles 1997 (titled Lost Angeles)

W, November 2007, #6, 2007, Series: 10.Paris 2007 (titled Marc Jacobs)

W, May 2008, #3, 2008, Series: 1.Cairo 2008

W, September 1997, #5, 1997, Series: 11.Los Angeles 1997 (titled Lost Angeles)

W, September 2001, #1, 2001, Series: 5.Bangkok 2001

W, March 2000, #10, 2000, Series: 7.Havana 2000 (titled Cuba Libre)

Japan Fashion Now | The Museum at FIT

The Museum at FIT has fortunately extended Japan Fashion Now, the first exhibition to examine the eclectic and fascinating world of contemporary Japanese fashion.  Focusing on highend and street fashions the show kicks off with an "introductory gallery" showcasing an impressive collection of looks culled from the Japanese "fashion revolution" of the 1980s, featuring avant-garde and timeless designs by the greats—Issey Miyake, Yohji Yamamoto, and Comme des Garcons' Rei Kawakubo.  According to the show's notes, "the 1980s marked an important turning point in fashion history.  For the first time, a non-western culture had significantly affected the global fashion system, and had done so by projecting an image of hyper-modernism." This "hyper-modernism" included "deconstruction" and "innovative textile technologies" and introduced the notion of beauty in imperfection.  Elegant and edgy, these examples of Miyake, Yamamoto, and Kawakubo's early work are proof that not all fashion in the 80's was embarrassing and regrettable.

In the main gallery are about 90 ensembles representing highend designers, menswear, subculture and street styles, and Cosplay.  The highend section is titled "Omotesando," after the Tokyo neighborhood where the Comme des Garcons flagship store and several designer boutiques call home.  Highlights from this section include recent work by Kawakubo for Comme des Garcons, her talented proteges Junya Watanabe and Tao Kurihara, and Undercover's Jun Takahashi.  Also on display is a Louis Vuitton "Speedy 30" monogram bag from 2003 featuring Japanese artist Takashi Murakami's famous, bright, bold graphics.  The bags from this collaboration were well-loved and ubiquitous and spawned countless knock offs.  Also on display, looking like an art object in a glass case, is a red embossed heel-less, platform boot by Noritaka Tatehana whose intimidating shoes are favored by the likes of Lady Gaga.

The menswear section boasts a diverse array of looks ranging from preppy to punk-inspired, from Savile Row suiting to grunge-y plaids and flannel.  Far more interesting and daring than basic polo shirts and stripey button-ups, yet thankfully not cringe-inducing like Ed Hardy, many of these ensembles are for men with the balls to make a sartorial statement.  Highlights from menswear include selections from Number (N)ine, N. Hollywood, and Phenomenon—especially the label's central look consisting of metallic, armor-like boots paired with an army green flight jacket with sleeves resembling a stegosaurus' spikey spine.

Now for the kooky and crazy—across the gallery are samples of the outlandish and attention-grabbing outfits worn on the streets of the young and hip Harajuku and Shibuya districts.  Starting off with the staid school uniforms (sailor-style in the summer and wool jackets with plaid skirts in the winter) the section then veers off to the opposite end of the spectrum with over-the-top looks that easily identify which subculture the wearers are associated.  Looks from the 1990s include elaborately embroidered Kamikaze suits worn by motorcycle gangs and the super girly, kawaii cutesy, Little-Bo-Peep-like stylings worn by Lolitas (who incorporate loads of lace, satin, pettiskirts, parasols, and aprons) and Gothic Lolitas (who are much like the other Lolitas but with more black and leather).  More recent subculture styles include Hime-Decora-kei or "princess-decoration style" and Mori Girl or "forest girl," a boho-meets-Laura Ingalls-type of style.  It's ironic that in all their efforts to stand out and express themselves through clothing, the members of these various style niches lose all sense of individuality by dressing so uniformly.

The final and smallest category in the exhibit is all about Cosplay or Costume Play, which is not so much "fashion" as it is role playing or as the show's program describes "a type of performance art and fan culture."  Associated with the neighborhood Akihabara, Cosplayers take dressing up as manga, anime or video game characters very seriously.  The colorful and detailed costumes on display include a pink Catgirl Maid costume complete with kitty ears and beribboned tail; a turquoise, Sailor Moon-like Tycho Science Costume; the Victorian-era, bustled Madame Red Costume; and the Lady Oscar Costume which resembles a velvety blue and gold version of Captain Crunch's nautical attire.

For those of us who have never had the chance to visit Japan, Japan Fashion Now is a fun and convenient way to experience the diverse styles from one of the most fashion-forward and fashion-obsessed nations in the world, though at times some of the fearless fashions seem to be from another world altogether.  Learn more at fitnyc.edu/museum.  Extended through April 2nd.

*Photography is not allowed in the galleries so I took the below screengrabs of pics and credits from The Museum of FIT's online exhibition site.

Notorious & Notable | Museum of the City of New York

Earlier this month, I traveled uptown to check out Notorious & Notable: 20th Century Women of Style at the Museum of the City of New York.  It being a weekday afternoon, I was surprised that I had to shove my way through gaggles of chit-chatting old biddies clogging up the exhibit's narrow aisle and maneuver around babies crawling around the carpeted floor as their Uggs-wearing, tourist mothers were occupied with their Blackberries.  The annoyance level caused by this bunch felt like being stranded at an airport during a blizzard on a holiday weekend.

The exhibit certainly features designer ensembles and jewels worn by many "notable" women, but call me dumb-dumb, I couldn't really figure out whom the "notorious" part of the title refers to.  Arranged by color, the show offers outfits worn by "80 prominent New York women who used their style, talent, or wealth to capture the attention of society and the media" (from the musuem's website).  The clothing is displayed on mannequins alongside a portrait of its wearer, a short bio, and a pull quote describing the subject and her style.  Featuring duds worn by the wives of powerful businessmen - Mrs Andrew Carnegie; socialites - Sunny von Bulow and Brooke Astor (the lace dress she wore to Truman Capote's Black and White ball in 1966); performers - Lena Horne, Marian Anderson, and Gypsy Rose Lee (the burlesque diva's ensemble features a row of snap buttons up the back for quick removal); politician Bella Abzug; actress Lauren Bacall; artist Louise Nevelson; Pop art collector Ethel Scull; writer Anita Loos; and genuine fashion/style icons Iris Apfel and Tina Chow.  Displayed in glass cases are jewelry pieces once owned by Edith Bouvier Beale, Jackie Kennedy Onassis, Barbara Walters, Carolina Herrera, Diana Vreeland, and more.

While the collection of garments is impressive and the array of subjects diverse, as ironic as this sounds regarding a fashion exhibit, Notorious and Notable felt superficial and arbitrary, directionless.  If you're simply in the mood to check out some fab frocks worn by some fab New York women, and don't expect to learn about fashion or New York history, then this show should suit you fine - just be prepared in case another annoying-bus happens to visit on the same day that you do.  Learn more at the museum's website mcny.org and read reviews at artdaily.org and nytimes.com.  Through January 2, 2011.

Left to right:  Mrs Andrew Carnegie, Jeanne Dimelow evening dress, 1915; Tina Chow, Chanel (Karl Lagerfeld) "Homage to Coco Chanel" evening dress,1983; Mrs Henry Clews, Paul Poiret walking ensemble, 1919-20

Left to right:  Jessye Norman, Gianfranco Ferre for House of Christian Dior performance gown, 1996; Lauren Bacall, "Tissue-of-Diamonds" Dress, 1963

Left to right:  Marian Anderson, Elsa Schiaparelli evening/concert gown,1941; Rosamond Bernier, Zandra Rhodes evening dress, 1977-8

Mona Williams von Bismark-Schonhausen de Martini, Balenciaga evening ensemble, 1968

Gypsy Rose Lee, Strip Costume, 1940s

Left to right:  Lena Horne, Giorgio di Sant'Angelo evening dress,1981; Ethel Scull, Stephen Burrows evening dress,1970; Laura Johnson, Emilio Pucci evening costume, mid-1960s

Anita Loos, Balenciaga evening dress, 1961

Left to right:  Iris Apfel, Pertegaz/Madrid shawl, Gianfranco Ferre skirt, 1970s-80s; Annette de la Renta, Yves Saint Laurent evening dress, 1985

Sunny von Bulow, Christian Dior mini-dress, 1968

Bette Midler, Mermaid Costume, 1993

Liao Yibai | Mike Weiss and ATM Gallery

Chinese artist Liao Yibai created so many commanding, stainless steel sculptures for his new series Real Fake, that two galleries had to join forces to exhibit the works.  Mike Weiss and ATM concurrently present Yibai's sleek and meticulously detailed sculptures that examine "China's rags-to-riches story of material obsession" and "the concepts of 'real' and 'fake' through mash-ups of luxury labels, the appropriation of real fake brand names, and the creation of his own luxury brands..." (from the press release). 

According to the show's press release, today in China "it is difficult to determine what is real while so many fake brands have assimilated into its culture."  In the not-too-distant-past, one only had to venture down to Canal Street in NYC's Chinatown to witness firsthand the countless "fake brands" being peddled by street vendors.  With his elegant and funny works in Real Fake, Yibai "exposes this cultural phenomenon and questions the skewed concept of value on a variety of levels."  The artist has recreated larger-than-life designer handbags, watches, rings, shoes, cell phones, lipsticks, even currency, along with a number of birds and bugs, stamped and emblazoned with various luxury logos to "confront the multitudes of popular brands and logos and their overwhelming presence in today's society."  This series brings attention to society's "increasing obsession with opulence and luxury goods while glorifying and laughing at it simultaneously."

In a cheeky turn poking fun at genuine imitation brands like "Hiphone" and "CHIMA," Yibai created his own brands and stuck their logos and labels on his oversized, luxury goods.  To humorously comment on the "Chinese 'Fake Makers'" industry that constantly knocks off big fashion houses, the artist created his "own hybrids, such as a Real Sprada handbag or a Rolls Phillipe watch."  Yibai successfully satirizes the shady industry that produces counterfeit merchandise and mocks the label-whorish, superficial masses that greedily consume the Real Fakes.  Learn more at Mikeweissgallery.com and atmgallery.com.  Through October 30th.

At ATM Gallery:

Fake Cash, 2010

Rolls Phillipe Watch (large), 2010

T Shirt CHIMA, 2010

RF Perfume, 2010

At Mike Weiss Gallery:

Cinderella High Heel, 2010

Fake High Heel Channel X, 2009

Fake High Heel Channel X (detail), 2009

Fly Away, 2010

Left to right: Rose Bag RF, 2010; Hiphone, 2010; Henice XO, 2010; Fake Ring, Pink Iceberg, 2010; Lipstick, 2010; Fake Bag YB, 2009

Rose Bag RF (close-up), 2010; Hiphone (close-up), 2010

Rich Bird on the Branch (close-up), 2010

Left to right: X Apple, 2010; Real Sprada, 2010; Guccichanel, 2010; Nature Love, 2010; Fake Rolls Phillipe Watch, 2009; Peng Di Bag, 2010; Vertu, 2010

X Apple (close-up), 2010

Guccichanel (front), 2010, Real Sprada (back), 2010

Money Tree (detail), 2010; 7 Dollar Bill, 2010

Money Tree, 2010

Objets d'Art | News

Not a whole lot going on these days — summer shows are winding down and galleries and museums are prepping for their big Fall shows.  There's practically tumbleweed blowing around the streets of West Chelsea!  Here are a few things to tide you over in the meantime...

~More ART (Art Reality Television) - The Ovation cable network (channel 83 for those with Time Warner) has 11 art-oriented programs on offer for those who are suffering from Work of Art withdrawal.  While the shows mainly focus on art theft and heists this week, one show last week titled Money Money Money dished on the "commercialization of contemporary art" and another called Art Race featured two struggling artists racing across America in 40 days using only their talent and artwork to pay for all their needs and essentials (hopefully they'll repeat these in the near future).  Alas, it seems doubtful there will be any over-the-top outfits to ogle like the ones worn by WOA's China Chow and Jeanne Greenberg Rohatyn.  Read the full story at artinfo.com.

~Labor Day Weekend in the City - If you aren't joining the mass exodus heading out of the city for the long holiday weekend, you might want to take advantage of the thinner crowds at the 1st Thursdays DUMBO Gallery Walk (September 2nd) and/or the third annual Governors Island Art Fair.  Organized by The 4heads Collective, the 2010 Governors Island Art Fair will occur every Saturday and Sunday from 11am-6pm throughout the month of September (from the 4th-26th).  And though I don't think the crowds will be any smaller, there's PS.1's final Warm Up line-up of the summer.  DFA's Holy Ghost! will perform.  I guess this means summer is officially over :(

~Nick Cave's Soundsuits in Vogue - I didn't want to shell out the cash or break my back hauling around the September issue of US Vogue, but while flipping through someone else's issue I noticed an eight-page accessories spread featuring some bright and furry Soundsuits by the artist Nick Cave.  The editorial is called Monsters, Inc and was shot by Raymond Meier.  You can check out the images at thefashionspot.com.  They look like awesome, psychedelic Muppets with a taste for designer handbags and shoes.

A couple of Nick Cave's Soundsuits featured in the September 2010 Vogue

Fall/Winter 2010 Fashion Ads

Fashion and art often mix, and as the Fall 2010 ad campaigns begin to trickle onto the web, we see Stella McCartney, Bottega Venetta, and Missoni collaborating with some high profile artists.  First up, McCartney has teamed up with British artist Barry Reigate who illustrated some whimsical flowers, eyes, and bubble letters over Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott's photos of model Natalia Vodianova.  The playful results remind me a bit of the adorable unicorns, bunnies, bears, and ice cream cones floating around on Love Magazine's homepage.  Bottega Venetta recreated New York artist Robert Longo's famous Men in the Cities drawings with live models posed in the twisty, jerky, contorted stances of his angsty, 80's corporate business men and women.  And in what is the most surprising pairing for me, stripey knitwear brand Missoni commissioned experimental director Kenneth Anger  (Scorpio Rising) to produce a two-and-a-half minute film featuring several members of the Missoni family shot in dreamy, lava lamp-like imagery.  See the hypnotic clip below and read more at models.com.

In related news, WWD reported this morning that British designer Hussein Chalayan is working on a film and installation that will explore "the overlap between clothing and art," finding inspiration in "disciplines such as anthropology, music, design and art."  The project will be exhibited at Lisson Gallery in London from September 8-October 2nd.  Read more at wwd.com.

Objets d'Art | Photography & Weekend Parties

~Go there now and take this with you is an informal-feeling show at Bortolami Gallery featuring unframed and creased photographs by Jack Pierson.  The pictures, mostly of lovely outdoors scenes inciting wanderlust, "hang directly on the wall, exposed to the viewer, much like [Pierson's] word pieces" (from press release).  The works are printed onto photo paper and folded, much like a poster or a pin-up from a magazine, which suggests that the photos are portable and conducive "for hanging and re-hanging in new settings."  According to the press release, the pictures are "intended to age and evolve rather than remain static print[s] behind glass and frame[s]."  Learn more at Bortolamigallery.com and see my pics below.  Through August.

~Rick Wester Fine Art presents Big Girls: Large Format Photographs by Women Photographers.  The show includes work by women artists ranging from their early 20's to their 60's focusing on "portraiture, figure studies, abstraction, autobiography, and fantasy" (from press release).  Some of my favorites in the group were the photos that "look to the female figure as symbol and allegory" including Heli Rekula's Desire (1999) and Overflow (2004) and Pinar Yolacan's two pieces from her ongoing series Mother Goddess which "creates nearly life size odalisques of large women dressed in skintight, full-length body suits" inspired by prehistoric mother goddess figurines found in the Hacilar region of Turkey.  Her models, shrouded snugly into incredibly uncomfortable-looking suits that leave nothing to the imagination, are reminiscent of some photos of Leigh Bowery dressed in similarly shocking and constricting costumes.  Yolacan also has several photos from this series on view as part of the Greater New York show currently at PS 1.  Learn more about Big Girls at Rickwesterfineart.com and see my pics below.  Through July 30th.

~Sapeurs are members of the Societe de Ambianceurs et des Personnes Elegantes (SAPE) or "society of elegant people that have an ambiance about them," a sub-culture founded in the district of Brazzaville in the Congo.  Sapeurs are stylish pacifists who dress in colorful, fancy suits and accessorize with pipes, hats, and walking sticks, flaunting these fineries as symbols of success and status (regardless of their status or actual success).  Italian photographer Daniele Tamagni has been documenting the style of the well-dressed Sapeurs for years and has compiled his photos into the monograph Gentlemen of Bacongo published by Trolley Books last year.  Flavorwire has a great slideshow of some of Tamagni's images of the sartorially savvy Sapeurs.

~For another great slideshow check out the Nowness post featuring selections from the late photographer Larry Sultan's new compendium Katherine Avenue.  Featuring portraits of his parents in their very 80's So-Cal house posed in deliberately banal yet mesmerizing scenes, along with images of "suburban sets of porn movies" and migrant workers, Katherine Avenue unexpectedly yet effectively illustrates varying versions of the American Dream.  See here.

~The New Museum is hosting its 2010 Block Party at the Sara D. Roosevelt Park this Saturday, the 24th, from 12:00-5:00.  There'll be lots of art activities, performances and interactive projects along with a free passes to the museum all day.  Go to newmuseum.org for a schedule of events and more info.

~Also on Saturday, artist collective The Bruce High Quality Foundation and Grammy-winning producer Andres Levin are teaming up to host Field of Dreams (Un Mundo Nuevo), "a DIY world's fair of music and art" in Prospect Park that will be an "all day event fit for all the senses."  There will be lots of musical acts performing including Cucu Diamantes, Les Nubians, and Raven O.  Learn more at bricartsmedia.org.  Gates open at 3:00.

~And finally, if like me you just want to beat the never-ending heat and cool off in a movie theater this weekend, Tamra Davis's highly anticipated Jean-Michel Basquiat documentary The Radiant Child just opened at the Film Forum.  Davis was friends with the legendary Basquiat, and as a result, starting in 1983, was able to film intimate, personal footage of the artist and chronicle his short career -- from his  rise to rockstar-like fame to his tragic heroine overdose in 1988.  For more about the film, showtimes, and trailer, check out filmforum.org.  Through August 3rd.

Jack Pierson at Bortolami:  Idols, 2010; Cross on Leonard Knight's Salvation Mountain, 2010

Jack Pierson at Bortolami: (left to right) Quiet Road; God is Love; Jardin du Luxembourg; Bird in Flight; 2010

Jack Pierson at Bortolami:  Eden Roc, 2010

Big Girls at Rick Wester Fine Art: (left to right) Heli Rekula, Desire "or...I just don't know what to do with myself," 1999; Pinar Yolacan, Untitled from Mother Goddess, 2009

Big Girls at Rick Wester Fine Art: (left to right) Heli Rekula, Overflow, 2004; Melanie Schiff, Annie, 2008

Big Girls at Rick Wester Fine Art: Melanie Schiff, Sarah, 2008

Tiziano Magni | Milk Gallery

For more than twenty years photographer Tiziano Magni has been shooting some of the most super supermodels for spreads in the top glossies and high profile ad campaigns for prestigious fashion, beauty, and automotive clients.  Magni is the lensman responsible for the famous Kate Moss and Marky Mark (sans Funky Bunch) ads for Calvin Klein from the 90s.  IERI, OGGI, DOMANI (Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow) at Milk Gallery presents a survey of his work spanning from the 1980's to the present.  Magni's photos display his "relentless pursuit for the subtle subversive dominance with in each of his subjects" while "challenging the viewer to appreciate the harmony in both beauty and strength" (from the press release).  While unique and striking in its own right, elements of Magni's work slightly remind me of Jean-Paul Goude's exaggerated human bodies or Helmut Newton's penchant for kink.

Born in Italy in 1953, Magni started taking pictures at the age of twelve.  At fourteen he bought his first photography tome, Sam Haskins' iconic Cowboy Kate, and at twenty-one began shooting for Italian Vogue.  As the press release for IERI, OGGI, DOMANI accurately sums up, "Passion, strength, emotion, and power combined with raw sensual energy are the ingredients that have fueled Tiziano Magni's work for over 20 years."  Check out the artist's website at Tizianomagni.com.  At Milk Gallery through August 20th.

Hommage to Alberto Giacometti, 1994

Untitled (Calvin Klein), 1994; Untitled (Vibe), 1995

Untitled (Personal), 2010

Untitled (Calvin Klein), 1994

Untitled (Australian Marie Claire), 1996

Untitled (East West), 2001

Untitled (Italian Vogue), 1994; Untitled (Surface), 2000

Untitled (Mademoiselle), 1988; Untitled (Italian Marie Claire), 1995; Untitled (Personal), 2010

Untitled (Neat), 1996; Untitled (The Face), 1997

Untitled (Interview), 1995

Untitled (Surface), 2001

American Woman at Metropolitan Museum | American High Style at Brooklyn Museum

The Brooklyn Museum recently partnered up with the Metropolitan Museum of Art to share the former institution's impressive costume collection consisting of over 25,000 pieces from the 18th-20th centuries. To celebrate the union, the two museums are presenting concurrent exhibitions - American Woman: Fashioning a National Identity at the Met and American High Style: Fashioning a National Collection at the Brooklyn Museum.

The Met's American Woman "explores developing perceptions of the modern American woman from 1890 to 1940 and how they have affected the way American women are seen today.  Focusing on archetypes of American femininity through dress, the exhibition reveals how the American woman initiated style revolutions that mirrored her social, political and sexual emancipation" (from metmuseum.org).  The exhibition is broken down into the six groups below (info taken from the exhibition notes).

The Heiress (1890s)- A woman whose inherited wealth enabled her to wear clothing from French luxury brands including Rouff, Hallee, Pingat, Doucet, Paquin, and Charles Frederick Worth.

The Gibson Girl (1890s)- Created by illustrator Charles Dana Gibson, the Gibson Girl debuted in Life Magazine in 1890.  She was typically an aristocratic and athletic young woman who was tall, slim, and long-limbed, with classical features and thick, dark hair worn in a chignon.  She wore simple, tailored suits and dresses and expressed her confidence, independence and self-determination playing sports like golf, tennis, horseback riding, bicycling, and swimming.

The Bohemian (1900s)- The Bohemian woman exerted her freedom and self expression through the arts (rather than sports like the Gibson Girl).  She collected art, patronized artists, organized exhibits, and/or founded museums.  Her wardrobe typically consisted of loose fitting, uncorseted silhouettes influenced by classicism, medievalism, and Orientalism designed by houses like Poiret, Callat Soeurs, and Liberty & Co.

The Patriot/Suffragist (1910s)- After seventy-one years of fighting for the right to vote, women were finally allowed to do so on August 18, 1920.  The woman who fought this good fight often wore the latest fashions in a mix of three colors - purple, white and green (or gold), making herself visible and easily identifiable in public.

The Flapper (1920s)- The youthful, red-lipped, bob-haired, smoking and drinking Flapper flaunted sexual freedom instead of political (like the Suffragist).  The slim, hip-less, small-chested Flapper was more androgynous than the Gibson Girl and favored a shapeless silhouette with a low-slung waist, designed by brands like Lanvin and Patou.  The Flapper was young, flirty, urban, and contemporary.

The Screen Siren (1930s)- The Screen Siren is exactly what you'd picture, a sensuous, sophisticated glamorous woman who exuded self-confidence and independence.  She preferred evening gowns cut on the bias to accentuate her curvaceous figure with the fabric either draping, twisting or wrapping for dramatic effects.  Favored designers included Madame Gres, Madeleine Vionnet, Lanvin, and Chanel. 

For 1940-The Present photos of famous, fashionable women from those decades flash on the walls in a room that blares that over-used and cheesy American Woman song.  Overall, this exhibit feels forced and superficial, really only defining one type of American woman - an elite, privileged, wealthy one.  Cutting off the exhibit at the 1930s seems a bit of a cop out too.  What about the "We Can Do It" woman of the 40's who took jobs in factories during the war when all the men were off fighting?  Or the wholesome bobby soxer of the 50's?  The bra-burning hippy of the 60's?  The disco diva of the 70's?  The shoulder-padded business woman of the 80's?  The Kinderwhore (the feminine/feminist grunge counterpart) of the 90's?  I don't think many contemporary American women are going to relate to the show's narrow definition of who we are supposed to be or identify with the selected "archetypes" from whom we allegedly evolved.  Perhaps someone should have informed the exhibition organizers that clothes do not make the woman.  Judge for yourself at metmuseum.org.  Through August 15th.

On the other hand, the Brooklyn Museum's American High Style is a terrific exhibit.  Unlike American Woman, it isn't patronizing and doesn't try too hard.  You can sense the museum's enthusiasm in sharing some of the highlights of its vast and wonderful costume collection with the public.  The show is divided into six simple groupings, three focusing on individual designers and three focusing on works by different but related designers (info below taken from the exhibition notes).

The House of Worth, 1850s-1950s- Charles Frederick Worth (1825-1895) was the first to build a dressmaking business of international scope, establishing the blueprint for French couture houses.  Born in England, Worth moved to Paris in 1846 where he opened the House of Worth, specializing in luxurious, high quality, made-to-order evening wear.  His clientele included royalty, aristocracy, the famous, and the wealthy.

French Couture, 1900-1940 and French Couture, 1946-1970- The term "couture" is bandied about in all sorts of wrong ways these days.  The literal translation of "haute couture" is "finest sewing."  Elements of haute couture clothing include: innovative design, custom fitting, specialized handiwork, and the finest materials.  A vast and stringent system in France organizes the design houses that produce haute couture collections.

Rarities- The dolls displayed in this section were gifts from France's Chambre Syndicale de le Couture Parisienne.  The theme of the mannequins was 200 years of French Fashion, 1715-1906.  Each doll was produced in 1949 and dressed in period clothing created by couturiers like Elsa Schiaparelli and Christian Dior.

Elsa Schiaparelli, 1934-1940- A couturiere known for her avant-garde, idiosyncratic style incorporating Surrealism, trompe l'oeil elements, experimental fabrics, bold prints with unorthodox imagery and colors, and opulent, whimsical detailing. 

Charles James- Not formally trained as a designer, James used mathematical, architectural and sculptural concepts in his dressmaking.  His highly structured shaped evening gowns of the late 40's/early 50's won him a well-deserved cult following.

American Woman Designers, 1920-1980 and American Men Designers, 1930-1980- The women in this group include: Bonnie Cashin, Carolyn Schnurer, Vera Maxwell, Claire McCardell, Elizabeth Hawes, and Madame Eta Hentz.  These women began their design careers between the two world wars, creating the American sportswear aesthetic which became the country's most important contribution to 20th-century fashion.  Postwar, male designers including Mainbocher, Norman Norell, and Gilbert Adrian designed for the high-end, ready-to-wear market.

American High Style also features an array of shoes and accessories as well as various design sketches interspersed throughout the exhibit.  The exhibition is well edited and many of the items are timeless and completely wearable today.  American High Style is definitely the stronger of the two exhibits and a must-see for fashion lovers.  Learn more at brooklynmuseum.org.  See my pics below (photos weren't allowed at the Met, so all my shots are from the Brooklyn Museum).  Through August 1st.

Entrance to American High Style exhibit:  (left to right) Bonnie Cashin, Evening Dress, 1945; Charles Worth, Walking Dress (top), 1885; Charles James, "Tree" Evening Dress, 1955; Norman Norell, Evening Ensemble, 1970-1

House of Worth: (left to right) Fancy Costume Dress, 1870; Reception Dress, 1885; Afternoon Dress, 1875

Rarities: 1906 Doll, Elsa Schiaparelli, 1949

French Couture 1900-40: (left to right) J. Suzanne Talbot, Evening Dress, 1925; Jeanne Lanvin, Evening Dress, Summer 1923; Madeleine Vionnet, Evening Ensemble, 1935

Elsa Schiaparelli: (left to right) Evening Dress, Spring 1937; Beach Ensemble, Summer 1932

Elsa Schiaparelli: Dress (with seed packet appliques), 1939-41

Elsa Schiaparelli: (left to right) Suit, 1939; Suit, 1937 and Hat, Winter 1936-7; Coat, 1932-5

Elsa Schiaparelli: Necklaces, Fall 1938

Charles James: (left to right) Evening Dress, 1948; Evening Dress, 1947

Charles James: (left to right) Butterfly Dress (made with 25 yards of tulle), 1955; "Diamond" Evening Dress, 1957

American Women Designers, 1920-80: (left to right) Carolyn Schnurer, Bathing Suit, 1950; Sundress, 1950; Claire McCardell, Beach Ensemble, 1944

American Women Designers, 1920-80: (left to right) Vera Maxwell, Ensemble, 1958; Bonnie Cashin, "The Tweed Toga" Emsemble, 1943 and Stirrup Pants, 1951

American Women Designers, 1920-80: (left to right) Elizabeth Hawes, "The Tarts" Dress, 1937; Madame Eta Hentz, Dress, 1944

American Men Designers, 1930-80: (left to right) Gilbert Adrian, "The TIgress" Evening Ensemble, 1949; Dinner Dress, 1944; Dinner Dress, 1944 (The two Dinner Dresses were inspired by Cubism and were created for Adrian's wife, actress Janet Gaynor.)

American Men Designers, 1930-80: (left to right) James Galanos, Evening Dress, 1955; Geoffrey Beene, Evening Dress, 1965; Arnold Scaasi, Evening Ensemble, 1961

American Men Designers, 1930-80: Halston, Evening Dress, 1975

French Couture, 1946-70: (left to right) Hubert de Givenchy, Evening Dress, 1960; Yves Saint Laurent, "Refrain" Cocktail Dress, 1958;  Gabrielle Chanel, Cocktail Dress, 1965

French Couture 1946-70: (left to right) Jean Desses, Evening Ensemble, 1956; Madame Alix Gres, Evening Dress, 1969

Objets d'Art | News

~Alex Prager Directs- Los Angeles-based photographer Alex Prager has directed Despair, a vibrant and surreal four-minute short film starring Bryce Dallas Howard (doll-like daughter of Opie Cunningham, nee Ron Howard).  Inspired by the classic suspense film, Night of the Hunter (1955), and the 1948 ballet The Red Shoes,  Despair is set in LA in the 1960s and "was conceived as a living, full-sensory version of her photographic work."  Prager states, "I'd like to show the before, now and after of one of my images--that's really the concept of the film."  Directing films seems like a natural step for Prager since her photographs tend to be cinematic, dramatic, and bursting with color.  A still taken from Despair has been selected for MoMA's New Photography 2010 group exhibition opening on September 29th.  Learn more and watch Despair at Nowness.com.  Click here for my post on Prager's terrific show Week-End that was at Yancey Richardson early this year.

~Ryan McGinley Directs Again- Another photographer who has dabbled in short film is Ryan McGinley.  His latest, Entrance Romance (it felt like a kiss) stars an amorous dog, some unlucky goldfish, and model and very good sport, Carolyn Murphy.  Again, you can watch the film at Nowness.com.

~Scott Campbell Collaborates on New "It" Bag- Tattoo artist and fine artist, Scott Campbell, has teamed up with one of his A-List tat clients, Marc Jacobs, the Creative Director for Louis Vuitton, to help design bags for the brand's Spring 2011 menswear collection shown in Paris yesterday.  Read more about the collab at elle.com and check out the Vuitton collection at style.com.  Several of the boys were sporting skin-art on the runway and a couple of the bags towards the end were embossed with Campbell-like art.  Click here for my post on Campbell's first NYC gallery show, If You Don't Belong, Don't Be Long.

~The Hole Opens- Former Directors for Deitch Projects, Kathy Grayson and Meghan Coleman are opening a new gallery called The Hole at 104 Greene Street in Soho.  Officially opening on June 26th, the gallery space will also house a retail shop - Holey Books, a cafe, and an artists' dating service called Hole Lotta Love.  Until The Hole's official opening, they currently have on exhibit Not Quite Open for Business, a show featuring unfinished art, poems and symphonies created by 20 artists.  Sounds like The Hole will be a fun place and a welcome addition to the Soho galleries.  Learn more at flavorwire.com. 

~Shoot the Piano Player- British artist Luke Jerram has teamed up with Sing for Hope to install 60  pianos in parks and public spaces all around the city in all five boroughs from June 21 to July 5th.  The installation titled Play Me, I'm Yours, started in Birmingham, England in 2008 and has traveled to cities around the world.  According to Jerram, the project aims to "provoke people into engaging, activating and claiming ownership of their urban landscape", and encourages Liberace wannabes to tickle the ivories and post pictures of themselves with the pianos at nycstreetpianos.com (where you can also find more info on Jerram, Play Me, I'm Yours, and piano locations). 

~A Bell For Every Minute- A shitload of angels are going to be getting their wings thanks to artist Stephen Vitiello's A Bell For Every Minute, a Creative Time sponsored, site-specific work created for the High Line.  The multi-channel sound installation takes place on the High Line in a "semi-enclosed tunnel between West 13th and 14th Streets, with sound recordings of bells taken from all over New York City and beyond" going off every minute and a "chorus of the selected bells" chiming every hour on the hour.  A map is available to help visitors identify the original location of each bell.  Learn more at creativetime.org.  Throughout the summer.

~Last Chance for Key to the City- This weekend is your last chance to pick up a Key to the City and explore and unlock 20 "secret" and unusual sights throughout the five boroughs.  Sponsored by Creative Time, the project is the brainchild of artist Paul Ramirez Jonas.  I really wanted to check out this project but June really flew by quickly and the temperatures have become uncharacteristically hot for this time of year and I've been characteristically lazy for any time of year.  If you're willing to brave the heat and humidity this weekend, pick up one of the 25,000 keys at the kiosk in Times Square by Sunday.  Learn more and see some of the things you can check out with a key at flavorwire.com.  Check out creativetime.org for more info.  Keys available at Times Square through June 27th (though the locks will be available through Labor Day).

~Northside Festival-  The great, free weekly L Magazine has organized a festival in Williamsburg and Greenpoint that's so huge it needs 4 days to fit in all the events including more than 250 bands playing at over 40 neighboring venues, 25 gallery shows, and 9 film screenings.  Among the bands playing are the hipsterific Les Savy Fav and Liars.  Learn more at northsidefestival.com.  June 24th through 27th.

~Inez and Vinoodh Celebrate Silver Anniversary- Dutch photography duo Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin are celebrating their prolific 25-year career with a retrospective called Pretty Much Everything at the Foam Museum in Amsterdam.  The exhibit showcases 300 of the pair's innovative and sleek images taken between 1985-2010 and will be followed up next year with a book published by Taschen featuring over 600 of their photographs and an original piece written by author A.M. Homes.  Learn more and read a brief interview with van Lamsweerde at wwd.com.  Pretty Much Everything is on view through September 15th.  See my post on Inez and Vinoodh's Sculptographs show at Andrea Rosen this past April here. 

Two in the Wave & Breathless | Film Forum

Two in the Wave is a documentary about the relationship between legendary filmmakers, film lovers, and friends, Francois Truffaut and Jean-Luc Godard.  From different sides of the tracks, Truffaut from a lower-class, French background and Godard a Swiss bourgeois, the two, pioneering directors ushered in The French New Wave with their feature debuts - Truffaut's semi-autobiographical The 400 Blows in 1959 and Godard's Breathless in 1960 (which was based on a story by Truffaut).  Two in the Wave features loads of clips from the two directors' films, news footage, and interviews including many with Jean-Pierre Leaud, the star of many of their films, most notably as Truffaut's alter-ego Antoine Doinel in The 400 Blows as well as in a short and three subsequent feature films that followed Doinel's life and adventures in the actual span of twenty years.  Though Truffaut and Godard were bffs during the epic decade of the Nouvelle Vague, the two had an equally epic and unfortunate falling out in 1968 over politics and egos.  Two in the Wave is a must-see for fans of the iconic filmmakers, the genre, and film geeks.  Ends tomorrow, June 10th, at the Film Forum.

Also conveniently playing at the Film Forum is J-LG's seminal Breathless (or A bout de souffle) starring Godard regular Jean-Paul Belmondo and Jean Seberg.  In honor of its 50th anniversary(!), the film has been restored so you can vividly see Belmondo's  tres cool bad-boy Michel and Seberg's stiff and unnatural but effortlessly stylish and adorable Patricia stroll down Parisian streets, bicker and banter, smoke les cigarettes, have staring contests, and run from the cops.  Breathless broke cinematic rules by shooting without permits, having the actors improvise, introducing jump-cuts, overlapping dialogue, and staring directly into the camera (and much more).  Godard continues to influence countless filmmakers with his daring, groundbreaking film and has even inspired fashion designers Laura and Kate Mulleavy of Rodarte to redesign Patricia's New York Herald Tribune t-shirt.  Go see (or re-see) the breathtakingly chic Breathless soon.  It's just been extended at the Film Forum for a limited time. 

Jean-Luc Godard once said to make a film, "all you need is a gun and a girl."  With Breathless, the auteur proves his formula works!

Objets d'Art | News

It's Friday!  Yay!  Here's a rundown of some news and upcoming events...

~Bushwick Open Studios (BOS) - Check out BOS '10 which will feature over 275 open artist studios, group shows, and events taking place in over 140 buildings occupying more than 4 square-miles of Bushwick as well as bordering 'hoods East Williamsburg, Bed-Stuy, and Ridgewood, Queens.  Learn more at bos2010.artsinbushwick.org.  June 4th-6th.

~Atlantic Avenue ArtWalk - Over 100 artists and 75 galleries and art spaces will participate in the Atlantic Avenue ArtWalk this Saturday and Sunday.  Mosey along Brooklyn's Atlantic Ave between Fourth Avenue and Furman Street and peek into private studios, watch artists paint a rooftop mural, listen to live music, and refuel with deals from participating bars and restaurants.  Learn more at atlanticavenueartwalk.com.  June 5th and 6th.

~Brooklyn Museum's Target First Saturdays - It's time for another installment of the Brooklyn Museum's FREE Target First Saturdays.  In honor of the new exhibit, American High Style: Fashioning a National Collection, the theme of the evening is Brooklyn Chic.  Hear Chief Curator Kevin Stayton discuss the fashionable exhibit, see a screening of the Audrey Hepburn/Fred Astaire flick Funny Face, and stick around for a dance contest and dance party!  More info at brooklynmuseum.org.  June 5th.

~Museum Mile - Tuesday evening welcomes another installment of the yearly Museum Mile fest which offers 3 hours of FREE admission to nine major museums along Fifth Avenue between 82nd and 105th Streets. The avenue will be closed to auto traffic and there will live bands and "art-in-the-street."  The nine participating museums include (starting from the northernmost): El Museo del Barrio, Museum of the City of New York, The Jewish Museum, Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum, National Academy Museum and School of Fine Arts, The Guggenheim, Neue Galerie (check out the excellent Otto Dix exhibit!), Goethe-Institut/German Cultural Center, and The Metropolitan Museum of Art.  More info at museummmilefestival.org.  Tuesday, June 8th from 6-9pm.

~Work of Art Premieres - Art-loving couch potatoes rejoice!  Bravo's latest competitive reality show Work of Art premieres on Wednesday.  The show pits 14 aspiring, contemporary artists against each other for the chance to win an exhibition at The Brooklyn Museum, a cash prize, and bragging rights.  Actress/art fan China Chow hosts and judges, alongside NY Mag Art Critic (and Face Booker extraordinaire) Jerry Saltz, and gallery owners Bill Powers and Jeanne Greenberg Rohatyn (Salon 94).  Playing the Tim Gunn/mentor role will be Simon de Pury of Phillips de Pury auction house.  Read more about the show at bravotv.com.  Premieres Wednesday, June 9th.

~The Artist Has Left the Building - This past Monday, Marina Abramovich completed her 700 hour/3 month interactive performance The Artist is Present at MoMA.  To celebrate, Givenchy and the label's Creative Director, Riccardo Tisci, hosted a celeb and model packed party at the museum Tuesday night.  Click on wwd.com and style.com to see pics of the artist looking refreshed and glam in Givenchy.  

~Kehinde's Kicks - New York-based artist Kehinde Wiley has teamed up with PUMA Africa to create a line of footwear and apparel featuring a bomber jacket, hoodies, and t-shirts in West African textile prints that were inspired by his work, The World Stage: Africa Lagos-Dakar.  In honor of the upcoming World Cup, Wiley has also created four portraits featuring three of Africa's top football players.  Read more at tmagazine.blogs.nytimes.com and see the collection at africa.puma.com.

~Darcel Doesn't Disappoint - Check out darceldisappoints.blogspot.com to see the adorable, spectacled cyclops Darcel live "one disappointing moment after another" while covering art and fashion events.  The site's creator, Australian-born, New York-based blogger/artist/animator, Craig Redman recently had a show exhibited at Paris' crazy cool boutique Colette.  Read more about Darcel and Redman at nowness.com.

~Pieter Hugo Pics in Paris - Speaking of Colette, South African photographer Pieter Hugo currently has an exhibit at the Paris shop.  Check it out if you happen to be strolling along Rue Saint-Honore.  Learn more at colette.fr.  Through July 3rd.

~R.I.P. Tobias Wong - And lastly, another sad loss for the art/design world.  Tobias Wong passed away on Sunday at the age of 35.  The witty, provocative, and innovative Wong designed cool, beautiful objects teeming with social commentary.  His dollar bill notepad, sun jar, inverted diamond ring, gold-plated McDonald's coffee stirrer/coke spoon, Warhol print gift wrap, and rubber-coated chandelier were just a few of his notable works.  In 2007, he staged The Wrong Store in Chelsea, a fully stocked and functional shop that was never open.  Read his NYT's obit at nyt.com, read Core 77's tribute to Wong at core77.com, and see a selection of his amazing work at ifitshipitshere.blogspot.com.

The Brothers Quay and Comme des Garcons

Check out Love Magazine's new website to see The Brothers Quay's new short film created for Comme des Garcons' latest fragrance Wonderwood.  CDG founder and Creative Director Rei Kawakubo often collaborates with artists.  Her complex, intellectual, edgy aesthetic and work (in 1998, Comme des Garcons released Odeur 53 which smelled predominantly of burnt rubber!) are a perfect fit for The Brothers Quay's meticulous, dark and moody stop-motion animation. 

Read my post about Dormitorium, an exhibition of films and film decors by The Brothers Quay presented by The New School last summer.  Click here for a post I wrote on Comme des Garcons last September.  And finally, see thelovemagazine.co.uk to watch the 3-minute film.

Rick Owens | Salon 94

Paris-based fashion designer Rick Owens has a devoted cult following of fashion insiders who covet and adore his minimalist, goth, architecturally tailored pieces composed in luxurious fabrics in simple shades of black, white, or grey.  These fervent fans now have something more to lust after in their quest for the edgy Owens aesthetic.  The Southern Californian native showed his first furniture collection in Paris in 2007, and for the first time in the U.S., is currently presenting his furniture designs at Salon 94's Upper East Side gallery. 

The gothically titled Pavane for a Dead Princess was inspired by Maurice Ravel's 1899 composition for solo piano.  Owens has "transform[ed] the gallery into a contemporary sleeping quarter based in part on his own Parisian home" (from show's press release).  As he often does with his clothing designs, Owens has fused "the most basic materials with the most extravagant:  leather and cotton in a biker jacket, for example, or alabaster and plywood in his new bedroom."  Having previously worked with resin, horn, marble, bronze, leather, concrete, and cowhide in his furniture designs, Owens prominently features Spanish alabaster in his new works.  For the low-lying, platform bed, Pavane for a Dead Princess, Owens "cut and assembled this rich, translucent material into a towering, curvilinear headboard."  The result is a massive, stunning, showpiece worthy of any weary princess!  For his smaller yet no less elegant Day Bed, the designer combined wood, bronze, and alabaster to create the chic chaise.  Contrasting the cool, hard, pale alabaster pieces is Tortillon Curtain, a dark, hand-sewn "lush, floor to ceiling sheared mink curtain."

As his fashion collections continuously demonstrate, Pavane for a Dead Princess proves that Owens is the master of creating sleek, slightly edgy statement pieces that are the ultimate in luxury.  Learn more at salon94.com and check out Owens' website at Rickowens.eu.  Through June 25th.

Low Table(s), 2007; Pavane for a Dead Princess, 2010; Lamp(s), 2007

Day Bed, 2010

Lamp(s), 2007

Tortillon Curtain, 2010