Brazilian artist, Vik Muniz is a rarity in the field of visual art. He’s known mostly for his culinary-inspired artworks that completely boggle the brain, and in quite a few instances, stimulate the stomach as well. Some of his most memorable accomplishments include recreating Leonardo Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa and Last Supper out of jelly and chocolate syrup respectively. He has also created other intricate pieces using unusual materials like dust, caviar, wire and soil. This is an artist whose mind operates on a totally unique frequency – to see the genius and scope of his work, pick up his coffee-table book: Reflex - A Vik Muniz Primer – you won’t be disappointed. www.vikmuniz.net
Tomaselli’s work takes the viewer into a space where alternate realities and parallel universes collide. The California artist is well-established for creating mesmerizing backdrops and images using a mélange of medicinal herbs, cut-outs from books and magazines, hallucinogenic plants etc – and the finished product is always something outer-worldly. Tomaselli art has been used in album covers by artists like Laura Cantrell and The Magnetic Fields. His work was also shown in an art book put out by the band Wilco.
If you’re looking for a shock and awe artist, it would be hard to find someone that tops the bold work of Marc Quinn. Take his Self project for example – for this sanguinary project, he froze several pints of his own blood, collecting it over a period of 5 months, and then used the blood to sculpt a replica of his own head. He is also famous for a recent work released in 2008 of model Kate Moss cast in solid gold sitting in a contorted Yoga position. Allison sculpture/ Some other interesting tidbits, he was once a roommate of Damien Hirst, and he’s also part of YBA (Young British Artist) collective that has other deliciously twisted minds like Chris Ofili. We guess it’s true – you’re truly a product of the company you keep.
Ryan McGinness is often referred to as the “Andy Warhol for the 21st Century” and not just because he once worked at the Warhol museum in Pittsburgh as a curatorial assistant. His colorful sculptures and paintings often involve common elements, logos, icons and themes from everyday life which are then converted into visual gems that are nothing short of extraordinary. His “Aesthetic Comfort” series (circa 2008) made use of bright acrylic painting displayed under spectacular black lighting (shown above) and his current work in progress, “Most of the Time Most People Do What Most People Do Most of the Time” uses multiple panels of bold geometric shapes and stencil like silhouettes to create stunning visual facades. It’s a hard thing in art to master simple complexities, and McGinness is a true wizard in that respect. www.ryanmcginness.com
Much of Gordon’s work deals with distortions of timelines, memories and the exploration of repetition. One of his prominent pieces of work is a project he created called 24 Hour Psycho. In this video experiment, he slowed down Hitchcock’s famous movie so the running time was extended from 128 minutes to a 24-hour long film. In another exhibition he did in 2002 entitled 100 Blind Stars, he explored the concept of cult celebrity by obtaining publicity stills of ‘40s and ‘50s stars like Bette Davis and Carey Grant, cutting their eyes out and replacing them with mirrored surfaces and black/white paper. It’s introspective work that forces the observer to not just look, but also indulge in deeper thought. Some art is meant for escapism – Gordon’s work on the other hand induces one to look within.
Marilyn Minter embedded herself in the NYC night life of the late '70s and early '80s, and spent a short stinit teaching at a NYC Catholic school in '85 -- an interesting contrast to her provocative body of work. She's mostly known for a series of works she released in '89 based on imagery from hardcore pornography and a later series consisting of close-ups of the eyes, feet and lips of highly-glamorized and styled fashion models. Her work always pushes the envelope and she’s never afraid to explore the outer-limits of sexuality. She is currently being featured as one of three artists who were chosen to visualize M.A.C.'s new limited fall 2009 cosmetics collection.
At first glance, Tom Sachs' exhibitions look like a whirlwind combination of art and photography. Cameras being a recurrent theme in Sachs' work, a distinct perspective on the world appears to be what Sachs sees. He is obsessed with the consumerist nature of our society, constantly grappling with ways to manifest them in unexpected ways. A naive Hello Kitty donning Nike apparel is only the beginning of how deep into the subliminal psyche Sachs is willing to go. The essence of his art is taking simple objects and themes in our lives that are corrupted or enhanced by the inevitability of the brand name. Taking the normal and making it abnormal has always been part of the art world, but this pop icon is taking that concept and magnified it to the nth degree. Who else would construct something as harrowing as a Guillotine and brand it with a Chanel logo? This sensibility of contrast in Sachs’ work is his artistic trademark.
The tandem paintings of Daryoush Asgar and Elisabeth Gabriel make for astonishing, visual spectacles. They burst with color, energy and lust and seem to cover so many topics and facets – some of them absolutely random, and others that seem to be connected by some intangible, sexually-driven trajectory. You’ll see it all in their work – hot bods, thought-provoking verbiage, mind-tripping land and sky scapes, pop culture references – all rendered in ultra-bright hues that absolutely sear the retina. But most of all, in the simplest of terms, their paintings are absolutely beautiful.
Over the past 30 years, Christian Marclay has explored the fusion of fine art and audio cultures, transforming sounds and music into a visible, physical form through performance, collage, sculpture, installation, photography and video. His works simultaneously take the viewer’s mind and senses in multiple directions creating an exhilarating and unexpected artistic experience.
A Betsey Johnson fashion show is always an adventure into the unknown - you never know what she’s going to throw at you. She might decide to go with some outrageous Japanese Harajuku theme, or send out colorful tutu skirts in bright floral prints--she might even go Parisienne ballroom (with a twist) and send out sexy corsets with matching boas and dainty face veils. For over three decades, she’s been showcasing her bold, wild and carefree outlook on style to her loving admirers -- no one could ever accuse her of being a “boring, one-note” designer. Even though she’s well into her sixties, she still does her signature cartwheel at the end of all her shows – and that’s the kind of whimsical fanfare the sometimes stodgy fashion world sometimes requires. www.betseyjohnson.com
The Missoni brand is famous for using a kaleidoscopic array of Technicolor fabrics and patterns to create inimitable pieces that cross the divide from fashion into the realm of wearable art. The house also has a home furnishings line that incorporates the same type of psychotropic energy. You won’t find any dull or bleak monochromatic palettes at a Missoni runway show. I mean, really, isn’t reality dark enough already?
The LA-based label Odyn Vovk is the brainchild of Austin Sherbanenko, a designer that’s not afraid to shun the norm in favor of creating designs that make retail buyers scratch their coiffed hairdos in utter disbelief. His designs reflect an edgy rock aesthetic which is influenced by hardcore punk music and Eastern European black metal. The name Odyn Vovk itself means “one wolf” in Ukrainian, and it applies quite nicely to the bold and raw designs coming from Sherbanenko’s collection. “I've heard that designers are toning their stuff down, going not as detailed, less intricate, less zippers, whatever the case is,” Sherbanenko told Style.com. “But definitely not from me. Dude, whatever, let's just do it anyway. Fuck it. Who cares?" Our sentiments exactly.
If you’re looking for ball gowns and flowing Parisian dresses to wear to prestigious award shows, then Mr. Jeremy Scott is not the designer you’re looking for. But in the same way, Warhol took elements of pop culture and turned them into objects of desire, Jeremy Scott follows a similar aesthetic and makes you take a second look at things you’ve often glazed over in day to day life. Some prime cases in point – taking a pair of innocuous Angel wings and throwing them on a pair of Adidas sneakers to create an instant collectible piece – or taking a pair of Mickey Mouse ears and throwing them on an army helmet to create an unforgettable piece of wearable art. It’s no wonder that his Spring and Summer collections are anticipated and applauded by fashionistas and art-heads alike. Mr. Scott is a rare talent with a beautiful and sometimes twisted mind. www.jeremyscott.com
Gareth Pugh is an uber-talented 27-yr-old British Designer whose runway shows take the route of performance art rather than a platform for showing fashion that’s actually wearable. One of his signature styles is using bubble-type structures to accentuate the effects of limbs and joints in his designs. Due to the outrageous nature of his pieces, his work has been embraced by progressive ‘zines like Dazed & Confused and V Magazine. Other boundary-pushing musical artists like Lady Gaga and Roisin Murphy have supported Pugh’s designs, but still, his distorted, alien-like manipulations are a hard sell. So it’s still indefinite as to whether this esoteric talent will tone down his creations to the point where reasonably adventurous fashionistas can actually wear his work.
Alexander McQueen has often been called the rebel or “enfant terrible” of British Fashion. What else can one expect from a fashion designer who decided to label one of his collections “Highland Rape”? But even with all the controversy, one can’t deny the talent and pedigree of McQueen – he’s served as creative director of Givenchy and he’s led his own successful line since the mid ‘90s. His ultra-sexy lines McQueen & the edgier, younger McQ along with his sprawling accessory business (shoes, leather goods, jewelry etc) continue to make him a designer that women turn to when sexiness is just not enough and a certain level of fierceness is required.
Already an international fashion icon, Anna Sui is known for the impeccable versatility and originality within her work. From one season to the next -- from shoes to lingerie, -- the spark never dwindles. Music, predominately rock n' roll, helped inspire the insane brilliance of Sui's work, This is seen in the contrasting hard edge and feminine themes so often apparent in her collections. In her fragrances, as with her clothes, and everything she does, there's always a choice for the individual to make – a certain ambiguity that needs to be explored. Making people wonder is part of what gives her collections their timeless charm, and so from her mystery births her success secret: let the imagination run and never give something beautiful a stereotypical label.
Viktor & Rolf is a Dutch luxury brand created in 1993 by Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren. They are known for their counter-intuitive, no-holds-barred, avant-garde approach to fashion. Even after achieving international recognition, they have consistently refused to move their headquarters to one of the more established European fashion meccas like Paris or Milan (they are based at home in the Netherlands.) They are mostly revered for their atypical fashion shows – some of which feature elaborate video installments and performances by other like-minded aesthetes like Tilda Swinton and Rufus Wainwright. It’s amazing how two individual and exemplary fashion minds operate with so much synergy – they even look alike, but therein lies the genius of their collaborative cohesion.
The luxury brand, Comme des Garcons founded by Japanese designer Rei Kawakubo is a fashion house THAT takes pride in consistently going against the grain. It’s been around since 1973, but every new collection they unveil remains on the cutting edge of avant-garde style and fashion experimentation. A single Comme des Garcons shirt could feature separate panels of stripes, polka dots and even photograph prints – and somehow it all works. The line is also known for its organic pop-up shops and out-the-box collaborations with fringe visual artists and design houses. It’s this willingness to try new things and “mix & meld” that keeps CdG clothes forever fresh and new.
You can’t really call yourself a full-fledged Hot Chip fan without really experiencing their live show. Granted, listening to any of their four studio CDs (Coming on Strong, The Warning, Made In The Dark, an the newest release One Life Stand) add a whole lot to any lazy afternoon, but at a Hot Chip event, these five electro-pop lads turn into a completely different animal. The band’s five members are all talented DJs, so original compositions of their album songs take on completely new lives and they’ve been known to do covers of everyone from grime MC, Wiley all the way to his purple highness, Prince. So if you’re the kind of music aficionado that loves a band to dig deeper and pull out some great surprises, you definitely need to get a little Hot Chip in your life. Check out Hot Chip's video of their recently released song "One Life Stand" here. www.hotchip.co.uk
The Phenomenal Handclap Band is a NYC collective consisting of about 8 members, and suffice it to say, they make music that fits the grandiosity of their moniker. Their sound is a mind-altering collage of vintage soul, disco riffs, textured instrumentation and sweeping falsetto vocals. It’s music that instantly evokes a Utopist mind-state and a heightened level of consciousness. Crawling into a Phenomenal Handclap Band song for an afternoon nap, if that was possible, would probably be the most tranquil and enlightening experience ever. Read vocalist Joan Tick's back room narrative on Yoko Ono here. And check out the band's new video for "Baby" directed by Stephen Agnew.
To know Peaches is to love Peaches – unless you’re a person that doesn’t revel in those fringe individuals who aim to push the envelope with any chance they get. Just checking out the names of her last three albums (2003-Father Fucker, 2006 – Impeach My Bush, 2009 – I Feel Cream), you can quickly surmise that with her, it’s either full-tilt or nothing at all. Peaches raw electro-clash sounds can liven up even the dullest party, and her live shows tend to be lascivious, full-on, musical assaults. So whenever she hits your town, make it a point to get a choice position in the front row, and watch the chaos unfurl.
Andy Warhol is famously quoted as saying “In the future, everyone will be world famous for 15 minutes.”With regards to Lady Gaga, she’s certainly looking to push that quarter-hour into a whole lifetime of notoriety and outlandishness. Her music is catchy and her performances are obviously intentionally laced with shock value antics, but like Warhol, Lady Gaga must be applauded for really mastering the art of twisting media attention and staying in the news. Her outrageous fashion outfits (curated exclusively by her “House of Gaga” crew of stylists, designers and milliners) consistently prove that underneath all the hype, the imperial Ms. Gaga knows exactly what she’s doing. In this token alone, one has to admit that she’s more like Warhol than most would care to admit. www.ladygaga.com
Bat for Lashes (AKA Natasha Khan), an experimental British singer whose rare sound and presentation has been compared to other progressive risk-takers like Bjork, Radiohead, PJ Harvey and Tori Amos. Her newest album Two Suns deals with distortion in reality and blurring of contrasting life themes. Khan herself describes it as an album “examining the need for both chaos and balance” and on it, she even assumes another alter ego called Pearl. To hear Bat For Lashes at her weirdest and most experimental, download the track “Wilderness” which features huge gobs of white noise and thick slabs of distorted, reverb locals. This track is not for the faint of heart, but there are other songs on it like “Daniel” that are more melodic and soothing to the soul.
Ida Maria is a 25-yr-old Norwegian spitfire whose music is a frothy mix of punk, smoky garage rock, melodramatic folk influences and edgy forays into singer-songwriting territory. Her look is innovative, her style is unabashedly individual, her lyrics are relentless and provocative, and her formidable voice demands no less than the listener’s full attention. On her Myspace page, her self-bequeathed title is “Queen of the World” and after fully imbibing her musical aura, you’ll find yourself agreeing that it’s indeed a fitting tag. To take your own trip into Ida Maria’s world, download two of the strongest cuts “Stella” and “Oh My God,” from her debut LP Fortress Round My Heart, and you’ll see exactly what we mean. http://www.myspace.com/idamaria.
Wayne Coyne has always had a rather imaginative take on music. Often considered psychedelic or experimental (Clouds Taste Metallic, Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots,), The Flaming Lips blur the lines between fantasy and reality, in their live shows (animal costumes, puppets, intense lighting) and in the dynamics of their music. This creativity is birthed not from drugs, but rather from frontman Coyne's appreciation of his senses and originality. Despite fantastical tendencies, his lyrics remain brutally honest and sensible, with a seemingly paradoxical existentialist attitude. This strange balance of absurdity and sensibility is what makes Coyne so human. The sensibility assures his sanity, while the surrealist side represents an ambitious craving for shock value and a tendency to make people think. If he can portray betrayal, amour, and mortality through pink robots, the rest of us have a lot of catching up to do.
Discovery is a collab-project by Ra Riot's Wes Miles and Vampire Weekend's Rostam Batmanglij. The two musicians go by the name Discovery and the fruits of their labor are immensely enjoyable sonic journeys into dancefloor-ready electro-pop that works equally well as engrossing headphone-fodder. They currently have an EP slated for release later this summer, but for now you can take a trip to their MySpace page to sample two of the winning cuts from the forthcoming EP, “Orange Shirt” and “Osaka Loop Line” – audio satisfaction definitely guaranteed.
Gregg Michael better known as Girl Talk is the leader of the pack when it comes to sonic mash-ups. Who else can mix-up Ace of Bass, Kanye West and Radiohead to make party goers want to dance till they drop dead from exhaustion? His alias “Girl Talk” as he himself states is a “reference to different products, magazines, books etc – it’s a reference to pop-culture” - and this is the exact feeling you get when listening to any of his records. Pick up his latest album “Feed the Animals” released last year on Illegal Arts records to hear this madcap, mixing genius at work.
