Art is Sacred

 

 

Interview by: Gabriel Ruas Santos-Rocha

As the Tunisian youth rebelled against the system to fight for their rights and reclaim their country, one of their most beautiful and recognizable young faces was about to step into a public whirlwind of her own. Kenza Fourati would become the first Arab model to ever be featured in the best selling Sport’s Illustrated Swimsuit Issue. The significance was immediately established by the magazine, which added a political quote to Kenza’s introductory page. The response from the media around the world, and especially from her own country, was immediate. In the process, Kenza was to become one of the faces of that young revolution.

Already an active participant in her country’s political struggles, Kenza now had enough influence with the media to spread the word and make more room for Tunisian issues across the planet. Very bold and outspoken, the model was never discouraged by her critics, who often created negative facebook groups or used Internet forums that spoke out against her and her message. Kenza’s goal was clear - the model was going to use her success and public persona to benefit her country and raise awareness to what it has to offer the world, and to bring attention to the arts and fashion.

While working relentlessly on putting together her fashion line called By Kenz, (which will be launched in Tunisia during Tunis Fashion Week in 2013) the model discovered other ways to connect the dots and kill two birds with one stone. With a degree in French literature from Sorbonne as well as lengthy studies in filmmaking, Kenza has a lot more to share with the world than just her looks.

Gabriel Ruas Santos-Rocha: What lead you to the idea of bringing Tunisian artists to America?
Kenza Fourati: Pride probably. No one ever talks about my tiny country. Yet it is shaking the face of the world. And I’m not talking only about the Arab spring. When I walked around the Occupy Wall Street movements I noticed several slogans inspired by the Tunisian uprising. After revoking censorship, when the word became suddenly free, creativity erupted. New York is the conjuncture for artists. I have the duty to help building the bridge and exposing both of my worlds.

How do you expect to start bridging the gap between the East and the West?
The strongest weapon ever created is the Internet. There is no real geography anymore, just cultures to share. So I decided to launch a fashion blog this month that will also promote art and culture here and there.

How do you think Tunisia can benefit from the work you’re doing?
Tunisia is at an edge, it’s sculpting its destiny, its history; with the fundamentalists trying to establish dogmas everywhere. I want to expose people to new cultures, photography, etc.

Who are some of the artists who inspired you to start this work?
There are so many, but recently I met this young Graffiti artist called MeenOne, who is truly fascinating. First by the way he looks; he has dreadlocks. In Tunisia it is really rare to allow yourself to look “marginal”. People aren’t used to it and you are confronted constantly with harsh comments. Authorities will arrest you for questioning and so on. The irony is that it used to be people with long beards who looked suspicious. Then there is also the fact that he (MeenOne) grew up in a poor region of the country ruled by the extremists. Actually, his brother is a Salafist (Jihadist movement). MeenOne used to tag all over the country wearing a mask and after the revolution he showed his face, then he showed his work in an exhibit last June. The exhibit was considered an insult to the sacred. Some fundamentalists called for his death and it was his Salafist brother and the neighborhood he grew up in that ended up protecting him. I didn’t know him personally at that time, but I was stunned by what happened. For me, freedom is sacred above everything, and so is art. So, I started looking for an artist to work on an “Art is Sacred” theme for my website and my clothing line and came across MeenOne, and I found him to be extremely talented. I had no idea he was involved in the exhibit scandal at the time. I had already become obsessed with Graffiti when I went to Rio de Janeiro in Brazil and discovered Pamela Castro’s work.

And how will you bring that work over to the west?
First through my online platform, and later on I hope to bring it to another level and allow some awesome art to be physically shown here.

How involved were you during the Tunisian revolution?
When the turmoil intensified I asked my family for their permission to start publishing articles and videos connected to the subject and they allowed me to do it. They really are the brave ones because the danger was really for them. I got even more involved when my friend, who is an activist, got arrested and disappeared. His wife reached out to me and it was right at the beginning, on January 6th, 2011. I decided to stop everything that I was doing and only focus on the history that was being made in my country.

What about the revolution made you happy?
I felt infinitely proud. But I felt a kind of pride I had never felt before. Pride is a very individualist feeling, but back then it was a completely selfless collectively shared feeling of pride. I am quite moved and amazed by it. This revolution belongs to all of us. We are the revolution.

Were you ever afraid of any negative religious or political backlash due to your participation in these movements?
At the time, yes I was afraid of the political backlash my family could suffer. There was no question of religion at the time, but that problem came later and is actually very current today.

What do you still expect to see happening for your country?
Democracy is still unfolding. We are navigating through what is accepted and what is not, and having fundamentalists in power doesn’t help.

Do you feel that being a model was or still could be a problem for you in your country?
Yes, it sure is now, but it never used to be. I am extremely controversial in the country as its been getting more and more conservative.

Is there anything you think you would do differently in your career?
Last year I shot a cover for a magazine wearing a bikini and my body was covered by a Victor Hugo poem. I loved the idea and the poem preaching love and tolerance, but the magazine edited it in an aggressively provocative way and it delivered the wrong message. So yes, that would be the only thing I would do differently. I was too naive back then.

How about your clothing line? What are the links with Tunisia there?
First of all I am manufacturing my entire collection locally. People may not know that, but many of the great fashion houses like Giorgio Armani and Zadig & Voltaire make their products in Tunisia. So I will be using those same factories. The quality of my product is very important and my main concern. I will also be launching my first collection during Tunis Fashion Week in April of 2013.

Originally published on VAGA magazine.

A Love Affair in Tiffany Blue

I have once again interviewed the artist Danny Roberts. This time we talked about his collaboration with the iconic jewelry brand Tiffany & Co. Have a look at the original after the jump or below.

Tiffany & Co.'s Love Affair with Art

When Tiffany & Co. decided to settle in a new location in the heart of SoHo, they also came with a set of fresh ideas, in a concept that attracts attention to their upcoming store without advertising it, in low key and elegant manner, like the brand itself. Tiffany commissioned  four artists to paint their massive store front on 97 Greene street: Danielle Dimston, Ellis Gallagher, Danny Roberts and Natasha Law; each creating something in their own vision and style. The first three artists showed between July 16th and August 17th; and Natasha Law, is showing between August 18th and 27th. On Fashion’s Night Out the artists  will mix with the usual hurly-burly of fashion when videos and photos of all of the artistic productions will be displayed at the store.

The only requirement for the artists was that they showed their interpretation of what love is and that the iconic color “Tiffany Blue” should be incorporated in their work. Love is not a theme that is foreign to the company, which is probably the brand that is more associated with romance than any other in its field.  As for the color requirement; well, ask any woman how they’d feel if they got a box in Tiffany Blue as a gift and there will be your answer. For the moment though, see what Danny Roberts has to say about his collaboration.

How did you come up with the concept for this mural?

Since the theme of Love is an essential part of the Tiffany and Co. brand, they wanted the theme to be my interpretation of love. My first thought was of a guy and a girl in love, and the girl wearing a dress in Tiffany Blue. From there, the picture began to center around things I love. Since I love painting, couture and high fashion collections, I thought to incorporate that into the composition. The guys clothes were inspired by 1837 which was the year Tiffany's was founded. Also, I love castles and old architecture, so I decided to set the picture in a palace.  

Were you nervous about producing something in such a large scale?

Yes, definitely, but it's something that I am a little used to. Whenever I try something different, there is a nervous excitement that comes with it, but it's a feeling I actually love.

Are any of the characters in your painting inspired by people in your life?

Yes, not all of them, but a few. The guys, for the most part, were referenced off of me, just because it was the most convenient. Some of the girls were inspired by Lily Cole, Ali Michael, and Sophie and Gemma Ward. I chose them because they are girls I am used to drawing, and I really enjoy drawing them.

Anything curious happened while you were working on it?

Not really, except that the brand had asked me to sign my name in the mural in the back of the store, where the two other artists had already signed too and the whole wall was tagged by graffiti artists, so I had to climb all the way to the top to sign. I think they saw Ellis’s signature (which resembles a tag) and felt inspired. (laughs)

You can also follow Danny Roberts and Igor & Andre on Twitter.

Dreaming Awake

Danny Roberts is a a very inspiring young man. At the age of 13 he was already creating his own t-shirt line and by the time he was 23 he was already making collaborations with brands like Lancome and Harajuku Lovers. Not many with twice his age have.

I was fortunate enough to interview him for Look Books and you can read the result right HERE.

Enjoy,
x

Dreaming Awake: An Interview with Danny Roberts

Hailed by magazines like Elle, Teen Vogue, Vogue Italia and Vogue Spain as "the one to watch" in fashion illustration, Danny Roberts is very humble about his accomplishments. To him, being recognized by something he does purely out of love is surreal and a blessing, but to the fashion world, it is seen as well deserved.

A talented artist from a very young age, Danny always had an interest for fashion and art, which he put to use for a small line of t-shirts he created when he was only thirteen. The t-shirt line continued to exist for another seven years, paralleled with Danny's incursion in fashion design school and his production of drawings and paintings that were inspired by his favorite muses: the models in the fashion campaigns and magazines.

Fueled by the likes of Gemma Ward, Ali Michael, Tanya D. and Polina Kuklina, the artist produced hundreds of portraits which were then sent by him to his subjects as a way of thanking them for the inspiration. By word of mouth his work spread through the internet via his blog Igor and Andre and became a sensation. Collaborations with designers like Rachel Antonoff and brands like Lancome, Forever 21 and Harajuku Lovers (owned by the pop star Gwen Stefani) have been added to the long list of accomplishments that this young man has accumulated. 

Here, Danny Roberts shares with us his thoughts on art, the future in fashion and the things that make his life more like a dream.

Your work is very romantic and ethereal; would you say that your inspiration comes from a "dream world" or perhaps a vision of what you would like things to be like?

Yes, my inspiration comes most definitely from places outside of this world, or by images or models that look other worldly. I've always been a bit of a dreamer, and as far as I can remember, throughout the days I daydream about the imaginary world. I am really drawn to images or pictures, and I try to create images that remind me of that world.

In your work I see a little bit of Francesco Clemente, as well as Egon Schiele. Are you familiar with their work?

I am not familiar with Francesco Clemente, but I am familiar with Egon Schiele's work. I actually first found out about Schiele in my first drawing class at The Academy of Art. It was a figure drawing class and my teacher told me she thought my drawing looked like his. So I looked him up that night and fell in love with his work, I am a big fan.

Your work as an artist has brought you closer to an industry which you admittedly admire and want to be a bigger part of. Was that your intention when you started drawing and painting?

No, actually I went to school for fashion design, and I was planning on being a fashion designer. It just so happened that my first few classes were fashion illustration, and my teachers told me that I should pursue Fashion Art & Illustration for a career, so I took their advice figuring I could always do fashion design at a later time.

How was your reaction when you were approached by Harajuku Lovers for a collaboration?

I remember it was early in the morning when I read the email, and I read it over like three or four times before it sunk in that Gwen Stefani had seen my artwork before. Then I spent the rest of the day with a big childish grin on my face. It was an awesome feeling.

What do you consider to be your most significant collaboration thus far?

The cover for The Sunday Times Magazine from London was definitely the most special collaboration. It was the biggest honor to have my tribute portrait of Alexander McQueen in the cover of a magazine in his home town. He was by far my favorite fashion designer.

Do you see fashion as a form of art?

Yes, most definitely, because it takes imagination to design fashion.

How do you see the future of the fashion industry with so many technological advances?

I think the technological advances are going to make the fashion industry more open to its consumers. Already, I've seen a few brands launching ways for their customers to customize their clothes to fit the individual. I also feel new technological advances will allow a next level of access and interaction with every area of the industry.

Vogue Italia on-line said "One may get lost in wonder observing as He proceeds to give shape to his illustrations - and I believe artist Danny Roberts is perfectly aware of that, considering the countless videos on YouTube showing the artist in the act of painting." - now, are you aware of that? And how did the idea for the videos come to be?

(laughing) Well, the whole idea of time-lapse videos of me drawing came to me one day when I was thinking that if my favorite artists were alive today, what would I like to see more than anything from them? I thought it would be amazing to see them painting and drawing, and it would be great to see their process from start to finish. So I thought it could be something that my blog readers would enjoy.

What is your ultimate dream as an artist?

To be able to create the things I dream of without any limitation.

Follow Danny Roberts on twitter at @danny_roberts

You can also follow his blog, Igor and Andre at @igorandandre

The Horse as a Muse

In my comings and goings in the fashion industry I meet many interesting people, and Nick Turner is one of them. He is a photographer, a painter and an illustrator with a passion for horses, women and the nature.

Rather young but with a truly moving body of work, Nick never ceases to amaze me.

Have a read at THIS interview I did with him for Look Books.
:)

Nick Turner, His Horses and His Muses

Born in a family where the matriarch was an artist and in which both parents also had the artistic vein, Nick Turner was surrounded by art and artistic expression, these are the things that make him who is is today. Born in Boston, Nick grew up in Maine and was home schooled until the age of fifteen. His next adventure was to be in France to continue his studies, where he remained until he concluded his Baccalaureate at the International School of Toulouse.

Nick was fortunate enough to be accepted into Parsons Paris campus  so he packed his bags and moved to the city of lights. During his attendance at Parsons, Nick developed a long and debilitating depression and found solace in his art work. It was at that time that he came to meet the photographer Francois Rousseau, who was then working on the book called “Atelier”, inspired by Patrick Grainville’s novel “L’Atelier du Peintre”. Rousseau cast Nick as one of the main characters in this photography book, playing the role of the tortured artist, which was a natural fit for Turner. Rousseau and Nick developed a great friendship/mentorship that made Nick realize that art was a passion that should be seriously pursued.

Shortly after that, Nick moved to New York to conclude his studies at Parsons. Arriving in the Big Apple was a shock, Nick had never set foot in the city and was impressed by its speed, with cars, lights, people and noises coming from all sides, he recalls “walking in the shadow of so many tall buildings and places only seen in films”; his life felt like a movie.

In New York Nick’s work took flight and and caught the attention of the right people. Nick started shooting models in the style he likes best, raw, natural and most of the time, surrounded by nature. In constant development, his work continues to move and attract the eyes of the most influential people in the city, like the Clic Gallery, who currently holds some of Nicks photographs in their Manhattan and East Hampton locations.

Mr. Turner is currently working on his second solo exhibition and his first book project, all raw and natural, as he likes best. Here the artist shares a little more about his passion.

Who are some of the artists that influence your work and why?

I grew up around artists, my grandmother was a painter and I spent a lot of time watching her work, as I'm getting older I can definitely feel her presence in the way I’m working or thinking. Of course there are some of the more well known artists I really love, Jenny Saville is by far one of my favorite painters, I recently saw some of her work at the Gagosian Gallery in NYC and was blown away by seeing her portraits in real life. I also am very inspired by Peter Lindbergh’s photographs. Its more real to me, often very documentary feeling and I love that. I also really admire Russell James and how he shoots women, think there’s something so clean and elegant about his photographs.

I see in your work a very intimate and loving relationship with horses; why horses?

Yes, well, I grew up riding horses in shows in Maine. I have always been very calm around horses and share similar instincts with them. Things affect me very much from people or situations I’m around; horses are very sensitive creatures and sense other people which is what they react to, I feel connected to them. When younger I would ride in a saddle and be very appropriately dressed for riding. I now ride bareback most of the time, to me theres nothing more inspiring then the feeling of the power of a horse beneath you and feeling every movement it makes when on its back. They also symbolize something I am searching for in other aspects of life as well, purity, truth power and beauty all combined. Theres a quote by Winston Churchill that always makes me smile when I say it in my head because it feels so true to me: "there’s something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man". 

What is the relationship between the women you portray and the horses? 

I think us humans are not as evolved as we like to think we are, we are still animals by nature. I think women and horses share the same attributes, beauty and strength, power and sensitivity. I am constantly looking for that when I am shooting women and horses, even as separate subjects. I want to portray them in a certain light. Finding the connection between the horse and woman together has been driving me for a while in my head. I think its hard to explain in words sometimes the emotions I am seeking in the images I am striving to shoot.

You seem to be most comfortable with painting and photography - are there other forms of art that interest you?

Indeed there are,I actually was educated in drawing and painting, photography just happened naturally over the last few years. Film is what I really would like to do. Short films at first but down the road I would like to work on much larger projects. When I am working especially on location I always see things in a very cinematic way, not just one still photo. 

You have set sail to secluded beaches in Iceland and Scotland, what made you chose these places?

I am always drawn to desolate, raw, empty spaces, the energy there is always so peaceful and inspiring, I feel alive in locations like that, to see and feel nature in a "real" untouched fashion, without much social interference. The environment I think is very important and I think even when looking at it from a "beauty" or "fashion" perspective, the savage, natural or raw beauty in humans or nature is always the most powerful and inspiring to me as an artist and a man. Nature has already created so much beauty on its own.  In the ocean, the black beaches in Iceland, mountains and volcanos, you can feel the power of beauty in these locations not just see it, thats very important to what I want to portray in art. I think depth in art is important, beauty should be limitless and fearless. I tend to get very claustrophobic in studios and in cities if i stay for too long. 

What is it that you look for when you are shooting your models?

Sincerity, honest and real moments, I try to keep things as natural as possible not too much crazy posing or models trying to be models. I really am interested in shooting the real women. I get frustrated easily sometimes when shooting if I feel the subject isn't being completely open to me or trusting me. I feel what the subject feels through the lens and it is very important to have some kind of honest connection between the subject and photographer. I like to work very organically and let the shoot naturally evolve. I think shooting is very similar to painting, it’s a process that isn't something forced or else it tends not to work. 

If there was one woman you could work with as a subject of your photography and painting, who would it be?

Lara Stone, her face and body are the most animalistic I think of any women I have seen. Especially with the project I am working on about horses and women portraying this strong and very raw beauty I think she inspires me the most.

What is your biggest dream as an artist?

I really just want to be able to create the images and projects I have in my head. To have freedom to make the work you are inspired to make and hopefully touch people on an emotional level, thats really the best thing I think.

Do you think there are limits to our dreams?

Absolutely not, only the ones you set for yourself but I do think there is a lot of patience to be developed if you really want to achieve your dreams, thats something I am learning very slowly myself, patience and learning from each experience to make the next one better and more productive. Constant improvement and change, I always think things can be better or I could have done a better job shooting. Theres a consistent need to be better and that seems to push my dreams further and further past the previous "limits" or  images I had envisioned.  

Visit Nick Turner's website to see more and follow him on twitter: @nickodt

Smart Magna has also reposted this same interview, and you can find it HERE.

Warm Winds

The Armory Show is on and kicks off another art marathon that will populate New York with several gallery and museum openings from here on. Last night wasn't an exception and Hauser & Wirth took the opportunity to show new work by the celebrated Delhi-based artist Bharti Kher. The show is riveting and you can read my impressions in THIS article on Look Books.

Enjoy.

The Warm Winds of Art on a Cold New York Night

In an evening when the art world had its eye looking to the Armory's Gala Benefit; Hauser & Wirth Gallery managed to attract a very selective crowd to the opening of Bharti Kher's exhibition entitled "The Hot Winds that Blow from the West" where five new pieces by the admired London-born, Delhi-based artist are now in view.

Welcomed by "A View of the Forest" a beautiful multi green-toned piece composed by Kher's now famous bindis, we are ushered through the hallway to meet "A line through space and time"; a staircase in an empty room that leads up to nowhere, a remarkable piece of work covered by sperm-shaped bindis and that could be an invitation to a more fertile time in life, or perhaps the opposite, we wonder. The bindis, more than a fashion accessory in the Indian culture and constantly present in Kher's work since 1995 are as she explains "meant to represent a third eye - one that forges a link between the real and the spiritual-conceptual worlds."

The heavy weight radiator-composed piece in the back room gives name to the exhibition and could probably benefit from a larger space, but it is an astonishing work of art none the less. For this piece the artist sourced 131 radiators from the United States, the west, over the course of six years and shipped them to India, the east, where it was assembled.

The title of this work references The Loo, a fiercely hot and occasionally fatal summer afternoon wind that blows across North India and Pakistan. "We think of winds as harbinger of change, carrying voices of transformation", Kher has said. "From where I sit, the winds blowing nowadays from the west - from the places that were the seats of power and authority throughout the 20th century - are no longer as strong or reliable as they were." Traveling east these radiators, symbol of domestic comfort in the west, lost its purpose and the artist continues to offer explanation; "I suppose I am sending them back to the West as messenger and, perhaps, warnings. Other voices are changing the landscape now and political uncertainties have put the world in flux.".

On the second floor however comes the most brilliant and breathtaking piece, shown last spring at the Centre Pompidou in Paris, "Reveal the secrets that you seek" throws us in a room of wonders composed by 27 shattered mirrors covered by bindis, this entire room feels warm and inviting, and the broken mirrors, which to general belief would symbolize bad luck, in this case are binded by the bindis that call out just the opposite and show us that even when shattered to pieces it is possible to find beauty and reconciliation.

The last piece, "The messenger", shines on it's own, in a striking yoga position, balanced by it's own weight, as a yogi would, this fiber glass sculpture is described by Kher as "an urban witch, a woman of both mythology and everyday life, a hybrid" and the effect is haunting. This sculpture is the most recent in a series of figurative works in which Kher has presented hybrid beings that conjoin contradictions of gender, species, race and role. For this work the artist has drawn upon the attributes of the Hindu goddess Dakini, who is considered the manifestation of energy in female form, which in this case is also partly animal.

An astonishing accomplishment for Hauser & Wirth, this show is overall a breathtaking display of Bharti Kher's brilliance.

Manifesto of the Broken-Hearted

"How come you never go there? How come i'm so alone there?" - with those words Leslie Feist kicks of her latest single, recently released as a part of the album "Metals" - another beautifully crafted work of art by the Canadian musician who has brought us so much joy and heart-break before, and it is in the heart break that i want to focus here, because it is so easy for us to take it for granted.

You see, a heart break can be a beautiful thing, a weapon of mass construction, it can build songs, paintings, installations, books, journeys and even careers. It is not by chance that we are put to test like that, it is not by chance that we are compelled to feel our heart ache so much that it feels like we don't want to feel anything at all. Just like we need to fall, in order to learn to get back up, maybe it's getting our hearts broken that will teach us how to master the art of falling in love and dealing with every heart break, minor or major.

It is so easy for us to feel like the other one is at fault, or that we did it all wrong, and then to turn ourselves in martyrs; but why, i ask? Why should we put ourselves through so much pain and misery? It is ok to feel the pain, but living through it is the best part, let's look at it from another angle, maybe this pain that comes from a heart-break is like a rare delicacy, it's like that flower that blossoms only once in every few years, and we need to enjoy it as much as we can instead of trying to smash it down, for there is beauty even in the ugly; didn't someone once say that "the beauty is in the eye of the beholder"?

Well, what i would like to propose here is an exercise, it's a new way to look at our pain, whatever that is and wherever it comes from, and to turn it into something beautiful; like songwriters compose songs that sweep our hearts away, we can transform our pain in something that will make us happy. Through our pain we may discover a new passion, we may find a new friend, we may come to terms with older issues that were put to the side, because a heart break puts us in a place of fear and unease, it also puts us in anger and frustration, and those are all feelings that are great fuel in life, especially for our creativity.

So lets look at our heart break and gracefully learn from it, let's look at what we did that could have gone wrong and at the end did. We are only human, we are not in control of life, we can't decide how other people think, feel or react, we can't control other people's actions and emotions, so what we are left with is our own stuff to deal with. Let's look back at our previous heart breaks and think about how much of it was really just because we projected much further than we in fact were living. Let's look at our expectations and our romantic ideas, and then try to see if the other part involved shared those same ideas and expectations,or if maybe we had allowed ourselves to interpret further and make up reasons for our actions based on our own feelings, not in facts.

Even though it sounds awfully mechanical, it is also truly reasonable, because if you put things in perspective like that, it also helps to alleviate the pain, because it's like science, you can't argue with it.

Now, even after much rationalization, there will still be pain, because a broken heart is a broken heart, you can mend the pieces but parts of it will never be the same, and isn't that a great thing? Because your feelings can change, evolve and grow; you can learn to turn those amended pieces in a great friendship, or you may turn them into a work of art that will blow the world away in lovely inspiration, or it may also be the last drop you needed to really focus in that career you never pursued because your mind was too distracted with other things.

You see, a broken heart is a beautiful thing, because it changes you, because it makes you look at yourself and the world around you in a different way, it makes you reflect on yourself and your life, it makes you put things in check, and it will always be a great reminder of your capacity to love; and if you really give your broken heart all the love and attention it deserves what you may encounter at the end is even more glorious than what you started with.

Below is a video of Feist performing "How come you never go there" on David Letterman. Enjoy! ;)

Pilgrimage

Here is a link to a little piece I wrote for LookBooks.com on the gallery opening of Annie Leibovitz's "Pilgrimage" - I hope you like it!

Annie Leibovitz Goes on a Pilgrimage with New Exhibit

West Chelsea saw a true fashion pilgrimage last night when fashionistas likeTory Burch, Marina Muñoz and Jamie Johnson flocked down twenty second street making their way through a shoot for the TV show Damagesthat made traffic through the street impossible. But nothing could stop them as they had a mission: to attend Annie Leibovitz’s “Pilgrimage” exhibition opening at The Pace Gallery – hosted by none other than Anna Wintour, the fierce editor in chief of Vogue.

 The expectations surrounding this event were huge. This was Mrs. Leibovitz’s first purely digital project and the subject of her portraits this time were not the famous faces we are used to seeing in the pages of Vanity Fair or Vogue, but places and objects that are special to the photographer and also represent a special place in the world’s history.

Among pictures ofEmily Dickinson’s last remaining dress,Elvis Presley’s television, Sigmund Freud’s couch and Abraham Lincoln’s hat, photographer Claiborne Swanson Frank told stories about her first book project set to come out next year while It girl Lily Kwong giggled about having to find a party dress on a budget for a story she was working on for Vogue.com –- “Give me 200 bucks and I’ll make it work!”

Coco Rocha made a quick appearance with her husband James Conranon their way to a friend’s dinner. The couple is also getting ready for their own event next week, the fundraiser for the non-profit organization Lakay Pam that helps to improve the quality of life for children in Haiti. Coco will be hosting her third fundraiser for this organization, but this time they will also be premiering the documentary Letters to Haiti as well as showing an exhibition of pictures shot by her friend, Victoria’s Secret Angel Behati Prinsloo, during a visit they made to the country last year.

In an evening where art seemed to be the guest among a fashion crowd,Chuck Close’s presence was a great reminder of the goal of the evening: to celebrate art and history. Mr. Close seemed to be impressed by Mrs. Leibovitz’s work: “It’s interesting to see an artist like her stepping out of her comfort zone to shoot inanimate objects like these. The result is beautiful. I have never been a person who takes pictures, in fact I don’t think I have ever taken a picture during a vacation or anything like that. I like to keep those moments in my head, so it’s interesting to see these pictures displayed like this.”

The evening went smoothly in the warm environment of the gallery, among glasses of white wine and canapés, Karen Elson, Narciso Rodriguezand Prabal Gurung mingled in perfect harmony with Catherine Newell-Hanson, Eugenia Gonzalez and Michelle Harper. Mrs. Leibovitz signed books to her friends and when the clock ticked 8pm there was barely anyone left -- as it would be expected from the kind of in-crowd that filled the guest list.

Photographs from Pilgrimage will be exhibited in New York at The Pace Gallery on December 1, 2 and 3 and next year at the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington D.C., from January 20 to May 20, 2012. The book Pilgrimage has been published by Random House and is available now.

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Art to be Lived

I was having a conversation with a friend of mine, a fashion editor for an Italian magazine; it was one of those conversations that happen very unexpectedly in the middle of a hectic week of work somewhere in Europe. We were talking about our lives, how fortunate we are to be able to be globetrotting across the planet with our jobs and getting in touch with different cultures and experiencing so many different lives in one lifetime, to be seeing things that we used to see in text books in school or in our parents art books. We spoke of our different backgrounds and the places we now live in and the places we see ourselves living in, in the future; we decided we are in did searching for a feeling of a well lived life, which in fact we already have, given our young age.

But this talk was more in terms of where would we establish ourselves, where we saw ourselves spending our old age, how our life would be, what we would become from here on? Well, of course no precise answer could come out of this conversation, but we do know what we are looking for.

For anyone who has seen the movie "I Am Love" I am sure the house in which the characters lived in was in fact a character on its own, possible the most impressive character of the movie. The house where they lived in, in Milan, had its own character, which was a combination of years of experience, years of traveling, years of knowledge accumulated in those rooms. The appreciation for art and architecture that breathes through the walls, the knowledge of fashion present in its inhabitants, the admiration for food and the impact of its flavors and also how they could change a mood with a single bite.

The house in that movie is a character on its own because it has been lived in, it has felt the love, the laughter and the sorrow of one or many families, it has seen birthdays and funerals, it has seen engagement parties and celebrations of all sorts; it looks perfect from the distance but from up close you can see the floorboards are scratched, the curtains have stains and the windows may have cracks. Like a person, a house is allowed to live and accumulate treasures, like we accumulate shoes, watches, stamps or even a rose from a lover that we keep in secrecy. The house in “I Am Love” is a character on its own because it is in fact a well lived house, it’s quite possibly one of Milan’s most famous properties, called Villa Necchi Campiglio, at Via Mozart, today a cultural institution open for visitors and kept as it was when their owners lived there.

During this conversation with my friend it then hit me, through something she said, that art is not meant to be hanging from the cold walls of museums, but in houses and apartments, where it can be shared with friends and family, where it can be admired and treated with love, like we would a plant or animal. Art was made to live with people and witness their lives, and be accumulated by their homes, not to be left alone in a cold room alongside other abandoned and marketed pieces of art.

 Even though I am thankful for the museums and galleries, for their existence and for allowing me to see some of the most beautiful and enticing works created by men, I would adore if more of these museums could be like Villa Necchi or The Frick Collection are, houses that have been lived in and were left untouched for the appreciation of the people. Every time I visit one of these stunning places I ask myself how their lives must have been and I can't help but wonder what it feels like to be able to work there every day. The Pierpont Morgan Library in New York for example is to me one of the most remarkable places I ever visited in my life, there it is, the house and life’s work of a man completely devoted to collecting art, books and obviously money, but that last bit is irrelevant in this case.

Really impressive, and on another side of the spectrum, was visiting the Frida Khalo museum in Mexico City, because that's the place where she loved, bled, and created some of the most beautiful and relevant works of art seen by men. In that house, Frida and Diego accumulated art by other artists, their own art, books, animals and all sorts of memories, The Frida Khalo Museum was to me the epitome of the museum home, every room spoke to me, it’s almost as if she was there, walking around in her beautiful garden or flipping through one of her many art books; to be able to see with my own eyes how that amazing artist lived her life and which books she read and how she kept her house was a phenomenal and unique experience.

While in Milan I had the opportunity to also visit the Boschi Di Stefano apartment as well, and these two were very affluent Milanese artists who acquired more than two thousand pieces of art during their life together, and by art I mean all types; from paintings to sculpture, from furniture to chandeliers, it's all in there for the curious visitor to see, for free.

It warms my heart to know that someone would leave their entire patrimony to the city, to the memory of the world, to improve the lives of those who follow them. To visit a place like this, that always existed for the love of art, is a blessing, and even though museums were created and exist to preserve art and were born precisely from the love for art, they haven't been lived in, they haven't had a chance in life, they are these boxes, time capsules, in which we keep our memories related to art and can access them whenever possible. It doesn’t seem fair to me, but it sure is great to have them in such an organized manner.

I have always had this fear in life, of where I would end up, what would become of me, then that turned into a fear of what would be done with my belongings, who, of the people I know, would appreciate having some of the paintings I now own and would care for it as much as I do? Well, that all is gone now, it is not important what happens to my belongings after I pass, I will not be around to see it, but I still definitely hope for the best and that the art I own feels just as proud and happy for the life they were able to live while they were living with me as I am proud to have them around me.

The Return

After quite a busy and interesting week of work in Paris it's weird to be leaving all of that gorgeousness behind. Not only Paris is one of the prettiest cities in the world, but it is also filled with culture and constant opportunities to discover new things.

This time, as always, i left something behind, i wish i could explain what it is, but it's more than something i can touch, it's a feeling. I am sure this is in part due to the sensation of having the clash of the modern world with ancient history, having current history happening on such strong historical foundations. It's also about the fact that even in such a big and famous city, they still manage to maintain unharmed some aspects of life that are really unapreciated or forgotten in big capitals like New York, São Paulo or Beijing.

From a meal - all organic, no questions asked - that can be appreciated with time, where each flavor of every ingredient is enjoyed with real passion, to the ritual of actually leaving your office behind during lunch time and sitting quietly at a small restaurant or square to appreciate your baguette sandwich. There is a better sense of time management in Paris, because so many things that we New Yorkers take for granted, like 24 hour drugstores, restaurants and even supermarkets, in Paris people plan their time, and by some magical twist of fate, everything gets done. Not only everything gets done, but surprisingly everything and more: more than anywhere else in the world, people go to museums, concerts, art galleries, take time to sit and talk to friends in cafés, go to church - if it's their thing - or simply take a stroll with the dog without obsessing over conference calls or the Dow Jones. In a city where getting a taxi is a mission, you make the extra effort to use public transportation, or even take a walk in the rain, when permitted. in Paris, you don't have to rush through dinner to get to the night club, why would you? They stay open until the early morning, which in consequence allows you to meet a friend at the end of the day for the happy hour, or like they say, the aperitif, which will then lead to dinner, that will lead to drinks which will only then take you to a loud night club. Also on their side, and of all Europe is the easy and cheap access to so much culture from all those other countries that surround them, or the simplest act of driving down to the beach for weekend getaways at the Cote D'Azur or Provence.

In Europe, people make time for having a good and well enjoyed life, the carpe diem is taken seriously, and it's that very feeling that lacks in America.Our constant obsession for achieving more, and buying things only drives us mad, not to mention advancing in our careers and trying to become an icon of our trade.The key should be to maintain a healthy rythm at work, but not get overly stressed, not care too much about the sillyness of a job that at the end of the day could end up taking from our lives instead of giving us a life. Learning to become more mindful about my life is a big goal that i am sure to reach. Time is of essence in a city like New York, where people are hungry for success and never happy with what they have achieved, in New York, no matter how healthy you eat or how much you exercise, life is still not plenty, because there is always a need that's unnatended.

I am sure i am preaching to the choir here, but regardless of that and of all the cons about living in New York City, i still always find a reason to come back. I feel that eventually i may end up in Europe, with a house on the beach or by the lake, living my life like a king, a king who runs his own kingdom and still manages to enjoy all the perks of being the guy who runs the show; but right now, well, right now it's time to work, start building my empire, whatever that may be, and get ready to move on, because the day the ship to europe sails off the american coast, it will probably be for good.

For now,  i leave my friends and some of my favorite spots behind, knowing that whenever i find some time i can just hop in an airplane and fly straight back to the city of lights, after all, isn't that one of the blessings of living in the century XXI?


-- Originally written in october 2010 and recently found in a dusty notepad. --

Danke Berlin!

This week i am very proud of myself, i did something that is trés grown-up, i went away on a holiday trip to Berlin, Germany - not Berlin, New Jersey. Well, you may be asking yourself - how is that a grown-up thing? - but, yes, it is, because what could be more grown up than traveling to Europe for four days on your own expenses and responsibilities? To throw yourself into the immensity that is the unknown and open yourself to whatever comes your way and then be back to work on tuesday as if nothing had changed, as if 8 hours - each way - inside an airplane was the same thing as going to the deli to get a new bottle of diet coke and a wrap. I was in awe with myself, almost as in awe as when i rented a house on the beach - literally - for the summer, now that was the epitomy of becoming a true grown up!

But getting there was an even more jaw-dropping experience than i expected; not only Berlin is one of the most exciting and curious cities i have ever been, but NEVER have i seen such politeness and respect to others like i have in Berlin, to me that is what the word civilized was invented for. Someone told me that there were only nine homicides in Berlin last year - yes, nine... NINE! Well, i didn't go as far as believing in that information, but it came from a good source and i am pretty sure that if it wasn't the most acurate, the actual number would probably not be that far anyway. But my point here is: go to Berlin and learn something about proper living. Period.

So, as you get off the airplane, each gate has it's own separate immigration, baggage claim, security check, check in, etc. All is individualized and extremely simple and organized, a true shock, specially after having seen half demolished terminals and the atrocity that is the airport in Newark, New Jersey - where else!? So here is where it starts to get really good and juicy, listen up. The minute the doors of your gate open up to the terminal you are invaded by a smell that is a croos between the best croissants i ever tasted and some delicious pastry that kicks France in the ass big time. Then from the ticket booth from the transportation ticket to the flat it was a jiffy. No joke, with two euros i got all the way home, and that included changing from a bus to a train and not going through a gate or a "ticket person" once! Yes, that was the second shock, that is proof that good and honest people exist in this world, here is a country that has the doors to their trains and buses wide open for anyone to walk in at any time and they trust that everyone will stop by the machine before entering and buy their tickets. And they do.

In Germany everything works, no one crosses the street if the light is red - even if there isn't absolutely anything moving in the road, people don't speak loudly, they mind their own businesses and respect everyone else's space. At the same time there is a sense of community that is remarkable, people congregate and communicate to perfection. Punk rock mixes with art, church, school programs, families, demonstrations,cats and dogs all at once and within the space of a small park, everyone takes note of whats happening around them and if they want to join... why not?

Berlin is bustling with art, energy, music, creativity, Berlin is the German capital of fashion, movies, music and arts in general. It seems like there is a museum in every corner and it seems like all of them are constantly busy, even the ones that are temporarily built by the artists themselves in half-destroyed and abandoned buildings. But while all this energy is flowing all over the city, Berlin finds a way to remain very austere and extremely silent. Berlin is so silent that at times it becomes scary. Aside from a couple of central spots like Alexanderplatz, which would be the equivalent of a downtown area for instance, Berlin is without exagerating one bit, as quiet as being in the middle of the country or in a farm. Walking through the streets on any time of day o night all you hear is steps from other people walking near you and the eventual louder car noises, but the predominant sound in the streets is of the birds hapilly singing from the top of the trees, that are also plenty. At night it becomes so quiet that the mere steps of someone outside will seem loud, especialy since there aren't really that many people roaming around.

The nightlife and the bars are also a thing of their own. People are respectful of the neighbors and enjoy themselves inside if they want to be loud, and if you think that the streets are taken by bars and 24-hour parties, well, they are not. Berlin manages to have one of the best night lifes in Europe without being noisy and annoying to everyone else, which to me is truly bizarre and hard to achieve.

The overall behaviour in this city is of deep respect, you can be walking down the street topless and people will not be staring or making comments, you will see, like i have, men with heir butts showing in one of those fetish leather pants, walking around naturally like everyone else, and not a single person cares, to which its own.

Berlin has grown to become such an important cultural hub and trend-setter for Europe that you even forget the whole wall deal. And it seems like that's what they really want to see hapening. That damned wall is nothing but a sad reminder of bad days gone by, of atrocities and deep disrespect to other human beings, but still, parts of that wall remain there, as a reminder to this new generation of all that has gone wrong, of all injustice and foolishness that has been poduced by none other than human beings just like any of us - well, maybe not me, but i can't b so sure about you - just kidding.

I have thought of many theories to explain what makes Berlin such a riveting and civilized city, but the best one is that it probably was restrind and contained for so long that pople just learned to live under strict rules and respct each others space, people had to learn to live with each other and endure through good, bad o ugly. the sense of community must also definitely come from that same place. it seems to me that the ways of Berlin can be quite deceiving for those who go visit unaware of their costumes. But mostly in a good way, of course.

Berlin, made me shine, through every corner, park, grafitti, museum, river, creek and fountain, Berlin had a magic that was really hard to explain and even harder to put into words, Berlin filled my heart with joy and opened my eyes to much brighter world, where people can rely on each other and trust whoever or whatever. Berlin in its entirety was the most inspiring experience i have had in a long, a very long time!