Adele - "Rolling In The Deep"
Continuing with the music trend of late, I must confess that I haven't been able to stop watching the video for Adele's first single "Rolling In The Deep" from her latest album entitled "21". Described by the Grammy-winning singer/songwriter (Best New Artist 2009) herself as a "dark, bluesy gospel disco tune", the song would indicate that Adele isn't headed for the sophomore slump typically attributed to an artists' follow up to a well-received first album.
The song and lyrics aside, the video (seen below) is one of my favorites in years. Directed by Sam Brown who brings subtle touches of drama to an otherwise simple and sophisticated video. Visually dark, rich, and vibrant all at the same time, the finer details of color, lighting, and movement (the female contemporary dance) can't be ignored.
The director, best known for chart-topping videos for James Blunt, Corinne Bailey Rae, and James Morrison is the only UK director to be featured in the top-ten of Promo Magazine's "most airplay" list (2006).
Black Swan Follow Up: Behind-the-scenes
A great follow up (Rodarte & Black Swan) and behind-the-scenes look at the costume work and concepts behind the production of Black Swan.
Featuring Amy Westcott, Darren Aronofsky, Natalie Portman, and the women behind Rodarte, Kate and Laura Mulleavy.
Beauty is in the [_____] of the beholder?
Does that mean modern music can't be considered art?
Yes, the ingredients are different - there aren't multiple types of paint, there isn't a still-life that has been examined, or celluloid that has been burned but does this mean we aren't to respect the modern versions of what was considered "art" in the past?
My friend and singer/songwriter Jessica Childress lends her voice to this topic - "Unfortunately, there isn't a lot of 'art' that goes into contemporary modern music. Though I think the skill to finding the most ear-friendly track with a marketable singer can be considered an art form. Having the ability to understand a song before it's complete and hearing the elements of a track before they are assembled isn't an easy task."
The same thing can be said about today's fashion, film, and photography. Granted, the elements aren't assembled the same way but, then again, we don't build skyscrapers the way the Egyptian's built the pyramids.
Check out the NPR story from All Things Considered and see if you can find the art within the beat.
Rodarte & Black Swan
The fashion community started buzzing when the first images of Natalie Portman in Black Swan were revealed earlier this year. Now, with the wide release of the film this Friday, it seems Kate and Laura Mulleavy are still the talk of the town.
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| Kate and Laura Mulleavy - Rodarte Having had the opportunity to screen the film, the costumes are just one of the many elements that went into creating this art/ballet/psychological thriller. What Kate and Laura were able to do was to combine the tone and elegance of the ballet world with the all-consuming narrative woven by Darren Aronofsky - essentially creating costumes that reflected both the beautiful and dramatic struggle of our main character as well as the fine line between real life and fantasy. |
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| Natalie Portman - Black Swan |
Like many of his films, Aronofsky layers intricate details about character, human nature, love, hate, and passion into the film Black Swan. Natalie Portman plays a budding ballet star who's life seems to begin imitating art after being cast as the lead in Swan Lake. Stuck between the desire for perfection and the trappings of real life, Portman's character delves deep into the psyche of the "artist".
To experience the costumes first hand, be sure to see the film this weekend and keep an eye out for possible nominations come award season!
[Photos via: Fox Searchlight]
Buzz: Acne Store
Ella Alexander of the UK VOGUE.COM called it "Acne Domination". She was, of course, referring to the July opening of the first Acne store in London during fashion week.
New Obsession: Houzz
I first stumbled upon Houzz while searching for new and interesting iPad applications. Originally attracted to the striking photo ideabook that marries the Houzz imagery with the iPad's remarkable interface I was intrigued and started looking more into exactly what "Houzz" was all about. It's more than just a site for photos but is actually a great resource that bridges the gap between professional interior designers and today's design enthusiasts. The Houzz photo library shows innovative and original design photography that is meant to inspire and showcase some great design work from interiors to exteriors and baby rooms to great rooms. The user can generate images based on different filter categories and then "like" an image to start creating their very own, personalized "ideabooks".
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| House Beautiful Bath |
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| Mark Brand Architecture |
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| Dumican Mosey Architects |
Check out Houzz and try it out for yourself. While I may not be currently working on a redesign project for my own home, I can certainly find ways to keep myself occupied for hours on the site.
Get the iPad application here.
eARTh
An amazing event is taking place this month called 350Earth. Art installations are to be erected around the globe on the eve of the United Nations climate meetings on November 20th. This is an unprecedented event that is aimed at drawing attention the world's ever increasing climate issues and a one-of-a-kind art exhibit that will be seen from space.
This November 20-28, 350 EARTH will launch the world’s first ever global climate art project. In over a dozen places across the globe, citizens and artists will create massive public art installations to show how climate change is already impacting our world as well as offer visions of how we can solve the crisis. Each art installation will be large enough to be seen from space and documented by satellites generously provided by DigitalGlobe.
350 EARTH will be the first-ever global scale group show on the front line of climate change—our polluted cities, endangered forests, melting glaciers, and sinking coastlines. People around the world are invited to take part by attending signature events, submitting their own art, and spreading the word about the project.
350 EARTH will take place on the eve of the next United Nations climate meetings in Cancun, Mexico where delegates will work to create an international climate treaty. Our politicians have all the facts, figures, and graphs they need to solve the climate crisis. What they lack is the will. 350 EARTH will demonstrate the massive public support for bold climate action and the role that art can play in inspiring humanity to take on our greatest challenge: protecting the planet on which we live.
For more information and to spread the word about the upcoming event, please visit www.earth.350.org
What does 350 mean to the earth? Find out here.
[via: www.earth.350.org and www.npr.org]
Manhattan's Long Lost City Hall Subway Station
Originally built in 1904 by the Interborough Rapid Trasit (IRT) Company, the City Hall station on the "Manhattan Main Line" was intended to be the showpiece of the newly created subway system in NYC.
Designed with brass fixtures, arched skylights, and tiled ceilings, it is still considered one of the most aesthetically spectacular subway stations in the world of mass transit. This "secret subway" stop had been out of circulation for many years. Increased subway use demanded newly designed trains that couldn't make the sharp curve at standard speeds past the Brooklyn Bridge stop and the station was shut down at the end of 1945.
Plans to open the station as part of the New York Transit Museum were halted after security issued were raised following the September 11th attacks in NYC.
However, the website Jalopnik is reporting that you can now stay on the train as it makes it's standard turnaround giving riders a brief glimpse of NYC history.
A must see!
For more history and pictures, check out the NYCSubway website.
[via NYCSubway.org, Wikipedia, Jalopnik]
available photo credits: John-Paul Palescandolo
Lust Must: Range Rover Evoque
The Milan contingent has been chosen - selected by Land Rover, Neil Barrett, Sergio Cerruti, and Francesca Versace are officially some of the first tastemakers to test the new Range Rover Evoque.
40 "City Shapers" (as they are called) have been chosen to sculpt and define the image of the Evoque - a new mid-size SUV from Land Rover. These VIPs are participating in the "Pulse of the City" campaign which is an interactive guide promoting the new vehicle in 10 major cities around the world.
You can download the application here to follow the journey of each City Shaper as they experience the new Evoque first hand.
Fashioning Fashion: LACMA
Having had the opportunity to visit the new Resnick Pavilion at the LACMA museum in Los Angeles, I had to check out the exhibit entitled "Fashioning Fashion: European Dress in Detail, 1700 - 1915".
Having recently acquired a profound collection of women's, men's, and children's garments and accessories from the Age of Enlightenment to World War I, the exhibit takes a detailed look at the evolution of textiles, trims, and tailoring over 200 years.
Definitely not to be missed. If you're in the LA area, be sure to visit this and the other exhibits at the new Resnick Pavilion.
Check out the "Fashioning Mannequins" post on the LACMA Blog for a detailed view of bringing this exhibit to life.
The exhibition is curated by Senior Curator Sharon S. Takeda and Curator Kaye D. Spilker and is organized by the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.
Must See: LACMA Resnick Pavilion
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| LACMA: Resnick Pavilion |
The Lynda and Stewart Resnick Exhibition Pavilion, a key feature of LACMA's ongoing Transformation, dramatically expands the museum's exhibition space and also further unifies the western half of the museum's twenty-acre campus. The new building, which opens to the public with a free community weekend October 2-3, 2010, is designed by Renzo Piano, founder, Renzo Piano Building Workshop.
The building is named in honor of long-time patrons Lynda and Stewart Resnick, whose $45 million donation was the lead gift in Phase II of LACMA's Transformation campaign. The Resnicks' generosity was further demonstrated by their promise of works of art valued at $10 million. Mrs. Resnick, a LACMA trustee since 1992, is currently vice chair of the museum's Board of Trustees and chair of the Acquisitions Committee. She and Mr. Resnick are leading arts philanthropists with wide-ranging charitable interests that span from medical research to education.
The Resnick Pavilion, a single-story, 45,000 square foot structure, is the largest purpose-built, naturally lit, open-plan museum space in the world. When it opens, it will house a trio of exhibitions that highlight both the diversity of the museum's encyclopedic collection and programming, as well as the flexibility of the new building: Eye for the Sensual: Selections from the Resnick Collection; Olmec: Colossal Masterworks of Ancient Mexico; and Fashioning Fashion: European Dress in Detail, 1700-1915.
Soucre: WWW.LACMA.ORG
Apocalyptica: Fantasticsmag
Our friends over at Fantasticsmag bring a dark, dangerous, and brooding look at fall fashions.
Photography: Jay Perez
Models: Antonio @ Look
Bailee & Dylan @ Ford
Featured Fashion: John Varvatos
What Are You Reading?
Ever wanted to know the true story behind Breakfast at Tiffany's and get the juicy gossip from the alleys off Fifth Avenue? Sam Wasson's latest book Fifth Avenue, 5 a.m. connects Henry Mancini to Mickey Rooney to Akira Kurosawa in a few short steps while divulging insider secrets about what was (and remains to this day) one of the most sophisticated romantic comedies of our time.
Dress by: Givenchy Photo: Howell Conant/Paramount/The Kobal Collection |
Vintage Knoll Chair Advertisements
Art/Fashion. Fashion/Art.
By far, one of the best window displays to date - the line between fabric and canvas has never been so thin and deliberately delicate. Dries Van Noten, the third-generation in a family of tailors has continually surprised the fashion world by self-financing his collections and pushing the boundaries of the fashion community.
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