Brooklyn Museum

Some more Brooklyn Museum darlings on display now until... I don't know when? Its good though, check it.
Michelongelo Pistoletto- Standing Man, Standing Woman with Hat, 1980

This is Nick Cave! He was my professor when I was in school, in the Fashion Dept. We didn't always see eye to eye about design (ahem, my design work), but I always appreciated him as an artist. His sound suits are incredible. His work incorporates his fantastic sense of humor also, with photographs of him dancing around in his sound suits. He's very fancy. So exciting that my teacher's work is in the museum, like biggity blam congrats Nick!

Mickalene Thomas- A Little Taste of Love, 2007

Nina Chanel Abney- Forbidden Fruit, 2009

Ciao y'all! I'm leaving the city for a little Bahstan action. See you on Monday, darlings!

More Yinka, Less Nora

So none of that inserting my opnion, just more fabu art.

Can you find the hand?

Now this is my kind of party...

Yinka Shonibare M.B.E.

I FINALLY made it over to the Brooklyn Museum to check out one of my favorite artists of all time- Yinka Shonibare M.B.E. First of all let me say he is baller. Secondly let me say his sense of humor is my favorite. Thirdly let me say my piece:
He plays with race in a way that is really interesting, and really intend the full use of the word play. Most of the time when an artist makes work about race, it centers around their personal story of being black, Asian, Indian, whatever- which I find really boring. I find art about one's personal experience (self portraits for example) at best trying because usually the artist has not given us, the viewers, enough information to access the work. We remain on the outside, and the artist sits atop his/her throne of superiority. Furthermore the work is often focused on an already exhausted idea. LOOK! Poor, starving Indian prostitutes and their kids in photographs! LOOK! Hip hop superstars living in their excessive excess! LOOK! The environment is crumbling and this bird won't make it through the next decade!

I'M BORED! Not to say I'm nihilistic, because I think all these things are incredibly important (not that I ever talk about it on the blog, but I'm a huge environmentalist) and I care about them like woah. Its just- lets talk about these things, lets have an open dialogue, lets make change, make it happen. Or perhaps art is a way to positively affect our global issues also, I just don't appreciate it as art. Kapesche? Yet, I digress...
So Yinka, darling, he makes this really interesting art, that is kinda almost about race, but also not at all. He's interested in the work on so many levels besides just the race card. Its a wholeistic view.
Let's take some Dutch wax fabric, lets take these Victorian era costumes, lets take the heads off these mannequins, I'm gonna be in these photos as a tribute to Oscar Wilde's Dorian Gray, I'm going to make these characters perform sexually deviant acts, and I'm going to hide some kids inside of other rooms in the museum.

You're going to be completely absorbed by this video where real people (with heads) are dancing around in these amazing Dutch wax outfits. I'm going to have fun, you're going to have fun. We're going to have fun all together. "These famous intellectuals in my pieces are going to have fun." He knows what he's referencing but that doesn't' mean I have to know what he's referencing to have a great time with his work, not just great as in "I like to have fun" but as in hey, that stimulated my brainz; or hey, I feel inspired to make something when I get home; or hey, DANCE PARTY! Needless to say, it was a breath of fresh air. Olafur, I still love you, but Yinka is joining your ranks. Watch yer back!

Jamacain me CRAZY!

Let me tell you all about how this supposed holiday "labor day" doesn't exist in my 'hood. It is a myth! A fable! A fairy tale! Here in Brooklyn we celebrate West Indian-American Day. Or Caribbean day! OR (as I prefer to call it) "WTF!? This is fucking awesome! I can't believe what I'm looking at. THIS IS NUTZ- day!"
This holiday starts at 2AM the night before. There was a crazy concert in the parking lot of the Brooklyn Museum. We were kinda the only white people around, but I think that's probably okay. Then starts Jouvert. I tried to stay up for it, but I just couldn't. I'm grabbing the description from this site-
What makes it so great? Bands who play steel pans, drums, bass, cymbals, and more instruments are accompanied by dozens of followers who dance, sing, grind and party on the streets of Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn like they have no worries in the world (They actually don't for one night). Some people are dripped in mud and even chocolate to emmulate the traditional meanings of carnival. (Which in part is a celebration of the abolishment of slavery and a tribute to the land back in the Islands, especially Trinidad where it orginates from.)

My neighbors said something about baby power being thrown around also. And for some reason the city of New York allows all this partying to go on, the police just come and hang out and watch everyone dance and get drunk.
Onto the next day! The day of the parade! Which goes on for HOURS. Literally, I have no idea when it ends. I took my time getting over there because I know it just goes on forever.
The parade is its own brand of crazinesss (video to follow) but the streets have just as much going on. There are kids who have made thier own carnivale esque outfits, ladies wearing not much of anything, and people draped in the colors of thier island. The street vendors (legal and not) have a feild day and air is filled with the scents of things like goat and "salt fish, whatever that is.Its aparently a family affair! I think there are many cultral differences going on. Its a bit hard for me to wholly understand what is going on, because I was taught that girls don't need to shake thier asses to get a man/feel good about themselves/be attractive and it was the activity of ladies with poor self esteem. Also definately not for children's eyes. But I think there were totally different ideas about that brand of activity here. It seemed to be a celebration of one's self. I'm not sure what my opinions on the matter are yet...
I can absolutely say all body types were well represented and celebrated for what they were, beautiful ladies!

a Year in Review

As my beloved Katie did, I wanted to make a photo journal of the fawesome year I just finished up.
The year started off with bang at my very first Winter Black Belt camp. Very cold, very exciting. A new form, the first of its kind- a two person form- was debuted. I witnessed history.
The Yale club black and white masquerade ball aka Barbara's bizzirthday par-tay, complete with best friend bonding, sexually deviant acts, and cell phone throwing. A good time was had by all, for what we can remember of it.
Oh, and I wore Chanel for the first time
Great and many trips to the Brooklyn Museum for its first Saturday's were had. I saw Judy Chicago's Dinner Party more times than I ever thought I would.
In March I headed over to Chi-city (and started this blog upon my return) to see some art and holler at my some of my most favorite people ever. My heart force.
Sura and I attended a few open studios including Parsons, SVA, Bars, Columbia and Hunter (above.)
As the seasons became warmer I bonded with the kids on the block.

I went to Chicago again, on my very first business trip, and attended Neo Con, contract furniture galore!
I saw the best thing you will ever see.
And then a miraculous night, I saw Agyness Dyen and met Katie. And got really really drizzunk.
I.D. Annual Design review, fabu!
I made out with Diplo.


No I didn't, but I did see him on the ones and twos. Baller.
My best friend came to visit and we went to the farmer's market, DUMBO and much much dancing.
TKD in the mountains summer trip, some new black belts were made!
Oh yeah, New York Paris Tokoyo- Baby, I'm the way to go... or something I don't really remember the lyrics to Richie Rich's one song, but I do remember an amazing time.
Oh yeah, backstage at Fashion Week, the most exhausting week of my life. And so much fun. And so inspiring. Just you wait, February, here I come.
Montreal, a very cool city indeed, received a visit from me and Nick. It was happy to have us. So was Tim.
For the second time this year I saw Michel Gondry, and for the second time in the year I couldn't really breathe, and got all butterflies in my tummy-ish and swallowed all my words and didn't say a word to him.
We added a new member to the fam fam.
The year ended with Katie's quarter century (by they way, that's Tracy on Katie's lap, a most fabulous and amazing lady in her own right, another new friend of the year- and an amazing one... and its totes, not toats)

Here I am, pretending to be Kanye, welcoming you into a new year, new york, new you, new me.

Gilbert and Geroge

Last Saturday was the Brooklyn Museum's once monthly First Saturday party thing where the museum stays open way past its bed time. On display currently is the fantastic Gilbert and George!

Quirky doesn't even begin to describe how wonder filled this space is.
The artistic duo, who met in the late 60's, really get it. They understand the artist's work only starts with the piece.
They have a full comprehension of how important scale, framing and environment factor into the overall outcome of their work. Somehow they have a thread of consistency without being forced into a very strict Gilbert and George box.
There is a level of accessibility that allows the viewer to engage with the work at a superficial level and then to delve into its deeper levels. Pretentious its not.
FUN-QUIRKY-COLORFUL-LOUD- are some adjectives I would use. LARGE is another one.