Storyboard IX

Time for another amalgamation of fun things I scavenged from the internet

I can always count on Reddit to send me something hilarious or thought provoking... this was just plain brilliant

I've had this in my folder since Christmas, it's an Australian billboard commissioned by the Church to provoke thought and awareness. Apparently the tagline for a similar billboard was 'Poor Joseph, God was a hard act to follow'... 

Just a sparkly necklace that I've been salivating over since Christmas... perfect for holiday parties, snow and champagne... only another 320 days to go I guess.

The Rodarte sisters have a bit of a love affair with Elle Fanning and here she is wearing one of their wonderful Van Gogh dresses from their Summer '12 collection. While many would deem this too unconventional, I like that she's taking a risk and it's rather sweet and age appropriate

I implore, beg, insist that you watch this video if it's the last thing I ever ask. Physicist/artist Theo Jansen builds these wonderful walking structures called Stranbeests that he creates as forms of 'artificial life'. Made of pipes, wood and sails they are highly advanced and use extraordinary technologies that make them walking works of art and innovative structures to behold as they roam the beaches.

I haven't chatted about McQueen for a while and I discovered these two brilliant scarves on net-a-porter over Christmas. They were quite outside my price range, but when the sales started I did manage to snag a wonderful God Save McQueen Union Jack scarf that I will be reunited with when I go home in February. I'm very excited!



Here we have master of illusion, Octavio Ocampo whose work usually has many meanings. Here we see a portrait of his hero Don Quixote, yet the image is also a tapestry of 'allegorical imagery from the book'. Never mind being incredibly rich in meaning, it's exceptionally beautiful as well.

My love affair with Nicholas Kirkwood is still going strong, these beaded shoes from his Spring '12 collection are pretty amazing. Brings me back to my month in Venice 

Just some fabulously dressed people in Rick Owens at the menswear shows in Milan. 

For anyone who is following design maven, Mary Katrantzou's career you may want to perk up. A week ago her collaboration collection for Longchamp went on sale and the bags are divine; they're a kind of East-meets-West theme. If I had a million dollars...

And finally, I have a penchant for illusionistic things... and so it was no surprise that Diana Lowenstein came to my attention, but her works of art are simply mind-blowing. Her disappearances into a variety of patterned wallpapers is simply fantastic. It's people like this that make me feel like I'm not creative enough.

- Life is good

[Obesity, Virgin Mary, Jewelry, Jansen, McQueen, Octavio, Kirkwood, Katrantzou, Lowenstein]

Listening to: 'Lonely Boy' - The Black Keys

Observations: 11 days 'til racing

Craving: A Reese's Blizzard

Lemon, Pistachio, Bubblegum and Violet

Craving summer, exotic sorbet flavours and a healthy tan:

Turn to magazines and for five minutes I actually feel summery.


These images got me thinking of the innovative sixteenth century painter, Guiseppe Arcimboldo. His portraits were exceptionally innovative and alternative for his time because he painted his subjects using different fruits, vegetables and plants:

 

Vertumnus, 1590 vs. Dazed and Confused, January 2012

My favourite works of his are his series on the seasons. Here are Spring and Summer, both 1573... It's a kind of still life, mannerist play on vanitas.

- Life is good

[Fashiongonerogue, Arcimboldo]

Listening to: 'Well Well Well'- Duffy (Dan Clare Remix)

Observations: Happy birthday Sammy and Laur!

Craving: Peppermint tea, temperatures in the 30s and an immune system upgrade, please and thank you

Posting Posters

Because I'm a nerd, I get updates from the Tate on Facebook and I found this juicy tidbit today. If you haven't had enough of Damien Hirst then you'll be pleased to see the posters for his upcoming retrospective at the Tate Modern are out. Oh and you may be pleased to know that somebody already won that Spot painting challenge of his...

Oh, by the way... I started a new blog and you should probably check it out. It's going to be hilarious... click HERE. Oh, and you should follow it too, duh.

- Life is good

Listening to: "Somebody I used to know (cover)" - Walk off the Earth 

Observations: Meeting recruits

Craving: Less practice, more sleep

Spot 'em if you can

My childhood was spent reading Roald Dahl, lapping up each word on every page and any second spent outside his world was one I felt I was wasting. Well, now the world's most famous and most controversial artists is giving you the chance to participate in an adventure that likens him to one of Dahl's most beloved characters, Willy Wonka, and has you vying for that exceptional golden ticket.

Hirst as Wonka

Ahead of his huge career retrospective at the Tate Modern this summer, Damien Hirst the man of the diamond skull and the formaldehyde shark, is attempting to recreate Charlie and the Chocolate factory and his version sends you on a wild adventure around the globe to visit the eleven Gagsosian Galleries, each showing a different Spot Painting exhibition. The incentive... the first person to do so will receive their own personalized Spot Painting, whatever that means. Who knew there were enough of these paintings to fill eleven different galleries.

Each and every Gagosian will exhibition Hirst into February and some even into March... surprisingly enough you can see that there is actually variation:

The invitation, would you take up the challenge?

Damien Hirst is the artist many love to hate, because of his opulence, his tendency to employ shock value in his works rather than skill or talent and he oftentimes he can just be bloody annoying. This invitation is a mad quest for the filthy rich. What Average Joe has the means to travel the world at speed to compete in a challenge with a minimal chance of success and if indeed they did succeed, what would they have to show for it? A Hirst painting... it's a wonderful personalized memento and it's by a famous artist, but really is it worth all the trouble? As a student of art history, I'm supposed to love this shit; it's fun, contemporary, interesting, but this is just a little bit ridiculous. Power to you if you have the funds and for the winner, I'm very happy for your wonderful personalized Hirst, but for me I'm just hoping to see one exhibition, just one. Happy hunting art fiends.

[Guardian on Hirst, Tate, Art Info on Hirst, Gagosian]

- Life is good

Listening to: 'Boom Blast' - Wiley

Observations: Tom Hardy is a giant

Craving: More desert from Sp!n

Ode to a supermodel

I've tried to hate her fantastic physique, her high octane, commanding runway walk, her poise and her charm, but to no avail. It finally happened, Karlie Kloss the rising supermodel of the 2010s has grown on me. She was a busy girl at the end of 2011: she renewed her Dior Beauty contract, walked her first Victoria's Secret fashion show, and covered three December magazines in addition to a spread in Vogue with my current crush Eddie Redmanye. So here's to you Karlie, way to bring 2011 to a grand close, we look forward to your continual domination this year...


Here she is as a Victoria's Secret newbie:

Lucky leading lady, modelling Resort-wear with Eddie Redmanye in Ibiza (life is good):

Covering German Vogue:

Going a little avant-garde for Numero:

And the cover of Vogue Italia, and the accompanying spread that caused all that controversy:

You've got all the fashion bases covered here really: vacant stares, contorted poses, nudity, supposed flawlessness... ooops, relapse I must not hate on Karlie, I must not hate on Karlie. I just really want to be on holiday in Ibiza with Eddie Redmayne... sigh.

- Life is good

Listening to: "Paradise" - Coldplay
Observations: Going to miss you H
Craving: Renaissance class to be a little more stimulating