L'Oeuvre

These are some past illustrations that I did in my drawing class this past Fall 2011 semester with the wonderful Vasilija Zivanic as my instructor.

Wearing for the Stars

I wore this outfit today. I was inspired by the gradience of the colors on my sweater. I would describe my outfit as something out of the cosmos. I have always tried to fix the shoes that I am wearing ( I fixed it three times with glue, tape, and staples).

I know the photo is not as great but I can only take it with my camera phone. Apologies! :(

The Female Perversion

I recently found out about an artist named Dorothea Tanning. She is an American painter and sculptor that was part of the "Surrealist" movement. She was actually from the same state as me (Illinois). My own interpretation of her work is a statement of female perversion. Her work is definitely erotic but there is an aggression and irritation that is appealing.

ATTENTION!

THERE IS A NEW EXHIBIT, "DARK CHRISTMAS" OF WORK BY ARTISTS LIKE HANS BELLMAR, GERHARD RICHTER, CINDY SHERMAN, AND MS. DOROTHEA TANNING at the Lee Koeing Gallery. It runs from December 8,2011 to January 14, 2012. You should all check it out if you want to see really interesting and unusual artwork!

http://leokoenig.com/

The Will of the Body and Strength of the Mind

Zhang Huan is a Chinese artist that works in performance, sculpture, and photography but is primarily a performance artist. Many of his works deal with identity, spiritualism, vulnerability, and transgression. His performances connotate a blank masochism with the crude conditions he puts himself in.

I first discovered him from a book of tattoos that a friend was looking at. His "blank stare" intrigued me, especially with the situation he inflicted on himself. My fascination continued with how, in my opinion, he explored the possibilities of the human body and physical pain. In my opinion, Huan wants to show how he is above the human limits, almost like he is immortal.

I see a similarity with him in myself, to challenge the physical boundaries of pain.

I realized that although he has a "blank stare," his reaction to the situation is exhibited by the very act of the performance.

Family Tree, 2000, New York, USA

1/2 1998, Beijing, China

My New York, 2002, Performance, Whitney Museum, New York, USA

Foam 1998, Beijing, China

My description of his oeuvre is blank masochism. hahaaa

Life in the desert of new york city

(I apologize for the image quality, I was trying to take the photo without the two women noticing me and on the subway.)

I was on the subway today coming back from an ABSOLUTE indulgent, obese time spent with my friend and her family's thanksgiving dinner. I was trying to use up my time by reading a book but I saw this explosion of rich colors come in. This woman, most likely of hispanic descent was looking very ethnic and traditional with the attire that was on her. She was wearing a rich royal blue, heavy, long, possibly wool or yarn scarf, a dull purple sweater jacket, pine green fedora with a bold forest green pleated skirt with white socks and black mary janes. She looked absolutely beautiful. I could not stop looking at her, I had to stop a little because the woman and her friend were getting suspicious of me.

Why can't I see that much color in new york city? Gosh.. as "fashionable" and "stylish" nyc is known to be, sometimes it can be a drag, and not in a good way. This woman's outfit inspires me, puts me back into power mode that I do not have to dress to conform to everyone else's lame-ass, boring standard of dress. I just don't see that much color anymore and done so right.

errr...ROAARRRR...RAHHHHH.AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Frustrationnnn.....

I just had to put this picture up to show and say yes, there is some vitality in the desert of new york city. :)

La Piel que habito

For my horror film class, we recently took a trip to watch the new Pedro Almodovar film "A Piel que habito," which translates to "The Skin I live in." The synopsis on IMDB says the film is about "a brilliant plastic surgeon, haunted by past tragedies, creates a type of synthetic skin that withstands any kind of damage. His guinea pig: a mysterious and volatile woman who holds the key to his obsession" Antonio Banderas stars as "Robert Ledgard," the plastic surgeon and Elena Anaya as "Vera Cruz," the guinea pig patient. My horror film class is an emphasis on how the body is transformed and transfigured manipulatively and reveal the human subconscious. This new Almodovar film is a good example of how the body is altered cunningly and for the sake of someone else's selfish and disturbing pleasure. As all of Almodovar films, if you don't listen to the dialogue carefully, you will miss the whole movie. However, with this movie, the actions were just as important as the dialogue.

"A Piel que habito" was a stunning film and beautifully crafted with precision, more than Almodovar's previous films. I really liked Antonio Banderas character, he was strangely silent but with a cunning intention to it (ooo..chilling). I just have to say, Almodovar's settings are always just SO FREAKING BEAUTIFUL! WITH ALL THE COLORS!!!!

Anyways, I suggest, no, DEMAND that everyone go watch Pedro Almodovar's "A Piel que habito." It is playing at the Landmark Sunshine Cinemas on East Houston Street.

See thru ME!

For my next collection in my concepts class, narrative is the main objective. My narrative is based on my friend, we will use the name Juketastrophe. I used words like "glitter, glam, tacky stuff, gender identity, emptiness, bright" as reference words. I am using plastic, "PVC," transparency as my inspiration. However, I am taking a turn from it by making it very provocative and at times, tacky. I realized that fashion's take on PVC and plastic wear is a bit modest for my take.

WHERE DO I TURN TOO!!!!!!!!!!!

CYBER-PUNK!





I think the provocative and barbaric look of "cyber punk" fashion can be another inspiration to look at. I want to use the way some of the garments expose the body in its special way that it does to translate through transparent PVC clothing. I am still researching and experimenting with various designs but I am definitely using "cyber punk" as another way to find new ideas.

Aren't those pencils really chopsticks?

Junya Watanabe


Ghillies







Comme Des Garcons


Ballet Shoes



My title sums up the juxtaposition and peculiarity that Comme Des Garcons achieves with its innovative designs. I recently visited the FIT's "Sporting Life" Exhibition. The exhibit explored the relationship between active sportswear and fashion. I saw these peculiar ballet shoes in a plastic case. I did not know whether they were actual ballet shoes or just women's shoes. The design was exact to that of ballet shoes but the material looked hard enough not to be. I knew in the back of my mind it had to be Comme Des Garcons. No designer like Rei would ever conjure an intriguing idea of ballet shoes and use it with black bondage straps to make it ready-to-wear. So, I explored more shoes that Comme Des Garcons or its brother label, Comme Des Garcons Junya Watanabe mixed ideas with. I came across a pair of women's flats that Junya Watanabe did a few years back. They looked similarly to Scottish country dance shoes "Ghillies." It is interesting to see how functional types of shoes transition into "fashion"-able shoes. When I say "fashion," I mean that they are a style for everyday wear. These shoes take the aesthetic of sportswear but modify it to rid of its functionality, which can sum up most of fashion.

Matthew Barney: DJED

What to say about Mr. Barney? I seriously do not have enough space on this blog to write about him. From the first impression, he is a very muscular man with sharp eyebrows.

Not to judge him from the physical appearance of this intelligent, grand artist, but definitely his work makes him an intimidating presence.

He is most known for this LONG, EXTENDED work called "The Cremaster Cycle."

It is a film that took him a decade to complete. They are, what I believe to be, the most interesting intermingling and connection of characters, narratives, mythologies, symbols, semiotics, and visual imagery I have seen. In one scene, Barney is in what looks to be a combination between a sports uniform, traditional Scottish "highland" dress, with his mouth morphing into that of a carnivorous animal.

Recently, he has presented a new work of sculptures and drawings titled "DJED." It was on display at the Gladstone Gallery from September 17-October 22. For this work, Barney used
large quantities of metal and decomposed and morphed them into these particular sculpture mounts to appear as if they were "excavated" out of the earth. His concept is a bit complex to explain because there are so many parts to it (a performance of the pouring of iron into gigantic cast molds, sculptural works, drawings, and a still unfinished opera attached to it). However, he references Norman Mailer’s 1983 novel Ancient Evenings as his inspiration. Mailer’s novel follows one ancient Egyptian soul through death and rebirth in three successive incarnations; in Mr. Barney’s opera—which hovers over “DJED” like the ghost of Egyptian grandeur over the British Museum—the hero is incarnate as multiple cars: a 1967 Chrysler Crown Imperial, a ‘79 Trans Am, and a 2001 Ford Crown Victoria. Although the concept of this set of work is difficult to wholly comprehend, the works are intriguing and beautiful to observe.

Life on the Subway

I take the G and L train daily to get to school. While I was walking to transfer, I saw this paper posted on a tile pole and I thought it was so interesting. "Jesus Takes Bad Dreams, Ask God." There are so many philosophical connotations with this phrase, but its just in a subway passageway. My interpretation of this phrase is that Jesus is just as human as us and will take any dream, even if it is "bad." But God, religiously-speaking, is the "father." The father knows best, he is strong enough to tell you what is wrong and compassionate enough to tell you what you can do instead. Also, God is truthful.

I think this image sums up the physical state of majority of New Yorkers after work. (oh yeah and Parsons Fashion students) :)

AHHHH!!! STOP THE VIRGENSS!!!!

Karen O, the wonderful, sensational singer of the fucking art punk group ' YEAH YEAH YEAHS!' recently wrote, organized, and performed in the psycho opera "Stop the Virgens" at St. Ann's Warehouse in Dumbo, Brooklyn.

"Stop the Virgens" is described as "an assault on the tragic joys of youth, fever dreams drenched in visual seduction, a cathartic spell spun through a cycle of nine songs." Its a visual, visceral, and sound-moving experience that has a narrative, but merely acts as a guide for the songs and music of the opera. The band is a quite extensive group of notable musicians in the music industry, Nick Zinner (music director too)and Brian Chase from the YYYs, Money Mark, Patrick Keeler, Jack Lawerence, and Jason Grisell just to name a few.

I was helping out the costumes for the show and the process was amazing. Christian Joy is so creative and sparkly (she likes sequins, anything sparkly) and down-to-earth. The costumes took a life on their own, especially a lobster claw for one costume. I just love her inspiration of historical costumes to add a "David Bowie" glam to them.



Fortunately, I went on opening night and it was such an amazing experience. Girls with white wigs with nothing but clothing strips wrapped around their chest and crotch. The whitest makeup on them and blood spewing out of their mouths. The music was playful and catchy, like much of Ms. O's music, which credits to the creative lyrics. In some songs, my whole body felt up because the sounds just hit some senses, it was cr-crazzyyy.



The show ran from Oct.12-22 (I should have posted this earlier but no one really reads my blog so its ok ;) )
Anyways, they might be releasing a CD of the compilation of the nine songs featured in "Stop the Virgens" so everyone can get a glimpse of the action of this thrill-ride of an opera!

Saville My Will!

Many of my past reflective journal entries were inspired by art work of Jenny Saville. She is an amazing, contemporary British painter that shows naked, curvy women in questionable, even erotic poses. She explores the life behind paint. Often, her portraits and paintings are up front, flesh-like representations of the manipulative quality that the human anatomy possesses. I personally admire her bluntness and crudeness to evolve certain human body parts into masses of meat. There is a certain seductive quality to the enormity of her bodies. In all, her exploration of the body displayed them not only as this anatomical beings but solid masses that had a physical depth and a psychological depth, especially with the poses and facial expressions of her models.

Ms. Jenny Saville is from Cambridge, England and is currently living and working in Oxford, England. She attended Glasglow School of Art, University of Cincinnati on a 6-month scholarship, and Slade School of Fine Art. During her stay in Ohio, Saville discovered "Lots of big women." The women were "big white flesh in shorts and T-shirts. It was good to see because they had the physicality that I was interested in" This interest was really explored more through her notable works of female bodies as masses of flesh.

This is the Queen Bee herself, Miss Jenny Saville.