RAP FEDORAS

This image by Charlie Engman for V Man. Defying the humorous/accurate notion that "bucket hats are essentially rap fedoras"

<
<
<
< Not technically bucket hats but you get the point. 

1905

MAGRITTE UPDATE

An update of René Magritte's 1928 work The Lovers. The ring really bugs me. 

1704

040414

SIMPSONS LEGO

Joyfully, Lego has released an official Simpsons set. I want to know all about the creative process that led to Homer looking so high.

THE THINGS SHE'S SEEN

FAKE POLAR BEAR!

Albino black bear at Glacier National Park, Montana (date unknown) 

Too adorable.

ALL PINK ERRYTHANG

Everywhere it's getting boring. Except you panther, you're great. 

PALETTE

Chanel's incredible AW14 supermarket and a photograph of Hong Kong from Michael Wolf's Architecture of Density series.

BELATED VALENTINES

Self Portrait as a Tehuana (Diego in My Thoughts), 1943

There was no shortage of interesting men in Frida Kahlo's life - she was at school with Muralist Jose Clemente Orozco, married to Diego Rivera and for a time shared her home with Leon Trotsky.

I find the relationship between Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera endlessly fascinating. Rivera divorced Kahlo in 1939 after fourteen years of marriage and they remarried the next year despite Diego's affair with Frida's sister. Frida once said of Rivera 'There have been two great accidents in my life. One was the trolley, the other was Diego. Diego was by far the worst.' Ouch.

Initially blogged for work.

0303

GIRLY SMUT

Josie blogged about my pillowcases, I was flattered so I made another one.

BABE IS LESS BUSY

There was something so good about this image but there was far too much going on. The fake tatt is on point.

3101

THE INTERNET THOUGH

I can't believe a woman actually wrote this.

ARWA ABOUON

I'm Sorry / I Forgive You by Libyan artist Arwa Abouon, 2012.

0114

R. SARDANAPALUS

Did the black knickers thing exist before 10 Things I Hate About You? 

FLOWERY YINKA

Yinka Shonibare channeling his inner Lana.

NIKE FETISHES

Not many brands inspire the levels of fiendish devotion that Nike does. Above an image from artist Hank Willis Thomas' 'Branded' series and a street style shot doing the rounds online.
Below there are no words.

Read an interesting article on brand loyalty from Nike's European agency Weiden + Kennedy here. 

RAQIB SHAW

I first came across the work of Raqib Shaw when I was interning at the White Cube archive and a diamond*-encrusted lobster claw of his fell on my head. Not a fan of his 2009 London show Absence of God, I have been curious to see what comes artistically after giant sculptures of lobsters fucking women. 

Here he is photographed by James Mollison for W Magazine ahead of a big show in New York, I'm interested to read the reviews and very jealous of the bonsai room.

*90% sure it was diamonte

CLOUD SPACE

Moschino 1992 and the world's fluffiest rabbit.

IF DOLCE & GABBANA DID SKELETONS...

 

Happy Hallowed Eve. St Albertus photographed in his catacomb by Paul Koudounaris (image co @saatchi_gallery)

NUNS

I have a love/hate relationship with Halloween and the idea of dressing up (doesn't everyone), but these Nun+* images have been accumulating on my desktop...

I hadn't realised quite how pervasive the fetishisation of nuns was until I started looking for them, tip of the iceberg:

RUDE

CHAIR CHAIR CHAIR CHER CHAIR SHARE

Above: One and Three Chairs, Joseph Kosuth, 1965
Below: Cher / Chair / Share, Ole Ukena, 2011

No doubt I'm late to the party but Ole Ukena's update of Kosuth's seminal work is pretty funny. I'm definitely not going to get started on whether it's art or not.

FOR DOG PEOPLE

CLEAR AIR FORCE 1s

Are these real?

RUBBISH

Pink and grey rubbish.

OVERDRESSING

Reliquary cross pendant c. 1450-75 V&A Collection

The idea that you openly display your fortune has almost completely disappeared from European culture. For centuries you could calculate wealth (if not nobility) through the cost of materials and labour on your back: raw silk, shorn velvet, golden thread, seams lined with seed pearls and valuable stones reset into rings, bracelets, seals and pendants by each new owner. It must be the current rehash of 90s minimalism that is making me nostalgic for an opulence I have never experienced, being able to identify a real Celine phantom or Cartier bracelet digging in to a chubby wrist just isn't the same.

Alexander McQueen AW13  /  Anne Boleyn, Artist unknown c.1533-36. National Portrait Gallery

THIS LOOK

Half dead yucca + fish scales

DIGITAL NATIVE ISSUES

POLAR BEARS

THE ALEXANDER TECHNIQUE

POSTURE POSTURE POSTURE One of my dad's oft repeated phrases and infinitely preferable to the showbiz stalwart TITS AND TEETH! (Babs Windsor I'm looking at you). The Alexander Technique is a great basis for shoot because it puts in mind how clothes are being worn while providing a fresh contrast to the pigeon-toed slouch of tumblr. 

Once again, the brilliant Katie Shillingford at the helm.    

ROSE PINK AND DOVE GREY

I love the combination of pink and grey. This passage in the book I'm currently reading made me think about the combination in a whole new way, not entirely pleasant.

'Anne was wearing, that day, rose pink and dove grey. The colours should have had a fresh maidenly charm; but all he could think of were stretched innards, umbles and tripes, grey-pink intestines looped out of a living body... The pearls around her long neck looked to him like little beads of fat, and as she argued she would reach up and tug them; he kept his eyes on her fingertips, nails flashing like tiny knives.' (Wolf Hall, Hilary Mantel)

SILVA SUMMA

STYLIST / ARTIST /...

I came across the work of Stylist/Artist Gracie Wales Bonner recently. Highly recommended if, like me, you have a soft spot for collage/cords/colour.

MORE YUCCA

I'm seeing yuccas everywhere - this time in Craig's home town.

CURATE vs. EDIT

... Plants on shelves or a curated group of botanical objects?

It is interesting how the word 'curate' has escaped the confines of the museum/gallery world into blogs, shops and beyond.

In my mind the word 'curate' bestows a certain gravitas; something that has been 'curated' should be distinguishable from a collection, selection or visual list. In order for objects to be truly curated there should be something that links them, independent of the self-styled curator's personal taste. What is the difference between a curate and an edit? According to this article (2009) the debate is already a moot point and I should get with the times.