DOUG AITKEN, BLACK MIRRORS

Doug Aitken’s Black Mirror is a place at once sacred and mundane, retro and high-tech, a sort of chapel from the disco era, a human-size jewelry box. Aimed at contemplation and entertainment, the installation consists of a hexagonal structure with ceiling and walls covered by black mirrors. At the center of this space, there is a smaller structure, a sort of coffee table, also hexagonal. Five screens (one on every wall except for one) show actress Chloë Sevigny getting on and off planes and checking in and out of motels. All screens present the same image at the same time, producing infinite reflections. In the video, we see Sevigny as she traverses, suitcase in hand, corridors, drives her car, sits in an airplane, and packs and unpacks her bag. In one instance, she fires a gun in a shooting range, but for the most part, she is on the move or in her motel room, speaking on her cell and using her computer. The change of landscape is inconsequential to her, and, therefore, it is hardly seen. She seems to have no connection to anything but to herself and the worlds contained by her technological gadgets. Thus, the room becomes a micro-cosmos in itself: a stage where acrobats pole-dance around her bed or a couple of men stand outside her window singing, very appropriately, I only have eyes for you, for the song deals with someone unaware of his surroundings. Sevigny looks at the camera and says: “Never stagnate, never stop, exchange, connect, move on”. In its reiteration, exposure has become meaningless to her and nothing seems to register any longer. This demystification of traveling continues in another exhibition room displaying a white plaster wall sculpture with the words “sun set”, and several photographs of dusk, the quinta-essential image of promises fulfilled, new beginnings, romance, and exoticism, that is, of travelling.

Two recent films deal with existential emptiness, Shame (2011), by Steve McQueen, and Somewhere (2011), by Sophia Coppola. In both, the protagonists seem to live an endless repetition of identical, meaningless experiences, which pile up on top of one another but amount to nothing. Doug Aitken may suggest something similar (this thinning of experience in contemporary life), but, to me, he doesn’t quite succeed. There is a sense of self-indulgence in Black Mirror that I cannot pin point exactly. Maybe it is that I find the hexagon excessive (a too heavy rhetoric devise for such a piece) or that the camera lingers too complacently on Sevigny, making it difficult to pass beyond her, but the truth is that, despite its beauty and impeccable facture, Black Mirror ends up falling short.

Galería Helga de Alvear, Madrid
www.helgadealvear.com
www.dougaitkenblackmirror.com
January 19th – March 10th 2012

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Author : Emilia Garcia Romeu

02/28/2012
Category: / GENERAL

ALPINE

Alpine : Phoebe, Lou, Phil, Christian, Ryan and Tim
They come from Melbourne , Australia
Their label is Ivy Leagues Records (Sidney)

Alpineband.com

Alpine: Villages VIDEO

Author : Maxim Deluxe

02/28/2012
Category: / LOST IN MUSIC

STICK IT, CAVALLINI & CO.

In 1997′s film “Romy And Michelle High School Reunion” two girls are going to a 10-year high school reunion in Tucson, Arizona. Desperately seeking for the fame and lure they never had during those years, they pretend to be successful by showing up in an expensive car and business suits telling everybody they invented Post-it notes. That funny history came up to our mind when we saw  Cavallini & Co. Stick It papers. Romy and Michelle, who were stationery freaks like us – (do you remember the feather pen?), would have loved these little pieces of paper reinvented and re-organized . To do lists, appointments, weekly diary, remember: this simple little objects are a must have in everybody’s desk, They are paper masterpieces created to make your life easier.  Since 1989, Cavallini & Co.  of  San Francisco has been creating gift and stationery products with a commitment to quality and uniqueness. After more than 20 years , and despite emails and electronic greeting cards, Cavallini  remains an old-fashioned company dedicated to excellence, design and integrity. Glamorize your notes and stick ‘em everywhere.

http://www.cavallini.com/

 

 

Author : Redazione

02/27/2012
Category: / GENERAL

CHRISTOPHER KANE’S TECHNOLOGICAL ROMANTICISM

The fashion weeks are quickly following one another between the US and Europe, but I firmly believe the London Fashion Week has always something special if compared to New York, Paris and Milan. Maybe it’s the spotlight on new talents, or a unique taste for experimenting, or maybe it’s just my Anglophilia, but I find the creations of British designers incredibly appealing. Among them, Christopher Kane has been able to establish a reputation for himself thanks to a very peculiar vision of style. Despite being loyal to a certain minimal approach (his silhouettes are always clean and simple), he doesn’t despise (over)decoration – see the fall/winter 2010 collection, for example – and is always able to keep a perfect balance between essential and redundant.
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Author : Teresa Cannatà

02/26/2012
Category: / SCHOOL OF FASHION

SOUND CITY: A FILM BY DAVE GROHL

When a legendary place shut down, there’s a restless feelings of end of an era. But when a music studio shut its doors, something remains: the music. In May 2011, Sound City Studios in Van Nuys, California, closed as a commercial studio. A shrine of quality music since 1969, through the years Sound City has been used by many legendary musicians, from Fleetwood Mac to Neil Young, from Eric Clapton to Nine Inch Nails. Here Nirvana recorded Nevermind back in 1991. Now Mr. Dave Grohl himself has made a documentary about this cornerstone of music: “That funky old place had the best drum room in the world. The drum sound at the beginning of Smells Like Teen Spirit? That’s Sound City. I decided to make a film about that feeling when you put five guys in a room, hit ‘record’ and the hair on the back of your neck stands up”. Grohl has managed to enlist a whole stack of musicians for his documentary. Featured so far are Trent Reznor (Nine Inch Nails), Josh Homme (Queens Of The Stone Age), Lars Ulrich (Metallica), Krist Novoselic (Nirvana) and Tom Petty. A teaser trailer has been released. It’s just a taste, short and fast. What should we expect from the doc? Well, simply another rock and roll story…

http://www.soundcitymovie.com/

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Author : Federica Mascagni

02/26/2012
Category: / THE SECRET SCREEN

BOOKMAN LIGHTS

Stylish, luminous and pocket-sized. A slim, detachable bike light from Bookman, a Stockholm based company that makes accessories for bikes and people on bikes.

This is how simple it is to mount the light on a handlebar or seat post!

The collection of colors includes: Goblin Green, Ghost White, Lemon Yellow, Pitch Black, Raging Red and Heavenly Blue.

The design idea was to use the simplest shape possible and let the colors do the talking.
So here is Bookman Light designed to meet the modern demands of material and energy efficiency, but most importantly to look fabulous on your bike!

http://bookman.se/

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Author : Valentina Matelli

02/26/2012
Category: / RIDE HERE RIDE NOW

BEHIND THE MODERN CONFESSIONAL: THE AESTHETICS OF THE PHOTOBOOTH

‘When the first photobooths were set up in Paris in 1928, the surrealists used them heavily and compulsively. In a few minutes, and for a small price, the machine offered them, through a portrait, an experience similar to automatic writing.’

An exhibition of historical photo booth photographic works are on display at Musée de L’Elysée Lausanne.  The collection of images have been assembled to depict the development and inherent quality of the photo booth aesthetic. With over 600 pieces from artists such as Andy Warhol, Gillian Wearing, Cindy Sherman, Jürgen Klauke, and Franco Vaccari. Curators Clément Chéroux and Sam Stourdzé have gathered visuals to investigate what they see to be the six major themes of the photo booth aesthetic. Firstly, a compilation of artists seek to answer the appeal of the booth as an isolated space for reflection. It’s a sort of ‘modern confessional’. The exhibition questions the aesthetics of the photo booth through six major themes: the booth, automatism, the strip, who am I?, who are you?, who are we? The booth is an isolated space, closed in as if it were some sort of modern confessional, the photo booth is an invitation to the most intimate revelations. Generally located in public spaces, subway station, department store or train station, it also offers an extraordinary observation point onto the urban hustle and bustle. It is a world in between the intimate and the public, the inside and the outside, the debarred and the open. The autonomatism is a fascinating phenomenon. The machine does the work. The author vanishes behind the almighty technology. Malfunction can occur at times. The result is a form of poetry of the automatism made visible in its faults, failures or blunders.
At the same time, as a series of juxtaposed images, the strip recreates spatial or temporal continuities. It reconstructs improbable spaces: a closer look shows that, in fact, the adjacent image is the following image. Through this succession of images, the photo booth holds, as if folded into it, the principle of the cinema. Putting images side by side is already telling a story. Identity is embodied. It is the space for self-staging, where social, ethnic, sexual, community or any other identity can be strengthened or undone. One can pretend to ascertain one’s naked identity through the mirror of the photo booth, or on the contrary, by pulling faces or in disguise, to establish metamorphoses of the self. The photo booth is the ideal introspective tool. The photo booth is not only a place suitable for self – reflection, it is also a place in which the other can be questioned, in particular through the legal identification system that delivers what is commonly referred to as ‘ ID. While it allows us to reflect upon our own identity, or other people’s, the photo booth is also an opportunity to ponder about the nature of the couple, or the group.

The photo booth reinforces our gregarious instinct; it embodies collective identity.

Behind the Curtain: the aesthetics of the photobooth, Musée de l’Elysée Lausanne, Switzerland

February 17th, 2012 until may 20th, 2012

http://www.elysee.ch

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Author : Isabella Cecconi

02/24/2012
Category: / THE THIRD EYE

SUGGESTED BY OLIVIA: ANNIE FINCH

 

Moon

Then are you the dense everywhere that moves,
the dark matter they haven’t yet walked through?

No, I’m not. I’m just the shining sun,
sometimes covered up by the darkness.

But in your beauty—yes, I know you see—
There is no covering, no constant light.

Author : Olivia Lewit

02/24/2012
Category: / POETRY BENCH

THE QUICK ONE: EAT THE WOLF, VIVI’ PONTI

 

Who are you? Where do you come from and what do you do?

I’m Vivì,Vivetta’s founder and designer. I was born in Assisi (Umbria) and I moved to Florence at the age of 15 to study. Then I lived in Bologna and then in Milan where I started my business.

How did you start your job?

I was bothered about working for fashion companies. Working on my own label is much more amusing.

Which is your favorite fashion era?

My favourite fashion era, the ’50s and ’60s . I love lot of things from that period: colours, shapes, objects, music, art.

How do you want your customers to feel like while wearing your creations?

I’d like them to feel good and happy. I’m  in heaven when I see pictures of girls wearing Vivetta’s  dresses and I love to see the way they wear my creations .

What do you mostly enjoy about your work?

I love to design, to search fabrics and the creative part of all the work. Then I also love to be free on everything. This work is hard but at least I can do everything I want …when I want.

Who do you think has a great style?

I love Peaches Geldof. She is a nice girl and she’s also a cleaver and interesting person.

If you could be the main character of a fairy tale, who would you be?

Little Red Cap,  but on that fairy tale I would eat the wolf.

Which song do you like to listen to when you wake up?

“Fish” from Daniel Jonhston.

Where are you living and where would you like to live if you could choose?

Now I m living half in Milan and half in Assisi where I use to produce the collection and to do the samples. If i could choose to live in another place I would move to London, I love it.

Could you please suggest me some cool vintage stores?

Now I use to buy lot of stuffs on Etsy. In Milan I love “Cavalli e Nastri” and I  use to go to flea markets like Bonola. When I travel I look for flea markets as well. In Ny I go to “Garage sale ” in Manhattan and… I always  came back  with paintings, tons of nice stuffs in my bag.

www.vivetta.it

Author : Angela Biani

02/23/2012
Category: THE QUICK ONE

Sailing the Seas of Ink: ALESSIO RICCI

alessio ricci 1

Alessio’s love for tattoos started when he was sixteen when he went with a friend who was getting a tattoo from an artist working out of his home.  He got a tiger on his back and was instantly lured in.  A few years later he took a more serious interest in the field of tattooing and  in 1998 he met the master tattooer Maurizio Fiorini, who at the time, owned a studio in Florence.  Since then, his career as a tattooer began.  After working at Maurizio’s shop for a while, he became good friend with another guy that used to work there, Marco Cerretelli. One day Marco told him about the possibilty of working  in the United States, thanks to a connection he had in Brooklyn. They both decided to leave a few months later.  That was 2002.

The decision to stay in the US was a spontaneous one and after two years spent in New York he decided to move to San Diego, California. Alessio loved to work there since the very beginning, especially for the weather, for  the culture of tattooing which is very rich  but also because there are a lot of excellent artists  that keep him motivated. His favourite style is without any doubt  the Japanese one, culturally and aesthetically.  He had the possibility to dedicate more of his time to this style in the last five years, when he started to work at Avalon Tattoo 2 in San Diego. Besides Japanese, he enjoys doing American traditional tattoos, and black and grey as well. Marco Annunziata

Avalon Tattoo 2, 3039 Adams Ave San Diego, CA 92116 – USA, www.alessioricci.com

Author : Marco Annunziata

02/23/2012
Category: / SAILING THE SEAS OF INK

SPRUETH MAGERS, A TRIBUTE TO ALIGHIERO BOETTI

 

Funny how a great artist like Alighiero Boetti was getting famous: abroad, out of his country. Funny the way he is now celebrated, out of his country, again. Sprüth Magers will pay tribute to Alighiero Boetti (1940 1994) at its  London gallery during  the artist’s first major U.K retrospective in over a decade at Tate Modern, from 28 February 27 May 2012.  Boetti first came to prominence in Turin in the early 1960’s. From printing, performance and sculpture, to embroidery, drawing, construction and mathematics,  his work reveals a fascination with chance, order and notions of authorship. A passionate believer in the importance of collaborating with others, both artists and non-artists, Boetti incorporated many aspects of culture in to his practice, in particular the non-western traditions and skills he encountered during his travels in Asia, Africa and the Middle East. This diverse and democratic approach blurred the boundaries between art and craft, and art and life. Sprüth Magers has worked with the artist for over 20 years, first presenting a solo show in Cologne in 1991. Realised in collaboration with Pasquale Leccese, this exhibition will take over three floors of the London gallery.

http://www.spruethmagers.com/home/

 

Author : Redazione

02/21/2012
Category: / GENERAL

GRIMES

GRIMES on 4AD
Listen Halfaxa on You Tube

Author : Maxim Deluxe

02/21/2012
Category: / LOST IN MUSIC

LIKE A TREASURE’S HUNTER IN NEW YORK

 
If you are roaming in New York and you feel like a treasure’s hunter, maybe you are still on time!
Till the end of February at PS1 you can visit  the “Golden Ghost (The Future Belongs To Ghosts) (2011) ” exhibition by Surasi Kusolwong, the renowned Thai artist, famous for his works at the Biennale in the past six years. The opening of the exhibition has taken place in November but, if you are lucky enough, you can still find the “precious golden bracelet”. The question is: why should i look for a golden bracelet in a big room full of discarded textile fabrics? Once again Mr. Kusolwong entertains and involves us because he consider art as a moment of coral fruition..and it doesn’t matter if you will find the golden bracelet…or not!
 

http://momaps1.org/

photo credits Raffaella Malavasi

Author : Serena Becagli

02/17/2012
Category: WORKING CLASS ART HEROES

SUGGESTED BY OLIVIA: CAROLYN FORCHE

 

Poem For Maya

Dipping our bread in oil tins
we talked of morning peeling
open our rooms to a moment
of almonds, olives and wind
when we did not yet know what we were.
The days in Mallorca were alike:
footprints down goat-paths
from the beds we had left,
at night the stars locked to darkness.
At that time we were learning
to dance, take our clothes
in our fingers and open
ourselves to their hands.
The veranera was with us.
For a month the almond trees bloomed,
their droppings the delicate silks
we removed when each time a touch
took us closer to the window where
we whispered yes, there on the intricate
balconies of breath, overlooking
the rest of our lives.

Author : Olivia Lewit

02/17/2012
Category: / GENERAL, / POETRY BENCH

A THINK TANK : THINK FLUO

What happens when two creative fashion designers, an artful photographer and a talented stylist mix together? The result is a project called Think Fluo.  Tania Alineri’s images portray a woman who is an heroin between a nymph and a post modern street shaman who moves in the frame of a decaying surrounding, where a dark nature seems to overcome men.  This woman is the keeper of the mystery of nature itself and at the same time, the defender of fashion. She is the personification of the good visual styling of Francesca Zagaria.  In Think Fluo, the rebellious spirit makes its way with a cocktail dress and a sartorial creation, where ethnic necklaces blend with studded blouses. A free spirit that rebels against any rule or dictatorship or limitation to achieve true beauty.

Giorgio Maroni and Valentina Bacci are founders of C.A.M. . Since 2009, the duo has translated their passion and creativity into a real project, an atelier in Rome’s heart Rione Monti, and a constant clothing gardening. Their two hearts, which beat simultaneously, pump a fashion lymph where decorated creations are unique pieces of sharp and clear lines or asymmetrical shapes. Traditional tailoring is here bound to a contemporary vision of clothing. C.A.M is essential, occasional, artisanal, a creative container, a place where severity coincides with contradiction. C.A.M is Classe Artigiana Monti.

 
www.myspace.com/classeartigianamonti
 
http://classeartigianamonti.tumblr.com/

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Author : Isabella Cecconi

02/17/2012
Category: / GENERAL

“THAT” RUBY RED DRESS: MICHAEL KORS’ OLD HOLLYWOOD GLAMOUR

When the fashion week season starts, there’s no way to stop and think about you’ve seen on the catwalk. Things soon start merging with one another, in a blurred series that you soon forget. Thankfully, you sometimes catch a glimpse of something really special – a dress or an outfit – which literally stands out and remains in your memory to haunt you. This is what happened to me when I first saw a dress from Michael Kors fall/winter 2012 collection, which was presented in New York just a few hours ago. This one caught my attention because it’s the symbol of a certain Old Hollywood glamour which often characterizes the creations by the American designer.

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Author : Teresa Cannatà

02/16/2012
Category: / SCHOOL OF FASHION

LOOK BACK IN CHEERINESS: RICOH AUTO HALF SL

Maybe it’s because I took with a Ricoh camera my first picture but I must admit, I love Ricoh. And in 1970,  this was basically the deluxe version of the simple Auto Half in commerce.  It used the same body as the earlier models, but added some nice features: a focusing, 35mm lens, speeds of 1/30 – 1/250, close focusing to 0.8 meters. Ricoh Auto Half SL used to have a focusing scale on the lens marked with distance and idiot symbols. Exposure was similar to the other Ricoh models, and designed to be automatic. Since the camera needed a battery, it also had an OFF switch, which was innovative, at the time. The viewfinder had a special mark to aid in correct exposure settings, just like the SE model. With a dot right in the middle of the viewfinder which was normally yellowish, meaning “adaquate light”, if it appeared reddish, it meant inadequate light i.e. use flash.  Crude, but effective. Available in chrome or black, both with stylish front,  just like the other models. Back in the days when things were cool..and Ricoh in my heart.

Author : Isabella Cecconi

02/16/2012
Category: / THE THIRD EYE

THE QUICK ONE: IN PERSPECTIVE, MR. ALESSANDRO ZUEK SIMONETTI

 

Who are you? Where do you come from and what do you do?

I’m a guy at the beginning of his own middle age crisis. I’m from Bassano del Grappa, a small town in the north east of Italy and i’m taking photos.

How did you start your job?

I started to shoot when I was an adolescent. The first paid gigs were for Italian skate/snow and surf magazines in the early 90′s, so i guess “my job” began when i started to get paid at that point. My first printed ADV was for an Italian street wear brand, a portrait of Italian hip hop band.

Where do you take your inspirations from?

Everyday things, images in general, designers, not necessary from other photographers’ work. I like anything visual. i love graphic and typography, layouts of books..

Who would you love to take a picture of?

Nobody in particular really.

Where does beauty reside for you?

In the attitude more than on the appearance. It’s something I could apply to anything, a person, the work of an artist or a photograph. It isn’t the final product that define the aesthetic to me but more what’s behind, the process.

Which are three things you can’ t live without?

My friends, my girl and my camera.

If you could leave a message which one would it be?

Don’t cry or you get dry!

How is your ideal woman?

I’m naturally attracted to creative minds, artistic attitudes, strong personalities.

Where do you like to spend your holidays?

Spongano in Salento, Puglia.. on the very bottom of the Italian boot! I have  been so many times and I love it! They call it the Italian Jamaica and I love Jamaica. I went there may time shooting.

Could you please tell me 10 things you love about the city you are living in?

The city that never sleeps, subway never stops, food never ends,  people are never the same, New Yorkers never complain for bullshit, cabs are never that expensive, city is never boring and you never end to move from a neighborhood to another one. Time is never enough, which means u have lot of things to do here…In NY you never say never!

http://alessandrozueksimonetti.blogspot.com/

http://www.galleriapatriciaarmocida.com/

 

Author : Angela Biani

02/15/2012
Category: THE QUICK ONE

MARKUS SCHINWALD, VERONICAS MURCIA-SPAIN

Austrian artist Markus Schinwald is known for his fascination with the human body, an interest which has materialized, so far, in portraits and prosthesis (or portraits with prosthesis), architectural installations, and films in which automaton-like people compose and decompose themselves. In his hands, the Baroque church of Veronicas (Murcia, Spain) has become a peculiar portrait gallery. Theatrically, the central apse of the church is framed by red velvet curtains, but instead of the main altar there is a crystal case enclosing a series of tiny, beautiful, innocent looking chameleons doing their thing: walking slowly through a structure devised by Schinwald and patiently changing their skin. Surrounding this space, along the walls of the nave, a series of engravings show 19th century individuals devoured by their clothes. Their garments seem to have experienced a process of uncontrollable self-growth, an extreme metamorphosis, which has ended up entirely hiding their subjects. The rich fabric of a sleeve expands itself to the shoulders and head; the collar of a coat climbs up, to envelop, like a cocoon, the face of the beholder; lush shawls, hats, and hairdos, seem to conspire against their owners reproducing themselves in order to possess their identity.

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Author : Emilia Garcia Romeu

02/14/2012
Category: / GENERAL

Sailing the Seas of Ink: RINO VALENTE

rino valente 1

If you see Rino Valente from a distance, you might exchange him for Adriano Celentano: hat, a 3 button, long sleeve, grey shirt, leather vest, jeans and boots. But while Celentano walks around dancing and singing, Rino is a decadent biker and he rides a totally customized, painted brown 883.

Rino started tattooing by himself, Claudio Benvenuti encouraged him to go on, and so he did, inspired by the comic strips of Andrew Pazienza, the music of Ian MacKaye (Fugazi, Minor Threat) and the stories of the common people. He started traveling and working around the world, then, after a few years, he returned to Italy and with Gigi Fagni opened the Peek-to-Boo Tattoo Parlour in a hidden backstreet of Pistoia. He doesn’t like to talk about himself too much so, to cut a long story short, nowadays Rino Valente can easily be considered to be one of the most important tattooers of his generation; you can ask him just about any type of tattoo, but please don’t ask for political subjects or your girlfriend’s name. Rino has been doing drawings for tattoos his entire life: Japanese, revisited traditional models, black and grey. He is a really versatile artist and has recently collaborated with Puma and Sundek. When he doesn’t work, he cooks and eats, plays with his two lovely sausage dogs and sleeps a lot. He also travels a lot and takes part in international conventions, both to work and to stay with his friends and colleagues, to cause trouble and to play human bowling up to late night. Among his preferred tattooers is the symbolist Rudy Fritsch, a tattooer that has succeeded in bringing around for the world his genius and beautiful craziness. Marco Annunziata

Peek-a-Boo Tattoo Parlour, Via Giovanni Verga, Pistoia – Italy, peekabootattooparlour.blogspot.com

Author : Marco Annunziata

02/14/2012
Category: / SAILING THE SEAS OF INK

HANNAH COHEN


Watch the Video The Crying Game by Hannah Cohen on You Tube  and visit her website on Bella Union

Author : Maxim Deluxe

02/13/2012
Category: / LOST IN MUSIC

KEHA3 – GRAZZ

Bike rack consists of plastic covered metal cables with metal loops at their ends for fixing the bike lock. Plastic surface cover and elastic structure protect the bike from scratches. When placing the Grazz bike racks side by side, it is possible to create partitions, artificial barriers to the city environment. There are two ways for fixing the rack – either with bolted connections/wedge anchors into the ground or casted to concrete.

Designer: Margus Triibmann

www.keha3.ee/en

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Author : Valentina Matelli

02/12/2012
Category: / RIDE HERE RIDE NOW

PERSONAL EFFECTSONSALE

Copyright © Sara Montali, 2012. All rights reserved.

Personal effectsonsale is an exhibition project settled in the wonderful Pavillon Espirt Nouveau designed by le Courbusier in 1925 and rebuilt in Bologna in 1977. A series of objects made by italian and foreigner artists have been collected and sold for 9,99 cents. This has happened during the 3 days of Arte Fiera in Bologna, a very special place where art addicted, curious, experts, collectors and fetishist gathered and where they have found the juicy chance to get art pieces for less than 10 euro, knowing after the deal whose artist was creator of the piece of work. Few weird and precious gadgets were left on saturday afternoon . I am sure that everybody is waiting for this performance to repeat, maybe staying in line for our turn to get the juju as if we were in line for a big rock concert!

Personal effectsonsale

 

Author : Serena Becagli

02/10/2012
Category: WORKING CLASS ART HEROES

SUGGESTED BY OLIVIA: WALLACE STEVENS

 
The Emperor of Ice-Cream

Call the roller of big cigars,
The muscular one, and bid him whip
In kitchen cups concupiscent curds.
Let the wenches dawdle in such dress
As they are used to wear, and let the boys
Bring flowers in last month’s newspapers.
Let be be finale of seem.
The only emperor is the emperor of ice-cream.

Take from the dresser of deal,
Lacking the three glass knobs, that sheet
On which she embroidered fantails once
And spread it so as to cover her face.
If her horny feet protrude, they come
To show how cold she is, and dumb.
Let the lamp affix its beam.
The only emperor is the emperor of ice-cream

Author : Olivia Lewit

02/10/2012
Category: / POETRY BENCH

IORI’S EYES

“We Born We Grow We Couple “…..  from Milan / Suburbia

Watch ‘ All the people outside  are killing my feeling ‘ video on   We Have Double Soul

 

Author : Maxim Deluxe

02/09/2012
Category: / LOST IN MUSIC

VAASTU SHILPI SHASTRA: INDIAN INTERIORS

 

The method of designing buildings that are in harmony with Nature is rooted in the ancient Indian science of Vaastru Shilpi Shastra. The origin of this highly evolved science can be traced to one of the four ancient Indian Vedas – the Atharva Veda that was widely applied in most historic monuments which stand tall and strong even today. This mystic science is being rediscovered by modern architects and is being increasingly employed today.There have been claims of immense wealth and personal health within days after making structural changes in one’s residence as advocated by Vaastru Shastra. Though this may be viewed with suspicion, the basic tenets appeal to the scientific mind as building designs recommended do in fact improve air circulation and natural lighting. This in turn improves the health and behavior of the occupants. These are the main rules to build in Vastu philosophy :

1. The area of the building in square feet if divided by 8must leave a reminder on either 1,3,5 or 7. 2. Old buildings that are damaged by a natural calamity like fire, lightening, rain etc are to be avoided.  3. Never acquire a house in which a suicide has taken place or a new born baby died or a pregnant lady expired. 4. Should be sufficiently away from trees whose roots candamage the foundationDoor/windowsThe main entrance /door must be from the North or theEast.5. An entrance from the West or South –West is extremely bad.The number of door and windows must each be an evennumber. 6. Columns and beams must also be an even number.

For a happy, healtier and stronger life.

Author : Francesca Querci

02/08/2012
Category: / GLARE LIVING

BODY AND SOUL – ELIZABETH ARDEN MEETS HOTEL CRYSTAL ST.MORITZ

High mountain, crisp air, perfect days for skiing. It’s winter, it’s cold and yes, it’s snowing. Imagine being nestled between the majestic snow-capped peaks of Switzerland, sightseeing beautiful and natural landscapes, having a sip of hot chocolate..

There’s a perfectly fitted partnership when a historic Maison de Beauté meets a famous Swiss hotel. I’m talking about Elizabeth Arden and St. Moritz’ Hotel Crystal. Do you know the Crystal Hotel? It’s an elegant four star superior member of  ”Small Luxury Hotels of the World” and “Engadin Golf Hotel” that  welcomes its guests in the center of St. Moritz. It’s a precious jewel. It’s a cozy and traditional place, an invitation to relax in complete harmony with its surroundings. The lounge features a beautiful fireplace and it offers guests, relax and quiet moments. The whole place features many amenities and entertainment options for guests: from the private wine cellars, perfect for tasting fine wines and culinary specialties of the area, up to the bar, where aperitifs or drinks can be easily enjoyed. But there’s something more juicy you should all know. During ski slopes, when the face is whipped by cold air, and the temperature is low, the best ally to fight climatic conditions becomes a beauty/soothing product: lip stick. I’d say something suitable and versatile and indispensible when cold. This is where the partnership becomes involving. Crystal’s guest will be given and feel cared by Elizabeth Arden’s Eight Hour Cream Lip Protectant Stick. This product is based on vitamin E and it is rich in emollient properties that guarantee hydration and protection. It contains a SFP15 too and it lasts eight hours. It’s the perfect combination of beauty and wellness.

And last but not least, I was also told, it’s well appreciated among kissers too..

http://www.crystalhotel.ch/

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Author : Isabella Cecconi

02/08/2012
Category: / GENERAL

Sailing the Seas of Ink: ANGELA SMISEK

angela smisek 1

Angela began drawing tattoos when she was studying at the Art Academy in Bologna. Through some tattoo artist friends, she decided to try out the art form – her first guinea pig being her dad! Thanks to Luca Mamone of Santa Sangre Tattoo Studio, Angela’s passion for needles and ink have grown into a mature style and she is now notorious for her quality tattoos. Her style is the American traditional with thick black lines, infused with a touch of femininity. Milton Zeis, Percy Waters, Hernias Sutton, and Sailor Jerry are some of her favorite tattoo artists.

Currently, Angela works in Milan at the Pietro Sedda’s Saint Mariner Tattoo Studio and she will participate with him at the Rome Convention next May and Krakov Convention in June. In her spare time, she loves to cook vegan recipes. Marco Annunziata

Saint Mariner Tattoo Studio, Via Carlo Tenca, 10, Milano – Italy, facebook.com/angela.smisek

Author : Marco Annunziata

02/07/2012
Category: / SAILING THE SEAS OF INK

ARCHIVIO CICCONI: A CRAFTED CONTEMPORARY MYTH

There’s only one mean in mankind for stopping time: it’s photography. And Photography if stored professionally, can be considered a real “good” for society. The value of an asset is today determined by history for instance, and with its history a whatnot brand can promote excellence and preciousness. The importance of this heritage resides in an archive itself, so that to become a brand the archive itself.

The Cicconi Photo Archive, recognized by the Italian Ministry of Culture as an archive of historical interest, preserves historical memory through the use of Italian visual material, from photojournalism agencies. The archive itself includes around 7 million images of original plates, negatives and slides of various sizes, holding together Italy’s visual recorded history. The work of Umberto Cicconi, President of the foundation, which manages these assets has been continued by son Edoardo who, getting along with all this treasure, has been inspired with his artisanal work.

Nowadays, Edoardo Cicconi produces antique prints with the confidence of someone who has always lived between glass plates and negatives. He shifts from being a craftsman to a real artist. A touch of new sign by an old crafty master. With a peculiar printing technique whereby he combines tailoring on cotton paper and the technique of gum bichromate, Edoardo reproduces images on a special glassplate. The gum bichromate is a technique used in the 19th century that uses few items: Arabic gum, chrome, colour and obviously light. This seemingly simple process offers endless potential for expression due to the aggregation formula of different elements. It obviously ensures the irreproducibility that is the basic issue of a real work of art.

This ritual is unique and it gives a go to equality and the main idea of matrix and copy. In a place like Rome, where rituals, religion, fashion, art are a spontaneous DNA, Edoardo Cicconi and the Archivio Ciccioni offer an endless quantity of possible photographical interpretations.

Time is where the past and the future coexists.

www.archiviocicconi.com

www.fondazioneallori.it

 

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Author : Isabella Cecconi

02/07/2012
Category: / THE THIRD EYE

THE QUICK ONE: LESS IS MORE (AND MORE), CECILIA BRINGHELI

 

Who are you? Where do you come from and what do you do?

Cecilia Bringheli, I’m from Milan and I am a shoe designer

How did you start your job?

I started because I felt I could never find flats, besides ballerinas, that could be elegant and feminine, yet practical, for a modern woman who might walk out the door in the morning and come back home  after dinner. Therefore I draw, initially only for my own self,  this very simple model as I needed to have a simple pair of shoes that could be comfortable and “always right”. Right after i had so many requests from men that we started  to adapt the same model also to create  a men’s line to go together with the female one.

What fascinates most about your job?

Let’s start saying that producing in Italy it’s very challenging , especially in a beginning stage. Finding the best artisanal factory that understands the needs of a new brand that wants and aims to move and play in an always faster world it’s somehow an oxymoron between the reality of the demand  from customers and the need to respect the right timing needed to produce a top of the notch handmade slipper, like Cb’s. So far we’re managing to make it ! We know by first name every single artisan -we prefer to consider them artists- that works on our shoes and we strongly believe that our product is the best possible available. The love that somehow it’s given to our product from this people, it makes a huge difference. On top of this, we would never accept to work producing in any other country, especially those that do not respect human rights or employ underage workers. We think that respecting  workers and pay them a fair salary is the base for a truly successful business and this might also help contributing to  create a better world, even if this might be just a drop of water in the Ocean. I work hard, especially because when you’re having such a small company as mine, you have to take care of every aspect, including numbers and smaller details so , my method, it’s to do one thing at the time and to love what i do.

Who/what have mostly determined your life?

I don’t want to sound cheesy but as many things in life, I guess, family is always one ofthe main sources of inspiration. My mother has raised me to a natural inclination towards elegance and taste without need to show off and this will always be my starting point. Then, come all of the external world influences. In this case it is never something specific, I can’t point out a single reference or icon. I would say it is more the result of events or simple objects and situations that impact with my mood and emotions. The important thing (there I go sounding cheesy again..) is always to be curious and open-minded.

Why is Cecilia special?

Determination certainly occupies the first place. It might seem very obvious but as a young woman growing in this society I have learned that many people unfortunately don’t work on determination that much. Another essential thing is to love what you do and this really goes along with having to be determined. To me the key is to try to approach things with the right amount of courage and foolishness balanced with the right amount of tough work and expertise.

What  is your soundtrack at the moment?

Nicolas Jaar, I went to his concert last Sunday and it was amazing. Dancing, singing, playing, he is from 1990, genious!!!

How is your ideal day?

Wake up in a huge white bed full of pillows, have breakfast in bed, go on a sailing boat trip under the sun with my friends. Aperitivo at sunset feeling the effect of the sun on my face, cook a typical Italian dinner for my friends together with a good bottle of wine and someone playing a guitar.

Which are your favorite pieces of your wardrobe?

When I choose my clothes, I always think that “less is more”: the simpler, the more elegant. My favorite pieces are a little black dress, jeans, t-shirts, shirts and sweaters…I’m always cold!

How and where do you see yourself in 10 years?

Well.. quite a strange question to answer. I guess if I had an exact timing I would have to start a new job as fortune teller. Seriously, I suppose success is not something you can achieve and put aside judging it by some scale of any sort but rather something you have to continuously look forward to, also on a more personal and interior level. Setting goals is an important way of getting through the process and the goals change according to your growth, both in a professional and in a personal way. And I hope that someday I will be the mother of the kid of the man I will love.

Could you please suggest me some special places to go shopping?

I don’t do shopping a lot I have to be honest. I can say that I go to “il Salvagente” that is an outlet in Via Fratelli Bronzetti in Milan, but you have to be patient when you go there, so I just go sometimes and then I go to Zara and H&M most of the time.

 

http://www.cbmadeinitaly.com/

Author : Angela Biani

02/06/2012
Category: THE QUICK ONE