Friday, June 19, 2009

THE SIMPLE THINGS SHINE AT ART BASEL

What do Takashi Murakami, Pharrell Williams, and Jacob the Jeweler have in common? In a collaboration over two years in the making the three artists in their respective fields paired to realize "The Simple Things", Art Basel's hottest item. Sold within the first 20 minutes of the fair for a reported $2 million the mouth of the Mr. DOB sculpture holds pavé items of the things Williams holds most dear. In this video hear Pharrell discuss the work in his own words.

Balazs Grill Meets High Standards

Officially open to the public this Monday, The Standard Grill, located under the High Line, is the Meat Packing district's latest and greatest. A product of hotelier AndrĂ© Balazs the interior resembles a rustic French Bistro. This week's friends and family tasting attracted a hip crowd of downtown Manhattan insiders, including actress Julianne Moore and photographer Sante D'Orazio, who enjoyed fantastic atmosphere in the back dinning room. Under the culinary direction of Executive Chef Dan Silverman the kitchen serves late night, until 4 am, which will no doubt keep patrons coming back for dishes like their “Million Dollar” whole roast chicken and fries for two.

Thursday, June 18, 2009

TAKASHI MURAKAMI: AMAZING ANIME

In 2003 Takashi Murakami for Louis Vuitton gave us a taste of culture meets commerce magic with "Superflat Monogram". Now, six years later, the pair are back with the release of another video, "Superflat First Love". Redesigning the store interior and dreaming up a new Multicolor Spring Palette Murakami's glorious color filled video will delight all of the senses as it celebrates the anniversary of the pair's collaboration.

Friday, June 5, 2009

Making Worlds: The 53rd Venice Biennial

Making Worlds is making waves in the art world. Some ninety artists, representing a record 77 countries, exhibit an extraordinary collection of work for the 53rd Venice Biennial. Swiss-born curator Daniel Birnbaum describes his vision for a show that "would involve several generations and display the roots as well as the branches that grow into a future not yet defined." Among the artists represented, Bruce Nauman explores three thematic “threads” : “Heads and Hands”, “Sound and Space”, and “Fountains and Neons,” in his Topological Gardens exhibition. Venice as a venue acts as a unique fourth thread, providing deeper spatial context. The Biennial, opening to the public June 7th, runs through November 22nd.

Monday, June 1, 2009

Design for a Living World

With going green at the forefront of corporate responsibility Loomstate visionaries Rogan Gregory and Scott Hahn sat down with Barney's VP & Fashion Director Julie Gilhart for a panel discussion at the Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum. Coinciding with their current Design for a Living World exhibit the conversation addressed the future of sustainable fashion, and the slow speed with which the fashion industry has begun producing environmentally conscious products. From the farms that grow the fiber, to organic manufacturing, the ethical climate of mills oversees, how the garment is cleaned, and finally the way it's disposed of at the end of the life cycle, Loomstate described the quadruplet factors that play a role in their clothing line. No longer a trend, green will soon change the game, and how we look at the world completely. Design for a Living World runs through January 4th, 2010.