Titus Kaphar, Artist

Uncle Thomas, 2008, Titus Kaphar, American, b. 1976, tar on paper, 48 x 36in. (121.9 x 91.4cm), 

Seattle Art Museum, Contemporary Art Support Fund, 2009.31. © Titus Kaphar, 

Photo courtesy of Roberts & Tilton, Culver City, CA.

PERSONAL HISTORIES

JUL 5 2014 – MAY 3 2015

SEATTLE ART MUSEUM

THIRD FLOOR GALLERIES

Historical narratives tend to highlight key events in a nation’s history. The fate of a country’s leaders, wars won or lost, and other transformative national events are enshrined as “official” history, while the struggles and successes of minorities and less influential groups often remain forgotten or in the margins.

The artists in this installation–including Laylah Ali, William Cordova, Titus Kaphar, Whitfield Lovell, and Kara Walker–chart alternative narratives. All works in Personal Histories are drawn from SAM’s collections.

Image and Text Source is Seattle Art Museum

Alexander McQueen and Damien Hirst, Collaboration

Since its first appearance in Alexander McQueen’s Irere Collection back in 2003, the iconic skull scarf has become a signature item in the fashion house’s accessory range. To celebrate its 10th anniversary, Alexander McQueen has invited British artist Damien Hirst to create a new scarf collection, available both in McQueen boutiques and atAlexanderMcQueen.com from 15 November 2013. The common ground between McQueen and Hirst - apart from both having a long creative career full of delicious controversy and radical thinking- was found in a shared aesthetic vision which combines symmetrical design with ‘‘strong references to the natural world.’’ The anniversary scarf collection consists of 30 one-off designs featuring various insects that together form McQueen’s signature skull shape. The designs themselves were adapted from Hirst’s ‘‘Entomology’’ paintings (2009-2012) in which the artist used insect patterns to create colourful kaleidoscopic images.

The release of the anniversary scarf collection is accompanied by a short film created by Sølve Sundsbø, an established fashion photographer and film maker based in London. In the film, female figures move in slow motion like mysterious sea animals or butterflies, wearing dresses decorated with patterns from the Alexander McQueen & Damien Hirst scarf collection.

[YatzerTip]: Don’t forget Damien Hirst’s major retrospective in Doha, Qatar! Titled ‘‘Relics,’’ it is the largest exhibition of Hirst’s work to date, on display until 22 January 2014 at AL RIWAQ DOHA Exhibition Space.

Text and Image source is Yatzer. Link here.

Bertil Nilsson, Artist

Described by Nilsson, who now resides in London, as a ‘personal journey of exploration […] of both the landscape and our role within it’, ‘Naturally’ was photographed across a number of countries including England, France, Spain, Portugal, Germany and Australia. The images, printed in an edition of 8 (+2AP) are currently being exhibited at a solo show dedicated to Nilsson at the Dutch Galerie Wilms, which represents the artist in the Netherlands. Although the show is scheduled to end this upcoming Sunday (12 January, 2014), the gallery intends to keep a number of Nilsson’s work on permanent display and will also show his work at the upcoming REALISME art fair in Amsterdam from the 15th through to the 19th of January.

Text and Image source Yatzer. Link here.

Joana Vasconcelos, Artist

Joana Vasconcelos, A Noiva [The Bride], 2001-2005.
OB tampons, stainless steel, cotton thread, steel cables.
600 x Ø 300 cm.
António Cachola Collection, Elvas.
Work produced and restored with the support of Johnson & Johnson, Lda.photo © Joana Vasconcelos.

Source link here. 

Katerina Kaloudi, Artist

More to see on the artist's website. Link here.

DESTE Foundation and TOILETPAPER

Source link here. 

Workwear, Exhibition in Milan

Designed to look both like a gallery and a boutique, the specially constructed installation inside the Triennale - created in collaboration with Italian designer Alberto Biagetti - features works created by 40 creatives hailing from the fields of art, architecture, design and fashion, many of whom have produced garments that are actually not meant to be worn. Instead, they serve a role as bizarre or indeed thought-provoking encounters, thereby transporting visitors away from their mere functionality as clothing.

Some of the ‘fashion artworks’ on display get straight to the point, as seen for example in Vivienne Westwood’s lumberjack ‘costume’ (complete with a shiny axe for wood chopping purposes). Others are more enigmatic or indeed surreal, such as Angela Missoni’s ‘uniform for a dreamer’ or the ‘cloud hunter’ dress by Antonio Marras. The most controversial piece in the entire exhibition however has to be Issey Miyake’s coat, pants and boots set, which is made out of gold foil and is meant for the exhausted African immigrants docking, in their infamous boats, at the Italian island of Lambedusa. 

A definite must-see before the frenzy of fashion-week month begins, the ‘Abiti di Lavoro - Workwear’ exhibition offers much food for thought for all fashion lovers out there and will be on display at the Triennale di Milano until 31 August 2014.

Text and image source Yatzer. Link here.

Evelyn Bencicova, Artist

We have come across many a story of fashion models turning towards other occupations, but that of 21-year-old photographer Evelyn Bencicova must be one of the most interesting (and successful at that). Born in Bratislava, Slovakia, the Berlin-based photographer decided to pursue her interest in fashion- and art-photography a couple of years ago, following her urge to create images and stories of her own. Back in her childhood, Bencicova wanted to be, amongst other things, a philosopher and a politician, aspirations which seem to have reemerged into her more recent creative work – since behind her impressively coherent and visually stunning work lies a healthy dose of thought and research, as well as the ambition to tackle some serious philosophical questions about human existence and, as she says, ''the true nature of things.''

For Evelyn Bencicova, the content of the picture is not just the person or the object that it depicts, but rather the thoughts or concepts the image evokes. Her images go beyond the apparent, without however being symbolic or representational: for her, a photograph is just a moment in a longer and multilayered creative process, since she sees herself more of a creator of scenes or sculptural compositions than ‘just’ a photographer, admitting that she is not really interested in the technical aspects of what she does. Through her treatment of the body as more of a sculptural or choreographic device (paired with the extensive use of props and materials such as melted wax, extravagant costumes, or even dead fish), Bencicova creates poignant visual gestures which do not ‘stand for’ something, but rather bring actual relationships into existence – relationships between the individuals who pose for her, the body and its environment, the viewer and Bencicova herself.

Text and image source Yatzer. Link here.

Brigette Heffernan, Artist

Clothes hanger modified with paper and charcoal to capture mark making in the wind.

Venetian blind modified with pencils to make a drawing.

Source link here.

Alice Fox, Artist

Source link here.

Nick Kennedy, Artist

Artist Statement:

Central to all my work is the conflict between chance and influence, order and chaos, success and failure, rules and irregularity. My practice has a very specific focus on drawing, which is largely due to its immediacy and flexibility as a medium for the exploration of ideas.

A key strand of my work involves the employment of systems or devices to disrupt or interfere with my control over the process of making. Through my practice I aim to explore the notions of chance, order, control and serendipity.

Link here to go to artist's website.

Making Marks. Students Made Their Own Drawing Tools.