WHAT WE DO IS SECRET

Nobuyoshi Araki @Jablonka Gallery, Berlin

アラーキーこと荒木経惟の、ベルリンでの展覧会の模様を撮ったフィルム。会場には、モノクロの「緊縛」シリーズからの１００点が展示された。昔から思うのだが、写真家というのには二つタイプがあって、えらく匂いがしてきそうな写真を撮る写真家と、無臭性の写真をとるタイプに分かれるような気がする。荒木経惟の場合は前者で、日本という国のある一面の体臭みたいなものを非常にうまく捉える写真家だと、常々関心させられる。ちょうど、日本社会の雌しべの部分をヘッドスペース分析 (Headspace analysis) して、写真で再表現したような…

male gaze

Perfumers and Model in the Studio

There is a famous woodcut by Dürer called “Artist and Model in the Studio.”

I am working on a series of prints portraying the relationship between perfumers and a skin model which will be a part of my new project.

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香水というのは、ブロターという紙に吹き付けた場合と、人の肌に吹き付けた場合の両方を確かめながら作っていきます。この写真は、スキンモデル（その妖しげな響きが何とも言えません）を使ってパフューマー（調香師）達が試験作を比べているところです。比率的に男性のパフューマー（調香師）の方が多い為でしょうか、スキンモデルに選ばれるのは美人が多いようです。

takashi murakami @ brooklyn museum 2

Guggenheim-Hermitage Museum in Vilnius

Evidently, the era of starchitects is not going to be over anytime soon…

Zaha Hadid’s recent winning design for a museum in Vilnius, Lithuania, which may partly serve as an exhibition space for The Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation and The State Hermitage Museum looks like the big mother of Chanel Mobile Art.

蔡國強 (Cai Guo-Qiang)

Cai Guo-Qiang has been known as 蔡國強 in Japan, and many (or most?) of us still pronounce his name ‘さい・こっきょう’, which sounds terribly different from the real pronunciation. The way he is called in the US is closer to Chinese, but I suppose the artist wouldn’t mind the way Japanese call his name since he had spent the early part of his career in Japan (before moving to New York) long enough to think he has a Japanese name. What is probably most important about his name is the meaning of it, and as a Japanese, I see the two characters of his given name as awe-inspiring, just like his art. 國強 means “Powerful Nation.”

Cai Guo-Qiang/ I Want to Believe @ Guggenheim Museum
(Link to the visual documents of the incredible installation process at Guggenheim Museum)

Is perfumery art?

I noticed that I haven’t posted about perfume for a while. I spent most of the time thinking about a new project related to perfumers and perfumery this week and felt comfortable posting something related.

Last weekend my two sons had an annual play date with Les Christophs (Christophe Laudamiel and Christoph Hornetz) at home, and I had an opportunity to speak with perfumer Christophe Laudamiel on various subjects including art and design. Laudamiel is one of the few perfumers (if not only) who is trying to think perfumery outside the realm of commercial perfumery or a mere scent making. The most interesting discussion with him was on the possibility for the perfumery to be recognized as art.

Perfumery is not art in today’s context. For example, we cannot speak about perfumery as we speak about contemporary art. Perfumery is still like 18th or 19th century art. As Laudamiel pointed out to me, I too believe that finding the answer to this issue will ultimately take the commercial perfumery to the next level.

I also found an interesting article by chance addressing a similar issue. Here is the link where you can download the article.

Takashi Murakami @ Brooklyn Museum

Following the show at MOCA, Takashi Murakami’s retrospective opened at Brooklyn Museum yesterday.

The image below is from the opening gala on Thursday evening. While Kanye West performed in front of the guests, Marc Jacobs (in green) played a fan.

© Photo by Eric Weiss

Clayton James Cubitt a.k.a. Siege

Two decades ago, when I first saw several images taken by a then unknown artist David LaChapelle (he was more of an artist than a photographer), I felt like being hit on the head with a mallet. I’ve recently felt the same way seeing some images and a video taken by Clayton James Cubitt a.k.a. Siege. And his mallet is maybe even bigger…

Here is the profile of an extremely talented artist in Brooklyn.

The artist’s website

Julius Popp’s Bit.Fall

Just take a look at this.

Here’s the artist.

Related link: Design and the Elastic Mind

Chanel Mobile Art Opens in Hong Kong

Photo © Hong Kong Hustle

The much anticipated exhibition organized by Chanel in an unusual museum designed by Zaha Hadid opens in Hong Kong today. Visit the website, it’s simply awesome.

Related Links: Hong Kong Hustle | Chanel Mobile Art

Auction (Red) at Sotheby’s

On the evening of Valentine’s Day, over $40 million was raised to fight AIDS in Africa at a historic auction in New York — the most significant charity auction of Contemporary Art ever. The winner of the evening was Damien Hirst who donated seven pieces to the auction. Most of his pieces skyrocketed through the evening, including a massive stainless steel cabinet filled with drugs to treat HIV going for an astounding $7,150,000.

We’re in the middle of a full-blown recession, the rich are getting richer with plenty of money to spend, and the rest of us are now all in the poor class. It’s good to see big fat wallets being used in style for tax-deductible purchases.

Related article at NME.COM

A HUNT FOR HIGHTECH

“In a world…
where nature and science have emerged, where technology breathes and where living without it is impossible.

This futuristic world is the inspiration for a collection of imitation fur, for the fashion industry. ‘Future fur’ shows that it is more interesting to imitate an imaginary world…”

Mobile Art/ Chanel Contemporary Art Container

This is not new… the previous post just reminded me of it.
And there are three good reasons for this to be a post:
1. Rendering - mesmerizingly beautiful !
2. Zaha Hadid - I’m not a big fan of her architecture but have a deep respect for a woman who thrive in a field dominated by men.
3. “Je veux être de ce qui arrive” - I love this quote by Coco Chanel.

A rendering of the mobile pavilion for Chanel designed by Zaha Hadid

The world tour starts on 02/27/08 from Hong Kong and travels to Tokyo, New York, London, Moscow and Paris.

Chanel Mobile Art
Zaha Hadid Architects
Related article at Wallpaper*

Prada - Trembled Blossoms

Prada unveiled the latest collaboration in Commerce and Art earlier this week.

Related Links: James Jean | ProcessRecess (blog) | Fashion Week Daily

Takashi Murakami @ MOCA

Before Takashi Murakami’s exhibition at The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA ends next Monday (2/11/08), I wanted to take a look at his star-studded opening back in October 2007. When was the last time we saw so many celebrities at an art opening - when Andy Warhol was alive?

100% LOVE

More related video’s at MOCA’s YouTube channel

Prada Marfa, 2005

100% LOVE




Images © Elmgreen & Dragset / Photos by Lizette Kapre

… one of the few art projects I could remember in the past five years.