Weds 3rd: NYC - The Shop at Kenny Scharf's "Hot Glue Hullabaloo" at The Hole

Weds 3rd: NYC - Kenny Scharf's "Hot Glue Hullabaloo" at The Hole

Having seen a couple of mentions of a new Kenny Scharf exhibition opening in NYC I scribbled it in right at the top of my hit list and located "The Hole" which is holding its 4th show on Greene Street.
I knew I would like this work but not to the extent that I actually wanted to fling my arms round it and jump for joy like a Ribena berry (I was wearing all purple!). The title should have been an indication at the type of sculpture I would find and feel an affinity to! The aesthetic of found objects each selected on their own rainbow and smily merit stuck together made me run around like Charlie in The Chocolate Factory. I create incidental pieces and props in this way because its instinctive - I didn't know it could be art! ARGH!
The top images show an entire room encased and covered with ephemera glowing UV under black light and lined with my favourite iridescent sheeting. This is a reincarnation of the original "Cosmic Closet" he invented in the 80's with Keith Haring as a disco installation in the closet of their Times Square apartment. The 2010 version "Cosmic Cavern a Go Go" has come out of Kenny's basement in Brooklyn where he still holds parties. These walls are under offer and available to be re-positioned wherever an investor may like them to be installed! *waves hand and beckons to Britain*

Tues 2nd Nov: NYC - threeASFOUR HQ

............... and I'm home again.......... that's how it feels when I walk the leafy sidewalk of a Fall Forsyth Street, along the park to the silver loft studio of threeASFOUR. Walking up the steel glittering steps to the 4th floor is always a comforting and exciting prospect each time I return. This is the epicentre of cosmic creativity that gave me hope for my path in the future and reassurance that pure beauty is prevalent to eyes that are open to find it.
The studio has become a haven of greenery since I was last here with Angela spritzing and attending to her tropic border that surrounds where the fractal seamed collection harmoniously hangs. I will bring a separate, more detailed account of this in a secondary post.............but firstly for an introduction - here is a peak into the menagerie where the magic happens.

Venture further into the exquisite world of threeASFOUR here

(You can read the whole story of my discovery and journey in 2001 in ItsNiceThat Issue2)

Mon 1st Nov: London - AMS knitwear goes online

AMS - CORGI SOCKS from danny sangra on Vimeo.

The fantastic colour palette and patterned knitwear to come from the collaboration between Danny Sangra and Lynnda Needles (Lyn Cockburn) named "A Minute Silence" has just launched its online shop. Here is a little film clip showcasing their newly produced optical Corgi socks added to the shop and a still of my favourite Luc Cardigan from the same collection. This is luxury and fun all rolled into one. I asked Danny and Lynnda to send me some snaps of their inspiration and their working environment to get an inside perspective at their aesthetic. Here are 3 images of references on their desk for development and they have put together 2 collages to show each of their individual current visual obsessions - I'm loving the Twiggy eye makeup in Danny's!
Head over to the site to see whats for sale and what might just be the best Christmas present you can possibly get your lover! This is socks gone sexy!

Mon 1st Nov: NYC - "Move!" MoMA PS1 - Jonah Bokaer & Narciso Rodriguez

Mon 1st Nov: Terence Koh & Italo Zucchelli

Terence Koh teamed up with Italo Zucchelli of Calvin Klein menswear. I pulled back a black curtain to unveil a large dimly lit room with a rotation of totally silver painted men slowly pacing around in a figurative formation. It looked like they had been dipped in mercury and the galvanized gloss coating glistened in the strobe beam cast onto their metallic drenched trench coats. Wandering around the expansive space of PS1 for this "Greater New York" exhibition you were welcome to have a nose behind the scenes. Of course I readily got involved in this, by sneaking into the makeup room and snapping these references from the Lancome crew responsible for both Koh's look and the Rodarte white faces. Yum!

Sun 31st Oct: NYC - "Move!" MoMA PS1 - Olaf Breuning & Cynthia Rowley

The best installation was by Olaf Breuning & Cynthia Rowley called "Carrie". First you encounter what seems to be a hallway with a rail of hanging denim garments like a collection in a store. Then you turn a corner and walk in on studio type situation with tailor, mannequin, pattern cutting table etc.......... all the paraphernalia of making the previously seen garments. Here a few models collect to be fitted before entering the next phase of the work .......... and their imminent doom. The title is a little give away for what may unfold. Round the next corner is a platform and floor of paint cans arranged to pour over the girls like a gunge tank to create splattered garments and douse the models in the process. I didn't witness an actual splash, but the remnants of all previous ones was everywhere! Past the wet paint is a final cleaner room with another rail but this time the denim collection has been transformed with a colourful hap-hazard print from the art attack. I think that these items are going to be for sale after this weekend's performance so check it out as they look great fun garments to add to the regular indigo section of your wardrobe!

Sun 31st October: NYC - "Move!" MoMA PS1 - Ohne Titel vs. Tauba Auerbach

This weekend PS1 has converted its gallery into a live event "Move!" which brings together New York's fashion designers and artists who have teamed up to create performances, installations and screenings. Some of these collaborations include Brody Condon and Rodarte, Rashaad Newsome and Alexander Wang, Rob Pruitt and Marc Jacobs, Dan Colen and Proenza Schouler. I always love a trip out to Queens to visit the converted school building now home to one of the world's most interesting modern art galleries. Its a real highlight that on my trip to the city this time, its fallen on the occasion of this special fashion and performance event. Purrrrrrrrrfect for me!
Here is one of my favourites by Tauba Auerbach and Ohne Titel. A room painted blue and white gave space for 12 girls in a choreographed routine wearing blue and white panelled jersey costumes. The way their bodies fused together in "Pause/Applause" rolling around the floor in a sea of blue was a little like Ballie Walsh's "Slow" video for Kylie - which is all good by me!

Sun 31st October: NYC - The Chelsea Hotel

After reading Patti Smith's "Just Kids" over the summer I wanted to come on a little pilgrimage to The Chelsea Hotel where she lived for a while with Robert Mapplethorpe. The place is still pretty special! "a rest stop for rare individuals" is the motto and if you look up the history, you'll see there has been an amazing clientele of musicians and artists.............. some of which have left their work to adorn the walls......... a real NYC landmark. Fantastic its still going.

Sat 30th Oct: NYC: Olek - Knitting is for pus****

How totally awesome and cosmic is this Polish born, New York based crochet artist Agata Olek?! The exhibition has been titled "knitting is for pussies" which suggests the act of crochet is more complex than its counterpart, and probably none more so than concealing the contents of a room. Its a little bit like when Tim Walker and Andy Hillman covered an interior with knitted Aran jumpers but turned totally pshycadelic and punk. Nothing has been left bare, including the arms of the spectacles on the face of the gallery receptionist who i didn't snap as she appeared a little bit fierce - albeit dressed in a multicolour wool poncho!
The hundreds of miles of chochet spread from out of the gallery, spilling onto the streets of local NOLITA and L.E.S - such as these bicycles locked up outside. I'm totally in love with this work and think NOKI would be too as the technique, usage and recycled materials are in keeping with his signature style! The all encompassing camouflage pattern wallpaper and human covering is reminiscent of the Undercover collection I saw in the Future Beauty exhibition the other day. Despite all of these references it is completely unique and energetically inspiring - particularly photos of previous projects including a crochet costume covered reveller on the Wall of China.
To find out more, see the Christopher Henry Gallery.