A + F by AM

"Transcommunality...:" A must-see exhibition at BRIC House

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 17 Jul 2014 01:17:00 +0000

This summer has been very busy. So many great shows to see, sunny (and rainy days) in the city to enjoy, and going on different adventures with my artwork. This past weekend, while attending a "Kilnformed Jewelry Design" workshop with Dena Pengas, I saw a great exhibition at BRIC House.

The exhibition, Transcommunality: Laura Anderson Barbata, Collaboration Beyond Borders, showcases Mexican artist Anderson Barbata's long term collaboration with stilt dancing groups in Mexico, and Trinidad & Tobago, which includes video, photographs, and elaborate wearable works, (in this instance presented as sculptures), each with a symbolic meaning. As explained on BRIC's flyer for the exhibit, "Transcommunality is based on the concept of building bridges between international communities." This is clearly reflected in all the works, as you can definitely see all the fusion of the cultures involved in the project.

In addition to working with these groups, Anderson Barbata has been working with other artists in the States, most notably the Brooklyn Jumbies, with whom she created a performance during Occupy Wall Street, "...[Responding] to the global impact of the financial crisis and the urgent need to inspire change in the values and practices of the financial sector" (BRIC's exhibition description, 2014). This statement demonstrates that her work is all about creating social change, a practice that many artists are currently using as a way to improve and positively impact a community.

Transcommunality: Laura Anderson Barbata, Collaboration Beyond Borders is currently on view now through August 31st, 2014 at BRIC House. A few more photos below! Until next time.--A.M.

An Unforgettable Weekend with Unforgettable People

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 19 May 2014 19:22:00 +0000

Photo of the Group at Sunset. Sam The Cobra with That Red Balloon. Bushwick Inlet Park.

On Saturday, May 17th , 2014, thousands if not millions of people around the world came together to be come part of World Wide InstaMeet 9 (a.k.a WWIM9), an event created by Instagram and organized with the help of the biggest Instgrammers. Having gone to the InstaMeet in Brooklyn and feeling full of inspiration, I had to write about it. Here it goes.

On a beautiful Saturday afternoon, I couldn't have made a better decision but to go explore Brooklyn during the WWIM9, my first ever InstaMeet organized by Jose Silva and Dave Krugman (check out their awesome feeds). It all started in Transmitter Park, or what Silva calls "a hidden gem," a huge crowd of people by the waters of the East River were all greeting each other, talking, some of them saying hello to their friends, and some of them meeting new ones (me and Loca Babylee). It was the beginning of something awesome.

Me with The Red Balloon. Photo by Stephanie Persaud. She has a food blog too.

As we started walking towards Williamsburg, following That Red Balloon, everyone started getting into their elements: taking photographs and doing cool stuff. It was as if a hub of creative energy was just bursting out of people and feeding off each other. Everybody was so friendly and approachable, each with their own unique abilities like Sam The Cobra (check his feed for his backflips and photos of NYC), Laura, who's WXYZ Jewelry is just contemporary design at its finest, and other great people that I met including ParisPanam, Yokace, ab_intra3, New York City Vibe, Skinny Was Here, Sean Moyano, Jeremy Cohen, with his iconic beard, and Elif, who happened to have the same red nail polish as me. If I forgot to mention anyone I met, please say in the comments section below.

Loca Babylee

In this InstaMeet, I felt welcomed to share the things I do. Its positive energy gave me the inspiration to be adventurous, whether it is in your everyday life, career, or a fun day during the weekend. Being an artist myself, you always want to surround yourself with people that inspire you and that are inspiring!

Part of the group and the cool kid with the Yellow Mask.

Thanks to J.N. Silva and Dave Krugman for organizing this event. Follow the action on Instagram with the #thatnycmeet and #wwim9. For now, until next time on A+F by AM.

Check more photos below!

Claudia Zakrzweski (a.k.a. Claudunia) showing some strength.

Kick and Loca Babylee (Make sure to check his feed as well).

Model: Nikki Vanco

Behind-the-Scenes action

Model: Angie

Loca Babylee, Vankz, and Mr. Cohen. Make sure to check out his killer feed.

There's always a road leading somewhere else. I'm looking forward to the next InstaMeet.

Artistic Shoes: No. 1

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 29 Apr 2014 22:14:00 +0000

Shoe by Sebastian Errazuriz Studio

Source: House of ChiChi

I've been away from the blog for a little bit now. A new post is coming up soon, but in the meantime, I wanted to share some shoe art with you.

A Walk Through The World of Jean Paul Gaultier

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 06:28:00 +0000

The "Virgins" Collection by Jean Paul Gaultier.

The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier: From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk may have ended on February 23rd, 2014, but it had such an impression on me, that I decided to write a reflection on this wonderful piece.

Curated by Thierry-Maxine Loriot for the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, this large exhibition (showcased at the Brooklyn Museum) was comprised of seven unique rooms/ sections, which are as follows: "The Odyssey," "The Boudoir," "Muses," "Punk Cancan," "Skin Deep," "Metropolis," and "Urban Jungle." It was like physically and visually walking through a book of stories, all relating somehow to one another. To not make the story very long, my favorite for sure was "The Boudoir," for its intimate feel, a behind the scenes look at Madonna's Blond Ambition tour, and the representation of the corset as something more liberating than encaging.

For some time now, I have admired Jean Paul Gaultier's work. However, after personally seeing it, I have to say it is wearable, political, social, sexual and controversial art. A man raised and surrounded by women his whole life, Gaultier admires the diversified beauty of the female and male bodies, no matter the race, age, size, height and whatever other details come to mind. His work is rebellious, different, bringing something to the table that others do not. His muses are real women from his personal life, pop culture, and show business, not unrealistic looking figures that unfortunately, many young women aspire to be. In an excerpt from a documentary about him, which was showcased in the "Muses" section, Gaultier says, "...You have to look really deep in order to find beauty."

Gaultier's unique craftsmanship, along with the details - those time consuming details - makes his work a survey of our society influenced by past times periods with a modern point of view. As a young woman myself, you can't help it but feel strong when you see the undergarment that is worn as an outer garment. It makes you feel empowered, like showing who you are, your unique identity, and celebrating your body, accepting it the way it is.

What I loved about this exhibit was that there's something for everyone, or more like phases in our daily lives: in your "Boudoir," ( el "tocador" in Spanish) at home, or being surrounded by the public when we are outside, like "Urban Jungle," where all the cultures collide with each other, something that happens in New York City every day. "...A contemporary art installation rather than a fashion exhibition..." as explained by Thierry-Maxine Loriot, The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier: From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk is a fascinating piece of human experiences, subcultures, the destruction of pre-conceived ideas, the use of the imagination, and the showcase of women as strong figures.

Haute Couture and ready-to-wear pieces that the majority of the public cannot afford, but that was given public accessibility through the exhibition, I look at the clothes for what they actually are: beautiful masterpieces, disrupting what is considered "acceptable" and "beautiful" in our judgmental and sometimes closed minded society. I am very happy that I got to see it. It forced me to read every description on the wall in each room, something that I never do in other exhibits. Every single statement was written from the point of view of different people, including Gaultier and Madonna. It made you feel like they were talking directly to you. In addition, the audience was encouraged to write mini statements in small index cards about their overall experience with the exhibit.

Congrats to Jean-Paul Gaultier for this exhibit, which was, as he described in one of his statements at the installation, "a show within itself," and to Thierry-Maxine Loriot for his first curated exhibition, which I have to say was a success and a highlight for his career as a Curator.

The video promo for the exhibition was pretty cool and creative.

The photos below follow the organization of the show by room/ section, starting with "The Odyssey" and ending with "Urban Jungle."

"Apparitions" dress from the "Virgins" Collection by Jean Paul Gaultier. Spring-Summer 2007.
This dress took 200 hours to be made. Projectors were used in "The Odyssey" and "Punk Cancan" sections to bring the faces of the mannequins to life. The faces being projected were from real people. That also contributed to the interactivity of the show.
Room/ Section: "The Odyssey"

"La Mariée" wedding gown from "Mermaids" collection. Spring-Summer 2008. This piece was incredibly beautiful and extremely detail. It was definitely artwork.
Room/ Section: "The Odyssey"

From the collection "Around the World in 168 Outfits." Spring-Summer 1989.
Room/ Section: "The Boudoir"

Photo of Madonna in 1990 by Jean-Baptiste Mondino. Madonna worn this "Corset made of vintage 1930s lamé" during her Blond Ambition tour, specifically for the infamous "Like A Virgin" performance, one of the most controversial performances in pop culture.

Polaroids of costume fittings for Madonna's Blond Ambition Tour.

Dress from "Dada" collection (left) and male corset on the right. Women are usually the ones associated with wearing corsets, but it turns out that men have also worn these pieces throughout

different time periods and various cultures.

Room/ Section: "The Boudoir"

Dress from the "Barbés" Collection. To the right is a photo of Tanel Bedrossiantz who has modeled and has being a muse for Jean Paul Gaultier throughout his career as a designer.

Room/ Section: "The Boudoir"

Dress from "Tribute to Amy Winehouse" Collection, 2012.
Room/ Section: "Muses"

From the collection "Rock 'N' Romantic." Better known as the lead singer of the Gossip, this bodysuit was specifically made for Beth Ditto, who walked down the runway at the end of the show.

Room/ Section: "Muses"

Naomi Campbell wore this suit in 1994, "in Front of the Michou Cabaret, Rue des Martyrs" in Paris.

Room/ Section: "Muses"

This look comes from two different collections. The elaborate corset with train is from "Ze Parisienne" Collection (Haute Couture) and the leggings with "Flayed" print top' are from

"Bad Girls - G Spot" collection.

Room/ Section: "Punk Cancan"

From the "Punk Cancan" collection. Spring-Summer 2011 (haute couture).

Room/ Section: "Punk Cancan"

"French Cancan" gown from the "Ze Parisienne" collection. Spring-Summer 2002. This dress took 210 hours to be made (Haute Couture).

Room/ Section: "Skin Deep"

These two outfits were designed for Madonna's 2006 Confessions Tour. The look at the top was worn

by Madonna in the first part of the show, and the look on the bottom was worn by the dancers.

Room/ Section: "Skin Deep"

Video made by me. This part of "Skin Deep" was definitely a little kinky.

Room/ Section: "Skin Deep"

"Movie Stars" (or "Cinema") Collection: "Barbarella" bodysuit.

Room/ Section: "Metropolis"

The corset was made of what looks like film. Room/ Section: "Metropolis"

"Tribute to Africa" collection: "La Mariée" wedding gown. Spring-Summer 2005. This dress took 140 hours to be made (haute couture).

Room/ Section: "Urban Jungle"

From "The Hussars" collection, "La Mariée" wedding gown. Fall-Winter 2002-2003 (haute couture).

Room/ Section: "Urban Jungle"

From "Chic Rabbis" collection. Fall-Winter 1993-1994 (ready-to-wear). Many people were talking about this piece the minute they saw them, as if they were looking for these particular pieces. There was controversy surrounding this collection when it was showcased in 1993.

Room/ Section: "Urban Jungle"

For now, until next time on A+F by AM.

"Vivas en su Jardín"

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 08 Mar 2014 19:28:00 +0000

"Vivas en su Jardín" by Angely Martinez (me), 2014.

Today is International Women's Day, but March is Women's History Month. To celebrate this beautiful day and this month, I want to dedicate this post to Las Hermanas Mirabal. Las Hermanas Mirabal were four sisters that fought and died to liberate Dominican Republic from the tyranny of Rafael Leónidas Trujillo Molina. Three of the sisters, Patria, Minerva, and María Teresa were killed on November 25th, 1961, but the government tried to deceive it as an accident. The UN declared November 25th as "International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women." There was only was sister that survived: Dedé. She lived her whole life to tell the stories of "Las Mariposas" (The Butterflies) and how they fought for the freedom we have today. Las Hemanas Mirabal also Dedé passed away earlier this year.

I made the piece above "Vivas en su Jardín" ("Alive in their Garden") as a tribute to Las Hermanas Mirabal, which is named after Dedé's 2009 book of the same title. The butterflies hanging in the tree branch by each flower represent all four sisters.

Note: When sharing the artwork, please be kind to give credit.

Simply Stunningly Beautiful: "Jewels by JAR" at the MET

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 17 Jan 2014 02:17:00 +0000

Carmellia Bracelet, 1995. As part of the exhibit "Jewels by JAR" at the MET.

On January 9th, 2014, after the freezing weather, I went to The Metropolitan Museum of Art to see the JAR exhibit. I had absolutely no expectation of this new exhibition, which I found out through Instagram last year. I had never heard of JAR before, but I knew at some point I wanted to see this show. Originally planning to go to another museum, my friend and I decided last minute to see this exhibit. I had no idea what I was about to see.

Bracelet. "Jewels by JAR" at the MET

Located in the "Modern and Contemporary Art" Galleries section of this enormous institution, "Jewels by JAR" (featuring over 300 pieces) is one of the most exciting, stunning, and simply beautiful jewelry exhibitions that I have ever seen in a few months. I was in shock the whole time. Everywhere I looked, there was a spectacular piece after the other.

Joel A. Rosenthal, known as JAR, is an American Jeweler who creates beautiful works of art in Paris. Elements of nature such as animals, trees, flowers, lighting, the sea, among others, are vibrantly present in his work. Something very interesting about his jewelry is his incorporation of multiple usual and unusual materials into his work. He uses many different types of metal including titanium, gemstones including rubies and emeralds, Lapis Lazuli, and wood. I felt identified with his work after noticing the similarities between our unique voices. I create jewelry, I absolutely love using many different materials in my own artwork (although these do not include gemstones yet), creating complex and detailed one-of-a-kind pieces, and using elements of nature. I had never seen his work before (or maybe I did without knowing), but it felt so familiar to me, so fresh, so new, so inspiring. Definitely, a great contemporary artist.

Rose Bracelet, 1993. "Jewels by JAR" at the MET.

Although it is his first exhibition in the United States, it has already created some controversy over the "boundaries" between "art and commerce," as explained in Robin Pogrebin's NY Times article, in which it is discussed the one day trunk show that was made in support of the museum among other questions that are raised. I live it up to you to make your own conclusions on the article.

Going back to the exhibition: This is a MUST SEE!

"Jewels by JAR" will be on view until March 9th, 2014 at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. For more information on this exhibit, go to metmuseum.org.

Check out a few more photos below:

Elephant Head Brooch, 2013. "Jewels by JAR" at the MET. Photo by Lina Tobierre.

From Left to Center: Moon and Star Box, 2012 and Pillow Box, 2002. "Jewels by JAR."

Necklace. "Jewels by JAR" at the MET.

This is the first post of 2014! Until Next Time on A+F by AM.

"5 Days of Artistic Works:" A Short Summary

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 31 Dec 2013 01:55:00 +0000

A Visual Summary of the Artwork I created as part of this series.

Last week, I spent 5 Days finally publishing a whole body of artwork that I created this year, specifically during the Fall. As I mentioned on the post "The Process of Letting go: The "5 Days of Artistic Works by Angely Martinez" Series", this was a creative period about letting go. Creating all these pieces was a liberating process and publishing them on my blog was liberating as well. As I mentioned in one of the posts, I am still creating and I continue to do so as much as possible. It is definitely a never ending process. Although only 9 projects were part of this series, I decided that I will continue publishing my artwork in 2014 and in the future on this platform that I have created for myself.

If you missed any post from my series "5 Days of Artistic Works by Angely Martinez," here are the links below.

Day 1: The Explosion of Ideas and Thoughts and A Shoe (Miniature)
Day 2: A Collage
Day 3: Bead Work
Day 4: The Transformation of a Petal
Day 5: Rojo Como La Rosa

For now, until next year on A+F by AM.

5 Days of Artistic Works: Day 5 - Rojo Como La Rosa

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 26 Dec 2013 01:37:00 +0000

Project 9. Rojo Como La Rosa

Today is the final day of this series. One day, a few weeks ago, I purchased a cuff that came in this very simple white box. I knew I wanted to do something with the box and turn it into something else. I absolutely love integrating lively colors into my artwork, and red is the most favorite of them all. It attracts your attention, and can convey many different meanings and emotions, just as other colors do. Rojo Como La Rosa (Red Like The Rose), the last project in this series and this particular period, is a piece inspired by the lively spirit of the Holidays and the fact that I simply love red. I wanted to force the eye to look at the piece carefully and see the details, in this way the textures the later create.

A look at the whole box.

I altered these artificial flowers by painting them all red and using other darker tones to achieve a darker color.

Close-Up of the smaller "roses"

It is all about the details!

It has been a great set of 5 days sharing all these works with you. Hope you are having a very Merry Christmas! #artisticworksbyam

The artwork and all the photos of the artwork are the property of Angely Martinez.

5 Days of Artistic Works: Day 4 - The Transformation of a Petal

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 24 Dec 2013 23:51:00 +0000

Project 8. The Transformation of a Petal

Everything has the ability to be transform into something else. The Transformation of a Petal is a piece about something I had already made and then, with my inspired thoughts, change into something beyond the initial possibilities. That is a very important part of creativity, letting the journey infuse you with imaginative ideas. The piece was created in a process of a few days, as I figured out exactly how it would turn out to be. I wanted to make sure that every single part of the polymer clay (i.e. fimo) petal (the base) was completely covered, to the point you could not tell what it was before.

It is all in the details! Close up of the piece.

The series 5 Days of Artistic Works by Angely Martinez continues tomorrow, with

Project 9! #artisticworksbyam

The artwork and all the photos of the artwork are the property of Angely Martinez.

5 Days of Artistic Works: Day 3 - Bead Work

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 23 Dec 2013 22:56:00 +0000

Projects 4-7: Bead Work

Something that I really enjoy about jewelry is randomly creating pieces with beads, or in other words, beading, almost like sewing without a needle. None of the shapes of these projects were planned. Every single one came up as I was wiring the beads together. For this part, I created a series of 4 projects, the majority of them with only beads and wire. Each one follows a color theme. I created these works one after the other and also while creating tow of them at once. See the shapes and color themes I came up with below. The works speak for themselves.

Project 4. Black Butterfly.

Project 5. Red

Project 6. Clouds

Project 7. Purple

The 5 Days of Artistic Works by Angely Martinez Series continues tomorrow, with

Project 8. #artisticworksbyam

These artworks and all the photos of the artworks are the property of Angely Martinez.

5 Days of Artistic Works: Day 2 - A Collage

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 23 Dec 2013 01:06:00 +0000

Project 3. A Collage, 2013

I made this piece after attending the Museum of Arts and Design (MAD) in New York City on a Thursday night in November. This project is inspired by their latest exhibition Fashion Jewelry: The Collection of Barbara Berger. In this exhibit, there are a variety of of jewelry works ranging in the materials of metal, glass, plastic, and mixed media. This piece was definitely inspired by the mixed media ones (see Inspiration Board below made with Picasa 3) since they allowed me to use the things I already have to make it. To put it together, I use mostly the technique of hand sewing and gloss varnish to glue some other parts as well. It took me three hours to complete this project after returning home that night.

The jewelry pieces at the MAD Museum that inspired this project.

The 5 Days of Artistic Works by Angely Martinez Series continues tomorrow, with

Projects 4-7. #artisticworksbyam

This artwork and all the photos of the artwork are the property of Angely Martinez.

The Process of Letting go: The "5 Days of Artistic Works by Angely Martinez" Series

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 20 Dec 2013 19:56:00 +0000

Photo and Artwork by Angely Martinez.

I usually write about things that focus on the bridge between art and fashion, but never about my own artwork. The last few months have been a life changing time for me...Well, let's say, this whole year.

After several months of being unable to create absolutely nothing, I got back in touch with my artistic side earlier this fall after presenting my previous jewelry work at the same jewelry course I took a few years ago while at LIU. A little bit of wire, listening to Lady Gaga's ARTPOP, The Reflektors, and other great music, plus going to museums and using materials I already have at home, lead me to create new pieces and to transform other objects.

During the process of creating these works, I realized it was all about one thing: letting go. It was all about letting go of my thoughts and allowing my mind to take me whichever way it could. One piece lead to the other, and the other piece lead to something else.

Sometimes we get so cut up in one thing that we loose track of other things that are important to us. That is part of life, of growing up, but we cannot let it take the best of us. In many cases, it is in the most struggling stages of our lives when our creativity can take us places we never thought we would. Like Brandon Stanton ("Humans of New York") said in an interview for TIME's 30 Under 30 series, it is all about the continuous process of "working" and not getting so cut up in having the best idea. Therefore it is truly the process of letting go, of starting something that will lead somewhere else. This has been one of the toughest years I have ever faced (and I do not believe it is the last one), specially finding my way in the world and dealing with "the trials and tribulations" of life after college.

Reconnecting with art has greatly alleviated my worries, feelings of hopelessness, and the feeling of being stuck. Little by little, I am letting them go through the process of creating things to express myself.

For the first time ever, I will be sharing some of my new work on my blog and mostly to the public (although I publish a few little fun things now and then on Instagram); it is time to show it and to let go.

In the next 5 days, I will be publishing the works I have created this year as part of my new series, 5 Days of Artistic Works by Angely Martinez. Use the #artisticworksbyam to spread the word.

Stay Tuned...

Your turn: What are the ways in which you use your creativity? How has it help you during difficult times?

Artistic Minds: McQueen + Kahlo - Part 3

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 10 Dec 2013 19:13:00 +0000

Artwork by Angely Martinez. Red Flower, 2011.

Back in July of this year, I began the "Artistic Mind" Series with Frida Kahlo, and then in August, I continued the series with Alexander McQueen and his fantastic work. For the final installment of this writing piece, I want to show how these seemingly different artists have a lot of things in common, based on my own journey of discovering them.
___________________________________________________________________________________________

Always with the curiosity of understanding why I have been so attracted to the work of these two oppossite artists, I came up with different ideas on how they have a lot in common.

Both Alexander McQueen and Frida Kahlo expressed a form of personal pain through their own work. Elements of blood, torture, death, suffering, nature, violence, and beauty are very strongly present in their works. Kahlo, had many health issues and emotional painful episodes throughout her life. McQueen's upbringing as a child was a tough and a difficult one. He came from a modest background and faced a lot of bullying because of his sexual preferences. Many artists use their own particular mediums of work to showcase their own lives, and they were definitely not the exception.

Every single piece showcases the complexities of their ideas and the different ways in which they saw the world around them. Kahlo used painting to represent her personal experiences as a woman, her political and societal views. McQueen used fashion along with innovative technologies to create the greatest out-of-this-world pieces I have ever seen. From a young age, they both showed they were very talented. Their work was very detail, showcasing their ability to bring something to life. Kahlo has always being an influence in my own artwork, and McQueen has been a big fashion influence for me since his work was like artwork for the human body.

I fell in love with Ceramics while I was in college because it allowed me to bring things to life, to make something three dimensional, to make sculptures. This journey led me to create Ceramic shoes. Then, there's jewelry as well, where fimo and colorful things allow me to create pieces I never thought I would be able to create (I will post some of these in the near future). You may ask yourself, "Why did she add that photo to this post?." The reality is that the photo above showcases a representation of the influence both artists have had in my life so far.

Despite the fact that they both passed away in their 40s, McQueen and Kahlo left enough work to be remembered for many years to come. They left a legacy in our society that continues to live on.

Like the flowers, they were gone too soon.

Part 1: Frida Kahlo
Part 2: Alexander McQueen

Let me know what you think in the comments below. For now, until next time in A+F by AM.

Adventures in the City: Patricia Field Boutique

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 21 Nov 2013 03:43:00 +0000

Keith Haring Inspired Mannequin

New York City has a lot of things to offer. Every neighborhood has something different. A lot of times it is good to just go outside and walk around. This past week, I was introduced by a friend to the legendary Patricia Field store in NoHo. Patricia Field was the stylist for Sex and The City, The Devil Wears Prada, and the ABC comedy Ugly Betty. The store is so artistic, colorful, and fun that it is a great source of inspiration for costume designers, entertainers, singers, performers, fashion designers, and people like me who love the bridge between art and fashion.

You can see a lot of New York City's influences in the lighting and the colorful aesthetic in the store. There are also a Keith Haring inspired painted mannequin, a Hermes Birkin mini version, over the top jewelry pieces, and of course, very elaborate shoes that I am sure Lady Gaga, Jessie J, Rita Ora, or Nicki Minaj would wear. They also have a hair salon on the lower level of the store where you can get your hair and makeup done, whichever way you want it. The staff is super nice and friendly as well. If you are in the New York City area, you have to go see it!

Check out some of the photos below!

A very radiant shoe.

I can definitely see Lady Gaga wearing this.

Whimsical bags and clutches.

...And of course, a Frida Kahlo necklace.

The Patricia Field store is located on 306 Bowery, New York, NY 10012.

Website: http://patriciafield.com/

For now, until next time on A+F by AM.

Let me know what you think in the comments below.

Gaga's "ARTPOP Pop Up:" A Combination of Art + Commerce

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 14 Nov 2013 03:45:00 +0000

ARTPOP's Album Cover

Lady Gaga's latest music project, ARTPOP, was just released this past Monday, November 11th, 2013. To possibly give a bigger push of publicity and interactivity for the promotion of the album, she did a special party titled "artRAVE" on Sunday, Nov. 10th at the Brooklyn Navy Yard (read more here), and open two 3-Day pop up stores, one in NY and the other in LA. Being the huge Mother Monster fan that I am, I knew I had to go to see it.

"Swine Mask"

Located in the Meatpacking district of New York City, specifically in the luxury fashion store area, "ARTPOP Pop Up: A Lady Gaga Gallery," is an interesting and strategic partnership that blends the cross between "art and commerce" for sure. It showcased artistic works from Lady Gaga and other artists that have worked with her, and integrates other companies' products (Beats headphones and Just Dance) to celebrate one of the most anticipated albums of the year by the theatrical superstar. You can also read Zack O'Malley Greenburg's Forbes article analyzing the Pop Up store right this way.

A few of the "Artpop" Lyrics

The pop up store/ art gallery was very simple. It had several lyrics from songs such as "Dope," "Artpop," and "Venus" (one of my favorites from the album), a Beats headphone/ photo opp section (check the slideshow below for my photo), a Just Dance area near the entrance of the store where attendees could dance to "Applause," posters of singles from the album, a small area to buy merchandise (i.e. t-shirts) and albums, a section to express your creativity with chalk, lost of music, and of course, some of her most notable outfits.

"Bone Dress": She wore this on the "Applause" music video

There were about 9 costumes in this small exhibit, and I have to say that I realized something when I closely saw them: they are actually very simple. I think it is inspiring for other people because it shows that any of us can create something, in this way displaying our ideas visually. An "Applause" for Gaga for allowing the public to see up close some of her Out of This World stage outfits.

Although I wish there were more things on display at the store (maybe because I went the last day), Lady Gaga is definitely pushing the boundaries in terms of marketing tactics to promote her newest product, ARTPOP.

Check out more photos below!!!

The gallery/ store opened between November 11th-13th.

Fact: 20 of the Limited Edition albums sold at the store contained A Golden Ticket,"...Like Willie Wonka" - as quoted from one of the store associates. This ticket is for a Lady Gaga VIP concert, with Meet and Greet included.

Let me know what you think in the comments below!

An Art Workshop to Remember Our Love Ones and The Ones We Admire

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 03 Nov 2013 20:57:00 +0000

This is the mini Altar I made! Photo by Mia Roman.

This year's life and career explorations have allowed me to do things that I never thought I would do. However, I miss doing visually artistic work. So the minute I heard about the Adult Mini Altar Workshop with Mia Roman, which took place on November 2nd, 2013, I could not wait to go and see what I would end up creating.

The Workshop was part of the "Día de Los Muertos: El Barrio" presented by Viajero Borish at the Julia De Burgos Cultural Center. This art installation's mission is to bring the community together to honor the love ones that are no longer in this world by adding objects to the altar. This is the third workshop I attended with Mia Roman, who is a fantastic artist, Frida Kahlo fan, and very proud of her Latin American roots.

When I first got to the workshop, which ironically was at the same building I went to high school years ago, I did not know exactly how I would decorate my box. I started with glittering a white plastic flower, then drawing wavy lines, and then adding more things. It was a colorful journey of transforming a plain white box into a fun, complicated, and overly crazy piece that I never thought I would do.

At some point, it was as if all my creative thoughts exploded in the class. At some point, I could not stop adding more and more objects, and transforming those small objects into something else. I added more and more until I could not add anymore. Everything combined, turned the small white box into a beautiful altar.

Everyone created beautiful boxes, some of them of their grandmothers and others of family members. It was a collective environment in which everyone brought their own identity into what they did. I had never done an art class about El Día de Los Muertos (Day of the Dead). Once again, I stepped out of my comfort zone.

To find out more information about Art by Mia Roman, you can check her website, and to purchase her work, you can check her Etsy Shop.

To find out more information on "Día De Los Muertos: El Barrio," check out Dia De Los Muertos Collective. This art installation/ exhibition will be opened until November 15th at the Julia De Burgos Cultural Center, 1680 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY.

Check out more photos below of the workshop! You can also check my Pinterest Board as well.

Let me know what you think in the comments below. Until Next Time. A+F by AM.

All photos by Mia Roman

A little bit of Inspiration: Jobs

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 11 Oct 2013 17:38:00 +0000

Source: Los Angeles Times

A few weeks ago, after having such a crazy week working Fashion Week (if you had followed me on Instagram you probably already know), I finally decided, with the insistence of my brother, to watch Steve Jobs: The Lost Interview (2012). The minute I finished watching it, I already knew I need it to write about it. And as you know, I also like to write about other topics besides art and fashion.

The film is the whole interview that Robert X. Cringely conducted with Steve Jobs in 1995, a year before Steve Jobs returned to Apple. The interview was part of a TV series called Triumph of the Nerds, and probably because of timing, it was edited down for the show. The entire interview is actually about an hour long.

What I liked about Steve Jobs: The Lost Interview is that it captures Jobs in a way that he seemed to be comfortable speaking to the interviewer about his career, how his started with computing, creating great products, and innovating. It reminded me of my college days in which I conducted informational interviews during my internships. You learned so much about people, how interesting their careers and lives are, and how much they are willing to help you by providing advice and point of view of the workplace. But this is a completely different topic that I might cover myself someday in the near future.

Anyways, going back to the interview, there's an excerpt that I actually really love and wanted to share with you, in a conversation format.

Cringely: "How do you know it is the right direction?"

[Pause]

Jobs: Ultimately , it comes down to taste...It comes down to trying to expose yourself to the best things humans have done and then try to bring those things into what you are doing. Picasso had a saying, 'Good artists copy. Great artists steal.' I've been shameless about stealing great ideas. I think part of what made the Macintosh great is that the people working on it were musicians, and poets, and artists, and zoologists, and historians who also happen to be the best computer scientists in the world. But if it hadn't been for Computer Science, these people would have been doing amazing things in life and in other fields, and they all brought with them, we all brought to this effort, a very liberal arts attitude that we wanted to pull in from the best that we saw in these fields into this field. And I don't think you get that if you are very narrow.

What I like about this statement is the fact that everything we learn and everything we know, when it is put together, results in us creating great things. Like he said, it is all these great things that we already have and that have been created before that lead to an amazing and innovative product like the Macintosh because it borrowed characteristics and aesthetics from humanities, the arts, literature and other important areas that are beneficial to the development of human knowledge. It brought me back to my days of being a college student, where I started to realize as I took more and more classes, that everything is interrelated. Another thing I like about this statement is that people from so many different backgrounds got the chance to work on the Macintosh, a product that opened and built the market for the Personal Computer. Therefore, that is how great products are made, when diverse points of view contribute to their creation and execution. And that applies to almost everything humanity is capable of doing.

Wherever you might be today, I hope that these words can give you a little bit of inspiration to expand your imagination, and who knows, maybe start on your own creation, whether it is a work of art or a product that will change our lives or an initiative to improve an issue in our society.

For now, until next time on A+F by AM.

Let me know what you think in the comments below.

Lady Gaga goes Surrealistically Avant-Garde for "Applause"

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 20 Aug 2013 01:55:00 +0000

Source: vevo.com

Mother Monster (a.k.a. Lady Gaga) has release her new video for "Applause," and I say let's definitely applause her for her magnificent, work of art, Inez & Vinoodh directed video. The duo photographed her for V Magazine's September 2013 Issue (you know, the one with the four different covers). It is definitely different from all the videos out there, and that is what makes it so unique. It has influences from surrealistic and avant-garde imagery, and I can definitely tell that she has been profoundly influenced by many contemporary artists - she practiced The Abramovic Method to help the Marina Abramovic Institute campaign on Kickstarter - and is partnering with other artists for ARTPOP as well. The ARTPOP Era has begun and it seems like it will be beyond words. Enough said. "Stop The Drama. Start The Music."

Check out the video below.

Watch Lady Gaga perform "Applause" at the 2013 Video Music Awards (VMAs) this upcoming Sunday, August 25th, 2013.

You can also read Vanessa Thorpe's interesting article titled "Pop star or avant-garde artist? Lady Gaga wants to be the next Warhol," in which she takes a closer look at the "pop star" and how she is challenging the meaning of the phrase by turning into a more contemporary artist influenced by the art world.

Until next time. As always, let me know what you think in the comments below.

Artistic Minds: McQueen - Part 2

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 05 Aug 2013 14:00:00 +0000

A few weeks ago, I released the first part of my Artistic Minds series in which I talked about Frida Kahlo's life and work (read here). This week, I want to continued the series with the second part, about the late designer Alexander McQueen and his great contributions to the fashion world, and in turn, the art world, through his creations.

Alexander McQueen

Source: chinabambi.wordpress.com

Lee Alexander McQueen was born in London, UK on March 17th, 1969. He came from a "working class family" and had five siblings. His mother was a "social science" teacher while his father was a taxi driver. When he was 16 years old, he left school and worked in tailor shops in the Mayfair district in London. Deciding to pursue his career and love for clothes, he went on to work with Angels and Bermans, who are "theatrical costume designers." From these early years, he earned great skills in making "perfectly tailored clothing." All the great works that he did there became a great influence later on in his own collections.

After coming back to London from Milan, he went to study at the Central Saint Martin's College of Art & Design, and in 1992 earned his M.A. in fashion design. Isabella Blow, who would later on become a closed friend of his, purchased his entire collection that was inspired by "Jack The Ripper" as part of his last project upon completion of his degree. A few years later, he ended up working for Givenchy and created his own business, the House of Alexander McQueen. McQueen won the "British Designer of the Year Award" 4 times in his career (3 of those while at Givenchy), and in 2003 the CFDA honored him with the "International Designer of the Year" award.

He is known for creating well elaborate clothes and for producing highly theatrical runway shows. His last show before his unexpected death, Plato's Atlantis, became one of his most recognized fashion shows. He passed away in 2010 (ruled as a suicide), shortly after his mother's death.

In 2011, the Metropolitan Museum of Art (MET) in New York City hosted the exhibit Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty in honor of his work. This exhibit became of of the most successful exhibitions by the museum to date. His house is now under the direction of Sarah Burton. (For more info: biography.com)

"For me, what I do is an artistic expression which is channeled through me. Fashion is just the medium." --Alexander McQueen

Early Embrace of Technology

"Robot Paint Dress" is an iconic piece from the Spring/Summer RTW 1999 Collection. This was the closing part of the show in which the two machines spray painted the dress while the model rotated "on a turntable."

Link to video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VnA3XR5apQg

Fall/Winter 2009 Collection
This collection was full of reds, black, whites and a million prints. The models usually featured black or red lipstick that went beyond the lips. It was a very dark but romantic collection at the same time. Hats seem to come from recycled materials as seen below.
source: http://in-so-mnia.blogspot.com

Fall/Winter 2009
Recyclable hat
Source: http://chichappens.wordpress.com

"I never look at other people's work. My mind has to be completely focused on my own illusions."

--Alexander McQueen

Fall/Winter 2009
"Crow Dress"
Although the idea of this dress is very dark, there's seems to be something so romantic about the silhouette of this dress. This piece was featured in the "Romantic Gothic" section of Savage Beauty.
Source: Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty (2011)

Fall/Winter 2008-2009
This is a wedding dress. It was also featured on Savage Beauty book and the exhibition at the MET.
It is just simply beautiful.
Source: www.weddinginspirasi.com

This is probably one of my favorite McQueen's pieces. The fact that the dress gives the illusion is put together just by flowers is extraordinary and demonstrates all the effort that went into his work.

Source: Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty (2011)

"I want people to be afraid of the women I dress."
--Alexander McQueen

McQueen's pieces represented very dark and intimidating clothing that transforms women

into very powerful figures, as seen above.

Source: listal.com

Photograph by Steven Meisel. Published in Vogue, May 2011.

Editorial Favorite: This macnificient dress is also featured on Savage Beauty
Source: vogue.com

"I find beauty in the grotesque, like most artists. I have to force people to look at things."
--Alexander McQueen

Unforgettable shows: This dress, made out of "red bugle beads" from the collection Joan (Autumn/Winter 1998-1999) is also another amazing piece from McQueen. The pieces gives the illusion of blood dripping down from the head to the floor, very striking and artistic at the same time.

Soure: listal.com

Plato's Atlantis: His last collection

Source: blog.metmuseum.org

Source: walkthecatwalk.blogspot.com

Source: lovestiletto.com

Source: eugenehon.blogspot.com

Source: showstudio.com

Plato's Atlantis was McQueen's last collection shown in Fashion Week while he was alive. The collection mixed the natural with the unnatural. Butterfly and Snake prints were a big part of this fantastic show as well as 12 in. heels in the form of high heeled ballerina boots and alien-taking-over-your-feet pumps.
The show was an unforgettable piece of art.

"My collections have always been autobiographical, a lot to do with my own sexuality and coming to terms with the person I am - it was like exorcising my ghosts in the collections. They were to do with my childhood, the way I think about life and the way I was brought up to think about life."
--Alexander McQueen

As a tribute to Alexander McQueen, check out my Pinterest Board "McQueen: The King of Artistic Fashion".

For more on Alexander McQueen, you can check the beautiful book Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty (2011) and VOGUEPEDIA's profile on the brand (here).

Please feel free to leave your comments below. Until next time. A+F by AM.

NY Creative Interns: #OppMixer

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 02 Aug 2013 01:56:00 +0000

As you all know, I usually only write about the bridge between art and fashion. But I really wanted to talk about a great event I attended yesterday and hopefully more people will attend in the future.

On Wednesday, July 31st, NY Creative Interns hosted its 1st Summer Opportunity Mixer (#OppMixer) at the Center for Social Innovation, in the Chelsea Neighborhood of New York City. The almost 3-hour event (yes, it was supposed to be 2 hours and 30 minutes) brought together great young creatives and amazing companies together for a night of networking, showcasing resumes, and fabulous portfolios. Some of the companies that were present included startups such as Return on Change, industry giants such as AOL, VIACOM, and Time Inc., and other great companies including Make Meaning (you have to check their site since their stuff is so fun), Code and Theory, Momentum Worldwide, Gawker Media, and Harboring Hearts. Most of the time, there were line to speak to the majority of the companies.

What made this event different is that it was not the typical job fair. It was a place where you could s tart conversations with recruiters and also meet other great people pursuing their dreams and new opportunities.

In addition, for the past few weeks, NY Creative Interns made a series of 3 videos, giving career tips such as improving your resume, your LinkedIn Profile, and how to use Social Media to land a job (Yes! It is possible and it has happened). You can check the videos here.

For more on NY Creative Interns and more about their upcoming events, please check: http://nycreativeinterns.com/

Photo by Saira De La Cruz

Now, Let's Talk About Punk: MET's "Punk: Chaos to Couture"

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 22 Jul 2013 18:00:00 +0000

Photo by Michelle Falzarano

Photo by Spencer Platt for Getty Images.

Source: google.com

Early in May of this year, The Costume Institute Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (MET) celebrated a continued influence in the fashion industry to this day: punk. When I heard about the exhibit "Punk: Chaos to Couture," an interest to see it sparked on me. And so, I went to see it.

Since the days that Vivienne Westwood brought into the high fashion world the Punk Subculture, punk has been reinterpreted throughout the 80s, 90s, and 00s. Most pieces featured in the exhibit are from those time periods. "Punk: Chaos to Couture" definitely shows these reinterpretations. Every single room goes from dark to light, and then the exhibit ends in a very dark room, with a mannequin wearing a Maison Martin Margiela dress (it seems like a half dress by the way), pointing a middle finger to the top, which gives you a sense of, I guess, punk attitude.

Several written pieces are spread around the exhibit. Here's a quote I got from one of the statements:

"The ethos of do-it-yourself [D.I.Y.] is Punk's Greatest and most enduring influence on

haute couture and ready-to-wear, and this exhibition examines four expressions of this

spirit as originally interpreted by punks in the mid-to late 1970s to the present."

Suzanne DeChillo/The New York Times

Section: “DIY: Bricolage”

Source: nytimes.com

Vivienne Westwood (of coure), Dolce & Gabbana, Gareth Pugh, Maison Martin Margiela, Comme Des Garçons, Givenchy, Versace, and Alexander McQueen are among the selective few of designers that are part in the exhibit. In the last room of the exhibit, Commes Des Garçons has eight pieces: four black and four in beige. The beige pieces are incredibly interesting since they are more artistic than pieces you can actually wear, although I am sure some people would wear them and have done so. These pieces have attached sleeves hanging as details from, let's say, a dress, and lots of details that shows all the hard work that went into creating these masterpieces.

Source: galleristny.com

Gareth Pugh's pieces might be very recent, but his used of "plastic black garbage bags" is amazing. Every single square piece creates the shape of a dress, making a very distinctive pattern. It is so well constructed that you cannot even tell at first that it is made out of plastic bags.

Gareth Pugh's dresses made of "plastic garbage bags"

Source: www.msfabulous.com

The piece that I liked the most was Maison Martin Margiela's "Artisanal, Spring/Summer 2006" pearls jacket. It looks so effortlessly and artistically constructed. It is such a great interpretation of an actual jacket, and definitely follows the punk aesthetic. This piece is in what I called "the recyclable materials" section of the exhibit.

Pieces by Maison Martin Margiela, from the Met's exhibit "Punk: Chaos to Couture." Photo © Lindsay Comstock - See more at: http://blog.wppionline.com/2013/05/the-punk-wedding/#sthash.MyDzMFGB.dpuf

Third piece to the right: the Maison Martin Margiela pearls jacket

Source: blog.wppionline.com

Source: rdujour.com

The exhibit ends with a pop-up mini shop where you can buy some punk-inspired souvenirs including postcards, art prints, shirts and black decorative spike pumps designed by Vivienne Westwood, and even Charlotte Olympia's "Punk Clutch", the one designed in collaboration with Tom Binns.

Every mannequin has a big, crazy wig, unifying the whole exhibit and giving it the finishing touches. Punk for sure!

PUNK: Chaos to Couture will be on view until August 14th, 2013.

For more on this great exhibit, visit metmuseum.org.

Also, check the MET's Pinterest Board, PUNK: Chaos to Couture, right this way.

For now, until next time. A+F by AM.

P.S.: You cannot take photos since it is "an special exhibition," as I was told by museum staff.

Daft Punk gets Vogue with Karlie Kloss

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 17 Jul 2013 21:17:00 +0000

Karlie Kloss poses with Daft Punk for the August 2013 issue of Vogue US. The "All-Ages Show" editorial piece features Kloss at the center of photographs, with Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo (members of Daft Punk) wearing pieces from the likes of Saint Laurent and Alexander McQueen. Saint Laurent also designed suits for Daft Punk as part of their "Music Project."

This pairing should not come as a surprise. Karlie Kloss is one of the most sought after models these days and Daft Punk has one of the biggest selling albums this year, Random Access Memories (2013). I actually listened to the album and it definitely has a different take on Dance Music.

Images were photographed by Craig McDean.

Check out some of the photos below, published by The Front Row View.

Source: The Front Row View

As always, Daft Punk kept their signature helmets!

Lady Gaga's "ARTPOP" set to be released on November 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 12 Jul 2013 13:30:00 +0000

Lady Gaga's ARTPOP album is set to be release on November 11th, 2013. The album will also be release in what it seems to be an interactive app created by TechHAUS (a team under HAUS of GAGA). According to Lady Gaga's statement published on Facebook, "...ARTPOP could mean anything." Therefore, it is open for your own interpretations. There will also be collaborations with other world recognized artists including photography duo Inez & Vinoodh, "avant garde visionary" Robert Wilson, performance artist" Marina Abramović (The Artist Is Present), and "banal objects" artist Jeff Koons. As a big Lady Gaga fan (a.k.a "Little Monster"), I am so excited to hear this.

For more details about this great news, check the statement below that was published on Lady Gaga's Official Website.

Source: ladygaga.com

Cool Fact: In 2011, Björk released her last album, Biophilia, in an Apps form, the first album ever to be release in that format.

Can't wait to be ARTPOP inspired! You?

Artistic Minds: Kahlo - Part 1

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 06 Jul 2013 20:35:00 +0000

Art and Fashion have been very important things in my life growing up and still to this date. I started drawing between the ages of 7-8 and I used to make clothes to my dolls from old fabric that I would find at home. We couldn't afford to buy additional clothes for my barbies, so I had to get creative. I definitely had fun making those tiny miniature pieces. Then, I started learning about artists and designers and that is when the inspiration started to flow in. There are two people whose work I truly admire: Frida Kahlo and Alexander McQueen.

From a very young, I fell in love with Frida Kahlo's work and story. In the years when Lady Gaga became a huge star and her "Poker Face" and "Bad Romance" were everywhere, I fell in love with Alexander McQueen's work. I was first introduced to Frida Kahlo around the age of 10 or 11 while surfing through the pages of an art textbook and Alexander McQueen around 19 or 20.

I always question how I like such seemingly opposite creative minds. I spent a lot of time trying to find meaning in what attracts me to their work and then it came to me. I realized that for some reason or another, I find so many similarities between them. You might think: "This is so odd." But, I look at it from a different perspective.

In these series of three parts, first, I will give a little bit of background on both artists, and show and describe examples of their work. Then, I will explain the connections I find within them to conclude this amazing series of writings. Stay Tuned.

Frida Kahlo

Source: www.tatianista.com

Frida Kahlo was born on July 6th, 1907 in Coyoacan, Mexico to her European Father (who was a photographer) and her Mexican Mother. As a little girl, she suffered from Polio and in her later teenage years, suffered a dramatic accident on a public bus that caused her several health issues throughout her life, including a few miscarriages. In the accident, a handrill went from one side of her hip to the other. As a result of spending so many months recovering in bed, she started painting during this period. The accident changed her life completely. She spent most of her life in a bed and wore different corsets to support her back. She married married Diego Rivera (well known "Mexican Muralist") in her early 20s and he encouraged her to continue painting. Her tumultuous and on again-off again marriage to Rivera was also a significant part in her work. At some point, Kahlo's fame overshadowed her husband's. She is known for painting self portraits of herself and other people that she met throughout her life. Frida Kahlo was also a fashion icon. She is known for wearing colorful Mexican cultural outfits, jewelry, and lots of flowers in her braided long black hair. In recent years, she has been inspiration for several fashion editorial pieces. Although many consider her a "surrealist," she never saw herself as one. Kahlo died in the summer of 1954, at the age of 47. Today, her "Casa Azul" ("Blue House" in Spanish), where she grew up and passed away, is a museum. (For more info: http://www.fridakahlo.com/)

"...I never painted dreams. I painted my own reality." --Frida Kahlo

"The Two Fridas": One of her most famous paintings, "The Two Fridas" symbolized her connections between her European and Mexican roots (I learned this from a documentary I saw years ago while doing reearch for a project I did about her: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROAH9LQecyc)

Source: www.artquotes.net

"Self Portrait," 1940

The painting that started all: This is the 1st painting I ever saw from Frida Kahlo. It was so intriguing to me and I kept going back to see the page.

Source: www.abcgallery.com

"I paint self-portraits because I am so often alone, because I am the person I know best." --Frida Kahlo

"Abrazo Amoroso," 1949

References to Mother Nature and spiritualism can be seen in her paintings.

This one is particularly very beautiful.

Source: http://listenrecovery.wordpress.com

"Henry Ford Hospital," 1932

This painting was created after Kahlo suffered a miscarriage while living in the US. Her inability to have a child was a very difficult source of suffering and sadness for her. Kahlo was never able to have children.

Source: arthistory.about.com

"I am not sick. I am broken. But I am happy to be alive as long as I can paint."-- Frida Kahlo

"Moisés," 1945

A very complex and detailed painting, in here we can see references of human reproduction, cultural and religious symbols, politics, and society. This is one of my favorite works from her.

Source: http://www.wikipaintings.org/en/frida-kahlo/moses-1945

"Self Portrait on the Border," 1932

In this painting, she showcases how she sees the United States and how she sees Mexico.
For her, her country represents more nature and more real things while the US represents and artificial and industrialized world.

Source: s30smijozeg.blogspot.com

"Unos Cuantos Piquetitos," 1935

Perhaps one of Kahlo's most graphic paintings based on true life events.

It was about the violent murder of a woman.

Source: http://pinturasepocas.blogspot.com

"Magnolias," 1945

Source: www.wikipaintings.org

"I paint flowers so they will not die." -- Frida Kahlo

"Tunas (Still Life with Prickly Pear Fruit)," 1938

Throughout her career, Kahlo did several paints about fruits and flowers. This one in particular seems to show an extension of her painful experiences.

Source: http://www.wikipaintings.org

Check out my Pinterest Board "Frida Kahlo": http://pinterest.com/angelymartinez/frida-kahlo/

For now, until next time. Stay Tune for Artistic Minds: McQueen - Part 2.

Madonna's MDNA: An Epic Show, Full of Hard Work

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 22 Jun 2013 03:49:00 +0000

Madonna seems to be very busy these days. Her 2012 "MDNA" Tour was one of the most epic shows in music history full of creativity, controversy, and lots of costumes.

And now, "Madonna: The MDNA Tour" is coming to TV!!

Madonna has been making different public appearances this year. First, we saw her attending the MET Gala in May with her punk inspired outfit. Later on, she received the Billboard's "Top Touring Artist Award" at The 2013 Billboard Music Awards (article) and premiered the "Madonna: The MDNA Tour" trailer. Then, she made an inspiring speech at the "Chime for Change" concert, and most recently, attending a viewing party of the show this week in NYC. All these appearances combined have helped in promoting the upcoming release of the film "MDNA," her highest grossing tour to date (yes, it topped her 2008 Sticky and Sweet Tour).

Since EPIX will be airing the show this weekend, and based on what I have seen, they have developed a 360-degree Marketing Strategy to raise awareness for the show. Check the photos below.

Promotional Poster

Source: madonnarama.com

Source: facebook.com

This new take on the "cone bra"/ buister was designed by French fashion designer Jean Paul Gaultier, who created her costumes for her controversial and legendary "The Blond Ambition Tour."
Source: madonnatribe.com

Madonna posed with her dancers on the red carpet for the premiere of the film
"Madonna: The MDNA Tour." Dolce & Gabbana and The Cinema Society hosted the event.
Source: guestofaguest.com

Madonna wore a very fashionably androgynous during the event.
Source: guestofaguest.com

All over the Town: Outdoor Advertising has been significantly used to get the word out there as well.
Source: tumblr.com

There's also the "MDNA For A Day Sweepstakes". Check the video below for details on how to enter:

EPIX's YouTube Channel has been adding videos almost everyday this week of the "MDNA Workshop," where dancers are shown auditioning for the show and learning different types of dance or art forms such as "slacklining," and short clips from the performances themselves, showing all the hard work that was put into this show.

Check out some of the "Madonna: MDNA Workshop" videos below:

"Slackliners"

Source: youtube.com

"Bone Breaking Dancers (Double-Jointed)"
Source: youtube.com

"Men in Pumps"
Source: youtube.com

TAIT Towers created and build the out of this world stage. Here is the video from axs.tv about how they did it.

"Madonna: The MDNA Tour" premieres worldwide on EPIX this Saturday, June 22nd at 8pm EST. EPIX is available on Verizon FiOS and on epixhd.com.

The DVD will be release on August 27th, 2013.

Feel free to leave your comments below.