L.A. Muse: A conversation with Alex Prager

Last week, I was invited to the opening night for Alex Prager's exhibition, "Week-End," the latest body of work by the 29-year old photographer and native Angelino. Completely self-taught and recognized for her signature aesthetic, Prager’s "Week-End" is a collection of color photographs as dazzling as they are bizarre. The exhibition opened on January 30, 2010, and will run through March 6, 2010 @ M+B gallery in West Hollywood.

"Inspired by the high drama of classic movies—which, despite their theatricality, touch upon genuine emotions of alienation, fear, anger, longing, and lust—Prager's images seem at first to be all exquisite surface. However the girls of this series—named “Barbara,” “Jane,” “Lois” and other such conventional and slightly old-fashioned monikers—conceal pain beneath their lipstick-lined smiles and dead eyes. In the artist's own words, she is “documenting a world that exists and doesn’t exist at the same time.” The trilogy began with girls playing archetypal roles in "Polyester." Then in "Big Valley," the roles took on lives of their own, and the separation between make-believe and real life began to dissolve. With "Week-End," which signifies the peak as well as the extent of the period, the façade becomes so thick that the illusion is now more real than the world they actually live in." - M+B

As a photography enthusiast and fan of Alex's work, I was thrilled to have the opportunity to sit down with the artist herself. Here are some snippets from our conversation, as we talk about Los Angeles as a source of creative inspiration:


SY: The word "End" in your latest exhibition, "Week-End," seems to suggest a completion to your previous two works "Polyester" and "Big Valley." How did the story evolve throughout the trilogy, and why "End" it now?

AP: "The story started with a box of old clothes from the 60's that my grandmother's friend Vera gave me because she knew I liked vintage. I threw some wigs on my friends and basically played dress up with them. I think that's why "Polyester" seems more to me like it's a performance by a small town theater group with very bad acting. It's not serious to me. "The Big Valley" was more thought out for me, and I think it comes across a bit more on the edge, and slightly more real. With "Week-end," I felt as if the girls in the photos were no longer play-acting. It's as if their little game had become their only reality. To me, it's like the ending is more about them than about me and the work."



SY: As the trilogy unfolded, I became more and more convinced that you are doing a commentary on life in Los Angeles as much as telling a story about your cast of females. What is a bigger muse for you, L.A. or the women that fill your work?

AP: "I'd say that Los Angeles has been my muse for the past three series. The girls are more like props to me. I still have to find the exact right one for the picture I'm going to take, and she has to inspire me and all that, but when it comes down to it, there'll always be another girl, but there will never be another city like Los Angeles."



SY: How has being a native Angelino affected your artistry?

AP: "There's so much about this city that I disagree with, but at the same time I love it more than anywhere in the world, I guess maybe some of that might come across in my pictures. It's like anyone in regard to the place they grew up, I think there's always some sort of love/hate relationship going on there."



SY: Rick Owen's said something like "L.A. should stick to sitcoms and leave fashion to NYC and Paris." Of course, we're not talking fashion, but does the same go for art? Is it more challenging to prove oneself in the international community coming from L.A.?

AP: "I don't really know. I think a lot of artists in New York go unnoticed because there's so many people focused on art and so much competition. So many rules and politics and all that. Los Angeles is more laid back when it comes to art. You can put a show on in your closet and a crowd will probably turn up. I feel like because I started here, I had more of a chance, not less of it, because when I started my audience was mainly just friends and friends of friends checking it out. Not necessarily to criticize, but more just to see what I had made. I felt like people were interested in a different way than they probably would have been had I been having the same shows in New York. Maybe it's because they're more starved for art here, because there's not as much, I don't know."



SY: When one thing ends another begins. Now that the series is completed, what are we to anticipate from you in the future? ...new directions/inspirations/anything you’d like to share?

AP: "That's a secret, but I will be showing "Week-End" in Tokyo in April, and London in June."

L.A. Muse: A conversation with Alex Prager

Last week, I was invited to the opening night for Alex Prager's exhibition, "Week-End," the latest body of work by the 29-year old photographer and native Angelino. Completely self-taught and recognized for her signature aesthetic, Prager’s "Week-End" is a collection of color photographs as dazzling as they are bizarre. The exhibition opened on January 30, 2010, and will run through March 6, 2010 @ M+B gallery in West Hollywood.

"Inspired by the high drama of classic movies—which, despite their theatricality, touch upon genuine emotions of alienation, fear, anger, longing, and lust—Prager's images seem at first to be all exquisite surface. However the girls of this series—named “Barbara,” “Jane,” “Lois” and other such conventional and slightly old-fashioned monikers—conceal pain beneath their lipstick-lined smiles and dead eyes. In the artist's own words, she is “documenting a world that exists and doesn’t exist at the same time.” The trilogy began with girls playing archetypal roles in "Polyester." Then in "Big Valley," the roles took on lives of their own, and the separation between make-believe and real life began to dissolve. With "Week-End," which signifies the peak as well as the extent of the period, the façade becomes so thick that the illusion is now more real than the world they actually live in." - M+B

As a photography enthusiast and fan of Alex's work, I was thrilled to have the opportunity to sit down with the artist herself. Here are some snippets from our conversation, as we talk about Los Angeles as a source of creative inspiration:


SY: The word "End" in your latest exhibition, "Week-End," seems to suggest a completion to your previous two works "Polyester" and "Big Valley." How did the story evolve throughout the trilogy, and why "End" it now?

AP: "The story started with a box of old clothes from the 60's that my grandmother's friend Vera gave me because she knew I liked vintage. I threw some wigs on my friends and basically played dress up with them. I think that's why "Polyester" seems more to me like it's a performance by a small town theater group with very bad acting. It's not serious to me. "The Big Valley" was more thought out for me, and I think it comes across a bit more on the edge, and slightly more real. With "Week-end," I felt as if the girls in the photos were no longer play-acting. It's as if their little game had become their only reality. To me, it's like the ending is more about them than about me and the work."



SY: As the trilogy unfolded, I became more and more convinced that you are doing a commentary on life in Los Angeles as much as telling a story about your cast of females. What is a bigger muse for you, L.A. or the women that fill your work?

AP: "I'd say that Los Angeles has been my muse for the past three series. The girls are more like props to me. I still have to find the exact right one for the picture I'm going to take, and she has to inspire me and all that, but when it comes down to it, there'll always be another girl, but there will never be another city like Los Angeles."



SY: How has being a native Angelino affected your artistry?

AP: "There's so much about this city that I disagree with, but at the same time I love it more than anywhere in the world, I guess maybe some of that might come across in my pictures. It's like anyone in regard to the place they grew up, I think there's always some sort of love/hate relationship going on there."



SY: Rick Owen's said something like "L.A. should stick to sitcoms and leave fashion to NYC and Paris." Of course, we're not talking fashion, but does the same go for art? Is it more challenging to prove oneself in the international community coming from L.A.?

AP: "I don't really know. I think a lot of artists in New York go unnoticed because there's so many people focused on art and so much competition. So many rules and politics and all that. Los Angeles is more laid back when it comes to art. You can put a show on in your closet and a crowd will probably turn up. I feel like because I started here, I had more of a chance, not less of it, because when I started my audience was mainly just friends and friends of friends checking it out. Not necessarily to criticize, but more just to see what I had made. I felt like people were interested in a different way than they probably would have been had I been having the same shows in New York. Maybe it's because they're more starved for art here, because there's not as much, I don't know."



SY: When one thing ends another begins. Now that the series is completed, what are we to anticipate from you in the future? ...new directions/inspirations/anything you’d like to share?

AP: "That's a secret, but I will be showing "Week-End" in Tokyo in April, and London in June."

Gary Gibson: An Artistic Approach to Design

There's an obsession with making rooms pretty in the design industry that I don't quite understand. I'm not moved by pretty. Flipping through the pages of any popular design magazine, I'm continually shocked at the glorification of over stylized rooms, without personality, but with lots of perfectly plush pillows in hues of floral pastels. One published project after the other, it reminds me of watching a blockbuster movie where you know exactly how the story's going to end from the very first scene. Especially in LA, it seems that there's an absence of designers who take more of an artistic approach in their businesses, expressing themselves outside of a need to create pretty rooms. In my observant opinion, one such designer who's filling the void for LA based design with heart and soul is Gary Gibson.

Last week, I sat down with the native Angelino in his retail showroom to discuss his trademark look, and to pick his brain as an integral player in the design game. The following Q&A’s are insightful snippets from our conversation:

SY: How do you describe your aesthetic?

GG: "My aim is to create interiors that are timeless and classic, but at the same time comfortable and usable. Contrasting surfaces, colors, and textures that excite the eye are always the goal. I'm driven in creating spaces that make people comfortable in the emotions they like to feel. I love juxtapositions, like a gorgeous silk rug on a concrete floor. I think playing with history is fun... designing a modern space, but placing something vintage in it [...] something old brings it back to a human factor.”


SY: What was your goal for adding a retail aspect to your design business?

GG: "I wanted to create an extension of my art studio. The store is a collection of objects that are one of a kind, handmade, mass-produced, vintage and antique [...] this is all the stuff that inspires my design work. I wanted to create an inspiring work environment that could also be accessible to the public; a functional place that's aesthetically pleasing to all who enter. I wanted to put together all the elements of what Gary the artist, interior designer, and product designer are all about. “



SY: What’s your earliest memory of wanting to be a designer?

GG: “When I was a little kid, my parents gave me permission to do whatever decorating I wanted to do in my bedroom. I had a huge bookcase that spanned the entire length of my wall with lots of shelves, and I would display my toys, rock collection, and all sorts of objects in this bookcase. I'd always change the way I displayed my stuff, and in a sense, I think this was my earliest attempt at creating vignettes to inspire the viewer. “



SY: How has being a native Angelino affected your design sensibility?

GG: "Well, there's definitely a less formal approach to design here. I think there's a casual elegance about my work that is related to being from the west coast. We are all products of our environment, and there's a low-key, organic quality about LA that affects your approach as a designer when you grow up here. I was initially an art major and later made a switch to the design department at UCLA, so even my experiences in formal education and training were done here.”


SY: Have there been any shifts in your clients needs in this last year of disarray?

GG: “The economy has been a really big influence, of course, but surprisingly our business increased last year. I think that people are making an effort to turn their homes into a safe place, physically and psychologically. It has become more essential to have a beautiful, inviting, comfy surrounding to call home. I find that clients are looking to simplify things, and are looking for a Zen-like quality in design.”



SY: Who would you consider an important artist that has been forgotten in recent years?

GG: “Jack Larsen. I think that Jack Larsen’s work as a textile designer is something contemporary designers may have forgotten about. I find that contemporaries take textiles for granted as a form of art. Larsen was influential in opening up the world of textiles to the American public. I’m very proud to be the only retail store in the country to carry Larsen’s textile re-issues from the 50’s.”



SY: Any tips for young designers?

GG: "Work for someone before going out on your own, and realize that there are other positions out there outside of being THE DESIGNER."


SY: I enjoy…

GG: "I enjoy…mornings at my showroom. I love the way light filters through the drapery, and how the changes in light throughout the day affect all the furniture and objects in the store. I enjoy… the days when new shipments of stuff come in. I feel like a kid in a candy store, like Christmas morning every single time. I love playing around with how I place things, and creating vignettes that provoke emotions."

Gary Gibson: An Artistic Approach to Design

There's an obsession with making rooms pretty in the design industry that I don't quite understand. I'm not moved by pretty. Flipping through the pages of any popular design magazine, I'm continually shocked at the glorification of over stylized rooms, without personality, but with lots of perfectly plush pillows in hues of floral pastels. One published project after the other, it reminds me of watching a blockbuster movie where you know exactly how the story's going to end from the very first scene. Especially in LA, it seems that there's an absence of designers who take more of an artistic approach in their businesses, expressing themselves outside of a need to create pretty rooms. In my observant opinion, one such designer who's filling the void for LA based design with heart and soul is Gary Gibson.

Last week, I sat down with the native Angelino in his retail showroom to discuss his trademark look, and to pick his brain as an integral player in the design game. The following Q&A’s are insightful snippets from our conversation:

SY: How do you describe your aesthetic?

GG: "My aim is to create interiors that are timeless and classic, but at the same time comfortable and usable. Contrasting surfaces, colors, and textures that excite the eye are always the goal. I'm driven in creating spaces that make people comfortable in the emotions they like to feel. I love juxtapositions, like a gorgeous silk rug on a concrete floor. I think playing with history is fun... designing a modern space, but placing something vintage in it [...] something old brings it back to a human factor.”


SY: What was your goal for adding a retail aspect to your design business?

GG: "I wanted to create an extension of my art studio. The store is a collection of objects that are one of a kind, handmade, mass-produced, vintage and antique [...] this is all the stuff that inspires my design work. I wanted to create an inspiring work environment that could also be accessible to the public; a functional place that's aesthetically pleasing to all who enter. I wanted to put together all the elements of what Gary the artist, interior designer, and product designer are all about. “



SY: What’s your earliest memory of wanting to be a designer?

GG: “When I was a little kid, my parents gave me permission to do whatever decorating I wanted to do in my bedroom. I had a huge bookcase that spanned the entire length of my wall with lots of shelves, and I would display my toys, rock collection, and all sorts of objects in this bookcase. I'd always change the way I displayed my stuff, and in a sense, I think this was my earliest attempt at creating vignettes to inspire the viewer. “



SY: How has being a native Angelino affected your design sensibility?

GG: "Well, there's definitely a less formal approach to design here. I think there's a casual elegance about my work that is related to being from the west coast. We are all products of our environment, and there's a low-key, organic quality about LA that affects your approach as a designer when you grow up here. I was initially an art major and later made a switch to the design department at UCLA, so even my experiences in formal education and training were done here.”


SY: Have there been any shifts in your clients needs in this last year of disarray?

GG: “The economy has been a really big influence, of course, but surprisingly our business increased last year. I think that people are making an effort to turn their homes into a safe place, physically and psychologically. It has become more essential to have a beautiful, inviting, comfy surrounding to call home. I find that clients are looking to simplify things, and are looking for a Zen-like quality in design.”



SY: Who would you consider an important artist that has been forgotten in recent years?

GG: “Jack Larsen. I think that Jack Larsen’s work as a textile designer is something contemporary designers may have forgotten about. I find that contemporaries take textiles for granted as a form of art. Larsen was influential in opening up the world of textiles to the American public. I’m very proud to be the only retail store in the country to carry Larsen’s textile re-issues from the 50’s.”



SY: Any tips for young designers?

GG: "Work for someone before going out on your own, and realize that there are other positions out there outside of being THE DESIGNER."


SY: I enjoy…

GG: "I enjoy…mornings at my showroom. I love the way light filters through the drapery, and how the changes in light throughout the day affect all the furniture and objects in the store. I enjoy… the days when new shipments of stuff come in. I feel like a kid in a candy store, like Christmas morning every single time. I love playing around with how I place things, and creating vignettes that provoke emotions."

Gadi Gilan Presented by ACL

Gadi Gilan Presented by ACL x Cole, Rood & Haan Co. from Michael Williams on Vimeo.

Gadi Gilan presented by ACL. I'm really feeling the style of this short filmed interview. Simple, content rich, and impressive.

Gadi Gilan Presented by ACL

Gadi Gilan Presented by ACL x Cole, Rood & Haan Co. from Michael Williams on Vimeo.

Gadi Gilan presented by ACL. I'm really feeling the style of this short filmed interview. Simple, content rich, and impressive.

Patrik Rzepski: Straps & Horsehair

Patrik Rzepski is a New York-based fashion designer. His aesthetic derives from punk rock, violence and teenage angst. He's best known for his odd inspirations, such as Myra Hindley, the child-murderess, and JonBenét Ramsey. Some in the industry are calling him a younger Alexander McQueen, but I think his talent has a P.O.V. of his own. Always on the moodier side of romance, Patrik's aesthetic is sexy, sophisticated, mixed with a little bit of darkness. I won't spiel you, so let's just get into a quick interview I did with Patrik instead:

SY: With past collections inspired by the mystery behind JonBenét Ramsey, notorious English Murderess Myra Hindley, and infamous '70s gang of German terrorists Baader Meinhof, is it safe to say that you are a subversive hardass obsessed with murder?

PR: Inspiration comes from everywhere. I think people are more drawn to those reference points. In the end, the inspiration becomes quite romanticized, nothing is literal.


SY: It seems like the most genius artists in this world are also dropouts. No matter how relevant the school is, it just can't give you that innate talent that will ultimately be needed to "make it." Was there a moment that made it crystal clear for you to leave school?

PR: At the end of my first semester during finals, the director of the fashion department saw my final and asked what class I was teaching. I think you can never have "too much" education, however school was not for me and luckily fashion is an arena in which experience counts for just as much if not more.


SY: I'm a native Angeleno, so I always try to throw in an LA question when appropriate, here goes: Rick Owen's said something like "LA should stick to sitcoms and leave fashion to NY," How do you feel about that perspective? How do you feel about LA and fashion?... I mean, on the one hand we have natives like Paris Hilton (boo) and on the other we have the fashion genius of MK Olsen (yay.)

PR: I will agree with anything Rick Owens has to say, but I also think that LA can't help but be celebrity centric and unfortunately that dilutes and distracts from what's actually going on, but I have no idea what if anything, is going on in LA.


SY: I love collabos in fashion, especially when the avant garde and mainstream come together. Jil Sander's doing a line for Uniqlo, Rogue Gallery is doing a line for LL Bean, Raf Simons did one for Eastpack, etcetera, etcetera... If you could do a line for the masses, who would you collaborate for?

PR: I would definitely be up for doing a collaboration, I've been crushing on Nike.


SY: Is it true that you once buried a dress in your parents backyard before digging it up and sending it out on the runway? Explain?

PR: True, for S/S 2004 I dug a trench in the yard and buried a pink linen party dress and left it for 2 weeks to give it a bit of femininity and gore.


SY: FAVORITE CITIES...

SY: For life?
PR: Barcelona/Madrid

SY: For love?
PR: Brighton Beach

SY: For fashion?
PR: Milwaukee

SY: For your work... biggest market/buyers?
PR: Asia

SY: For food?
PR: Paris

SY: For sex?
PR: Current Location

SY: For inspiration?
PR: New York


SY: I can't live without...?

PR: Coffee/Peter/Ipod


SY: If I could only buy/afford one thing from your collection, what should I buy? Is there a definitively P Rzepski piece?

PR: Anything with straps/horsehair


SY: What's upcoming for you? What would you like to communicate to us for your line in 2010?

PR: You're so chic, you're so sheer, teenage rebel of the week


SY: Where will you be for New Year's Eve?

PR: I will be doing the Polar Bear Swim @ Coney Island again on New Year's day, so nothing wild

Patrik Rzepski: Straps & Horsehair

Patrik Rzepski is a New York-based fashion designer. His aesthetic derives from punk rock, violence and teenage angst. He's best known for his odd inspirations, such as Myra Hindley, the child-murderess, and JonBenét Ramsey. Some in the industry are calling him a younger Alexander McQueen, but I think his talent has a P.O.V. of his own. Always on the moodier side of romance, Patrik's aesthetic is sexy, sophisticated, mixed with a little bit of darkness. I won't spiel you, so let's just get into a quick interview I did with Patrik instead:

SY: With past collections inspired by the mystery behind JonBenét Ramsey, notorious English Murderess Myra Hindley, and infamous '70s gang of German terrorists Baader Meinhof, is it safe to say that you are a subversive hardass obsessed with murder?

PR: Inspiration comes from everywhere. I think people are more drawn to those reference points. In the end, the inspiration becomes quite romanticized, nothing is literal.


SY: It seems like the most genius artists in this world are also dropouts. No matter how relevant the school is, it just can't give you that innate talent that will ultimately be needed to "make it." Was there a moment that made it crystal clear for you to leave school?

PR: At the end of my first semester during finals, the director of the fashion department saw my final and asked what class I was teaching. I think you can never have "too much" education, however school was not for me and luckily fashion is an arena in which experience counts for just as much if not more.


SY: I'm a native Angeleno, so I always try to throw in an LA question when appropriate, here goes: Rick Owen's said something like "LA should stick to sitcoms and leave fashion to NY," How do you feel about that perspective? How do you feel about LA and fashion?... I mean, on the one hand we have natives like Paris Hilton (boo) and on the other we have the fashion genius of MK Olsen (yay.)

PR: I will agree with anything Rick Owens has to say, but I also think that LA can't help but be celebrity centric and unfortunately that dilutes and distracts from what's actually going on, but I have no idea what if anything, is going on in LA.


SY: I love collabos in fashion, especially when the avant garde and mainstream come together. Jil Sander's doing a line for Uniqlo, Rogue Gallery is doing a line for LL Bean, Raf Simons did one for Eastpack, etcetera, etcetera... If you could do a line for the masses, who would you collaborate for?

PR: I would definitely be up for doing a collaboration, I've been crushing on Nike.


SY: Is it true that you once buried a dress in your parents backyard before digging it up and sending it out on the runway? Explain?

PR: True, for S/S 2004 I dug a trench in the yard and buried a pink linen party dress and left it for 2 weeks to give it a bit of femininity and gore.


SY: FAVORITE CITIES...

SY: For life?
PR: Barcelona/Madrid

SY: For love?
PR: Brighton Beach

SY: For fashion?
PR: Milwaukee

SY: For your work... biggest market/buyers?
PR: Asia

SY: For food?
PR: Paris

SY: For sex?
PR: Current Location

SY: For inspiration?
PR: New York


SY: I can't live without...?

PR: Coffee/Peter/Ipod


SY: If I could only buy/afford one thing from your collection, what should I buy? Is there a definitively P Rzepski piece?

PR: Anything with straps/horsehair


SY: What's upcoming for you? What would you like to communicate to us for your line in 2010?

PR: You're so chic, you're so sheer, teenage rebel of the week


SY: Where will you be for New Year's Eve?

PR: I will be doing the Polar Bear Swim @ Coney Island again on New Year's day, so nothing wild

Todd Williamson: Light & Sound

Todd Williamson is an abstract American painter shown internationally for his ability to establish a harmonious meeting of reality and imagination. His latest exhibition, "Blurring the Lines," is a personal favorite of mine. What I love about Todd's latest series of work is the emotional polarity that exists in every piece. The works are undeniably moody and powerful, and at the same time they somehow bring peace and calmness...like a question that's answered in a single work of art.

I had the pleasure of sitting down with Todd to dig a little deeper about his work:

SY: I believe that artists are Sociologists. They have an innate ability of feeling where society is at and where it's going. Are there any particular shifts that you're feeling right now, and would you forecast for us?

TW: Artists always seem to have an innate ability to feel the pulse of the world. I think the entire world is in flux right now. We are all still getting our balance from the economic meltdown. I think this will have a huge effect on the art world as we recover.

SY: The first time I saw your work, I immediately felt a connection with the work of the Italian Artist Lucio Fontana, especially his "Concetti Spaziali" series where he puts slash marks on monochromatic canvases to create an actual dimension of space. How does the concept of space inspire you in your work?

TW: Big compliment! I love Lucio's work…he is a master! Space is vital, but for me it's more about balance within the space. To be successful the work has to have a balance to the eye. It must feel complete and it must be pleasing to my sense of structure. My work is really more about light and the use of it in the fields of color and the way they interplay together.

SY: Color affects mood. Is there an emotion that you are trying to evoke in your audience with your current color palettes?

TW: LOL, they change ever day and with every work! I have always been known for my reds and blues. Fitting huh, hot and cold. I am an Aquarius! Usually the venue that I am preparing a show for dictates my use of color. New York is bolder than Tokyo, LA is brighter than Naples.

SY: What is your artistic process? Are you regimented, or do you only pick up the brush after any provocations (love/sex/fight/eat/sound/memory)?

TW: I'm both. Anything can inspire me as well as an underlying feeling just to put paint to canvas. I don’t paint well when I’m not happy and it shows.

SY: Professionally or in the everyday, what are you excited about?

TW: I'm starting a new group of Los Angeles artists. We are going to create a group that works together, drinks together, supports each other, etc... It's something that is needed in LA and it's time has come. I know more artists in Europe than I do in LA...

SY: Your paintings are divided with several horizontal lines like the staffs from a sheet of music, and there's a vibrational feeling like that of sound waves in your brush stokes. Is it safe to say that music fuels your work?

TW: Yes I was a voice major in undergrad. I graduated from a small private university (Belmont) with a very important music department. I did a show at the university in January. Music is always playing as I work. The titles of my work come from whatever catches my attention within a song lyric. Alternative rock and country are my main things.

Todd Williamson: Light & Sound

Todd Williamson is an abstract American painter shown internationally for his ability to establish a harmonious meeting of reality and imagination. His latest exhibition, "Blurring the Lines," is a personal favorite of mine. What I love about Todd's latest series of work is the emotional polarity that exists in every piece. The works are undeniably moody and powerful, and at the same time they somehow bring peace and calmness...like a question that's answered in a single work of art.

I had the pleasure of sitting down with Todd to dig a little deeper about his work:

SY: I believe that artists are Sociologists. They have an innate ability of feeling where society is at and where it's going. Are there any particular shifts that you're feeling right now, and would you forecast for us?

TW: Artists always seem to have an innate ability to feel the pulse of the world. I think the entire world is in flux right now. We are all still getting our balance from the economic meltdown. I think this will have a huge effect on the art world as we recover.

SY: The first time I saw your work, I immediately felt a connection with the work of the Italian Artist Lucio Fontana, especially his "Concetti Spaziali" series where he puts slash marks on monochromatic canvases to create an actual dimension of space. How does the concept of space inspire you in your work?

TW: Big compliment! I love Lucio's work…he is a master! Space is vital, but for me it's more about balance within the space. To be successful the work has to have a balance to the eye. It must feel complete and it must be pleasing to my sense of structure. My work is really more about light and the use of it in the fields of color and the way they interplay together.

SY: Color affects mood. Is there an emotion that you are trying to evoke in your audience with your current color palettes?

TW: LOL, they change ever day and with every work! I have always been known for my reds and blues. Fitting huh, hot and cold. I am an Aquarius! Usually the venue that I am preparing a show for dictates my use of color. New York is bolder than Tokyo, LA is brighter than Naples.

SY: What is your artistic process? Are you regimented, or do you only pick up the brush after any provocations (love/sex/fight/eat/sound/memory)?

TW: I'm both. Anything can inspire me as well as an underlying feeling just to put paint to canvas. I don’t paint well when I’m not happy and it shows.

SY: Professionally or in the everyday, what are you excited about?

TW: I'm starting a new group of Los Angeles artists. We are going to create a group that works together, drinks together, supports each other, etc... It's something that is needed in LA and it's time has come. I know more artists in Europe than I do in LA...

SY: Your paintings are divided with several horizontal lines like the staffs from a sheet of music, and there's a vibrational feeling like that of sound waves in your brush stokes. Is it safe to say that music fuels your work?

TW: Yes I was a voice major in undergrad. I graduated from a small private university (Belmont) with a very important music department. I did a show at the university in January. Music is always playing as I work. The titles of my work come from whatever catches my attention within a song lyric. Alternative rock and country are my main things.

Daniel Everett, "Conversations with a Computer"

A still from the artist's conversations with an electronic psychotherapist. (Above)

"Contained within the operating system of Mac computers is a rudimentary electronic psychotherapist program. Meant to simulate a Rogerian therapist, it engages the participant in a cyclical conversation by taking his or her statements and roughly reconfiguring them into questions. I met with this program three times a week for a month in order to discuss my fear that I was disappearing completely." - Daniel Everett

Ok, so if you have a Mac and you want to visit your electronic psychotherapist, here are the steps:

1. Go to finder
2. then applications.
3. Go to the Utilities folder
4. and open Terminal
5. When it has started up, type in "emacs" and press enter
6. Then press x and escape together
7. Then type in "doctor". You can then begin a conversation with your own personal psychotherapist on your computer. When you finish saying something, hit the return key twice.

Quite interesting,

-S

Daniel Everett

Daniel Everett, "Conversations with a Computer"

A still from the artist's conversations with an electronic psychotherapist. (Above)

"Contained within the operating system of Mac computers is a rudimentary electronic psychotherapist program. Meant to simulate a Rogerian therapist, it engages the participant in a cyclical conversation by taking his or her statements and roughly reconfiguring them into questions. I met with this program three times a week for a month in order to discuss my fear that I was disappearing completely." - Daniel Everett

Ok, so if you have a Mac and you want to visit your electronic psychotherapist, here are the steps:

1. Go to finder
2. then applications.
3. Go to the Utilities folder
4. and open Terminal
5. When it has started up, type in "emacs" and press enter
6. Then press x and escape together
7. Then type in "doctor". You can then begin a conversation with your own personal psychotherapist on your computer. When you finish saying something, hit the return key twice.

Quite interesting,

-S

Daniel Everett

WISDOM

Thanks to Armen for recommending this film.

-S

WISDOM

Thanks to Armen for recommending this film.

-S

GIVENCHY HOMME 2009

If the GIVENCHY HOMME debut for Spring/Summer 2009 doesn't inspire you, nothing will!

When I saw the pics from the Paris show, It immediatley got me singing "Girls & Boys" by Blur...

"Girls who are boys
Who like boys to be girls
Who do boys like they're girls
Who do girls like they're boys
Always should be someone you really love"

But seriously, The Givenchy Homme show was a standout for many fashionistas (both men and women).

This collection was a first for Riccardo Tisci who has been heading Givenchy's women line for sometime now.

Riccardo Tisci is an unassuming anti-hero who makes heroic, powerful looks that still retain an all-encompassing aura of elegance - a concept absolutely central to the house of Givenchy. Let’s not forget, after all the stop-starts with other previous designers, he is making the label pop. Now, in a hugely significant step, he’s brought his talent to Givenchy menswear, meaning he’s one of the few designers responsible for both women’s AND men’s rtw at an iconic brand, as well as haute couture. - PONYSTEP.COM

“I am not looking to dress men as women,” Tisci continues, “but rather offer them a viable wardrobe that serves them equally well in any situation: classic suits that seem to have come straight from the atelier of a traditional Neapolitan tailor, as well as T-shirts and leather trousers for the weekend.” A wardrobe for men “whose beauty has a hint of menace”. - GIVENCHY.COM

Givenchy comin' back with powa-powa,

-S

GIVENCHY HOMME 2009

If the GIVENCHY HOMME debut for Spring/Summer 2009 doesn't inspire you, nothing will!

When I saw the pics from the Paris show, It immediatley got me singing "Girls & Boys" by Blur...

"Girls who are boys
Who like boys to be girls
Who do boys like they're girls
Who do girls like they're boys
Always should be someone you really love"

But seriously, The Givenchy Homme show was a standout for many fashionistas (both men and women).

This collection was a first for Riccardo Tisci who has been heading Givenchy's women line for sometime now.

Riccardo Tisci is an unassuming anti-hero who makes heroic, powerful looks that still retain an all-encompassing aura of elegance - a concept absolutely central to the house of Givenchy. Let’s not forget, after all the stop-starts with other previous designers, he is making the label pop. Now, in a hugely significant step, he’s brought his talent to Givenchy menswear, meaning he’s one of the few designers responsible for both women’s AND men’s rtw at an iconic brand, as well as haute couture. - PONYSTEP.COM

“I am not looking to dress men as women,” Tisci continues, “but rather offer them a viable wardrobe that serves them equally well in any situation: classic suits that seem to have come straight from the atelier of a traditional Neapolitan tailor, as well as T-shirts and leather trousers for the weekend.” A wardrobe for men “whose beauty has a hint of menace”. - GIVENCHY.COM

Givenchy comin' back with powa-powa,

-S

R. Buckminster Fuller

Article from my favorite new magazine, DOSSIER JOURNAL - dossierjournal.com

Long before Al Gore's "An Inconvenient Truth", there was R. Buckminster Fuller.


One of the great American visionaries of the twentieth century, R. Buckminster Fuller (1895-1983) endeavored to see what he, a single individual, might do to benefit the largest segment of humanity while consuming the minimum of the earth’s resources. Doing “more with less” was Fuller’s credo. He described himself as a “comprehensive anticipatory design scientist,” setting forth to solve the escalating challenges that faced humanity before they became insurmountable.

The Whitney is offering a thorough retrospective of his work with the show Buckminster Fuller: Starting with the Universe. If you're gonna be in NYC sometime before October, I suggest trying to see the show and then imagining the possibilities some combination of the ideas presented might create for your own modern dwelling and living.

R. Buckminster Fuller

Article from my favorite new magazine, DOSSIER JOURNAL - dossierjournal.com

Long before Al Gore's "An Inconvenient Truth", there was R. Buckminster Fuller.


One of the great American visionaries of the twentieth century, R. Buckminster Fuller (1895-1983) endeavored to see what he, a single individual, might do to benefit the largest segment of humanity while consuming the minimum of the earth’s resources. Doing “more with less” was Fuller’s credo. He described himself as a “comprehensive anticipatory design scientist,” setting forth to solve the escalating challenges that faced humanity before they became insurmountable.

The Whitney is offering a thorough retrospective of his work with the show Buckminster Fuller: Starting with the Universe. If you're gonna be in NYC sometime before October, I suggest trying to see the show and then imagining the possibilities some combination of the ideas presented might create for your own modern dwelling and living.

Eve Salvail

When I was just a young lad, my favorite shows were Fashion Television w/ host Jeanne Beker & House of Style w/ Cindy Crawford.

I can seriously remember being glued to the screen when these shows came on. For me, some of the best moments were the interviews with the models. It was always pretty awesome to see backstage at a fashion show (hair, makeup, etc...) I guess in a way, it was reality television before the term even existed. One particular interview stayed in my memory bank forever -- I have it here today for your viewing pleasure.

Before there was Gisele, Heidi, Karolina Kurkova, and now Agyness Deyn, the "it girl" of the early 1990's was Eve Salvail. In a special moment in time, the fashion world went gaga over this bald-headed beauty. The snip below is from an interview with Eve on House of Style (probably circa 1991).

As a kid, I was so inspired by Eve... she was just so cool... she was androgynous (always a plus), eccentric, and even kinda profound.

I heard that she's a big D.J. in NYC nowadays... I wonder if she's still bald? I wonder if she's thinking about making a comeback in modeling... I mean with 90's fashion coming back into vogue, it just makes sense for some design house to find her and make her their muse.

Have a wonderful weekend.

-S

Eve Salvail

When I was just a young lad, my favorite shows were Fashion Television w/ host Jeanne Beker & House of Style w/ Cindy Crawford.

I can seriously remember being glued to the screen when these shows came on. For me, some of the best moments were the interviews with the models. It was always pretty awesome to see backstage at a fashion show (hair, makeup, etc...) I guess in a way, it was reality television before the term even existed. One particular interview stayed in my memory bank forever -- I have it here today for your viewing pleasure.

Before there was Gisele, Heidi, Karolina Kurkova, and now Agyness Deyn, the "it girl" of the early 1990's was Eve Salvail. In a special moment in time, the fashion world went gaga over this bald-headed beauty. The snip below is from an interview with Eve on House of Style (probably circa 1991).

As a kid, I was so inspired by Eve... she was just so cool... she was androgynous (always a plus), eccentric, and even kinda profound.

I heard that she's a big D.J. in NYC nowadays... I wonder if she's still bald? I wonder if she's thinking about making a comeback in modeling... I mean with 90's fashion coming back into vogue, it just makes sense for some design house to find her and make her their muse.

Have a wonderful weekend.

-S