sometimes it only takes one

It has been a whirlwind two months and I have been seeking
inspiration in so many places and at times searching for more
than that, maybe something in the form of answers as well.
I saw these Lizzie Fortunato bracelets when visiting
Maryam Nassir Zadeh a couple weeks ago with a friend.
Something about these got me thinking. In grand and aspiring
ways and it was just what I needed and it was beautifully and
completely unexpected. Ideas and explanations to follow.
And so it goes. It flows.

awesome optik

It has been a couple seasons since I've had a true feeling and excitement
for Balenciaga. However, this collection truly marks a rekindling of my interest.
The colours reminded me of Japanese washi tape and the textiles of bubble
wrap. I love how the tops look like they are made of foam when cinched in
at the waist. It will be really a thrill to feel all of these materials when they are
in the shop.

a dance like clockwork honey

It is an interesting experience to watch a performance

and be continually flooded throughout the viewing with other

images and thoughts it conjures in ones mind. I felt that way

this evening, watching the Mark Morris Dance Group at BAM.

Accompanied by a few stragglers running from the train though

the slush coming out of the sky, I was temporarily seated in the

back of the orchestra for the first piece, Behemoth. Being level

with the dancers for this part was ideal, to see the patterns, the

repeats, the prints in the space made with their bodies and

limbs. On all of their costumes, marigold and kelly greens,

each one had a little piece of mirror on their chest and they

would twist and one would hit the light and make little shadows

and sparks all over the room. It was clever and at first you think,

is that someone’s watch reflecting, what is going on? But, when

you realize it is the dancers and its part of their movements, it

brings a quiet smile.

I was thinking about Atomic City, a beautiful, thoughtful show with

acrobats that my brilliantly talented previous roommate, Aidan

performed in. It reminded me of the movements in that show. I

loved that about Behemoth, the repetitions of their playful, silly

movements, flopping feet like fish, the zigzag twisting with fingers

and to witness the reverb of these motions. The silence and space

in between become motions in another thought, in itself.

A scene started with five bodies, lying slightly to the side, feet facing

us. I immediately thought of one of my favourite passages in Albert

Camus' A Happy Death, where Patrice and his companions are at

the house on the top of the world in Algiers, sunning themselves until

they melt with pleasure. The cats are mentioned in this section of the

book, being lazy, carnal creatures and then some of the dancers were

stretching long and crawling across the stage, seemingly worshiping

the warmth of something and slowly scampering to reach it.

I started to think about those old wristwatches where you can see all

the springs and gears and everything is turning and it has its place but

there does appear to be a randomness about it. The dance felt like this,

but as if there was honey between the gears, making some motions in

between a flux.

I loved the tenderness when one of the male dancers picked up his lady

counterpart and held her up, displayed to the world and then laid her

back down, sliding her on to his back. It was quiet. I liked that.

The second piece ‘Looky’ was hilarious and fun. The backdrop was

like a Rothko painting and a Bill Viola art video to start and then the

dancers were running around in what I deemed to be Dolce and

Gabbana pajamas (but there was one star printed Miu Miu bodysuit,

I swear!) and making a tableau vivant turned barnyard hoe down.

But, don’t get me wrong, it felt so entirely Italian. This transformed

into a drippy gossip heavy formal ball a la Jane Austen. From there,

we turn to the jazz age, straight out of the chapter in The Great Gatsby

where Fitzgerald is writing about the citrus fruit for the lawn party.

It was drunken and erratic, with saltwater taffy melting soft Bob Fosse
struts and then wrapped with a slight resemblance to a Greek tragedy,

which is not too far off because the final dance was exactly that,

the death of Socrates.

I got all referential in this entry and that is not my intention, but I wanted

to stay true to everything that passed my mind and all the scribbles in

my notebook. Nonetheless, see this show at BAM if you can. Its worth it

for all your own set of inspirations and images.

Mark Morris Dance Group

@ BAM

February 26, 27 7:30pm

claudia

Claudia has been my daily cooking inspiration as of late. Slowly, her
masterpiece, The New Book of Middle Eastern Food is becoming my bible.
I just love those simple peasant recipes that are a nice break to create during
a day of work at home. Major shout out to Amy G for kindly giving me the book.

high, high seas

i have been following the 'adventures' of Paul Watson
and the rest of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society for
a couple years now. around this time in the year, the crew
heads down to Antarctic waters to trail the Japanese whaling
ships that are supposedly doing research by poaching hundreds
of minke whales, but seem to go beyond the necessary number of
dead whales needed to perform research.
Sea Shepherd is known for their extreme tactics and are considered
pirates and/or terrorists among many, but they seem to be the only
organization taking an active approach in stopping Japanese Whaling.
The New York Times just ran a story. click here. and get informed.
photo: new york times

vagabond golden

the oh so lovely ladies at Lizzie Fortunato sent these images of their
spring 2010 work over to me a couple weeks ago. i gushed on about
their fall collection just a bit ago, check that out here. i am so floored by
the emotive quality each of their truly unique pieces has. they have such
a different and honestly original perspective on jewelry design. for me,
i find that its so emotional because of its visibly handmade aspect and
its so descriptive of the influence behind it, without losing its identity.
i cannot wait to get my hands on some of these gems, they make me
long for surfing azul waves, drinking tinto de verrano and traveling with
lightness. its impressive when a necklace can move you to plan a trip.

check out SCOUT for a bit more on lizzie fortunato and the indian influence

all images by lizzie fortunato.

naked thoughts

i have been a long time fan of VPL and victoria bartlett.
i had the wonderful opportunity to work briefly at VPL a few years
ago and i fondly remember it. the day i spent working directly with
victoria was a day that i learned more about the industry then i did
in all of my internship years before.

the human anatomy became the main inspiration behind my
design work when i was in my third year at university in italy.
for me, it was only the obvious choice being that my father is
a bone doctor and i was always fascinated by blood, cuts and medical
instruments. in his honor, i constructed a kimono like robe with the nervous,
respiratory, digestive and circulatory systems embroidered all over it.
it was certainly a labour of love. for now my creations have been
distilled to the human heart valentines i make annually.
its so inspiring to see how VPL has explored this influence and i really
do hope this exhibit makes a debut in new york.
check out my fawning over VPL at SCOUT.
video by dopolavoro gallery, milan.

kindred soul spirit sister

fashion is always on about the past. and constantly edie, andy, bianca,
jane, jim, bobb, neil, stevie, etc etc. please, i love them all just like the next
one but sometimes its refreshing to get another in there...

with that said, grace slick slays me.
the lead singer from jefferson airplane (+the great society+jefferson starship)
(thanks for that jude, i never would have known them without you.)
not only was she stunning, belted out with a killer voice but also totally crazy.
she attempted to lace president nixons cup of tea with lsd.
i highly appreciate the evident weirdness and sarcasm.
maybe in my next life, i'll find myself in my kindred 1960s.

message in the birds mouth

many iraqis raise pigeons and fly them for a hobby.
i find this really fascinating.
here are some sitting under the full moon in baghdad.
photo nytimes.com

la danse fantastique

la danse de l'opera de paris is an exceptional film.
its quiet, poetic, strong and humbling.

see your shoes and spirits rise

this is long overdue, i wanted to post this over summer holiday...
i just want to gush about my dear letter writing friend, erika pahk
and the unbelievable and creative work she has been doing as of late.
i so, intensely love these wearable art pieces she has developed.
the chatelaine pieces are so ideal for a nomadic traveling lady-
on my trip i found myself taking little things with me, so i could have
a reminder of all my loves back home, like jewelry and feathers and
they became so essential to me.
this device is a perfect means for their travel.

1. nesting, photo by rush jagoe
2. nesting, 2009
3. scarlet, 2009
4. chatelaine for worrier, 2009
5. chatelaine for a vagabond, 2009
all from erikapahk.com

as she talks, her lips breath spring roses

during my trip, i became fascinated with religious painting.
from madrid to armenia to italy and my last days in barcelona,
i was seeking them out in museums.
i finally made it to the Uffizi gallery in Florence with my lovely guide,
Caterina, my favourite Fiorentina and among the gems on the walls
we viewed that day, this painting, Primavera by Botticelli really struck me.
i especially loved this detail, where Zephyrus, the god of winds, is in
pursuit of the nymph Chloris and she has vines and flowers coming out
of her mouth toward her Roman counterpart, Flora, the goddess of spring.
i remembered this Jean Paul Gaultier Spring 2007 Couture show and
pulled a few images to get me thinking about halloween.
jean paul gaultier spring 2007 couture
botticelli, primavera