MARTIN CREED

I recently stopped by the new Hauser & Wirth outpost on 18th Street in Chelsea.  Intending to peruse the Dieter & Bjorn Roth exhibition (which I will review shortly in my Art Blanche column), I was pleasantly surprised to discover this Martin Creed installation taking over the entryway.

Creed (b. 1968) is most well-known for his Minimalist, Conceptual works of art such as Work No. 227, the lights going on and off, which won him the Turner Prize in 2001.  The work's title is self-explanatory: Creed orchestrated a 5 seconds on/5 seconds off light cycle in and empty room.

This site-specific installation (Work No. 1461) is anything but empty, featuring a dramatic motif of tape lining the walls.  Evoking the work of many other artists, from Barnett Newman and Donald Judd, to Aakash Nihalani, Creed's installation is a multifacted, colorful experience.

Blouse: 3.1 Phillip Lim

Skirt: Diane von Furstenberg (I love this version from Opening Ceremony)

Mohair Coat: H&M

Purse: Maison Martin Margiela x H&M Leather Glove Purse

Boots: United Nude

[Photos by @kay_elle_pea.]

LIANG YUANWEI

In honor of the First Day of Spring yesterday (and, of course, my birthday) I debuted this lace frock, which brought to mind the floral paintings of Liang Yuanwei.

Yuanwei (b. 1977) is a Chinese painter known for her large-scale, meticulously painted canvases, thick with impasto.

The floral works pictured here appear, at first, to have a wallpaper-like quality to them.  But upon closer inspection, it is apparent through the raised, expertly knifed oil paint and uniformity of the detail, that they are meticulously painted by hand.

Yuanwei's paintings are exercises in time management and expertise, taking her up to 8 hours to complete one horizontal strip of a painting.  

Like most works of art, the intense skill demonstrated by Yuanwei is better examined in person, when the detail of knife work and thickness of the paint can be clearly seen. 

Liang's works have been described as "gorgeous paintings that mix the visual appeal of tapestries with the conceptual inclinations of American Minimalism."

Her work is expertly summed up by the following: "Liang is uninterested in representation or smiotics.  Perception is via a flurry of delicate strokes on the canvas that manifest time's accumulation and the personal, even spiritual, experiences of the painter." 

Dress: Nanette Lepore (near exact dress available here)

Mohair Coat: H&M (recent; spring-friendly version here)

Peacock Embroidered Clutch: vintage, belonged to my grandmother (a gorgeous current version here)

Shoes: J. Crew Etta Cap Toe Pump in Neon Persimmon (Sold out color; other options here)

Birthday Flower Crown: handmade by my friend Meri

[Photos by @kay_elle_pea. Quotes from Barry Schwabsky in Vitamin P2 Images from artasiapacific.com, archivodenuevosartistas.blogspot.com, and thebesttimeoftheday.blogspot.com]

100 ARRANGEMENTS

It's been a few years since I started noticing shiny, playful Confetti System installations here and there, but their current display at MoMA PS1 is the largest I've seen to date.

Confetti System is made up of Nicholas Andersen and Julie Ho, and the duo's work encompasses art, design, and styling.  The result is beautiful work that can be seen as backdrops, installations, or as stand-alone works of art.

100 Arrangements, on view at PS1, is a conglomeration of many Confetti System elements, which can be altered by height so that the installation takes on many different forms.

Jacket: Yves Saint Laurent

Necklace: Citrine by the Stones (similar here)

Skirt: thrifted, vintage

Sweater: thrifted, vintage

Tights: Topshop

Boots: Miista Val Tex

Scarf: H&M

Clutch: Jasper & Jeera via Anthropologie

100 Arrangements can be seen at PS1 through March 31.

[Photos by @kay_elle_pea]

SPIN

As much as I will myself to dislike the gaudy, sometimes simplistic, always in-your-face aesthetics of Damien Hirst, I can't deny that I'm continuously drawn to his work.  I had a brief encounter with one of his swirl paintings at The Armory Show over the weekend, which resulted in these photos and plans to create one of my own.  I've no plans to install a shark tank in my apartment...yet.

Dress: vintage (here is a similar one in a pink/purple palette)

Tights: Hue

Handbag: Cynthia Rowley (similar here)

Duotone Suede Loafers: Tod's

[Photos by @kay_elle_pea]

EL ANATSUI

I am still reeling after experiencing one of the most beautiful and culturally relevant museum exhibitions I've seen in a very long time.

Gravity and Grace: Monumental Works by El Anatsui is now on view at the Brooklyn Museum and is well worth a visit, even if you are not in New York.

El Anatsui (b. 1944) is a Ghanaian artist who is well known for his sculptural installations made using found materials such as aluminum cans, and the Brooklyn Museum exhibition boasts over 30 works.

The texture and painterly quality of the large-scale pieces is surprisingly reminiscent of Impressionism.  I was particularly reminded of Pointillism in the way that the large tapestry is made up of beautiful smaller elements that aren't necessarily salient but become noticeable upon closer inspection.  

The wall hangings are inspired by kente, a type of cloth created using an indigenous  weaving process that results in a silk/cotton blend and is native to the Ashanti and Akan people of the Ivory Coast and Ghana.

Referencing uli and nsibidi symbolism and drawing styles, Anatsui's stunning works also called to mind the tableaux of religious altarpieces, adorned with gold leaf.  However, the usage of found materials and nod to his Ghanaian heritage makes Anatsui's work more poignant than ever.

Dress: Aryn K. (very similar here, under $70)

Tights: H&M

Boots: Miista Val Tex

Handbag: Cynthia Rowley (some similar options here)

Photos of me by @kay_elle_pea and all other photos by me.