2013 SUPERLATIVES

On this final day of the year, here is a list of my 2013 Artfully Awear superlatives.  What are your favorites of the past year?

Favorite Museum Exhibition:

El Anatsui at the Brooklyn Museum.

Favorite Rainy Day Ensemble:

Colorful ensemble inspired by the work of Karen Tompkins.

Best Public Art:

Orly Genger at Madison Square Park.

Favorite Thrift Store Score:

Vintage Edvard Munch print skirt.

Favorite Camouflage:

Barry McGee at Gagosian.

Best Texture:

Save the Queen, inspired by Tomie Ohtake.

Best Day of the Year:

Jazz Age Lawn Party.

Worth the Wait:

Rain Room at MoMA.

Best Photo Op:

Yayoi Kusama at David Zwirner.

Favorite Instagram:

My Shark Week outfit on JCPenney's Instagram.

Most Fun DIY:

Graffiti Dress at 5Ptz.

Favorite Costumes:

Warhol Marilyn and Picasso's Woman in a Hat.

Best Installation:

Mike Kelley's Central Deodorized Mass with Satellites at MoMA PS1.

Best New Friend:

Marina Abramovic.

Favorite Project:

Collaboration with Pantone.

Favorite Photos:

Alphonse Mucha at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden.

Favorite Moment of 2013:

Meeting and speaking with HONY's Brandon Stanton.

RECAP: Favorite Colors of 2013

What a year it's been for Artfully Awear!  In a mood of reflection, I've decided to recap some of my favorite moments of the year.  In April, I launched a project with Pantone, in which I created artwork-inspired outfits centered around their forecasted palette of fashion colors.  My favorites were as follows:

1.  Green Glow

I used the work of Tauba Auerbach and a gorgeous Oscar de la Renta dress to draw correlations with the bright, springy green hue.  Coincidentally, my favorite dress of the year is my favorite color of the year!  View my original post here.

2.  Grenadine

With this hot, bright color, I was inspired by Jason Martin's paintings.  See the post here.

3.  Emerald

Pantone's Color of the Year was also one of my favorites, and it is found in the work of Helen Frankenthaler.  View more photos here.

4.  Magenta Purple

A rich, warm purple is showcased by a Nicole Miller gown and Morris Louis Color Field paintings.  See my post here.

Thank you for a great year!  

Joyeux Noël

Thomas Lanigan-Schmidt, Angel with Music, 1975

Joyeux Noël from Artfully Awear!  

I hope your day, week, month, and year are filled with colorful merriment and creative fulfillment.

Image via Artsy.

WATER LILIES

Claude Monet, Water Lilies (French, Paris 1840 - 1926 Giverny)

There are few more delightful ways to spend a Sunday afternoon than wandering through the halls of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.  On this particular Sunday, Monet's Water Lilies were especially beautiful as a contrast to the grey slush outside on Fifth Avenue.  According to Urban Dictionary, "Monet" can be used to describe someone who "looks good from afar, but far from good close up."  That is usually the case with my Sunday afternoon ensembles!

Coat: Free People

Sequin skirt: French Connection (thrifted)

Tights: Falke

Boots: DKNY

Sweatshirt: J. Crew

Snakeskin purse: Vintage (thrifted)

Necklace: H&M

Photo by Meri Feir.

HUMANS OF NEW YORK

I'm honored to be featured in Brandon Stanton's Humans of New York.  I met Brandon on the subway the other evening, and we had a wonderful chat about life's highs and lows, inspiration, and style.  Thank you, Brandon, for the opportunity, and to the HONY community for the words of encouragement!

See the post here.  Buy Brandon's book here.

CHRIS BURDEN: Extreme Measures.

I couldn't wait to see the Chris Burden retrospective at the New Museum.  Not only was I intrigued about the prospect of a full-career retrospective of an artist most well-known for performance, but also because the entire museum would be filled with just Burden's work.  I was particularly taken by the LA Police Uniforms, created in cooperation with the Fabric Workshop and Museum in 1993.

Made by the genuine factory that manufactures LAPD uniforms, these are slightly larger than lifesize (7 feet, four inches, to be exact), a detail which makes them both fascinating and unsettling.  A commentary on authority, specifically related to the brutal police beatings in LA in 1992, the uniforms remind us of our stature within society, and also recall the fear of the civil rights era.  In the words of Blake Gopnik:

They are perfect facsimiles of what was worn by the LAPD, although blown up to just about fit the largest humans ever born. They capture the inner image that we have of every police officer we have an encounter with – whether as savior or threat. 

Dress/Jacket: Marc Jacobs

Brooch: Vintage

Belt: Jodi Arnold

Boots: DKNY

See the exhibition through 1/12/14 at the New Museum.

Photos by Kathy Paciello.

EXHIBITION: Hypnopompic.

Last night, I attended the opening reception of Finnish-born illustrator Kustaa Saksi's Hynopompic exhibition.  Taking place for 48 hours only, the exhibition combines beautifully intricate wool jacquard weavings as well as projection.  According to his bio, Saksi's illustrations "[radiate] meaning, bending what's real and distilling what's unreal."  It's true -- the combination of organic forms with undulating patterns was transfixing.

Dress: L'Amour Nanette Lepore via JCP

Blouse: L'Amour Nanette Lepore via JCP

Tights: Hue

Boots: Franco Sarto

Jacket: Vintage

If you're in New York City this evening, stop by Artifact at 84 Orchard Street between 6:30 and 9:30pm to see the exhibition.

Photos by Meri Feir and myself.

ART TO WEAR: Rhombus.

Shannon Finley, Rhombus (White Light), 2013

I finally captured the Miista Siri pumps, which have been on my wish list for quite a while.  They are, essentially, a classic black pump, but with an unexpected twist -- a clear lucite geometric heel.  I couldn't help but note the affinity the shoes held with this acrylic work by Shannon Finley, a Canadian artist based in Berlin.  Finley is represented by the Jessica Silverman Gallery in San Francisco.

Finley image via Artsy, my shoes photographed by Lauren Ricciardi.