MARC QUINN FLORALS

Under the Volcano, Acavar Bolivia, 2010

New Mexico Water, 2010

First Cataract of the Nile, 2010

Marc Quinn (b. 1964) is part of the YBAs (Young British Artists), a group that includes Liam Gillick, Damien Hirst, and Tracey Emin, among others.  Much of his work is larger-than-life, and deals with themes of nature, the body, and our relationship to both.

One way that Quinn explores these themes is through "genetic modification and hybridism"; in other words, using flowers as a stand in for human life.  In one of his series, he created stunning horticultural displays of frozen flowers which are able to escape decay through an electrical power source.  Similarly, in "Eternal Spring", Quinn preserves flowers indefinitely by soaking them in silicone.  The paintings depicted here are eerily pristine, capturing an otherworldly perfection and simultaneously bringing to mind the constant decay that surrounds us.

See other floral posts here and here. 

Romper: Peter Pilotto for Target

Straw Hat: Purchased in St. Thomas

Marc Quinn photos from Artsy.net; photos of me by Jacque Skowvron.

KARL MAUGHAN FLORAL

It's difficult not to feel inspired when the flora and fauna outside are finally in full bloom and bursting with color.  New Zealand-based artist Karl Maughan finds inspiration in the gardens surrounding him, both real and fabricated.  Maughan started out working en plein air in New Zealand, but when he relocated to London he no longer had lush gardens at his disposal from which to work year-round.  He began cataloguing gardens via photos which he now uses as inspiration.  He pulls bits and pieces of the very best and brightest, splicing them together in his paintings which are simultaneously idyllic and empty.

I've been on the hunt for one of the pieces of Maughan's collaboration collection with the Stolen Girlfriends Club to no avail.  This vintage jumpsuit, however, is a pretty close match!

Jumpsuit: vintage, Held Over in San Francisco

Leather sandals: Belle by Sigerson Morrison Abra Block-Heel Sandal

Sunglasses: Ray-Ban

Leather belt: Roberta Freymann

Photos by Jayne Clark at the Getty Museum in Los Angeles.

Maughan images from gowlangsfordgallery.co.nz, ocula.com, odt.co.nz, tulsisays.blogspot.com. 

HANAMI: Japanese Cherry Blossom

"In the cherry blossom's shade there's no such thing as a stranger." --Kobayashi Issa

Cherry Blossom Viewing by Chikanobu (1838 - 1912)

Boat Ride under the Cherry Blossoms, 1893 by Nobukazu (1874 - 1944)

In Japanese culture, cherry blossoms signify light, airy clouds, and I can't think of a better way to describe the feeling of finally seeing buds on the trees after a long New York winter.

  For an afternoon frolic through the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, I was inspired by Japanese woodblock prints depicting hanami, the ancient practice of repose underneath the blooming cherry blossoms, or sakura.

Sakura are a popular subject for traditional woodblock prints, which originated in Japan in the Eighth Century.  The prints are most closely associated with the ukiyo-e artistic period, but the methods and techniques are still used today.  Click here to see my Hokusai wave dress.

I'm wearing a handmade jacket my grandfather purchased for my grandmother in Japan in the 1960s.  It is one of my most treasured possessions, and her name embroidered on the inside makes it even more special. (See the last time I wore it on the blog, 3 years ago!)

Jacket: 1960s vintage

Silk tank: Diane von Furstenberg

Silk pants: Tallulah

Headscarf: Fendi

Sandals: Botkier

Fan: gift from a friend

Photos by Hannah Kauffman; Woodblock prints from fujiarts.com.