WE ARE CROUTONS FLOATING IN COSMIC SOUP

This week kicked off the annual Vancouver Mural Festival, a yearly art celebration that results in permanent, public murals throughout the Mount Pleasant neighborhood in downtown Vancouver. I painted this dress inspired by one of my favorites, We Are Croutons Floating in Cosmic Soup, by David Shillinglaw.  David says, "The whole point of doing something in the street is that you're talking to people you're never going to meet." I love the way these public murals inspire and engage with people who might never go to a museum or gallery. Plus, they make the neighborhood so much more vibrant! Thanks to David for sharing your wonderful work. If you're around Vancouver, check out the brand new murals that are popping up this week. 

Photos by Jayne Clark.

THE DISAPPEARING MURAL

It’s no secret that I’m a fan of Roy Lichtenstein (case in point here, here, and here), and I’ve never been one to miss a good disappearing mural.  Hence, I made it a priority to visit Lichtenstein’s Greene Street Mural at Gagosian before it is destroyed, for the second time, on October 17^th.

Lichtenstein originally painted the mural at the Castelli Gallery in 1983, and mandated that it be destroyed following a 6 week showing.  Working in accordance with the artist’s estate and his former studio assistant, Gagosian recreated the mural for a second time around.  The work features imagery found throughout Lichtenstein's career, as well as references to Picasso, Brancusi, and, of course, Pop Art.  It is the closest to a survey of Lichtenstein’s oeuvre that one work could possibly be.

The mural is on view at Gagosian Gallery on 24^th Street until October 17^th.

Shirt: Jones New York

Pants: Hussein Chalayan

Shoes: Walter Steiger

Handbag: Milly

Trench: Burberry

Photos by Hilary Pollack.

CLARION ALLEY

I've been coming to San Francisco pretty frequently for work over the past two years, and the one thing I try not to miss each time I'm in town (aside from the Sockshop in the Haight) is Clarion Alley.  The alley is a tiny street in the Mission that is covered with graffiti, and it's different every time I'm in town.  Started in 1992, the Clarion Alley Mural Project is a collective that facilitates the painting and repainting of murals along the alley between Valencia and Mission Streets, with a content focus on social inclusion.

It's one of my favorite places in San Francisco, and it was such a treat to be able to share it with an old friend from the East Coast who recently relocated to the Bay Area after a long period of fulfilling her wanderlust.  Candace also happens to be a wonderful photographer (as well as a renowned writer), and we snapped lots of photos along the alley and then went around the corner to enjoy Southern fare and spiked sweet tea at Southpaw BBQ.

I'm looking forward to my next visit to San Francisco and can't wait to see what's new at Clarion Alley!

Jacket: Vintage, from Held Over in SF

Denim Jumpsuit: Banana Republic 

Boots: Pour la Victoire

Bag: Milly

Photos by Candace Rose Rardon.

SLOW DANCE AND THE DAYLIGHT

"The work I make is based on things and places I see, feel, and keep close to me." --Paul Wackers

I can't believe the summer is coming to an end.  Thankfully, Paul Wackers' new mural at the James Hotel in SoHo is just bright and cheery enough to keep the summer spirit alive.  As a part of the #artatthejames program, Wackers' mural engages with the neighborhood and provides a welcome respite from the passing traffic on Sixth Avenue.  

Silk Jumpsuit: H&M

Sandals: Valentino

Photos by William Sealy.

PUBLIC ART IN PROSPECT HEIGHTS

I live in Prospect Heights, in the shadow of the grand Brooklyn Museum, surrounded by tree-lined streets and a mix of coffeeshops and Caribbean restaurants.  The area has changed tremendously over the past few years, and it seems like there is a new construction zone on the corner every few blocks (thanks, Gentrification).  I love Mike Perry's project for Pacific Park Arts to bring 10 murals to the construction barricades on Dean Street, around the corner from my home.  Each by a different artist, the murals add so much color to what was a dull fenced-in area near Vanderbilt Avenue, and the one pictured above, by Hisham Akira Bharoocha, is my favorite.  Stay tuned for more!

Dress: Tracy Reese

Shoes: United Nude

Photos by Kathy Paciello.

MAYA HAYUK: Bowery Mural

I first came across Maya Hayuk's work through a Google search for "neon art" about 5 years ago.  I was immediately transfixed by the in-your-face colors and exuberant designs, and have grown to love and appreciate her work even more as I've watched her murals pop up here and there all over the globe.  I was overjoyed when I read that she would be taking over The Bowery Mural this spring and set to work on a new piece of wearable art inspired by Hayuk's wall.

Hayuk's work catches your eye first with a bold, bright statement and then draws you in when you notice the handwork and symmetry of the piece.  Having traveled extensively, Hayuk has a wealth of visual experiences from which to draw, and her work is described as being related to "views of outer space, traditional Ukrainian crafts, airbrushed manicures, and mandalas."  Each piece solves a different problem, and Hayuk describes her process as being dictated by the site and the materials more than anything.

When I start a wall, I look at everything around it first. What else is visible in the space and what are the different vantage point like? How does the light change? How high up can I get and where will my painting end? In other words, how can I make the piece part of the wall rather than something stuck on the wall.

My goal in making this dress was to become a piece of the wall myself.  It was a work in progress until I discovered via the artist's Facebook page that the wall was scheduled to be whitewashed later that afternoon.  With the paint still wet and dripping down my legs, I hopped on the train with a supportive friend and rushed into the city to snap some photos. Luckily, we made it just in time before the mural was covered for good.  Viva Maya!

Dress: DIY by me

Necklace: kayellepea

Shoes: United Nude

Sunglasses: Ray-Ban

Photos by Hannah Kauffman, below process photo by me.

REVOK and POSE

During a downtown afternoon which included a stop at my favorite dumpling shop and a visit to the New Museum, I was fortuitously dressed to match the legendary Bowery and Houston mural, currently occupied by a collaboration between graffiti writers REVOK and POSE.  It consists of a sampling of tags from many different late writers, including Dondi, Iz the Whiz, Nekst, Tie, CASE2, Ayer, Rammellzee, Vaughn Bode, and took 6 days to complete.

"With layers of tributes to fallen graffiti writers, shout-outs to friends and family, and heartfelt thanks to the host city that sparked a global graffiti scene decades earlier (including this very spot), the visiting thirty something graffiti brothers couldn't quite quantify the depth of feeling they were experiencing as they slowly smashed a big wall in the heart of Manhattan."  Read the full recap here.

Silk Pants: Talulah

Tank: H&M

Sandals: Miss Trish Sslither

Necklace: Duro Olowu for JCP

Straw Handbag: vintage

Sunglasses: Ray-Ban aviators

Photos by Kathy Paciello.