LUCIO FONTANA

Lucio Fontana (1899-1968) was an Italian artist and proponent of Spatialism and Arte Povera.

Spatialism is characterized by a focus on "matter, colour, and sound motion", as described in the White Manifesto of 1946.

Arte Povera sought to separate art from commerce and the hierarchies of wealth and status, making it more accessible to the public at large.

The works shown here are from the Spatial Concept series, which Fontana began in 1949.  He referred to these works as tagli, the Italian word for slashes.

Fontana created tagli out of various media, including metal, clay, terracotta, paint, and glass.  The works shown here are probably the most well known of the series, and are simply slit canvases, which accomplish a surprising illusion of depth.

The above work, Teresita, which was dedicated to Fontana's wife, famously brought $11.6 million at auction at Christie's in 2008.

I'm wearing an H&M dress, Fashion Against AIDS necklace, and Ecote shoes.

[Fontana images from canalblog.com, the-wrong-guy.blogspot.com, and weareprivate.net.  Photos by Meri.]

ART TO WEAR: Pink Dress.

I recently discovered the beautiful paintings by Michael Carson via the Jealous Curator, and was particularly inspired by the above work, The Pink Dress.  In an effort to find a dress like the one in the painting, I came across this MM6 Maison Martin Margiela version.

Sleeveless Crew Neck Dress in Peony, $235 at Shopbop.

KEITH HARING

I recently had the pleasure of attending the Keith Haring: 1978-1982 exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum.  I've always been enamored by the scope and reach of Haring's work, produced in such a short time span.

I briefly discussed Haring's work before here, but the Brooklyn Museum exhibition was the first time I'd experienced such a wide range of media.  Haring's classic imagery such as the radiant baby and barking dog were well represented, but there were also a number of unfamiliar pieces that provided new insight to his work as a whole.

Central to the exhibition was a selection of party photos from the Keith Haring archives that showcased Haring's involvement in the East Village club culture, as well as his association with other artists such as Jean-Michel Basquiat and Kenny Scharf.  In addition, excerpts from Haring's journals gave insight into his artistic process.

A particularly poignant piece in the exhibition is a film that I saw for the first time, Painting Myself Into a Corner, from 1979.  The work is an excellent example of the way that Haring's work, life, and essentially, his being, overlapped.

Before his death in 1990, he founded the Keith Haring Foundation, which provides funding and imagery to AIDS organizations, and has continued Haring's legacy of social and political awareness with a sense of humor.

I'm wearing a Keith Haring x Patricia Field dress, United Nude shoes, and an H&M necklace.

Keith Haring: 1978-1982 is on view at the Brooklyn Museum through July 8.
Visit their website for more information and interaction, including a playlist meant to accompany the exhibition.

STREET ART

Continuing the theme of art in public places begun in my last outfit post, I've always been inspired by street art.  I took these few photos while running errands, and they are just a tiny sampling of the work that I pass on a daily basis.

Anonymous or attributed, street art can be found nearly everywhere, and can take the form of almost any media.  See one of my previous posts on the Kenny Scharf mural here.

Because it often exists outside the traditional context for artwork, street art is privileged with the opportunity to give the viewer pause, and possibly make a statement about the relationship between art and its environment.

Street art is regularly covered, removed, or defaced without notice.  Because of its ephemeral nature, I always photograph any work I find interesting, as it may be gone the next time I pass.

I'm wearing the Brooklyn Canvas dress, courtesy of Sugarlips, Uniqlo jeans, an H&M necklace, and Joe Fresh boots.

Photos by Kathy, Chelsea, and me.  Thanks to Sugarlips for their affiliation with Artfully Awear.

ART TO WEAR: My Little Armour.

I adore the mixed-media creations by Finnish artist Tuija Helena Markonsalo, such as My Little Armour [pictured] from 2003.  

She fabricates semi-wearables using small items such as paper, thread, stickers, and nails to embellish textiles.

See more by visiting her website.

[Image from saatchionline.com.]

ARTS FOR TRANSIT: Franklin Avenue.

Ever since I moved to New York City for graduate school, I've been fascinated and intrigued by the public art in the subways.  I love the idea that a work of art on the walls or taking place in front of you can provide a moment of pause and possible introspection during the bustle of the commute.

Sponsored by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Arts for Transit combines the long-term rehabilitation of the subway system with site-specific permanent installations created by contemporary artists.

I feel that the public art in the subways is all too often overlooked, so I created an outfit inspired by one of the most beautiful stained glass installations at the Franklin Avenue subway station in Brooklyn.  This is the first in what I hope to be a series of posts inspired by public art in the subways.

Franklin Avenue - slide show

The Franklin Avenue station opened on the Elevated train in 1896.  It was completely rebuilt in 1998-1999, and it was at this time that Pryor's work was installed.

Life and Continued Growth, by Eric Pryor, consists of 29 plate-glass windows on the subway platform that feature African-American imagery as a reflection of the diversity of the surrounding neighborhood.

"Change and opportunity are arriving and the shuttle line both encourages and reflects the community's new optimism." --Eric Pryor

I'm wearing a Plenty by Tracy Reese coat, H&M tights, and Candela oxfords.

[All photos captured by me.]

THERE ARE ALWAYS FLOWERS

When late winter seems to drag on, it is unbelievably exhilarating to find inspiration in the form of brightly-colored flowers on a dreary February day in the city.  I've spoken before of the link between color and emotion, which is undeniably apparent in the work of Henri Matisse (1869-1954), one of my constant sources of inspiration.

For this look in particular, I was inspired by the color combination used so very frequently in his works, the contrast of purple and yellow.

Matisse's use of these highly saturated, straight-from-the tube hues (a movement known as Fauvism during the first decade of the 20th century) characterizes his entire oeuvre, and inspired a league of artists who followed in his footsteps.

"There are always flowers for those who want to see them." 

--Henri Matisse

View my previous Matisse posts here, here, here, and here.

I'm wearing a vintage dress and belt, Topshop tights, leather boots from Joe Fresh, a Burberry trench, and a leather Dooney & Bourke tote.

These photos were taken by my friend Meri, who suggested this lovely flower shop on 28th Street as a backdrop.

I've extended the deadline to enter my recent giveaway of a beautiful red Shabby Apple dress!  View the post here.

[Matisse images from painting-box.com, and princetonol.com, wikipaintings.org, famouspainters.org, respectively.]