Political Satire For Kids?
Tom Otterness strikes again with a sculpture in Hells Kitchen that has the neighborhood buzzing. His well known little brass cartoonish sculpture figures titled Life Underground, with strong political undertones, dot the NYC subways. He now presents Playground, a large scale sculpture he created, after NYC allocated $3,800,000 for the 15,000 foot playground space. Safety consultants were brought in by the artist who agreed it was safe and kid-friendly. In front of Larry Silversteins Silver Towers on 42nd St, the work doubles as a slide and jungle gym where delighted kids can be found climbing and shimmy with ease on the brass arms, legs and hands.
Otterness has scattered his pieces underground with their $$ signs and bags placed cleverly around the subway stations, particularly the 14th St. platform. His political satire alludes to class, sex, money, race and more, with pudgy characters in suits with moneybags for heads and helmeted workers holding giant tools engraved with dollar signs. In spite of his bite, viewers seemed charmed by the cheerful works and Manhattan is in love with the sculptor who adorns parks, plazas, subways, libraries, courthouses and museums. Amazingly even vandals have strangely left the little creatures alone so far.
Google and the internet have managed to spread the word on Otterness and his works around the world. He is the first artist to take over the entire search engine page of Google. So for now, keep your eyes open while walking NYC streets and in subways so you dont trip over the tiny men smiling at you in the summers mega heat.
Rachel D. Vancelette
Published 08/26/2010
No More Lazy Days of Summer.. The Parks Kick Up the Exercise Movement Craze
No sleeping late on Sunday for 1000s of New Yorkers and visitors as New York is welcoming all ages to their parks this summer to learn and practice free Tai Chi, Yoga, Hula Hooping, Pilates and more. Flocking to sweat it out with fitness gurus offering free instruction, all ages are rushing to join in the fun enjoyed by their favorite celebrities.
From above, Central Park, Bryant Park and smaller parks may on any day look like a patchwork quilt, with colored exercise mats dotting the grass for those enjoying their particular obsession. Michelle Obama, Marisa Tomei, Beyonce and more are using and popularizing the new heavier wildly adorned hula hoops, fueling the fitness push. Rain or shine it seems that Pilates has an endless following with stars such as Liz Hurley, Gwyneth Paltrow and Madonna all swearing by their workouts and fans are jumping on the trend. Devotees of Yoga follow celebs such as Bianca Jagger, Barbara Streisand and Cameron Diaz with Oprah insisting her staff do yoga once a week.
Master coaches and fitness gurus such as Michael Feign can be heard yelling instructions to large crowds on any given day holding out hope they can overpower the couch potatoes and resisters who would rather be at a donut shop or sleeping in. So if you are thinking of strolling through the park this summer, dont be afraid- you may stumble over a celebrity and be overcome with the sudden need to buy a colored exercise mat. Lazy days not so much!
By Rachel D. Vancelette
Published 08//09/2010
LaChapelle's American Jesus Hits New York
David LaChapelles late night after Carnival Party at the Bowlmour, a bowling alley/nightclub, was full of outrageous drag queens in wild costumes with an over-the-top fun house type theme that lasted late into the morning hours. The dinner held at the Standard Hotel was a much tamer environment, a yawn for some, and included noted guests Cynthia Rowley, Jan Holzer and Alberto Mugrabi. The wildly lavish and exuberant closing down/after party ushered the invited through a literal fun house on 2 floors with booming DJ and dance floor. The VIP section filled with some of LaChapelle's noted friends and muses such as Amanda Lepore, who has regular Wednesday parties at the venue. Guests were given tickets to play games at booths such as Who-darted, Fish-pong, or Put-a-ring-on-it and men then draped themselves in the stuffed toy prizes adding to their look.
LaChapelle's latest exhibit at Paul Kasmin Gallery American Jesus is based on pop cultures recent most tragic figure and longtime friend, Michael Jackson, who LaChapelle sees as an innocent martyr who was persecuted unjustly. Shown for the first time in NY, the series of work began over a decade ago and includes 3 large scale photographs of Jackson reflecting his martyrdom. The controversy over art versus heresy still is hotly debated in many circles. Known for not just pushing but tearing away boundaries in his depiction of many well known artists and celebrities, he is unapologetic about his creative process which draws on an immense lexicon of historical references, current events and pop culture.
The late pm/am party, however, was worlds away from critique and drama as the revelers partied away in the
Mardi Gras-like Fun House atmosphere.
Published 07/15/2010
Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic
Prince Harry Tumbles (but wins) in New York
Click Here For More at Vogue Italia
When Camping out Pays Off: Apple New Iphone
7 am found excited shoppers lined up at The Fifth Ave and Soho Apple Store in NYC feeling the rush of being first to grab the New iPhone 4 released today.
Hoards of techies and dedicated fans of the old phone lined up overnite around the world to be the first to experience the beautifully streamlined new toy with strong video and multimedia capabilities. The big draw seems to be the New Face Time application, now allowing face to face on the front camera through cellular networks, as well as the ability to run multiple applications simultaneously.
Skype is rumored to be signing on which will change the face of phone technology forever. The question remains if a new outrageous price will be another surprise and if the complaints are real that although the GPS is improved, the battery life is short and drains the phone because of all the new glitzy features. For now no one seems to care if the jury is out, as camped out fans head out to play with their upgrade, not seeming to care if special services come with a big price tag. The jury is out!
Published 06/24/2010
Photo Credit: Ylinka Barotto
Mr. Gormley, Please Don't Jump!
Published 06/04/2010: Click here for more
Oscar de la Renta Masters of Ceremony at El Museo Gala
Glamorous, hot hot hot Latin energy filled Cipriani 42nd St for El Museo de Barios Lifetime Achievement Award honoring Placido Domingo. The room seemed to be filled with every flavor and color (lots of red gorgeous ball gowns) for the candelabra filled evening with dinner and great rhythmic sexy dancing going late into the night.
Barbara Walters, recovering from heart surgery, passed her heartfelt letter dedicated to Placido to Oscar de la Renta , who took her place as presenter and referred to her as Santa Barbara, an inside joke among dear friends. One would never know Domingo was himself recovering from cancer surgery as the two giants in their fields took the podium and their authentic friendship showed.
Carolina & Reinaldo Herrera, Benicio del Toro and Marilyn Horne were on the honorary committee and the Latin power house guests included Tony Bechara, Yaz Hernandez, Angel Sanchez and Narciso Rodriguez, all coming for the awards and also to pay homage to the man who is saying farewell as Director of El Museo, Julian Zugazagoitia who is moving to the Nelson Atkins Museum.
Published 05/27/2010
Palcido Domingo and Oscar de la Renta
POSH AFFAIR's Gala Kicks off the Hottest Sale in Town
The premier dinner gala honoring designer Carolina Herrera and 1st Dibs founder Michael Bruno at the Plaza Hotels Oak Room hosted by Vogues Hamish Bowles, Amy Fine Collins and Lorry Newhouse kicked off the 4 day shop-til-you-drop sale event where celebrities and notables donate 100s of guilty pleasures. Designers Christian Lacroix, Oscar de la Renta, Ralph Lauren, Balenciaga and Manolo Blahnik are a few who donated to the fashion philanthropy fundraiser aiding Lighthouse Internationals fight against vision loss.
Pre-dinner cocktails had guests clustered tightly in the Main Atrium of the Plaza dressed up in classic designs. Observers wondered why everyone was looking mostly down at the floor as they mingled until it was noted the bling for the evening was not jewelry (except for a couple of Judith Leiber bags) but dazzling footwear.
Laughingly dubbed Insider Trading began before the gala at a High Tea held earlier where buyers were not allowed, but guests secretly began check lists for items they wished to capture, new and gently worn. Competition will be fierce, hoping for a slinky Kim Cattrall dress, maybe a dashing tweed from Hamish Bowles or a pearl Chanel bag donated by Filipa Fino.Jokes are told about donors who give items they clearly dont wish to part with, then race back to buy, only one of this years many shopaholic strategies that may or may not work because this years fest includes a simultaneous online sale run by 1st Dibs.
Published 5/12/2010
Carolina Herrera
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New Museums Spring Gala
Sounds and tastes of Brazil permeated the evening at the wear anything but black Spring Gala. A Brazilian boardwalk themed cocktail area with projection screens and fluorescent lighting created a unique artsy texture in the massive space, while guests drank caipirinhas and traded gossip avoiding topics about the wobbling art market in the spirit of the evening. Guests relished the best of Brazilian cuisine, a Neuvo Churrascaria menu and a performance by Latin Grammy Winner Vanessa da Mata. Hosted by Lisa Phillips, Toby Devan Lewis, and Saul Dennison with chairs Shelley Fox Aarons, Mitzi Eisenberg and Charlotte Ford, Sothebys auctioned a Vik Muniz portrait for $160,000. Brazilian Actress Alice Braga and Calvin Kleins Francisco Costa were honorary co- chairs as the group recognized Mary Heilmann, a preeminent artist, and collector and philanthropist, Maja Hoffmann.
The Gala After Party with over 400 served up DJs and a NYC band of Brazilian expatriates, Forro in the Dark whose beat-heavy, hot sultry street music along with singer Maluca got the party on its feet recreating the feel of Rios beach boardwalks.
Guests included luminaries in art, fashion and media. Among the crowd were former White House secretary Desiree Rogers, Leelee Sobiesky, Brazils next top model Fernanda Motta, Danko Steiner, Julie Henderson, Adam Kimmel, Anh Duong, Yvonne Force Villareal and Leo Villareal, Amanda and Christopher Brooks, Baroness Marion Lambert, Kenny and Terza Scharf, Allan Schwartzman, Jeffrey Deitch, Hannelore Knuts, Ana Steiner, Rivane Neuenschwander, Cecilia Dean, Ana Steiner, Co-Chairs Christopher Bollen, Alex Gartenfeld, Aurel Schmidt and Lorenzo Martone among others.
4/23/2010
Political Dance Project:
Martha Graham Dance Company 2010 Gala
Writhing, stomping and leaping, well sculpted costumed dancers and 33 chosen school students wrapped their gala performance around guests gathered at downtowns Cedar Lake to promote the launch of the Companys Political Dance Project. With dance companies gasping for air and grasping for funding, this preview of Grahams once controversial political dance form emphasizing the art as a weapon for change, also featured compositions by Isadora Duncan and Sophie Maslow.
Among the crowd of invited enthusiasts was Natoris founder, designer Josie Cruz Natori, creator of sensual high fashion lingerie, CBS 60 Minute reporter Leslie Stahl, and Newsweeks Anna Quindlen. Graham, herself a tortured alcohol-fueled creator of great scandals in her day, died in 1991 and would probably have wondered how her influential and revolutionary dance form could be surviving in the politics of this time and space. Grahams craft may be like a pair of great old shoes, very comfortable for many, but like a dancers nightmare - too tight with blisters.
Published 5/20/2010
Photo Credit: Rachel D. Vancelette
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