Posted: May 21st, 2012 | Author: artintolife | Filed under: art, design, fashion | Tags: art, design, designers, fashion, innovative design, music, performance art
It feels like a collaboration from another century — modern art greats coming together to create a production that pushes the limits in every way. Great designer meets great architect meets great score meets great conductor. The LA Philharmonic’s production of Don Giovanni on May 26 features costumes by Rodarte and stage sets by Frank Gehry. The Mulleavy sisters brought their hair and make-up stylists from the runway to complete the look of the show. Given how hauntingly beautiful their costumes for Black Swan were, the bar has been set pretty high for Kate and Laura Mulleavy when it comes to costume design. From the looks of it, they will not disappoint this time either. You go girls! The sets and costumes are chilling and beautiful on their own. Imagine Mozart playing, and this is one show that shouldn’t be missed. Admittedly, for completely unknown reasons I’ve been feeling rather weepy of late, so that might have something to do with it, but the stills alone are giving me shivers. Since I’m not likely to make it to Los Angeles this weekend, here’s hoping they reconsider the decision not to film this one time production. Let’s start a movement now … maybe we can win them over by Saturday.
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Posted: March 5th, 2012 | Author: artintolife | Filed under: fashion, other stuff | Tags: British style, celebrities, fashion, music, popular culture, topshop
A few weeks ago a friend was telling me about a rapper he had come across who he felt was poised to become the next big thing. Catch was, her hit song “212″ was explicit and raunchy enough that it couldn’t really be played on mainstream radio. Banks has a very strong cult following and promises to become ubiquitous soon, but has yet to gain solid footing in the mainstream. But, even in the two weeks since I first heard her name, curiously, I have found that Azealia Banks does seem to have emerged as the fashion world’s new it girl.
The harlem native with, as the London Financial Times put it, “Lil’ Kim’s filthiness, Nicki Minaj’s colourfulness and Missy Elliott’s darling” was a mainstay of London’s fashion week. She was the featured performer at the self-proclaimed “party of all Fashion Week parties” hosted by Topshop to celebrate 10 years of the high street giant’s support of NEWGEN.
Azealia Banks performing at Topshop's Fashion Week party at Mayfair club Le Baron in London via Insideout the Topshop blog
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Posted: February 29th, 2012 | Author: artintolife | Filed under: other stuff | Tags: celebrities, Davy Jones, music, popular culture, Teen Idols
Clearly, my comfort zone lies with visual culture. There are many other areas of aesthetic experience which are a part of the overall concept of “art into life” but are generally woefully neglected on this blog. I am no music critic, so I am generally reluctant to go there except when music edges into the realm of performance art. But today’s news of the passing of the inimitable Davy Jones seems to demand a moment of reflection on boy bands and teen idols.
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Posted: November 20th, 2011 | Author: artintolife | Filed under: art, other stuff | Tags: artists, celebrities, lady gaga, madonna, music, performance art, popular culture
By nellyfus CC-BY-SA-2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
What to make of Lady Gaga? She has managed to position herself so front and center in popular culture, that the question has to be asked. I have been inclined to think of her as Madonna on steroids. Lady Gaga herself is quoted as saying in a
Rolling Stone interview, “I don’t want to sound presumptuous, but I’ve made it my goal to revolutionize pop music. The last revolution was launched by Madonna 25 years ago.” Everyone compares her to Madonna, and so the Madonna comparison begins to sound too facile. And I certainly don’t think she has revolutionized pop music. Her pop music isn’t much. It’s catchy, but essentially is Madonna reprocessed, which is not at all revolutionary the second time around.
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Posted: November 18th, 2011 | Author: artintolife | Filed under: stuff to buy | Tags: amazon, holidays, innovative design, music, shopping
If you haven’t discovered it yet, fab.com is a terrific site. They find really fun, quirky products. I am now obsessed with today’s find – Native Union. Native Union makes retro phone hand sets for smartphones. When I showed this to my husband he looked at me really funny – so I’d think carefully about whom you give this too. But, for the right person, I think this could be the holiday go-to gift.
Who is the right person?
1. Anyone who is frustrated by the fact that when talking on a cell phone it is hard to multi-task because you cannot perch the phone between your ear and shoulder the way you could a good old handset.
2. Anyone paranoid about the potential brain cancer (or just “brain change”) effects of talking frequently with a cell phone next to one’s head.
3. Anyone who likes things just because they look cool and pretty.
4. I was pretty sure I had another idea about who needed this headset and suddenly can’t remember what it was — clearly the result of spending too much time with a cell phone pressed against my ear and burning brain cells.
The handset retails for $29.99. Native Union also offers a version with a weighted base for $49.99. The handset is available on fab.com, but is selling out fast. However, Native Union sells both versions on its site and Amazon carries them as well.
