"L.A. Style - Herb Ritts"

L.A. Style by Herb Ritts at the Getty Museum LA, 2012.

Herb Ritts is a master of the black and white photo. So when I heard about the exhibit, L.A. Style at the Getty Museum in Los Angeles, I was excited to see the show. What I discovered was crisp lines, undulating curves, breathtaking contrast, sensual forms, and an overall inviting visual delight - all that even before I saw the first photograph.

The exhibit is at the spectacular J. Paul Getty Museum, designed by Richard Meier, is in itself a masterpiece, nestled in the hills between downtown Los Angeles and Malibu. Riding the tram from the parking structure to the museum campus only builds the anticipation, as it twists and turns through lush landscaping, clinging elegantly to the side of a hill, delivering the bedazzled museum visitor to the main plaza.

The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles.

Mr. Getty came from big oil money, and is often credited with being among the first American billionaires. Luckily for the art community, he had a passion for art, and upon his death, created one of the largest and best funded art foundations in the world.

The campus is a complex of well thought out buildings, exhibition spaces, public squares, gardens, fountains and vistas.

The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles.

There are a number of wings of the museum dedicated to various periods of art, as well as educational facilities, restaurants and cafes.

The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles.

The main garden was closed during my visit to be remodeled, but it was scheduled to reopen on May 27, 2012 - so I advise allowing plenty of time for your visit to explore the grounds and the exhibits.

(At 5.30 my date and I were asked to kindly board the tram back to the parking garage, as I was considering never leaving.)

After an extensive exploration of the architecture, I finally made it into the featured exhibit, a striking collection of black and white prints epitomizing the undeniable L.A. Style.

Ritts is perhaps best known as a celebrity photographer, having shot numerous musicians and actors for album and magazine covers.

Madonna by Herb Ritts.

Ritts is also heralded as an photographic master for his stark homo-erotic photographs of men rendered in classic Greek and Roman poses. He helped elevate the male physique to artistic status, before his untimely death from AIDS in 2002 at the young age of 50.

Fred with Tires by Herb Ritts.

For me what is most impressive with this collection of photographs in particular, shot in the 1980's and 1990's, is that the perfect composition, stunning contrast, and sharp resolution was all achieved before the introduction and widespread use of digital media and Photoshop. In other words, these images were taken the old fashioned way, on film, and printed by hand in a darkroom.

The collection of photographs on hand range from the classically beautiful to the sexually charged, with many oft the images being instantly familiar, iconic even.

It is an exhibit well worth seeing: beautiful artwork in a beautiful setting. Art lovers and tourists alike all seemed mesmerized by the experience.

My date, Michael James, embodying the true spirit of L.A. Style at the Getty Museum, LA, 2012.

The exhibit L.A. Style is on view at the Getty Museum through the end of August 2012.

For more info visit:
The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles.

"The Total Look"

Image by William Claxton of Peggy Moffitt at The Total Look, MOCA, 2012.

There is a fascinating fashion exhibit currently at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Pacific Design Center location in West Hollywood, chronicling the extraordinary collaboration between the designer, his muse, and her husband (the photographer).

The designer in question is Rudi Gernreich, an LA based designer who revolutionized fashion with his innovative take on knits, his development of the tube dress, and his exploration of swimming garments. He boldly explored such concepts as the topless swim-suit and see-through garments, as well as an explosion of color and graphic paterns.

The Total Look at the MOCA, May 2012.

In Peggy Moffitt, he found both model and muse, with her waif-like figure, heavy false eyelashes and  make-up, and her 'five-point' pixie hair-cut, Moffitt was the it-girl of the 1960's, and willing to help Gernreich push the boundaries with his outre designs. She made national headlines in the mid '60's when she posed in Gernreich's topless bikini, known as the 'monokini'.

The Total Look at the MOCA, May 2012.

 The third member of this 20 year long collaboration was Moffitt's husband, the photographer and artist William Claxton, who carefully preserved all of the bold looks in countless photographs and videos.

Through the end of May 2012, this collaboration is on full view at the MOCA. Dozens of designs are on display, showing the excitement of the moment, and the degree of their collaboration. Original Gernreich pieces are on display next to fashion shoots by Claxton of Moffitt wearing the items back in the day.

The Total Look at the MOCA, May 2012.

It is intriguing to see how thoroughly Gernreich designed his looks, from the garment to the headpiece to the shoes and accessories. Clear vinyl dresses contain only three strategically placed polka-dots, or nude body suits feature what appears to be a knitted bikini on top of it, but is actually a one-piece body-suit. Further, it is a pleasure to see how naturally Moffitt embodies the designs, not only wearing them but living them, complete with enormous silk rose earrings or matching one-inch kitten-heels. And then there is Claxton, who painstakingly documents every look for posterity.

It seems a perfectly harmonious collaboration between designer, model/muse, and photographer. Interestingly, after Gernreich's death in 1985, Moffitt retained legal rights to many of his designs and original designs, and continued to promote his work through books and exhibits, including this one at MOCA. When I asked the museum attendant what ever happened to Ms. Moffitt, I was thrilled to learn that she is alive and well, living right here in West Hollywood, and that she had even stopped by the museum a few days before to see the exhibit.

The concept this exhibit really emphasizes is the importance of creative collaboration. Often when we see a beautiful image of a striking woman in a magazine wearing something amazing, it is easy to forget how many artists were involved in bringing this image into existence. Here, 'The Total Look' shows us at least three key players: the designer, the model/muse, and the photographer.

If you are in the LA area, and want to see the exhibit, you had better hurry, as it ends soon.

The Total Look at the MOCA, May 2012.

The exhibit, "The Total Look: The Creative Collaboration between Rudi Gernreich, Peggy Moffitt and William Claxton" is on view now at the Museum Of Contemporary Arts, Pacific Design Center, in West Hollywood through 20 May 2012.

For more info: http://www.moca.org

"Love is like a Butterfly"

Asprey NYC Valentine's 2012 by Alton DuLaney.

With Valentine's Day just around the corner, one of my clients requested that I 'romance' their window display, adding something seasonally appropriate without changing out the entire window set. I shopped all of NYC looking for the right element to add a touch of class, whimsy, and poetry, deciding in the end to work with an existing theme I had included in the original window design - the Butterfly. For as Dolly Parton said in a famous song, "Love is like a Butterfly".

Asprey NYC Valentine's 2012 by Alton DuLaney.

One of the products, a vida poche in bone china, has a beautiful butterfly print on it, as does the ad campaign which supports it. This became my inspiration, adding 3-dimentional butterflies which seem to fly off the graphic and out into physical existence.

Asprey NYC Valentine's 2012 by Alton DuLaney.

I carried the butterfly theme, and the color red, throughout all the windows, adding pieces with rubies and pink diamonds to the jewelry windows, as well as sterling silver hearts, and a delicate red butterfly perched on the edge of the display.

Asprey NYC Valentine's 2012 by Alton DuLaney.

All product are featured in red, when available, like this red enamel cocktail shaker. Then, the display is accented with the thematic butterfly.

Asprey NYC Valentine's 2012 by Alton DuLaney.

The leather window, originally featuring business and travel products, is refreshed with a selection of red leather products including an alligator handbag. And although not exactly visible in this photo, a strategically placed butterfly adds continuity to the window.

Asprey NYC Valentine's 2012 by Alton DuLaney.

Overall the window is a beautiful yet subtle statement, to dear Saint Valentine. "As soft and gentle as a sigh", and yet visually impactful.  The striking red of the featured element, catches the eye, and then delights the viewer with its playfulness. 

Maximum effect from minimum input.

A major spring window is currently in the works, which I will share here in late March or early April. Until then, Happy Valentine's Day!

"Cash Wrap"

Cash Wrap by Alton DuLaney 2011.

Gift wrap season is here and I have some great ideas to really put the present in presentation, starting with my new signature-deluxe-custom wrap, The Cash Wrap.

Now, everyone loves cold hard cash, and gift wrap can be expensive, so why not multi-task while creating a little added value to the next gift you wrap.

This is a great idea when wrapping a gift-card. It adds humor to the generic item, and for a few extra bucks you can really up the ante on your next gift wrap.

The supplies for this project are simple really, a stack of crisp dollar bills ( or $2 or $5 or $10 or $100 depending on who you are and who you are wrapping for!), some tape, and ribbon and bow for the finishing touch.

Cash Wrap by Alton DuLaney 2011.

You can request crisp new bills from your bank, which will make this project easier and create a neater finished product. I started this with a $1 with an "A" on it. "A" for Alton. See, this is fun already!

Cash Wrap by Alton DuLaney 2011.

Next, line up two of the $1 bills and put a small piece of tape in the center. I use Scotch Pop Up Tape because the pieces are pre-cut and pre-messured which makes the task go a little quicker, plus I think the dispenser is cute, and I get to wear it on my wrist.

Cash Wrap by Alton DuLaney 2011.

When you have two sets of two bills taped together, line those up and tape in the center. Just like saving money, one dollar becomes two, two becomes four, and soon you are rich beyond your wildest dreams!

Cash Wrap by Alton DuLaney 2011.

Or at least your recipient will be! Actually, what you end up with is a custom made piece of gift wrap that looks like it came from the US Mint. (I hope no one sees this and thinks I am counterfeiting money!) Be sure to tape all the edges where the notes meet, to avoid any loose ends.

To ensure that you use just the right amount of bills, lay your package in the center and fold all the way around. Also check the ends to make sure you have adequate coverage. You want just enough to cover the gift without having to trim.

Cash Wrap by Alton DuLaney 2011.

Then wrap you gift per usual, taping down any corners that try to pop up, and add a ribbon and bow for a beautifully finished package.

This gift took 24 one-dollar bills to wrap, adding $24 of value to the gift. After it is unwrapped (carefully!) the tape can be removed and the money can be enjoyed.

This is definitely an outstanding gift wrap and not one that anyone will say: "Oh, it's so beautiful, I hate to open it."

For more gift-wrapping ideas check out my course on Paper Arts at:
http://www.craftsy.com/class/Paper-Arts/25

Shameless Plug: The Paper Arts makes a great holiday gift for the person on your list that has everything. Give the gift of knowledge and creativity!

"Maurizio Cattelan" - "ALL" at the Guggenheim Museum NYC

Maurizio Cattelan, Guggenheim, NYC, 2011.

One of the beautiful problems with seeing an exhibit at the Guggenheim Museum in NYC, is that the exquisite architecture by Frank Lloyd Wright always competes with the artwork on display. In the current show by Maurizio Cattelan, finally an artist has used the space to full advantage.

Best known for his provocative work "La Nona Ora" depicting a fallen Pope, struck by a meteorite, this installation consisting of practically his entire oeuvre is no less controversial. While his Pope piece cost a museum director her job in Warsaw, (John Paul was Polish after all - oh the blasphemy!), this complicated installation certainly must have challenged some of the best engineers in Manhattan.

Maurizio Cattelan, Guggenheim, NYC, 2011.

Known famously as an art-world prankster, Cattelan has created a true retrospective in this, his swan song, by suspending 128 of his most famous works from the rotunda of the Guggenheim Museum! (Supposedly, only two pieces are absent here, wherein private collectors declined to participate in the exhibition.) And while this would be a feat on any account, with the work of most artists, here it is even more confounded as Cattelan's work consists of some rather large and heavy looking sculpture.

Maurizio Cattelan, Guggenheim, NYC, 2011.

How does one suspend carved marble, huge billboards, major appliances, an oversized skeleton of a cat, and more than a few taxidermied  barn-yard animals to create an awe inspiring mobile of a 20 year career? Vary carefully and strategically, I hope, and I was sure not to lollygag as I passed under the work.

Maurizio Cattelan, Guggenheim, NYC, 2011.

Taken as a body of work, as well as a completely new sculpture considering the intermingling of the works, the installation can only be described as impressive. A giant olive tree with an enormous cube of earth floats threateningly above  meandering viewers in the Guggenheim's atrium below.

For those familiar with Cattelan's work, the Italian born Chelsea resident is known for pushing the boundaries of art. Floating behind the tree is an advertisement from a perfume campaign. For a previous show, Cattelan sold his gallery space to a marketing firm who filled it with a promotional billboard. He has also taped gallery owners to walls and had them pose as his subjects in bizarre costumes. No stranger to scandal, he's been known to brick over the entrance to galleries, and even started his own gallery in NYC called, appropriately WRONG Gallery, which frequently displayed absolutely nothing.

Maurizio Cattelan, Guggenheim, NYC, 2011.

According to legend, an early job in a morgue, stirred his interest in death, and taxidermy is a reoccurring theme. Above, a baby elephant peeks out from under a sheet, which is cute enough, until one recognizes the Klu Klux Klan references.

Maurizio Cattelan, Guggenheim, NYC, 2011.

A child-like Hitler, is perhaps a little more obvious, but still tongue-in-cheek. Is his figure asking for forgiveness or is the artist merely having some fun at the art-world's expense?

Maurizio Cattelan, Guggenheim, NYC, 2011.

Apparently nothing, or no one is sacred. Picasso appears repeatedly, always with an inflated head. Above, he peers from behind a dinasaur-sized skeleton of a cat, something one might expect to see at the Natural History Museum, from the canvas of a Lichenstein, combing countless eras of art history into one jumbled narrative.

Maurizio Cattelan, Guggenheim, NYC, 2011.

And yet, somehow it all makes perfect sense. Out of the cacophony of the modern art milieu, comes a perfectly balanced and orchestrated harmony. Even a life-like old lady in a refrigerator seems at ease, floating near a stuffed donkey or a body bag carved from carrera marble.

Maurizio Cattelan, Guggenheim, NYC, 2011.

Cattelan, himself, appears in many of the pieces, be it as a wax dummy, a tiny portrait, or in taking another jab at the world in which he has enjoyed sizable success, (seen above,) on his back with hands and feet in the air, tongue wagging, an obsequious 'dog' willing to please the establishment, while mocking it.

The artist claims that this will be his last show, that he is retiring from the art work. And as such, his collection of works do look as though they are ready to be shipped off to anxiously awaiting museums and collectors, frantic to own what is now very limited edition. Though judging from the critical acclaim this Guggenheim show is receiving, it is hard to imagine that at only 51, (young in the art world,) that we have heard the last from this artist.

Maurizio Cattelan, Guggenheim, NYC, 2011.

Starring at the blank walls of the Guggenheim - all of the walls were left bare, with the entire focus of the show being the suspended installation - brings to mind several of his other gallery shows, including the one where he simply locked the door to an empty gallery and posted a sign on reading "Torno Subito" or "Be Back Soon" (this piece is included here as well, dangling from the rafters).  I, for one, am hoping that indeed Cattelan will be back soon, and this is not "All" as the title threatens.

Alton DuLaney, Maruisio Catellan Show, Guggenheim, NYC, 2011.

The exhibit runs through January 22, 2012, at the Guggenheim, 5th Avenue at 89th Street, NYC.
http://www.guggenheim.org/new-york/exhibitions/on-view/maurizio-cattelan-all

"Keith Haring Pop Shop"

Keith Haring, Pace Prints, NYC, 2011.

Pace Prints (Gallery) in NYC is currently presenting a collection of prints from the illustrious and infamous Keith Haring (through December 3, 2011). The work of the iconic pop graffiti artist still seems relevant today, some 20 years after his death. In actuality, save for perhaps his absence on subway cars and sides of random buildings, Haring's work is more omnipresent than ever, instantly recognizable, and thoroughly entrenched within the establishment which he once rallied against.

Keith Haring, Pace Prints, NYC, 2011.

From the streets of Chelsea, it might be easy to miss the 3rd floor print division of Pace Gallery. It would seem that Pace is taking over the neighborhood with multiple addresses and exhibits at any given moment. But there, blinking above the High Line park, that shiny beacon of neon caught my attention, and lured me up to find out what this Pop Shop was all about.

Keith Haring, Pace Prints, NYC, 2011.

The collection of prints on view is gorgeous, and delivers everything a Keith Haring fan might expect to see. Including an amazing large-scale print in black and white illustrating the multifaceted portrait which could be any of us. Again, the only word to use for the work of the artist who's career was cut short by AIDS, is iconic. Is is unmistakably Haring.

Keith Haring, Pace Prints, NYC, 2011.

In his abbreviated lifetime, Haring explored graphic impact through his line drawings and paintings of the mostly male form in various states of interaction with himself and others. During 80's era NY, when the galleries and museums ignored the young artist, he took his work to the street, painting on any available surface, and thereby transforming the art world.

Keith Haring, Pace Prints, NYC, 2011.

An early victim of HIV, Haring transformed his revolutionary work into a statement of sexual liberation and a further attack on the establishment, which at the time was turning a blind eye to the ravaging effects of HIV and AIDS on the gay and artistic communities, which were often one and the same.  Some of his work became graphic by both definitions of the word, giving a voice and imagery to a movement.

Keith Haring, Pop Shop, Pace, NYC, 2011.

Having taken his art to the street, the next step for Haring was to bring it to the people. Once he started enjoying some commercial success, Haring opened his Pop Shop in 1986 in downtown Manhattan, democratizing fine art by emblazoning various items with his undeniable imagery.  Pace carries on this tradition with its Pop Shop installation, a side gallery full of Haring inspired (and presumably licensed) merchandise.

Keith Haring, Pop Shop, Pace, NYC, 2011.

And who better to appropriate Haring's graphic design than downtown maven Patricia Field. Scarves, leather jackets, bijoux, and even evening gowns express the collaboration between House of Field and the Haring Foundation. As my first job in NYC was Beauty Manager and Wig Stylist for the Patricia Field boutiques, it is easy to recognize here, Field's flair for the flashy and trashy, expressed through Haring's graphic sensibility.

Keith Haring, Pop Shop, Pace, NYC, 2011.

My favorite interpretation and application was the shoe collection from British designer Nicholas Kirkwood. Somehow it felt appropriately applied and fitting, as if Haring himself had taken a magic marker and beautified a stiletto.

But all of this use of Haring's 'art' two decades after his death got me to thinking: Is this really what Haring would have wanted done with his work? Was this really the direction into mass-marketing and commercialism the artist, once considered an outsider and a rebel would have taken if he were still alive today?

Certainly I am not opposed to 'selling out', and have often been known to implore for someone to just show me the dotted line where I can sign, but when is enough enough and when does it become too much?

I found my answer later that same afternoon, on another block in Chelsea. As I passed the Bed, Bath and Beyond. There, it was staring at me from the window.

Kieth Haring, Bed Bath and Beyond, NYC, 2011.

And when I saw the broom and dust pan and sponge, fully licensed from the Keith Haring Foundation and executed by Casabella, I understood why the Pop Shop at Pace smacked of a souvenir stand in Times Sqaure. Haring's art has become merely a design motif, which often happens to iconic imagery, applicable to any number of products.

All I can say is good for Keith Haring and good for the Keith Haring Foundation. Hopefully the foundation is doing good things with all those royalty checks that must certainly be rolling in. Hopefully, the foundation remembers what the artist himself once stood for: activism, gay rights, ingenuity, rebellion, and a solution to some of the ills of the world. I wonder if the house-wives buying his broom know how Haring sacrificed his own body for his art, painting his naked flesh, the same flesh which betrayed him, cutting short his prolific career at the age of 31. And if not, at least Keith Haring continues to make the world a more beautiful place, one t-shirt and cleaning product at a time.

Keith Haring, Bed Bath and Beyond, NYC, 2011.

"Monique Lhuillier Bridal 2011"

Monique Lhuillier Bridal Fashion Show, NYC, October 2011.

Oh fashion! The rush and fuss, the glitz and the glamor, the stress and the drama, the glamazons and the paparazzi, all culminating in 7 minutes of magic, pure theatre and romantic escapism. Admittedly, I love it. And doing the Set Design for the Monique Lhuillier Bridal Fashion Show recently in NYC was all of the above and more.

Alton DuLaney, Set Design, Monique Lhuillier, NYC, Oct 2011.

Peeking behind the curtain at everything that goes into one of these productions is always a pleasure. After conceptualizing the set, the design goes to the studio, where scenic painters work laboriously to hand-paint the 14'x42'(!) back drop. Above, I art direct the project.

Monique Lhuillier Bridal Fashion Show, NYC, October 2011.

Once the back drop is finished, there is the huge production of setting up the entire show. Seating, lighting, music - all the elements that go into creating the spectacle.

Monique Lhuillier Bridal Fashion Show, NYC, October 2011.

Meanwhile, back stage the super tall, super skinny gather, where make-up and hair is carefully applied, tech rehearsals and fittings are executed, as the beautiful gowns wait patiently nearby, ready to be animated for the girls.

Monique Lhuillier Bridal Fashion Show, NYC, October 2011.

All in anticipation of that magic moment, when the lights and the music come up, and strutting down the runway comes a vision in white, the bride.

Monique Lhuillier Bridal Fashion Show, NYC, October 2011.

The Los Angeles based designer, Monique Lhuillier is a success for her pret-a-porter and her red-carpet evening gowns, but is best known for her bridal. The 2012 collection did not disappoint with beautiful silhouettes, luxurious materials, impeccable tailoring, all embellished with sparkling crystals, delicate ruffles, and the occasional feather.

Monique Lhuillier Bridal Fashion Show, NYC, October 2011.

 And before you can gasp and shout "Gorgeous!", it is ending, as all the models come out for the finale. The long line of marching brides go sashaying by, skirts flapping, as applause erupts.

Monique Lhuillier Bridal Fashion Show, NYC, October 2011.

Taken in context, the finale is the best opportunity to see the genius of the entire collection, as every woman, (and a few men) fantasize about which gown they would wear to their own wedding. And just as the last model exits the stage, it is over, just like that. The editors and the buyers rush off to other shows, and the press flocks backstage to vie for a moment of the deigner's time.

Monique Lhuillier Bridal Fashion Show, NYC, October 2011.

Well, Monique Lhuillier loves the press and the press love her. And with good reason, as she consistently delivers an outstanding product and a dream-like experience.

For more on Monique Lhuillier, check out her website:

http://www.moniquelhuillier.com/

And for more on fashion and the arts, keep reading AltonOnTheSpot!