LIFE IMITATING ART

Armed with the motivation of finding enough ideas regarding DIY decorating projects for our home, I sorted different channels in my tube that focused on amazing instructables for home improvement this Sunday afternoon. Then I stumble upon "Work of Art: The Next Great Artist (Season1)" in TLC . Ok, I am far from being an artsy type of guy but let me tell you guys that I'm one of those lucky few students in my time that truly enjoyed my art classes, and always walked away with A-! OK with B+. By the way, heres the dirty details regarding this T.V. reality series I just discovered.

Work of Art: The Next Great Artist is an American reality competition show/series that seeks to discover new talent and shed light on the artistic process that typically occurs behind closed doors. Assembled in New York City under the watchful eye of art world elites, 14 up-and-coming artists are ready to make their mark on the industry and battle it out for a solo show at the Brooklyn Museum and a cash prize of $100,000. The show is produced by Pretty Matches Productions and Magical Elves Productions, the same company that created Project Runway and Top Chef. One may even say that the reality show is almost an exact replica of the two previous tube hits.

Meet the 14 amazing artists/contestants for the first season of WOA.

This was one of the best reality shows as for me. It is very interesting to watch the creative process or the lack of creativity of the different artists/contestants under the gun. The critiques were almost always entertaining because of their unpretentious opinions and criticisms. As Peter Swanson stated that, "What's compelling about the show is that even though it's clear the contestants have been cast, to a certain degree, for their personality traits, they are also ostensibly good at what they do. What's most important in this brand of reality show is the final product. And even though the producers often highlight the bickering and cattiness, they're equally focused on the creative process. It makes for compulsively watchable TV, at least more so than in reality shows where the winner is often the contestant best at one-upmanship and/or most desperate for celebrity status." So I say that this show takes all of the petulance and nastiness and passion of "Project Runway" or "Top Chef" and applies it to the realm of fine art. You can say right after watching an episode that, "Beauty is definitely in the eye of the beholder."

The different judges, host and mentor .

China Chow is the host and one of the judges, I heard that she still lend her artistic grace for the current season two. The judges are Bill Powers, a New York Gallery owner and literary art contributor, Jerry Saltz, senior art critic for New York Magazine and Jeanne Greenberg Rohatyn,a gallerist, art advisor, independent curator, collector, and tastemaker. Simon De Pury, chairman of an art auction house, adds his voice of expertise as a mentor to the contestants.

Be sure to catch the first season of Work of Art: The Next Great Artist which premieres every Saturday @ 9:00 pm with replays on Sunday afternoon only on TLC. It is the best reality show on TV at the moment with the most interesting artists/contestants and the best mix of drama and actual reality. And Oh! Before I forgot, Sarah Jessica Parker is one of the executive producer of this show that simply explains her appearance during the pilot episode.

MY TOP PICKS OF MTV VIDEO MUSIC AWARDS LIVE PERFORMANCES

The VMA’s have given us music lovers some very memorable and iconic performances in it’s 27 years of broadcasting. Most of them were insane and controversial acts and those particularly unpredictable formula have made each shows stand out from all those stuffy Hollywood kudos fests. Here are my personal favorites of all-time, the ones that have been the most memorable and meaningful after all these years.

TOP # 10. Shakira's performance was by far the major highlight of the of the MTV VMA's 2002. Nobody moves like her. She performed her hit song 'Objection Tango' and totally rocked out with the remixed version.

TOP #9.  It was  the VMA's ultimate girlie-action moment with The Queen of Pop, Madonna, Britney Spears Christina Aguilera, and Missy Elliot. Britney and Christina both dressed as brides, entered the stage together. They were soon joined by Madonna herself, dressed as a groom, who then locked lips with each of the pop tarts. Britney later told CNN, "I didn't know it was going to be that long and everything." But are we sure glad it was!

Top #8.  In 2000, Eminem starting out on 6th Avenue leading a pack of hundreds of bleached blond, blue jean clad “Slim Shady” clones into the show, who dutifully followed him through the aisles of Radio City and onto the stage.  That same year, Eminem proved that he was an artist to be reckoned with.

Top #7.  MTV Video Music Awards 1997 have Sean Combs/Puff Daddy/P.Diddy/Diddy performed his hit single "I'll Be Missing You." The song was dedicated to the recently-deceased Notorious B.I.G. and included Biggie's widow, Faith Evans, R&B group 112 and a surprise appearance by Sting, who recreated the song's sample of his vocal from The Police classic "Every Breath You Take."

TOP #6.  In VMA's 2001 Britney Spears obviously tried to go bigger for her "I'm a Slave 4 U" performance wowing the nation once again after previous year sultry striptease. She went for a rain-forest motif, complete with canned thunderclaps, a caged tiger, dancers dressed as zebras and the pièce de résistance: a giant albino python.

TOP #5. This performance came after the Taylor Swift incident in 2009 (don't we all hated Kanye for interrupting sweet Taylor during her acceptance speech?). Never the less, the man never fails to create the award show moment. Kanye’s VMA-closing performance of the never-before-heard rap/ballad “Runaway” was pure genius. The lyrical content (“i always find something wrong, you been putting up with my shit for way too long.” “let’s have a toast to the assholes”) worked because of the controversy, but the great thing about this performance was his use of the space, his back-up ballerinas to his all-red ensemble.

TOP #4. The always classy Beyonce performed 'Single Ladies' at the 2009 MTV VMA's  and it was one heck of a performance with a crew of more than two dozen dancers wearing similar, though less bedazzled, leotards like Sasha Fierce. They all hair flopped and karate chopped their way through the complex, often-imitated choreography in unison. That really roused the crowd.

TOP #3. Ms. Jackson shut down the stage in 1993 VMA's and delivered a sensual and jaw-dropping performance of her monster hits - "That's the Way Love Goes" and "If" mashed into a mini-medley. Her choreography was on point, going from sexy to high energy and intricacy. And if she was lipping, well she did a clever job because the vocals aren’t exactly like the album recordings, so props for that. Surely one of her best performances.

TOP # 2. Everyone knows that the MTV VMAs aren't about who walks away with the moonman. The show's crazy antics of guests, hosts, and performers are the things that sets it apart from the other award shows. This insane yet amazing 1992 performance of Nirvana (the Fathers of the Grunge Movement) will forever be imprinted in my head. At that time, MTV's prohibiting Nirvana from playing the song they actually wanted to perform; Cobain wanted to go with "Rape Me," but the band was forced to play "Lithium" to appease the nervous network. After the performance, Krist Novoselic tosses his guitar into the air. It lands whacking him in the head and he stumbles offstage. Kurt Cobain starts tearing into the amps and everything descends to chaos. This is what rock and roll is all about.

TOP #1. Jay-Z and Alicia Keys joined forces at the 2009 VMA's for an explosive  performance of the Big Apple anthem "Empire State of Mind." The hip-hop heavyweight  (Jay-Z) made a grand entrance, arriving right as he was set to take the stage while Keys sat behind the piano. When Jay-Z was ending his final "Empire State of Mind" verse, Lil Mama came up from her seat in the crowd onto the stage and started bobbing her head to the beat. Jay looked surprised but continued to bop to the beat and even kept rapping.

 

There you go guys, my top picks of the best MTV Video Music Awards live performances.

2011 MTV VIDEO MUSIC AWARDS: SHOW HIGHLIGHTS

 MTV Music Awards 2011 returned to Los Angeles to uphold it's well-earned reputation as an occasionally out of control, but always interesting awards celebration. This year’s MTV Video Music Awards offered some unexpected moments, breaking news, and some madcap outfits. So here's what you missed on Glee...I mean on VMA 2011 (LOL).

Lady Gaga playing Jo Calderon and opening the awards show with a monologue.

She performs "You and I" with Brian May from Queen.

Lady Gaga opened the VMA's in a drag, dressed in a dirty white T-shirt, black pants, and boots. Right after the opening monologue, Jo Calderone (aka Lady Gaga) jumped onto a piano bench and began belting "Yoü and I," with rock legend Brian May of Queen. Jo Calderone danced around the stage with a group of male lookalikes before climbing on the piano and spraying the front row of the audience with beer. Not really liking the performance, let's just say I'm only going for it, because of the shock value. So, moving on...

Jay-Z and Kanye West teamed up at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards.

A last minute addition to the impressive lineup of artists taking the stage.

Jay-Z and Kanye were both in the highest of spirits while looking directly at one another. The hip-hop powerhouse pair thrilled the audience with their rendition of of hit single "Otis", definitely there's no sign of a rumored tension.

Adele looked absolutely gorgeous when she took the stage.

she swiveled around the stage while belting out her piano ballad "Someone Like You".

Adele gave an amazing performance, truly a breath of fresh air. The singing sensation sang the sorrowful song "Someone Like You," from her hot-selling album, 21. She was backed by a pianist who played in the darkness a few feet behind her, as she belted out the tune that deals with the painful end of a relationship.

Pitbull rocked the red pants like few can.

Neyo and Pitbull performing their global smash dance hit ‘Give Me Everything.

I must say, they were the most well-dressed men that evening, Neyo and Pitbull! Kudos to Pitbull for being so gutsy in rocking red trousers, (really digging this guy's style) and for not altering the lyric “I got it locked up like Lindsay Lohan” tonight even though the “actress” is suing him, claiming that the defamatory reference is damaging to her career. Anyway, Ne-Yo and Pitbull were smooth like butter when performing the song. They were a well-matched pair.

Beyonce Knowles took the stage for a performance.

the soon-to-be-momma  delved into her song "Love On Top.

Beyonce glowed with happiness not only because she wore a Dolce & Gabanna tuxedo but due to the fact that she's pregnant with her very first child. Upon wrapping up her stage effort, Knowles joyously tossed down her mic opened up her purple sequin coat and revealed the bump for all of TV viewers to catch a glimpse. She flaunted, touched and rubbed her belly.

2011 MTV Video Music Awards Winners

Best Video of the Year : Katy Perry for "Firework"
Best Female Video: Lady Gaga for "Born this Way"
Best Male Video:  Justin Bieber  for "U Smile"
Best New Artist: Tyler, The Creator for "Yonkers"
Best Rock Video: Foo Fighters for "Walk"
Best Hip-Hop Video: Nicki Minaj for "Super Bass"
Best Pop Video: Britney Spears for "Till the World Ends"
Best Collaboration: Katy Perry & Kanye West for "E.T."
Best Choreography" Beyonce Knowles for "Run the World (Girls)"

For more information regarding VMA's show highlights, winners, performers and videos click HERE.

ALEX PETTYFER FOR VMAN ISSUE 22 SUMMER 2011

The once tween English actor and main character in the Alex Rider: Storm Rider, released by Weinstein Productions in 2006  is all grown up &  gearing up to take Hollywood by storm. Meet Alex Pettyfer (yes, they do grow up so fast...sighs).

Dubbed as the Fashion's newest Bad boy, he shows that keeping it light is how to stay sane in a crazy industry called Hollywood. To read more of Alex Pettyfer "From Darkness to White" click HERE.


Hair Marc Lopez (ArtList New York)
Grooming Cedric Jolivet ( B-Agency)
Photo assistants Michelle Lu, Benjamin Tietge,
Christian Hogstedt, Ivan Shaw 
Stylist assistant Chris Brown
Production Gawain Rainey
Catering La petite table
Location Studios Daylight, Paris
Retouching R&D

DADDY KARL LAGERFELD IS HUMAN AFTERALL

“Sunglasses are like eyeshadow. They make everything look younger and prettier.”

-Karl Lagerfeld

The German designer was spotted in a moment of vulnerability as he removed his sunglasses while eating in a cafe during his vacation in St. Tropez. Rarely is the 77-year old creative director of Chanel seen without his trademark heavily tinted eye wear, whether fending off flash bulbs at fashion shows, or at work in his atelier. He revealed his eyes once before, when sketching on camera for the documentary "Lagerfeld Confidential", so it truly was a refreshing moment for all Lagerfeld followers to be seen him  again without his sunglasses and caught a glimpse of a softer and more "human" side of Mr. Lagerfeld. 

But what will amaze everyone about this man of style is his self-imposed strict dress code, despite the sunny climate during his holiday. His outfit of tuxedo trousers and immaculately tailored jacket combo remained. Looks like we'll never see Mr. Lagerfeld sporting a speedo like Giorgio Armani, Garavani Valentino and Roberto Cavalli.

The legendary Karl Lagerfeld (born Karl Otto Lagerfeldt on September 10, 1933 in Hamburg) is a German fashion designer, and artist , he runs 3 fashion houses namely, Chanel, Karl Lagerfeld, and Fendi. He is also a photographer and designed for Chloé from 1963 - 1983 and 1992 - 1997. German born, he now resides in Paris.

GOODBYE...AMY WINEHOUSE

The English singer-songwriter known for her powerful contralto vocals and her eclectic mix of musical genres has now joined a host of other performers who lost their lives before their careers reached their full potential. She was found dead in her London flat on Saturday. The troubled singer was just 27-years old. Another young talented artist died due to drug addiction.

The Recording Academy paid their respects in the following statement, issued by President/CEO Neil Portnow:

"Five-time GRAMMY winner Amy Winehouse was a dynamic performer and musician who seamlessly blended rock, jazz, pop, and soul and created a sound all her own. Her rich, soulful and unique voice reflected her honest songwriting and earned her a devoted fan following, critical acclaim, and the genuine respect and admiration of her musical peers. She will forever be remembered for her immense talent, and her music will live on for generations to come. Our deepest sympathies go out to her family, friends, and fans during this difficult time."

TOM FORD AND RACISM

Even a fashion savvy individual might not have any slight idea who is Nicolas Ghesquiere or Stefano Pilati is, but any person with a passing interest with fashion and style, will stop in his track when he heard the name Tom Ford.

Tom Ford is an American trained architect, businessman, marketing master, film director, and above all, a fashion designer. Last July 4, 2011 he graced an interview with Kawai Wong (a reporter from Time Out HongKong). Where they talked about his larger than life presence and charm, his new comedy movie (still everything is a hush hush), his desire to have children and penchant for women, the weight problem of most Americans and how the population of London is catching up (he even compared them to their Slim Asian counterparts).

Here's an excerpt from the interview in which Mr. Ford was mostly making observations.

For this spring summer you cast Liu Wen, Du Juan and Rinko on your catwalk. What made you gravitate towards them?

Well, first of all, two of them are models and they are beautiful, and Rinko is an actress who I adore and I loved her in Babel. I’ve always been quite multicultural and it’s funny that someone asked me in an interview yesterday if I had any Asian friends. I felt that was such a strange question. When you grow up in America, contrary to popular belief, we are racially blind because we’ve had Japanese and Chinese families, five generations, living in America. So we grow up with Asian-Americans, African-Americans, European-Americans. And I don’t think she’s my Asian friend. She’s my beautiful friend, she’s my dumb friend that asks me crazy shiii… she’s my fabulous friend, she’s my chic friend, she’s my… I’m colourblind. When you do a fashion show it’s very important and it’s a responsibility to represent a multicultural cast.

A friend who works at LVMH said of Liu Wen: ‘She looks Caucasian because of her face, her straight nose, her cheekbones…’ Do you think people regard these Chinese women as beautiful because of their perceived Western features?

[Mildly irritated] No. I think, and don’t take this the wrong way, all of your questions have a very odd racist slant, because you have grown up here. And don’t take that the wrong way; it’s not a negative thing at all. Honestly, growing up in America and Europe, I don’t think as racially as the questions you are asking.

Well, for one…

[Interjecting] I had a journalist earlier ask me a question which, I had to say, found really shocking. He asked me if those flowers are fake. And I said ‘No, they’re not fake, they are real.’ He said ‘I don’t believe you’. And he went over and looked. And I said, ‘They are cymbidium orchids wired to long stems because you can’t get cymbidiums in long stems. But they are real.’ So he looked at them, came back and sat down. I said, ‘Why did you ask me if they were fake?” He said, ‘Well, you are American’. [Laughs] I was like: ‘What does that mean?’ He said, ‘Well, you know often Americans are very fake and you have fake things and so I thought they might be fake.’ And I said: ‘That’s such a racist comment!’ [Lowers voice] He was German.

One may say that Mr. Ford really got himself in trouble. Although the designer thought most of the questions about differences between Western bodies and Asian bodies were "regionalistic" and even "borderline racist".

THE BASIC WHITE TEE

This tops the list of shirts. Wear a basic white T-shirt with a jeans, it is casuals. Add a nice coat, the corporate will invite you. And when you want to mix both formals and casuals, wear a zip-up jacket. The white T-shirt will serve you, anywhere, anytime.

Every man has a set of white t-shirts in his drawer. The most basic of essentials. There are so many different types of fits, fabrics, and necks to choose from. The baggiest of the baggy approach dresses and the deepest of v-necks approach navels. But done right there's nothing more classic.

THE WAISTCOAT

In the past, waistcoats are popular in the west, cowboys, gamblers, farmers and politicians who saw its value. The waistcoat is such a versatile piece of clothing, but it's re-emergence is not just a part of the return to formality in menswear because a man can wear it down and snatch its previous notions of formality and give it a more casual context through the addition of jeans, t-shirts, and even sneakers. 

 In many instances it replaces the need for a tie or jacket, but can also compliment those items. An added benefit, the waistcoat can have a slimming effect, subtly masking the contours of the torso. It is no surprise that everyone from modern day dandy down to rock star are enjoying its comeback.

THE MILITARY JACKET (MEN IN UNIFORM)

Men's fashion has recruited military style again and again, recognizing the value of military specifications and the charisma of heroic accomplishment. Virtually every factor of the military sensibility and style has been employed in civilian fashion including epaulets, ball buttons, khaki adapted from the British military in India, and olive drab. 

The military jacket will always remain an article of fashion in any man's closet. All sartorial heroes knows the importance of including military jackets in their modern wardrobe.