Art Basel

Levi's Hosts 'Shape What's To Come' Event at Art Basel

Lindsey Schickner — 2010-12-09T12:40:00+00:00

Photo Credit: Diana Levine

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Levi's hosted their first event at Art Basel this year and we were there to get the inside scoop on the denim retailers foray into the artsy affair.

The event, which was held at the Levi's South Beach store, was a celebration of the brand's 'Shape What's to Come' campaign which aims to build an online community for women around the world with shared interests.

The event showcased work by several female street artists who each decorated a Levi's jean jacket with designs to reflect their own unique style. There was also a discussion where each of the ladies answered questions about how they got to where they are today, the obstacles they encountered along the way and how they feel about being females in a male dominated space (street art).

We caught up with Sheri Timmons, director of entertainment marketing for Levi's, about what the event means to the iconic jean brand.

AOL: Levi's has collaborated with different artists in the past. How is this collaboration different?
Sheri Timmons: We've collaborated with artists like Shepard Fairey and Damien Hirst was our most recent collaboration. 'Shape What's to Come' is a unique collaboration, giving women a voice and a space in the world of art, focusing on street art. Our 'Shape What's To Come' website, separate from our shopping site is a global site aimed at empowering young women and female artists and we are very proud of it.

AOL: What was the inspiration behind this event and the 'Shape What's to Come' website?
Sheri Timmons: These women are all amazing role models for young female artists and we want to get their voices heard. They have so much energy and passion about what they do, it's inspiring. It takes a lot of guts to take your art to the next level and figure out a way to make a living doing it.

AOL: How did you make this event happen?
Sheri Timmons: We collaborated with Primary Flight (Miami's original open air museum and street level mural installation that takes place annually throughout the Wynwood Arts District and the Miami Design District), which was huge.

AOL: This was your first time at Basel. Do you plan to be here again?
Sheri Timmons: Yes! At next year's Art Basel we would love to have a mural painting event outside the store!

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Art Basel Music Highlights

AOL Staff — 2010-12-08T16:12:00+00:00

Photo Credit: Diana Levine
AOL Music had the privilege of connecting with many of our favorite acts at Art Basel 2010 -- all of whom performed during the annual global exhibition in Miami. For stylish Metric singer Emily Haines, the showcase marked the end of her Canadian rock troupe's 'Fantasies' tour -- something she told us left her "stoked." Posh DJ/producer/musician James Murphy says that Art Basel gave him an opportunity to see people he hasn't seen in a while -- folks from "all over the world." He also broke the news with us that although his NYC outfit LCD Soundsystem will never tour again, he hasn't ruled out making another album together. Awesome!

When we caught up with Pharrell and his N.E.R.D. crew before their AOL + Paper show, they were blown away by the "loads and loads of ideas" they were getting from basking in the art, whereas Perry Farrell -- a first-timer to Art Basel -- offered the following advice to surviving in Miami: "Keep it casual, keep it relaxed ... It's gotta go organically." Shock electro-rocker Peaches, whom Perry Farrell called a "good Jewish girl at heart," enjoyed a glass of champagne as she explained why she used 28 lasers onstage at her Basel gig. And soul singer Aloe Blacc? He left Basel with a master plan: "Infect the world with love and happiness." We'll take it.

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AndrewAndrew Hit Up SPIN + MOCA's Art of Ping-Pong Party at the Delano

AndrewAndrew — 2010-12-06T17:00:00+00:00

Though most of the PAPER staff were dragging by Saturday, special correspondents AndrewAndrew were still out moving and shaking on the fourth night of Art Basel Miami. Andrews stopped by MOCA and SPiN's Art of Ping-Pong party, where attendees included SPiN co-owners Susan Sarandon and Judah Friedlander (30 Rock) as well as a slew of artists who battled it out on ping-pong tables surrounding the pool. Since ping-pong seems to be THE hip new thing at the moment, AA asked partygoers what they think the next "it" sport will be.

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Mia Moretti's Art Basel Diary Part IV

Mia Moretti — 2010-12-06T16:40:00+00:00

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As Art Basel Miami wraps up, we sadly bid adieu to DJ Mia Moretti's Basel photo diary, which has been our little ray of voyeuristic sunshine all week long. Thanks to these diaries, we've now know that Mia has a cute boyfriend who she can't get enough of, that Le Baron was her Art Basel Miami home away from home and that NYC man-about-town Steven Rojas considers the Harvard Business Review a light beach read. Check out Mia's photos from her final days in Miami. Bon nuit, Art Basel Miami!

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Documentary About Andy Warhol's Gang Premieres at Art Basel

Tom Austin — 2010-12-06T15:45:00+00:00

Ultra Violet, William John Kennedy and Marie Kennedy. Photo by Henry Perez
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One of the best -- and most surreal evenings -- of Art Basel came on Saturday night with the last gasp of the fair, the world premiere of the documentary Full Circle: Before They Were Famous at the Colony Theater on Lincoln Road. The movie captures the life and times of Andy Warhol and the gang, as seen through the photographs of William John Kennedy, who now lives in Miami Beach.

Before the film started, Warhol superstar Ultra Violet (who appears in the film) came on stage in a matching purple wig and caftan ensemble to thank Kennedy for "capturing a moment in history." In the movie, Kennedy's iconic photographs of that time -- Warhol posed with the acetate film that would become his Marilyn series, Robert Indiana with the famed Love painting, a nude Ultra Violet wearing only Kennedy's tie, Taylor Mead's ass being filmed for a Warhol movie -- are juxtaposed with visits to his old haunts: the Factory, of course, is now a parking lot. But the feeble 85-year-old Mead is still a little witty sprite with plenty of spunk: "Warhol was a genius, but so was Hitler -- who needs them?"

Afterwards, the Kiwi Gallery had an exhibition of Ultra Violet's work and Kennedy's photographs in a pop-up space around the corner. And Violet was still working it, grateful Kennedy had immortalized her, nude and otherwise. "He was one of the people who made us all famous for 15 minutes," she told us, adding, "I'm working on my 16th minute, but it's very hard."

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Russell and Danny Simmons Host Party for the Bombay Sapphire Artisan Series

Paul Laster — 2010-12-06T15:00:00+00:00

Hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons and his older bro, artist Danny Simmons, hosted a party for the Bombay Sapphire Artisan Series, a collaboration between the liquor brand and Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation, to announce the winners of a nationwide search for America's under known artistic talents.

Inviting emerging artists -- working in painting, sculpture and photography -- from New York, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Houston, Atlanta, and Washington DC, the competition received 1900 submissions, chose 18 finalists to show at the Paris Studios in Miami, and picked two winners for January 2011 shows at Rush's gallery in the New York's Chelsea Arts District.

After hosting a midday brunch earlier in the day that pulled in boldfaced names, such as singers Estelle and Kelly Rowland and artists Kehinde Wiley and Sanford Biggers, at Miami Beach's design-centric Mondrian Hotel, the powers behind Rush, which also includes brother Joseph, aka Reverend Run, who didn't make the ABMB trip, hosted this nighttime affair for the hopeful artists.

"Even though my work is widely collected, I still consider myself an emerging artist," said Danny, the most passionate partner in the Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation, before Russell announced the winners: Miami sculptor Jorge Cavilier and Washington, D.C. photographer Stanley Squirewell. After the announcement, Russell posed for a few pictures before making a quick exit, while Danny stayed to encourage the finalists that didn't win, as well as the artists in the crowd that wanted to know how they could be part of the next go-around.

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Kehinde Wiley's "Catch 'em Fry 'em" at the Shore Club

Paul Laster — 2010-12-06T13:00:00+00:00

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For the seventh year in a row, artist Kehinde Wiley rented a large fishing boat on Saturday to take friends to catch fish in the choppy waters off the Florida coast for his Sunday night fish fry. Wiley has been a standout star at Art Basel Miami Beach for several years running, and has been showing massive paintings of fallen figures in a state of repose with new representative Sean Kelly Gallery.

At Wiley's fish fry at the Shore Club last night, DJ Chelsea Leyland kept the ambiance lively and Patrick McMullan and Todd Eberle snapped pictures of the stylish guests, who included Pace Gallery's Nicola Vassell, entrepreneur Tracey Ryans, and architect David Adjaye. We pulled Wiley aside to get the back story on the annual event.

How many years have you been having the fish fry?

I've been doing the fish fry since 2003. I've been coming back and forth to Miami every year with the intention of enjoying the environment and weather, but also doing something with artists that defines its own shape and space -- creating a kind of subculture here that belongs to us. We choose one of the most commercial days of the fair, Saturday, to go out on the water to go fishing. It's always a joy.

How many fish did you catch yesterday?

We caught pretty much all of the fish that's being consumed here tonight - about eight fish with an average poundage of 18 lbs. There were some pretty large monsters that we pulled out of the water. We were out for half a day, from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

How many years have you been holding the fish fry at the Shore Club?

It's been three years now. We were trying to find a cool place to stay and my gallerist at the time, Jeffrey Deitch, had a relationship with the Shore Club. It's a place that feels very festive, but it also has these quite corners, where you can have a private event that still feels like it really means something. Every year, we find a new incarnation to build on what we've previously done.

Who prepares the food?

Every year we try to find someone new, although last year I fell in love with this amazing chef, Sam Talbot [executive chef of the soon-to-open Mondrian SoHo in New York City], and he convinced me that he has the chops to really go in deep on Southern cuisine. He's made a believer out of me, as well a lot of people here.

Didn't you order sides from an incredible local caterer in year's past?

We still work with People's Bar-B-Que & Soul Food in Little Haiti. I think it brings a little bit of the Miami that we don't necessarily see in South Beach to the Art Basel experience. I think they really enjoy the presence and the footprint that they have here, as well.

What do you hope your friends and supporters will experience at the party?

I try to give them a breath of fresh air and provide a place where you can feel a different tempo, feel a sense of personal love and touch with friends and family that rises above a lot of the impersonal nature of the art industrial complex that deal with day to day. It's a truer example of my lived life.

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Daniel Arsham Discusses His "Alter" Exhibit

Paul Laster — 2010-12-06T12:00:00+00:00

Few Miami artists have had the staying power of Daniel Arsham on the international art scene. Although he's now based in New York, the multi-talented Arsham is enjoying his sixth solo show with Galerie Emmanuel Perrotin, continuing collaborations with Merce Cunningham Dance Company and choreographer Jonah Bokaer, and working on two major commissions for the Miami Marlins Ballpark with his design firm, Snarkitecture.

We caught up with him on Sunday at Galerie Emmanuel Perrotin in the Wynwood Arts District to discuss the ideas behind "Alter," his current exhibition at the gallery, which runs through December 11.

What are you showing in the "Alter" exhibition?

I'm showing three new bodies of work: a series of new paintings on Mylar of altered objects from Greek and Roman antiquity; Pixels Clouds, a series of hanging sculptures, based on clouds taken with my cell phone; and two new, motorized sculptures, that replicate "push puppet" toys on a large scale.

Where did the idea for altering the antiquities originate?

One of the amazing results of collaborating with Merce and Jonah is that I've toured a lot. While Jonah and I were at the Hellenic Festival in Athens last year we went to the new museum at the Acropolis and several other institutions there and I began taking pictures of statues on my cell phone. When I got back to my studio in New York, I started playing around with the representation of the pieces to make the sculptures look like they had been altered in unusual ways in the past.

What's the story behind the "Pixel Clouds"?

That's also a traveling story. I have lots of videos that I've shot on airplanes with my cell phone of take offs and landings. I originally intended to make drawings, based on pixels for my last show in Paris, but I wasn't happy with results two-dimensionally so I started making small three-dimensional studies, based on the cloud images. When I saw that it worked, I kept making them bigger and bigger.

How did you come up with the idea of using Push Puppets to make large-scale sculptures?

I've had those kinds of toys sitting around the studio for a long time and I actually made a few of them. They're usually animals and figures. There's a sort of architectural idea of translating the figure into these units and order for the mechanics of the toy to work. It's almost like the columns of a building, where the legs become these collapsing forms. It's an architectural way to think about living forms.

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Aloe Blacc Brings Soul to Art Basel Miami Beach

AOL Staff — 2010-12-05T17:26:00+00:00

Aloe Blacc and Blaqstarr at the Giant Step party last night at the Mondrian, Miami, Photo Credit: Diana Levine
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Aloe Blacc wrapped up his 2010 U.S. tour at the Mondrian in Miami Beach last night, headlining the very special SVEDKA Vodka Session, presented by Giant Step as part of Art Basel 2010. Monopoly money covered the stage, floor and bar in honor of the recent success of Aloe's hit 'I Need a Dollar.'

Aloe Blacc has gone from indie artist to critically acclaimed soul man almost overnight, considering his song was chosen as the intro to HBO's new series 'How To Make It In America.' Since Blacc's album 'Good Things' released in September, he's been compared over and over again to the likes of Marvin Gaye. Yet he remains humble and genuine in both his lyrics and his character.

The crooner brings infectious, positive energy to the stage, smoothly blending soul, funk, R&B and even a little reggae. His beaming smile carries a rhythm of its own and his old school dance moves would have made him a smash hit on 'Soul Train.' These are not typical traits of today's well-known artists. In times of recession, many chart-toppers are choosing to create head-bobbing dance music with lyrics about the high life that seem out of touch with present day circumstances. But Aloe has moved away from his self-representing hip-hop days (as half of the duo Emanon) and has decided to start calling it like he sees it. His ability to mix honest social and political observations with feel good music is gaining him both respect and popularity as nostalgia from the early '70s sets in.

Aloe Blacc and the Grand Scheme opened the show with 'Hey There Brother' from 'Good Things'. Dancing and jigging on stage, Aloe asked the crowd, "Are you ready for some soul tonight?" as he transitioned to Al Green's 'Love and Happiness'. "You see, I want to carry on the tradition of soul. People like Al Green, Bill Withers, Marvin Gaye," said Aloe with a wink and a smile. The performer paid tribute to several other artists in between sharing original tracks off his new album. He performed partial covers by Velvet Underground, Michael Jackson, Bob Marley, and Hall & Oats, all with a soulful Blacc twist. He even gave a surprising original rendition of 'Basket Case' by Green Day.

Of course, the big hit of the night was his performance of 'I Need a Dollar.' The crowd vibed and sang along to what will surely become a classic hit of the decade. Aloe and his band closed out the show with popular The Mommas and the Papas hit 'All The Leaves Are Brown,' because, as he put it, the song reminds the band of their native L.A.

Aloe seems to be finding his footing in music. With a European tour kicking off in January 2011, there will be much anticipation regarding how this soul man's style matures in the months to come.

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Mia Moretti's Art Basel Miami Diary: Part III

Mia Moretti — 2010-12-05T15:07:00+00:00

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Though DJ Mia Moretti could be found at some of Art Basel Miami's best late-night parties this week, she also had plenty of fun in the sun during the day. Check out Moretti's photos of her trips to the beach, the pool and, of course, the art shows, in her third photo diary for PAPER+AOL.

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Chloe Spring 2011 Fashion Show at Art Basel 2010

Lindsey Schickner — 2010-12-05T14:15:00+00:00

Chloé hosted a private fashion show of their Spring 2011 collection by the pool of the trendy Soho House in Miami as part of the Art Basel festivities.

An intimate gathering of fashion insiders, models, and artsy party-goers crowded around a small constructed runway to watch the short showing of summery looks. The event kicked off Art Basel's Saturday night party circuit which also included a Playboy party at the Standard Hotel (read about it here).

While it wasn't a full collection, Chloé's signatue cool-girl attire was well-represented in an array of neutral shades. Designer Hannah MacGibbon was not in attendance but that didn't stop her flirty fashion styles to be any less coveted by the chic crowd. One little boy - who was monitored by his well-to-do mama - was so excited by what he saw that he ended up dancing on the runway until it was disassembled.

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AOL + Paper Host a Brunch for Shepard Fairey

Sarah Cristobal — 2010-12-05T13:50:00+00:00

Shepard Fairey and David Hershkovits at PAPER + AOL's brunch for Shepard Fairey at the Mondrian. Photo credit: Clint Spaulding/Patrick McMullan
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Overlooking a stunning vista of the Biscayne Bay at the Mondrian Hotel, AOL and Paper Magazine co-hosted a brunch yesterday in honor of artist and graffiti renegade Shepard Fairey, who served as the mag's first-ever guest editor for the November issue.

"We've known Shepard for almost 15 years," said magazine co-founder David Hershkovits. "Carlo [McCormack, an editor at Paper] curated his first show back in 1994."

Paper's relationship with Fairey goes back to his nascent days as a T-shirt-making skateboarder living in Providence, R.I. His current all-star status, due to the André the Giant OBEY posters, inspirational Barack Obama HOPE posters, and large scale art shows (he showed at Deitch Projects earlier this year), has made him a bit of a household name.

"It's amazing when you know someone who succeeds years later," said Hershkovits. "Talent is not everything you need a lot of more too."

The event, which was sponsored by Tommy Hilfiger, drew fellow artists and blogging phenoms alike. Todd Selby arrived in a very Southern Florida-looking blue tee that featured white kittens (courtesy of his friend Mark "The Cobrasnake" Hunter, who was also in attendance). Other creative types included Diesel honcho Renzo Rosso, and of course Paper's merry band of editors Kim Hastreiter, Mickey Boardman, Alexis Swerdloff, and Elizabeth Thompson.

Check out pics of the Fairey-hosted party from earlier in the week plus all of the the Art Basel coverage by AOL + Paper right here.

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About Last Night, Part Four: The Last Proper Party Night

Paper Staff — 2010-12-05T12:28:00+00:00

Susan Sarandon chats with ping-pong champ Wally G at the Art of Ping-Pong at the Delano Hotel, Photo credit: JD Ferguson
Saturday night was the last proper party night of Art Basel. Here's what went down.

Susan Sarandon, with her rumored beau Jonathan Bricklin, held court in the VIP section at the Delano for a ping-pong tournament hosted by the SPiN Ping Pong Club.
At the Mondrian, Top Chef alum Sam Talbot and photographer Poppy de Villeneuve held a small preview dinner for Talbot's upcoming seafood restaurant at the Mondrian New York, Imperial No. 9.
Theophilus London played a late-night gig at the SoHo Beach House. And over at the Mondrian bar, Giant Step hosted a concert by Aloe Blacc.
Neville Wakefield and Playboy held their "Nude As Muse" event at the Standard featuring Vanessa Beecroft, Terence Koh, Kembra Pfahler and Lola Schnabel.
Peaches and SSION played a DJ set in the basement bar at Townhouse.
The Dis magazine and OHWOW crew took over Rokbar for the third and final installment of their late night Art Basel parties with DJ sets by Venus_X, $hane and Physical_Therapy.
And the Paper crew, on the recommendation of Nicola Vassell and Bruce Weber, ate a delicious dinner at Haitian restaurant Tap Tap.

Coming Up Tonight...

Most folks are either flying home today, or likely taking it easy this evening, but for the strong few left standing, Kehinde Wiley and Sam Talbot are hosting their annual fish fry on the beach at the Shore Club.

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I'm on a Boat! The Art Crowd Braved the Seas for LAND's "Island" Exhibit

Franklin Melendez — 2010-12-05T12:25:00+00:00

"The Island" exhibit, Photo Credit: Billy Farrell Agency
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Los Angeles Nomadic Division, or LAND, is a non-profit that produces roaming site specific works, helmed by former Whitney Museum curator, Shamim Momim, who's always been invested in pushing the boundaries of the art world. And suitably enough, LAND's Miami project, "The Island," offered the perfect anecdote to the expected art circuit. Instead of endless corridors in convention centers or door queues and clipboards, LAND returned art lovers to the wild with a fully immersive (and full contact) experience, (which even came with an ominous sounding safety liability release). Once signed, guests gathered at the Mondrian Sunset Lounge to be ferried across to the artificial and now deserted site, Flagler Memorial Island. Nearing the site, one perplexed collector asked: "Is this inspired by Lost?" Indeed, there was definitely a disaster feel to the experience, especially as guests had to wade from the boat to the shore -- an experience which tickled some, and terrified others, depending on the caliber of footwear. One set of ladies in heels opted to return to civilization lest their Jimmy Choo's be sacrificed for the sake of curatorial integrity.

Once afoot, the brave and fittest were treated to an installation that was like post-apocalyptic wreckage from a really hip museum. Installed on the beach, on sand, and even some of the overgrowth, were numerous artworks by some notable names including Bozidar Brazda and Terence Koh. With no power on the island, the sight of a TV floating in the wild, looping video, was both eerie and compelling. It was also an apt commentary on the parameters of the art world, and its inherent fragility.

But of course, there was also some treacherous terrain, if not in the exhibition, then in terms of the organization. Serviced by a single boat, the pier became increasingly hectic, filled to capacity like piled-up refugees in a disaster movie. Crowded in the madness were some of the art world's best and brightest, but alas many were lost in the crush. Those who survived returned to civilization charmed, if slightly perplexed; their trophies from the wild: a tote bag, and a handy pair of Havaianas flip flops, two items which, come to think of it, are indispensable for art world survival.

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FriendsWithYou's Arturo Sandoval and Sam Borkson on Their Wondrous "Rainbow City"

Paper Staff — 2010-12-05T12:16:00+00:00

By now, you've heard all about PAPER+AOL's amazing concert with N*E*R*D Thursday at Miami art collective FriendsWIthYou's "Rainbow City," but what about that magical setting? We caught up with FWY's Arturo Sandoval and Sam Borkson to chat about the stupendous inflatable sculpture garden they created for Art Basel and how even the biggest art snobs could all use a jump in a totemic bouncy castle now and then.

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In the Flesh: Neville Wakefield's "The Nude as Muse" at The Standard

Paul Laster — 2010-12-05T11:53:00+00:00

Vanessa Beecroft's live instillation at Neville Wakefield's "Nude as Muse" at the Standard hotel, Photo credit: JD Ferguson
Renegade curator Neville Wakefield and Playboy magazine transformed The Standard's stylish pool and bay front entertaining area into an artistic Garden of Eden last night by placing nude models, decorated by a mix of hip artists. The highlight of "The Nude as Muse" event, which was conceived by Brooke Geahan, was Vanessa Beecroft 's performance piece with 14 zombie-like femme fatales grouped together in the pool. These statuesque reincarnations of Eve sported nothing more than blond and red wigs. "Miami is a sexy hot town, where a lot of skin gets shown," said Geahan, "but no one has ever done an event here that focused on the nude, which is the ultimate muse for art."

Wakefield tapped Kembra Pfahler, who came with one of her Voluptuous Horror of Karen Black bandmates in full costume (which mainly consists of blue body paint, giant black wigs and knee-high black boots); Terence Koh, who painted the nether regions of a male model white to create what he considered "an unfinished Statue of David"; Scott Campbell, who hand-lettered "You Can Only Sleep Your Way To The Middle" on his naked model's torso, completing it with "And You Should" on her back; and Hank Willis Thomas, who put a video camera on the back of a nude female model and a monitor over her private parts that showed who was checking out her behind!

Other artists involved included Richard Phillips, Xaviera Simmons, Lola Schnabel, Ryan McGinness (who was drawing nudes in Room 102) and over in Room 40, Sante D'Orazio showed a new video and stills of an altered 1970s porn movie, which had faces and private parts scratched out, that was humorously titled "Scratch Mine, Scratch Yours."

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Lacoste Hosts an Art Basel Party to Celebrate Elysee Prize

Lindsey Schickner — 2010-12-05T11:45:00+00:00

On Friday night Lacoste hosted a party atop the Delano Hotel during Art Basel Miami to celebrate and announce the winner of the 2010 LACOSTE Élysée Prize.

A well-needed break from the hectic Basel party circuit, the event was a low-key scene, catering more to the style connoisseurs than the scenesters. The terrace was comfortably filled, the atmosphere was laid back and the rooftop view was spectacular. Among the mix of cool attendeees was Beryl Lacoste, granddaughter of Mr. René Lacoste, the founder of the brand.

For the prize, Lacoste partnered with the Musée de l'Elysée in Paris to choose 12 photographers out of an original 80 from the exhibition "reGeneration2 - Tomorrow's Photographers Today" to submit three photos inspired by the L. 12.12 polo shirt.

Twenty-five year-old Di Liu from China was awarded the top prize of $20,00. He created exaggerated images of a deer, a rhinoceros, and a rabbit caught in the city streets of Beijing that included the polo shirt somewhere in the shot, reflecting the conflicting relationship between nature, human society, and Chinese urban development.

Following the announcement, we spoke briefly to Ms. Lacose about the importance of the award and future Lacoste intiatives.

What does this award mean to the Lacoste family and their brand?
Our family has always loved photography. My father really loved photos, especially still life images. So this project was our way of getting back into the creative world of photography. We wanted to give young artists a voice and this was very meaningful for us.

How did you choose the winner?
We have a committee that really knows and understands the essence of the brand. We wanted the award to represent a worldwide view of art, style and photography.

How does the future of Lacoste look?
"Save Your Logo" is our newest initiative. We recently went to Nepal and Columbia as part of the project and are going to the Everglades tomorrow.

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Francisco Costa Would Prefer No Art On His Walls

AOL + Paper Staff — 2010-12-05T10:35:00+00:00

As part of Assouline's Design Talks series, Calvin Klein designer Francisco Costa joined W's editor in chief Stefano Tonchi, industrial designer Konstantin Grcic and architect John Pawson for an intriguing talk about "Romantic Minimalism."

In addition to getting some scoop during the talk that Costa and Pawson might team up on a shoe collaboration, we chatted with the fashion designer afterwards for a little one-on-one about the role art plays in his life.

AOL StyleList: The topic of tonight's talk was minimalism. Is your space at home as minimalist as your designs?
Francisco Costa: My space is reductionist. I remember last Christmas season I had tons of paperwhite plants in the house because I like to garden and I love the way they smell. I had like 15 pots all over the house and and all of a sudden I came home and chopped them off and left only the sticks. So, that's interesting that there was a total instinct for a reductionist sensibility. Personally, I don't think that you're born with these sensibilities, but I'm in a spirit right now where I'm enjoying reductionism. It makes me more conscious of the things that I really want to have.

AOL StyleList: What type of art is hanging on your walls at home?
FC: I have Jeff Koons, I have Mapplethorpes. I have some things that people don't know of. I love minimalist and right now I'm more in the spirit of not having anything on my walls, and I'll get to that. Right now I don't feel like buying or having, but just appreciating. I feel like it's more fun to go to a museum and get a jolt of the pieces there. I don't feel like I have to own art, but the knowledge of it is very important.

AOL StyleList: Do you consider fashion art?
FC: Fashion is not art, but it's highly influenced by the things that are around like art and the street. When you think of art, you think of fearlessness and a true expression of one's mind. That's the brilliance of it. But fashion is a function. Fashion is a business and a reality and it has to fulfill some purpose. It has to fit into a lifestyle and be appealing to people.

AOL StyleList: Perhaps it's more similar to architecture then.
FC: I find architecture fascinating because you build something over ten years or twenty years and fashion is in much shorter cycles. It's really an evolution.

In related Art Basel news: read up on Charlotte Ronson's take on the 'Is Fashion Art?' debate.

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The Great Vodka River: An AndrewAndrew Field Trip

AndrewAndrew — 2010-12-05T08:19:00+00:00

The Great Vodka River, a mixed-media installation by Fyodor Pavlov-Andreevic, has been drumming up lots of buzz at Art Basel this year because, well, it's a giant river of vodka. PAPERMAG+AOL's video correspondents AndrewAndrew stopped by the three-story structure on the Oceanfront at Collins Park to check out this ostensibly wondrous structure, but the experience wasn't really so great. Check out their report in the video above.

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Brunching with Shepard Fairey

Paper Staff — 2010-12-04T23:01:00+00:00

Not all of the fun at Art Basel took place at night. Check out this video of PAPER magazine's brunch for Shepard Fairey Saturday morning at the Mondrian Hotel. Fairey chats with PAPER's editor-in-chief David Hershkovits about Miami, Art Basel and all of the show's he's seen (or, in his case, hasn't seen) so far.

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