Blog — Page 214 of 283

British Artists – Francis Bacon

by Andrew Brighton

Tate Publishing

Comprehensive and holistic in nature, The British Artist Series books employ the insights of art luminaries to illuminate the most renowned artists in the history of Britannica. This time the focus is on one of my eternal favourites:

Francis Bacon.

The exhibition of his eponymous “Three Studies for Figures at the Base of a Crucifixion” in 1945 catapulted him into the echelons of not only the most talented and ambitious painters of the modern age but also into the pole position in terms of controversy. His works is said to not only be intriguing to the eye but its intensity is fabled to have a tangible impact on your sensorium.

With a solid track record of having covered other artists, e.g. David Hockney, Ana Pacheco and Picasso’s oeuvre, curator and author Andrew Brighton sheds light on the genesis of the artist known as Francis Bacon and his standing in the queer world of the bohemia. Andrew Brighton’s approach is informed by an astute perception of what made Bacon’s work and the  external factors that influenced it – be it mundane or more profound ones.

Bacon is widely known for his giant canvasses spilling out nightmarish visions and contorted bodies in their raw and fleshy glory.

Arranged in chronological order, the book glues together the most important paintings from the Bacon's turbulent life, including his portraits of Pope Innocent X and his other inspiring triptychs, which became a source of inspiration for nightmares with depictions of the reduction of the human body to raw flesh..

A book that expounds the values and meanings that can be ascribed to Bacon's work, discusses criticisms of Bacon by distinguished critics and philosophers and serves both as a great introduction and companion for connoisseurs into the monumental legacy of what has rightly become an icon of British culture and the underlying manifold reasons for his fame and timeless relevance.

High Adventure in the Great Outdorrs – Topo Designs

One does not have to be a hardcore outdoorsman to have an appreciation for reliable quality outdoor gear that despite enabling you to brave the elements and unwelcoming terrain still looks fly.

Depending on your climatic context, the change of seasons and resulting cooler weather demands a versatile wardrobe. If the region of your wardrobe that caters to the cold season looks a bit bare, this section contains recommendations featuring some of my favorite gear to keep you warm and prepare for whatever the outdoors might throw your way.

Topo Designs’, the HQ of which is situated in Colorado,  gear is durable yet cozy, built tough & rugged yet stylish, overbuilt yet flattering to your silhouette, well-designed yet functional, not unnecessarily complicated or overshadowed by unnecessary trends in technology and once your gear has broken in, it becomes soft and supple: Their versatile emissions are great to wear as insulation layer and they fit well while not loosing shape.

Inspired by the elements and made to conquer them, their creations have become staple items I can rely on, providing durability and structure yet coming into shape and getting softer as you wear them, plus the fact that they look funky means they can be seamlessly integrated into your own personal style and wardrobe.

Topo Designs’ values and products are deeply influenced by the outdoors and mountain cultures of their home base. With a team who grew up fishing, hiking, climbing and skiing, they often look back to the gear of our youth in awe. The simple yet functional gear of their childhood has been reimagined from the classic designs into capable modern-day products that transition from town to trail and are made in the USA.

Let’s see what they got to offer in detail, shall we?

Topo Designs’ Mountain Jacket is a styler. an absolute essential for the Fall season. It strikes the right balance between blocking the cold and being light enough to not promote intense sweating as things start to warm up.

Heavy on design details, the Mountain Jacket will definitely be with me for years to come. You can compress it to a small ball and thus fit it into the smallest bag – perfect to be taken along for when you are not 100% about the weather forecast.

Topo Designs’ bag works great as a daily carry to and from work but I have also been using it for short travel.

The Commuter Briefcase is a great everyday bag during the week, and with the stowable backpack straps, it’s versatile enough for a bike commute - it can act as the perfect quick overnighter on the weekends.

The Rover Pack, which comes in a range of colour-blocked shades is small enough so you don’t feel like a pack-mule biking to work, but still manages to easily fit a laptop, lunch, clothes and shoes for a lunchtime run.

The way I first became aware of Topo Designs is via their collaboration with Monocle Magazine, one of a myriad of their collaborations, most of which are sold out.

Monocle teamed up with Topo Designs to offer a range of useful carry-ons and accessories, e.g. a reworking of the US brand’s classic Klettersack design. With their 1000D Cordura exteriors and coated pack-cloth lining, the bags are durable and neatly designed to accommodate the needs of both urban explorers and serious outdoor adventurers.

The Monocle medium pouch is handmade in Colorado, these colourful zip-up pouches are ideal for stashing items away. Perfect for cables, small electronic items and other travel essentials as well as a smaller but perfectly proportioned, zip-up pouch, which is a colourful solution for stashing away your travel must-haves.

The micro pouch variants are pint-sized pouches that are ideal for tucking away small items. Perfect for loose cash and tickets,

The Four Winds Field Jacket is Topo Designs collaboration with Colorado-based label WH Ranch. The foundation came from the basic framework of one of the more accessible and iconic pieces in a man's wardrobe, the trucker jacket. They wanted to bridge the gap between form and function, and tried to ensure every design detail not only looked the part but had a purpose. Features include single-needle stitched riser seams, a popular construction technique on turn of the century work wear; more tedious to be sure, but the clean lines and added seam durability are worth the effort. The signature Topo Camo Cordura Nylon stays true to the spirit of functionality - recoil pads can actually be placed into the jacket shoulder pouches on either side. Add in heavy-weight 14oz waxed cotton duck cloth, reinforced elbow patches, hand-set pure copper rivets, YKK pure copper buttons, and you end up with all of the elements of a field jacket that is built to last.

The Howler Bros Field Bag is suitable for a range of activities from fishing to photographing, the Field Bag is a carry all for essentials you need at your hip. It comes equipped with a breathable padded back and shoulder strap, removable waist strap, and a fully padded and lined interior.

The Howler Bros Gaucho Snap Shirt is constructed of lightweight, quick drying poly-cotton blend and featuring a cooling mesh lined vented back yoke, this one is ready for everything from the dusty trails of Wyoming to the salt spray of Ambergris. Add in pearl snaps and pleated chest pockets and you’ll be the envy of any campfire. Hee-haw.

Another collaboration saw Topo Designs teaming up with Denver-based artist John Fellows to create a water bottle and t-shirt with his linoleum carving artwork.

Fellows’ signature “contemporary folk” style weaves together layers of found paper, graphic block prints and handwritten text to create an old time, hands-on feel. The artist collects a variety of found paper, maps and books dating from the 1880s to the present to create unique linoleum carving collages that while at the very base reflect his personal experiences, are more like a brief glimpse into another person’s story.

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Photos from company website

John Heartfield – Laughter Is A Devastating Weapon

Tate Publishing

John Heartfield (born Helmut Herzfeld; 19 June 1891 – 26 April 1968) was an artist and a pioneer in the use of art as a political weapon.  He is held in high esteemed as a pioneer in the world of photomontage with his intricate approach to manipulating photographs and the impact it had on the political landscape of his time. Some of his photomontages were anti-Nazi and anti-fascist statements. Heartfield also created book jackets for authors such as Upton Sinclair as well as stage sets for such playwrights as Bertold Brecht and Erwin Picator. 

If you ever wondered what inspired Sakevi of G.I.S.M.’s collages and artwork, you will find the answer in this book, which  provides a comprehensive, opulent overview about his works along with informative essays that contextualize his emissions, one hundred and fifty of which are depicted in their original and the printed versions and were put together and derived from the collection of  David King (known from The Commissar Vanishes, Red Star over Russia and Russian Revolutionary Posters).

Needless to say that roughly seventy years after Heartfield’s heyday, his oeuvre still exudes the same intensity and is as relevant as it ever was.

With the original Marquette being displayed on one side and the corresponding AIZ cover on the other, it allows to reader to view the many artistic nuances of Heartfield's work that are lost in the mass reproductions.

An absolute must-read for anyone with an interest in collage art works in general and John Heartfield and his work specifically.

No Is a Four-Letter Word: How I Failed Spelling but Succeeded in Life

Chris Jericho

Da Capo Press

The basics: Chris Jericho portrays himself as a bit of a Renaissance Man wearing the hats of a bestselling author and  juggling a veritable wrestling career. The book compiles his wisdom in twenty lessons that helped him establish himself in the position he is in today, peppered with what he refers to as “Jericho-isms”, his trademark witty remarks that frame his elaborations.

Chris Jericho gets shit done: Pro wrestler, lead singer or a touring and established rock 'n' roll band, heading his own widely successful podcast with his signature style and a range of interesting guests.

It is not further wondrous that Jericho encountered adversity during his career and his ability to achieve what he set out to was questioned. What sets him apart is that he believed in his vision and did not allow himself to be lead astray by naysayers.

In essence, No Is a Four-Letter Word is a compilation of Jericho’s show business wisdom, which can be inspiring and is entertaining: From shedding light on how his work ethic evolved to pages he took from the books of established great showmen he encountered, e.g. Gene Simmons of KISS via David Bowie to Keith Richard.

The result is a funny, entertaining, and at times inspiring book – Jericho’s fourth, which compared to the previous three sees him take the switch from a classic autobiography to more of a self help manual based on his past experiences. 

Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between

Andrew Bolton

Yale University Press

If you are into design, Rei Kawakubo of Comme des Garçons will ring a couple of bells as she has been heralded as one of the most influential luminaries in her field. Ever since she debuted in Paris in 1981, she has succeeded in blurring the divide between art and fashion and transformed predominant  notions of beauty, identity, and the body.

Her fashions not only stand apart from the progenitur of clothing but also resist and actively defy labelling and clichés. Her work is centered on the concept behind the idea of the “in-between”, which according to her approach is situated between space and emptiness.

NYC’s MET Costume Institute's spring 2017 exhibition examined the work of fashion designer Rei Kawakubo, who is not unknown for being an agent provocateur challenging the status quo and what is considered to be good practice by the mainstream.

The show that was based on the theme of “in-between-ness” featured around one hundred and fifty exhibits of the womenswear Rei Kawakubo and Comme des Garçons have become known for, not only stopping at recent collections but  dating back to the 1980s to her most recent collections.

The galleries illustrated the designer's endeavours in the space between boundaries, which are infused with a gusto for revolution.

Objects were organized into the  nine core concepts behind her aestheticism:

• Absence/Presence
• Design/Not Design
• Fashion/Anti-Fashion
• Model/Multiple
• Then/Now
• High/Low
• Self/Other
• Object/Subject and Clothes/Not Clothes

What Kawakubo accomplishes, is tearing down what is perceived to separate the aforementioned dualisms and exposing those barriers for what they are: Artificial and arbitrary.

As one who is remotely familiar with Kawakubo’s oeuvre, the show was challenging, with the astonishing garments, installation design and catalog forming an unrivaled juggernaut breaking down barriers between art and fashion, that is in book form articulated by Andrew Bolton and photography by Nicholas Alan Cope, Inez & Vinoodh, Katerina Jebb, Kazumi Kurigami, Ari Marcopoulos, Craig McDean, Brigitte Niedermair, Paolo Roversi, and Collier Schorr 

This catalogue is meant to accompany The Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute exhibition, which was centered around Kawakubo’s definition of fashion:

“What I’ve only ever been interested in are clothes that one has never seen before, that are completely new, and how in what way they can be expressed. Is that called fashion? I don’t know the answer.” - Rei Kawakubo.

This lavishly illustrated publication weaves an illuminating narrative around Kawakubo’s experiments in oppositions and the spaces between boundaries.

Kawakubo regards her fashions and their environments as a Gesamtkunstwerk, i.e. a “total work of art.” This synthesis of the exhibition and this book is therefore designed as a complete expression of the Comme des Garc?ons “universe.” It is intended to be a holistic, immersive experience, facilitating a personal engagement with Kawakubo’s emissions.

A book that is minimal, arresting, and impossibly chic eye candy photography not just for hardcore fashion aficionados but one that can be appreciated by many artistic disciplinarians and one that gives insight into Kawakubo's process and thinking.