Minä Perhonen

Tokyo-based designer Akira Minagawa started his brand, Minä Perhonen (only Minä at the time), in 1995. He quickly became known for his charming, hand drawn prints- he has published several art books and also applies his prints to furniture upholstery as well as his simple yet quirky clothing line. Think of Minä Perhonen as Japan's answer to Marimekko, albeit designed with a distinctly Japanese avante-garde appeal.

THE YEAR OF THE ROPE

Performance art has been on our minds ever since the incredible Marina Abramovic retrospective opened at MoMA. It's the biggest exhibition of performance art the MoMA has put on in its history. Below are photos from Marina Abramovic's original performance pieces, some of which were re-created for the MoMA exhibition.

We've also been revisiting some memorable performances from Tehching Hsieh, Joseph Beuys, and Matthew Barney.

MARINA ABRAMOVIC

Nude with Skeleton (2002-5)

Skin and bones.

Rest Energy (1980)

Taut bow and arrow aimed at Marina's heart.
Perfect weight distribution maintains tension.
The accelerated heartbeats measured.

Imponderabilia (1977)

A fleshy entrance.

TEHCHING HSIEH

Tehching Hsieh is another wildly influential performance artist who says his one-year-long performances are about "wasting time and freethinking". Maybe so, but his performances are also about entangling art and life, poetically exposing how we relate to one another, how we struggle, adapt.

Art/Life: One Year Performance 1983-4 (Rope Piece)

Hsieh and collaborator Linda Montano were tied together by an eight foot rope. For one year.

Read about the how their relationship evolved over the course of the year and how they think it was easier than actually being "tied" to a bad job or unhealthy relationship.

JOSEPH BEUYS


German artist Joseph Beuys spent his first trip to America in a East Broadway Gallery with a coyote.

I Like America and America Likes Me (1974)

MATTHEW BARNEY

Blood of Two (2009)

More recently, Matthew Barney and Elizabeth Peyton collaborated on this ceremonious performance on the Greek Island Hydra, involving local fisherman unveiling artwork from a sarcophagus submerged in the sea.

Not as gritty and personal as the performance art in the 70's/80's, but still mesmerizing.

PLACES III

fnp architektur

a super cool project. thanks Camille!

PARTNERS & SPADE

One of Andy Spade's recent collaborative endeavors is Partners & Spade.  

It's a storefront, gallery, and studio that produces films, books, garments, and conceptual products.  It's playful and quirky and wonderful. You'll find our favorite axes (yes, we have ax preferences) from Best Made Co, cacti, terrariums, and even backdated confidence trophies that will be sure to make you feel like a winner. 

Plus, Partners & Spade are good hosts... last night we were there sipping red wine and watching Thurston Moore play an improv guitar set alongside a super-star saxophone player.

Always interesting to see how Andy Spade mixes retail, art, and advertising together and serves it as a perfectly refreshing dish. 

 

PLACES II

Ahhh, NYTimes Slideshows. We love 'em.

Meet Mr.Butch Anthony. Butch began building his log cabin from salvaged heart pine, using only cables and pulleys strung from surrounding trees. Take a look at the full slideshow.... pretty fancy log cabin, eh? Oh! Also, Butch dresses exclusively in Liberty overalls (he owns 25 pairs). Our kinda guy.

OUT AND ABOUT

Emmett Kelly and Will Oldham are extraordinary together.

They played The Wonder Show of the World for us at Monster Island Basement

and we melted.