Chanel Sasquatch

OM-to-the-MFing G. Lagerfeld's lost it in the best way ever. The king of fashion (in my kingdom) has gone to another astral plain of super-rad by creating a high fallutin' lady sasquatch. (you may recall mentioning Allyson Mitchell's fake fun fur sculpture installation Ladies Sasquatch...uhhhh I'm just sayin' Coincidence? No, eff it. In my mind, Lagerfeld's got the secret direct line to radical lesbian feminist art and politics. See you at the feminist lesbian haunted house in Toronto come October, KARL!)

I'm on a roll here with winter wear. Fake fun fur suits, giant sweaters and blankets. This is a magical triad. I think I'm sufficiently psyched for Spring and fully ready for winter at the same time. Is that weird?


And I'm sorry but what in the world is happening here?! Is that a full on freaking crystal knuckle sheath. My mind is exploding.

That's Ms. Saint, if You're Nasty

The veneration of Ms. Ditto in the fashion world is probably the best thing/interesting phenomenon that's happened in a long while. The discussion of homo/fat politics in fashion is pretty much nil. And even when it's called out [V Magazine 2010] lacks serious weight. But, hey, you can't change the world in a day. I love about designers like Karl Lagerfeld, Gareth Pugh, and Jean Charles Castelbajac. They are canonizing Ditto as style icon. While the message may get lost in the media shuffle, no matter what the lyrics and politics still live strong in her art. And I hope they stay out there. No consumer factory can take that away.


photo props to THEMISSHAPES twatter feed from JD de Castelbajac show.

I spied Ms. Ditto on ye olde style.com talking about Viktor & Rolf. I love the right of passage idea. But then again...I like to think of Kristen "the older model" like the mother of the alien horde of fledgling maximum shouldered babies.

Allyson Mitchell's Hungry Purse

My lovely friend, Marne Lucas asked me to collaborate with her again. She met Canadian installation artist extraordinaire Allyson Mitchell at the opening of "Visible Vagina" at the David Nolan Gallery. They hit it off and planned to do an artist portrait session inside Allyson's installation, "Hungry Purse: The Vagina Dentata in Late Capitalism". Marne called me up to contribute a little style, make up, hair wrangling action. (uh, yeah, mention 'vagina and 'capitalism' in the same sentence you best believe I'm in).

Turns out Marne, Allyson and I are all kindred feminist artist ladies with a whole lot of silly mixed up in there. Allyson reconfirmed my love for Canada and their support of artists. She was just about to depart back from a 6 month residency. So glad I got a chance to meet her. (slick pics to come...here's some teaser shots)

I got my first chance to work with a faux mustache. Here's Allyson looking mega hot in a black poly zip up pantsuit. I think channeling a little Burt Reynolds meets Deep Lez. I MUST get a poly pantsuit. 1st functional, then flattering and so easy! With the zip down front, to boob...or not to boob. hot.

Here's a detail of the throne and stuffed pink antelope (?) heads. When asked by a gallery-goer, "What are those?" Allyson replied, "Some weird fallopian tube head things." Ahh...yes. Perfect.



I'm in love with her pink animal creations...cute little nippled minxes. Neon creatures in the woods. Here's some more from her catalog of Ladies Sasquatch.

Detail of ceiling, collected doilies, afghans knitted into one massive construction.

Marne hard at work, and her special skill--balancing atop crookedy ladders while capturing beautiful images. Notice entrance and urethra afghan. (never thought I'd write those two words together)


If you're in NY the Visible Vagina exhibition runs through March 20th. Go see it, you won't regret it!

Anais Mitchell's Hadestown + Alicia J. Rose , and me!

Awhile back I posted some teaser pics of promo shots for Anais Mitchell's upcoming album Hadestown. Time's come to release these beauts into the universe. I worked with pro photographer/amazing gal Ms. Alicia J. Rose yet again. This time I dabbled in a bit of everything: hair, make-up, wardrobe, styling, set design. I'm very pleased with our little collaboration. (big sigh...I sure do miss Portland)

Rita Ackermann : Sirens with Engines

I love Rita Ackermann. I love her because she recalls all that was romantic and nostalgic about the 90's -- in a sacred way. My network of friends and my atmosphere/community absorbed her art in a way that made it seem all ours. It's got to be the identification with the innocent siren, the naive doe in the midst of chaos. Strong emotional ties there. In my memory, the past 10 years' events have been about surviving insanity. (and now i'm glad to say, thriving-ish in insanity) I'm glad Rita Ackerman has the emotional antennae to detect for herself foremost, and offer her images for those who are hungry for evolution.

Here's some images from the new Purple. Totally worth reading cover to cover!



Mr. Zahm did an amazing interview with her. ANd hello!? a kick ass photo her in a Mark Fast mesh/crochet dress and patent Pam Hogg no heel shoes with none other than Ms. Lizzi Bougatsos (love). I had no idea how much Rita and Lizzi did together art/happening/performance art-wise.
Reading the interview reminded me of the casual story telling style I loved so much in old zines. That sort format really helps break down recent art history in basic digestible bits while shedding pretension. It's a way to recollect 'the way it was' bleeding into 'the way it is'. All together you see there's room for so much more art.

Yeah, so much more art. There's also a feature later in the same magazine with photos by Ackermann, words by Jeff Rian. It's a story about Marfa, TX, featuring her sewing on the hood of a car. So awesome....

Polka Daughter : Yayoi Kusama

She was more famous that Andy Warhol.


She made a heap of art in astronomical scales, rooms full covered ceiling to floor. She made PENIS chairs. Then she quit art and only did happenings (i guess it's performance art these days). Then she went nuts. In a nutshell, that's it her life. (which i should not dare to be so scant or dismissive of a more complicated life)



The thing is that Kusama is still creating art every day and she's in her 70's, almost 80's! There's nothing I love more than a woman with longevity and passion that spans decades. Guess the story is not old....but she's basically a forgotten pop artist in America although she's one of the most prolific. (hello!? white dudes always get written about in books and get documented in history, others???...notsomuch)



I learned about her after going to MOMA awhile back and seeing her art book on the shelf, Love Forever. Although I still haven't seen any of her work in person. I've become a life long lover of Kusama.
The fellas at Purple Magazine took two seconds from smokin' sherm and OD-ing on tits (i have more to say about this...) to come up for air on Yayoi Kusama. She got some exposure from photographer Chikashi Suzuki. Showing her in her studio in Comme des Garcons..in POLKA DOTS of course, just lovely.
Hope Kusama is making a come back...thinking she's about to come back into view. Saw t-shirts emblazoned with her image at Cynthia Rowley store in NY last week, too. Hope she gets some long due props.

Icon: Yoko Ono

I had the fortune of attending Yoko Ono's Dress Rehearsal performance at BAM Monday night. I swear, it's going to take me a year to process the whole show beginning to end. From the video montage retrospective of her life/work (I cried the whole time). If ever you wondered why this woman does what she does...it's so clear. In the face of EVERYTHING the bastard world has to throw at her she's the ultimate optimist. I couldn't respect any one more. She devastates my heart with her tenacity and positive outlook. You could try to burn her at the stake and she'd offer you a hug. It's the complete re-version/visioning of DISARMAMENT.

Here's the rough outline of the show.
It both lightens and sinks my heart to see "WAR IS OVER...if you want it" lit on top of taxi cabs in New York in 2010.

Nothing's changed but the art still remains.

So there's this dress at the t-shirt booth, that's a mystery to me. Who designed it? What does it mean, man!!?


There's a reason this woman must open her mouth. for the pretty to come out.

There were lots of special guests. (including a sneaky Mark Ronson, I'm pretty sure, Scissor Sisters and Chimera) I know I should have loved Kim, Thurston and Yoko doing "Mulberry" best. But truths be told I loved Justin Bond's "What a Bastard the World Is" so so sososo much. So appropriate, campy, heart wrenching and awesome.





AND they played "Death of Samantha" live for the first time ever???!!

humor break: Bottoms are really at the bottom of everything. "Bottoms" on the bathroom stall....love you yoko.

And I know over time, and by complete cultural saturation of Lennon/Ono's "Give Peace a Chance" renders it totally cheezeballs. But I really don't care. I still think it's powerful to sing together and stand up--so there. (and singing together with this group was really fun and earnest).


Listen to this woman: "Stay healthy this year, and don't get too angry." .......okay, i'll try.

Friday Funday

To commence every Friday, I break from homework...and set out into the city. Today at school I made this:

This is schoooooooooooooooooooooolllllllllllllllllll, one of the buildings I have construction classes in. These giant stuffed mushroom ottomans is where a lady like me noshes on her packed lunch.
Never noticed this awning until I stepped up to take the picture. Design students look so HAPPY under it.

5th Ave and 13th St. where all the schooling happens.
My favorite home cooked borscht. Ukrainian joint, Stage...(scratch out stomp marquee from you periphery, Stage left is where it's at boy)

$6.40 for a cup of borscht, kasha, buttered in house baked challah and a cup of tea. Perfect winter meal.


while waiting for my man, I wandered to a store, huh, heh? Offering free champies and art Ms. Rowley...yes please.
Cynthia Rowley/Gagosian Gallery collab, books editions posters prints design. i think they got their fingers in all the appropriate pies.
My favorit Yayoi Kusama t-shirt for $65. If nothing else but to testify her art and remember how awesome she is. Lookin' good Yayoi!
Damien Hurst! damn you! schmooshing the butterflies. I like.

you can't see anything here but this is essentially a cotton dress with a digital print of CR tassel extravaganza happening in her fall 2010 collection.


loving tassels! I'm thinking layers of tassels in leath-ah would be gorgeous.