Tag: movement

Art on DMT

In the heart of Crackland, aka São Paolo’s notorious República district, where the streets seethe with drug addicts after a 10p hit of rock, video artist and photographer Supercondensador is living inside the scenes which his laconic, portentous works depict. Supercondensador’s debut film, ‘Aqui a Gravidade e Outra’ (Here the Gravity is Another) projected inside an installation of everyday detritus as part of an acclaimed group show in the city last year, recreates the kind of psychedelic experience that one can only have in the post-apocalyptic metropolis. 

Supercondensador’s rough-cut glitching technique and loops are combined with spectral beating drum refrains, recorded in a viaduct to emulate the noise of internal mental disturbance. It’s neo-shamanism, conjuring the space between life and death and underpins an ongoing shift in the iconography of psychedelia. Happy-clappers on LSD have been replaced with gold-toothed rappers and neon-sheathed Disney kids smoking DMT. It’s not art that needs to be interpreted intellectually, but felt subliminally. 

At the New York's Spring/Break Art Show a few short weeks ago, Dario Argento and DMT were top of the artists’ pinterests. Among 80 emerging artists exhibiting, New York-based, Mexican-born Aurora Pellizzi presented a psychotropic four-channel video piece, reminiscent of the “patterned grid world” Flying Lotus describes below. Pellizzi’s work has an unusual synaesthetic quality, each film a slow moving shot over painted fabrics. Combining digital and analogue effects, as well as traditional and modern ideas on the psychedelic aesthetic - recent works are inspired by visual experiences of indigenous artists taking Ayahuasca, brightly coloured renderings of spirits, trees, and animals. But they are also unusual in that their movement is important, yet they don’t lead anywhere, nor do they ever meet nor their patterns converge. Their non-linear narrative points to the same space summoned in Supercondensador’s portraits of modern psilocybin trips: the near-infinite, where ‘life and death are no longer opposed – one simply is, and the other, isn’t’. 

the–miumiu–london

"Let's begin at the beginning: I love Miuccia Prada.

I'd bend backwards/sideways/every way for her. I feel her. I love her observation, sensitivity, modernism; she's progressive with respect, taking it all in, playing with it. With humour, intelligence. She's my goal.

When I was invited to DJ as part of the-miumiu-london I was beyond myself. The event took over the Cafe Royal's beautiful and baroque surroundings for three days – I'd previously hung in a 40s club run there.

Across three floors there was The Club Lounge and Terrace, Conversation Room, Oyster Bar, The Restaurant, Cocktail Bar and Miu Miu shop/gallery.Nourishing the senses (and the mind) across architecture, food, aesthetics, conversation and sound, I like the fact that #themiumiu was a women's club, where men had to accompany as a guest – a clever reversal of archetype.But I wouldn't consciously call myself a feminist, I'm for equal rights, which was one of the themes in the Conversation Room I visited.

There were women from all walks of life with the odd male here and there. Discussion was of women role models, with Penny Martin and Shala Monroque leading. I'd have liked some more time to get real dirty with it, into the nitty gritty of deeper issues and diversity butI got my word in expressing my respect for Pina Bausch, inspired by her expression through various media as a pioneer for the invisible. The movement drawing on feelings and observation; the beauty and grace of the old age or a child, man or woman and all in-between. The joy, pain and delicacy of life all wrapped in a very beautiful uniform.

Afterwards, a friend and I took fancy to some simple pleasures, eating seafood in the surroundings of golden wall swirls and candlelight, and diving into champagne. The Miu Miu collection in the shop I knew off by heart, and I knew it'd speak to me.

Cleansed by the freshness of the sea fruit and taste of fine wine, I was ready to play. No rules, just musical passion for 3 hours. Stephen Jones came up to me saying 'I Only Have Eyes For You' was his favourite song ever. I think if Miuccia was there, she'd have had a dance.

I had a great evening and connected with my girlfriend. The eyes said it all: I want to go there again. But... all things must pass."

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Men’s fashion

Men's fashion 1966

Suits designed in 1966 by Aquascutum and Simpson-Daks, members of the British Menswear Guild. Photograph: Keystone/Getty Images

The growing variety in men's clothes has reached a point where the tailoring world talks of rival styles. In Britain, it is the Flare line; in Germany, the Flowerpot line; in America, it is the Ivy League. Named designers of men's clothes are conspicuously absent, particularly in Britain.

Whatever the designer's interpretation of what men (or, as often or not, their womenfolk) want in clothes, it is increasingly apparent that we are fast moving towards an "international" style. Of course, there will be variations: age modifications between, say, the "teenager," the "man about town" and the "professional man", plus national variations.

Just as Paris has had to fight to resist the challenge of Italy and America in women's fashion, so today Savile Row is making a stand to retain some claim for traditional British bespoke tailoring. Hence, the Flare line, London's first major attempt for a decade to introduce a revolutionary new style. Will it succeed?

This spring's version of the Flare line, first introduced a year ago, is modified to the point where it at least becomes a practicable proposition. It is essentially the marriage of a cavalry-type jacket, longish in length and flared, and semi-bell-bottomed trousers with turn-ups.

Combined with it is the growing emphasis on brighter colours, on bold checks for country and Italian-inspired stripes for town wear. Waistcoats pick up a single colour from woollen or worsted suiting and are further enlivened by a novel cut.

Already, Savile Row reports that some of London's bold pioneers are adopting and adapting the Flare line. It will need further modification, however, before the ready-tailored manufacturers attempt to market it on a mass scale. Which is probably why the bespoke tailors have plunged for it.

The continental Flowerpot style is slender-making. The emphasis is on freedom of movement. It appeals as much to the young man on the continent as to those who wish to hide middle-age spread.

The jacket is directly opposed to the British conception. It is short with natural sloping shoulders, narrow lapels and slim sleeves to give the arms more emphasis. The trousers hug the hips and have very narrow bottoms without the turn-ups.

A touch of continental logic: bespoke tailors now cut the trouser knee on slightly fuller lines; this, together with a lining from the knee upwards, prevents bagging.

In America, this same mood of casualness has been developed over the years from what the college students wore into what has become known as the Ivy League line. Extreme forms of the Ivy, popular with younger men, are similar to our Edwardian style.

Already an American version of the Flowerpot has appeared, known as the Continental. No doubt each country will adopt its rival's styles. It becomes harder and harder to spot a man's nationality by his clothes.

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