All of the incredibly talented Ashkan Honarvar’s art deals with the darker sides of the human mind through the undeniable and unavoidable beauty of the human body. The universal human body, used as tool for seeking identity, is the focal point of his work. By dissecting and rearranging images with careful aesthetic vision, Honarvar creates work with an intriguing macabre darkness. Since his graduation from the Art School in our hometown Utrecht in 2007 Ashkan has been making a name for himself with his utmost fascinating collages. Themes like colonialism, war, mass destruction, megalomania and other grotesque behavior are all observable in his progressively growing body of work. We can't get enough of his enthralling collages and love how the artist combines the abject with the aesthetic, creating images one can't stop looking at. Being very inspired by Ashkan's vision we asked him a couple questions to find out what inspires a highly unique mind like his. [ Continue reading ]
Running for one more week in the Los Angeles-based Little Big Man Gallery: the extraordinary show named 'All In – Buying Into the Drug Trade’ by British photographer Graham MacIndoe, his first solo exhibition in the USA. Each image from the show is a variation on a single object: a small glassine heroin bag stamped with an exotic or bleakly satirical brand name, all collected by MacIndoe when he was an addict. Enterprising dealers brand and market their product like entrepreneurs in any business, with references to popular culture: Twilight, Crooklyn, New Jack City, and nods to consumer aspirations: First Class, Rolex, Obsession. The logos stamped on the baggies range from the conceptually clever to the knowingly ominous, like Dead Medicine paired with a skull and crossbones. MacIndoe’s own obsessive nature – as a photographer and a recovering addict – underscores the repetition of the images, all perfectly lit and precisely composed. But the now empty baggies are devoid of the emotional chaos of addiction; the photos are clinical and detached, almost aestheticized, yet still carry the residue of a former life in their stains and ragged edges. [ Continue reading ]
Atelier Haussmann is a Berlin-based studio founded by brothers Rainer and Andreas Haussmann, who started their shared endeavor in 1990. Simultaneously with the foundation of the studio the brothers created the brand Mobile Metallic, and under the two flags they create both interior designs and exclusive interior products out of iron which are made to last a lifetime. The products of Atelier Haussmann evoke the sentiment of remembrance. The iron stool in a workshop, the steel tube bed, the bench in the locker room. Many pieces are based on designs from the past, reinterpreted for contemporary times. Through the combination of citation, the return to traditional production techniques and new ideas Atelier Haussmann developed its own aesthetic, keeping away from fast fashion phenomena, with a clear focus on products made with the highest quality possible, always remaining with a timeless presence. [ Continue reading ]
After O Editorial released its first set of collaborations a year ago, when they celebrated their two years of existence, this summer the platform of our friend Álvaro Tavares Ramos presented a new project: a special edition bicycle in an exclusive collaboration with Portuguese bicycle builders and shop Velo Culture. In addition to being the dominant mode of daily transport in their hometown of Porto, O Editorial selected a bicycle as its next project, it being an elegant object of impeccable design, pairing shape and movement exemplary, with which we can only concur. As with everything, there are bicycles more appealing than others and for this special edition O Editorial collaborated with a like-minded company championing both craftsmanship and aesthetics. Founded by three friends: Miguel Barbot, Sérgio Moura and Hugo Cardoso, the Porto-based Velo Culture was a pioneer in Portugal when it comes to presenting the most elegant classic and urban bicycle brands, making them the perfect partner in creating this beautiful bicycle. [ Continue reading ]
We have written about the extraordinary work of the French artist Marc Giai-Miniet before and on the 11th of October his one of a kind sculptures have finally crossed the the Atlantic Ocean for his first solo exhibition in the United States. The work of Giai-Miniet is truly unique and balances the fine handcraft involved in the creation of his tiny dioramas with poignant explorations through memory, association, and dreamscape. His tiny homes, though dealing with images of mundane possessions, industrial equipment, and furniture, evoke a feeling which is surreal and even a touch sinister. His sculptures are heavily influenced by childhood visits to the garage his father worked in as a mechanic, hence the systematic arrangements of the spaces and industrial influences, but also the exposure of the images of the Holocaust at a young age are mentioned when one deconstructs where in his life the roots for his incredible art have grown from. [ Continue reading ]
Since the moment lifestyle brand GERTRUD & GEORGE came to our attention, we knew we wanted to find a way in seriously cooperating with such a like-minded brand. After a couple of months we found the right context and to our great pride GERTRUD & GEORGE became the main collaborator of Our Current Obsessions Nº 1 – NOIR. The inspirational brand is the brainchild of the very gifted Nick F. Cerutti. Founded in 2001 to serve bespoke and semi-bespoke purposes prominently in Japan to begin with, GERTRUD & GEORGE nurtures an intrinsic sense of equilibrium between aesthetics, function and execution in order to conceive pristine high-end goods. Since 2011 Nick and his partner Mathieu Annen have shifted their focus towards accessories and bags, which resulted in a perfect jet-black line named The Esquire Suite, consisting of 7 models which come in three different sizes and varying river buffalo grains and depths. Being highly inspired by Nick's tremendous history, his current work with GERTRUD & GEORGE and his overall vision, we've asked him some questions on his inspirations in life. [ Continue reading ]
The beautiful leather brand ro was founded in New York City in 1999 by architect Gene Miao and apparel designer Yvonne Roe. With the brand they wanted to reflect the unique energy and character of the East Village in Manhattan, while actively adapting to the expectations of metropolitan life. Through its clean silhouettes and quality workmanship, ro soon became available at prestigious stores like Saks Fifth Avenue and Barneys in Tokyo, among others. Despite this success changes would occur in the company over the years, with both founders leaving separately. Gene left in 2005 and established 1:1, an architecture and interior design practice in Hong Kong. But in 2012, Gene was invited to rejoin ro as the design director. After witnessing the wasteful demolition of building and interior sites in his work for 1:1, Gene has developed a keen environmental awareness. The architect-designer now identifies both raw materials and former fixtures to reclaim and recycle into reborn furniture. Similarly, ro handbags that become visibly worn from use can be refurbished, retouched and restored into timeless fashion items. [ Continue reading ]