By Safie Benoit

The Tate Britain is spending the early part of this year celebrating the creative achievements of Turner Prize winner, Chris Ofili, a British born artist with Nigerian heritage. Ofili’s paintings, pencil drawings and watercolours from the 1990s to the present day have been exhibited in seven rooms in the Tate, providing a real sense of the development of Ofili’s artistic career; its progression, influences and direction changes. Although, as Ofili says for himself, the paintings are out of the original context that are naturally intended for them, being placed at the Tate allows them to speak for themselves in a way that is quite profound and moving.

His paintings burst with extraordinary colour, intricacy and what might at first seem like absurdity, but none the less, his works have definite meaning and depth invocating to blackness amongst many other themes. 

 

Much of his earlier works in the 1990s are marked by his famous trademark, an outlandish ball of elephant dung and the Yoruba and Aboriginal dot painting style, similar to that of Zimbabwean cave paintings. These works are greatly influenced by Ofili’s African roots and openly point to aspects of his African heritage. During the mid to late 90s Ofili’s works become greatly fuelled by the blaxploitation movie era of the 1970s, 90s hip-hop and American gangster rap music, further contemporary symbols of black culture and the black experience at the time. The allusions to black rap and film stars, such as fictional cartoon character ‘Captain sh*t’ and the famous black stars which are discretely placed in every other painting, are also ways of translating the black experience, but also perhaps mocking it and exploiting the misunderstandings within it.  ‘The Adoration of Captain sh*t and the Legend of the Black Stars’ is a hilarious parody of the American gangster rappers; it appears to glorify Captain sh*t as white hands want to touch him - or do they want to pull him down? However, it simultaneously ridicules the triviality of his very overtly stereotypical image.

Similar obscurities are held up with sexual and racial stereotypes throughout Ofili’s paintings and also what it is to be beautiful or ugly. He questions the black community’s judgement on female beauty with paintings ‘Blossom’ and her antithesis ‘Foxy Roxy’. But like Captain sh*t, these works allow you to make your own judgements as to which is being celebrated and which is being derided.

 

Ofili explores and plays with ideas and concepts in all his works, however, there is an extremely apparent distinction between his earlier works and his creations since immigrating to Trinidad. Living in Trinidad has clearly made an impact on his more recent works as the last two rooms in the exhibition are filled with paintings that are hung on the walls rather than supported by two large dung balls at either side of each canvas. The pieces in the very last room are almost a complete turn around from the earlier natural resources used, such as teeth, hair and dung balls. There is a new fluidity about the more recent paintings, which brings a refreshing change although makes them unrecognisable as Ofili originals. A clear Caribbean influence is greatly evident through the bright, neon colours, continuous waterfalls, streams and rainforest imagery. However, Ofili stays true to his beliefs throughout all of his pieces and each work of art speaks a thousand words about the images and surroundings he witnesses, much better than he could himself. Ofili’s works hold the beauty of being able to bring high art to popular culture. His work is accessible to all and plays on what is hallowed, secular and vulgar, turning them all on their heads at times. He is a true modern day extraordinaire.

 

Chris Ofili’s paintings, pencil drawings and watercolours will be exhibited at the Tate Britain until 16^th May. For more information and opening times, visit the Tate website.

 

Tickets £10

Concessions £8.50

All images courtesy of the Tate press office

Wunderkind

There was a tribal-come-military feel on the final day of Paris Fashion Week, as Wunderkind designer Wolfgang Joop presented a collection inspired by the Hispanic urban warrior.

The first look, a striped and fringed horse blanket, seemed to set the scene for an edgy collection that was based around the blanket, with trench coats and blazers taking shape from the heavy wool fabric. Joop once made his name power-dressing the worlds most savvy fashionistos and fashionistas, and his continuing nod to strong tailoring maintains this heritage.

This latest offering, which featured a small amount of menswear, showed Joop's appreciation for feminine silhouettes and fabrics. Draped scarf-print dresses trimmed with fox fur, accordion-pleated ruff shoulder details and scalloped yokes impressed a theatrical yet flattering image of this edgy collection.

Detailing and accessories were a key part of the collection; ruffles and pleating, fringing and embellishment gave depth to the garments. Notable footwear such as leather and wool boots, and military and Inca design detailed heels with tribal faces will no doubt be some of the hottest pieces for the label.

The palette was vibrant, shying away from the monochrome trend; rose red, candy-floss pink, yellow and khaki with a smattering of leopard and exploded floral prints. With a smattering of browns and white, this was a collection that brought together the heritage of South America with the urban warrior trend that is a sure fire winner for the upcoming season.

Hermès

There was a Franco-British vibe parading the Hermès catwalk, as John Paul Gaultier look inspiration from the 1960s British TV series 'The Avengers'.

The spoof power-woman character that fashion is playing with at the moment was combined with the traditional masculine tailoring of Savile Row, as well as demonstrating the classical Hermès ideology of luxury and elegance.

The image of model Lily Cole parading, with attitude and meaning, in a black leather catsuit holding a Kelly bag put many in mind of Emma Peel, the heroine of 'The Avengers'. In addition to this, her umbrella and bowler hat gave a nod to John Steed, the hero of the cult programme, and the old school spy masters of the British government.

Gaultier, with his traditional tongue-in-cheek design details, had plenty of jokes in his latest offering, with kinky-fetish napa leather aspects that have graced many a catwalk this season, as well as detailing such as saddle-like epaulettes with dangling stirrups. His inclusion of the bowler hat will no doubt be an in-the-know trend for the upcoming season, although the umbrellas maybe a necessity.

However, behind the jokes there was some impeccable tailoring that has become quite a signature at Hermès, with clean cut lines and a power-dressing aesthetic without the shoulder pads. Wool waistcoats, short smock overcoats, slimline short skirts in leather and oversized trousers gave a British nod with French sensibilities.

An equestrian sport influence crept into the collection, as luxury duffel coats and parkas made an appearance, as well as sporty vests and classical riding dresses flowed beneath cropped leather jackets in chocolate brown.

The palette  was black and white for the most, yet the signature Hermès orange and nude set the tone for tights, with leopard print, caramel, camel and an orange brown mix making up the bulk of the collection.

With jokes aside, this was another luxurious, wearable and fun collection from Hermès under Jean Paul Gaultier, which will no doubt trickle down to the high street and influence many women's wardrobes.

Louis Vuitton

"And God Created Woman", announced the show notes at Louis Vuitton, as Marc Jacobs focused on the sexual glamour of the 1950s woman with real breasts and hips.

With a collection that aimed to dress women, real women, Jacobs put a new spin on this offering with a fresh look with clean make-up, ponytails and old school, square toed pumps with flat bows. This nod to the era of homemaking  was combined with a French accent that spoke of conservative values with undertones of feisty sexuality.

The silhouette was limited, with high waisted petticoated skirts and thick wool jacket skirt combinations which were pinched tightly high above the hips. However, the typical Vuitton trait for detail shone through with fur buttons, collars and pretty bow belts. Other detailing included flocking,sequins, guipure lace over satin and woven metallic thread and a smattering of fox fur.

Texture was a key feature of this collection, with boucle wool skirts, heavy rouching on halter neck tops, flowing leather bell skirts and a corduroy jacket accentuating the silhouettes of the 1950s theme.

Although a triumphant collection from Marc Jacobs, it was the bags and evening gowns that really stole the show, as the classic Speedy was reinterpreted look after look, with monogram and without. The last four looks of evening wear punched home the inspiration of the collection; hips and breasts. With a nod to the Ruben-esque look that has been popularised by Vivienne Westwood, a mass gathering of fabrics provided the 'wow' factor that will no doubt be seen on many red carpets next year.

Miu Miu

Romantic with a Sixties twist, Miuccia Prada's line was a far cry from her sexy Prada collection that focused on the bust.

The silhouette was narrow and short which made the models' slim legs even more elongated by square toe pumps in black. High necks on sleeveless shift dresses were romanticised and softened by thin, flowing bows and other dresses were pinched below the waist. Silver rosettes were featured on many garments, which dotted the front of tops and following the hemline of coats - a shiny and sparkling reminder of the Mary Quant years.

The romantic, youthful aesthetic suddenly grew up mid-show as pinafore dresses with deep scooped fronts were teamed with bandeau tops which sexily exposed some flesh under the bust. More skin was exposed with shift dresses with cut-out detailing at the ribs and mini-skirts cheekily and very suggestively flashed a bit of thigh.

The palette was not as monochrome as its big sister, Prada, although black featured heavily. Purple, pink, orange and lilac gave this collection a splash of colour; much like Andy Warhol in his Factory Days. If the clothes were Warhol, then the colours were Edie Sedgwick. Ruching, embellishment, lace and furry fabrics gave this offering texture, but the highly coveted touch will be achieved through the footwear and large handled bags. 

All Words by Dan Hasby-Oliver.

All images from here.

Edited by Glass Cleaner - 11 Mar 2010 at 6:33pm

Edited by Viola Levy - 11 Mar 2010 at 2:25pm

Edited by Viola Levy - 11 Mar 2010 at 2:22pm

Chanel

There was a definite chill in the air at the Chanel show, as Karl Lagerfeld had shipped in Arctic icebergs from Scandinavian for the backdrop of his winter wonderland themed collection.

This latest offering from Kaiser Karl was an elaborate display of 'Coco in the Cold' for which fur was the main fabric, in black, muted browns and smoky grey. However, the fur was fake, which left many disappointed and a handful relieved.

The collection was pointed more towards couture than the almost casual offerings of his past ready-to-wear shows. With a splash of leather, taking the form of biker jackets in chocolate brown, fur was woven into the signature Chanel tweeds, formed onto the lower half of leather jackets, capes, hats, calf-length boots and wide furry trousers.

A slim lined, tailored silhouette included princess-lined, short dresses and bell-bottomed skirts in black with a white and red geometric print, were seen along side all-in-one snow suits in boucle wool. These, as well as a suit and overcoat combination, nodded towards the couture look but retained a sense of reality and wearability.

The image of Baptiste Giabiconi, Lagerfeld's favourite male model, appearing from a snow cave in a fill length polar bear coat raised a vigorous laugh, but the seriousness of the show – and a rarity for Lagerfeld – was to highlight global warming and the melting of the icecaps. But with the world issues aside, layering and wrapping up warm for the coming season was communicated though innovative knitwear. Short angora sweater dresses with iceberg blue tint, and a grey and black knitted cardigan coat with bubble detail were some of the notable pieces on show. However, it was the wedding dress knitted in silk tulle ribbon which formed into a snug-fitting sweater, that really stole the show, recapturing the hearts of the fashion pack and putting the warmth back into the show.

Valentino

There was the romantic aesthetic attributed to Valentino Garavani, but the Valentino show under Pier Paolo Piccioli and Maria Grazia Chiuri combined youthful edge with dangerous modernity.

A slimline collection under the new creative direction did not shy away from the traditional glamour of Valentino, as ruffles taking the guise of dresses, skirts and tops were teamed with cropped leather jackets. Lace also took a high position within this autumn/winter offering, yet patch-worked together with point d'espirit and leather mesh gave a nod to youth.

The colour pallet was clean and monochrome, yet Valentino's signature red was given an invigorating lift layered with powdered nudes. This was the fabric for the final evening gown, but the show-stopping finale went to a tiered lace gown, hand embroidered with sparkling lilac beads. 

You can take the collection away from the man, but you can't take the man from the collection.  

Alexander McQueen

It was a show that was, inevitably, tinged with sadness and poignancy, as the last collection of Alexander McQueen was presented at the PPR headquarters.

The collection was exquisitely designed with a romantic edge and his signature theatrical sensibility shone through. The models heads were bandaged with leaf or feathered mohican hair styles that were sprayed with gold and black paint. The palette for this incredible collection was predominantly red, nude, black and gold which accentuated the exquisite classical paintings and gilded mirrors in the show space. McQueen's love of history became apparent as this final collection from the great artist impressed the image of the orient, with chinois style prints and medieval shaped gowns.

The detailing to the collection was like nothing seen before; jewelled and latticed bodices, light layered grey chiffon dresses, and metallic gold sequins sprayed precisely over a skirt of red duchess satin were precise and unrivalled in terms of beauty and skill. Other superb details included embroidered jacquards, vintage brocades with bullet pleats were shown alongside layered tulle, grey-on-grey layered chiffon and individually dyed feathers. 

The final look was a grey-on-grey layered chiffon gown with a high necked deep v collar, which was printed with images of saints with their hands raised, giving thanks and praise. This last piece was the last we will see from Lee Alexander McQueen, and as the show notes said, “All the patterns in this collection were cut on the stand by Lee Alexander McQueen...each piece is unique, as was he.”

He will be missed greatly by those who worked with him, those who knew him and those who admired him.

All Words by Dan Hasby-Oliver

All images from here.

Edited by BosiBayer - 10 Mar 2010 at 7:37pm

Friday saw the start of American photographer Deborah Turbeville's exhibition at The Wapping Project Bankside.
a natural voyeur, Turbeville's petit silhouette can be spotted rummaging through the secluded woodlands, colossal bath houses, and the desolate streets surrounding her three homes in Mexico, Russia and New York City.

born in boston in 1938, Turbeville spent her summers in 'the beautiful place by the sea', the town of Ogunquit in Maine. its bleached out aesthetic enchanted Turbeville, who recalls the town as being 'very bleak, very stark, very beautiful'.

beauty is at the core of Turbeville's work, though not a traditional beauty, but a tainted beauty, which portrays her taste for damaged goods. for Turbeville post production is an integral part of the photographic process. tormenting the prints with masking tape, scratches, and sepia stains, she consciously destroys the original shot, transforming it into a grainy and seemingly worn out image.

Turbeville seeks out the forgotten story of times past. contemplating tumbledown railway stations, dusty cobbled streets and derelict palaces, she researches who would have inhabited these foreboding sites, creates the characters, and casts models as her actors to narrate each tale. Turbeville captures the grandeur and vistas, but also seeks out the sullied, secreted settings; the musty attics, the hidden stairways and curtained store rooms. This confidence to capture the very things that would otherwise remain forgotten and the ambiguity of her work - which tips to and fro from being seen as fashion spread to belonging in an art exhibition - makes her one of the most celebrated in her field, so it may come as some surprise that her career as a photographer was not exactly mapped out.

at twenty years of age, and with hopes for a career on the stage, Turbeville travelled to New York, taking work as a model and assistant to the fashion designer Claire McCardell. following a time spent working at Harper's Bazaar she became acquainted with their team of photographers, which included Richard Avedon. confiding in him, she showed him a series of her own photographs. they were blurred but already revealed a uniqueness and distinctive style. Avedon reportedly loved them, blurs and all, and started to teach her technique.

Turbeville's work caught the attention of the rest of the world just a few years later with her, now iconic, 'Bathhouse' series, shot for American Vogue in 1975. these fashion photographs of languid, willowy, scantily clothed women were revolutionary. arresting and unsettling, Turbeville took us into the core of a private chamber where the models seem to be captives, aware of Turbeville, their photographer, and aware of us.

From this point on Turbeville's reputation as one of the finest contemporary fashion photographers was sealed. Her distinctive soft focus and pointillist style attracted impressive commissions, from a request by Jackie Onassis to photograph the unseen Versailles, to photographic essays for Harper's Bazaar and shoots for Italian, French, Russian, British and American Vogue.

This current exhibition features a collection of thirty prints which span over three decades of Turbeville's triumphant career.
The sense of memories, of spirits and of mystery that fill these distressed works create the illusion of stepping into tale, mid narrative, and that the tick of time has temporarily stopped.

Deborah Turbeville will be on show at The Wapping Project Bankside until April 10th
all works are for sale, starting at £2,100 (inc vat).
payment can be made over a maximum of twelve months.
for more details pop in the gallery, or email staff@thewappingproject.com
opening hours: Tuesday to Saturday, 10am to 6pm.

------------------------------

Stella McCartney

Staying true to form, Stella McCartney’s eponymous label was a lesson in commercial sophistication for Autumn/Winter 2010. An office wardrobe with smart day-to-evening wear in mind, McCartney’s eye for detail intertwined with structured minimalism to construct tailoring subversions. Opening with a strong blazer dress silhouette, the collection was narrated in rich grey wool suiting, inky blacks and crisp whites. A nude top was cinched by black stripes that transitioned through to A-line shift dresses; harnessed by slim-fit tailored trousers which juxtaposed the ultra-mini hemlines: the Stella McCartney trademark. Subtle details overpowered sleeveless blazer and sweater dresses, and  uncomplicated knitwear, working best in tonal explosions of raspberry pink sequins, blackcurrant silk and tangerine knitwear: simple but striking. With a hint of geometry and a lashing of rose embroidery, the collection was mature and understated – just like her clientele.

Yves Saint Laurent

At the helm of the Parisian kingpin, Stefano Pilati’s collection for Yves Saint Laurent channelled the brands heyday, namely in the form of wide leg trouser suits. An unusual direction for the designer who usually eschews references to the late Yves Saint Laurent, the impending retrospective in Paris could have been a subconscious trigger. In a monochromatic palette, the collection was paired down simplicity at its finest, incorporated into the elements of a seventies wardrobe. It’s ‘about protection’, he told Style.com after the show, when explaining the unique plastic film swathing the coats, which perhaps explained the underlying deity riff.  Alongside the trouser suits; capes and pencil skirts were joined by slashed sleeve jackets, similar to those at Christopher Kane, and the collection was accessorised with notebook clutches, oversized hats and gold chains with pendants inspired by archive illustrations.

Giambattista Valli

This season's exploration of the classic Balenciaga cocoon shape continued at Giambattista Valli, where looming financial insecurities have not been detrimental in their production of defiantly feminine day and eveningwear pieces. Executed in a nude and black palette, structured fabrics and floaty chiffons navigated sixties inspired skirt suits, structured overcoats with oversized lapels and drop waist dresses navigated by orange trim. Whilst whimsical sheer summer dresses were subjugated by black undergarments, cropped double-breasted blazers were spliced by sheer panels and textured hem borders. This was the evolution of the collection from futuristic structured silhouettes into couture evening dresses that explored texture and finish through sophisticated quilting, feather checkerboard effects, ruching, embellishing and structured draping. 

All images from Style.com.

The Autumn/Winter collection kept within a subdued pallet ranging from the darkest patent blacks to deep chocolate browns with a dash of silver, red and white breaking up the pallet and heightening the futuristic qualities of the garments.







Edited by RebeccaHawkes - 08 Mar 2010 at 8:39pm