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POP 816 Wednesday 1 February 2012

THEPOP.COM — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 06:00:21 +0000

Today's POP is Vanessa. Marsha, Marsha, Marsha!

Athens' Kappatos Gallery is currently housing ROOMS: an annual exhibition featuring emerging and established artists selected to explore ideas within their own physical 'room’ of the city's St.George Lycabettus Hotel. One of the artists featured is our very own POP contributor Efi Spyrou, and we couldn’t be more excited!

Coined Antivainin, Efi has used her space to narrate memories in an installation that focuses on the perception of personal response whilst successfully maintaining the sophisticated simplicity she has become associated with. The artist focuses on the normality of formal objects such as the Bed, a focal point used to allow light as an instrument to create perspective. Thus the viewer will see multiple variations of the piece depending on the angle from which they look through the ‘shutters’.

Interestingly, the room in itself becomes a prison of the artist’s ideas. One could argue that the final element of her room is the accompanying video on display which demonstrates a female subject repetitively combing her hair. Brady Bunch flashback… Perhaps the repetitive combing could allude to the unconsciousness of life, or even the unconsciousness of the viewer as they continue to discover the various stages of Efi’s room.

Just some food for thought…

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spyrouefi-pinkmilk.com

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POP 800 Monday 16 January 2012

THEPOP.COM — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 06:00:35 +0000

Today's POP is Stephanie with Dinos at Dover Street.

When we heard there was going to be a Chapman brother doing a book signing for the span of 1 hour at Dover Street Market on a Saturday we jumped, and fast.

And there he was: one half of the scarily satirical duo, parked in the middle of DSM's menswear floor signing copies of Flogging a Dead Horse, a retrospective of the brother’s work thus far.

If you’d seen their most recent exhibition at the White Cube last year, you’ll recognize the child-like cardboard cut-outs that have taken up space in the

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shop’s front windows and sit beneath a pair of Nazi flags on which swastikas have been replaced by horrifying smileys. Leave it to the Chapman’s to put you in the mood for shopping…

POP sat down with Dinos for a quick few to ask about the brothers’ work (both separate and together), paintballing, and the current apocalypse.

Where did your obsession with Nazi’s and Holocaust derive from?

We’re not obsessed with Nazi’s. The reason we use Nazi’s is because everyone knows what they are; in the same way we’re using McDonald’s, because everybody knows what McDonald’s is. They’re very over-used, worn-out symbols. I imagine If you said to anybody in the world “what is a symbol of evil?”, they’d say a Nazi or a swastika. You’d say “what’s a symbol of global capitalism?” they’d say McDonalds. So we sort of use symbols, like the red, etc…

Is it more of a comment on then or now?

Neither. You know people get confused. Some people don’t see beyond the initial limits. When you see a sculpture with 10,000 Nazis being tortured – and also there’s mutants, skeletons and spaceman – people immediately ignore all the other stuff and say, “this is about the Nazi’s”… Well, it’s a little bit about that, but it’s really also about genetic engineering, you know, it’s everything… The thing is with Hell, it’s just sort of a big pool that you can throw everything into and whatever people see in it is their responsibility.

Obviously your choice and use of materials is significant. How do you choose your materials and why?

We choose whichever materials are necessary to execute our ideas. We don’t specialize in a single medium; we work with various forms. So we will do whatever we need to do in order to use the material that our idea or message requires of us.

Where do you situate yourself within art history?

I don’t consider us as part of any particular movement, even though we are categorized within a certain period. The 90’s was a great moment in Britain to be a young artist. That’s really it. But that’s not our job; there are people who do that.

Since your separation from one another last year in preparation for your joint exhibition, how do you feel your experience working together has changed?

The separation was an exercise only to make the new work be different to the previous. But the funny thing is we may as well have been together for the entire time because the work looked like it had been made by both of us. And we actually didn’t see each other’s work; I’m sure people don’t believe it…

You produce apocalyptic visions in apocalyptic times. Is this intentional?

That's exactly it. People ask, “why are you obsessed with death and destruction?”. Well what else is there?

A woman getting her copy of Flogging a Dead Horse signed by Dinos says: “What about Birth and Life?”

Everything that’s born dies. I just think if you look at work made in the 15^th century, it’s fairly apocalyptic because it was a product of its time; and work made in the 70’s was all about peace and love, etc.

You can only make the work that asks to be made. So you’re not really in control of what you make. You are part of a machine. You’re part of a machine that at the moment demands that Jake & I make this stuff. And Jake and I always have conversations like “Wouldn’t it be nice to make some minimal sculptures?”

And it’s not the moment…

What we create is completely dictated to us.

What do you have coming up?

We’re working on this McDonald’s project and we’re creating a new film.

Final Question: who would win in a paintball match between The Chapman Brothers and Fischli & Weiss?

Hoahhhh. Jake just got 2 paintball guns for Christmas and I got a quadbike. So we’re thinking paint guns and quadbikes… We’re extremely competitive; so we would definitely win.

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POP 798 Friday 13 January 2012

THEPOP.COM — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 06:00:05 +0000

Today’s POP is Rachel. Monochrome dreams.

In the last of our Bright Young Things blog series, we explore the work of photographer Nuha Razik. Thick like fog, her work is a faint shot of headlights through murky grey. The artist is obsessed with shadows and what lies beneath thus her work aims to delve into such muggy realms, hidden in the subconscious and the human psyche.

Naturally, her go-to palette consists of white, grey and black and for her Selfridges window display she has created a room graphically divided by these voids in the colour spectrum. Angular shadows add depth and mystery in a style which draws upon the cinematic narrative of her work, and she leaves us potent clues to keep us guessing such as a handwritten note left on the table and a jacket hanging on the wall. To accompany her window, Nuha has created a selection of signed and dated bespoke and personal objects, to be sold exclusively in Selfridges' flagship store.

Where did you begin for the creation of your window display? How did you intend to present yourself as a brand? As a space?

For my Selfridges window, I wanted to step away from photography while keeping my aesthetic and my influences. My photographs always have a narrative, even if it appears elusively – it's about creating a mood and stepping into an emotion you cannot escape; a state of mind which is predominantly my own. It needed to be autobiographical and a self-portrait of sorts.

The attention span of shoppers on London¹s most famous high street can be notoriously short. How does your window grab their eye?

By striking subtlety! My window installation is very dark, which is a change from the usual bright colours and big signs on the High Street. I think there's something intriguing about darkness and what lies within it. I hope I’ve created intrigue for passing pedestrians. In my case there are no products in my window, I'm not selling any carefully placed items. It's intended to reflect a still from a film, so the interest lies in trying to figure out the plot.

Did you enjoy the transition from creating your own photographic work to translating your ideas to a static space? What further informed you in this progression between mediums?
It's been incredible! It has made me access and question the use of my own aesthetic, my obsession with darkness and the very essential and careful use of light in my work. I’ve realised that my camera is simply my tool in portraying an aesthetic I'm trying to achieve. It isn't about photography. My aim with this installation is to break down barriers between different artistic practices. With this instillation I draw and comment upon photography, film, poetry, theatre, painting and sculpture.

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The creative team behind Selfridges’ windows are world-renowned. How did you collaborate with them to achieve your vision?

The Selfridges team has been an incredible support throughout this whole project. This is my first-ever installation and I'm incredibly lucky to have had them to help make this happen. From the moment I proposed my idea to them, we've agreed every step of the way – which I couldn't have been happier about! I always work alone, so it has been a challenge to share my vision with others before it’s complete. I've had a great group of assistants who have helped me with this project without whom, this would not have happened!

You've gone from presenting your work to a somewhat niche audience, to then taking it to the masses in the biggest way possible? What have you learned from this journey? Has it altered your outlook in any way?

It actually hasn't altered my outlook. My work and its context are very personal and important to me. I haven't attempted to make it more mainstream or commercially friendly because I wouldn’t be staying true to myself or what I do. All I can hope for is that my work will entice people into my world and the stories I create. I don't want to please the whole world, just overwhelm a great few.

Which of your own pieces currently stocked in Selfridges did you chose to include as part of the display? Can you explain some of the references or design process behind these garments?

I have twelve limited-edition hand-painted sculptural pieces that are painted in the same style as the set in the window display. They’re objects that could have been part of the room. Each one is unique, and is signed and dated as collectable items. Three of them are great books that are favourites of mine. The collection is deeply personal.

www.nuharazik.com

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The Bright Young Things windows will be displayed until the end of February. For exclusive pieces created for this project, visit the Oxford St flagship or www.selfridges.com

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POP 792 Friday 6 January 2012

POP 797 Thursday 12 January 2012

THEPOP.COM — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 06:10:32 +0000

Today’s POP is Rachel. The magical quality of a briefcase.

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Oliver Ruuger’s accessories line looks like it popped straight out of a fashion adaptation of Disney’s Fantasia. It's a collection which manages to combine exquisite materials and luxury craftsmanship with a strong sense of the bizarre. Each object is imparted with its own personality; umbrella finished with swishy horse-tails and briefcases studded with rubbery porcupine spikes appear both friendly and threatening.

Rugger developed his fascination with such dark and ominous facets of design during his studies on the MA Fashion Artefact course at the London College of Fashion. After graduating in 2011, he quickly won an array of awards including the MA award for Best Static Collection as well as ‘Accessories Collection of the Year’ at the International Talent Support in Italy, a prize that took a major role in establishing his accessories label the following month.

The Selfridges creative team have helped to transform the already surreal characteristics of his collection into a reverent window display at the department store as part of their Bright Young Things showcase. An exclusive range of Oliver’s umbrellas will be available online and in the Oxford St. flagship.

Where did you begin when creating your window display? How did you intend to present yourself as a brand; as a space?
It started with the idea of conveying movement in a static space and adding a somewhat absurd narrative to it. I installed the space in the same manner I aim to create products: sculptural, freestanding elements within a space (or object), precisely set.

The attention spans of shoppers on London’s most famous high street can be notoriously short – how does your window grab their attention?
I have kept the amount of props fairly minimal and instead given the eye a route to follow within the space in order to tell an abstract story – hopefully the viewer will notice this.

Did you enjoy moving from using inspiration to create your accessories collection, to then translating this idea into a static space? What further informed your progression between mediums?
There was an addition of sequence, which ties the elements together. I loved working on the window as I see it as a somewhat claustrophobic exhibition space that the viewer can take in at a single glance – similar to a painting, in a way. When working on a collection at the design stage, I often daydream of some strange scenario, and doing the window felt a bit like acting one of these out.

The creative team behind the Selfridges windows are world-renowned. How did you collaborate with them to achieve your vision?
The team was very supportive in technical matters, but they were also very open to let me run with my ideas and carry out the vision for it autonomously. A special thank you to James from Selfridges, who was there at every stage and also during the nights of the install.

What have you learned on the journey from presenting your work to a somewhat niche audience, to then taking it to the masses in the biggest way possible? Has it altered your outlook in any way?
I have had to turn a body of work, which was in many ways a collection of art pieces, into a considered product that could be marketed and sold to a customer. It hasn’t altered my outlook in the sense that I still show a product that is designed and produced in the same manner. I will however be very interested to see how Selfridges’ customer will view my products.

Which of your own pieces currently stocked in Selfridges did you use as part of the display? And can you explain some of the references or processes used in producing these?
I have produced an exclusive collection of umbrellas which will be stocked in Selfridges and variations of which can also be seen in the window display. All elements and components are bespoke and I’ve tried to make the very best product, using the best materials available. The aim was to make a true luxury product that is bold in its appearance.

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www.oliverruuger.com

The Bright Young Things windows will be displayed until the end of February. For exclusive pieces created for this project, visit the Oxford St flagship or www.selfridges.com

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POP 795 Tuesday 10 January 2012

THEPOP.COM — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 06:34:10 +0000

Today’s POP is Rachel. You, me and Kurt Russell.

If it’s possible to be sold on a designer before you’ve ever laid eyes on any of their garments, then William Richard Green’s list of influences does it for me. Fishermen, Vikings, Kurt Russell and Millwall MC’s fans – this eccentric amalgamation of masculinity had me at testosterone.

Green is home grown in the English countryside, so he designs with an appreciation of what it means to dress like a gentleman, too – “traditional things like solid, well-made shoes, proper knits, and well-constructed coats.” And he hits every mark with his curriculum vitae so far: with a degree from Central Saint Martins and training on Savile Row, he has featured in Fashion East’s MAN exhibition for the past three seasons.

As part of his wholly monochromatic S/S12 collection, illustrator Martin Wollerstam created a cartoon spread over a silk shirt, which has been realised in full 3D in his window installation as part of the Selfridge’s Bright Young Things project. Select pieces – including a graphic polka dot shirt and printed ‘tears’ t-shirt – are on sale online and in an exclusive menswear pop-up in the Selfridges Oxford St flagship, until the end of February.

Where did you begin when creating your window display? How did you intend to present yourself as a brand; as a space?
The starting point for my window at Selfridges was the print collaboration I did with illustrator Martin Wollerstam. The theme of the collection was suicide and he made an illustrative pattern about what happens when you decide to end your life. It’s a comical illustration of how you end up in some kind of waiting room, or ‘limbo’ realm for the rest or your life. So for the window, I decided to recreate this 2D world in a 3D space. I think the installation represents the brand in that it’s dark and has a an underlying sense of humour. But apart from that I wasn't trying to particularity capture the essence of the brand, I just thought it would be a really fun side-project separate from designing collections.

The attention spans of shoppers on London’s most famous high street can be notoriously short – how does your window grab their attention?
It’s an explosion of Martin’s rather special imagination. Plus it has a moving filing cabinet in it…

Did you enjoy the transition from using visual inspiration to create a functioning fashion collection to then translating your ideas into a static space? What further informed you in this progression between mediums?
I came up with a fictional world and mood, then tried to re-contextualise it in a 'William Richard Green' aesthetic and asked Martin to do the print for me. We quite literally re-created it in life size and 3D in the window. It was fun going between fabric and foam board to convey the same concept.

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The creative team behind the Selfridges windows are world-renowned. How did you collaborate with them to achieve your vision?
Well it was great that we could do whatever we wanted with whatever materials we chose.

What have you learned on the journey from presenting your work to a somewhat niche audience, to then taking it to the masses in the biggest way possible? Has it altered your outlook in any way?
No, it hasn't changed my process at all. I don’t go out of my way to conform to niche expectations or dumb down my work for the 'masses'.

Which of your own pieces currently stocked in Selfridges did you use as part of the display? And can you explain some of the references or processes used in producing these?
A black polka dot shirt – it’s a staple piece I do every season, so I thought it would be good branding to include it in the window. Also there’s a bomber jacket and matching shorts in an exclusive colour-way for Selfridges, which I thought would be only fitting to put in the window.

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www.williamrichardgreen.com

The Bright Young Things windows will be displayed until the end of February. For exclusive pieces created for this project, visit the Oxford St flagship or www.selfridges.com

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POP 794 Monday 9 January 2012

THEPOP.COM — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 06:44:38 +0000

Today's POP is Alex, Comme to Berlin.

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As if there aren't enough good reasons to go to Berlin already, Comme des Garcons are soon to open two concept stores in the city on 15th of this month.

Building on their unique vision of a showroom as a complete sensory experience, their 'retail concepts', have been designed to merge in to and reflect the energetic neighbourhood of Berlin Mitte, where they will be located.

The two spaces will exist as The Comme des Garcons Black Shop and the Comme Des Garcons Pocket shop.The Black Shop will contain the brand's BLACK line, featuring iconic Comme styles for guys and girls in (you guessed it), all black, at prices that are more affordable than their main line. Now that's something we always love to hear!

Originally launched in Paris in 2008, the Comme Pocket Shop features the brand's expanding range of unisex perfumes, wallets and smaller accessories. This intimate space in Berlin will function as a kind of convenience store, stocking a wide range of permanent products, alongside an ever-changing selection of special editions.

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The decision to open these two new stores follows the brands's plan to evolve and expand their stores worldwide. The German capital was the site of the first Comme Des Garcons guerilla shop, which was set up in a former DDR library in 2004 and it's the same architect who has helped develop this latest offering from the progressive label.

It's one more city that we can add to our Comme Des Garcons tour of the world: London, Tokyo, Osaka, Paris, NYC, Beijing, Hong Kong, St. Petersburg, Fukuoka and now, Berlin.

Lucky Berliners, I can't wait to get over and have a look around myself. The best thing about this is that unlike their guerilla predecessors these spaces will be permanent – let's hear it for the shop that pops up and stays around!

COMME des GARÇONS Black Shop / COMME des GARÇONS Pocket Shop

Linienstrasse 115

10115 Berlin

Germany

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POP 793 Weekend 7-8 January 2012

THEPOP.COM — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 06:42:36 +0000

Today's POP is Rachel. Heavy clouds with no signs of rain.

Womenswear designer Sorcha O’Raghallaigh moved from her small town in rural Ireland to London in 2006 to study knitwear at Central Saint Martins. Her Gaelic roots continue to inspire her work: her floor length gowns are rich in fairy tale, ethereal embroidery and the influence of Pre-Raphaelite silhouettes. Selfridges is stocking a selection of these intricate pieces, including embroidered collars and tulle headbands.

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Where did you begin when creating your window display? How did you intend to present yourself as a brand; as a space?
It's a collage of all the things I love and that excite me. For example, the goats are reference to the film 'Holy Mountain' that I'm a bit obsessed with right now. I played with scale through the extended figure as a reference to my graduate collection. The flowers are ubiquitous within my work and form a continual reference to the day of the dead. I wanted all the things I love to come together in a dream-like world. I am always inspired by the ever changing sky, so I chose this as the landscape for everything to sit within. I wanted to play with the depth of the window, so using old toy theatre techniques I created wooden clouds to achieve this. Essentially it's everything but the kitchen sink which is me; more is more.

The attention span of shoppers on London¹s most famous high street can be notoriously short. How does your window grab their eye?
I think its kind of dramatic and playful so hopefully it will grab the attention of passers. I'm not sure that it will be everyone's cup of tea but I think, or hope anyway, that it will be eye catching.

Did you enjoy moving from using visual inspiration to create a functioning fashion collection to then translating this idea into a static space? What further informed you in this progression between mediums?
I absolutely loved this medium. It's nice to have an alternate platform for my vision and therefore be able to expand my ideas and create my mood in a tangible space.

The creative team behind the Selfridges windows are world-renowned. How did you collaborate with them to achieve the finished vision for your window?
I sent through my proposal and the amazing team at Selfridges worked through my ideas to help realise my design and push it both practically and creatively.

What have you learned from this journey where you've gone from presenting your work to a somewhat niche audience, to then taking it to the masses in the biggest way possible? Has it altered your outlook in any way?
It has been an amazing journey and I'm really excited about the whole project! It's a stage to show my work to an audience that without this opportunity I may never have had.

Which of your own pieces currently stocked in Selfridges did you chose to include as part of the display? Can you explain some of the references or design process behind these garments?
A selection of clothing and accessories from my Spring/Summer 2012 collection will be stocked exclusively for 'Bright Young Things.' This is my first ready-to-wear collection. With my previous collections I became accustomed to creating one-off pieces. It was a new and exciting challenge to create this wearable collection whilst still retaining my aesthetic.

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www.sorchaoraghallaigh.co.uk

The Bright Young Things windows will be displayed until the end of February. For exclusive pieces created for this project, visit the Oxford St flagship or www.selfridges.com

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POP 792 Friday 6 January 2012

THEPOP.COM — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 06:22:28 +0000

Today’s POP is Rachel. I want to love you, B.Y.T.

Outside the Selfridges store last night, a crew could be seen ripping off the giant red sale signs from the windows in swoops of torn vinyl. Hidden beneath these signs, Selfridges' creative team have been busy installing their first display for 2012.

And what an unveiling that was! Continuing with the success of last year’s Bright Young Things project, in which Selfridges sought to select and support young creatives across the UK, this year brings round two to set the grade for window displays sky high.

The department store plucked fifteen emerging talents from the worlds of art, design, food and fashion, and offered each a window space in which to stage an extension of their personal creative work. The movement from the chosen designers’ disciplines into creating tangible spaces reveals an amazing array of macrocosms; each window illustrates a live stream into the aesthetic world of each creator.

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Sorcha O’Raghallaigh placed a red gown from her 2012 collection into a dreamscape laid out with playfully dramatic depth of field: the 10ft mannequin queen cohorts with a pair of model goats with gold-tinted horns in a surreal scene of giant wooden clouds.

Accessories designer

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Oliver Ruuger creates a gravity-defying illusionary in which his spiked handbags and briefcases explode with calf-haired and horse-tailed umbrellas and white paper shards. Womenswear designer Adam Andrascik shielded his mannequins with large scale paper screens and ripped straight through to reveal the torn-out details and panels of his latest collection adorning their plastic figures.

Alice Lee dripped black paint from her mannequin’s fingers ala Michelle Lamy and pooled it at their toes, contrasting with the slickness of her contemporary knitwear pieces created in synthetic materials; whilst Maarten van der Horst’s life-like crew entangled in a lilac and mint painted plastic scrum, adorned in the rich tropical prints of his latest collection.

Photographer Nuha Razik creates a Cubist-feel still life with the division between black and white plastered over the entirety of the monochromatic domestic scene.

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William Richard Green also takes on muted hues, transforming the caricature style drawings and speech bubbles from Martin Wollerstam which illustrate his S/S 2012 collection into larger than life cut-outs.

There were cutesy animatronics in the googly eyed cuboid figures of prop maker Becky Sloan’s mini world, whilst menswear designer Shaun Samson got party piñata with his name as the backdrop to his West Coast inspired pieces. And don’t forget the incredible windows of womenswear designers MASC, menswear designers Alex Mattson and Astrid Anderson, accessories designer Ti.Lipop, graphic design from Archie McLeish and more….

Not only do the chosen designers get to play centre stage with one of the world’s leading retailers, they also get the chance to produce and sell an exclusive range of items from one of the three pop-up displays in store from today in the famous Oxford St flagship and online.

To celebrate we selected four of the Bright Young Things – from a bunch of backgrounds in womenswear, menswear, accessories and photography – to talk about their experiences in hitting that high street audience. Make sure to check out this space!

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The Bright Young Things windows will be displayed until the end of February. For exclusive pieces created for this project, visit the Oxford St flagship or www.selfridges.com

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POP 790 Wednesday 4 January 2012

THEPOP.COM — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 23:33:54 +0000

Today's POP is Emily, back from Berlin.

Joseph Beuys, Coyote III, 1984 Videostill.

So while everyone went home for the holidays, I decided to spend my Christmas in Berlin. Kitchy markets, incredible galleries and a whole lot of Pilsners. Why not right?

As usual, the super festive city had some fantastic exhibitions on display including a seriously sweet retrospective of Joseph Beuys at the Hamburger Bahnhof Museum for Contemporary Art. 8 Days in Japan and the Utopia of Eurasia was both thorough and refreshing thanks to it's incredible curation. Never underestimate the work of a good curator; I'm now completely addicted to the multi-disciplinary artist.

Check out the museum if you can.

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POP 789 Tuesday 3 January 2012

THEPOP.COM — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 21:27:41 +0000

Today's POP is Stephanie. A Canadian in London…

Whilst touring central for some post-boxing day deals, I took a quick detour and ventured into the

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White Cube Mason's Yard to view some works by my fellow Canadian Jeff Wall.

Love him or hate him, each and every one of his photographs provide a detailed education on art and the politics of representation, and for that, I'm a fan. I also always enjoy a good dialogue between past and present which he never fails to provide. My favourite: Ivan Sayers, costume historian, lectures at the University Women's Club, Vancouver, 7 December 2009, which for me is an extension of Wall's '79 reference to Manet with Picture for Women.

Jeff Wall, Ivan Sayers, costume historian, lectures at the University Women's Club, Vancouver, 7 December 2009

Worth a gander if you're running between Dover Street Market and Selfridges like me, or if you're just generally interested in a quick art history lesson.

Jeff Wall, Picture for Women, 1979.