All posts tagged: art life

Confessions of a Jetsetter w/ Laurs Kemp

Published by Confessions of a Jetsetter

“I moved to Portland from Arkansas in 2012 to launch my clothing line and seek out more creative opportunities with like-minded people. There is such a rare atmosphere of collaboration and encouragement in the Portland arts and fashion community. My collaborations with all the amazing female artists and makers in Portland is truly one of my biggest inspirations and influences. I became the designer-in-residence at a Portland shop called Backtalk, where the owner Katie Freedle exclusively features the work of independent designers. In my year at Backtalk, I was able to develop my line and meet so many amazing collaborators. One of my favorite collaborations was a photo shoot I had at Backtalk using local photographer Hillary Boles for my most recent collection. This collection was inspired by the 1991 arthouse film, A Little Stiff, 1980s Japanese minimalism, and the song, Yama Yama, by the Yamasuki Singers. In fact, I titled the collection Yama Yama. For models, I reached out to the gorgeous Kassala Holdsclaw through Instagram, and I also used my all-time favorite muse, …

#Artlife: Dan Flavin’s “Corners, Barriers, and Corridors”

Published by Khadijat Oseni

Fluorescent lighting isn’t exactly the sexiest invention known to man but somehow Dan Flavin mastered transforming this mundane and sometimes annoyingly buzzing source of light into magical works of art. A minimalist who referred to himself as a “Maximalist”, Flavin was able to create transcendent, futuristic teleports through fluorescent light tubes and bend reality in ways that were so delicate yet strikingly alluring at the same time. Last month, I was glad to have been able to actively explore perceptions of space through the beautifully curated, “Corners, Barriers, and Corridors,” a collection of some of Flavin’s noted works from the 1960s and 70s at David Zwirner Gallery in New York City. Though the exhibit has since ended, Dan Flavin’s pieces still conjure up many thoughts on duality which have helped expand my definitions on style and aesthetics. While at the gallery, I unknowingly started to play with binary oppositions like femininity vs. masculinity, anonymity vs. recognition through the masking silhouettes, tones and shadows formed from the different color gradations of each piece. Here are some …