"A Queen Within: Adorned Archetypes, Fashion & Chess" at Christie's

Hussein Chalayan bubble dress

Alexander McQueen ombre kimono dress

At Christie's yesterday evening we were treated to a preview of the auction house's latest exhibit "A Queen Within: Adorned Archetypes, Fashion & Chess," celebrating the unpredictability, power and lure of the queen figure. Rare pieces from Alexander McQueen, Hussein Chalayan, Gucci, Martin Margiela and Viktor & Rolf were on hand to demonstrate the impact of daring, provocative and beautifully crafted fashion.

Highlights from Frieze 2013

We headed to Randall's Island to check out the goings on at the 2013 Frieze Contemporary Art Fair and came back with some eye-catching highlights to share.

While many of the works on hand were substantial in their realization, there was something about them being housed together in one giant space that gave the pieces often reflective, and mirrored finishes an appeal that was strictly commercial, and purely decorative. 

That said, there were still plenty of works to admire such as Francesco Vezzoli's warped portrait, above.

A reflective mobile we could imagine attracting attention in any space

Paul McCarthy's playful poodle in shocking pink was one of the fair's boldest standouts

A fragmented body that gyrated on a rotating etagere made for a genius take on the human form in sculpture

Extra large panels of knit canvases added a welcome sense of craftwork to the fair's otherwise sleek & slick offerings

Inspiration: The Works of Bernard Pras

Look closely, what do you see? This picture is from an installation by French artist Bernard Pras, composed of an entire room full of objects -quite remarkable and fascinating to say the least!

4Eyes Portraits Valentina Angeloni

Architect Raffaella Audiffredi in Stefania Pia

To celebrate the launch of our just released 4Eyes collection by Stefania Pia for Selima, photographer Valentina Angeloni set out to capture a diverse group of creative Milanese residents in their natural habitats. Featuring the unisex black style from Stefania Pia for Selima, the diversity of the group works to illustrate the universal appeal and charm of this new collection. View the entire series here...

Artist Jaya Cozzani in Stefania Pia for Selima

Artist Bixio Braghieri in Stefania Pia for Selima

The collection is available at select stockists worldwide, Selima Optique stores and online at SelimaOptique.com

Rosemarie Trockel at The New Museum

Plans in NYC this weekend? We suggest checking out The New Museum's extraordinary multi-media Rosemarie Trockel exhibition housed on three floors, as it bows Jan. 20th.

Slices of Inspiration: Artist Valeria Crociata

A playfully inspiring piece from young Roman artist Valeria Crociata to brighten your spirits!

Yayoi Kusama at The Whitney

In NYC this month? We suggest taking a moment to check out the momentus Yayoi Kusama retrospective at The Whitney which bows late September. For details visit Whitney.org.

NYC Events: Artist Tom Sachs Space Program at The Armory

Those of you who haven't gotten a chance to check out artist Tom Sachs sprawling four-week installation at The Park Avenue Armory with Creative Time, well, we strongly suggest you pay a visit as the show bows this weekend on the 17th.

Tom Sachs: SPACE PROGRAM: MARS methodically explores the world of space travel while addressing serious and profound issues plaguing mankind since the very beginning with a series of superbly crafted installations throughout the massive 55,000 square-foot space for an awe evoking experience.

Above, Sach's wears his now signature Selima Optique Mike frames...

Perfect Valentine's Day T-Shirts from Artist Marguerita Bornstein

This valentine's day surprise your loved ones with one of our playfully illustrated Marguerita Bornstein t-shirts made for us by the artist in Brooklyn and available at select Selima Optique locations.

Exclusive to Selima Optique, these whimsical tops are certain to bring a smile to their face well after Feb 14th with their vibrant imagery and fanciful cast of characters including teddy bears, porcupines, ladybugs, and more.

Bornstein took a moment to share her inspirations and work methods with us: In her words...

"I love and am fascinated by animals, insects, plants and nature in general including body parts, eyes, teeth, lips, ears, hair etc...

So, I keep observing, water, air and zap(!), when it comes to me, I wake up in he middle of the night, or wherever I am and try to capture that vision or sensation. So it becomes a drawing, a mixed media, a sculpture, a piece of jewelry- which I will carve into wax and cast in whatever metal and then find the stones or glass to combine.

Art wear always inspires me too, as for even the most savage humans, primitive or sophisticated & elegant, we wrap ourselves to comfort & protect. It becomes our second skin, our other embodiment. For this reason, besides having my artwork on walls, I enjoy seeing my art moving and incorporated into the look of another being.

I then create evocative window installations to compliment my work when I find an affinity with what they belong to or are connected to. I have done windows for Cartier, Mario Valentino,Versace, Alain Mikli and recently in 2010 & 2011 for Selima Optique's Bond st. location, which I am very fond of.

I have recently been working on developing a line of t-shirts emblazoned with 'DOYOULOVEME?' which features a ladybug and who she chooses to tease or pose the question with.

So I started with a porcupine and a ladybug. And around that theme I then created the drawings and then a three dimensional version. I admit, I love the interaction and public feedback.

Then, I always keep in mind that the image I am projecting will be of amusement for every passerby as well  as serve the store with a mutual interplay."

The shirts are available for special order worldwide -contact us for more info.

Channeling David Hockney's Style with our Hubert Frames on ArtInfo

ArtInfo recently saluted the iconoclastic style of artist David Hockney and suggested our Hubert frames as an instant way to make his look work for you, read the full article here.

Discover our Hubert frames today

Artist Marina Abramović in our Anouk Frames on Wmagazine.com

Last year artist Marina Abramović and renowned curator Klaus Biesenbach created a short video portrait of curator Hans Ulrich Obrist with nothing more than 20 words of concise dialogue that was featured on W mag online. Note how the clear finish of her Selima Optique Anouk frames add a subtle sense of style and lend no distraction to an otherwise casually fresh-faced Abramović.

Our Mike Frames on Tom Sachs in Paper Mag

Celebrated artist Tom Sachs was featured in Paper Mag recently wearing his own Selima Optique clear Mike frames at his studio. Read the full article at PaperMag.com and discover our classic Mike frames for yourself today online & in-store.

Artist Gustabo Rodriguez for Selima Optique

After sharing an image of his illustrated work with the Bond 07 by Selima crew, artist Gustabo Rodriguez set about creating a series of works featuring Selima Optique eyewear for our shops beginning with a poster for Fashion's Night Out this past fall. The illustrations he created for us were inspired during a stay in Miami which conjured up visions reminiscent of 1940's Beverly Hill's hotel bungalows. And while his work instantly brings to mind associations with updated takes on the iconic work of Juan Antonio Lopez, it also stands on its own with its vivid color-ways and digital mastery.

Working with watercolor, acrylics, pencils, pens and photoshop, Rodriguez most often finds muses for his work through his own expansive imagination.

Hopefully in the next year we'll get a chance to work with this talented artist once again, until then, we hope you enjoy these lush images he created for us.

At just $225, his large scale prints decadently portray women in Selima Optique frames and make a great addition to any room. Avilable in-store at Bond 07 and by special order.

Miami Dispatch & Selima Optique Sighting's at Art Basel

Earlier this month Selima Optique's Soho team member & artist Amanda Browder made it down to Miami to take part in Art Basel and came back with a few snaps for us to share with you including a few featuring patrons in frames from yours truly.

For the festivities Browder and art forum Bad at Sports were sponsored by art residency Ox-bow to record interviews in a temporary structure(above) as well as transmit a pirate radio station on 88.5 FM in Miami.

Browder(left) with artist Coco Fusco wearing a pair of purple Selima Optique Axel frames.

Browder and New Orleans based artist Mariana Smith- the daughter of artist Ray Smith, who our Ray frames were inspired by.

Bottom, buttons Browder made for the "Amanda Browder Show" section of the podcast featuring "eyes after they have seen too many art fairs!"

Arts Watch: Selima Optique's Amanda Browder

On a recent visit to our Soho location, our directrice Selima was amused by the colorful and imaginative installations that Selima Optique crew member and artist Amanda Browder had installed throughout the shop. What immediately struck her was the pop of juxtaposition between Browder's work and the shop's own old-school gilt frames and ornate accommodations.

It brought to mind Murakami's groundbreaking show at Versailles where his colorful characters & works were housed within the confines of the institution's rigidly glamorous bourgeois-chic halls. Which made Selima chuckle and retort that "this is not Murakami, and we are not in Versailles." True, our Soho location obviously can't compare, but it does speak volumes on the kind of improvisational, felicitous nature that is central to Browder's work and left us curious about what she does. We sat down and created a short q&a for her, enjoy!

Q: How did you meet Selima & crew?

A: I met Selima at Silmo(optical show) in France about six years ago while working in Chicago at an optical shop that carried her line. Coincidentally, I was sporting a pair of her Liam frames...old school!

Q: What brought you to NYC?

A: After teaching at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago for six years, and selling eyewear on the side, I decided it was the time to make a move and see what NYC could offer me as a practicing artist. I had no idea what to expect and moved here without any plan. What I found was a fantastic community of creative people working on all levels of unique work. From eyewear to contemporary art, I found more and more people using every creative outlet they had to make a living and to create new and exciting artistic projects.

Q: What & who inspires your work?

A: As a kid I read a lot of comic books that I collected with my dad who blended R.Crumb, the Fabulous Freak Brothers and Donald Duck into one collection. Their bright colors and fantastical stories inspired me to cross the line between fantasy and reality. I wanted to make what we see as awe-inspiring and shocking into something real and tactile. Artists that inspire me include Louise Bourgeois, Mike Kelly, Jessica Stockholder and Polly Apfelbaum.

Q: Work wise, what's a dream goal/project?

A: My goal is to keep working big! Building facade installations are just a beginning! I enjoy working with local communities and connecting with people I might not have met via the art world. I'm also working on a new large-scale public art piece set to debut April 2012 in Brooklyn! I have a student from London who is coming to work with me in the Spring and we plan to construct a new public art piece together. I'm also looking forward to Lucky Magazine featuring my Logs and Fire in their winter issue!

Visit Browder's site for more info: www.amandabrowder.com

From bottom to top: a portrait of Amanda amidst our art filled wall, a large scale fabric chain-link piece hangs from the ceiling, Browder's Logs & Fire atop a display case- all at our Soho flagship. A customized Future Phenomena facade in Greenpoint Brooklyn(NY 2010) and Amanda Browder in a pair of our Amanda frames.

Arts Watch: Lisette Model ‘Reflections’

On a recent trawl through Chelsea, New York’s art gallery packed westside neighborhood, came the discovery of Bruce Silverstein Gallery’s “Reflections: The Expressionist Origins of Lisette Model,” an inspiring visual retrospective featuring an edited collection of the late artist’s work.

Model’s use of reflective layers to combine cityscapes and civilians candidly shuffling about through New York City during the 40′s offers a romantic, nostalgia inducing and even slightly haunting look at the city that also sheds light on the work of some of her most renowned students, Diane Arbus and Peter Hujar.

Paired with works on paper by artists including Max Beckmann and Lyonel Feininger, and accompanied by a recording of Schoenberg’s “Pierrot Lunaire,” the gallery’s back room is dedicated to postwar cabaret elements featuring Model herself breaking a note. And though that made for an enriched experience, it was the journalistic nature of Model’s work combined with her improvisational techniques that made it such a special encounter.

Now through Nov. 12 at Bruce Silverstein Gallery 535 West 24th Street, Chelsea

Works from Model above & below.

Arts Watch: Selima Takes Part in Artist JR's Winning Project

Years ago, Selima discovered a fascinating write-up about the work of the once anonymous French multi-media artist JR, who used the streets of  various cities to display his series "Women are Heroes". Most of the women he photographed for the series had seen death, chaos and social destruction, and JR's method of conveying this had Selima transfixed immediately. More than an infatuation, Selima was completely blown away by the depth and magnitude of his work and has since become a fan.

Much like a graffiti artist, JR is a photographer and artist who flyposts his large scale black-and-white photographic images in public locations for everyone to encounter, stating that the street is "the largest art gallery in the world." His work takes raising societal questions to the streets as he installs his pieces outside of the art world’s institutions for the public to encounter, interpret and take part in rather than catering to the closed world of patrons of the arts, or for those seeking to discover new perspectives alone

French journalist and curator  Fabrice Bousteau refers to JR, whose work deals with commitment, freedom, identity and limits as "the one we already call the Cartier-Bresson of the 21st century," which is quite an impressive affiliation to say the least.

As Selima visits the Arles photography festival every year, she was elated to find that JR was a contestant this year who by the way, won the contest!

Selima was thrilled to take part in his project for the Arles "The Inside Out Project," a worldwide participatory project that transforms messages of personal identity into pieces of work and came back with this poster of her.

Below are some of the first images of JR's work that caught her attention with their impressive scale and thought provoking messages.

And below, JR's work in Manhattan just steps away from Selima Optique's Bond st. and Soho locations.

 

For more info visit Jr-Art.net