Ruby

My friend Reuben's latest exhibition of amazing glitter dust paintings, Dear Beauty, Dear Beast, is starting next week at the Gow Langsford gallery in Auckland.

24 February - 20 March 2010
Preview: Tuesday 23 February, 5 - 7 pm

Press Release:

"In colours commissioned especially from the glitter manufacturer Dear Beauty, Dear Beast, is a handsome show of new paintings by Reuben Paterson.

The series began for Paterson as a reaction to New Zealand's provocation debate. In the way that previous bodies of work have honoured his whakapapa and found basis in the emotional responses to his genealogy, Paterson views these works, in part, as a personal homage to the victims of murder cases which have successfully used the provocation or "gay panic" defence.

The work suggests that in the same way that we have an underlying culture of racism, there is also an underlying culture of homophobia.

Dear Beauty, Dear Beast, coincides with Paterson's inclusion in the 6th Asia Pacific Triennial at the Queensland Art Gallery (5th December 2009 5 April 2010) and precedes his exhibition at the 17th Biennale of Sydney (May 12 - August 1 2010). For further information please contact Anna Jackson at the gallery."

Other faves by Reuben:

Kate is Great

My fave. Maybe it's because she's a rock chick but I have always found Kate Moss'es photos electric and mesmerising, ever since her first Face mag cover in the Indian headress, the contoversial Corinne Day Vogue shoot and the Sorrenti shots for Calvin Klein Obsession, to the blinged-out Versace days when she, Christy, Linda, Cindy & Naomi OWNED the runway. Rock Chick mixed with Siren mixed with Coquette - she can translate from a scruffy grunge-waif in bovver boots and vest to glamour goddess all big hair and pout dripping in Versace, freckled teenager without a scrap of make-up to back-combed Bardot-esque Sixties poppet.

Photos speak louder than words. Even at 36 and an unprecedented 5'6", Kate reigns supreme. Even pre-photoshop, bone structure doesn't lie - the camera loves her!

Return of the Gap

It's great to see quirky non-cookie cutter girls in the latest glossies,especially three young Lauren Hutton-esque smiles - Lara Stone, Jessica Hart & Georgia Jagger.



We love you Lauren.

RIP Alexander the Great

Alexander 'Lee' McQueen was more than just the designer of the ubiquitous skull scarf & Lady Gaga's crazy outfits. He dropped out of school at 16 to accept an apprenticeship learning bespoke British tailoring on Savile Row, and also worked with costumiers Angels and Bermans, Romeo Gigli, and Koji Tatsuno before graduating from St Martin's college with a Masters in fashion design.

"Integral to the McQueen culture is the juxtaposition between contrasting elements: fragility and strength, tradition and modernity, fluidity and severity. An openly emotional and even passionate viewpoint is realised with a profound respect and influence for the arts and crafts tradition."

From www.AlexanderMcQueen.com

His impeccable tailoring and skill for pattern making shone through all of his clothes, a legacy of his start on Savile Row. Upon his graduation from St Martin's in 1992, larger than life stylist Isabella Blow purchased his entire collection, & there started his trend for pairing with dynamic fashion forward artists & designers such as Bjork, Madonna, Daphne Guinness, Lady Gaga and Philip Treacy. He and Isabella Blow became close friends, preferring dinner with McQueen and his beloved Mother (who passed away a week before McQueen took his own life), over networking at glitzy fashion parties. Isabella Blow's suicide in 2007 leaving McQueen devastated.
As well as the avant garde, he also designed for Target and Puma, his influence and aesthetic translatable across the board. McQueen's designs transcended budget, and 'social status'.
Alexander McQueen has many accomplishments in the fashion industry. In 1996 he took the mantle of Chief Designer at Givenchy Haute Couture from another 'enfant terrible', John Galliano. He was one of the youngest designers to achieve the title "British Designer of the Year", which he won four times. He was also the first designer to create a line for Mac cosmetics, with amazingly rich gold and turquoise pigments, inspired by Elizabeth Taylor in Cleopatra.

"“I'm interested in designing for posterity. People who buy McQueen are going to hand the clothes down to their children, and that's very rare today.”
Alexander McQueen, Harpers Bazaar

Video: Kate Moss in Alexander McQueen mille feuille 'Oyster' dress

Hologram version, live at the McQueen show

Gucci - The Tom Ford Years

Aah, Tom Ford. I'll never his 1995 show. Those velvet cigarette pants, 70's style skinny satin shirts unbuttoned to the sternum, Kate Moss and Amber Valletta strutting under an indigo blue light & then Madonna at the VHI awards in the outfit, hot off the catwalk. Love the Fall Show 1996 Fashion too, with the amazing white sheath Halston-style dresses with slashed to the naval. GOLD!

 

 

 

 

 

Love these pics of Kate and backstage from the 2001 RTW show too, below. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pat McGarth & Carine Roitfeld backstage