Style Noir

We've Moved

2011-12-09T00:06:00.001-05:00

We're over here.

Robert Glasper Experiment

2011-09-07T22:12:00.001-04:00

The Robert Glasper Experiment's combined renditions of two of my favorite songs; Little Dragon's "Twice" and Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit." Am hopeful that multiple viewings of this artistry might tide you over until the new Style Noir is unleashed on October 10. Enjoy-- and disseminate.

Last Minute Gifts for Kids

2009-12-21T14:16:00.004-05:00

A selection of gifts for your favorite little ones that are sure to stimulate their natural appetites for creativity and play. Plus a dash of tongue-in-cheek swagger for good measure. Gift guides For Her and For Home are on the way!

The items are (clockwise, from top left): Blume Forever striped tie tee, EyeClops mini projector, retro scooter, Flip Mino HD, Junk Prints Visionary necklace, fabric markers with which your little one can put his or her artistic signature on a pair of crisp white TOMS shoes, Junk Prints rainbow pattern duffle, and a scaled down djembe.

Last Minute Gifts for Him

2009-12-19T01:50:00.011-05:00

Still at a loss for what to buy him? Perhaps this gift guide will spark some ideas. Click on the image to be whisked away to product and pricing information. Guides for Her, Baby and Home are forthcoming!

The items are (clockwise, from top left) Kehinde Wiley's latest book, Black Light, a Still Life NYC hat, William Ismael plates, WANT Les Essentiels de la Vie Kansai laptop case, Earnest Sewn x Victor Glemaud Collection sweaters, an Overachievers t-shirt, and a Canon g11.

On Ruud van Empel

2009-12-16T12:55:00.002-05:00

Ruud van Empel is a Dutch photographer with a penchant for shooting gorgeous Black children in slightly fantastical, tropical environments. I was first exposed to his work via gallerist James Danzinger's blog, The Year in Pictures:

Van Empel’s trademark pieces are Rousseau-like creations picturing (mostly) black children in the middle of vibrant jungle or verdant landscapes. Created and collaged and using photoshop, they are made up of hundreds of individual photographs so that every detail shimmers with life. The photographs of the children are slightly manipulated in a way that makes them appear fictional. Van Empel’s work imagines a world somewhere between children’s books, paintings, and science fiction.

I understand that many people may feel a little queasy about the political correctness of such imagery, but looking at Van Empel’s pictures of both black and white children, there’s so much more visual oomph to the black subjects it’s easy to understand that the explanation is simply pictorial. Also the children are not so much pictured as unschooled natives but as sophisticated and elegant visitors to their edenic but strange environments.

In this post I've juxtaposed van Empel's work with old family photos shot in Liberia, West Africa circa 1955-1960. Though both images were shot indoors, you can be sure that the landscape just outside was not at all unlike the lush wonderlands depicted in van Empel's photographs. The two little boys are my father and uncle-- sophisticated and elegant yes, but hardly visitors.

Posing Beauty Giveaway Winner

2009-12-07T12:42:00.021-05:00

The first ever Style Noir giveaway has arrived just in time for the holidays! Deborah Willis' recently released Posing Beauty: African-American Images from the 1890s to the Present features hundreds of inspired-- and inspiring-- depictions of Black Americans, beginning with the turn of the century and continuing to the present day, and I've got a copy to give away to one lucky Style Noir reader. Keep it for yourself or gift it-- although this will be difficult after you thumb through it, I promise-- to your favorite budding shutterbug.

Entry is simple: leave a comment about the best holiday gift you've ever received by midnight on Friday, December 11th. On Saturday, I'll toss all the gracious participants' names into a virtual hat and randomly select a winner. For two entries and two chances to win, fan Style Noir on Facebook, where I'm prone to posting lil' tidbits that don't appear here.

Bonne chance!

WINNER: Congratulations to AMINA, who doubled her odds by becoming a fan of Style Noir on Facebook. Thank you all for your participation-- some of the answers were truly lovely! Bryant, have fun in China! Amina, email your mailing address to stylenoir at gmail dot com and we'll ship your treasure out to you ASAP. Enjoy!

Esperanza Interprets Lauren

2009-11-27T09:26:00.002-05:00

Mark Bradford

2009-10-28T12:32:00.008-04:00

2009 MacArthur Fellow Mark Bradford creates massive collages out of found materials he gathers in his neighborhood in South Central LA. End papers, remnants of signage, string and other interesting bits are assembled into modernist master works that suggest not only literal cartography, but also figurative map making of the cultural and psychological varieties.

Bradford's first sale was his painting, "Dreadlocks caint tell me nothing," which was purchased by collector and philanthropist Eileen Harris Norton in 2001.

The artist is represented by Sikkema Jenkins.

Precious Art

2009-10-23T15:52:00.003-04:00

Whom do we salute for the outstanding poster art for Precious (which hits theaters on November 6th)? Same artist responsible for the one I posted on Facebook?

Michael Platt

2009-10-09T07:00:00.002-04:00

I've been head over heels-- I mean straight bananas-- for these prints by DC-based artist Michael Platt for a while now. Not sure what's taken me so long to post them. Platt calls himself an "image maker" whose work is "grounded in the human condition." I prefer the simplistic but wholly appropriate, "visionary."

Most of this work, which features some familiar faces, is for sale. To view more work from this series or to inquire about making a purchase-- highly encouraged-- visit the artist's website, Platt Studio.

Preston Bailey Celebrates

2009-10-06T07:00:00.007-04:00

Today marks Rizzoli's release of Celebrations, the fifth book from floral couturier Preston Bailey. The Panama born event designer moved to New York in 1968 at 19 years old. He worked as a fashion model, then went on to open a clothing boutique. In the 80s, he was encouraged by his friend, interior design icon Vicente Wolf, to create floral arrangements for Wolf's clients. The rest is history. Bailey has used his talent of transforming humdrum spaces into fantastical experiences.

Bailey's roster of celebrity clients is nearly-- but not quite-- as impressive as his vision. Lucky for those of us whose budgets don't yet support putting Bailey and his team under our employ, Celebrations will be chock full of inspiration and ideas for throwing our own unforgettable fetes. Buy a couple copies at your local bookseller-- one for yourself, one for a deserving, party throwing friend. Which reminds me to tell you-- stay tuned for special Style Noir holiday posts and giveaways. You'll love them.

Aquarian Thoughts

2009-10-01T12:00:00.002-04:00

A few months ago I had the pleasure of sitting down for a delightfully hearty Ethiopian lunch-- and a half-bottle of Diebolt-Vallois-- with Aquarian Thoughts designer, Nadirah Bostick. Designing since the tender age of 18, Nadirah, who is working on developing and marketing her line, currently lends her design and production chops to a few more established names in the game-- a strategy that will no doubt bolster her own grand entrée.

Nadirah's hand-crafted necklaces, bracelets, and earrings are influenced by organic forms and the healing properties of gems. Featured in this photo are her Royal Turquoise necklace and earrings. I'm head over heels for her work because it appeals to my penchant for the delicately dramatic. Stay tuned for more from this emerging designer who will soon add metal work to her repertoire. Shop here.

Modernist Jeweler Art Smith

2009-09-30T12:31:00.003-04:00

A piece of jewelry is in a sense an object that is not complete in itself. Jewelry is a "what is it?" until you make it relate to the body. The body is a component in design just as air and space are. Like line, form, and color, the body is a material to work with. It is one of the basic inspirations in creating form.

Art Smith

You made certain to high tail it over to the Brooklyn Museum for the Yinka Shonibare show, which closed on on September 20th. But did you get a chance to ogle any of Art Smith's creations? The modernist jeweler (d. 1982) was active during the middle of the 20th century, when he worked exclusively-- and to great, largely undocumented acclaim-- out of a storied workshop and retail space on West 4th Street in New York's West Village. He worked with copper, silver, gold and semi-prcious stones and was heavily influenced by his jazz musician friends and acquaintances.

21 magnificent pieces, along with some of the Cooper Union trained artist's tools, photographs, sketches, and other archival material are on view at the Brooklyn Museum until March 14, 2010. If you won't be making a pilgrimage to NYC anytime soon, you can get your fix with a purchase of the exhibition catalog, From the Village to Vogue: Modernist Jewelry of ART SMITH.

Photos are from the Flickr stream of egotechnique.

Duro Olowu Spring 2010

2009-09-29T12:42:00.004-04:00

My favorite looks from Duro Olowu's Spring 2010 presentation, which took place last week in London. Photos from Style.com.

Glenn Ligon for J. Crew

2009-09-24T15:13:00.006-04:00

Clicked into Habitually Chic today (as I do everyday and from whence these photos were culled) and caught wind that artist Glenn Ligon is featured in the latest J. Crew catalog, along with rising star Lucien Smith and five others. Find out what Glenn and company think about the interplay between art and fashion on J. Crew's Open Studio site.

Frank Bowling

2009-08-30T08:02:00.007-04:00

I can't remember when, where, or how I first came across the work of Frank Bowling, but what a treat it is. The Guyanese-born, British painter (b. 1936) has been turning out his ethereal abstract paintings for over forty years. Shown above are, "Sheep's Head (1960)," "Fishes, Wishes, and Uncle Jack (1989)" and, "Flambouria's Choice (1983)," respectively. Bowling is represented by Rollo Contemporary Art in London and in 2005 was elected the first Black member of England's 200 year-old Royal Academy of Art.

"If I hadn't gone to New York [in the 60s]," Bowling says in Rose Jones' documentary on the painter, "I wouldn't have been able to develop as an artist." The consensus in England at the time was that there was "no room" for an "unusual, Black artist." In New York, "there were oodles of artists who also happened to be Black and who were having their struggles with the scene there." Bowling felt an immediate kinship with this group, and also discovered that the "sharpness" of the critical American art world provided-- and continues to provide-- "sustaining energy."

Images culled from ArtNet, where you can view much more of Bowling's work, as well as the work of the other artists in Rollo Contemporary's portfolio.

Endless Summer

2009-07-09T07:00:00.005-04:00

I decided to learn how to surf after I'd had recurring dreams about wave riding for at least a year. This decision required that I learn how to swim, which I did, rather quickly and uncannily well. In August of last year, I took my first surfing lesson. I loved it. In February, I happened upon a girl who was looking to unload a longboard. I picked up the board from her apartment in the Village, and carried it for about 20 Manhattan blocks to Penn Station, where my chariot awaited. I'd never made so many fast friends in my life as I had that evening.

Right now it's too cold to surf in my neck of the woods as far as I'm concerned, but I know of one place where the surf's always up and the water's always fairly warm: Robertsport, Liberia. I've made mention of Robertsport a couple of times. The most recent mention was here. The first was to share with you the film, Sliding Liberia, a film about an American kid who "discovers" world-class breaks in the gloriously sleepy fishing village where my father and his father spent their boyhoods, as students at a boarding school perched on a hill overlooking "God's country." Much of the film is dedicated to the story of Alfred Lomax, a young man who becomes Liberia's first surfer after a harrowing turn of events.

I didn't get to meet Alfred during my recent pilgrimage to Robertsport, but I did get to catch up with his brother, whose name-- I am very embarrassed to admit-- I've forgotten. He was a dashing, gracious young fellow, and kind enough to let me capture a few snapshots. He surfs for hours on end everyday, but what he really wants to do, he says, is finish school. He hopes to become a computer engineer.

Monique Péan

2009-05-21T21:46:00.005-04:00

I love these bracelets from Monique Péan, who in April became the first fine jeweler to win an Ecco Domani Fashion Foundation Award. The erstwhile investment banker launched her line in 2006 and has always been committed to sustainability. Péan founded a charity that provides scholarships to underprivileged students in Haiti, and donates a portion of her sales to Charity:Water, for whom she designed a collection inspired by H2O, using recycled gold.

Soly Cissé

2009-05-06T21:30:00.010-04:00

I absolutely love these electrifying but still vaguely haunting paintings by Senegalese artist Soly Cissé. His work was featured at the Milan furniture fair last month as part of Stephen Burks' "M'Afrique" installation for Italian furniture manufacturer, Moroso. Read about it on iconeye. Also part of the installation was the work of Nubian artist Fathi Hassan (whom I'll be featuring shortly) and the photographs of architect David Adjaye.

Piper Carter Presents

2009-04-27T23:23:00.010-04:00

A sexy little collaboration between photographer Piper Carter and artist Ogechi Chieke. Model is Cody Thronton. Complete credits can be found at Ogechi's space on Vimeo. Piper says this is one piece of a series that will be exhibited-- probably at her new gallery in Detroit.

Three Generations

2009-04-20T01:50:00.005-04:00

A couple of weeks into my Liberia trip, my father took me to meet some of the wood carvers from the Liberian Carvers' Association. He'd befriended them when he enlisted their help in acquiring a piece of redwood for one of his many pet projects. The gorgeous little guy is the grandson of the old man, who's showing off a piece of his son's work.

William Ismael

2009-04-14T14:55:00.018-04:00

I love these plates from William Ismael, a motion director and graphic artist based in Paris. They're a functional marriage of delicacy and masculinity-- and so would probably make a great wedding gift. Purchase them-- or a smattering of other Ismael-designed products-- from his online boutique.

A global citizen, director/designer Ismael was born in the south of France and raised in Paris, Milan, New York and Los Angeles. And he's a polymath of serious proportions: he's earned a couple degrees, had a record deal with Warner Bros. France at 16, and has appeared in Vogue-- as a model.

Bon Weekend

2009-04-10T16:58:00.004-04:00

The Boy From Korma

2009-04-08T00:00:00.009-04:00

I met this knowing young man in Korma, the village where my grandmother was laid to rest last year. This isn't the best shot I captured of him, though; the best is a group shot with some of the other village children. While they smile and play to the camera, this fellow is sitting apart from the huddle, brow furrowed and head cocked-- as if to say, "What the f*ck?"

His skepticism (presumably of me)-- and the fact that he was positively, adorably swimming in his dashiki-- only served to draw me further in. He must have sensed my energy, which may account for his age appropriate softness here.

Back Soon

2009-03-30T21:39:00.012-04:00

Of the nearly two thousand photos I took during my whirlwind of a sojourn to Liberia, this one is my favorite. I shot it-- and the most darling video ever-- from the passenger seat of my father's car, while these lovely little ladies enthralled at their reflections.

I'll be back soon.

In the meantime, if you've any suggestions as to where I could show this and other images from my trip, do send them along.

Sliding Liberia

2009-03-03T11:08:00.008-05:00

I'll be watching this tonight en route to Brussels. Although I must admit, it may take me a while to stop chuckling at the fact that there are subtitles. They're speaking English-- 日本語じゃないよ!

At any rate, I stumbled upon this movie about an hour before I headed out for my first surfing lesson last summer-- which I signed up for after experiencing one and a half years of recurring dreams about wave riding. Synchronicity at its finest.

Au Revoir

2009-03-03T10:59:00.006-05:00

As I wrap up preparations for my trip to Liberia, I leave you to enjoy this collage-- aptly titled, "Stay Strong"-- by French-Senegalese photographer/art director/painter/designer Delphine Diallo.

J. Michelle Hill-Campbell

2009-03-02T11:08:00.006-05:00

J. Michelle Hill-Campbell is a pioneer of digital print on cloth. She designs texiles for use in home furnishings, fashion, and theater (see Lion King, Aida). Hill-Campbell is based in New York, received her MFA from Howard, and teaches several classes at Parsons-- one of which I've been meaning to enroll in for a couple of years. I can't find much information on the Africa- and Asia-inspired designer on the interwebs, but would of course love to see more of her work. Photo from the Museum of Arts and Design.

Patricia Coffie

2009-03-01T17:40:00.007-05:00

Patricia Coffie is a Ghanaian photographer based in New York. I missed her recent show at the Mary Boone Gallery, but look forward to having an opportunity to get up close to her thrilling work soon.

Hoods to Woods

2009-02-24T12:19:00.004-05:00

Brian "Deka" Paupaw is a broadcast designer, creative director of the Se7en Nations clothing brand (still kicking?), a serious snowboarder, and now a filmmaker. He chronicles his journey from Bed-Stuy to South American back country mountains in his recently completed documentary, Hoods to Woods:

I will have just arrived in Liberia-- with my newly acquired surfboard in tow-- but if you're in New York next Thursday, you should go to the Hoods to Woods screening party at The Blue Seats:

Hoods to Woods Screening
Hosted by Filmmaker Brian "Deka" Paupaw
March 5th, 2009
The Blue Seats
157 Ludlow Street, New York, NY 10002

Doors open @ 6pm
Film Screening: 8:00 - 8:30
Reception: 8:30 - until

David Adjaye

2009-02-18T15:02:00.008-05:00

There has been a tendency to shy away from who you are, and I don’t want to deny who I am. If a Japanese architect talks about Shintoism, everyone goes, “Wow.” If an African architect talks about an African village, it is somehow weird in the Western context. I find that hilarious. What’s the difference?

London-based, Ghanaian architect David Adjaye was born in Tanzania and educated at the Royal College of Art. His 2005 Whitechapel Idea Store-- he designed several "Idea Stores," which are not at all unlike Japan's one-stop culture shop community centers-- in London won the RIBA (Royal Institute of British Architects) First Prize Bronze Medal (photo just below). Adjaye also creates stunning private spaces-- including James Casebere and Lorna Simpson's four-story Fort Greene studio (bottom photo), which you may remember as the subject of a 2006 Times article.

Adjaye is all of 42 years old.

Old School

2009-02-16T19:05:00.004-05:00

1962, St. John's Episcopal High School in Robertsport, Liberia. Eat your heart out, Thom Browne.

Tracy Reese Fall 2009

2009-02-16T07:51:00.002-05:00

A sneak peek of what one might see if one dragged oneself over to Tracy Reese's 1 pm unveiling of her Fall 2009 collection, which is said to have been inspired by post-impressionist portraiture-- Vuillard, Van Gogh, and Modigliani.

Xaviera Simmons

2009-02-15T08:52:00.005-05:00

A photograph by Xaviera Simmons-- one of the many works on offer at the Swann Galleries African-American Fine Art Auction next Tuesday. The Brooklyn-based Simmons received her BFA from Bard College, completed a two-year actor training program at Maggie Flanigan, and is a co-founder of Tuffness Crew, a DJ collective.

Esperanza for Banana Republic

2009-02-15T07:30:00.003-05:00

Last night I trekked from the Jazz Standard, where I caught the second bit of Esperanza Spalding's sold out three-set marathon, up to Port Authority, where my chariot awaited. I settled into my seat on the DeCamp, and pulled out from my poorly aging purse the last issue of Domino, which I'd picked up before hitting the show. On the back cover I spied a gorgeous girl who, amusingly enough, looked just like Esperanza.

Imagine my delight when I read the fine print and discovered that it was in fact her. She, along with nine other artists (including Nigerian-German soul singer Ayo), is featured in Banana Republic's City Stories spring ad campaign.

Don't let the smokey eyes and sexy posturing fool you; Esperanza is all spunk and funk and is not at all too cool to BURN.

Esperanza Spalding

2009-02-14T16:55:00.004-05:00

I've had this post sitting in my queue for sometime, so you can imagine my surprise-- and admitted disappointment-- when I discovered that I'd been beaten to the punch by none other than everyone's favorite Fly Girl. Thankfully, the focus was more on the badass bassist's badass 'fro, rather than her great story or spot on music. So here goes.

Beyond fantastic hair, singing bassist Esperanza Spalding is nothing short of a world-class musician. One of the youngest faculty members in the history of the famed Berklee College of Music, The Portland, Oregon-born Spalding, who was, of course, always into music, sort of stumbled into voice and bass-- not before teaching herself how to play the violin at age five, tinkering with the oboe, clarinet, and cello, becoming concertmaster of the Chamber Music Society of Oregon at age fifteen, writing songs for an indie rock group, and touring with Patti Austin.

Released last may by Heads Up Records, Spalding's second studio album, Esperanza, is an organic mélange of samba, soul, and straight-ahead jazz. Some of her stuff-- which she writes-- is a bit too challenging for popular consumption, but she's got an arsenal of less complex-- but no less thrilling-- material that will please the common denominator.

Esperanza plays tonight (through Sunday) at the Jazz Standard-- a perfect way to spend this Valentine's evening.

If you're in New York:

Esperanza Spalding
February 13-15
7:30 pm & 9:30 pm sets
The Jazz Standard
116 E 27th Street
New York, New York 10016
The Jazz Standard | Tickets

Sister, Where Art Thou?

2009-02-12T19:05:00.000-05:00

I've been itching-- and trying-- to unearth more information on prop stylist Lili Diallo, whose easy, breezy Brooklyn loft was featured in the March 2008 issue of Domino, and subsequently lusted over by design bloggers webwide. So far, nothing. If her own space is this chic, imagine the fantasy, strictly editorial environments she must create for the likes of Elle Decor. It'd also be interesting to see how her space has evolved in the past year-- and to learn how she became one of the most sought after stylists in the industry.

Rashaad Newsome

2009-02-12T15:07:00.000-05:00

Visual and performance artist Rashaad Newsome stages his cerebral, wildly amusing Shade Compositions 2009 tonight through Saturday at The Kitchen. Newsome says much of his work is "an interrogation of the notion of class," and that he is interested in exploring "the desire for power by people in subalterian positions." Me, too.

Shade Compositions strikes me as a sort of post-modern "Four Women"-- although tonight's presentation will involve twenty lovelies. The work hinges on the re-presentation of familiar gestural movements and sounds-- the teeth sucking, the foot stomping, the eye rolling, and the guttural expressions of disdain birthed by Black women and ironically expropriated across racial, cultural, sexual, and socioeconomic lines. Newsome is interested, he says, in marrying so-called high culture with so-called low culture-- in injecting "ghetto elements into the canonized white box" and adding new language to discourse of contemporary art.

Shade Compositions 2009 will be presented alongside performance artist Kalup Linzy's Comedy, Tragdy, Sketches of Me. If you're in New York:

Kalup Linzy and Rashaad Newsome
February 12 and 13 at 8pm
February 14 at 5 pm
The Kitchen
512 W. 19th Street
New York, NY 10011
Get tickets

Friday Frivolity

2009-02-06T18:08:00.018-05:00

17 year-old angelface Shelby Coleman was discovered last year at a trunk show in her hometown of Chicago by Giambattista Valli, who promptly made arrangements for the "All-American beauty" to debut at his fall 2008 runway show as a worldwide exclusive. Ah, to be young, tall, thin, beautiful, and ~~ethnically ambiguous~~ black.

Nicola Vassell for The (Video) Look Book

2009-02-05T19:19:00.005-05:00

Despite its limited demographic, New York Magazine still manages to feature a bona fide cross section of New York denizens in its Look Book series. From the kooky, young Japanese textile designer whose Tokyo roots set him eons into the future at birth, to the nerdy tourist from Boston whose outfit was inspired by the "Denise Huxtable moment" she'd had that morning-- and her more glamorous though bespectacled partner-in-crime-- no one with memorable style is exempt. Bloody surprising-- and, I guess, relatively impressive-- for a swanky, blue blood rag.

At any rate, Nicola is as effortlessly chic here as ever.

Nicola Vassell

2009-02-03T15:49:00.010-05:00

"It’s not a surprise that the director of a prominent, important gallery is black or is young or is a woman,” said Arnold Lehman, director of the Brooklyn Museum, which has showed two of Ms. Vassell’s artists. “But when you run the three together, it sends a very important signal."

Deitch Projects director Nicola Vassell is the subject of an article in The Times, A Shaper of Talent for a Changing Art World. The piece is the fourth in the paper's "Breaking In," series, which explores the ups and downs of trying to begin a career in the arts. Previous subjects were a dancer, a musician, and a music promoter.

30 year-old Vassell (whose face you may recognize; she was an oft-booked model in a previous life) joined the Deitch empire as an intern three and a half years ago. She moved through the ranks, impressed owner Jeffrey Deitch with "an artistic vision that is embedded in her personality," and became a director in 2007. Needless to say, the landscape has shifted a bit since Vassell began her new post. The Kingston, Jamaica native credits having survived her country's recession with her unshakable poise and verve in today's dwindling market. "Even as a newbie," she says, "I knew the center couldn't hold."

Vassell represents Kehinde Wiley, who'll be designing a collection of clothing and accessories for Puma, for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. Wiley says of Vassell, "In the last few years, it’s like somebody who abides with you. She’s got a nose for really great art. She comes by the studio, and we talk, and I can paint. It’s a conversation that turns into an ability to communicate to the public what I’m trying to do."

Cha by Chandra

2009-02-02T00:44:00.005-05:00

The irony of my love for hats is that I have a head so large, it sometimes-- when my appetite is under control-- shares a circumference with my waist. This unfortunate fact has made me a huge fan of the cocktail hat-- that nice, dramatic finishing flourish for a knockout ensemble. That sartorial equivalent of a piece of terminal punctuation at the end of a well-crafted, multi-clausal sentence. That old-school, diminutive topper which requires very little cranial real estate and therefore fits heads of all sizes, including colossal.

These gorgeous, sculptural hats from Cha by Chandra are right on the money. They playfully hint at the designer's architectural training (acquired at Howard) and are vintage-inspired without being terribly familiar, modern without affectation.

The Selby

2009-01-30T15:53:00.002-05:00

I dig The Selby, which features "interesting people in creative spaces," as much as the next decor junkie. So what if it's a masturbatory celebration of hipster lifestyle? I can't count the number of times I've clicked in and spent way too much time fawning over some fantastic spaces that anyone with a soul would have a really good time in.

But has anyone else noticed that with two questionable exceptions, representations of Black people on The Selby are limited to the inanimate? And that the object d' blackness is always singled out and displayed like some sort of honor badge? Attention, hipsters: Black people actually exist. In fact, some are responsible for some of the music you listen to, much of the art you covet, and just about all the slang you bandy about in your incessant attempts at irony.

I'm not mad. It's Todd Selby's world. And in Todd Selby's world, Todd Selby should do what Todd Selby damn well pleases-- which may include shooting, of all the Black creatives in the world, Kanye. I'm just saying.

Hulbert Waldroup

2009-01-30T15:51:00.003-05:00

I'm not as interested in pop artist Hulbert Waldroup's dealings with a now defunct, high-end escort agency-- or his subsequent jail time-- as I am in this necklace he made. I want one. Calling Barneys-- hop on this, please? Photograph taken a couple of summers ago by Altamira.

Medicine for Melancholy

2009-01-30T15:29:00.015-05:00

A love story of bikes and one-night stands told through two African-American twenty-somethings dealing with issues of class, identity, and the evolving conundrum of being a minority in rapidly gentrifying San Francisco-a city with the smallest proportional black population of any other major American city.

Writer-director Barry Jenkins' debut film, Medicine for Melancholy, opens today in New York. A post-modern, post-Love Jones, Black love story-- rounded out with bikes and sunshine and identity crises. Sounds like a good time. Although New York Post "critic" V.A. Musetto-- whose review of the film is titled, "Cheerful Indie Easy to Swallow"-- thought that the Before Sunrise-like, "carefree" film was weighed down by fleeting allusions to gentrification. Right. The Invisible Woman conducted a great interview with Jenkins last October-- read it here.

If you're in New York:

IFC Center
323 Sixth Avenue
New York, NY 10014
A, B, C, D, E, F or V to W 4th

MEDICINE FOR MELANCHOLY
A film by Barry Jenkins NR, USA, 2009, 88 MIN
11:45 | 1:45 | 3:50 | 6:00 | 8:05 | 10:10 | 12:10am
Buy tickets

Ben Jones

2009-01-28T10:24:00.016-05:00

Former Studio Museum director Edward Spriggs has organized a major retrospective of New Jersey-based artist Ben Jones at the Jersey City Museum. The 67 year-old artist is little known outside of New Jersey, where he's spent his entire adult life. A professor at New Jersey City University, Jones is as inspired by his Roman Catholic upbringing as he is by his heritage.

The retrospective, which was the museum's largest and most successful opening, includes some of the artist's better known, iconic works like "Black Face and Arm Unit" (1971), his "Blood Series," some trippy female figure studies, and a new, site-specific installation. I discovered yesterday that my local museum, which I've never visited (even though it's across the street from my preferred grocer) has some Ben Jones; I do need to pick up some veggies today. ~~I should stop in.~~ (Snow day.)

If you're in the New York area:

Deliverance: The Art of Ben Jones 1970-2008
September 18, 2008-February 21, 2009
Jersey City Museum
350 Montgomery Street
Jersey City, New Jersey 07302

Alicia Piller

2009-01-23T12:54:00.003-05:00

I'm rather late to the party, but this shall not deter me from singing the praises of artist/designer Alicia Piller, whose work is just bananas. Her paintings and drawings-- which bear titles like "Rebirth," "Apparition," and "Lasting Existence"-- are perfectly bizarre and alluring, but I'm particularly drawn to her wall hangings and jewelry, both of which are crafted of suede and beads and crystals and wood and love. Lots of love. Can you feel it? I can.

As if this wasn't enough, Piller, who is as stunning as her work, uses her singular vision to create hand painted apparel-- also bananas, also made with love. View it-- and loads more art and jewelry-- at designsbyaliciap.com.

Rajboori

2009-01-22T17:15:00.001-05:00

Industrial designer extraordinaire Stephen Burks is noted for his seamless integration of classic handcrafts and modern aesthetics. His newly launched Rajboori Collection-- created at the suggestion and with the cooperation of young Indian entrepreneur Mitun Chakrabarti, who approached Burks at a design conference-- features brightly hued, geometrically patterned throws, cushions, and bedding made of luxurious eco-silks.

The artisanal textiles, which boast the resilience of cotton, are produced in by a group of families living a small Indian village that has been engaged in silk weaving for centuries. Learn more on the website of German design magazine, Form. No word on where Rajboori will be sold, but it the collection will be on view to retailers and buyers at the New York International Gift Fair (Jan 25-29).

Photo from the New York Times Magazine

At 39, Burks is already a powerhouse of productivity: his firm, Ready Made Projects, has produced work for B&B Italia, Missoni, Calvin Klein, Triple Five Soul, Tods, David Yurman, and other big names. Burks has been hailed as one of the most recognized American industrial designers of his generation.

Angelique Price

2009-01-19T09:26:00.011-05:00

Human salvation lies in the hands of the creatively maladjusted.
- Martin Luther King, Jr.

Nick Cave

2009-01-17T02:27:00.018-05:00

I'm looking forward to getting a closer look at artist Nick Cave's "soundsuits"-- wearable, mixed media sculptures of the most fantastical proportions. Constructed of materials like found fabric, metal armatures, plastic bags, twigs, sequins, and hair, the sculptures are a marriage between haute couture and African ceremonial costume. So, Carnaval's more cerebral cousin on very good acid.

Cave's journey to the role of visual artist has been a slightly but admirably circuitous one; a dancer at Alvin Ailey, he previously produced his own clothing line. He currently serves as the chairman of the fashion design department at the Art Institute of Chicago. Interestingly, his first soundsuit-- which had not yet been christened a "soundsuit"-- was created in response to the Rodney King beating and the riots that followed the acquittal of the government sanctioned perpetrators. It wasn't until Cave actually donned the suit, which was intended to stand on its own, that the artist realized it produced sound.

Naturally, "[Cave] is as interested in fashion and cultural, ritualistic and ceremonial concepts as he is in politics, a domain that has always been part of his work as demonstrated by acts of collecting and reconfiguring elements and concealing the identity, race, and gender, of those who wear his suits. Rendering them faceless and anonymous the suits help these individuals transcend the political realm in order to enter the realm of dreams and fantasy" (jackshainman.com).

Having just spent a couple months in Japan, I could definitely stand to relax, relate, and release. Even if it's just vicariously. Also, the ski mask at the top there? I'd wear that.

If you're in New York:

Recent Soundsuits - Nick Cave 2009
January 8 - February 7
Jack Shainman Gallery
513 W 20th Street
New York, NY 10011
www.jackshainman.com

Feeling Good

2009-01-15T12:59:00.009-05:00

As I prepare to spend 23+ hours en route from KIX to EWR, I leave you with this hilarious spot by Tickles.tv, featuring the lovely and talented filmmaker and catwalker, Allison Caviness (with whom I shared a house about a moon and a half ago during college-- good times). I confess to having watched this at least 45 times in the past half hour. And to the fact that I'll watch it many, many more times.

Don't Get Tickled-- Don't Do It.

The Shipment

2009-01-13T11:12:00.008-05:00

[Korean-American playwright Young Jean Lee] consciously set herself the uncomfortable task of creating what she calls a “black identity-politics show,” having explored and lampooned the culture of Christian churches and Asian-Americans in her previous works “Church” and “Songs of the Dragons Flying to Heaven.” (Clearly she likes a challenge.) Combing through the images of African-Americans that dominate the media, Ms. Lee wields sharp, offbeat humor to point up the clichés, distortions and absurdities, turning the wearily familiar — a foul-mouthed stand-up comic, a drug dealer, a would-be rapper — into loopy, arch cartoons.

Please don’t let the social-studies tag “identity-politics” put you off; “The Shipment,” performed by a diversely talented cast of five black actors, will bore or offend only the humorless. Ms. Lee’s method is not to wag a finger but to wink and smile, trusting that you’ll register the point after you’ve had a good laugh.

Both photo and text are from The Times. I'd heard of neither the show nor writer Lee until I stumbled upon the article, which makes several questionable points. But I'll be uncharacteristically reasonable and suspend judgment until I see the thing for myself.

If you're in New York:

The Shipment
A play by Young Jean Lee
January 8-24, 2009
The Kitchen
512 West 19th Street
New York, NY 10011
Buy tickets

Cedric Smith

2009-01-11T13:33:00.016-05:00

I'm known for my occasionally flat affect and preternatural ability to remain perfectly calm even in the most dire circumstances-- and for the inverse, sheer neurosis in the face of things like crooked wall hangings and too-thick ball points. I made progress and broke my mold today, however, when I gasped with excitement upon laying my eyes on the arresting work of artist Cedric Smith via Brooklyn Circus, with whom Smith is set to collaborate. At long last-- a response justified by the stimulus.

As if his work were not enough, Smith's studio is perfection:

Do you spy on that inspiration board the marvelous things that I do? It all reminds me, actually, of a photo I once took: I'd baked a chocolate cheesecake (from this badass Epicurious recipe), dressed it with chocolate ganache, and sat it atop a vintage cake stand, which I juxtaposed next to that issue of Trace with Biggie on the cover.

More images of this lovely studio can be found on cedricsmith.com.

But only a tour would sate me.

Vegan Soul Kitchen

2009-01-09T07:18:00.007-05:00

My man will roll his eyes-- and possibly reconsider the viability of our relationship (which is based largely on our shared canivorousness)-- when he catches me with my copy of Vegan Soul Kitchen (Da Capo/Perseus 2009), eco-chef Bryant Terry's latest. But I don't think I'll be able to resist this one-- and the sultry, Blue Note-esque cover has ~~nothing~~ little to do with it. While I am of the opinion that all soul food is "bright, bold, and sexy," I have faith that these recipes will indeed be something special. Especially after I'm done plating them. (Skills.) What's more, Terry himself isn't a vegan-- and he was hesitant to plaster the word "vegan" across his book because "it evokes granola, fake meat." Smart man. He continues, "I like to think that I'm taking African-American staples and coming up with something new."

And he has, it seems: citrus collards with raisins; Caramelized grapefruit, avocado, and watercress salad with grapefruit vinaigrette; Jamaican patties with sweet coconut-ginger creamed corn. Yes, yes, and yes, please. Despite having been born into two separate but equal meat-eating traditions-- I take my pepper soup with gizzards and tripe, and my high school graduation party had not yet officially begun until the roast pig was situated on the banquet table-- I occasionally take a dip in the vegetarian pool. And not as a form of detox, either-- just a way to expand my repertoire. Then again, it's only a matter of weeks before I'm Afrique-bound and have no choice but to try and squeeze into my summer gear. So maybe I'd be wise to adopt a more healthful eating regimen, like, yesterday. Or tomorrow.

Or not, as the VSK release date isn't until March. Mark it on your calendar, and call your local bookseller to reserve your copy.

Happy healthy eating.

Collecting 101

2009-01-08T11:02:00.008-05:00

I'll be three days shy of returning stateside, but if you're in New York you should go to The Fine Art of Collecting at the Studio Museum next Wednesday-- perhaps even if you have no immediate intention of starting a collection, as the session will introduce and expound upon the elements of both private and museum collecting, including glimpses into the development of the Studio Museum collection and that of the Swann Galleries-- the only major auction house with a Black art department. I have no immediate intention of starting a collection myself, but in the past month or so, I've encountered a few works (at criminally low price points attainable even to me) that I wouldn't mind owning. Bummed I'll miss this. Not that I need the Studio Museum's permission to get my art buy on. But still.

Give it a go:

The Fine Art of Collecting
Studio Museum Harlem
Wednesday, January 14th from 6-9 pm

Featured speakers will include Naomi Beckwith, Assistant Curator for the Studio Museum in Harlem, Nancy Lane, renowned collector and member of the Studio Museum’s Acquisition Committee, and Nigel Freeman, Director of the African-American Fine Art Department at Swann Galleries. Participants will learn about the evolution of the Studio Museum’s permanent collection, the history of Swann Auction Galleries relationship with African American Fine Art, as well as the fundamentals of beginning and continuing a valuable private collection. Join us at the Studio Museum for this discussion, private viewing and tour.

Pre-registration is required. This session of The Fine Art of Collecting is FREE for members, $20 for the general public and $15 for students and seniors. To register and for more information please call 212.864.4500 x264.

Harlem Toile de Jouy

2009-01-07T05:13:00.008-05:00

In the matter of Sheila Bridges' "Harlem Toile de Jouy" (circa 2007), I remain undecided-- after one and a half years of deliberation. Bridges says she designed the print "to tell a somewhat satirical story about African American life as seen through the sometimes distorted lens of the media." I can get with that. For the most part. What's slightly troubling, however, are all the misguided Oos and Ahhs from the blogosphere, and the unintentionally ironic Domino feature. So I hereby recuse myself. But the matter must be settled once and for all. What say ye?

Jnane Tamsna

2009-01-06T08:00:00.003-05:00

Meryanne Loum-Martin is living the kind of life many of us ladies dream of leading when we're of a certain age. The French-Senegalese barrister-turned-interior designer, along with her husband, American ethno-botanist Gary Martin, conceptualized, designed, and now operates Jnane Tamsna, a luxury guesthouse in the chic La Palmeraie district of Marrakech. Situated on nine luscious acres, Jnane Tamsna offers 24 ensuite rooms, five swimming pools, private interior patios, an organic (and water-efficient) garden that provides most of the produce used in Jnane cuisine, and world class cooking instruction that has been featured by the likes of Bon Apetit and Gourmet magazines.

Master of cuisine Bahija Lafridi, photographed by Jason Lowe for Gourmet
But Tamsna isn't all; in 2009, the Martins will open Jnane Ylane, a "living, integrated community with 95% of the land devoted to gardens and farmland." The land will be tilled by local farmers, and on-site workshops will be the birthplaces of the pottery and furniture used throughout both properties. Located in the countryside beyond Marrakech, the estate will feature privately owned villas, as well as a cluster of villas that will house 30 hotel rooms. Some of these rooms will feature private rooftop terraces with views over the kasbah to the Atlas Mountains.

Both properties are decorated in Loum-Martin's signature "New Moroccan" style-- a harmonious fusion of Asian, African, and European design elements. I'm dying to see more photos of the interior. Loum-Martin was a contributing editor on New Moroccan Style: The Art of Sensual Living, and also owns Ryad Tamsna, a restaurant-gallery-boutique where the talented lovely purveys Moroccan cuisine with a sub-Saharan twist, hand-painted shawls, Senegalese textiles, teas, home furnishings, and other thoughtfully chosen goods. Also credited with ownership of Ryad Tamsna is Syney Loum, a former ambassador to the UK; Meryanne's brother?

Duro Olowu Spring 2009

2009-01-04T08:24:00.008-05:00

Initially underwhelmed by Duro Olowu's SS09 show, I decided to take another, more compassionate gander. I remain nonplussed, but I did manage to find a look that I'm actually quite fond of. It's all about the jacket and the necklace, which is one of the designer's many subtle nods to Black Orpheus. Of course, I would hack off at least 12 inches from the bottom of the skirt. But I'm a bit of a sartorial tart. Luckily, my subconscious has a defense mechanism in place: the amount of clothing I wear and the degree to which I assert my seriousness tend to be inversely proportionate. Banish my ego? Never! She's so helpful.

EDIT: For reference, here are a few more looks from the show (from Style.com)-- what do you think? Is my distaste misinformed? I agree wholeheartedly with writer Sarah Mower's contention that Olowu plays to "a certain slice of the cultural intellegentsia." Take that as you will.

Innonative

2009-01-04T02:09:00.010-05:00

It's been a while (a year, to be exact) since I was introduced to-- and first thrilled by-- the work of Ghanaian architect Joe Osae-Addo. A proponent of what he calls, "inno-native design," Osae-Addo believes that "interstitial spaces and landscape are what define tropical architecture," and that the elements-- air, light, wind, water, trees-- and all their imperfections are to be embraced.

The images below are from his one-story, 2500 sq ft home in Accra (the one above, from Archiafrika, is unidentified). The absence of hallways allow for the free passage of light and air-- the latter of which is of paramount importance in an equatorial country like Ghana, where the heat often does battle with the humidity. Adobe mud block and timber culled from the countryside were chief among the building materials.

Osae-Addo's company, Constructs LLC, handles all manner of urban planning, landscaping, and architectural projects with an eye to bringing modern architecture and building techniques to Africa in a way that is contextually and culturally appropriate. Constructs has also made room on its full docket to join Brad Pitt and the Make it Right team in their efforts to rebuild the Lower 9th Ward of New Orleans.

Mr. Addo is on the roster for a conference to be held in March in Monrovia that I also plan on attending; I do hope I get to chat with him! Read more about his philosophy and his home (and the darling backstory that catalyzed its construction) in the Dwell article and podcast.

Tony Whitfield

2009-01-03T23:24:00.006-05:00

"Socabot" rocking chair, part of designer Tony Whitfield's Red Wing & Chambers LC2000 collection, which features sustainably harvested rainforest materials. Developed at Liana Cane Lab in Georgetown, Guyana. Constructed of steel and liana cane, 28"h x 34"w x 48"d. How nice would it be to lounge on this beauty (with some padding, of course) on the terrace of a tropical modern, boutique hotel in, say, Robertsport?

Carla Williams

2009-01-03T07:11:00.016-05:00

I'm still swooning over these haunting, ethereal self-portraits from LA-bred photographer/author/writer Carla Williams, who has done us the very generous favor of making her entire body of work available on her website, Carlagirl Photo. These images are from her Pleasure and Beauty: Self-Portraits from 1985-1990 series, which was developed during her years as a student, and without an eye to making a Statement. Surely this accounts for energetic purity of this work-- which in my opinion amplifies its significance many times over. On a lighter note, I'd love to hang large-scale prints of these heartbreakingly lovely images in a dressing room-- my dressing room. Only there aren't any large-scale prints. And I don't have a dressing room yet.

Happy New Year

2009-01-02T04:47:00.006-05:00

When I came across this photo on the virtual home of one Urban Conjure Woman (writer Jamey Hatley), I knew I had to share it with you. Not only is it a choice piece of vintage photography in the spirit of Style Noir, it captures perfectly the fierce optimism that tends to swell at the start of every January. Jamey is standing in the middle, in front of her first car. Newly empowered, she was ready, willing, and able to get a move on. I hope you are, too.

Here's to a joyous and thrillingly productive new year! May it exceed your wildest expectations.

Welcome to Style Noir

2009-01-01T10:42:00.000-05:00

A lifelong design enthusiast with a voracious appetite for the latest reportage from the spheres of luxury home, fashion, and industrial design, I hungrily devour all manner of design media. While my thirst for new inspiration is always quenched, my appetite for coverage of Black contributions to modern lifestyle and design usually goes unfulfilled-- a puzzlement, really, given the bounty of fruit born of creative minds of African descent. Rather than suck my teeth and shake my head at this amusing state of affairs, I'll hunt, gather, winnow, and share with you the best design from the Black diaspora.