Kypski x Matangi
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2 september 2010 - Remember playing memory games as a kid? Well, you can start playing it again, but in a fashionable way this time. Flemish photographer Barbara Iweins has been photographing people on the streets of Amsterdam for a while. She takes an hour or two per week to go bother these beautiful human beings at the corner of her house and takes pictures of their heads and legs. Combined, these pictures do not only make a beautiful exhibition, but also a fun and entertaining memory game.
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2 september 2010 - If you are too cool for school you need to stock up at your local Marc Jacobs store. Under the name Book Marc (yes, really) mr. Jacobs is bringing out cases, colored pencils and cool marble patterned tins. You can find all supplies on his website, under special items.
2 september 2010 - Yes… the rumors are true; after collaborations with Karl Lagerfeld, Stella McCartney, Comme des Garçons and Sonia Rykiel, H&M announces the next collaboration will be with great fashion house Lanvin.
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1 september 2010 - ART
Everyone scribbles a little every once in a while. During a boring phone call the best you can do is make funny little drawings on a post-it notes. Especially fun when you are good at it.
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Everyone scribbles a little every once in a while. During a boring phone call the best you can do is make funny little drawings on a post-it notes. Especially fun when you are good at it.
READ MORE \
31 augustus 2010 - ART
Recently graduated from Kansas City Art Institute, Brian J. Hettler fuses digital images with heavily saturated colors, pop culture and virtual elements. His works are often chaotic, almost disturbingly colorful but definitely create an entirely new image.
Some of Hettler’s pieces are abstracted self-portraits that, according to the artist himself, although he mainly works in digital media, can act as paintings, densely layered, rich in projected surface quality, and built upon the precepts of formalism.
Funny thing is, Hettler draws inspiration from one of Holland’s renowned artists of the past, as he states on his website: ‘I pull inspiration from many places, although in my recent studio practice I have been studying the early paintings of Willem de Kooning and the layering process in which he searched for a resolved and emotionally relevant image.’
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Recently graduated from Kansas City Art Institute, Brian J. Hettler fuses digital images with heavily saturated colors, pop culture and virtual elements. His works are often chaotic, almost disturbingly colorful but definitely create an entirely new image.
Some of Hettler’s pieces are abstracted self-portraits that, according to the artist himself, although he mainly works in digital media, can act as paintings, densely layered, rich in projected surface quality, and built upon the precepts of formalism.
Funny thing is, Hettler draws inspiration from one of Holland’s renowned artists of the past, as he states on his website: ‘I pull inspiration from many places, although in my recent studio practice I have been studying the early paintings of Willem de Kooning and the layering process in which he searched for a resolved and emotionally relevant image.’
VIEW MORE \
31 augustus 2010 - FASHION
While Kate Moss called it quits with her design duties at Topshop, another big brand revealed a little bit more about an upcoming collaboration. While rumors about H&M collaborating with Taiwanese haute couture label Shiatzy Chen were still going until a few weeks ago, breaking news hit BLEND’s headquarters. H&M supposedly reached out to top of the bill luxury brand Bottega Veneta for their annual collection of affordable high fashion.
While the Swedish clothing company didn’t make a statement yet, the brand released two videos that reveal some interesting characteristics of the man and female assigned to work on this special line. Their heavily accented voices, clothes and (according to an alert viewer) even their hands bear striking resemblances to those of Tomas Maier and Carolina Herrera. H&M will announce the designer’s names on September 9th.
While Kate Moss called it quits with her design duties at Topshop, another big brand revealed a little bit more about an upcoming collaboration. While rumors about H&M collaborating with Taiwanese haute couture label Shiatzy Chen were still going until a few weeks ago, breaking news hit BLEND’s headquarters. H&M supposedly reached out to top of the bill luxury brand Bottega Veneta for their annual collection of affordable high fashion.
While the Swedish clothing company didn’t make a statement yet, the brand released two videos that reveal some interesting characteristics of the man and female assigned to work on this special line. Their heavily accented voices, clothes and (according to an alert viewer) even their hands bear striking resemblances to those of Tomas Maier and Carolina Herrera. H&M will announce the designer’s names on September 9th.
31 augustus 2010 - MUSIC
This September, American musician George Lewis Jr. will release his debut album called Forget under the name Twin Shadow. With the sound of this record and his quirky style, Twin Shadow is the personification of the Brooklyn-based band hype. Lewis Jr. is right in the middle of the city’s musical epicenter and clearly knows his way around. The lush, romantic sound of his eighties inspired record received just a little bit extra from everything-I-touch-turns-into-gold production wizard Chris Taylor who's also partially responsible for the success of Grizzly Bear's album Veckatimest.
Today’s Tuesday Tune is the album’s stunner called Slow because it makes Twin Shadow’s dark and deep voice, which bears a striking resemblance to that of The Smith’s front man Morrissey, stand out and take you on a ride through his suburban, bedroom-recorded world of Forget.
This September, American musician George Lewis Jr. will release his debut album called Forget under the name Twin Shadow. With the sound of this record and his quirky style, Twin Shadow is the personification of the Brooklyn-based band hype. Lewis Jr. is right in the middle of the city’s musical epicenter and clearly knows his way around. The lush, romantic sound of his eighties inspired record received just a little bit extra from everything-I-touch-turns-into-gold production wizard Chris Taylor who's also partially responsible for the success of Grizzly Bear's album Veckatimest.
Today’s Tuesday Tune is the album’s stunner called Slow because it makes Twin Shadow’s dark and deep voice, which bears a striking resemblance to that of The Smith’s front man Morrissey, stand out and take you on a ride through his suburban, bedroom-recorded world of Forget.
30 augustus 2010 - ART
Video games are a $40 billion-a-year industry, and have moved well beyond the simulated table tennis world of Pong. But is it art? Film critic Roger Ebert recently argued that video games can never be art. Author and game addict Tom Bissell begs to differ and breaks down his argument in his book Extra Lives: Why Video Games Matter. However, the last thing you want to tell a gamer is what their medium can't be. Gaming by definition rails against that sort of arbitrary small-mindedness.
In 'Space Invaders: Art In The Computer Game Environment' the Netherlands Media Art Institute brings art and games culture together. In an artistic, playful yet serious manner, Space Invaders reveals the influence of games on art and society. This group exhibition with Dutch and international media artists examines the increasing blurring of the boundaries between game worlds and reality. In Space Invaders media art works illuminate the migration of the physical world into gaming systems. Conversely, gaming elements are more and more finding their way into physical space. By infiltrating both game environments and real spaces, the artworks clarify the nature and influence of the computer game environments, and provide greater insight into the role that computer games play in contemporary culture.
In short, Space Invaders shows the increasing blurring of the boundaries between the real world and the game world. In this exhibition gaming is more than sitting in front of a screen and playing a game; the relation with the real world is never far away.
Space Invaders: Art In The Computer Game Environment opens on Saturday, August 28th at the Netherlands Media Art Institute. The last day of the exhibition coincides with this year’s museumnight on the 6th of November.
Video games are a $40 billion-a-year industry, and have moved well beyond the simulated table tennis world of Pong. But is it art? Film critic Roger Ebert recently argued that video games can never be art. Author and game addict Tom Bissell begs to differ and breaks down his argument in his book Extra Lives: Why Video Games Matter. However, the last thing you want to tell a gamer is what their medium can't be. Gaming by definition rails against that sort of arbitrary small-mindedness.
In 'Space Invaders: Art In The Computer Game Environment' the Netherlands Media Art Institute brings art and games culture together. In an artistic, playful yet serious manner, Space Invaders reveals the influence of games on art and society. This group exhibition with Dutch and international media artists examines the increasing blurring of the boundaries between game worlds and reality. In Space Invaders media art works illuminate the migration of the physical world into gaming systems. Conversely, gaming elements are more and more finding their way into physical space. By infiltrating both game environments and real spaces, the artworks clarify the nature and influence of the computer game environments, and provide greater insight into the role that computer games play in contemporary culture.
In short, Space Invaders shows the increasing blurring of the boundaries between the real world and the game world. In this exhibition gaming is more than sitting in front of a screen and playing a game; the relation with the real world is never far away.
Space Invaders: Art In The Computer Game Environment opens on Saturday, August 28th at the Netherlands Media Art Institute. The last day of the exhibition coincides with this year’s museumnight on the 6th of November.
30 augustus 2010 - FASHION
Argentinian foldable zine VNFold just released its third issue Close To Nature. Buenos Aires-based visionaries Agustin Merlo and Oscar Gómez Poviña founded VNFold; a magazine that you can check out online, open up on a table or hang on your wall.
VNFold’s shoots are beautiful, the content is absolutely renewing with fresh opinions when it comes to style and, not to forget, we’re just big fans of the sympathetic editors behind this fruitful South American concept. For BLEND’s paper issue, which is currently available, we did an interview with VNFold’s Merlo, which you can check out over here. Go to VNFold’s website to view the entire magazine.
To give its readers an impression of what’s going on behind the scenes of its marvelous productions, VNFold put a video online called Last Day Parade, directed by Chrisopher Starbody.
VIEW MORE \
VNFOLD - ISSUE III - LAST DAY PARADE BY CHRISTOPHER STARBODY from VNFOLD on Vimeo.
Argentinian foldable zine VNFold just released its third issue Close To Nature. Buenos Aires-based visionaries Agustin Merlo and Oscar Gómez Poviña founded VNFold; a magazine that you can check out online, open up on a table or hang on your wall.
VNFold’s shoots are beautiful, the content is absolutely renewing with fresh opinions when it comes to style and, not to forget, we’re just big fans of the sympathetic editors behind this fruitful South American concept. For BLEND’s paper issue, which is currently available, we did an interview with VNFold’s Merlo, which you can check out over here. Go to VNFold’s website to view the entire magazine.
To give its readers an impression of what’s going on behind the scenes of its marvelous productions, VNFold put a video online called Last Day Parade, directed by Chrisopher Starbody.
VIEW MORE \
30 augustus 2010 - FASHION
American designer duo Meghan Lavery & J’aime Lizotte are both natives of Maine and have been collaborating since they met in 1999. Lavery studied tailoring at the Fashion Institute of Technology in NYC while Lizotte attended Massachusetts College of Art & Design and interned at Armani Exchange.
In the summer of 2009 they found themselves both living in Brooklyn and started working on their new label Shape Shiftr, which was a sort of case study about constant change in silhouette and form motivated by geometry.
The two designers like mixing muted colors with outspoken, lush tones and combine the use of wool and cashmeres with light fabrics such as silk. Their pieces look simple from a distance but are super detailed when viewed up-close. Shape Shiftr’s pieces represent the perfect venture into fall/winter dressing.
VIEW MORE \
American designer duo Meghan Lavery & J’aime Lizotte are both natives of Maine and have been collaborating since they met in 1999. Lavery studied tailoring at the Fashion Institute of Technology in NYC while Lizotte attended Massachusetts College of Art & Design and interned at Armani Exchange.
In the summer of 2009 they found themselves both living in Brooklyn and started working on their new label Shape Shiftr, which was a sort of case study about constant change in silhouette and form motivated by geometry.
The two designers like mixing muted colors with outspoken, lush tones and combine the use of wool and cashmeres with light fabrics such as silk. Their pieces look simple from a distance but are super detailed when viewed up-close. Shape Shiftr’s pieces represent the perfect venture into fall/winter dressing.
VIEW MORE \
30 augustus 2010 - MUSIC
Multi-instrumental American musician Sufjan Stevens is working on a new album, which will be released this year. In addition to the news he will be releasing this album called The Age of Adz in October, he dropped a first single for the crowd to download for free. This beat-heavy, sensitive yet strong five-minute-song is called I Walked and makes us curious for more.
This announcement and the free download come as a pleasant surprise, as Stevens just released his EP All Delighted People for digital download last week. Detroit-born, Brooklyn-based Stevens collaborated with his friends from indie rock band The National on their album High Violet. In exchange he was allowed to record in the band’s studio and the band will appear on some tracks of Stevens’ upcoming album.
The Age of Adz will be his first full-length album since 2005’s Illinois. Stevens is known for his obsession with outerspace, supernatural and apocalyptic fantasies, that’s why we’re not surprised by the choice of his title; it refers to the apocalyptic paintings of artist Royal Robertson. He used his artwork for the album cover and as general inspiration for the tone of the album.
Multi-instrumental American musician Sufjan Stevens is working on a new album, which will be released this year. In addition to the news he will be releasing this album called The Age of Adz in October, he dropped a first single for the crowd to download for free. This beat-heavy, sensitive yet strong five-minute-song is called I Walked and makes us curious for more.
This announcement and the free download come as a pleasant surprise, as Stevens just released his EP All Delighted People for digital download last week. Detroit-born, Brooklyn-based Stevens collaborated with his friends from indie rock band The National on their album High Violet. In exchange he was allowed to record in the band’s studio and the band will appear on some tracks of Stevens’ upcoming album.
The Age of Adz will be his first full-length album since 2005’s Illinois. Stevens is known for his obsession with outerspace, supernatural and apocalyptic fantasies, that’s why we’re not surprised by the choice of his title; it refers to the apocalyptic paintings of artist Royal Robertson. He used his artwork for the album cover and as general inspiration for the tone of the album.
27 augustus 2010 - FASHION
These extremely high, grey flannel boots are characteristic for Alexander Wang’s ballsy designs. This 25-year-old American fashion designer was born in San Francisco and made his way up in the fashion scene by creating by one gorgeous collection after another.
Wang launched his first full collection of women’s wear in 2007, which caused an immediate buzz in the fashion scene. After winning a 200.000-dollar prize from CDFA/Vogue Fashion Fund his career took a lift. His edgy, somewhat masculine designs are simple but chic and these amazing, high-heeled boots represent his outstanding taste like no other.
These extremely high, grey flannel boots are characteristic for Alexander Wang’s ballsy designs. This 25-year-old American fashion designer was born in San Francisco and made his way up in the fashion scene by creating by one gorgeous collection after another.
Wang launched his first full collection of women’s wear in 2007, which caused an immediate buzz in the fashion scene. After winning a 200.000-dollar prize from CDFA/Vogue Fashion Fund his career took a lift. His edgy, somewhat masculine designs are simple but chic and these amazing, high-heeled boots represent his outstanding taste like no other.
Kypski x Matangi
29 oktober 2009 - Het was een feest van uitzonderingen in het Concertgebouw zaterdagavond: geen bejaarde of Babyboomer te bekennen, maar een zaal vol twintigers en een dj op het podium. Kyspki (vanavond zonder C-mon) zocht samen met Matangi de raakvlakken op tussen klassieke muziek en dansbare
beats.
Het aan het Koninklijk Conservatorium in Den Haag opgerichte Matangi Quartet is een vaste speler op de kamermuziekpodia in Nederland en daarbuiten. In het verleden trad het al eens op met onder andere Herman van Veen en Youp van ’t Hek, maar vanavond staan ze op het podium met Kypski. Zijn band C-Mon & Kypski bracht 23 oktober het album We Are Square uit, waarop de heren weer maximaal gebruik maken van hun oneindige creativiteit.
De soundclash op het podium wordt visueel in de zaal: de kraagjes en knotjes van Oud-Zuid meets het laid back Amsterdamse Vans-volk. Aanvankelijk lijken die twee werelden te ver uit elkaar te liggen. Beats van Kypski en de klassieke stukken van het kwartet wisselen elkaar af. Matangi opent met Mozart vs. Haydn, daarna draait Kypski zijn eigen Turn Of The Tides, gevolgd door Matangi dat O Albion van Thomas Ades speelt. Stuk voor stuk traktaties voor je oor, maar de overlapping lijkt zoek.
Echter, zodra Kypski het nummer Traveling Birds inzet vallen alle stukjes op zijn plaats. Een lome beat dreunt uit de speakers, al tokkelend live bespeeld door het kwartet. Het samenspel is bewezen, en vormt een van de hoogtepunten van de avond. Vanaf dan lijken Kypski en het Matangi Quartet elkaar pas goed aan te voelen. Stukken als The Fifth Season worden soepel afgewisseld met opzwepende C-Mon & Kypski nummers als Burning Hot en Cravings of a Solemn Soul. Een haast permanente lach verschijnt op het gezicht van Kypski terwijl het viertal steeds passievoller begint te spelen. Het Matangi Quartet laat zien dat zij een boegbeeld is van de nieuwe generatie: vingervlug, prachtig samenspel, waarbij de vioolgeluiden van alle kanten op je af lijken te komen.
Glimlachend deint de zaal mee. Fijne klassieke stukken met hier en daar een verdwaald elektronisch geluidje. Voor je er erg in hebt zijn er weer drie nummers gepasseerd en wordt het laatste nummer ingezet. Het opzwepende en zaalvullende Revenge of the Pinatas knalt als climax door de kleine zaal van het Concertgebouw. Plotseling eindigt het laatste nummer net zo abrupt als de muur van geluid begon. De zaal beseft pas na een seconde of vijf dat het toch echt afgelopen is en beloont het vijftal met een oorverdovend applaus. Over all een fijne show om bij te zijn.
Trouwens wel een dringend verzoek aan het Concertgebouw: doe wat aan het geluid. We zaten net iets rechts van het midden in de zaal, maar dat was al genoeg om het geluid alleen maar uit de rechter speaker te horen knallen. Ons linkeroor bleef bedrogen achter. Concerten als dit verdienen beter!
De avond werd trouwens georganiseerd door Entrée: een jongerenvereniging van het Concertgebouw en het Koninklijk Concertgebouworkest. Door middel van fikse kortingen en eigen initiatieven zoals dit project, slagen ze erin om een de concertzalen te vullen met een jonger publiek. Check entreeweb.nl voor meer info.
Foto's door Janus van den Eijnden
Foto's door Blend
De soundclash op het podium wordt visueel in de zaal: de kraagjes en knotjes van Oud-Zuid meets het laid back Amsterdamse Vans-volk. Aanvankelijk lijken die twee werelden te ver uit elkaar te liggen. Beats van Kypski en de klassieke stukken van het kwartet wisselen elkaar af. Matangi opent met Mozart vs. Haydn, daarna draait Kypski zijn eigen Turn Of The Tides, gevolgd door Matangi dat O Albion van Thomas Ades speelt. Stuk voor stuk traktaties voor je oor, maar de overlapping lijkt zoek.
Echter, zodra Kypski het nummer Traveling Birds inzet vallen alle stukjes op zijn plaats. Een lome beat dreunt uit de speakers, al tokkelend live bespeeld door het kwartet. Het samenspel is bewezen, en vormt een van de hoogtepunten van de avond. Vanaf dan lijken Kypski en het Matangi Quartet elkaar pas goed aan te voelen. Stukken als The Fifth Season worden soepel afgewisseld met opzwepende C-Mon & Kypski nummers als Burning Hot en Cravings of a Solemn Soul. Een haast permanente lach verschijnt op het gezicht van Kypski terwijl het viertal steeds passievoller begint te spelen. Het Matangi Quartet laat zien dat zij een boegbeeld is van de nieuwe generatie: vingervlug, prachtig samenspel, waarbij de vioolgeluiden van alle kanten op je af lijken te komen.
Glimlachend deint de zaal mee. Fijne klassieke stukken met hier en daar een verdwaald elektronisch geluidje. Voor je er erg in hebt zijn er weer drie nummers gepasseerd en wordt het laatste nummer ingezet. Het opzwepende en zaalvullende Revenge of the Pinatas knalt als climax door de kleine zaal van het Concertgebouw. Plotseling eindigt het laatste nummer net zo abrupt als de muur van geluid begon. De zaal beseft pas na een seconde of vijf dat het toch echt afgelopen is en beloont het vijftal met een oorverdovend applaus. Over all een fijne show om bij te zijn.
Trouwens wel een dringend verzoek aan het Concertgebouw: doe wat aan het geluid. We zaten net iets rechts van het midden in de zaal, maar dat was al genoeg om het geluid alleen maar uit de rechter speaker te horen knallen. Ons linkeroor bleef bedrogen achter. Concerten als dit verdienen beter!
De avond werd trouwens georganiseerd door Entrée: een jongerenvereniging van het Concertgebouw en het Koninklijk Concertgebouworkest. Door middel van fikse kortingen en eigen initiatieven zoals dit project, slagen ze erin om een de concertzalen te vullen met een jonger publiek. Check entreeweb.nl voor meer info.
Foto's door Janus van den Eijnden
Foto's door Blend
