An Art Exhibit 100 Feet Below Sea Level. Life Below The Surface by Andreas Franke.

100 feet Below Sea level - The Exhibition
One Year after Andreas Franke's visit to the Vandenberg his images of the wreck were filled with charming stories and now they are exhibited on the most relevant place possible, where the project began.

Since August 4th 2011 divers can benefit from a very special experience and find a package of 12 images placed on the hulk of the artificial reef General Hoyt S. Vandenberg located 100 feet below sealevel and approximately seven miles south of Key West.

Andreas Franke's exhibition contains the twelve works below, showing everyday scenes from past times. The stage of those scenes is the very place the pictures are now exhibited, on the Vandenberg.

The 12 Photographs:













The images are encased between sheets of Plexiglas with a stainless steel frame. A silicone seal keeps out the water. The images are attached to the ship by strong magnets which grants a damage free removing after the end of the exhibition.



Andreas says that the images are "Mystified scenes of the past that play in a fictional space. Dreamworlds, where you can get lost or you can identify with. This makes a new and unexpected atmosphere."






Visiting the exhibition with chartered Boats is possible out of Key West.

About The Ship:
The Vandenberg - From Troop Transporter to Art Gallery

The ship later known as General Hoyt S. Vandenberg was launchend in 1943. Initially it was named USSGeneral Harry Tayler and acquired by US Navy as a troop transport ship for WW II.

In 1961 the ship was transferred to US Air Force, converted to a missile range instrumentation ship and renamed to Gen. Hoyt S. Vandenberg. In this function the Vandenberg served US Air Force and US Navy till its military retirement in 1983.

The Vandenberg Its second career started in 1998, when the ship became the stage for the science-fiction movie "Virus". It substituted the Russian vessel Akademik Vladislav Volkov. Some of the cyrillic lettering is still visible on the hull today.

In 2008 a group of investors auctioned the Vandenberg. The vessel was transferred to Key West to get sunk and convert to an artificial reef in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. In 2009 all necessary preparations were done and finally the Vandenberg got sunk on 27th May 2009. The 523 feet long ship is the second largest artificial reef in the world. More information at www.bigshipwrecks.com

In 2010 was Andreas Frankes first visit to the Vandenberg. He did several dives and shot loads of pictures which should give new food to his thoughts. This was the beginning of "Life Below The Surface" and Vandenbergs last conversion so far, the conversion to an underwater art gallery.

About The Photographer:
 

Andreas Franke is in business for more than 20 years and nowadays one of worlds most respected advertising photographers. For Luerzer's Archive he is listed several times in "200 Best Ad Photographers Worldwide" and his work is honoured with the most important awards in business. Andreas Franke in Key WestClienst like Ben&Jerry's, Coca Cola, Ford, Heineken, Visa or Nike are just a few of global brands which trust on his abilities.

Additionally to his commercial work Andreas worked on several personal projects. "Life Below The Surface" is his freshest and most sensational.

Andreas Franke on his work "In my photography I try to construct illusionistic worlds. I like to see things from a different angle and I try to create new kind of views. Thereby taking images of a sunk ship and bringing life back to the ship by filling these images with stories was always very interesting for me. By diving the Vandenberg I finally found the perfect stage and the last obstacle to realise my idea was removed.

My work is always based on a strict concept, which is photographically and technically perfectly implemented. Every little detail is part of a precisely arranged production. There is no space left for fortuity."

images and information courtesy of the artist and KeyNews

Highlights From The Met's Alexander McQueen Fashion Retrospective, Savage Beauty.

From May 4 through August 7th, The Metropolitan Museum of Art featured an impressive exhibit of the innovative fashions of the late Alexander McQueen. The exhibition, organized by The Costume Institute, celebrated the talented and sorely missed Alexander McQueen’s extraordinary contributions to fashion. From his Central Saint Martins postgraduate collection of 1992 to his final runway presentation, which took place after his death in February 2010, Mr. McQueen challenged and expanded the understanding of fashion beyond utility to a conceptual expression of culture, politics, and identity.

The exhibit was extensive including, in addition to the 100 ensembles and 70 accessories, it included videos, runway photos, and a comprehensive website.
I have featured some details of the more unusual and striking pieces in the exhibit, but encourage you to visit the website to see more if you were unable to attend in person.





























Drawn primarily from the Alexander McQueen Archive in London, with some pieces from the Givenchy Archive in Paris as well as private collections, signature designs including the “bumster” trouser, the kimono jacket, and the three-point “origami” frock coat are on view. McQueen’s fashions often referenced the exaggerated silhouettes of the 1860s, 1880s, 1890s, and 1950s, but his technical ingenuity always imbued his designs with an innovative sensibility that kept him at the vanguard.

The exhibition was organized by Andrew Bolton, curator, with the support of Harold Koda, curator in charge, both of The Costume Institute. Sam Gainsbury and Joseph Bennett, the production designers for Alexander McQueen’s fashion shows, served as the exhibition’s creative director and production designer, respectively. All head treatments and masks are designed by Guido.

See more here

Gallery photography by The Photograph Studio, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Courtesy of Alexander McQueen
additional Photographs © Sølve Sundsbø / Art + Commerce


Alexander McQueen now:
Sarah Burton, who has taken over Alexander McQueen's position after working along side him for 15 years, is incredibly talented in her own right and has done the line justice with her own amazing designs. It was Sarah Burton who designed Kate Middleton's Wedding Dress under the Alexander McQueen label name.

The Private Property Collection Of Graffiti Artist Designed Furniture From Alife X Uhuru.

New York Art Department's PRIVATE PROPERTY is a collaborative project between downtown New York lifestyle brand ALIFE and Brooklyn-based contemporary furniture manufacturer Uhuru (perhaps you recall the post I did on Uhuru's Coney Island furniture line).



The exhibition, which was at The Hole in New York's Bowery, featured sustainable furniture by Graffiti artists Earsnot (Ear) Irak, Semen (Semen Irak aka SeMeN SPeRmS), Jim Joe, KR (Craig Costello aka Krink), Max Fish (Bar and Art Gallery) & ALIFE.



The PRIVATE PROPERTY furniture collection consists of the following pieces:


EARSNOT AND SEMEN IRAK:


EARSNOT IRAK Antique MOD Mirror:
Antique Mod Mirror, steel-framed, floor-length mirror. Etched by EARSNOT, President of NYC's IRAK Crew. Dimensions: 30"x80"Accompanied by a certificate of authenticity. Edition of 2. $7500



SEMEN IRAK Antique MOD Mirror:
Antique Mod Mirror, steel-framed, floor-length mirror. Scratched and cracked by SEMEN of NYCʼs IRAK Crew. Dimensions: 30"x80" Accompanied by a certificate of authenticity. Edition of 2. $7500

Artists Earsnot and Semen at work on the mirrors:





MAX FISH


MAX FISH Slab table and chairs:
One-of-a-kind hardwood slab set on trapezoid steel legs with 4 1X1 metal and wood chairs. Marked by Max Fish patrons overthe month of April 2011.Table dimension: 84"x42"x29.5", Chair dimension: 17"x18"W x35"Accompanied by a certificate of authenticity. One-of-a-kind. $25,000







JIM JOE:


JIM JOE on LAP Coffee Table:
1/4" Aluminum plate and solid wood 3"x3" base. Drawn on by Jim Joe.
Dimensions: 46"x46"x16" Signed by the artist and accompanied by a certificate of authenticity. Edition of 4. $7500


underside of the coffee table:


Artist Jim Joe at work on the coffee table:



additional images of Jim Joe coffee table courtesy of Seth Lassman's (Setlasmon) fabulous sets on Flickr

KR aka Krink aka Craig Costello:


KR on SUMMER SNOW Benches:
Solid Ash tops over 1"x1/2" steel tubing powder coated white. Painted by Craig Costello. Dimensions: 60"x16"x18"Signed by the artist and accompanied by a certificate of authenticity. Edition of 5. $7500




ALIFE NYC:


ALIFE NY CRACK Table:
1/4" steel plate with 1/2" glass top. Dimensions: Base: 26.5"x41"x15.5" Top: 48"x34" Signed and numbered. Accompanied by a certificate of authenticity. Edition of 15. $3600



ALIFE Metal STOOLEN:
A metal version of Uhuruʼs signature stool, created in 4 custom colors for ALIFE.Dimensions: 16"x18"Signed and numbered. Accompanied by a certificate of authenticity. Edition of 15. $1800



About the Metal Stoolen: The Metal Stoolen was created using scraps of steel from Brooklyn area metal shops. Bundled together haphazardly and encased in a ring of longer pieces, the hollow ends of metal form the objectʼs top. This produces a dynamic pattern filled with highly charged empty space. The effect is like a photonegative of the original Stoolen. The eye-catching powder coating adds to the pieceʼs sculptural quality and highlights the tension between positive and negative space.



(NY Mag) PRIVATE PROPERTY brings together high-end sustainable furniture design and downtown New York graffiti culture: The project counts on the participation of infamous graffiti writers EARSNOT, SEMEN, JIM JOE and KR; legendary Lower East Side hang out Max Fish and its unruly clientele; and lifestyle brand ALIFE—all of whom have produced self-titled pieces.


To be displayed for sale during New York Design Week, the idea behind the project began as a friendly conversation between Alife and New York Art Department founders Robert Cristofaro and Arnaud Delecolle, and Uhuru founders Jason Horvath and Bill Hilgendorf. The four agreed to collaborate and create a New York-centric project that would represent all partiesʼ respective areas of expertise.

The result is a unique collection of handcrafted sustainable furniture that plays with the concept of vandalism, private property and each's appropriation of the other. PRIVATE PROPERTY is produced by creative consultancy and design company New York Art Department with support of lifestyle brand-consultancy company WhY-Q.

"The collaboration between ALIFE and Uhuru creates a dialogue between designers and artists, Urban landscapes and interiors. Ultimately, it will aim at producing a merging of viewpoints to challenge conceptions between fine art and furniture," says Jason Horvath.

“This project allows ALIFE to play and execute with yet another medium. This is the first time ALIFE applies its vision to furniture, but it's something we've wanted to do for a long time. It's more quality content from the ʻalifevisionʼ,” says Arnaud Delecolle.

“The artists selected for this project represent Alifeʼs vision of the New York graff scene. Each individual chosen in this lineup is recognized within the New York downtown lifestyle as a trailblazer in his respective niche. Whether it be manufacturer of art supplies, DJ to the “Downtown”, wordsmith or just an infamous personality within the graffiti scene, all have all paid dues and contributed to this art form,” says Rob Cristofaro.

"Getting involved with NYAD to produce Private Property was a no brainer for WhY-Q. For the past 10+ years WhY-Q has produced avant-garde events such as Ryan McGinley's first solo exhibition & the NY Minute Exhibition in Rome, we felt this was one of those events: Real New York street art collaborating with real New York high end furniture design. It hasn't been done before," says Why-Q Partner Teddy Liouliakis.

Alife opened in 1999. One of its main goals then was to showcase people around it whose work enriched our lives with original ideas and the honest commitment to the qualitative execution of those ideas, independently of the medium. From fashion to graffiti, this was the criteria we lived by. Also, we had to like the end product.

the press release:
New York Art Department, 201 —The artists and contributors that are part of this project meet these same requirements and were asked to participate because of their contribution to the downtown graffiti scene:

Earsnot and Semen Sperms of the infamous IRAK crew. Over the years, both—each in their own way--have destroyed vast amounts of private property with undisputed flair and attitude, represented here with two of the most destructive marking techniques.

Craig KR Costello, a downtown ambassador of good taste and purveyor of fine inks and markers to street vandals and studio artists alike, brings controlled chaos with his well-known and often imitated KRINK drips.

A witty newcomer with art school charm, JIM JOE showcases the melding of art education, graffiti culture and his personal obligation to illegally write his name and phrases everywhere, as evidenced by the threatening note attached to The Hole gallery door by a neighbor.

Legendary Lower East Side watering hole and artist safe haven, Max Fish and its patrons provide us with the colorful impromptu composition of layered drunken vandalism characteristic of its bathrooms on Ludlow street.

Finally, Alife comes in as the curator and long-time supporter of the scene with its stamp of approval: NY CRACK



ALIFE X UHURU DESIGN: PRIVATE PROPERTY ran from MAY 14 – MAY 17, 2011, some of the items are now up for auction at Blacklots.

images courtesy of Alife, Uhuru, High Snobiety, Metro Velvet and Alife on Flickr.