Leif Podhajsky

Leif Podhajsky is an artist and designer, co-running AND - a graphic design and art direction studio in Melbourne Australia.

David Bayus

Keith Davis Young

Spatial design- Kwaad Bloed

Rare visitors to the UK, Brussels-based contemporary dance company Kwaad Bloed are a company who I have admired for a while in terms of creating interesting visual relationships between the physical body and specially-created structures;

WOULD LOVE TO MEET: Frederic Flamand

Metropolis -inspired Zaha Hadid structure

Frederic Flamand is the Creative Director of the Ballet National De Marseille, the highly-respected contemporary dance company known for intrigating various artistic disiplins into the performances. His bio states;

"his prime concern is to question the status of the contemporary body – the dancer’s preferred tool – in the relationship it has with its environment"

and

"Frédéric Flamand’s career has been characterised by three main elements : encounter, dialogue and a certain utopia tinged with realism."

A few years ago I randomly met at dinner an architect who was working with dance choreographer Akram Khan on his dummy props for his 'Zero Degrees' performance, his interest was in creating props and spatial design for performance but from an architectural persepective. Anyway I wrote his email amongst an abyss of scribbles and lost it forever... but in terms of a creative pathway I though that was truly inspirational.

Frederic Flamand has in the past commisioned architects to create structures for his productions in this way. For his 'Metropolis 2' performance Zaha Hadid created a moveable metal design, and for " Silent Collisions' Thom Mayne produces a mobile structure of which I much prefer the model than the realisation.

Zaha drawings

Thom Mayne Model

MORE SCI FI (SLASH) REALITY? ! ? ! !!!!

REALITY

FICTION


So, while we await the new Bruce Willis Sci-fi The Surrogates ... and all the while HONDA is actually putting what was originally a comic- book concept into practice...
In the film people rig-up to a device which transmits their brain activity to a robotic replication of themselves, the robot going about their lives while they are able to feel and respond through the robot as it was ther own skin...
Honda have decided to clutch on to the evolutionary technological possibilities of this idea ( they probably wont be watching the end of the film, as inevitably there will a lesson about the danger of surrenduring real physical engagement to a computer....!)

THE ROBOT-BRAIN INTERFACE

ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS- 2020?

I dont think so...

CAN ACTION

Was awakened to the diversion that is obsessively creating silk shapes WHEN REALLY I should be trying to gain perspective on whats really going on in the world before its too late.
Last night Olivia Hegarty screened the 'Age Of Stupid' movie which is like a documentary being configured from the perspective of the future, after ignorance about the effects our habits have on the environment have wiped out humanity...

serious stuff at magic rooftop event = epic thought provocation

A huge fan of the seriously epic, it is easily to pad ones mind out with fictional ideas of positive scenarios of what could culminate such an event, but is this an ignorant optimism when there is natural and present beauty fizzling into death?definately in my case. As we concentrate more and more on how we can advance into our 'idea' of an improved lifestyle, as apposed to our idea of an improve life force.

ANYWAY as Olivia is always reminding me, the indulgent world of design does not have to exist at the back door of awareness, as she is a fashion designer with passion for ethical fashion which still looks hot- here she is wearing a unique belt made of can ring-pulls woven together with crochet AMAZE!;

more paper shapes

These paper dress by Jum Nakao are super-relevant to some pieces from the SS010 Collection, or is that life is one just one giant roll of satin forming a carpet of ever changing textures and details, slowly hypnotising me into an electromagnet for fields of personal interest.... mmm scary thought.

*FLASHBACK*
The factory scene from the 1978 'The Whiz' movie starring Micheal Jackson (perfect time for a tv re-run!)- A large amount of young dancers prancing about in yellow roman-style fabric nappies and
skipping energetically over tables surrounded by 'people' made out of fabric scraps while a horrific looking woman thing sits on a giant toilet.

Probably the most visually harassing film ever made- in the same way that Brazil (the movie) is fantastically horrific, this is similarly but in much more of a crude than surreal way. I once sent this anonymously to Giles Deacon in the post when I was a student, as I was convinced he would be sure to find it inspiring in terms of the comical possibilities of props... ( I seriously must have made more time for spontaneously optimistic gestures back then!)

Check it out; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZC_sdHwBAQ

Micheal Jackson being tormented by scarecrows;

Minimalist sad scene;

Australia has next top models too, who knew?

I have four new interns at the studio. They work a lot and talk a little, but when they do talk they extract tiny bits of useful information like this:
there is a magical website called www.surfthechannel.com where almost every popular show is available to watch whenever wherever(in close proximities of internet)
and when all episodes of America's Next Top Model have run out and let's face it the British one is just plain boring there is also Australia's version of the show which has the same amount of drama and is equally absurd yet the prizes are better, the photoshoots professional, the people well known in the industry and, who would have guessed, the models actually end up being top models:

Bruno Dayan

Absolut Anthem

A group of artists comes together in locations around the world to create art pieces that spell out the philosophy of Absolut Vodka. Check the ad here and behind the scene videos here.

Nightmares are rubbish

Was tormented in the sleep-time by clay-faced evil man with dark shapeless eyes who was biding his time before he would inevitably attack me, for some reason I was convinced that disconnecting the Internet would seal the doors closed, but alas no I had to hide behind furniture made from reclaimed wood... you know rustic and a particular kind of glossy brown) HE LOOKED A BIT LIKE THIS;

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

STYLISH BRICKS

Genoese brickwork.

The epitome of style.

I saw this building about 4 years ago and imagined a bulbous black gown skimming the steps below on a spring morning.

FROM ZERO TO HEROin

While horrifically early for a meeting yesterday, I find myself with some unplanned T.O on a park bench (yeah, I felt like I was retired or something!).
I remembered I had a recent package from my dad containing all fashion articles published within the last 3 months... (very sweet), and after leafing through write ups of the recent developments in the size zero debate, I came to declarations of Lara Stone as our savior from the lustre of jutting bones. I am sensing the need for some kind of Mary Magdeline inspired photoshoot with chalky nude tones a-plenty, dark sillouettes emerging beneath  full-body chiffon ponchos & a sympathetically posed Lara outlined by the rays of sunshine streaming through the dusty stained-glass windows of a Genoese church* ( one of those with the black and white bricks typical of Genoa of course).
* Why do I never see that great brickwork used in fashion shoots more often? They truly are ideal.
When it comes to Shulman's debate about designers creating tiny dress sizes, I think its more to do with what is assumed by all parties as to what is available on average. Anyhow, I think Lara Stone is going to be a physical landmark for following seasons, but I doubt it will be a releif for a lot of models in work at the moment as I think many androgynous looking girls are advantaged by the boyish effects of unshapelyness, and eating up a couple of hips is hard to do on demand I expect.
BUT LETS NOT FORGET WHERE IT REALLY ALL BEGAN...
Christina Hendrix of Mad Men, and most importantly the most desirable character re-iterated by the storyline and all supporting characters, which considered its a recent production was pretty groundbreaking... I love that my BF loves her & Im gonna go and eat some carbs....

THE WORD IS 'PURSED'

We Heart LITTLE BOOTS

Little boots is such a hot little pixie, so we are super excited about her wear a Tour De Force headpiece and flying the flag for a love of unicorns!
Getty getty get on the magical creature bandwagon...

KATY LASSEN GOES SOLO

katy Lassen has until now been stoking the fire of hot fashion ensembles as the Fashion Editor of Let Them Eat Cake magazine, and is now going it solo to share her stylistic skill set with the world of
editorial magic...

COCO AVANT CHANEL MOVIE

I am truly loving the fashion film season, though Bruno just sent me cringing behind a cushion in horror- But I really really enjoyed Audrey Toutou's performance in this film.
I think the general consensus is that its a pretty- dragged out depiction of her personal relationships prior to the escalation of her career, but I think if you have the patience for the kind of coffee & cigarettes pace of conversation and a penchant for period-drama style romance you might enjoy this.
For some reason, I found the whole movie consistently amusing, I think I just loved how uncompromisingly blunt and objective Coco's character was... for people who have met Louise Wilson (course leader from the MA at CSM) her humour had the same kind of play on brutal honesty and the implications of judgement, though notably less forceful.
Louise Wilson does not get quoted nearly enough considering how incredible her sense of humour is, therefore think it is completely inevitable someone will make a film about her.

VAMPIRE - ISTA!

Fashion lovers, the latest fashion must do is apparently the pale-ish vampire-ish look. The one where you look as though you've been lathered in talcum powder and eaten a box of blood red cherries.

The fashion run ways internationally and of the Aussie shores are running wild with models draped in up to the minute fashion extravaganzas, but the attention is given to the extreme 'twilight' phenomenon look.

Celebrity A, B, C, D and E lister's are even cakeing it up on the red carpet. Picture bed head toussled, teased and knotted hair, dark rimmed eyes ruby red lips and white liquid paper like face pallettes. Too stand out-ish for my likeing, but definately bold and daring. Loving the red lips but not particularly the geisha like pale skin. How come the sharp fang like teeths aren't accessorised? I just had to put in my throne like comments... meow.

Style rating: 'smile' - nice but bored. ( it's really just a passing fad or phase)


Love me or hate me,

Madam Alexandra E.
fashion expert.fashion styler.fashion queen.