high museum atlanta x KAWS

Over the weekend, I went to see the KAWS exhibit at the High Museum. I've been a bit impressed with the exhibits coming to Atlanta in the past few years, and I'm glad to see that they're picking up more of the contemporary/modern art.

Originally a street artist, Brian Donnelly, the man also known as KAWS, had his humble beginnings performing guerilla art in NYC. After graduating from SVA, he spent some time in Tokyo, which later proved to be instrumental in his career. You can see the influences of Japanese street art and brands (i.e. Futura, Nigo from A Bathing Ape) in his work, especially the large sculptures. (I can't be the only person who sees the similarity to the Bearbrick toys in "Companion (Passing Through).")

Jinah from Bonjour It's Jinah

Running through May 20, head down to the High to get your dose of high octane colors. You can still catch the Picasso to Warhol exhibit, which ends April 29.

High Museum of Art
1280 Peachtree St., N.E.
Atlanta, GA 30309

song byeok exhibition - the goat farm

While a lot of this blog is filled with animal prints, macarons, and brunch, I want to dedicate an entry to a cause I've championed since college. As a Korean-American and one whose ancestral roots can be traced to the area known as North Korea today, I've always had a strange fascination with the deeply hermitic state. A part of me has always wondered what luck in the universe brought me to grow up in America when I could have very easily been born in a seemingly alternate universe halfway around the world. It seems like a cruel trick of fate.

The human rights atrocities occurring in North Korea are no secret. Concentration camps, generational punishments, and famine are just a few of the societal problems. But despite all of it - and in this case, from it - beauty arises.



From Feb. 17-26, former North Korean propaganda artist Song Byeok is showing an exhibition of his works at the Goat Farm in West Midtown. Clearly drawing inspiration from his experiences in North Korea, his work jabs at the regime's assertion of Kim Jong-il's godliness. One particular work, called "Take Off Your Clothes," has the former leader's head mounted on Marilyn Monroe's "Seven Year Itch" body. But the work that struck me the most was the mural of the Tumen River (the natural border that divides North Korea and China and a site where many desperate North Koreans perish in their attempts to escape), a reflection upon the fated night Song lost his father. Done in simple black and white, the only color in the piece are the red letters of propaganda messages scattered on the hills. At first glance, you feel nothing but doom and desperation, but upon closer inspection, the paper glistens with glitter - a glimmer of hope, perhaps?




In order to continue his first tour in the U.S., a Kickstarter fund needs $1000 to reach their goal. You can find more information about it here. There are small gifts that accompany each pledge, so if you're looking to make that last minute tax deductible donation before your taxes, now is a great time.



The show runs until this SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26, so head down to the Goat Farm to see the work for yourself.

Goat Farm
1200 Foster St., Atlanta, GA 30318
Hours: 1pm - 9:30pm

the high museum: picasso to warhol

After a month of talking, Lillie and I finally made our way to the Picasso to Warhol exhibit at the High Museum. We made the fatal mistake of going on free Saturday, the first Saturday of every month, where Bank of America cardholders and Fulton County residents receive free admission. The permanent exhibits were fairly empty, but I could barely get a shot of the Picasso to Warhol exhibit. It was excellently curated with pieces you'd never seen in ATL from artists like Mondrian, de Chirico, and Miro.





My favorite section was the third floor of the Wieland wing, which features contemporary art pieces that are part of the High's permanent collection as well as some from the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) - Georgia.

"Bright Star (Sirius)" by Spencer Finch

Wearing: Chloe Sevigny x Opening Ceremony cropped sweater (similar here), Alexander Wang pleated tulle jumper, furfur velvet capelet (alternative), Burberry Prorsum loafers (similar from same brand), Celine luggage tote




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flux atlanta 2011

Yesterday, Lillie and I went to Flux at Castleberry Hill, a normally somewhat questionable neighborhood (let's be real here and not put up fake arguments about gentrification or lack thereof) that was converted to a safe space for a single night. We picked the wrong night to attend an outdoor art exhibition because it was bone chilling cold (okay, so it was like 50 degrees but there was wind!).

I wasn't that excited about Flux itself. Maybe I would've liked it more if I had come earlier in time for the lantern parade, but the only thing that piqued my interest was this video piece of people underwater that was at Marcia Wood Gallery. I also saw this man constructing something out of found materials, including a baby carriage.








Wearing: lace dress from Nasty Gal, canvas jacket from Tommy Hilfiger (similar here), leopard scarf from Korea, cut out boots by Balenciaga, hair band by Forever 21 (similar here)





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the motion keeps my heart running

Castleberry Hill hosts an art walk every second Friday of each month, and last Friday marked my first time attending. All the galleries in the area (most of which are open by appointment only) throw open their doors to artist and art lovers for three hours (7-10pm). It's a great way to introduce yourself to local, national, and international artists while smoozing around booze and snacks. A few food trucks line Walker Street during this time, to Lillie's extreme delight. Spotted Westside Creamery, Kings of Pops, and Tex's Tacos (as pictured).

I was most interested in what we saw at Escape Gallery by Esteban Patino. He created his own alphabet and used wood cut outs to construct various images. The piece I liked the most was entirely white with each character set individually. I think Lillie was most taken with the pieces that are like the one I photographed.

Afterwards, we stopped by Intermezzo to eat cake and drink hot chocolate. There's something grimy about the place now that makes me never want to go back... at least not to the Peachtree location.

Esteban Patino's work at Escape Gallery

A video on Esteban Patino

Hot Chocolate Berlin

Cake with cappuccino frosting - not as good as you would expect

dress. Zara
top. Low Classic from A-land
shoes. Spicy Color
bag. Miu Miu

show me the side streets in your life

At the art exhibit last Sunday, Sunny and I stumbled upon the work of a fantastic photographer, Won Sung-won (원성원). She created a series based upon an experience she had when she was seven, where her mother left the house. (In Korean, the term is "집을나갔다" which translates directly as "leaving the house" but can be interpreted figuratively to mean leaving the family. We had some dispute over this, as I thought it meant that the mother actually left the family, not just left the house to run errands.)

Using that experience, she created a narrative using a series of photographs that shows a young girl searching for her mother. If you see the details in the photographs, you can see that the tale is really tragic. One of the most haunting image is one of the young girl doing the laundry. Her back is turned, but the loneliness is staggering.

As for the artist's process, she photographs each item individually and then places it on a larger canvas. Click here for a better understanding of the artist's creative process. The detail of her work is so meticulous.