Sunday Six 3/20/22

Duro Olowu Selects: I have long been a fan of Nigerian-British fashion designer Duro Olowu and his way of mixing color and pattern, but it’s his historical approach and references culled from music, cinema, and art that have fascinated me the most.  (His Instagram feed is IT). I cannot wait to get back to New York to catch the exhibition he’s curated at Cooper Hewitt, Duro Olowu Selects: Works from the Permanent Collection. "Olowu’s exhibition highlights the theme of pattern and repetition throughout Cooper Hewitt’s collection, demonstrating how skilled and novice makers have relied on pattern to express ideas, preserve heritage, capture attention, and construct objects and environments.”

Aquarium Drunkard:  My go-to resource for the very best in music is Aquarium Drunkard, run by my friend Justin Gage here in the great city of Los Angeles.  The old, the new, the obscure, and everything in between can be found on AD -  and what I love about it the most is the exceptional edit.  Playlists, mixtapes, and the Sirius show get an A+, as do the finely composed reviews and news.  Informative storytelling about psych, jazz, punk, avant-garde and more that takes me down a rabbit hole and keeps me coming back for more.  Sign up for the newsletter and you won’t regret it.

index Magazine: Taken from my library and making me crazy nostalgic, index Magazine was my cultural bible from 1996-2005.  Filled with interviews of artists, musicians, writers, filmmakers and more, it was a priceless education for someone who preferred to stay clear of the mainstream.  I discovered so many unsung heroes through index, and discovered even more about heroes like Morrissey (my first concert, age 12).  RIP index, but the good news is that you can still order some here.

Villa Magnan Biarritz: I’ve yet to visit Biarritz, but when I do I’d love to spend time at Villa Magnan.  This room, with the chocolate brown checkered tile and the green wall is ace.

Anne Ryan Collages: I came across the collages of Anne Ryan a couple of weeks ago while reading this review and can’t stop thinking about them.  Ryan began her career writing poetry and fiction in the early 1900s in Greenwich Village, living amongst fellow writers and visual artists. She began experimenting with woodcuts and engravings and took to collages in 1948, working with various textures of paper as well as textiles.  25 works are on view at Washburn Gallery in New York.

The Europeans by Henri Cartier-Bresson: By far one of the greatest photography books from humanist photographer, Henri Cartier-Bresson, this first edition, rare gem has a Joan Miró designed cover and is filled with black and white photos capturing both the spirit and desperation of postwar Europe.  It’s a real collector’s item, and I’m pleased to have a copy available at Kneeland Co. Rarities.