just moved

Dear readers, I just moved to another blogging space. So, you can continue reading my posts on: lewallflower.wordpress.com
Meet you there!

the traditional contemporary art library

Loring Art is a contemporary art library with a very traditional look. When I got inside, I felt like in my grandma living room. Combining home sick+cosiness +cool books=success. I never saw this! If you would ask me how a contemporary art library looks like, I would imagine some kind of Zaha Hadid's building. But this, is one of a kind. I was happy to see how many good books they have on cinema&photography and totally surprised when seeing the Victoria&Albert publishing house books (double the price in pounds but still, you can buy them in Barcelona!). The ladies of the house are making you feel like family. It is definitely a cool place where you have to go for new discoveries in terms of books, magazines, decoration&soul. Breath in!

Loring Art

Gravina 8
Barcelona

Nespresso ART

I am a coffee lover. Usually I am more the caffè latte type but since I tasted the Nespresso capsules I can enjoy the pure coffee taste more than ever. Wow, sounds like an advertising testimonial, right? But they don't pay me for writing so, you can believe me.

In fact, Nespresso is a system, mainly meaning the possibility of using the capsules, that works on various espresso machines. And here comes the second reason why I like it: The Design. Hmmm...is this the second or the first one? Well, they both blend just perfect.

I think, making your own espresso at home has never been this fun and trendy. From the machine, either Krups or Delonghi - both have this retro modern look, inspired by the city life and skyscrapers (the 'collection's' name is Citiz) - to the colorful, elegant capsules, everything is so cool and well designed. And then there's the store experience. Today I went to the one on Passeig de Gracia in Barcelona and I tell you it is amazing. They sure treat coffee like art. A big round of applause for the visual merchandiser director.

The grandiose entrance

The huge wall, all covered with capsule boxes. Looks like a bookstore.

'

The capsules display in the window, like precious jewels.

...or chromosomes

...or candy box?

MUDE preview

MUDE is the new Design and Fashion Museum which will open to the public at the end of 2010 in Lisbon: 3,000 square meters, 2,000 items of design and 1,200 of fashion purchased from collector Francisco Capelo. But before the grand opening, they installed a preview exhibit “Ante-estreia”, between the 'ruins' - as the building is underconstruction, with just a few pieces from the collection. Mixing the unfinished look of the building with art and design works just perfect in the heart of Baixa area.

The temporary exhibition, hosted in the same building that is going to be remodeled very soon - the former headquarters of the Banco Nacional Ultramarino - seemed to me a little bit chaotic in terms of inside arrangement&placing but interesting in terms of content. Like a journey through time, one could identify the trends and directions in the 21st century, the search for innovation and close ties to the consumer and advertising worlds , follow transformations in cutting technique, research in new fabrics and materials, stylistic trends and the revolution of the silhouette or discover how ideologies and music were influencing the style of living and fashion.

My top 5 - it is impossible to find the first 3 on Internet, so this is a more powerful reason to really visit the exhibition. The pictures belong to MUDE catalog.

Semour Troy, Troylings Oxford Shoes, 1940

Tejo Remy, You can't lay down your memory drawer

Hubert de Givenchy, 50s evening dress

Dieter Rams and Hans Gugelot, gramophone radio Braun SK4, 1956

Fernando and Huberto Campana plush chair, 2003

The upper floor hosted a political portraits exhibition which was very good. It was interesting to see different political leaders (sometimes rivals) categorized by the communication&advertising strategy they applied in their campaign.

The museum aims to trace the history of design and fashion from the 1930s to the present: apparel, footwear and accessories, furniture and small everyday objects, both unique and mass-produced, reflect the 20th century’s major design trends and movements.

In the future it is planned to extend the museum to the upper floors, including the terrace, where one can enjoy a magnificent view of the downtown and the river Tejo. A project to adapt to the work of museum architects Ricardo Carvalho and Joana Vilhena. Can't wait to see the results!

MONOCLE

One of the best things that happened to me since I moved to a more European city, Barcelona, is the access to good magazines. My favorite (and the best magazine ever, in my opinion) is Monocle, 'a briefing on global affairs, business, culture&design'. Even if it is more expensive than in the UK for example, it is the best investment one can make for himself. I read it thoroughly every month, from the first page to the last, not missing any of the little text columns, like a really good book that makes you addictive. And after I read it, I become proud of my knowledge and I walk more confident on the street. Haha, yeah, try it!

a cool business social network

Now, with people getting fired because of their crazy photos from last night's party tagged on Facebook or their Twitter status that says too much, it is time for a serious approach on social networks. So, some smart guys created Qapacity, a business social network where one can offer his services in a marketplace built on personal reviews. Clients looking for services can access professionals which have been reviewed, recommended and rated by people who have used their services.

The platform is very user friendly. Sign up, add your services and in 3 minutes you get your own website for free. You can customize this site and add a blog, link it to your Flickr account or to other social networks you use. It is the online place to be, especially for small businesses and freelancers.

The guys behind Qapacity are Lasse, Sergio, Ina, Daniel, Julian & Tomy and they are calling themselves "a small group of internet entrepreneurs, coders and geeks living in Barcelona". Well done guys, well done!

shiny and new Beyonce

I never thought I will write a post on Beyonce. Not because I have something against her, just that, let's say, she is not my style. But lately, more precisely since she started her collaboration with famous designer Thierry Mugler, she reached my graces.

Although Mugler had stepped away from the fashion world, concentrating instead on his couture and fragrance collections, Beyonce tempted him back, making him create a 58-piece wardrobe for her upcoming world tour. And this is not all! He is also the creative director of her whole show giving his inputs on lighting, choreography and stage outfits.

So, thanks to Mugler, Beyonce is now riding the retro futuristic trend. Retro futuristic design is a return to, and an enthusiasm for, the depictions of the future produced in the past. Do you remember Metropolis? or Cartoon Network's The Jetsons? The Rocketeer? 2001:A space Odyssey? They all have elements of the future, as seen many years ago, which should have happened now. We already reached the time they were talking about and it's interesting to see where we are in fact and where people imagined we would be.

Beyonce is now part of this movement and she is doing it very good. As she is a trendsetter, I wonder what will happen with pop and R&B industry now. Her latest 3 video clips (Ego, Diva, Single Ladies) have the same structure: black&white colors+Beyonce+her 2 dancers+retro futuristic elements in their outfits (metal gloves, shiny leggings, big shoulders, metal layers)+burlesque elements (gloves, corsets, net tights). If you come to think of it, retro futurism and pop is a strange combination, but she sure makes it in a cool way.

high voltage art

David Lachapelle is high voltage art. His work is amazing, whether it is photography, advertising or film directing, he never fails. This is one of the reasons why he is very trendy among superstars, many of the them choosing him for directing their video (Christina Aguilera, Robbie Williams, Amy Winehouse and many others). But my favorite is the trailer that he did for Lost, showing the cast dancing in 1920s costumes, dancing near a burning wreckage on the beach, on Portishead's Numb. He also directed the promotion of Desperate Housewives season one and the sexy Christmas ad for Boots, where glamorous-looking women are doing relatively mundane Christmas tasks. Brilliant work!




LaChapelle has four published books of his photographs, all containing vivid and surreal portraits of celebrities such as Marilyn Manson, Naomi Campbell, David Beckham, Björk, Courtney Love, Angelina Jolie, Pamela Anderson, Madonna, Rihanna and recently Lady GaGa. He is exploiting each and every detail, carefully arranging every corner of the picture. Nothing is random. Every time he super-dimensions elements in the picture and places superstars in a context where you least expect to see them. His use of celebrities exaggerates aspects of their personalities and their personal lives. This is why LaChapelle’s work has been described as surrealist, grotesque, shocking and ironic.

Carioca Studio is a photo production house based in Bucharest, specialized in advertising photography, which I admire very much. They are doing a brilliant job and I love their creative personal projects. When they have the time, they play with their crazy artistic ideas and fantasies. Some of them I find inspired by Lachapelle's work, as they tend to touch the limits of our minds and shock. Stunning cool!