Cool Opening Tonight at Clarabella on the LES!

BUILDINGS by SHAUN KARDINAL

New to the Lower East Side art scene, boutique/gallery CLARABELLA is pleased to present BUILDINGS, the inaugural New York City exhibit from Seattle based photographer, Shaun Kardinal. Photographing rooftops has been a hobby of the artist's for many years. Though an avid digital artist in his teens, it was not until his twenty-third year with an antique medium-format camera in hand that Kardinal developed an absolute passion for the subject. It was the way the buildings looked as he gazed through the viewfinder, playing with the vibrancy of Seattle's sunsets, the richness of her summers, the austere dullness of her grey winters. It was a love affair with a new city encouraging familiarity, ushering these monoliths in as kin, good friends, integral parts of Kardinal's daily walks to and from work. In this way, his photographs are meant to be seen as intimate portraits.

These buildings, at once solitary and full of life, seem to play with and against each other: three skyscrapers playfully fall against one another; an isolated wall dares to stand alone; a telephone pole bisects a brick building, while sagging lines tease its rooftop; four more in four corners, never to embrace; another still, reflects on the day as the sun plays its final notes on a bright pink sky.

Clarabella, 279 E. Houston Street (between Clinton and Suffolk) NY, NY 10002

Showing from June 1 – July 31

Reception: June 28, 2007 from 7 – 9pm

Gallery Hours: Tues – Sat 12-8pm, Sun 12-7pm

P.S.
Hope to see you there! I am juggling a few events tonight...but I'm hoping to make it!

TaTa, BG

The Scoop on a New Boutique Set to Open May 1st on the LES: Clarabella

Hey gals,

Just got the scoop on a new boutique set to open this Tuesday, May 1st. Erin Whelan who founded Clarabella, left a career in the music industry to unveil the store named in honour of her grandmother. "My hope is to create a space that draws as much attention to the designer as the product," says Whelan, who, through classes in book-binding, shoe-making, and jewelry
design, has become fascinated with process and design. The store will feature jewelry, accessories, and shoes in a gallery setting.

Keeping with the gallery theme, Clarabella will feature different
designers throughout the year. Some of the store's initial offerings will include:

Jewelry: Angelica Bergamini, Beth Lauren, By Boe, BB Designs, Carla Caruso, Devon Driscoll, Gypsy Born Designs, Judith Haas, Leoworks, Tamaura, and Zoe Chicco

Accessories: Andrea Brueckner, Brave Leather, Carla Beeby London, Crystalyn Kae, Kristin Aronsson, Modus/Basically Brazil, Nam Kim, and Tracy Tanner

Shoes: Mariana, Marcello Toshi Creazioni, and Tashkent by Cheyenne.

The store will also have space to highlight works by up-and-coming photographers and painters. The debut art exhibit features works by New York City poet and artist Seldon Yuan (showing through May 14). For the Grand Opening in late May, Clarabella will feature photographs and drawings highlighting projects by Oisin Clancy and Marc Ackerson, the architects who worked closely with Whelan to design the store's interior.

From the photos it looks like she's got some pretty cool jewelry offerings. Definitely worth checking out!

Clarabella - 279 East Houston Street, between Clinton and Suffolk -
(212) 979-0270
Hours: Tuesday-Saturday, 12pm-8pm; Sunday, 12pm-7pm. Closed Monday.

David Bailey Photographic Book on Brit Supermodel Jean Shrimpton to Come Out in April

Coming out in April is a compilation of photographs David Bailey, one of England's most famous photographers, and arguably one of the worlds most famous commercial photographers shot of Jean Shrimpton. The photos were shot in January of 1962 in New York City by David who was at the time her lover (their love affair would span four years). NY JS DB 62, due out in late April was Bailey's first time in New York and at the time he was just starting his career as a successful photographer at British Vogue.

The idea behind the shoot was 'au natural', Bailey didn't want this to be a big 'to do', more of a 'girl on the street' take on things. It was a bitterly cold day and Shrimpton is photographed throughout carrying a teddy bear. Organically shot around NYC in freezing weather, she did her own hair and styling to further add to the authenticity. The first shot is a rather iconic one, I find it especially inspiring.

Speaking about her now, Bailey refers to Joan Shrimpton as a natural type of beauty with whom he has seen only one rival, Kate Moss. A natural relateable type of beauty, that is real.

For her part Jean Shrimpton was a supermodel before there was such a title, really the first. She graced the covers of (amongst many others) Vogue, Elle, and Glamour, made the cover of both Life and Newsweek and was written up in many magazines from Esquire to Ladies Home Journal, and McCall's. She is particularly known for having made waves when in 1965 , she arrived at the Derby Races (for a commercial job) in Melbourne wearing a miniskirt length dress with no gloves, no hat and no stockings. For the fashion conservative Melbourne women this was a huge faux pas and she was dealt harsh criticism and disapproval, the story reached national news. The weather being upwards of 90 degrees, Jean dressed for that, this being the mid-60's though, fashion was at a real turning point, and skirt lengths were VERY controversial. Coming from more liberal England, Shrimpton didn't even anticipate the swift reaction, and upon having to dress "more appropriately" the following day by orders of her sponsors she said: "I think you should dress to please yourself,". Admitting that she had been disciplined by her sponsors, she ruefully observed: "I feel Melbourne isn't ready for me yet. It seems years behind London."

Soon after the incident, mini-skirts became all the rage world-wide.
The controversial dress.

Below, shots of Shrimpton throughout her modeling career:




Candid shots: