THE LOVE ISSUE(S)
Spring – 2014
The works of ELIZABETH WIN NEL & CHRISTINE CHA Q&A with Street Art Duo SHERYO & THE YOK Latest Looks in RE SORT/SPRING FASHION & LINGERIE
PAPER FOX
A NOTE FROM MADAME FOX
CHRISTINA CHA
I’ve had many romances. Far too many to count. I’ve had a romance with language. I’ve had a romance with the color red. (A tumultuous one). I’ve had a romance with the resonance of Donny Hathaway’s voice. Once I even had a romance with a pair of Marni winter boots. Purchased in August, they were one of the few things that made me look forward to frosty days. Sitting patiently by my bed, I admired their color and texture, the detail and design until they came alive. I had a romance with the Sonoran desert. I’ve had a romance with a Chanel bag that I’ve never even touched. I romanced the hell out of Calexico’s pork quesadillas. I’ve had a romance with French leever’s lace. Yes it’s my ‘everyday’ bra- why not? I’ve had a romance with the fragrance of Tahitian manoi oil. I’ve had a love immeasurable for some four legged creatures with wagging tails. And there were some men along the way too...I won’t lie. What I’ve learned is that love is a conscious state of mind. Connecting the innocence in me with the innocence in others. It is a choice - not quite as accidental as people make it out to be. Love is connecting the beauty in me with the beauty of the world that is beyond my corporeal being. Realizing they are one in the same. Love is knowing I am and you are a ray of light as bright as the sun. Precious yet strong and gleaming like a diamond. And all the beauty you see around you is merely a reflection of your own inner light. Love is adorning your body and space with that which reflects your radiance. The Brooklyn Fox stores are aimed at providing you with those special items. The rest is up to you. Love and the world will shine brighter.
Love is a huge mess. It is a tangle of ease and struggle, sweet and bitter, harsh and soft... It is the idea that you exist perfectly because of every necessary fragment - every crude, funny, uncomfortable, ugly, charming, disgusting, beautiful piece. Art is about finding these fragments, one by one. It is about getting closer to love.
ELIZABETH WINNEL (b.1982, Scarborough, Canada)
It was love at first sight. Elizabeth Winnel’s paintings drew us in with their saturated colors and evocative subject matter. We knew right away that we wanted to collaborate with her. This month she was kind enough to travel to Brooklyn to create a stunning and dynamic window display honoring Valentine’s Day. Visit brooklynfox.com if you missed seeing the display in person.
Photographs by
LOUIS SEIGAL Model
OLGA
Gold/Labradorite Circle Ring by Elizabeth Knight
Pink Silk Dress by Bonheur
Black Silk Blouse by Cynthia Rowley Varnished Steel Skinny Coated Jean by J Brand Super
Blush Silk Crop Top by Robert Rodriguez Black Tulip Pants by Issey Miyake Pleats Please
Ivory Sleeveless Top by Issey Miyake Pleats Please Smoke Leatherette Rocket Highrise Skinny Jean Citizens of Humanity Gold/Black/Rose Mare’s Head Cuffs by Elizabeth Knight
Black Tech Suiting Blazer by Robert Rodriguez Varnished Steel Skinny Coated Jean by J Brand Super Counting Bulls Ring by Smith/Grey
Red Tank Dress by Issey Miyake Pleats Please Crane Print Scarf by Rene Lezard Yellow Gold Marina’s Roses Earrings by Smith/Grey
Pink Two Tone Tuxedo Blazer and Tuxedo Trouser by Rene Lezard Gecko Magnifying Glass by L’Objet
Black and White Vinyl Swing Gown Nadia Tarr
Black Cap Sleeve Gown by Nadia Tarr Gold Monocle Necklace and Tusk Earring Maria Black
Black and White Dress By Malene Birger
Leather Crop Top with Rose Gold Zipper and Horse Hair Zipper Pull by Dominic Louis Black Voluminous Maxi Skirt by Dominic Louis Rose Horn Cuff by Elizabeth Knight
S H ERYO & T HE YO K
Q How has working together changed your own work/perspective on art and the
S Hugs kisses cuddles ! wanting to live a drawing, painting and travelling life to-
Y Working together with Sheryo for me has made the process more fun,that’s all we do, talk about dream about. I feel working together has motivated me to paint more and keep going and pushing my style into a better territory that i may not have gotten to working solo.
Q
creative process?
S We paint and draw every single day together, that helps a lot, but besides that, we
value each others opinions a lot, and aren;t afraid to give each other constructive criticism when we think the drawing needs a little something more. We also borrow from each other a lot, Yok;s lines have been getting wonkier and mine, straighter, so now we meet in the middle and are really comfortable working together.
Q I love the piece you did in Williamsburg- where the objects which define Brooklyn go on a Mexican vacation - the concept is so brilliant and the execution is spot on. I especially like how you were playful with some subjects that are not so plesant (roaches and rats) do you find by adding some silliness to something people may not care for makes it easier to tolerate? Are there other examples of when you have done this? If ‘cuteness overload’ and ‘total badass’ had a baby it would be Sheryo and The Yok. This duo, each a phenomenal talent, share both a canvas and a bed to create impressive works of art and a coveted romance. With their roots in street art, they keep their identities on the down low, so I have asked them to share a sketch of themselves with us (see above) so we can at least get a peek of what we are missing. Please visit them at theyok.com and sheryoart.com to see the breadth of their work.
Y
We always try to make our work playful, that’s just how we are, if it’s not fun to paint then we are not really into doing it. Our work always has an inside joke, or a reference to a story or good time that we shared on our travels. Our work is a lot like a visual diary, combining activities, animals and food items that we encounter on our adventures.
S I’m always trying to give unloved objects/animals some love. They’re the ones who need it most. Also i love painting gnarly stuff like cockroaches, rats, spiders, bats etc. I think they have way more character, but maybe that’s just me and my head... Q what is love? Y
Wanting to be with a person everyday and and every moment not wanting to be apart, trusting and respecting that person.
gether and not getting sick of each other even though we’re together all the time. and more hugs kisses and cuddles. and trust and respect too. Can you describe a little of your collaborative process?
Y Our collaborative process is 24/7 it’s always on, we are working all the time, even
when we are just hanging out at the beach in Mexico it will find it’s way into a mural in Brooklyn soon enough. When we first started we would play a game we named “You start i finish” which involved someone starting a drawing and the other person finishing it, usually over the breakfast table, this is when our styles started merging.
S
It’s always the “You Start I finish” thing with a little bit of ooo thats awesome, whoa you’re a genius! and nahhh mate, maybe this will look better? maybe?
Q Juxtaposing an ancient medium with new imagery (in your Vietnamese vases) is a stunning. Is there any other old techniques you are interested in updating? Y
Currently we are on our way to the island of Java to tweak out the ancient printmaking technique called Batik, as well as Wayang Kulit and some new ceramic work.
S We’re always making up excuses to travel - the ceramic vases in vietnam, batik & wayang kulit in java. We’ve been wanting to make some african masks too.. we’re more interested in learning these old techniques and then remixing them with our own drawings. Q You two are adorable love birds! how do you think your love for each other has manifested in your art? Y&S
Just being able to work with someone you love all day every day.
Photographs by
LOUIS SEIGAL Model
PATT Y
Red Soft Cup Bra and Thong by La Perla
Black Velvet Soft Bra by Skivvies by For Love and Lemons
Black One Piece Lace Teddy by Skivvies by For Love and Lemons
Red Teddy by Naked Princess
Blue Mesh Underwire Bra and String Bikini by Lonely Hearts
Soft Cup Bra and High Waisted Bottom by Lonely Hearts
Demi Bra with Matching Knickers by Beautiful Bottoms
Silk and Lace Bra with Matching Silk Side Tie Knickers by Gilda and Pearl
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