MCMIXXXIV: April 2010

Monday, April 19, 2010

Jay-Z + Beyonce Perform “Forever Young” at Coachella 2010

Keith Haring

Keith Haring (May 4, 1958 – February 16, 1990) was an artist and social activist whose work responded to the New York City street culture of the 1980s. Born in Reading, Pennsylvania, Haring grew up in Kutztown and was interested in art from an early age. From 1976 to 1978 he studied graphic design at The Ivy School of Professional Art, a commercial and fine art school in Pittsburgh. At age 19 Haring moved to New York City, where he was inspired by graffiti art, and studied at theSchool of Visual Arts.

Haring achieved his first public attention with chalk drawings in the subways of New York. The exhibitions were filmed by the photographer Tseng Kwong Chi. Around this time, “The Radiant baby” became his symbol. His bold lines, vivid colors, and active figures carry strong messages of life and unity. Starting in 1980, he organized exhibitions in Club 57. He participated in the Times Square Exhibition and drew, for the first time, animals and human faces. In 1981 he sketched his first chalk drawings on black paper and painted plastic, metal and found objects.

Haring contributed to the New York New Wave display in 1981, and had his first exclusive exhibition in the Tony Shafrazi Gallery. That same year, Haring took part in Documenta 7 in Kassel, Germany. By 1982, he established friendships with fellow artists Futura 2000, Kenny Scharf, Grace Jones, Madonna and Jean-Michel Basquiat. He took part in the Whitney Biennial in 1983, as well as in the São PauloBiennial. He got to know Andy Warhol, who was the theme of several of Haring’s pieces including “Andy Mouse.” His friendship with Warhol would prove to be a decisive element in his eventual success, particularly after their deaths. By expressing concepts of birth, death, love, sex and war, Haring’s imagery has become a widely recognized visual language of the 20th century. Haring died in 1990 of AIDS-related complications.

wizzleXSpitta

MTV Shows

Wiz Khalifa x XXL

Riding high off the release of his latest mixtape, Kush and Orange Juice, XXLMag.com caught up with the 2010 Freshman to talk about the project’s success.For those unaware, on Wednesday (April 14) morning Kush and Orange Juice, premiered onWiz’s twitter page, and in less than 30 minutes, the hashtag #kushandorangejuice ascended to the top of Twitter’s trending topics, which is the social networking site’s list of the top 10 things being tweeted about in the nation. By 9 a.m. Google Trends had labeled the search phrase “kush and orange juice download” as “volcanic,” their highest popularity ranking.The buzz surrounding Khalifa’s project is surprising to some since it hasn’t even been a year since the 22-year-old Pittsburgh MC pushed his way out of his unsatisfactory label deal with Warner Bros. Records—a deal that many initially thought would be responsible for catapulting the charismatic rhymer into the limelight. However, it seems that the delayed grow season at WB was only necessary to pave the way for his current cultivation. The online fever pitch, undoubtedly pushed by “The Taylors,” Khalifa’s affectionate nickname for his devoted fan base, coupled with the success of his defiantly titled Deal or No Deal indie album and subsequent tour is not only indicative of his immense popularity, but quite possibly his arrival.Although the gravity of this event has not been missed by the seasoned rookie, it also hasn’t fazed him either.“I’m just chillin’,” Khalifa told XXLMag.com about how he’s celebrating. “I’m in Miami. I’m about to go record. I’m still working. I’m getting ready for the next part of our tour so you know I gotta keep my mind focused on that. As far as seeing the reaction and seeing that it’s blowing up and doing what it’s doing is great. I worked on it real hard and I held it to make sure this would happen…my plans of world domination is working.”The artwork for the mixtape, reworks the cover of soul legend David Ruffin’s 1980 LP,Gentleman Ruffin. “The whole vibe of the tape was on some real old school, laid back,” he said of the nod to the late Temptations singer. “And if you hear the skits and stuff like that. It’s really on some ’70s or, early ’80s. My writing, too, I feel like it just kind of reincarnated what was going on [back then].”Yet, despite the tape’s buzz, “Mr. Spacely” hasn’t stopped to celebrate because he’s looking toward the future. Wiz’s currently working on a studio album which, he says, will be “crazier than anything” he’s put out to date, alongside Cabin Fever—another mixtape that will precede the official LP. Soon he’ll be heading back out on the West Coast leg of his tour, which has seen 37 of the 40 booked shows sold out.For now Kushton Slater shares a simple message for his fans: “Keep it Taylored.” —Brooklyne Gipson

Sunday, April 18, 2010

Louis Vuitton x Hand pAinting $ervices

Louis Vuitton painting: being unique is an art in itself. Hand-painted strips and monograms in rich, vibrant color give a unique elegance to Louis Vuitton hard-sided luggage. Artistic lettering does more than merely identify luggage and travel accessories; it gives them a distinctly personal character. Using the finest tools and meticulous artistry, Louis Vuitton expert painters create striking travel pieces that bear the stamp of exclusivity.

Louis Vuitton offers a personalized painting service for hard sided Monogram or Damier canvas luggage purchased in Louis Vuitton stores.This service is available free of charge for the standard offer. You are invited to consult with a sales associate at any Louis Vuitton store to request this service. For initials and stripes, select from a rich palette of 16 vibrant colors.