INDIE 184: GO HARD!

Bronx based graffiti artist, Indie 184 is currently showing new works at Munky King on Melrose. I am a huge fan of her work. It’s colorful, exciting and always impressively executed. Her solo show, “Go Hard” consists of some super colorful, layered pieces with the underlying theme of female empowerment. These are some of the standout pieces currently on display.

This is one of my favorites-and it was the largest piece. All works are on display until May 26th. I may have to venture back down to see if anything is still available…

TRANSMISSION LA: THIS IS YOUR BRAIN ON ART

This past weekend was super jam-packed and full of excitement. One of the things we did was catch the Transmission LA show during it’s closing weekend at the Geffen Contemporary at MOCA in Little Tokyo. The Geffen is home to the most exciting and interactive installation shows. Art in the Streets, Ecstasy: In and About Altered States and ©Murakami have been amongst my favorite in recent years. Added to that list, is now, Transmission LA. Curated by Beastie Boy, Mike D; the show is an interactive feast for the senses.

Mike D gives a tour through the installation and explains his vision for the exhibit

The installation by Ben Jones was nuts!! This is the hallway that lead….

…to this insane room that transported you into a crazy moving video game-esque environment-complete with driving sound effects!

I loved this colorful projection by Takeshi Murata.

This mirror by Jonah Freeman and Justin Lowe caught my eye.

Artist Sage Vaughn had an entire room dedicated to his work. I fell in love with these pieces. I’m a sucker for drips.

I was most excited to see these Pinwheels by Ara Peterson and Jim Drain. They are HYPNOTIC! They all spin!

Robert McKinley designed coffee bar.

I love going to all sorts of art exhibits and gallery shows. I always leave feeling totally inspired.

MY LITTLE PONY PROJECT: MISCHIEF ON MELROSE

The My Little Pony Project 2012 opened this past Saturday at the Toy Art Gallery on Melrose. Curated by Sweet Streets, the show exhibits 25 artist designed My Little Pony figures by an array of artists, designers and brands. Also on display is a collection of vintage MLP’s, which surely made the 5-year-old me squeal with delight. There were events at a total of four shops along Melrose and each had a Pony on display. We ventured to each spot throughout the night for all the Pony excitement.

The line to get into the Toy Art Gallery was so long and it never seemed to die down as the night progressed. Luckily, we showed up early.

Inside was just as crazy! There was a DJ, open bar and cake balls. CAKE BALLS!

Drinking a beer as I reminisced about the Ponies of my childhood….

I insisted that Horacio take a picture with designer Onch Movement because I knew it would be really funny…and it was! Onch insisted on doing something “sexy”. Thankfully, Ho’s awesome enough to play along. Haha!

Yume Ninja and Chubby Bunny tapping unicorn horns. They were amongst the best dressed of the evening, as they usually are.

Lil’ Rae Cake balls are as delicious as they are kawaii. Check out Chrissa‘s self-made MLP necklace!

Amy Phamous, Yume Ninja, myself, Shannon and Chubby Bunny Michelle. This picture is so colorful, I love it! Indie 184′s art is our backdrop.

The Indie 184 Pony at Munky King. There are also new works by Indie on display and a Kweenz Destroy mini shop. I’m really tempted to buy a piece…

HM Soundsystem‘s Amy and Minh also met up with us

The Spank! Pony at Japan LA

Lastly, we headed over to Joyrich, which is one of my all-time favorite retail spaces. Lights, mirrors, and color galore! Their pony was pretty sweeeet!

Minh and Ho talking about things NOT My Little Pony related

Pony by J-ryu

Pony by COPE2

This is Shannon. We met on Friday and were hugging and giggling by Saturday. She was in town for Michelle’s birthday…and is now back home in Portland.

Everyone had a such good time…friendship really is magic!

The show runs through May 26th, so go get your Pony on!

FUN AND FAFINESS

Tonight was the Fafi book signing at Gallery Nucleus! She was signing her new book, The Carmine Vault and selling an assortment of super cute art prints.

A page from the book. It’s vibrant, fun, exciting, silly and colorful..everything one would expect from such a whimsical artist.

I got my copy!

Lots of Fafi fans came out for the event.

I met Fafi!! I was pretty excited. I’m still excited.

“Pour Martina!”

Pages from The Carmine Vault

…Not bad for a Monday night!

FASHION, FAFI AND THE HARAJUKU BARBIE

A few things I am currently obsessed with:

So much is right with this video. Meadham Kirchhoff keep blowing my mind. The color, sparkle, texture…if I were in that room I would have been brought to tears.

I was actually almost brought to tears when I found out that one of my favorite artists ever, Fafi, is coming to Gallery Nucleus in April! What makes this so much more exciting, is that fact that she’s appearing in Alhambra (down the street from my Abuelita’s house)! She’s promoting the release of her long awaited book, The Carmine Vault. I’m totally going to Fosselman’s afterwards.

Also, I’ve been playing this new Nicki Minaj track repeatedly and obsessively.

LISTENING TO COLOR

Figure at Night Guided by the Phosphorescent Tracks of Snails

Joan Miro 1940

I’ve been listening to classical music lately during my hellish commutes through Southern California. I find it turns an average, uninteresting drive into an epic journey through time. I live in a fantasy land in my brain and orchestrated music, classical or not, always gets my imagination flowing. A mild form of synesthesia kicks in and sounds turn into colors and colors turn into feelings. It’s quite overwhelming at times; but awesome nonetheless.

On my drive the other day, listening to KUSC 91.5, they played Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue. Being a mild Woody Allen fan, I instantly thought of the opening scene from Manhattan. Once I got over that imagery, as cliché as it sounds, I got lost in the music. The moodiness of the composition evoked shades of blue, violets and grays.

This got me thinking about music in relation to our designs for Hysteric Haus. So I asked myself: If my brand were a musical act, who would it be? What does Hysteric Haus sound like?

Organized chaos comes to mind. Chaos along the lines of Boredoms, OOIOO, Deerhoof, M.I.A. .

Experimental/psychedelic/tribal/colorful cacophony.

Maybe that’s a bit ambitious-but I like the way it sounds.

INSPIRATIONAL VIDEOS

Japanese artist Shojono Tomo has a crazy, colorful and youthful design aesthetic. This interview by Tokyo Fashion takes a look into her studio as she discusses her works and new found fandom in the United States.

THIS IS MY DREAM COME TRUE. Tilt’s “Panic Room” at the Au Vieux Panier Hotel. The room is their canvas…so awesome and SUCH attention to detail for what, at first glance, appears to be a chaotic mess.

Check out what inspires Amy Phamous’ style in the latest episode of The Fashion Statement

THE BANANA POST

I love bananas. I love the word, their color, the way they taste and perhaps, I am subconsciously drawn to their phallic form. As a banana fan, I couldn’t help but be amused by the recent debacle over the trademark of the Warhol banana that was used for the cover of the Velvet Underground’s debut album in 1967.

Whenever I wear my Onch Banana, I get a ton of Warhol/Velvet Underground related comments and compliments. But really, I wear it for my undying love of bananas. Don’t get me wrong, I love me some Warhol and I do listen to the Velvet Underground…the recognition never ceases to amaze me. The banana is an icon; and wasn’t that the point of pop art? To glamorize and change the way we see everyday objects?

Since bananas, Warhol and the Velvet Underground are synonymous (and all equally rad)…here’s a live performance of Femme Fatale from the aforementioned album.

THE LAST FEW WEEKS…

Photo shoot with the incredibly talented Julie Klima. The images were awesome! We were really excited to work with Julie-totally exceeded all expectations!

Trip to LACMA…I stared at this as if i were on hallucinogens.

Checked out the California Design Exhibit at LACMA. I really liked this illuminated room divider, though it would be super rad if those leaves were multicolored and translucent.