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Juli 2020

In focus: The World of Women – postmodern pop-art by Irina Greciuhina

By /ART/, /BLOG/
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Alexandra Zagrebelnaia

In focus: The World of Women – postmodern pop-art by Irina Greciuhina
A talented architect and designer found her way in the contemporary art through creation of the monumental paintings of the women. Bright colored, catchy and ironic, these painting make you wonder about all the peculiar details and their meaning.
Irina was born in Chisinau, Republic of Moldova, where she still lives in works. However, her style is influenced by continuous travelling and attending of International Design and Art events.
Discussing her shift from architecture to painting, Irina says “Architectural background is giving me a lot of ideas and knowledge, that I am transforming into my artworks. I am perceiving a process of the art creation as my personal cult and intimate ritual which gives me a freedom of expression”.

Futurological Congress, 2020

After years of experiments, Irina has found the most interesting subject for her – female architypes. In her works she is wondering how personality and world perception of a woman can be affected by the external factors such as giving birth to a child, building a family or even changing the gender roles. The choice of this topic is stipulated by a continuous self-study, as an artist and as a woman. She is imagining and alternative Universe with women in the center. Irina tells that these female images are recreated from different sources around her, including everyday life, fashion magazines and even internet. In fact, when you look on her paintings, you can have a feeling that you’ve seen these characters somewhere before. Maybe it’s a supermodel or a historical personality? However, often these ladies are a product of manipulations and mixing of different pictures, gestures and face expressions.

The Blue Heaven, 2019

Orbital Station, 2019

Paradoxical Illiusions, 2018

Surrealism and interpretation of dreams, became strong references to the artist, but she is expressing it in a post-modern way, mixing bright colors, catchy poses from the posters, decorative elements and patterns with the typical elements of pop art.
Since 2019 Irina has been actively exhibiting her artworks and participating in international projects. In a short period of time she has managed to participate in the International Biennial of Painting, exhibit her works in Italy, Spain and France and even have her first solo shows.
Using mostly acrylic paint and working on large-scale canvases, recently she has started to experiment with digital art, studying how the new technologies can affect the creative process, giving her new ideas and skills.

Shifting the Schizo-pole or gorgeous product that you can sell, 2018

The infinity is multiplied by reflection, 2018

XY00, 2020

And don’t forget to subscribe

Igor Iden „dust it off“

By /FASHION/

DUST IT OFF

Photographer Igor Iden @idenph_official
Stylist Anastasia Krasnoschekova @zanyato.nax
Make-up & Hair Elena Smirnova @coooopp
Model Ida Evdokimova @iamidaevdokimova signed at Gemini Models @geminimodelsmoscow

dress Zara

dress OA @oa.clth,
gloves Katerina Myachina @katerinamyachinaofficial, pearl necklace vintage

coat Capsule.21 @capsule.21
body Zara, tights vintage

dress Zara
coat Capsule.21 @capsule.21, shoes Zara

dress Zara
body & shoes Zara, tights vintage

dress OA @oa.clth
gloves Katerina Myachina @katerinamyachinaofficial, pearl necklace vintage

Otavio Conci „TALES FROM THE QUARANTINE“

By /ART/

TALES FROM THE QUARANTINE

Model: Ariela Soares @ariela_o  @aro_mm  Natanael Azevedo @natanaelazevedooficial  Amanda Rocha @amandaaa.rocha  @joymodelpoa  Fernanda Farias @fernandafarias___  @joymodelpoa  Fernanda Brito @ferbriito_  @joymodelpoa  Julia Bregalda @_juliabregalda  @joymodelpoa  Fernanda Teponti @fernandateponti  @joymodelpoa  Stéphanie Souza @stephaniepsouza  @superagency
Photo/Art: Otavio Conci @oconci
Exec.Prod: Ju Conci @juconci  @magna.prod
Make Up: Ana K. @anak.mua  Paulo Cruz  @cruzespaulo  Rick  @rick_makeup  Taís Andrade @beautytaisandrade  Savana Sá @savana.sa

In Focus: Uldus Bakhtiozina

By /ART/, /BLOG/
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Julia Kryshevich

In Focus: Uldus Bakhtiozina

The child of rebuilding times, the founder of ‘Tatar Baroque’, named one of the strongest women 2014 by BBC… St. Petersburg-born artist Uldus Bakhtiozina has developed a distinctive visual language to talk about Slavic cultural code: through the prism of absurdly bizarre stereotypes, folklore characters, and a touch of romance.

Uldus Bakhtiozina was born to a family of a Tatar father, half-Ukrainian mother, and Jewish step-sister in the Soviet Leningrad (Saint Petersburg, Russia) in 1986. Growing up in the period of Perestroika has formed her candid and open view of things. How else do you explain the artist’s unconventional career path? Having studied public administration for 4 years in her home city, Uldus left for London to study Graphic Design at the renowned Central Saint Martins. 

However, the artist admits, she was brought up by the ‘street’. Doing side jobs and observing the life around, Uldus made sure she knew the direction. She returned to Saint Petersburg after graduation and started her independent artistic practice in the field of fine art photography and filmmaking

I want to learn or feel something when I look at an image – so I try to create the same experience with my my art and my life’. (Uldus Bakhtiozina, from the interview with Aesthetica Magazine, 2014) 

In her works Uldus Bakhtiozina focuses on the representation of Russian culture, drawing inspiration from folklore — legends, myths, and fairytales. Photographs by Uldus are soaked with fantasy and dream, however, it’s the detached ironic approach that makes her works intense and distinguishes the artist’s manner. For instance, in her Conjured Life series (2016) Uldus Bakhtiozina refers to escapism as a power that, though being highly addictive, helps us to live our lives and empowers us to create. 

In another collection called Desperate Romantics the artist discusses some contemporary issues of Russian society, such as gender stereotypes, problem of following one’s aspirations (often against public expectations), through the lens of Pre-Raphaelite aesthetics. Uldus Bakhtiozina admits, she is deeply impacted by the English painting and poetry of the 19th century, along with Iron Man, German language, and pops of color. The artist bravely confronts narrow-minded perceptions with her great sense of humor and advocates for freedom of expression. 

My life in general can be described in one phrase, ‘analytical spontaneity’, I analyze my surroundings and take spontaneous action’. (Uldus Bakhtiozina, from the interview with Vogue Italy, 2015) 

Uldus never digitally manipulates her works — what for, since she is perfectly capable of doing magic herself, with the help of a small, but professional team during many hours of shooting. The artist enjoys acting as a model sometimes (and she’s really great in it), however, she isn’t fond of using instagram as a tool of promotion. According to her, an old school method of portfolio review might work the best for the aspiring photographers. 

In 2014 Uldus became the first Russian speaker in the history of TED and took part in the BBC 100 Women project. Two years later she was proclaimed a Senior TED fellow. The artist collaborates with such fashion editions, as Vogue Italy, Aesthetica Magazine, Worbz, Chaeg Magazine, C-41 Magazine. The Best Young Fashion Photographer according to Vogue Italy (Photo Vogue 2016) and the finalist of Laguna Art Prize (2017), Uldus Bakhtiozina currently lives and works in Saint-Petersburg. She is represented by Anna Nova Gallery

‘Be brave, be ironic — it helps. Be funny and create some magic’. (Uldus Bakhtiozina, from the TED Talk 2016)

Uldus Bakhtiozina’s website: uldus.com
Her instagram @uldusss

Olga Tuponogova-Volkova „unvincible“

By /ART/

INVINCIBLE

Photo: Olga Tuponogova-Volkova @tuponogova_volkova
Photo assistant: Konstantin Egonov @kostya_nekiy
Style: Galina Smirnskaya @smirnskaya.gala
Make-up & hair: Elena Zubareva @zubarevamakeup
Model: Yulia Tsvetkova (NIK Modelmanagement) @nikmodelmanagement
Producer: Asia Oleynik @asiaoleynik

dress — WEEKEND MAXMARA; trenchcoat — ELISABETTA FRANCHI
boots — MANGO

blouse —ELISABETTA FRANCHI; jacket —  MARCIANO; scarf — MARINA RINALDI
trenchcoat, neck scarf — MAXMARA; t-shirt —  LEVIS

t-shirt — LEVIS; jeans and jacket — GUESS
trenchcoat — MAXMARA; boots — MANGO

sweater — ICEBERG; pants, jacket, boots — YOOX; camouflage printed jacket — WOOLRICH
Dress – MAXMARA

polo shirt —   MARCIANO; jeans, shirt —  GUESS
jacket — PUMA; belt —  LEVIS; boots —MANGO

Under the linen veils of summer

By /FASHION/

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A l e x a n d r a  A z a r o v a

Under the linen veils of summer

As the long awaited summer is proudly in full swing, let’s talk about the fabrics which associate most with this fabulous season of hot days, cool nights and crazy parties. Ladies and gentlemen, would you please welcome linen – a wonder fiber that gives us some of the coolest, most comfortable clothing a person can wear!

Not a tear in sight
One of the most coveted properties of linen garments is their incredible strength and resiliency. Flax fibers are up to three times stronger than cotton and have the rare distinction of being stronger wet than when dry. What this amounts to is a garment that won’t stretch and will last for years. Quality linen bed sheets and table clothes are often passed down through generations, because linen shows little wear, other than a smoothing over time. Therefore, we can wear our linen without fear of damaging the cloth while being as active as we like.

Cool like a summer breeze
As a summer garment, a linen shirt cannot be beat, largely due to the wonderful cooling properties of the fiber. Linen is both quick to absorb moisture and to expel it. Therefore, as you wear it, it will actually wick sweat from your skin, keeping you feeling dry and cool. It is also a very light fabric, which won’t bog you down on hot, muggy days. However, sweat can damage the fibers over time, so don’t wear your linen during a fitness workout!

Crispy clean
Another glorious aspect of linen is its ability to repel dirt. For anyone who likes to get outside in summer, a self-cleaning shirt (in essence) is a godsend. Linen can also be dry cleaned or machine washed. It will not create lint and it is also resistant to moths. If you’re looking for a very low maintenance outfit, flax slacks and shirts are just perfect.

What about the wrinkles?
Now, before you start proclaiming linen as an infallible fiber, it should be noted that linen clothing has the tendency to wrinkle… a lot. To make matters worse, ironing it can be difficult because it requires a very high heat and water to create steam.

Still, a few wrinkles aren’t the end of the world. It merely means you shouldn’t overwear your linen pants and make sure to hang your shirts instead of folding them (which will actually break down the fabric). Wearing linen can make a person look very crisp and clean, but if your pants or shirt have more lines than a road map, you’ll just look lazy and unkempt.

Glamour fresh
Linen clothing is available in any color, as the fabric takes well to dyes, but it traditionally comes in brighter, light colors. White, beige, tan and grey linen are most common and make for perfect summer wear.

Though you may be tempted to wear a full linen body suit, it is best to ration out your use of the fibre. A linen top with shorts or jeans is very smooth and if you’re lounging on a dock at the cottage, a loose pair of white linen pants can make for a decent look. The main goal when wearing linen is to look relaxed and comfortable, as if you’ve just walked off your yacht and have the entire day stretched out in front of you.

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