Caught in a Net

I love how this photograph initially appears very simple; a single figure against a wall. But the elements are extremely complicated; a gradient blue background, a pane of light, a face obscured by bird cage netting.

Photo via Dazed Digital

Kristie Muller Digitized

Other than the occassional nostalgic, you might be hard pressed to find a person who insists on the relevancy of the film camera. We take our pictures with phones,  screen shots, ipads and of course we only view photos on the computer. This has changed both the process and art of photography for good or bad.

Kristie Muller has a distinct informality to her photos, largely thanks to the disposable camera quality.  This is reiterated by her interest in cell phone photography, which she sees as the democratization of the medium. Although it might just be a lot more people taking bad photos.

All photos by Kristie Muller
via Dazed Digital

Vive La Decadance

 

The women in this shoot by Jeff Bark for Dazed and Confused are not so much decadent as satirically perverse. The shoot lacks the overflowing macaroons and ribbons of Marie Antoinette and replaces them with figures reminiscent of a syphilitic whorehouse. While their forms might be discomforting, the photographs are undoubtedly beautiful. They immediately reminded me of John Currin's paintings by their ability to make unapologetic fetishism beautiful.

Images via Glamour Boyz

More after the Jump

Lady Gaga Art Pt. 2

Apparently it is a very hip thing nowadays to host contests for Lady Gaga art. As you might remember, I did a post on Dazed and Confused's Drawn This Way and now New York Magazine is getting in on the action. Unlike Dazed, this is an unauthorized contest, resulting in more offensive and therefore more interesting interpretations.

Bourgeois Lady Gaga

"The mother of American feminist identity, Louise Bourgeois, considered the spider the ultimate mother figure. In turn, Lady Gaga is considered the ultimate mother to her "little monsters" William Ivey Long, Costume Designer (Hairspray)

Baby Gaga

"The dress is composed of live, squirming infants... they're always in motion - and the neediness of the consuming public. They're clingy!"

Ariel Schrag, Author

Little Monster Sound Suit

Nick Cave, Musician

Cynthia Rowley, Designer

Gaga in Bloom

Janie Bryant, Costume Designer (Mad Men)

Infinity Gaga

"More than just a new look for Gaga, I think we just want to see more of Gaga.

How can we get more Gaga?"

Vanessa Davis, Illustrator

Lady Cleft Lip

"Lady Gaga obtains a cleft lip from a cosmetic surgeon to spread her message of universal tolerance. What if you could change the life of a Diva?"

Tim Hensley, Author and Graphic Artist

Gaga of the Ephesians

"... Spurning mobility for a portale mountaintop, a thousand headed Gaga creates and destroys herself...."

Molly Crabapple, Artist

All images via New York Magazine

Is surrealism back? Luis Dourado

All Photos by Luis Dourado from Dazed and Confused

Luis Dourado's sci-fi inspired collages are easy to look at. They make a cold war apocalypse seem like the 50's on acid, in the best way possible. As the artist says, "I don’t think it’s [the work] a message but rather a common visual "experience." His work uses universally recognized faces, much like Warhol used universally recognized products, and makes them, well- strange. While his work is cool, it is neither particularly novel or evocative. He's got the graphics, now he just needs the concepts to back them up.