Thursday 24 May 2012

DJ Fun at SOS





Last week I had the pleasure of DJ-ing at Jim Warboy's spectacular den of debauchery SOS. It's been a while, since I've DJ'ed to a load of freaks & queers - I had simply forgotten how much fun it was. What added to the pleasure was the amount of people I haven't seen properly from my days co-founding Kashpoint; Viktor, Petter Wallenberg, Piers Atkinson, Niyi.

I had a ball vogue-ing with Jamie Bull who runs the ingenious tumblr http://4fucksakebabes.tumblr.com/

I'm not that nostalgic, but it was nice to be united with my nightclub brothers & sisters, once again. I was dancing on tables & falling over after too much vodka. Two of my favourite past times. Oh and coming out of a club when the sun is rising.





Friday 18 May 2012

Andre J - What's in Your Bag?



I can only describe encountering Andre J, for the 1st time, as like coming across a unicorn in a dark storm. I was totally transfixed by Andre's presence, as she/he glided into a nocturnal soho fashion soiree. When I went over to introduce myself, she/he was SO adorable, I was relieved. Sometimes these things do not always go hand in hand.


Andre J is a genderless super heroic fashion/ nightclub legend hailing from New Jersey, who was famously broke down the barriers of  gender when Carine Roitfeld  put her/him on the front cover of Vogue Paris.

Andre then exploded onto The London Scene, being well known for hosting Jim Warboy's legendary nightclub, Caligula - I'm sure many a London freak harbours fond memories of being wasted in the Victorian Bathouse near Liverpool St.

Warboy even created an infectious club hit 'I am' which has since gone on to be a viral smash.


From her/his Facebook updates, I see Andre is also an empowerment coach to young girls in The Lower East Side. I like to describe her/him as a harmonious blend of James Baldwin, Maya Angelou, George Clinton & Willie Ninja - That's a lot of DNA honey.


I am lucky enough to have become close with Andre. She/He was a real support & source of strength to me when I was in the states last year. And we partied GOOD.
{I LOVE YOU HUNTY.}


Now Andre is back with her/his own TV show, 'What's in your bag,' where regular New Yorkers are stopped in the streets to have their bags given a good seeing to. And to wax lyrical, street style with Andre.

It's awesome & wonderful to see the way people react to Andre. She/He radiates such love, that her positivity breeds back warmth & joy in all the people she/he meets. It's almost Buddhist.



Now all I got to ask is, when are you back in London GIRL? We miss you!

Fore more episodes: http://www.whatsinyourbag.tv/

Andre J: http://www.andrejworldwide.com/html/index.html





Wednesday 16 May 2012

The Almighty Missy Elliott

Before MIA, before Minaj -hell, even before Rhianna & Gaga there was Missy Elliott.




Missy Elliott; a 360 degree Artist - Rapper, Musician, Producer, Performer & All round Force of Nature who, together with best friend Timbaland pioneered a futuristic of sound-scape of beeps, bleeps & raw attitude.



This was a pair who clearly loved music. You can hear echo's of musique concrete, electronica, industrial noise & Afro Beat, pepper their sound. Arguably, they were the first duo to start experimenting with Arabic & Indian music in the Hip Hop genre.



Now, you can read Missy's rags to riches tale all on Wikipedia. The impact, she had on my life as an artist & a woman of colour acting against traditional expectation is what makes me most passionate.



Missy's sexually fluid lyrics were both assertive, yet playful & sensual. Whether she was cussing, 'One Minute Men,' needing to shave her 'cha cha,' or using an elephant's noise to describe a man's 'package', this brand of Ghetto Burlesque was both irreverent & smoking hot.




The songs were full of references to experiences with both men & women without the forced bubblegum commercial bisexualism of pop tarts like Katy Perry. She was not playing up to men's fantasies but asserting her own experiences with wit & flair.



Her videos, in particular the early work with Film maker Hype Williams, were visionary. Williams' transformed Missy into a Science Fiction Super Hero. In contrast to other MTV females, rather than being embarrassed by her size, Williams blew this up & framed it centre stage.
In an era of global body dysmorphia & Size 0, Missy took a totally unapologetic attitude to her size.



Now, I like all the modern day rap girls. But there was something so uncompromisingly empowering about Missy.
She never comes across as someone trying too hard. Her output seems less concerned with trying to shock, seduce & get people 'talking.' {Or in this era 'tweeting.'} A woman NOT acting like a stripper, which seems to be the primary concern of most women in entertainment, is SO refreshing.

I read that Missy' health wasn't doing so good, allegedly down to Graves Disease. But, according to Wikipedia, in recent times she seems to be back producing & touring. She has even appeared in the new J. Cole song, 'Nobody's Perfect.' Wherever you are Missy - you changed my life & I love you so much for it.

Wednesday 9 May 2012

Lucian Freud at The National Portrait Gallery






I have always felt a very special connection to The art of Lucian Freud. I discovered it by accident on the same holiday, as an 11 yr old, as I sat reading the Biography of Leigh Bowery.

It was the 1st time I'd really learnt about most things - Cottaging, Night Clubs, Michael Clarke, Performance Art, Taboo, Minty & Smashing. Little did I know I was about to embark on my own artistic journey with some of Bowery's greatest collaborators; Matthew Glamorre, Richard Torry & Les Child.




I've been lucky, living in London to have witnessed quite a few presentations of Lucian Freud's work. However, this recent retrospective at The National Portrait Gallery contains some rare & late works by Freud.


It also contains two incredible rooms; 1 dedicated to Performance Artist, Leigh Bowery & the other to his nightclub cohort Sue Tilley.




The gargantuan paintings of Leigh Bowery are a reminder of his omnipotent presence & influence on Art Culture. The size of the paintings also serve as a powerful reminder that these were life changing events for both painter & sitter.

'He was still in a sense performing because of his physical awareness which was extraordinary.'

Freud commented on Bowery's 'remarkable intelligence,' while Bowery returned the compliment by describing his sittings being, 'like receiving a university education.'




The room curated with the 'Big Sue,' series aka Sue Tilley was a chance to realise Freud's occupation with Human Flesh in all it's glory. I wasn't thinking about the infamous prices one received at auction but how the mass of flesh looked almost like abstract sculpture.