FIRST THINGS FIRST
FACING IT Is he a portraitist who happened to be president — or a president who happens to paint? Decide for yourself with the new book and exhibit of George W. Bush’s portraits of American military veterans. In Portraits of Courage: A Commander in Chief’s Tribute to America’s Warriors, the former president pairs stories of veterans with his paintings of them, almost 70 in all. The focus is on “warriors,” as Bush calls them, who have served since September 11, 2001. Bush is giving his net proceeds from the project to the George W. Bush Presidential Center, whose Military Service Initiative specializes in veteran wellness, including traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress. The veterans’ portraits are an evolution of what started as a post-presidency hobby: first, portraits of Bush’s pets, then landscapes, then world leaders he had gotten to know. Some of his subjects? Vladimir Putin, Angela Merkel, Tony Blair, “I know every one of them.” even the Dalai Lama. Book out —George W. Bush, on now; exhibit through October 1 at the George W. Bush Presidential the veterans in his new Center; bushcenter.org portraiture book —Rob Brinkley
FAR BEYOND SOME SATIN AND STITCHING What Iris van Herpen uses in her work reads more like a run to the hardware store than haute couture: glass bubbles, clear silicone, iron filings, resin, polymers, magnets. The Dutch designer has spun all of that and more into clothes that set fashion editors’ heads to spinning — and writers scrambling to try and describe them. She is a pioneer of 3-D printing for dresses, and an artist whose wearable works have landed on Tilda Swinton, Björk and Beyoncé, and in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. She calls it all New Couture — and the Dallas Museum of Art concurs. Beginning May 21, it reveals almost 50 of van Herpen’s astounding, confounding creations, made with everything from metal woven into a wispy gauze to the steely tines of an umbrella, cinched tight with leather edging to make a stunning, sculptural dress — and the furthest thing from today’s athleisure wear. “Iris an Herpen: Transforming Fashion,” May 21 through August 20, Dallas Museum of Art; dma.org —R.B. 16
B MAGAZINE — SPRING + SUMMER 2017
FAR LEFT IRIS VAN HERPEN’S HYBRID HOLISM DRESS, 2012, METALLIC-COATED STRIPES, TULLE, COTTON. ABOVE VAN HERPEN’S REFINERY SMOKE DRESS, 2008, UNTREATED WOVEN METAL GAUZE, COW LEATHER, COTTON
PHOTOGRAPHS: BUSH: COURTESY GEORGE W. BUSH PRESIDENTIAL CENTER. VAN HERPEN: COURTESY DALLAS MUSEUM OF ART. WALSH: COURTESY WALSH. BOULLE: COURTESY DE BOULLE DIAMOND & JEWELRY. DANCERS: SHUTTERSTOCK
CHANGE YOUR MIND