FORM FW16 - The Art Issue

FORM

FALL / WINTER 16

THE ART ISSUE

EDITORS IN CHIEF

Emily Dunkel Gabrielle Weiss Hallie Aston

DIRECTOR OF FASHION & PRODUCTION

Elizabeth Lim

DIRECTOR OF POST PRODUCTION

Allie Kenny

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

Tory Macdonald

DIRECTOR OF MARKETING & PR

Max Bernell Kayla Derman Emiy Fechner Sonia Fillipow Fallon Grayson Natalia Gonzalez-Boneta Taylor Konrath Brian Lin Jacqueline Thomas Jean Yenbamroong Jessica Yu

FASHION & PRODUCTION TEAM

Jamie Cohen Katherine Guo Melanie Hogue Brian Lin Gianna Miller

EDITORIAL TEAM

Taylor Konrath Brian Lin Devon Russell Jean Yenbamroong

POST PRODUCTION TEAM

Anastasia Budko Ariel Burde Jenna Poczik Amanda Pruthi

MARKETING & PR TEAM

Sonia Fillipow Elizabeth Lim Gabrielle Weiss

ART & ILLUSTRATION

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METAL WORK ON POINTE CONSTRUCTION & PROCESS

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YOUNG THUG OUT OF THE BOX EVOLUTION OF ADVERTISING INTO ART

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NOCTURNAL ANIMAL APPENDIX

HIGH ART, FAST FASHION ART, FASHION AND SEX IF YAYOI KUSAMA USED PHOTOSHOP TO POST PRODUCE A FASHION SHOOT

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ON DISPLAY A VISIT TO 21C A DAY AT THE MET A CONVERSATION WITH MIKAEL OWUNNA

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letter from the editors Fashion, at its most basic level, is art. Getting dressed each day is in itself an act of performance and self-expression. The clothes we put on our bodies are imagined, designed, and crafted, brought into the world by many of the same processes that an artist undertakes in producing a work of art. Putting this issue together has allowed us to take a deeper look into the connection between the fashion world and the talented artistry that inspires and informs it.

One of the driving forces of this issue’s creation was a visit this summer to The Metropolitan Museum of Art for the Costume Institute’s Manus x Machina exhibition. Its juxtaposition of delicate, old-fashioned handwork with machine methods enhanced by today’s technology drove us to consider the inspiration, innovation, and artistry of fashion, as well the spaces in which those three pillars come together.

In exploring art as a theme, we felt it was of the utmost importance to highlight the intersection of art and fashion on Duke’s campus. This issue showcases a community of artists, featuring a student-run ballet company, graphic designers, and illustrators. Additionally, we profile alumni who bravely pursued their crafts after graduating.

We drew a great deal of inspiration from outside Duke’s walls as well, deriving concepts from a number of artists spanning time and borders, including Edgar Degas, Ushio Shinohara, Yayoi Kusama, and Tom Ford. Furthermore, we shot in the 21c Museum Hotel galleries, which showcase the work of artists of European, African, and Middle-Eastern descents.

The boundless creativity we have witnessed from our staff and the Duke community in producing this issue pushed us, challenged us, and encouraged us to reconsider the world around us. It is our hope that the work showcased here will drive you to search for the artistry in everything.

emily + gabi

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LIZ CHAPLIN TRINITY ‘15 TWIN TREEHOUSE

NANO ANDERSON TRINITY ‘14 CUFFED BY NANO

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Metal Work PHOTOGRAPHY emily dunkel POST-PRODUCTION elizabeth lim MODEL gea bozzi FASHION emily dunkel . gabrielle weiss ILLUSTRATION sonia fillipow WRITING jamie cohen

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NANO ANDERSON When did you decide to start CUFFED BY NANO? [ N ] I started the company in March of 2016 as a creative and artistic outlet that quickly evolved into much more.

What motivated you? Was there anything at Duke that prompted it? [ N ] After graduating from Duke University in 2014 with a major in Public Policy and a certificate in Markets and Management, I moved to Columbus, Ohio to work at the Abercrombie and Fitch headquarters. I have always been into arts and crafts, but found myself increasingly eager to take up artistic activities as a means of variance from my daily analytical job.

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Each piece of jewelry is designed to empower you, encourage you, and give you the opportunity to make a difference.

NANO ANDERSON

How did you go about starting CUFFED BY NANO, and where would you like to take it? [ N ] One day, I was playing around with stamping letters onto metal and made a few brass cuffs with fun phrases.

I posted a pic of them on Insta, because everyone knows I Insta too much, and had over 40 people interested‌ it was really exciting. I then made an Etsy shop and since have recently gone through the legal process of establishing my company so I can sell through my own channel and launched my website in July.

I quickly realized I wanted CUFFED to be about more than just jewelry. CUFFED’s mission is to make a difference in the world by feeding the needy. In partnership with Hands Together of The Palm Beaches, CUFFED donates two meals per item purchased to kids in need in Central Haiti. My mom, Nancy Anderson, started Hands Together of The Palm Beaches ten years ago in order to help the

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Haitian community in South Florida and later in Haiti itself. Each summer, the non-profit runs a mission trip to Jean Denis, Haiti, a impoverished town with one church and one school. Most kids only attend the school, Notre Dame du Rosaire, because they know they will get a free lunch, but this is something extremely challenging to provide. So far, I am really proud to say that CUFFED has donated around 1500 meals to the Haitian community.

There is still a lot of exciting stuff to come too! This winter, the company will introduce a number of new pieces that I am really excited about. I am also working to do more pop-shops and have the jewelry featured in boutiques across the East Coast.

For me, the beauty always lies in the simplest of details.

LIZ CHAPLIN

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What is your favorite part of your job? [ N ] I love having people suggest phrases for my cuffs – people can get really excited when they think they came up with the most groundbreaking cuff, I love it. It continues to show me there are so many different things I can put on these cuffs that are fun, new, and allow people to express themselves.

LIZ CHAPLIN When did you decide to start Twin Treehouse and what motivated you? [ L ] I launched Twin Treehouse in December 2015. After meeting with a vendor who sparked my interest in her jewelry, I couldn’t help but look further. I had fallen in love with small, simple and dainty jewelry over the years, which had led me to begin a collection of my own. My desire grew into the Treehouse jewelry you see today.

How did you go about starting Twin Treehouse and where would you like to take it? [ L ] Over the last year, I have grown Twin Treehouse from the ground up on my own. Along the way I have learned a lot, from developing a website to building relationships with vendors. I’ve also spent a great deal of time focusing on the brand and getting the Twin Treehouse name out there. It has been one of the most rewarding experiences to see friends and family wearing our pieces. Starting Twin Treehouse has really allowed me grow in so many ways as I picked up skills and self-taught proficiencies as the brand came to fruition.

Moving forward, I hope to grow my team, grow its reach and expand Twin Treehouse by looking for unique pieces even further than we are now. I see our home accessories selection growing to meet the size of our jewelry selection, so stay tuned! I hope you share in our journey as our Treehouse is just beginning to grow.

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What did you think about in crafting the identity of your company? [ L ] In creating Twin Treehouse, I wanted it to be a company that is appealing and affordable for all age groups. At the same time, I want it to be a place where people are able to find dainty, simple pieces to go with their everyday wardrobe - day and night. I later decided to begin featuring home accessories and unique handbags.

The name Twin Treehouse came about as I envisioned the company in a retail space being more than just a store. I imagined it as a place where customers could visit and shop, but also a place where they could stay and enjoy one another’s company.

In other words, I thought of it as a place to hang out, a Treehouse, with modern wood furniture. The “twin” part of Twin Treehouse has to do with my younger sister. Ever since we were younger, people have always thought we were twins despite being a year apart. To this day people still do a double take. When developing the company’s logo, I thought back to when I first imagined having a home next door to both of my sisters. The idea of living next door to them reminded me of the retail space concept where visitors were always welcome and the space would be used as a place to congregate. That’s when I came up with the two houses, side by side.

In crafting the identity of Twin Treehouse, I hope to get across the message that our pieces are made for everyone, any wardrobe and any home. As seen in our look book, Twin Treehouse is a name and a line that portrays an easy going and simplistic lifestyle, reflective of my own. I don’t wear tons of jewelry, but the jewelry I do wear is always delicate and subtly grabs just the right amount of attention. For me, the beauty always lies in the simplest of details.

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What is your favorite part of your job? [ L ] Looking back on the process, one of my favorite aspects of running Twin Treehouse is being able to curate our products and see all of the diverse jewelry, home goods and handbags available.

I love getting to meet the people behind each line and hear their stories about how they got involved in the business. From London to Australia, Turkey, Canada, Bali, the US and many more, it has been a fascinating journey to experience the world through the different styles and merchandise produced around the globe.

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ON POINTE

a contemporary reimagining of the Degas masterpieces

PHOTOGRAPHY devon russell POST-PRODUCTION elizabeth lim MODELS ariel burde . emily chang . emma crossman . ellie pasquale . sabrina qi . hannah wolfe FASHION hallie aston . emily dunkel . emily fechner . fallon grayson . natalia gonzalez-boneta . amanda pruthi . jacqueline thomas . gabrielle weiss

Construction & Process

It is somewhat strange to see garments arranged like pieces of art on the walls of a museum, particularly one as hallowed as The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Reproduction, either through photography or fast fashion, has brought shapes, colors, and fabrics to the masses that were once reserved for very few. Clothing is a mundane kind of art, and save for couture, an aesthetically pleasing commodity.

Artistry & Technological Innovation in the Collections of Couture Designer Iris van Herpen

Young designers entering the industry are two generations away from the home-economics era. Globalization has pushed previously domestic clothing manufacturing overseas.

Our distance from the means of production of the garments we wear has had industry-wide resonance, and many designers clearly seek to bring a human hand back into their work. Though technology has raised the bar for the kinds of knitwear, yarn blends, and global textiles that are widely accessible, human-engineered artistry is of the utmost importance. This human-hand, the inspiration and idea behind these wearable pieces of art, is what marks them as unique.

The pieces pulled together for The Met’s examination of the role that technology plays in garment creation spanned a half-century and ranged in medium from gossamer silk to plastic drinking straws. Age-old methods of hand sewing were juxtaposed with 3D-printed pieces, laser-cut sequins, and woven, blended polymers.

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Though there is something truly incredible to behold in examining the craftsmanship of the past, the most exciting pieces in the exhibit were crafted through a synthesis of new and old. These garments took the forms, shapes, and techniques of the past and created them through new threads, moulded plastics, and many other unconventional media.

Iris van Herpen is a Dutch designer, whose work made up a strong contingent of Manus x Machina’s more forward-thinking garments. In 2010, she printed her first 3D garment, and over the past six years has continued to use new technology and the complexities of haute couture to create incredible pieces. The pieces are at once confusing and stunning, and while they break visual boundaries and redefine what this storied art form can be, they adhere to very classical artistic rules. Form, unity, symmetry, rhythm– artistic buzzwords that have resonated throughout much of art’s history– find a classical balance in these unconventional works.

The sculptural dress pictured below, which stood out as the most striking of the collection, is made of resin. This resin dress was fabricated through a technological process called stereolithography, which builds a shape from a 3D image in vertical slices with liquid polymer. The polymer is then hardened by a laser beam, which creates a form enduring enough to stand as couture. Though the technology is quite advanced, and is very much outside the realm of traditional notions of couture, the dress bears a striking resemblance to a classical ballet costume. This intersection of classical design and innovative form is a narrative that one can see throughout many of van Herpen’s collections.

Her most recent collection, Lucid, was shown on the runway in March of 2016. As a complete body of work, it shows these garments as both classic and innovative pieces. There are two main

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“In all my work I try to make clear that fashion is an artistic expression, showing and wearing art, and not just a functional and devoid of content or commercial tool. With my work I intend to show that fashion can certainly have an added value to the world, that it can be timeless and that its consumption can be less important than its beginning.”

IRIS VAN HERPEN

design techniques presented in the collection, which van Herpen discusses as an unconscious dreaming and design process. These are named “the lucid looks” and “the phantom dresses.” The lucid looks are fabricated from transparent, hexagonal, laser-cut pieces that are connected with see-through tubing. The phantom dresses are created from a light tulle, with tiny, shining strips superimposed on the surface of the fabric. These dresses carry on the couture tradition of exquisite craftsmanship, of the suturing together of smaller pieces to make a whole. One dress has over 5,000 individual pieces, yet these pieces are 3D-printed rounds, rather than silken circles or flower petals.

The synthesis of modern technologies and the wealth of knowledge that has been passed down by couture houses brings forth an era of new possibility in design and execution. Iris van Herpen is a true artist, and her care for her garments and her artistic process makes her an incredible spotlight for this issue. She marries technological innovation and artistic integrity, and her work truly does belong in the galleries of The Met as pieces of art for years to come.

IMAGES SOURCED FROM IRIS VAN HERPEN

GABRIELLE WEISS

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- KENZO X H&M -

FAST FASHION

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The mergers between fast fashion and high fashion have become more ambitious, daring, and, consequently, more artistic. KENZO x H&M, a collaborative collection of contemporary prints and silhouettes, is described on H&M’s website as “a new world of creativity and playful energy.” KENZO, the esteemed Parisian fashion house, has become the latest to join the ranks of other luxury brands to collaborate with the fast-fashion retailer.

The past collaboration between Olivier Rousteing’s Balmain and H&M caused absolute mayhem during its highly-anticipated launch, with fans sprinting through malls to clear out the racks. Versace, Lanvin, Stella McCartney, Alexander Wang, and Isabel Marant have also partnered with the company to bring consumers high fashion at a palatable price point. The much-anticipated KENZO x H&M launch has created similar hype around its colorful, patterned, and printed pieces.

Kenzo Takada founded KENZO in Paris in 1970. Today, his inspirations are brought to life by the brand’s artistic directors, Humberto Leon and Carol Lim. Since 2011, this duo has reinvigorated the offbeat and art-driven spirit that is deeply ingrained in KENZO’s roots.

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collaboration fits KENZO’s insane aesthetics. There is no such thing as too much, as consumers are urged to purchase a multi-printed, multi-layered dress to be paired with an oversized, black, faux-leather and pink-shearling jacket.

Accessories range from thick-padded zebra flip-flops to intricately embroidered hats. These articles of clothing provide a canvas for the wearer to be a work of art. This collection underscores the idea that clothing is far more than just fabric people use to cover their bodies.

The exciting KENZO x H&M collaboration highlights the closing divide between the fashion and art worlds. Moreover, it effectively diminishes the air of exclusion associated with these industries. At affordable rates, the masses are welcomed and encouraged to daringly curate their appearances.

KATHERINE GUO

The house is known particularly for blurring the boundaries between art and fashion. For their Spring 2017 Ready-to-Wear show, Lim and Leon chose the Cité de l’Architecture et du Patrimoine, one of Paris’s famed architecture museums. Classical examples of French architecture and sculpture hang from the walls, including stone gargoyles, classical representations of columns, friezes, and full tympanums.

The highlight of the show, however, was not the classical forms, but the use of human beings as live art installations.

Twenty-four models were transformed into living stone statues through the use of white body powder, mimicking the opacity and texture of marble. Once the application was done, the breathing pieces of art posed amidst the surrounding artworks.

This placed the collection in dialogue with the art, contrasting the classical forms against the more contemporary act of performance art.

KENZO’s commitment to artistry is also clearly visible in its commercial production. Jarring clashes of color and prints have become the norm, even more present in its line for H&M. The collaboration further meshes the affordability of wearable clothing and the whimsy of artistic statement pieces not often seen beyond the runway. A more attainable version of KENZO’s collection allows consumers to bring this spirit to the streets and makes wearable art more accessible. This allows for a far-reaching reinvigoration of the brand’s original spirit and puts KENZO on bodies who would not have otherwise purchased the products.

Animal prints and large silhouettes are a common theme throughout the collection, which is a veritable explosion of shape and color. The only way to pull off a piece from this collection is to confidently embrace the artistry of each garment. As seen in the recently released lookbook, the H&M

IMAGES SOURCED FROM KENZO X H&M LOOKBOOK

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ART, FASHIO Art’s primary function is to offer social commentary on shifting elements of culture. Before photography presented people’s outfits in “Who Wore it Best” columns, art served to record female fashion trends, as artists displayed what was hot and omitted what was not.

The eighteenth century, a century covered in great detail

by The Met’s Costume Institute, sheds light on what became the most important part of the female form, the hips.

Dilated hips achieved by panniers spanned several feet on both sides of the female’s waist. The waist too was made especially tiny with corsets, restricting the mobility of their wearers. A wealthy woman who would don one of these ornate gowns would not move much, mirroring her position in society. Furthermore, her greatest duty was to acquire a husband and produce heirs. The sexual focus on the hips was strategic in serving as a reminder of her childbearing ability.

A major goal of pre-modern art was to create something beautiful and visually appealing. The women were strategically adorned in fashion trends that would show them in an attractive light, which was decided by the male artist or by the suitor who would receive her portrait. In tandem, famous paintings and preserved fashion pieces express shifting sexual preferences as accentuated by these trends.

Following the period of immensely exaggerated hips came the Victorian era. There was a great deal of variety in this time frame, which pointed to shifting ideals. Slender forms revealing the elegance of wealth took root. In addition, other, more subtle sexual constructs were revealed in the fashion through art. Perhaps most famously recorded in Georges Seurat’s A Sunday Afternoon on The Island of la Grande Jatte

Female fashion emerged as a commercial industry and quickly became a weapon to attract members of the opposite sex. Sixteenth and seventeenth century dress was rather simple. For the wealthy, it was more ornate but the silhouettes remained constant and fairly conservative. The focus was on the fabrics and on the wealth conveyed by the piece.

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ON, AND SEX is the 1870-80s “Bustle” focus. The dress extended to create the illusion of an enormous posterior. The hidden reason for this focus is rooted in the spread of syphilis, which was rampant at the time. In fear of contracting this disease, anal intercourse became the norm. Therefore, the style of dresses shifted to highlight a woman’s attractiveness in that area.

enamoration with a female’s ability to choose and actively attract a suitor.

Today, women are encouraged to flaunt their sexuality in whatever way they please. Take The Art Issue of W, for example. Kim Kardashian can perhaps be considered the present-day Marilyn Monroe, flaunting her curves in seethrough gowns. On W’s cover, she is stripped of any fashion and turned into a pop-art statement by the artist Barbara Kruger. Kim Kardashian’s choice to be nude serves as a feminist stance on her ability to be open with her body, while also highlighting the sexual appeal of her curvaceous form. The photograph is overlaid with the words, “It’s all about me I mean you I mean me,” pointing to this overtly public sexuality as it is connected to the narcissism of today’s culture. Fashion is perhaps not even necessary anymore in a world where nudity is an accepted presentation of sexuality through the female form.

ALLIE KENNY illustration by ELIZABETH LIM

High-end fashion norms became a bit more muted throughout the 1900s, starting with a return to conservative elegance. However, as women made strides in gaining power in society, their fashion choices became more daring.

The bikini was introduced in 1946, which at the time was scandalously sexy. Toward the end of the century, American woman especially began to use plunging necklines and short hems to sexualize their own bodies, best exhibited by the looks of Marilyn Monroe. Artists like Andy Warhol were fascinated by a female’s ability to become a commodified icon of sex. Although his prints of Monroe show just her face, her risque fashion statements inspired a growing

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IF YAYOI KUSAMA USED PHOTOSHOP TO POST PRODUCE A FASHION SHOOT

APRIL and HENRY IN FALl/WINTER sixteen TRENDS PHOTOGRAPHY brian lin POST-PRODUCTION emily dunkel . gabrielle weiss . elizabeth lim . brian lin MODELS april pradhan . henry warder FASHION hallie aston . emily dunkel . connor gundersen . gabrielle weiss . jean yenbamroong

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YOUNG Amidst the hazy, smoke-filled annexes of the green room of New York’s Playstation Theater, surrounded by burnt-out roaches, jars of marijuana, and drained containers of codeine cough syrup, a lone figure sips from his double cup. He nods along to the deafening bass vibrating from the main stage, shaking all four walls of the dimly lit room. Young Thug, cloaked in a white blouse and jeans, complemented by a pair of white, fingerless lace gloves and endless gold chains, stands as perhaps the most enigmatic figure in hip-hop today.

Propelled by a wave of stardom, including cosigns by industry giants Kanye West and Gucci Mane, Young Thug understands the power and influence his words can hold.

Once he enters the main stage, his fervent and frenzied fans will rap along to every one of the melodic, half-mumbled, halfwhined songs he has become so famous for. However, it is not the frenetically ener-

getic cadence of his flow or the production dripping with 808 bass that makes Young Thug one of the most important figures in hip-hop today. As evidenced by the dramatic variety of clothes his thin frame is draped in, Young Thug represents one of the most progressive thinkers in fashion couture, particularly as it intersects with gender identity and expression.

This performance in white blouse and lace gloves isn’t the first instance Young Thug, born Jeffery Williams, has worn traditionally female-gendered clothing pieces. He wears exclusively women’s pieces in his Calvin Klein fashion campaign, and dons a dress designed by Alessandro Trincone on the cover of Jeffery, his latest mixtape offering. Even at the age of 12, Thug recalls wearing his sister’s glitter-adorned sneakers.

When questioned on his dramatically vibrant and independent choice in clothing, Williams simply stated, “When it comes to

swag, there’s no gender involved.” Pressed further on his beliefs, Williams also proclaimed, “I feel like there’s no such thing as gender.”

These statements shouldn’t be underestimated for their bravery, progressivism, and nuance in the most unlikely of arenas.

Hip-hop and rap culture has been historically marred by aggressive masculinity, homophobia, and transphobia. For Young Thug, whose lyrics and lifestyle encompass traditional machismo-laden topics of guns, drugs, and sex, the contradiction of his modern and reformist stance on gender and fashion represent a new wave of thinking, one that he is bold to express in a traditionally intolerant space.

As society progresses, comprehending the mutability of the gender spectrum and the vast methods through which gender expression can form, the influence of fashion

on gender identity cannot be understated.

Androgyny, gender-bending, and boundary-pushing of the feminine and masculine identities have been staples of the fashion industry for decades. Young Thug’s ability to subvert norms of gendered clothing in the hip-hop world is a definitive step and powerful example for further acceptance and understanding, no matter the surrounding cultural standard.

Young Thug finally takes the main stage of Playstation Theater to a deafening uproar and screams of adulation. The first earth-shaking bass notes of his single “Hercules” hit. Dominating the boisterous atmosphere, his white blouse shines under the intense stage light: an icon of the progressive trends of gender and fashion that the rapper represents.

BRIAN LIN

IMAGES SOURCED FROM P SQUARED / BROOKLYN VEGAN

THUG

OUT OF

THE BOX

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PHOTOGRAPHY gabrielle weiss . fallon grayson POST-PRODUCTION elizabeth lim . gabrielle weiss MODELS cameron moseley . noah snyder . brian white FASHION hallie aston . emily dunkel . sonia fillipow . fallon grayson . taylor konrath . tory macdonald . jacqueline thomas

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Advertising has used the creativity and unique vision of artists to drive consumption for decades. Many famous artists began as product marketers hired by popular businesses to emphasize a brand’s prestige and generate a closer connection with consumers. Over time, advertisements have evolved from simple illustrations of an everyday product to innovative representations of a product’s brand. The following five artists have transcended and redefined advertising as an art form over the course of history.

TORY MACDONALD

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IMAGE SOURCED FROM NORMAN ROCKWELL

IMAGE SOURCED FROM HENRI DE TOULOUSE-LAUTREC

HENRI DE TOULOUSE-LAUTREC was a French painter and printmaker during the Post-Impressionist period. Like many artists of his time, Toulouse-Lautrec found himself attracted to the eclectic, bohemian style of Montmartre. Soon, he was commissioned by the famous cabaret, Moulin Rouge, to illustrate a series of posters to advertise their opening.

Moulin Rouge chose Toulouse-Lautrec for his expertise in color, movement, and figurative painting. Toulouse-Lautrec’s advertisements contributed to the incredible success of Moulin Rouge and his art became instantly associated with the gaudy, mysterious nightlife of Paris.

NORMAN ROCKWELL is a 20th century American painter and illustrator best known for his cover work for The Saturday Evening Post. The Post was a prevalent publication often cited as the most culturally influential magazine in American life. Throughout his career, Rockwell was commissioned to produce advertisements by companies such as Coca-Cola, Listerine, and Jell-O. Rockwell’s responsibility as the primary artist of The Post led him to be known as the illustrator of the American identity. His style was sought after by popular businesses to depict their products as essential to the ideal lifestyle for Americans. For Rockwell, these advertisements served as a platform to think critically about what it meant to be an American. His most influential paintings came later in his career, specifically those depicting scenes of racism, school segregation, and gender discrimination.

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IMAGES SOURCED FROM ANDY WARHOL

ANDY WARHOL began his iconic career as a product marketer, glamorizing everyday objects like soups and cleaning supplies. His talent was established following a successful campaign for Volkswagen. Warhol used bold text, vibrant colors, and a simplistic style to successfully revamp the car’s image, a seemingly impossible task after Hitler announced it as his favorite car.

Warhol had a natural talent for connecting with consumers. In the 1980’s, Feldman Fine Arts commissioned Warhol to create the Ads series. This collection highlights Warhol’s interest in American consumerism and the way in which advertisements can double as iconic imagery. Today, Warhol’s Campbell’s Soup Cans is one of the most recognizable works of art in households across the country.

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IMAGES SOURCED FROM MARIO TESTINO

MARIO TESTINO is a legendary fashion photographer who has created celebrated advertisements coveted by artists, designers, and consumers alike. Testino’s work has shifted fashion advertisements from classic product images to carefully orchestrated photographs. Constantly working under an editorial mandate, Testino’s method is not to illustrate the brand’s name, but the brand’s story. He aims to surprise and excite consumers, reminding society of fashion and art’s ever-evolving landscape.

Most notable are his campaigns for Burberry, Roberto Cavalli, Gucci, and most recently, Stuart Weitzman. However, Testino’s advertising work translates into personal projects, eclectic and expertly crafted portraits of celebrities and political figures alike. Testino has blurred the line between expert marketer and artist. Today, he is the most sought after artist by the top designer brands to spearhead new campaigns.

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ANNIE LEIBOVITZ challenges classic advertising with a unique, exciting vision for art as a medium to attract consumers. Leibovitz’s photographs are sophisticated, thoughtful, and often expensive productions. Like Testino, Leibovitz’s advertisements appear in countless fashion publications and are also shown in galleries and auctioned off to consumers as individual pieces of art.

Leibovitz is unafraid to tackle political issues through her work, consistently challenging traditional notions of femininity and gender roles. Oftentimes, Leibovitz’s subjects incite a feeling of fantasy that is attractive to consumers and thought-provoking for a publication’s readers. Coveted by editors and designers alike, Leibovitz crafts brands’ stories through artistic practice.

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IMAGES SOURCED FROM ANNIE LEIBOVITZ

FORM FW 16 / ART ISSUE / ON DISPLAY

on display

01. a visit to 21c 02. a day at the met 03. a conversation with mikael owunna

FORM FW 16 / ART ISSUE / ON DISPLAY / 01. A VISIT TO 21C

01. a visit to 21c

PHOTO. Devon Russell MODEL. Francesca Mercer, Austin Peer FASH. Hallie Aston, Max Bernell, Emily Dunkel, Gabrielle Weiss, Jean Yenbamroong

BY. YEAR. TITLE. CTRY.

Ebony G. Patterson 2010 Gully Godz in Conversations Revised I, II, and III Jamaica 56

HIM. sweatshirt, Off-white pants, Rag & Bone

FORM FW 16 / ART ISSUE / ON DISPLAY / 01. A VISIT TO 21C

BY. YEAR. TITLE. CTRY.

Leah Sobsey 2013 Swarm America

HIM. sweatshirt, Anti Social Social Club

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FORM FW 16 / ART ISSUE / ON DISPLAY / 01. A VISIT TO 21C

BY. YEAR. TITLE. CTRY.

HER. top, T by Alexander Wang pants, Rag & Bone jacket, Smythe HIM. shirt, The Kooples pants, Rag & Bone

Lamya Gargash 2005 Salim United Arab Emirates 58

FORM FW 16 / ART ISSUE / ON DISPLAY / 01. A VISIT TO 21C

BY. YEAR. TITLE. CTRY.

Erwin Olaf 2009 Portrait 1 (Dawn), Portrait 1 (Dusk) Netherlands

HER. sweater, Soyer pants, AMO HIM. shirt, Comme des Garรงons sweater, Ted Baker pants, Rag & Bone 59

FORM FW 16 / ART ISSUE / ON DISPLAY / 01. A VISIT TO 21C

BY. YEAR. TITLE. CTRY.

Ebony G. Patterson 2010 Gully Godz in Conversations Revised I, II, and III Jamaica 60

HER. jacket, The Perfext pants, Mother

FORM FW 16 / ART ISSUE / ON DISPLAY / 01. A VISIT TO 21C

HER. dress, 3.1 Phillip Lim jacket, Stella McCartney

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FORM FW 16 / ART ISSUE / ON DISPLAY / 02. A DAY AT THE MET

02. a day at the met I.

Tourists and native New Yorkers alike whirl through The Metropolitan Museum of Art, going to and from the American Wing, Greek and Roman Art, and Lehman Galleries. Brochures in countless languages litter the admission kiosk. Overheard are conversations spoken in visitors’ native tongues. Though all eyes turn to 1000 5th Avenue for The Met’s annual Costume Institute Gala, the real sartorial spectacle is in the attire of the Museum’s everyday visitors.

WRIT. Gianna Miller ILLUS. Gabrielle Weiss 62

FORM FW 16 / ART ISSUE / ON DISPLAY / 02. A DAY AT THE MET

II. Surrounded by della Robbia’s and Monet’s, The Met’s museumgoers are often overlooked works of art themselves. These living pieces follow the same trends as the work on the walls. Few partitions divide the American Wing, leaving it open and airy. Within this open space, visitors are on display. A woman stands in the center of the gallery, studying Thomas Hart Benton’s America Today. Her minimalist outfit is contrasted against the detailed vibrancy of the mural. Swatches of tan, beige, and camel color the tombs and lintels of the Egyptian galleries. A young couple replicates this monochromatism moving from piece to piece, attired in athleisure of analogous shades of black and gray.

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III. In galleries with temporary exhibitions, the fashion is riskier. Visitors aren’t afraid to challenge the status quo and go against the grain. The outfits worn follow the same pattern as the pieces on the wall, not attuned to everyone’s palette but still a spectacle nonetheless. An older woman with thick-rimmed glasses wears a red and white striped top that grazes her hipbones. She mixes patterns with a polka dot skirt, ending just below the knee. A teen walks through Max Beckmann’s exhibition wearing jeans so distressed they remain intact by a handful of threads. Fishnet tights peak from underneath them. She wears a modest polo shirt buttoned to the top.

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IV. There is beauty in seeing high art next to everyday people. Teens from the Bronx observe the details and share reactions of awe over of Degas’s The Dance Class with a retired Parisian couple. Unlikely members of society converse, each pulling each other further into the art as the discussion progresses.

V.

To go to The Metropolitan Museum of Art and only observe the art formally on display is only half a visit. The full experience includes observing the visitors as well. Each person is a work of art, expressing themselves through fashion just as Picasso would with paint.

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03. a conversation with

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owunna

Part Nigerian, part Swedish, and with roots in Pennsylvania and Ohio, Mikael Owunna’s identity is complex. When you consider his identification with the LGBTQ community, that complexity expands. Mikael speaks of growing up with his African and LGBTQ identities in conflict, as popular discourse on the Continent pits the two against one another. “I felt more pushed away from my African identity than anything else,” he says of his formative years. Now 26 years old and a graduate of Duke, Mikael found a form of artistic expression that allows him to spend time actively meditating on the subject of iden67

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tity, ultimately reaching a place of acceptance and peace. The road to this point, and Duke’s role in getting him there, is unconventional and unexpected.

Mikael arrived at Duke in the fall of 2008. Describing his visit to campus as a prospective student, he remembered, “[There were] these purple flowers, and it was a little overcast and lush green and I was like, this is one of the most beautiful places I’ve been to.” The beauty of Duke’s campus, coupled with the promise of an A.B. Duke Scholarship, sealed the deal. Once on campus, Mikael embarked on a typical path. “When I came in, I didn’t think about art at all. Especially coming from my background as an African immigrant, it was just not even seen as a possibility,” he laughed.

“It was like, ‘Oh, you’re going to be a doctor or a lawyer or an engineer.’”

As he continued his standard, non-artistic course of study, Mikael stumbled into creative pursuits. With fellow A.B. Duke Scholars, he spent the summer NAME. Tyler Queer Kenyan-Somali CTRY. Canada 68

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after his freshman year at Oxford. Mikael thought back to a specific afternoon that sticks out in his memory, when the group decided to venture out from their dorms to photograph the city. He remembered, “As soon as I picked up a camera...something just clicked. That kind of started everything.”

While a passion for photography began to bud, Mikael was not yet ready to abandon the, by Duke standards, conventional trajectory on which he was successfully advancing. By his junior year, he had secured a summer internship at McKinsey & Company, the global management consulting firm, a job coveted by countless high-achieving Duke students. Life at McKinsey, however, did not suit Mikael. “I was miserable,” he recounted. “So many of these people who work in these places are miserable, but I don’t think we ever really give ourselves the latitude to explore what we really want to do,” he continued. Mikael attributes this collective failure to Duke’s culture, asserting, “At Duke, I feel like we have a very limited scope of what our poNAME. Tyler Queer Kenyan-Somali CTRY. Canada 69

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tential paths are…the culture is very suffocating.”

weren’t things that were part of our culture. It caused a lot of difficulties for me, a lot of trauma, a lot of depression, a lot of anxiety, a lot of things I still have to deal with to this day,” Mikael said. He continued, “I didn’t know any other people who were queer and African. When there are no images in the media that confirm for you that other people like you exist, when people tell you that you don’t exist, you can believe them because there’s nothing out there that disproves it.”

In spite of a culture of conformity, Mikael forged his own path. In the fall of his senior year, he applied for a Fulbright and was accepted to work as a teaching fellow in Taiwan. Although unsure about what he hoped to do long-term, Mikael knew he wanted to continue exploring photography while abroad. With another Fulbright fellow, he developed a curriculum that used art to empower his Taiwanese students. The goal of the project, Mikael explained, was to “give [the students] the agency of storytelling” through photography. The final body of work was exhibited at the National Taiwan Museum, affirming the project’s impact and success.

With this in mind, Mikael set out to create images that would affirm his identity and that of other LGBTQ Africans. One of the chief goals of Limit(less) is to challenge the notion of conflicting identities and turn stereotypes on their heads. In creating the project, Mikael laid out a clear directive. “How do we create a positive, empowering narrative rather than talking about how people are being destroyed and defeated?

How do people seize back their agency on their own terms?” he asked. The answer, he found, was documenting his participants’ fashion and style. “Fashion and style is very much a way that people express themselves in the face of oppression, all these different systems telling them that you can’t exist. Fashion is a way that people can assert themselves,” he noted.

Upon his return to the States, Mikael embarked on a documentary photography project, the most ambitious and extensive of his body of work.

Limit(less) documents the fashion and style of LGBTQ members of the African diaspora. The idea for the project grew out of Mikael’s own internal strife.

“I always felt really conflicted about being a queer person and a Nigerian person. I was told very explicitly that I couldn’t exist, I was corrupted by the West, these

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The notion that being LGBTQ is un-African is rooted in history. “It all comes back to colonization,” Mikael explained. “A lot of research has shown that indigenous societies, especially African societies, were much more open on gender and sexuality than European societies.

Many of them were much more open than we are even right now,” he continued. “There was a big shift, a huge shift, and a lot of it was because of colonization and very specifically because part of the ways in which you can try to control somebody is to try and control and police the ways in which they express their gender, their sexuality, and…putting on these Western modes and customs and mores and values to control these subjects.”

of his participants. “That’s kind of a visual deconstruction of the entire notion of being un-African. It visually puts in your face, ‘No, we’re here, we’re African’,” he explained. In recent days, Mikael has began to shift away from this approach, realizing that a homogenized vision of what constitutes African influence in clothing persists, that being bright and colorful prints, which he does not wish to perpetuate. Now, he encourages participants to wear whatever they want, deemphasizing African prints but allowing them if that is the way in which participants wish to represent their African identity.

Speaking on his collaboration with his participants, Mikael hopes that the project can serve as a space of introspection. “I don’t think everybody gets to sit down on a Wednesday night and think, ‘What does being queer and African mean to me?’,” he said. Limit(less) works as a forum in a way, allowing the participants and the viewers to explore questions of identity in an intentional manner. Mikael references specific shoots when he could see his participants growing more and more comfortable with the experience as they began to explore what it means to be an LGBTQ African on their own terms.

Mikael cites Sir Richard Burton’s theory of the Sotadic Zone, which topographically illustrated the parts of the world where same-sex relations were natural and indigenous. In those places not a part of Burton’s Sotadic Zone, the African Continent included, homosexuality was deemed unnatural. Mikael explained that Burton’s logic was based in racial difference; he suggested that Burton believed the African people were so close to animals that, by nature, they would exclusively carry out heterosexual relations driven by the need to procreate.

“His racist rhetoric was used as part of the custom,” said Mikael. “Everything was about controlling the colonial body and controlling Africans, and gender and sexuality were one of the key ways in which that control was enforced…The scariest part is that when Africans have been told this for hundreds of years, we actually forget who we are and we internalize that.” In Mikael’s eyes, Limit(less) can serve as a part of the healing process for both the project’s participants and its viewers.

As for the viewers, he hopes that Limit(less) has a similar effect. He said, “The biggest thing for me is that other LGBTQ Africans can look at the work and feel seen,” referring to this as his primary objective in producing Limit(less).

When asked about his responsibility as an artist working to represent the underrepresented, Mikael admits that he has made mistakes. He points to the fact that he is a cis-gendered individual, which has led him to make inaccurate assumptions about a handful of his participants. “In my questionnaire,” he recalled, “I used to say ‘Preferred Gender Pronoun,’ but it’s not preferred gender pronoun, it’s ‘What is someone’s pronoun?’ They don’t prefer it, it is what it is.” From his mistakes, Mikael has not only learned, he has bettered his craft. In the early days of Limit(less), Mikael would work alone in selecting the final shots to publish. Now, he invites his participants to take part in the selection process, as he has grown to believe that it is critical for them to play an active role in shaping their own narrative.

In casting Limit(less), Mikael finds his participants through word of mouth, friends of friends. Once an individual is recommended to him, Mikael reaches out via telephone to gauge the level of chemistry between the individual and himself. “If you can click on the phone, you know you can create something with them,” he explains. Mikael sends participants his interview questions in advance, which accompany the photographs he takes. In the days leading up to a shoot, Mikael encourages his participants to choose their own looks, but often, they will bring assorted pieces and Mikael will help put together their outfits as well.

In the past year, Mikael has shot 30 individuals throughout the United States, Canada, and Africa for the Limit(less) series. Going forward, he plans to travel to Europe, where he has shoots lined up in Belgium, France, Portugal, and the UK. “I want

A standout feature of Limit(less) is the selection of colorful, eclectic fabrics showcased in the majority of shoots.

Mikael notes that when he started the project, the use of such fabrics was intentional, a nod to the African identity

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to do things that add to the work and add to the body and add dimensionality to the experiences,” he explained.

NAME. Brook Queer Ethiopian-American CTRY. USA

Limit(less) currently lives on Mikael’s website, but in the future, he hopes to create what he referred to as a “radical, online exhibition space.” He laid forth a vision in which people who don’t have access to a physical gallery space can still interact with his work.

“If you’re in Lagos, if you’re in Addis Ababa, if you’re in Ghana, if you’re in any of these places where you’re LGBT, you can still have that experience. Even if you’re here, you can still have that experience. The Internet becomes this kind of equalizer so that people can have this experience and go through the work on their own terms.” Guided by democratic ideals, Mikael plans to continue producing work that speaks to individuals far and wide.

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NAME. Wiilo Queer Somali-Canadian-American

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PHOTOGRAPHY tory macdonald POST-PRODUCTION elizabeth lim . emily dunkel MODEL hayes mcmanemin FASHION hallie aston . tory macdonald

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METAL WORK p. 12 Zara (shirt); Brandy Melville (pants); Adidas (shoes) IF YAYOI KUSAMA USED PHOTOSHOP TO POST PRODUCE A FASHION SHOOT p. 33 HER Herve Leger (top); vintage (vest); Paige (pants); Fenty by Rihanna for Puma (shoes) HIM ASOS (jacket); Levi’s (pants); Wolverine (shoes) p. 34 HER Self-portrait (top); Zara (skirt) HIM John Elliot (sweatshirt); Acne Studios (pants) p. 36 HER A.L.C. (top); Zara (jacket); Raquel Allegra (pants); Fenty by Rihanna for Puma (shoes) HIM J. Crew (shirt); H&M (sweater); Levi’s (pants); Wolverine (shoes) p. 38 HER Reformation (jacket); A.L.C. (pants); Fenty by Rihanna for Puma (shoes) HIM Gildan (sweatshirt); Propper (jacket); Levi’s (jeans) NOCTURNAL ANIMAL p. 76 3.1 Phillip Lim (top); Rachel Zoe (skirt); Rag & Bone (shoes) p. 78 Kit & Ace (sweater) p. 80 Alice & Olivia (dress)

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