Sunday, September 29, 2013

BTS: Aruné K. for Anthem by Henning Winkelmann (NSFW)

Friday, Sept. 27, 2013 at Lattitude 33, etc. Venice, Calif.

I styled a very European shoot with Aruné K. for Henning Winkelmann's project.

From the get go, I imagined the director was looking for Agent Provacateur aesthetics, and that is exactly his inspiration for Anthem: somewhere between the British luxury lingerie brand and Tumblr. 

The full day shoot took place at a condo unit in Lattitude 33 and deceased hoarder cat lady's home in Venice. We got to tour the city a bit more, had lunch at Lemonade, discussed cannibalism and rat meat, went for a coffee run, conspired against the abandoned pussies, threw dead plants at gargantuan spiders, etc.  

Makeup by Jessica Alley

Screen cap by Winkelmann












Sunday, September 15, 2013

BTS: Hannah K. (Vision L.A.)

Friday the 13th on September 2013 at The Brewery and L.A. River

Undone
Delinting, disrobing
Golden time
On point..and shoot
A local slides through a hole for easy access
An Asian mob
Don Cheadle? I loved you in Manic.
Abysmal
The harpist distributes his cards
Hamburger helper blues


It's my first month of styling. I can confidently say I have a long ways to go, despite 15 years of taste refinement. I may have easily surpassed my Comic Sans MS and butterfly-print capris days in '00. However, I still have to keep pace with everything in the fashion industry from the latest AY Not Dead collection to Stevie Dance's latest editorial.
Last Friday's shoot with Brandon L. went swimmingly well at the sketchy L.A. River doe. The Vision Los Angeles model Hannah K. is what I refer to as a sweetheart, dark child.. anything, but a ninny twerp.

Tuesday, September 3, 2013

A session with Guillaume, founder of Cosmonostro

The fourth-month mark for any company can be daunting. Fortunately, Guillaume has been holding it down for his music gallery label he launched on May 5 called Cosmonostro.

For now, the Soulection co-founder and artist who goes by 96 is focusing on building Cosmonostro's catalog of musicians and graphic artists who include Juan Cristobal, Anthony Ellect and Nate James, among others. The full roster of graphic artists and musicians can be seen here.


"Cosmonostro is basically a one-man company, so I do pretty much everything," says 
Guillaume.



What spirit animal would represent Cosmonostro? 
The world famous xenomorph.

Why did you choose the name Cosmonostro aka "the game"?
Cosmonostro was chosen in a hurry since I still act a bit childish, excited and impulsive. 
I have always loved the names of two contemporary record labels Astro Nautico and Ritmo Sportivo. [Both] sound elegant and mysterious. As a sci-fi enthusiast, the word cosmos naturally pops up in my mind. My second thought was Cosa Nostra. Mixed, shaked and served, came Cosmonostro. The username was available on all social networks, so why not?

The Cosmonostro office is in Brooklille, France. What about Juan Cristobal, Paisley, Sirkri, et. all?
The core of the Cosmonostro roster is French-based, but it’s still an international ecosystem of graphic and music artists.

Do you also produce music?
I was toying around with the idea. I have a feeling I won't be able to match my expectations, so I'll stick to my graphic endeavor for now.

The internet allows us to take a glimpse into all aspects of culture in different parts of the world. How would you say France differs in music production?
I find French music productions cleaner than in most other places. I think of it like a scientific approach, almost an OCD. At the opposite, North America, for example, sounds more free or rough. I do think that the American definition of art is wider than it is here.

When you were a kid, is this what you envisioned yourself doing today?
Definitely not. It was meant to be. I always enjoyed drawing or listening to music, but it became serious just few years ago by coincidence. Life is like a box of chocolates.

Self-portrait of 96 

Do you recall any recent whimsical or notable dreams in relation to the arts?
I don't have any recollection of my dreams, except for nightmares. The best way to describe what I experience would be the collision between Miyazaki and Giger's aesthetics.

What's in store for some of the artists? 
It’s too soon to talk about tours. Shows aren't a priority yet, but it will happen shortly. The main focus is on building a catalog, digitally and physically. Collaborations with other labels have been announced, so there’s more to come. Merchandise is on the line as well, but it won't be treated lightly like the average record label.

What are some music apps, blogs and programs you suggest others look into?
My answers may be off topic, so please bear with me here: But Does It FloatMandel Bulber and Petrolicious.

Anything else to add?
I'll let the work speak for me here: 96 and Cosmonostro.

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For the Cosmonostro Soundcloud, click here
To receive updates on upcoming EP releases, check out the music gallery label's Facebook here.