vintage
Doe, a deer. A female deer.
Like the delicate framework of handmade antique lace, the doe is a fascinating, gentle creature.
Sure, the original judgement upon these fine creatures by many drivers and their mauled vehicles is that they have horrid peripheral vision. Hunters see these fine ladies as nothing but a sweet piece of venison, and less desirable due to their general lack of decorative trophy horns like their male counterparts, the bucks.
Yet, they are sensitive and strong, as they tirelessly care for their fawn and travel in packs with other does, while looking out for each other.
I would like to think that if they did sport a wild headdress, it would depict these characteristics of strength, fragility, grace and gentility as they constantly move throughout the unpredictable wilderness, handling whatever they may come across with style and finesse.
That will bring us back to DO. 😉
(I’m rocking an antique lace top, old skirt by Sunny Leigh, Urban Outfitters footless lace tights, Steve Madden pony hair shoes, H&M collar, antique marcasite rings and a DIY headdress)
Stepping on the Tail of a Rainbow
To me, religions are a narrative…Natural catastrophes, earthquakes, are things caused by nature. Such chaos is natural, but we have to make sense of it somehow, and so we had to invent these stories. That is what I wanted to paint.
—Takashi Murakami
Looking for a momentary escape from it all? Head straight toward 555 West 24th Street, NYC to the Gagosian Gallery and treat yourself to the incredibly imaginiative and psychedlic world of artist Takashi Murakami’s In the Land of the Dead, Stepping on the Tail of a Rainbow.
Walking in past the welcome desk, I was instantly wowed by the remarkable size of the exhibition. Immediately, three of my most favorite things were found: flowers, bright colors and skulls, all of which are key characteristics of Murakami’s infamous works. You also may recall the artist’s name and his style from several collaborations with Marc Jacobs for Louis Vuitton starting in 2002.Â
(I’m rocking a vintage Enzo Angiolini reversible trench coat, shaggy sweater vest from LF Store, Gap skinny corduroys, Dolce Vita booties with snakeskin heels, an All Saints silk & leather handbag, vintage mink hat)
Utilizing key religious symbols of Japanese culture, depicted in a rather forboding and grotesque, yet inviting, fashion, Murakami portrays the battle between faith and the uncontrollable elements.
Also depicted is the innate and inescapable human condition to engage in war. No matter how much we try to avoid it, we cannot escape it. Has it always been survival of the fittest? Must there always be a struggle, a fight, or a war?
Our entire existence has been plagued by these neverending battles. We look to religion to explain this as well and keep us motivated during the most difficult of times, yet this in and of itself is the root cause of so much war. Nature may be unpredictable, but we humans are uncontrollable.
Make sure you don’t miss this stunning exhibition, which I certainly will be visiting several more times! It’s running until January 17th and is free admission to enjoy.