SHOWSTUDIO: IN YOUR FACE

Back in 2000, world famous/Notorious photographer Nick Knight and his creative team created the fashion phenomenon known as SHOWstudio: a revolutionary website dedicated to the production and promotion of contemporary fashion films. Since then SHOWstudio has collaborated with some of the biggest names in fashion as well as up-and-coming designers, giving them a unique platform with which to get their work noticed.

The innovative creative processes of these artists is documented from beginning to end, giving audiences a glimpse into what was once a world behind closed doors, thus giving the public a chance to comment and share their thoughts on the artists and their work. 

I LOVE this concept, its a brilliant way to get up close and personal with designers and really see how they are inspired and how they take this inspiration and create such amazing pieces!

SHOWstudio online was then materialised into the SHOWstudio shop...a space in which pieces shown on film could be exhibited and then purchased. 

A couple of weeks ago I decided to pay the SHOWstudio shop a visit, take some pictures, and report back on what I thought.

The shop itself is down a narrow side street (1-9 Bruton place) near trendy New Bond street, and could be easily missed. The outside of the shop is modest and low-key, far from the delights waiting for me inside.

Here I am, stood outside the shop, cold...

Once inside, I was utterly blown away by the pieces on show: eclectic, unusual and exciting. Many of the pieces I was aware of already from other blog's, my own blog and various fashion websites...So I was like a kid in a candy shop when faced with so many beautiful things!

The first thing that caught my eye as I stepped in was this infamous Philip Treacy hat worn by Sarah Jessica Parker...I thought It was strange though that It was on a cramped shelf in the reception area instead of in a dedicated space!

On a shelf underneath was this piece from milliner to the stars Piers Atkinson...I was a bit disappointed that It was the acrylic version and not the neon tube version!

As I stepped into the actual studio space, I was blown away by this Nick Knight print, arguably his most famous portrait so far. Devon Aoki wearing Alexander Mcqueen (1996)

On the adjacent wall I found this magnificent quartz knuckle duster ring by Debra Baxter, In a bell jar of course!

Having previously blogged about the delectable Delfina Delettrez, I was over the moon to get up close and personal with these stunning Bee earrings...I LOVE the way they've been displayed! You don't often see jewellery presented on a Midas-esque head...but I'm glad I finally have!

As I turned the corner into the second room of the exhibition, I was immediately gob smacked by this 'Void of course' triple head mask, as only a few days before I'd come across this stunning image of it online!

In a corner of the room where these two masks from the Givenchy SS11 collection...I love the dark/light contrast and fetish style of these, definitely one of my SS11 highlights!

I must admit that I was a little disappointed that the Gareth Pugh 'Stealth Bomber' dress wasn't on show with It being one of my all time favourite fashion pieces by one of my all time favourite designers!

And then would you believe It, a staff member walked through the exhibition holding one of the dress's arms! As far as I was concerned, It was better than nothing! If you're oblivious to this dress, here it is in all its glory.

All in all I was thoroughly awe-struck at this exhibition and would thoroughly recommend it to anyone interested in contemporary fashion and art! I'll definitely be paying SHOWstudio a visit again in the future, and I can't wait to see what they have in store!

Here is a link to SHOWstudio's site where you can see more pieces from the exhibition (I couldn't get pictures of everything!) as well as find more information on the designers themselves as well as upcoming events showstudio.com

IRIS SCHEIFERSTEIN

German artist Iris Schieferstein has created some of the most extreme footwear I've yet to come across...Regular viewers of my blog will know of my love for taxidermy and any artist who creates beautiful things from reclaimed animal carcasses...

Schieferstein creates shoes from cow hooves, guns, fur and other objects...resulting in controversial, yet  extraordinary foot-art. So controversial in fact, that in her home country of Germany, Schieferstein was threatened with a jail sentence for her 'obscene' work...

In an interview for Dazed Digital, when asked what attracted her to work with deceased animals, she had this to say...

My interest in using animals began in 1990. I was thinking about what we eat whilst I was preparing some fish. They are like garbage. They can’t eat or sleep or whatever. Then I started with chicken, because they look a little bit human-like. I started using them because of the nature of making and fixing, but also to create another material from the animals too. Of course, you could create them for a practical purpose, but for me it’s an artwork.

Although people may be shocked by her work, I think its a perfectly acceptable material to use. Hooves would normally be disposed of in an abattoire,  so why not use every last piece of the animal, even if it is for art? I see it as a celebration (albeit a morbid one) of the animals life.

Here are the heels that have caused so much controversy, make up your own mind!

You can view more of Schiefersteins work over at her official website iris-schieferstein.de

PETER GRONQUIST

Ok, so my jaw quite literally hit the floor when I came across the work of American artist Peter Gronquist...His work combines some of my BIGGEST loves: Taxidermy, high fashion, weaponry and the blackest of humours...

His mounted animal heads, with gold/acrylic guns instead of antlers have left me drooling...The clash of gaudy weaponry with taxidermy just screams TACKY...But I've fallen head over heels in love with them. Its this kind of subversive sculpture that really pushes alllll my buttons! The irony of the neon-tube horned cow skull is brilliant, It could also be seen as a political statement about death and the food industry?

Anyway, judge them for yourselves!

Gronquist's designer gun series has crossed my path before...Again i love the gaudiness of the pieces, and I think their is a definite statement behind them, how war is glamorised in todays society. The way in which he has created a series of literal interpretations of this is awesome! Plus ive got a whole lotta LOVE the Fendi chainsaw!

You see more of Gronquist's work, as well as find out a bit more about the man himself over at his website petergronquist.com

ENRIQUE GOMEZ DE MOLINA

As a huge taxidermy fan, I love stumbling across those who use the art in unconventional ways, using the animals to create something that little bit different instead of just another trophy for the mantelpiece.

Enrique Gomez De Molina certainly does that! Using various animals he creates Frankentein-esque creatures that do not belong in this world, but to another world entirely.

The beauty of each piece is that the parts blend into the next seamlessly, leaving the viewer confused about where one animal ends and the next begins. Molina is a true artist, and his work is jaw-droppingly impressive...

Many of the hybrids are terrifying, yet have an ethereal beauty about them...I found myself wondering what their story would be? Where did they come from? Where they benevolent or malevolent?

I found this quote from Molina himself, and It sums up his work perfectly:
''The impossibility of my creatures brings me both joy and sadness at the same time. The joy comes from seeing and experiencing the Fantasy of the work but that is coupled with the sadness of the fact that we are destroying all of these beautiful things.''

You can see more of Molinas amazing work over at www.troyabbott.com/EnriqueGomezDeMolina

BART HESS

Artist Bart Hess works within the realms of photography, animation and video. He captures an alien world of mis-shapen humanoids, re-imagining the human form into obscure and somewhat frightening figures. His use of materials such as slime, paper, grass and plastics give his models an other worldly appearance. Hess's ability to capture his models movements, along with the movement of the materials in each shot, is both captivating and inspiring.

Hess is also responsible for the slime used in Lady Gaga's Born This way music video.

To see more of his work and delve deeper into his strange world, visit his site www.barthess.nl

What are your thoughts? Favourite piece?