Arts

The Trippy and Psychedelic Universe of Artist, Douglas Hale

April 12, 2016 By Jared Michael Lowe Leave a Comment

Upon first glance of one of Douglas Hale’s work, you’d think you were slipped an acid pill and then traveling down a psychedelic rabbit hole. His work is both gloriously surreal and at the same time magnetic, making it hard to turn your head away.

In a nutshell, Douglas Hale multiplies, extends, distorts, and flips imagery to create phantasmagoric pictures. Having mastered the art of collage, many of his pieces feature include manipulated subjects with ornate jewels and gold and imbue a dream – like sentiment with vivid colors so animated it’ll make you think you ventured into Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory. From his portraits, it’s evident that Hale loves to bridge music and fashion. Images of musicians such as FKA Twigs, Erkyah Badu, Grace Jones, and model Alek Wek are weaved into his pieces adorning jewels and/or elaborate headpieces against heavily dramatized backdrops. For instance, one of his portraits is of a young Diana Ross clad in full 70’s regalia with big hair and even bigger jewels dangling from her ears before a chartreuse halo in a dizzy galaxy. You can’t help but stop and marvel at the image. Most of his pieces feature women, of several shades and ethnicities, in queenly statures adorning crowns and masks – sometimes their bodies altered. In this instance, he recalls Jean Paul Goode’s days of photographing and re-imaging Grace Jones’ during the singer’s Slave to the Rhythm era.

It’s no wonder Hale is in high demand, having commissioned album covers and merchandise for the likes of Dawn Richard, Tessa Rose Jackson, Imagine Dragons, and Flyleaf. Whether juxtaposing glamorous celebrities against rainbow tinged backdrops dressed in gold with blinding baubles around them or manipulating a kaleidoscopic picture, it’s a trip we love to take with Hale.

See some of the artist’s work below.

To see more of his art, check out DouglasHale.net

Photos Credit: Douglas Hale

This Photographer Vacuum Seals Couples in Intimate Places

March 22, 2016 By Jared Michael Lowe Leave a Comment

They say the best couples are the ones that can’t bear to separate from each other. You know the type, the ones who practically do everything together and can’t endure five seconds apart without texting/ calling their significant other. Their sense of connectedness is so palpable, it’s as if they’ve morphed into one super human ‘pack of love’. And as endearing as that sounds, it’s kinda odd. Maybe I’m in the minority, but I value my alone time from bae. How else can I watch the Golden Girls with a mud mask on my face while noshing on pickles in peace?

Interesting enough, this concept is the basis of work for Tokyo based artist, Haruhiko Kawaguchi otherwise known as Photographer Hal. Known for his earlier iteration of vacuum packing couples (yes, actual live humans) and photographing them in “Flesh Love”, a photo compilation of cuddled couples packed in tight plastic wrap, Hal has once again captured the same essence in “Flesh Love Returns”.

In the latest installment, Hal expanded on the series photographing couples in intimate settings of their choice. Couples were photographed at home in the kitchen, their bedroom or bathtub, in the office and/or out at the park, among various locations. Some clothed, others opting to go nude.

To achieve the shots, each couple was vacuum-sealed in a thin layer of clear plastic, and remained covered for ten seconds due to lack of oxygen.

“I make them choose a place for the shooting,” the artist told Design Boom. “Men and women are attracted to each other, and try to become one. This fundamental desire carries an energy that affects all matter in the world. I wonder: what is the reason we have to make such an effort to become one — possibly we were originally one? I intend to visualize this power of love by adhering and unifying couples.”

No word on the actual length of time that went to photographing (and recapturing) shots with the couples. But from the looks of it, every second was a moment of plastic wrap bliss for them.

For a further look “Flesh Love Returns” check out the images below as well as a video which explains Hal’s “Flesh Love” concept.

Photo Credit: Photographer Hal

Life of Lowe: Recreating Langston Hughes’ Iconic Image

March 8, 2016 By Jared Michael Lowe Leave a Comment

Black History Month 2016 was lit. From the appointment of Channing Dungey, the first black female president to ever helm a major broadcast network (ABC) to Beyonce’s self-affirmation of her blackness in the song “Formation” and subsequent Superbowl performance, what a time to have been alive! The month brought tremendous highs after what felt like a crazy 2015. For me, the month brought an immense opportunity; I was a part of a digital multimedia campaign paying homage to my hero, Langston Hughes.

Back in January, I received an email from Style Influencers Group, the group who spearheaded the viral 2015 #WeAreBlackHistory campaign that featured today’s leading black female digital influencers recreating iconic images of African American heroes like Angela Davis, Coretta Scott King and Betty Shabazz (see previous campaign). This year, the collective, along with African Pride, created similar images honoring the accomplishments of historical black men. Digital influencers such as Deray McKesson, Reggie Osse of The Combat Jack Show, and poet Joshua Bennett – to name a few –recreated images of Martin Luther King Jr., Paul Robeson and Frederick Douglas respectively.

I was to pay homage to one of my icons, Langston Hughes – which when I got the news, I nearly shat my pants.

As a child, I wanted to be Langston Hughes. His works, vision, adventures and his genius way of capturing the human experience of African Americans inspired me to take the leap into writing. I was so enamored by him that at 10 years old I wrote a screenplay based on his life for a class project. When I submitted the 40-page manuscript to my 6th grade teacher, she didn’t bother to read the whole thing, rather gave me an A since I devoted much time and energy into the project. In many ways, Langston Hughes jump-started my ambition to become a writer.

The day of the shoot was dreamlike, as cliché as that sounds. The vibe on set was palpable; everyone involved felt they were there for a greater purpose. Renowned photographer Jerome A. Shaw shot all the portraits and we were styled by fashion stylist, Kristina Taylor in chic suits from Nick Graham and Samuelsohn. MUA artist, Alana Wright worked her magic to make my skin buttery soft to look like Hughes, meanwhile groomer, Akeesa Edwards of the Teknique Agency, slicked back my hair into a 1930’s style.

Although February has ended, the #WeAreBlackHistory campaign – like others – is a reminder to celebrate those who have and continue to pave the way for us all.

For an in-depth look at this project, head to The Huffington Post to see the entire photo series.

Also, check out the behind-the-scenes video from the shoot directed by Joseph Chea shoot below.

The Highly Stylized Works of Philly Street Muralist, Gloss Black

March 6, 2016 By Jared Michael Lowe Leave a Comment

PHILADELPHIA – If there’s anything you should know about Philly – besides cheesesteaks and its thriving music scene – the city is literally covered in murals. Actually, it’s the world’s largest collection of outdoor public art. Walk into a different neighborhood (or block for that matter) and you’re bound to come across a colossal, ornate painting plastered across a building. In the mix of so many gorgeous murals, each depicting their own action/ story, it’s hard to miss the splashy graffiti style of the works of Gloss Black.

I first came across their murals back in early 2015. My partner had moved to Kensington, just a few blocks north of Girard Street (a working class neighborhood once operated by the Irish mob and saw an excess of crime and drugs), now a booming artist and creative community. In the midst of buzzy coffee shops and trendy bars, we stopped in awe of the punchy hues Gloss Black used in their street murals splattered across dilapidated old brewing factories, warehouses, and the facades of newly built homes.

The artist group, who prefer to remain anonymous, is known around town for their precision and vibrant mixes of contemporary, pop and street art. Their stylized work even got the recognition from the Biebz, who teamed up with a slew of graffiti artists – including Gloss Black – to install colorful, creative murals that detailed all his remaining, and previously unknown titles, to his latest album Purpose.

All logos, illustrations, and typefaces used for their murals and commissioned artwork is generated from hand drawn originals (if you look closely, it’s hard to deny the meticulousness of the lines in their graffiti and mural work, it’s SO impressive!).

Although, you’ll find most of their work in Philly or in the Delaware Vallery area, they plan to stretch their signature brand of street art to other major hubs. For the time being, next time you happen to come to the City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection, load up your Google maps and take a driving tour of Gloss Black’s work. Start out at Howard/Hope Street area in Kensington (between awesome bars Kung Fu Necktie and El Bar), then go from there. Surely, you won’t be disappointed!

Images courtesy of Gloss Black’s Facebook page

Press Play: The Black Boy & The Tree

March 6, 2016 By Jared Michael Lowe Leave a Comment

“Don’t you know a tree is no place for a black boy?” is one of the opening lines in the new powerful short film titled, The Black Boy and the Tree. Written and directed by multidisciplinary visual artist Shikeith, the story centers on the quest of a black man (played by actor Michael Oloyede) who wanders into the woods and his attempt to convince a young black boy to come down from a dangerous tree he has made his home. The film artistically explores many hard subjects (including police brutality and sexual abuse), while set in the uneasiness of a dense forest, made even more uncomfortable as a nearby siren plays. It’s a raw and emotionally wrought lens into the perspective of the black male experience in America, often times shaped by racial oppression and psychological complexities from other black males.

Still, this isn’t Shikeith’s first foray into captivating audiences with his short films. In 2014, he directed #Blackmendream, a 45-minute experimental documentary that featured nine black men divulging in conversations about the obstacles they face as young black men (abandonment, neglect, discrimination, among others). To much acclaim, the film was covered by NPR , The Atlantic, and i-D Magazine.

With this film and his other efforts, we’re certain that Shikeith is a name you’ll hear more in the future. Experience the film below and following, check out Shikeith’s trailer for his #BlackMenDream.

The Black Boy and The Tree Video Link: