JACKIE YAP

EVENT: ALEXANDER MCQUEEN: SAVAGE BEAUTY Date: May 4 - July 31,...

Thu, 05 May 2011 12:05:00 +1000

EVENT: ALEXANDER MCQUEEN: SAVAGE BEAUTY
Date: May 4 - July 31, 2011
Location: Metropolitan Museum, New York

When iconic British fashion designer and leading couturier, Lee Alexander McQueen, died just days before last year’s London Fashion Week – it was as if the entire world became grey and without colour. The fashion world mourned the loss of one of the world’s most innovative designers in the lead-up to Britain’s premier fashion event.

A year after his death, McQueen’s legacy continues on without him. Though the Alexander McQueen fashion house that has succeeded him thrives – its usual shine has clearly dimmed with the loss of its founder and creative director.

In celebration of his life and vision, the Alexander McQueen label and the Metropolitan Museum in New York, have collaborated together on an exhibition that will proudly pay homage to McQueen’s legacy. The exhibit, aptly titled, ‘Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty’, will showcase a hundred of McQueen’s finest, most eclectic, garments for the world to see.

The exhibit will highlight a diverse range of McQueen designs; from his earliest work as a graduate of Central St. Martins, through to his time as Chief Designer at Givenchy, until the launch of his namesake label. Every piece featured will be a collective experience of the playful, colourful, exotic, radical and inspirational – it will be sheer McQueen. And being McQueen classics, there won’t be a single dull piece there.

Famed for his designs and his constant reinvention and conception of the classic with the modern, Lee McQueen was known for his extravagance; for his imagination and complexity; his intricately-detailed tailoring; his ingenuity; and for his unconventional runway shows that always brimmed with raw, irrepressible, energy.

He was a fashion powerhouse, having dominated the worldwide fashion scene for over 30 years. McQueen’s industry achievements included four British Designer of the Year Awards, amongst a number of other accolades, as well as the title of International Designer of the Year by the Council of Fashion Designers in 2003.

McQueen was best known for his ability to pioneer trends, and to meld an innovative fragile sophistication and edgy identity into his collections. His talent for engineering cutting-edge designs drew him international acclaim and the unspoken title of being a contemporary fashion legend. Should McQueen have survived to this day, there is no doubt that he would have continued to set the pace for the industry.

During his time, McQueen also clothed a number of celebrity patrons that included the likes of Penélope Cruz, Sarah Jessica Parker, Rihanna, Nicole Kidman, Lady Gaga and Ayumi Hamasaki.

‘Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty’ will run from May 4 to July 31, 2011.

EVENT: HEARTBEATSDate: Thurs May 5 - Wed May 18 Location: Tribal...

Wed, 04 May 2011 17:48:45 +1000

EVENT: HEARTBEATS
Date: Thurs May 5 - Wed May 18
Location: Tribal Theatre, 346 George St, Brisbane
Published at FourThousand

Heartbeats is guaranteed to get the blood pumping with its many connotations of desire and lust (this film isn’t for the fainthearted but certainly for the love struck). The French film directed by twenty-one year old Xavier Dolan (who also stars in the film) follows an inseparable pair of best friends Francis (Dolan) and Marie (Monia Chokri) with similar affluence and good looks until they meet Nicolas (Niels Schneider), who (lo and behold) they both become infatuated with. I’m sure you’re interested in seeing how this ménage à trois will play out. Tribal has the answer.

EVENT: MARVIN GAYE’S BIRTHDAY Date: Thursday, 28 April,...

Tue, 03 May 2011 19:22:07 +1000

EVENT: MARVIN GAYE’S BIRTHDAY
Date: Thursday, 28 April, 6:00pm
Location: Kerbside, Constance Street, Fortitude Valley
Published at Concrete Playground

Just for kicks (and in good taste), Fortitude Valley’s modest hideaway Kerbside has decided to celebrate music legends via a very public party. Not that I’m complaining, who doesn’t love a good bash? And this month the bar is set to raise its glass and pay homage to the memory of the ‘Prince of Soul’, Marvin Gaye.

Rolling Stone ranked him number 6 on its list of The Greatest Singers of All Time. If that wasn’t enough, Gaye has also been inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and has his very own Hollywood Walk of Fame star. Gaye will always be known as a soul god; a motown machine; the very man who revolutionized the soul music industry.

Let’s face it. The man’s a legend.

Kerbside will transform their humble bar and café into a happening retro affair in Gaye’s honour. Patrons are encouraged to appear in 60s vintage cocktail costumes, those best dressed will win bar voucher prizes (ka-chiiing! Having won Best Bartender around, I know Kerbside makes some mean punch). There will also be a variety of retro cocktails and canapés that will be served to the tunes of DJs Rolandee and Ben Reeve.

Be there, you wouldn’t wanna miss out on this one. Rest assured, there will be some Sexual Healing for some of the lovers out there.

EVENT: ASIA PACIFIC LIBRARY LECTURE SERIES Date: Tuesdays, March...

Wed, 27 Apr 2011 14:30:26 +1000

EVENT: ASIA PACIFIC LIBRARY LECTURE SERIES
Date: Tuesdays, March 15-June 24, 6pm drinks/6.30pm talks
Location: Auditorium 1, Level 2, State Library of Queensland
Photo from Google
Published at Four Thousand

I’m quick to admit that my expertise in the field of architecture is rather dismal. My minimal knowledge of worldwide landmarks aside, what I know about architecture can be summed up to my gazing longingly at images of M.C. Escher’s works hoping that eventually, I’ll just get it. (I never do).

Lucky for those of us architecturally challenged, there’s a way to broaden our scope on all that is architecturally sound - the APDL Lecture Series are where you want to be if you care to be in the know.

Presented by SLQ and UQ, the weekly talks will gather the brightest international architectural players: a collection of those who own their own practices, are editors of architect magazines or professors. Each of the speakers will draw on their individual experiences in the industry and shed a little insight on the challenges that contemporary architects face.

I might not be the best authority when it comes to architecture, but after these talks, you can definitely bank on myself becoming a prominent voice at cocktail parties. (I’ll be the one with the ironic M.C. Escher shirt.)

EVENT: BUDDHA BIRTHDAY FESTIVAL Date: April 29-May 1,...

Wed, 27 Apr 2011 13:31:00 +1000

EVENT: BUDDHA BIRTHDAY FESTIVAL
Date: April 29-May 1, 10am-9pm
Location: South Bank
Photo from Getty
Published at Four Thousand

The stream of red lanterns hanging about South Bank may have tipped you off to the shift in cultural perspective. To celebrate Buddha’s birthday a festival is coming to town and they’re packing a bounty of treasure from the Silk Road along with them. If you have a penchant for the orient this weekend event will be the ultimate gathering of authentic Chinese cuisine around (vegetarians: fret not, Asia hasn’t forgotten you). To end the festival, there will also be a riverside fireworks display. Considering gunpowder originated from Asia, it could get a little wild (maybe).

EVENT: THE REINCARNATED KIMONO PROJECT EXHIBITION Date: Ongoing...

Sun, 17 Apr 2011 21:34:00 +1000

EVENT: THE REINCARNATED KIMONO PROJECT EXHIBITION
Date: Ongoing until April 30, 2011
Location: Hanasho Gallery, 5/235 Boundary Street, West End
Photo by Robyn Dixon
Published at Concrete Playground

There is an inherent understanding that a kimono is rich in beauty, history, and craftsmanship. The last thing that most would think of is to take it apart, but fifteen local artists have done just that, taking two vintage kimonos and reinventing them for a worthy cause.

The Reincarnated Kimono Project is a collaborative initiative between local Brisbane artists and fashion designers, with a sum of the exhibition’s proceeds being donated to aid Red Cross Japan in light of the recent tsunami disaster.

These artists’ works have either been produced using or inspired by fabric from the original kimonos. Each of the fifteen honour the Japanese classic by respectfully reinterpreting and repurposing the fabric into innovative mixed media artworks, jewellery, fashion, and fabric origami.

Curated by Melanie Augustin, the architect behind Kimono Reincarnate, The Reincarnated Kimono Project Exhibition will feature the likes of Deanne Mayocchi of Maiocchi, Nicole Lacey of Hot Toffee, and Stephanie Morris of Wimcee amongst others.

Visit the exhibition to both support the relief cause and to open yourself to a world where the modern gets a curiously insatiable taste of the orient without needing to buy a plane ticket.

EVENT: 21st CENTURY: ART IN THE FIRST DECADE Date: Ongoing until...

Tue, 12 Apr 2011 10:44:18 +1000

EVENT: 21st CENTURY: ART IN THE FIRST DECADE
Date: Ongoing until April 26, 2011
Location: Gallery of Modern Art, South Bank, Queensland
Photos by Faisal Kahloon
Published at Make The Girls Dance

If you’re looking for a way to pass the time with the seasonal change of weather being a rather depressing overshade, head on over to South Bank to warm yourself and delight with plenty of intriguing art and activities.

If you have ever yet to visit GoMA, you are either switched off to the intimate cultural workings of Brisbane, or have been struck hard by some stray meteorite that has caused you to be particular to the homeliness of rocks. But worry not (we know just how dodgy those meteorites can be), here is your chance to finally return to the welcome arms of societal acceptance whilst indulging in a taste of the unusual.

For three more weeks, GoMA is playing host to the largest collection of contemporary international art it has ever been graced to stage. The 21st Century: Art in the First Decade exhibition is an introspective glance into contemporary artwork through a variety of multimedia platforms and artworks by international artists. There are over 200 works featured by more than 140 artists from over 40 countries. Each art piece has an underlying message to convey; whether social, cultural, historical, geopolitical, or just plain educational – the exhibition is open to interpretation.

The 21st Century exhibition will have you rethink the way you view the expression of this generation’s art as a whole. Try to avoid suffering from vertigo as the exhibition will immerse you into an entirely different reality; a playful world of adventure, curiosity, colour, creativity, and boundless opportune moments for fun.

There are several interactive installations available. From a wall of wishes; to a surrealist swimming pool; to twisted metal slides three stories high reminiscent of taciturn snakes; to an intricate white haven for lego-lovers; and a sleek onyx cube that will invite you into a glowing universe that seems to continue on well into infinity. No matter your interests, there is a little something for everybody.

However, in the event that interactive and thought-provoking installations do nothing to excite you, and will only elicit barely-stifled yawns, there are also several film screenings to view. These will provide an educational backdrop and appreciation into the creative workings of this generation’s art movement.

The 21st Century: Art in the First Decade exhibition runs until April 26th from 10am-5pm on weekdays, and 9am-5pm on weekends. Admission is free (which is probably the best thing about it, in fact, multiple visits are highly encouraged), and the exhibition is appropriate for all ages. Brisbane’s Gallery of Modern Art is located on Stanley Place, South Bank, Queensland, Australia.

To fully encompass the exact gravity of how mind-blowing the entirety of the exhibition into writing is no easy feat. This shall be the clincher to sum it all up: Go see it for yourself. Trust me, you’ll be far from disappointed. If you are, then perhaps you should just really return back to under that rock.

And, yes, adults are allowed on the slide.

EVENT: RA RA SUPERSTAR MOVING SALE! Date: Saturday, April 9,...

Wed, 06 Apr 2011 13:53:00 +1000

EVENT: RA RA SUPERSTAR MOVING SALE!
Date: Saturday, April 9, 2011
Location: Ra Ra Superstar, 284 Given Terrace, Paddington
Cost: Sale prices!
Image by Ra Ra Superstar
Published at FourThousand

Ra Ra Superstar has found itself in a slight fashion crisis. Whilst there is an unspoken belief that there can never be enough vintage in the world, their humble storeroom might disagree. Ready to burst open with far too much vintage love, Ra Ra is trimming back on its hoarded collection by throwing a moving sale. Look for a hot pink laneway and keep an ear out for 80s music when you arrive. Come around, you’ll be doing them and yourself a fashionable favour.

EVENT: DIAlogues SEMINAR SERIES Date: Wednesday, April 6th,...

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 13:38:00 +1000

EVENT: DIAlogues SEMINAR SERIES
Date: Wednesday, April 6th, 2011
Location: Corporate Culture Showroom
925 Ann Street, Fortitude Valley
Cost: $10 for students/$30 for non-members
Image by DIAlogues
Published at FourThousand

If you consider yourself remotely interested in the design industry, and aren’t one to shy away from social gatherings, you’ve probably caught wind of DIAlogues. This seminar they have Hamilton Wilson from Wilson Architects, and Gretel Bakker from Performance Frontiers, who will provide you an insider’s pass to the design world, and how submersing yourself into its deep end won’t necessarily cause you to drown. Go ahead and indulge your creative side. Who knows, Space Invaders might even be big on the agenda.

"If you don’t go after what you want, you’ll never get it. If you don’t ask, the answer is always no...."

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 00:20:04 +1000

“If you don’t go after what you want, you’ll never get it. If you don’t ask, the answer is always no. If you don’t step forward, you’re always in the same place.”

- Nora Roberts (via aberlin)

TRAVEL: MUI NE SAND DUNES, VIETNAM Photo by Jackie Yap Published...

Sat, 26 Mar 2011 15:22:00 +1000

TRAVEL: MUI NE SAND DUNES, VIETNAM
Photo by Jackie Yap
Published at CNNGo

The Mũi Né sand dunes are vast, located only 10-15 minutes from the Mũi Né coastline. Mũi Né is about 200 km from Ho Chi Minh City. It is located on the coast in South Central Vietnam. White sand stretches about 22 km from Phan Tiet (the largest and nearest town in Binh Than province) to the fishing village at Mũi Né’s furthest point.

These mountainous peaks of sand often host troupes of little Vietnamese children waiting in droves for tourists to come by. They offer a ‘sand slide’ service for those who feel the need for some sandy speed. For a mere VN$20,000-40,000 (roughly US$2-4) they will assist you up the dunes, and will then give you with a plastic board to sit on to slide down again. You can climb and slide as many times as you like and they’ll even give you a helpful push should you need it.

But be warned: these children have a tendency to horde your attention. Once you get off your car or motorbike, they will come rushing at you in waves. So pick one and get slidin’!.

There are three ways to get to Mũi Né: either by renting a car, taking a train, or a bus. The trip can usually be condensed in a three to four-hour drive depending on whether you start traveling from HCMC, or elsewhere in Vietnam.

MUSIC: TELEKINESIS! Band: Telekinesis Label: Merge...

Thu, 24 Mar 2011 10:38:00 +1000

MUSIC: TELEKINESIS!
Band: Telekinesis
Label: Merge Records
Published at Shanghai TALK

Chris Walla, the production mastermind behind Death Cab for Cutie and The Decemberists, now introduces a new player to the indie pop and rock scene – Telekinesis! – a project spearheaded by one Michael Lerner.

At only 22, Michael Lerner is the forefront man behind this debut album. He writes, records and plays. He’s practically a one-man wonder. The music of Telekinesis! isn’t derivative from the norm, marked promising due to Lerner’s ability to captivate through a delicious blend of vocals and instrumental stringing. With Telekinesis! Lerner manages to orchestrate music that begins as delightful at best, then proceeds to prove irresistible.

The music is dealt with a deliberate ‘70s kick to it. And although it can be almost categorized as simplistic in essence, its blend of early power pop and post-punk mixtures are topped off with lyrics that aren’t just catchy at best – they’re pretty damn addictive. (Think of it as a bit of a seize-and-capture of the ears, with the idea of conquest not too far off.)

Albeit, Telekinesis! is not revolutionary in terms of content towards the indie rock genre, it does present an indulgent mix of both old and new acoustic sounds that has the makings of a summertime hit.

After all, a Telekinesis! song playing on the air isn’t one that will have you reaching for the radio dial. If anything, most will find it hard to switch their radios off instead of otherwise. As Lerner sings: “You know. Yeah you know. Yeah.”

ART: FILTERING GRAVITY Photo by San Art Location: San Art,...

Thu, 24 Mar 2011 03:47:00 +1000

ART: FILTERING GRAVITY
Photo by San Art
Location: San Art, Saigon, Vietnam
Published at Any Arena

Tucked innocently in an unassuming alleyway somewhere in Saigon is the gallery San Art. With the tag of Independent Artist Space written proudly on its wall, San Art felt comfortably well in place, playing host to Nguyen Xuan Hoang’s talent for the night.

The exhibition was called Filtering Gravity for great reason. Though there were but a few modest pieces that paid tribute to artist’s – Xuan’s – imagination, the message of his art shone on in his reach beyond the metaphysical.

Suspended as lifeless imitations, the portrayal of seemingly inconsequential everyday objects translated into portraits is meant as a sneak peek into a whole other dimension. A dimension where everything, no matter how insignificant they might appear, is multi-faceted.

Filtering Gravity may appear to some as offbeat portraits of the random, but to the majority of society it will come off as a challenging, introspective take of the real world versus the materialistic. When Filtering Gravity isn’t just about gravity – it is about filtering time, space, with the world and everything else in between.

A world where a part of ourselves can be explained by the stray book on the random stool sitting quietly in our kitchen.

TRAVEL: MUI NE FISHING VILLAGE, VIETNAM Photo by Jackie...

Thu, 24 Mar 2011 01:38:00 +1000

TRAVEL: MUI NE FISHING VILLAGE, VIETNAM
Photo by Jackie Yap
Published at CNNGo

Dozens upon dozens of fishing boats lay beyond the coastline, stretching towards the horizon. But my camera barely does this scene justice. My eyes strain to confirm what those large coconut oddities are littering the shoreline. A local informs me they are half-nut fishing boats.

The Vietnamese villagers here work hard from sunrise to sunset, sitting patiently upon the waves in their boats, waiting for their nets to feel heavy with fresh catch. Knowing how they capture what could be the next fresh seafood meal you have at this seaside hamlet is a priceless experience.

Mũi Né is about 200 km from Ho Chi Minh City. It is located on the coast in South Central Vietnam. White sand stretches about 22 km from Phan Tiet (the largest and nearest town in Binh Than province) to the fishing village at Mũi Né’s furthest point.

There are three ways to get to Mũi Né: either by renting a car, taking a train, or a bus. The trip can usually be condensed into a three to four hour drive depending on whether you start in HCMC, or elsewhere in Vietnam.

CULTURE: STREET ART Photo by Jackie Yap Location: Jugglers,...

Thu, 24 Mar 2011 00:25:00 +1000

CULTURE: STREET ART
Photo by Jackie Yap
Location: Jugglers, Fortitude Valley, Australia

There are those who argue that graffiti is but a vagrant way of defacing public areas in a vandalistic attempt to demonstrate societal rebellion, but no longer is it seen as such. Today, graffiti isn’t constrained to simply “tagging” alone. (See: an urban term used to describe the anonymous act of signing one’s representation of themselves in public.) Now a portal for many to express their artistic talents, commonly termed, “street art”, graffiti has evolved from the underground scene to become a creative cultural phenomenon.

The act of graffiti itself has grown to such a degree that it isn’t uncommon to stumble upon works of art that can help catapult the anonymous into fame. (See: Banksy.)

As some would say, graffiti is more than a mark, it’s an art itself.

"Success is the ability to go from failure to failure without losing your enthusiasm."

Thu, 03 Mar 2011 22:30:00 +1000

“Success is the ability to go from failure to failure without losing your enthusiasm.”

- Sir Winston Churchill

"The geometry of snowflakes is a reminder that nature’s actions, however unpredictable at..."

Tue, 01 Mar 2011 04:36:00 +1000

“The geometry of snowflakes is a reminder that nature’s actions, however unpredictable at times, are governed by basic laws of physics and mathematics.”

- The Book, “TIME Planet Earth: An Illustrated History”

"You have enemies? Good. That means you’ve stood up for something, sometime in your life."

Sun, 27 Feb 2011 00:54:00 +1000

“You have enemies? Good. That means you’ve stood up for something, sometime in your life.”

- Sir Winston Churchill

"You get ideas from daydreaming. You get ideas from being bored. You get ideas all the time. The only..."

Sat, 26 Feb 2011 22:42:00 +1000

“You get ideas from daydreaming. You get ideas from being bored. You get ideas all the time. The only difference between writers and other people is we notice when we’re doing it.”

- Neil Gaiman

TRAVEL: A LOCAL GIRL Photo by Jackie Yap Location: Mui Ne,...

Thu, 17 Feb 2011 15:22:00 +1000

TRAVEL: A LOCAL GIRL
Photo by Jackie Yap
Location: Mui Ne, Vietnam

I remember this one girl from a trip to Mui Ne a few years back.

We had exited our vehicle and were instantly bombarded by an array of street children, eager to sell their wares in their numbers. I remember one, in particular, jostling my sleeve, pressing a tray of varnished shells and colourful strung-out jewellery to my person.

I was barely able to snap a quick photo of her as she stared at me, perplexed, before quickly realising after a shot or two that I was a not a very bountiful customer.