THE OTHER POINT OF VIEW IN FASHION.

Posts Tagged ‘DANGEROUSLY NAIVE’

, , , , , , , , , , , ,

NAIVE HORNY JEWISH TEEN BOYS (JILF) by Elvis Di Fazio

In Arts, Editorial, Fashion, Magazine, Pop Culture, photography, viewpoints on February 6, 2010 at 10:12 pm
(UK) One of those lazy Saturday afternoons, just browsing my emails –fan mails (surprise, yes I have fans), work mails (photography-work related & novel-work related), emails from friends, spam mails, hate mails (yes I have haters), and some unexpected delights. I received a message from photographer Elvis Di Fazio.
“I shot this story while I was in London and I thought you might like it.

let me know what you think.

- E :-) “


And I definitely like it, “NAIVE, HORNY, JEWISH, TEEN, BOYS” are words that you rarely put into one sentence and sounds like an amateur porn flick. I think its sexy, and it turned me on!
Elvis Di Fazio joins forces with Elauan Lee to produce the story JILF. A purposely Naive, horny teenage view of the Jewish culture and the kitsch aesthetics that surround it. Gathering inspiration from the streets of Stanford hill (London) and its people, Elvis and Elauan create a fashion story to celebrate the spirit and nostalgia of the Jewish life, embracing the colorful humorous side. This is one fashion story that knows how to put the sin into synagogue. Check it out.

________________________

Photography by Elvis Di Fazio

Styling and Art Direction by Elauan Lee


________________________

info@navostudios.com

http://navostudios.com/

©2009 Dangerously Naive

©2009 Naiveboy.com

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

THE NAKED EYE OF JED ROOT by Navo

In Arts, EXCLUSIVES, Fashion, INTERVIEW, Icons, my novel, photography, politics, viewpoints on February 4, 2010 at 6:00 am

“…there’s so much more that goes into being a successful fashion photographer than the quality and originality of the photos. In order to have a long successful career you have to learn to collaborate with a great team…”

- Jed Root, naiveboy.com (Feb. 4, 2010)

Photo: Chris Melton


ADAPTATION


“Stories are the creative conversion of life itself into a more powerful, clearer, more meaningful experience. They are the currency of human contact.” a quote from a creative writing instructor Mr. Robert McKee, widely known for his popular “Story Seminar” all over the world. In the 4-time Academy Award-nominated movie “Adaptation” written by Charlie Kaufman, the Emmy Award-winning actor Brian Cox (Bourne Supremacy, 2004) portrayed Robert McKee’s character (who was McKee’s personal choice for the role). The film follows a desperate-for-a-draft screenwriter Charlie Kaufman (played by Nicolas Cage) attended McKee’s course. More than 2 years ago, like Charlie Kaufman’s character and countless active Hollywood screenwriters today, I have sat on that very same chair. Sitting in the middle of the Director’s Guild Auditorium, I was surrounded by storytellers coming from different parts of the world, different walks of life, some are today’s most celebrated writers, some are aspiring writers, some are working on their latest novel or screenplays, some have the look of cynicism, some came back for the second or third time just to refresh their memories and some just looks like deers caught in the headlights.

Robert McKee and I at one of his Story Seminar.

DIABLO CODY


All these years I know that photography has always been my first love and I’ve flirted with writing for years, like a married man having an affair with a more mature, more intellectually engaging woman. In my humble opinion, although fashion photography gives me an opportunity to tell stories through my images, most of the time I felt its skin-deep, its like a very perky young wife I have so much fun with but my conversations are limited to Louis Vuitton Bags and Paris Hilton. I want more.

I remember living in LA for a year, surrounded by actors and slashes, — actor”/”bartender”/”writers, dancer/actress/writer, taxi driver/singer/writer, bouncer/beatboxer/actor/writer, waiter/model/actor/writer, and the list of “slashes”goes on, one thing they have in common, they all think they got what it takes to be the next overnight A-list celebrity since Diablo Cody, a stripper/screenwriter/writer/blogger, an Academy Award Winner for Best Original Screenplay for her script of the 2007 4-time Academy Award-nominated movie “Juno.” Like more than half of the population of California, I felt like I have a story to tell, travelling all over the world and back, I’ve met so many “slashes” but not a single “photographer/writer” (if your out there, please email me at info@navostudios.com), in my experience, photographer/writer’s are a very, very rare kind of species, people who can tell stories through images and words. And I was empowered more by the challenge, I had the same tingly sensation the first time I saw my work in magazine covers, writing makes me see the world like a kid in a candy shop, I’m surrounded by overwhelming stories that a lot of people haven’t heard of, and I have that front seat in a great big stage called “life.”

The “Fashion Stratosphere” can be narrowed down to these major professions, the Designers, the Photographers, the Clients, the Models, the Celebrities, the Creatives, the Model Agents/Bookers, the Talent Agents, Photography Agents, the Businessmen/Investors, the Interns/ Assistants, the Editors/Writers, the Casting Directors, the PR Managers, the Bloggers and the Digital Retouchers. The most competitive business in the face of the earth have these people as it’s “major” players, they are the people behind the machine, collectively has inspired the most recent films such as Bruno (2009), Zoolander (2001) and Devil Wears Prada (2006). An industry that has no rules, no boundaries, double standards, mind-games, people who create their own personal rules, and some who break those rules, however you perceive it. I just found myself surrounded by a bunch of colorful, artistic, one-track mind, cutthroat characters, as a photographer I was intimidated, as a writer I was overwhelmed and excited, the world is my oyster, I asked myself in several occasions “Why I haven’t seen these wild bunch in TV or Movies?” I felt like a secret agent researching for a great story to tell, and I’m elated when I found one.

WE LIVE IN PUBLIC


In the modern zeitgeist, you can divide the fashion industry into 2 categories, “the familiar careers” and “the new careers”, if you ask an 8-year-old kid what is a photographer? or a model? or a writer? or a fashion designer? Somehow they will have a strong grasp of the idea of what these people do, ask them again what is a digital retoucher? or a pr manager? or a fashion blogger? or a male-model booker? unless they have been coached, you might get some pretty interesting answers that will make you smile or laugh. It’s a very young industry and very few references in the media for the next generation to fully understand. Only last year that two notable films about bloggers have been written and produced, one is “Julie and Julia”, directed by Nora Ephron, starring Meryl Streep in a  story of Julia Child and her start in the cooking profession, intertwined with blogger/author Julie Powell‘s life and struggles (played by Amy Adams) and the documentary “We Live in Public”, stars Josh Harris exposing the problems of privacy in the internet age, directed by Ondi Timoner.

Dangerously Naive is my journey with you as my readers, my struggles toward: a good story, well told (like what Mr. McKee always say on his seminars). My mission, to tell you stories that you will never read, or will rarely read in any magazines and books about the fashion industry, stories that most “fashion magazines” tip-toes around. Today is a world-exclusive story told through my one-on-one interview with a legend and an artist in his own right, a man with a career that spanned for 2 long successful decades yet his life you haven’t seen in any hollywood films,  a great eye for discovering and nurturing new creative voices in the world of fashion, a pioneer of his profession but stays out of the limelight, the man behind the legendary Make-up artist Kevyn Aucoin, the agent of some of most iconic photographers in the industry today such as Michael Thompson, Diego Uchitel and Bettina Rheims, popular photo-blogger Scott Schuman “The Sartorialist”,  brilliant Make-up artist Dick Page, world-renowned Stylists Joe Zee and Elissa Santisi,  leading Hair stylist Serge Normant, highly regarded Manicurist Sheril Bailey, most sought after Props/Set Design Tom Bell, internationally acclaimed Illustrators Jean-Philippe Delhomme and Hiroshi Tanabe. A peek into the life of a Photography/Creative Agency Owner, Mr. Jed Root.

The images of iconic photographer, Michael Thompson represented by Jed Root Agency.

2 DECADES OF JED ROOT


LOPE NAVO: Thank you for dropping by Naiveboy.com Jed, your one of the busiest people in the industry and its an honor to have you for an interview. I’ve written an article a month ago titled “THE TEN: GREATEST FILMS ABOUT PHOTOGRAPHERS” and discovered there are more than 31 films that has been written and produced revolving the lives of photographers, some are box-office hits, some are oscar winners, some are hollywood classics and some are my all time favorite movies, to start the interview, do you have any favorite film about a photographer(s)?

JED ROOT: Thank you!  It’s a pleasure Lope! As far as a fictional Hollywood film specifically about a photographer goes, it would have to be 1966 Michelangelo Antonioni film “Blow up”.

NAVO: What’s your top 3 favorite films? and why?
ROOT: Pasqualino Settebellezze/ Seven Beauties (1975) by Lina Wert Müller, Howl’s Moving Castle (2004) by Hayao Miyazaki, and The Evil Dead (1981) by Sam Raimi.  I guess they’re all examples of stories where the characters develop in unexpected ways and you have no idea where the storyline is going; no idea of what’s going to happen next.  I suppose it can be fun and somehow comforting to watch a predictable movie but you still can’t wait to see it happen.  But that’s never really appealed to me so much.  Stories where the characters evolve and develop have generally been my favorites.  HBO’s Six Feet Under (2001) would be another great example.

NAVO: Six Feet Under is one of the greatest TV series ever written in my book, and I’ve seen the entire five seasons and 63 episodes, I miss the Fisher family and every episodes’ view on human sexuality and human mortality. But going back to the movies, have you ever seen the 1996′ 5-time Academy Award-nominated film Jerry Maguire? A story about a sports agent (played by Tom Cruise) has a moral epiphany and is fired for expressing it and ultimately changing his life at the end, have you ever had one of those moral epiphany in your life or this things are just  a clever work of a screenwriter?
ROOT: Believe it or not I’ve never seen “Jerry Maguire”.  But I’d have to say no, I don’t think I’ve ever had any sort of moral epiphany.  I do think that the idea of “moral epiphanies” is just the clever work of screenwriters and biblical writers.  One’s morals and ethics are something that evolves slowly over the course of one’s life as a result of experiences, influences and ever-changing beliefs.

NAVO: Being the premier agency for leading fashion photographers, stylists, and hair and makeup artists within the fashion industry for more than 3 decades, is truly inspiring for people all over the world, especially it is one of the most competitive if not the most in all the industries that ever existed. What inspires you?
ROOT: Thanks Lope!  But it’s only been 2 decades; no need to make me older than I am.  Although when I started, I never thought I’d ever be saying ONLY 2 decades.
I suppose what inspires me most is the way this business constantly changes and evolves.  Fashion can be defined as “A current (constantly changing) trend, favored for frivolous rather than practical, logical, or intellectual reasons”.  I enjoy being involved in the creation of something that’s got a pretty limited life to it, although fashion is just a part of what I do.  The challenge of dealing with the constant change in this business keeps me pretty inspired.

The images of photographer, Diego Uchitel represented by Jed Root Agency.

30 SECONDS OR LESS


NAVO: What is your favorite part of your job?
ROOT: Dealing with people. I enjoy (and think I have a pretty good talent for) identifying other people’s talent, nurturing it, pushing them in the right direction, and teaming them up with other talented people whom I think they’ll be able to collaborate with very successfully.  I’ve learned to apply this not only to the people who I represent, but also to my employees.  I enjoy coming up with strategies for my talent’s careers, as well as for my own company.  Just running such a diverse company is very exciting.  Finding ways to pull together all the different departments (Photographers, Hair Stylists, Makeup Artists, Colorists, Prop Stylists, Fashion Stylists, Manicurists, Illustrators, Syndication) and all of our different geographic locations (New York, London, Paris, Tokyo), and inspire good communication, collaboration and synergy between them all is challenging but VERY satisfying.

NAVO: How did you become an agent Jed? At what point did you know you want this career?
ROOT: It certainly wasn’t something I knew I wanted to do growing up. If you’re not involved in this business it’s pretty unlikely that you’d even know this sort of job exists.  I moved to New York in 1981 with my then-boyfriend Kevyn Aucoin because he wanted to be a makeup artist.  But I had no idea at all of what I wanted to do.  So I helped him and slowly got involved in the business.  I somehow managed to get booked as a hairstylist on several fashion shows (Carolina Herrera, Revillion Furs and a few others), even though I had never done hair in my life!  Luckily all the shows called for just a tight chignon (I went through gallons of hair gel!).  But it was a great experience working with all the amazing runway girls of that time like Pat Cleveland, Apollonia, Alva Chin, etc.  I also helped Kevyn with the makeup on a lot of shows and pretty much became an expert at applying false eyelashes on all the girls in 30 seconds or less each.

As Kevyn actually started to work more, I acted as his agent and he started working with Steven Meisel (I think fashion stories for Mademoiselle Magazine is where they started working together).  But I really had very little knowledge of how this business worked and no real experience.  So when he got the offer to join a real agency (Art + Commerce), I was perfectly happy for him to go with them.  For a while I worked odd freelance jobs in the business (assistant to stylist Barbara Dente for a bit) and then managed to land a job at one of the best model agencies in New York at that time, Name Models.  This was in 1986 and I still had very little real experience.  But the owner of the agency, Louise Despointes and all the other agents (Sara Foley, Susan Quillin, Laura McKenna) were amazingly supportive and I learned a lot from them.  But after 3 years I realized that while I loved the business, I didn’t really like representing models. Also, at that time, Kevyn had become quite dissatisfied with his agent (he was no longer with Art + Commerce at that point, he had move to a smaller agency that no longer exists).  So I decided to set out on my own and open my own agency for hairstylists, makeup artists, photographers.  In January of 1989 I opened my company in my 5th floor walk-up East Village apartment.  Kevyn, of course, was the first on my roster; Sheril Bailey and Michael Thompson followed within a month and they’re both still with the agency.

NAVO: What’s the difference between being a model agent/booker and a photography agent?
ROOT: There are of course many similarities.  I guess the main difference is the nature of the relationship between the agent and the model or photographer.  With models you’re generally representing someone much younger than you. With photographers, they tend to be at least somewhat in the same age range as their agent. There are a lot of 18-20 year old models, but very few photographers under 30.  Also, photographers work can evolve and change dramatically over the course of their careers.  I think the models that have super-long careers are the ones that have changed very little.

THE TRAVEL AGENT


NAVO: What does your parents/ love ones think about your craft and your profession?
ROOT: My family doesn’t really have any idea.  Unless you’re involved in this business it’s pretty hard to grasp what it’s about and what we do.  Until the day she died, my grandmother was convinced that I was a travel agent, because she knew I traveled a lot and called myself an agent.  Whenever I have to check-off  “profession” on one of those surveys, I can never figure out the right box to use. But my family fully grasps that I’m successful and happy, so that’s enough.

NAVO: Where were you born and where did you grow up?

ROOT: I was born in Belleville, Ontario, Canada, but my parents moved to Dearborn Michigan when I was quite young.  Then when I was about 10, we moved to New Orléans.  New Orléans in the 70’s was really something!  We moved again and I went to high school in Springville, Alabama (a small town not far from Birmingham; hated it there!).  After graduation (like just a week after graduation), I went back to Louisiana and attended LSU.  But I was not too big on school, so I actually attended very few classes and only stayed enrolled for about a year and a half.  Then moved to New York where I’ve been ever since.

NAVO: Whats the most iconic images that you remember while growing up?
ROOT: As a kid, I don’t remember any photo in particular, but in general it would definitely be all of those fantastic photo stories in National Geographic.  It was amazing how the photography could be so stunning and so informative at the same time.  Fashion-wise, it would have to have been Avedon’s Versace ads; models like Jerry Hall, Atilla, etc., lounging on giant pillows, with hair by Suga.  Especially the way they were printed in the OLD W Magazine, back when it was a color broadsheet!  I actually used to buy it specifically for the ads!

NAVO: I completely remember those Versace campaigns with giant pillows and I also collected them! Photographer Richard Avedon is truly a fashion visionary, who would you consider a visionary in the photography history?

ROOT: So many!  Brassai, Man Ray, Gordon Parks, Steiglitz, Steichen, Penn, Avedon, and some lesser known ones like Clarence John Laughlin and Chris von Wagenheim.

NAVO: What’s your favorite piece of artwork you own?

ROOT: That’s difficult! I have a huge photography collection, so it would not only be difficult to choose something from that, but it would probably piss-off a bunch of other photographers.  I have a bit of Southeast Asian art, a few 16th, 17th, and 18th century paintings and sculptures, and a long list of other miscellaneous pieces.  I guess the most dramatic piece is a 19th century marble sculpture by Fanny Marc that I bought in Paris.

The images of legendary photographer, Bettina Rheims represented by Jed Root Agency.

SIX PIXELS OF SEPARATION


NAVO: Whos your favorite Hollywood Icon?

ROOT: Maybe Lauren Bacall.  She doesn’t seem to give a shit what anybody else thinks of her. That’s pretty refreshing since we seem to live in a world of self-obsessed celebrities, demi-celebrities and semi-celebrities (and plenty of non-celebrities) all working frantically to manipulate their image.

NAVO: What’s your top 3 favorite albums/records of all time?

ROOT: Amtrak Blues (Alberta Hunter), Use Your Illusion (Guns N’ Roses), Can’t Stand the Resillos (The Rezillos)

NAVO: Whats the last book you’ve read lately and what is it about?
ROOT: Six Pixels of Separation, by Mitch Joel.  It’s about online social networking and how everyone is now The Media.  But you have a very active blog, so you already know that.  I’ve also been reading The Tale of Genji on and off for about 4 years now.  Since it’s over 1,000 year old, 54 chapters, well over 1,000 pages long, and traditional Japanese literature never uses proper nouns, it can be pretty difficult to follow in parts.  But it’s a great story!

NAVO: What do you think of the disappearance of a lot of magazines (367 magazines closed in 2009) for the past years?
ROOT: It was bound to happen sooner or later even without the internet. There were too many “independent” magazines out there.  Even if some of them were doing very interesting work, it was a bit of a false economy.  Many of them simply were of little or no interest to the public.  People worked for these publications for free and actually financed the content, and then the main people purchasing those publications were those contributors plus a few of their friends and business associates.  With all the blogging and social networking tools that are now available (for free!), it will be very difficult for many of the rest to survive.  People are saying that magazines are going to be gone in a few years.  I don’t believe that, although I’m pretty sure that there will be very few magazines printed on PAPER a few years from now.  The publications that have a unique voice and are able to understand and utilize the new way in which “media” is now defined will thrive and they’ll always need creative contributors.

NAVO: It all boils down to survival of the fittest, do you remember the first photos you have taken and with what camera Jed?

ROOT: I don’t remember any photos in particular being first.  But it was with my father’s old Yashica.  It was a great camera.  I still have it.  I should probably see if I can get it restored before they stop making film.

Jed Root's mansion in Upstate, New York and one of his art sculptures.

BREAK WINTER IN HALF


NAVO: What’s an ideal regular vacation for a Jed Root? What activities does it include?
ROOT: I have a big, beautiful old house in upstate New York. I spend almost every weekend there and as much time as possible over the summer.  I do a lot of gardening and swimming.  I love to entertain friends there.  I do a lot of cooking and have built-up a pretty fantastic wine cellar. But I take one “traveling” vacation per year.  Usually in January I try to go someplace warm for about 10 days.  It really helps to “break the winter in half”!  This year I went to Costa Rica.  My main activities there were swimming with sea turtles and lying on the beach drinking tequila and smoking cigars.  But my winter vacation is always someplace different: Tahiti, Australia, Thailand…

NAVO: I’m not surprised you love travelling, thats why you always have a nice tan. What’s your top 3 cities in the world Jed and why?
ROOT: I only get to pick 3???? Well New York is my chosen home, so that has to be at the top of the list!  I love Paris, although it took me many years to start loving it.  I actually hated it for about the first 6 years after I stared going there regularly. I’ve probably had more fun in London than anywhere else.  Tokyo is a truly amazing, confusing, contradictory and inspiring place, I wish I was able to get over there more often.  That’s 4 and I could go on:  Rome, Sydney, Kyoto…

CAPTAIN OF THE SHIP


NAVO: There are thousands of new photographers each year and hundreds actually make it to the magazines and ad campaigns, are you following any of the new generation of photographer’s work? Anyone that stands out for you?

ROOT: Yes!  Lots of them!  But there’s so much more that goes into being a successful fashion photographer than the quality and originality of the photos.  In order to have a long successful career you have to learn to collaborate with a great team. Fashion Photography is more of a collaborative effort than any other type of photography. While the photographer may be the “captain of the ship” on a shoot, even the greatest captain can only do so much if he’s/she’s chosen the wrong crew or doesn’t know how to properly direct them and collaborate with them.  Also, fashion photography is primarily “Assignment Photography”.  The photographer is given a brief with certain objectives to achieve, be it for a magazine or an ad.  Someone else tells you what to do and you’re expected to give them back something that’s not only exactly what they asked for, but something that’s surprising and better than they could have envisioned it themselves.  It takes a long time to develop those sorts of skills and to establish the kind of relationships necessary.  Generally, I’ve seen that most of the photographers that skyrocket to the top overnight also tend to disappear pretty quickly as well.  It’s better to have a chance to make all your mistakes when not too many people are looking!

NAVO: What can you advise the young men and women all over the world who wants to make a living doing what you do?
ROOT: If you’re going to be an agent, you first have to have a love for what you’re representing (photography, sports, acting, illustration, etc.). Secondly you must have the talent and skill sets necessary for the job (dealing with people and their insecurities, a collaborative nature, confidence, social networking skills, being able to develop creative strategies, maintaining business relationships).  If you have those 2, then you need to know as much as possible about the business that you’re going to “agent” in by working within your chosen field and related fields, and being absolutely diligent about learning everything about the history, present, and future of that field.

NAVO: Besides Jerry Maguire, a sport’s agent, do you think another movie about agents should be produced so little kids will grow up wanting to be an agent someday, like how they look at photographers, astronauts, and doctors?
ROOT: No.  This isn’t exactly a “growth industry” at the moment. If we’re going to make films to inspire little kids to choose a career, there are more important ones than being an agent.  Plus I can’t imagine how somebody could make an interesting film about the life of a photography agent.  But if they ever do, I’ll certainly buy a ticket to see it!

http://www.jedroot.com/

http://blog.jedroot.com/jri/


________________________


NEW YORK
Jed Root, Inc.
61A Walker Street
New York, NY 10013
USA
tel: 212-226-6600
fax: 212-274-0258

PARIS
Jed Root Europe
10, rue du Mont Thabor
75001 Paris
FRANCE
tel: 33 1 4454-3080
fax: 33 1 4454-9392

LONDON
Jed Root Limited
28 Mortimer Street
London W1W 7RD
tel: 44 (0)207 151 1000
fax: 44 (0)207 580 5598

TOKYO
Jed Root Japan
c/o Chisato Kohno Mgmt.
tel: 81 3 5447-5770
fax: 81 3 5447-5870

________________________


http://www.mckeestory.com/

________________________


Related Entry: http://naiveboy.com/2009/11/06/armed-with-saliva-by-navo/


________________________

info@navostudios.com

http://navostudios.com/

©2009 Dangerously Naive

©2009 Naiveboy.com

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

ARNALDO ANAYA-LUCCA: A LOVE STORY by Navo

In Arts, EXCLUSIVES, Fashion, INTERVIEW, Magazine, photography on January 20, 2010 at 6:18 am


TWO MEN DEFIED A KINGDOM


(NY) I’ve never been in-love, my first boyfriend when I was 21 was Feras, a Syrian-born chef who works for one of the hotels in the city of Riyadh, when I was based there as a graphic designer almost a decade ago. I know what your thinking now, Saudi Arabia + homosexual relationship = heads rolling over a basket, and my first ‘bromance‘ will sound like an epic movie that Anthony Minghella would direct “set in the vast deserts of Saudi Arabia, two men defied a kingdom”. We had it going for 2 long passionate years, I remembered being relocated to Al -Khobar and Feras would drive 500 km towards the Gulf Coast just to see me, looking back, in a way we did defy a kingdom, and that’s the closest thing I have for a romance story in my life. Feras is one of the most beautiful man I’ve seen, he kinda look like Jesus Christ especially when he grows a moustache, intelligent, passionate about life, and most importantly passionate about me, I learned so many things from him, including learning to speak arabic. Love though-is still a foreign language for me, and like I said before, I never been in-love.

1995


I had an opportunity to interview a man who captures romance like nobody else can, it’s a distinct quality in his work. People do fall-in-love in his world the way I see it, and his name is Arnaldo Anaya-Lucca. One of the most iconic fashion image for me when I was still in highschool is that of supermodel Tyson Beckford for a Ralph Lauren launch of his high-end men’s brand in 1995 and it is an image that captured a photographer’s love for beauty and everything that it represents. I love men who have a clear passion and love for life, I’m privy to their love stories every time I look at their work, whether they’re creating a masterpiece in the kitchen or in the darkroom. With all the superficiality, politics and debauchery rampant in the fashion industry today, it is surprising that there are still some real people in fashion.

ST. JOHN’S MILITARY SCHOOL


Anaya-Lucca’s photographs are featured in Australian Vogue, Esquire, Interview, The New York Times Magazine, Spanish Harper’s Bazaar and multiple international editions of GQ. His client roster includes Polo Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein, Emporio Armani, Oscar de la Renta, Brooks Brothers, Lord & Taylor, Bloomingdale’s, Saks Fifth Avenue and Bergdorf Goodman. This photographer’s story started in Ponce, Puerto Rico, when he was born to a cardiologist father and Episcopal minister mother, and in 1974 relocated to US to attend St. John’s Military School in Kansas. I had a great time talking to Arnaldo, and I hope you’ll have a great time reading the rest of his story in this world-exclusive one-on-one interview.

THE 5-YEAR-OLD


LOPE NAVO: Thank you for dropping by Naiveboy.com Arnaldo, I’ve chatted with you for a while now and I’m flattered every time you share your opinion about my work. Like I’ve told you before, I want to live in your world for a day, there’s something so fresh, positive and luxurious about it, what do you think inspires that Arnaldo Anaya-Lucca world?
ARNALDO ANAYA-LUCCA: I guess my boyfriend, family, and friends would be better in answering that question for me but I’ll try. I have always been a happy person even as a child. I had a beautiful childhood in Puerto Rico, very magical, and I guess that kind of sets the way you experience and see life in the future. My boyfriend and friends always say I am like a 5-year-old, which its kind of true. I get very excited every morning about what the day might bring. I guess I managed to keep that child inside of me. When you are excited about life in general, you feel very grateful and that breeds a very positive state of mind. And only a positive state of mind is able to see the endless beauty surrounding us.

My inspiration always comes from every day life. People, places, history, art, society. It’s the way we see ordinary events, objects that leads us to creativity and then the way we experience those things that leads us to our unique style. But my way of seeing things was definitely influenced by the works of Richard Avedon, Bruce Weber, Steven Meisel and Herbert List‘s magical photographs.

NAVO: What does your love ones think about your craft and your profession?
ANAYA-LUCCA: They’re just really proud that I pursued a dream and was lucky enough to have it realized. I’m still dreaming everyday.

NAVO: Do you remember the first photos you have taken? And with what camera?
ANAYA-LUCCA: The very 1st photos I took where of my family and friends in Puerto Rico. Pictures at the beach, the mountains and home. I used my Yashica FX3.

MR. RALPH LAUREN


NAVO: Why did you become a photographer? At what point did you know you want this career?
ANAYA-LUCCA: I always loved taking pictures but never dreamed it could become a career for me. When I was in high school, one of my older brothers, Abel, started taking pictures and I got the bug. On my 18th birthday, my parents bought me my first camera, a Yashica FX3 (I still have it) I told my parents I wanted to major in photography but that did not go over well. My Dad was a cardiologist and to him photography could only be a hobby, so I went to college and majored in Finance. I became a yearbook photographer at my College (I went to school in Kansas City, Mo.). To this day all my college friends think of me as always having a camera around my neck and to them this career is not a surprise but it is to me. After college I moved to NY and after being turned down 4 times…yes, I got 4 rejection letters in one year, I landed a job with Ralph Lauren at the Polo Mansion on 72nd St. in the spring of 1988 in the men’s clothing department selling suits.You see I had become a bit obsessed with Ralph Lauren and my dream was to one day work along side “The Man” himself. After 4 1/2 years in the mansion I got my big break in the beginning of 1993 and was offered a position in Ralph Lauren’s Men’s Design Studio. I was now working and developing Men’s Lines with Ralph…my dream became a reality or so I thought!! I was still taking pictures but design was my focus and I loved it. It was Ralph’s eldest son, Andrew Lauren, that inadvertently opened my photography’s Pandora’s box in late 1994. Andrew’s then girlfriend and my best friend, Rebecca Indri, told Andrew that he should ask me to photograph him as he was interested in becoming an actor and needed a head shot. She told him that my hobby was taking pictures and that I was good. I photographed him a few weeks later and the result was amazing. I shot him in my apartment with daylight b&w portraits against a white wall. He looked like a 1950′s movie star in my photos. A month later I was in a design meeting with Ralph he pulled out the photos and said, “Your pictures of Andrew are unbelievable…you captured him like no one has in the past and he has been photographed by many top fashion photogs!” He said to me,“You have a gift, an amazing eye and I want you shoot an ad campaign for me.” Well he kept his word and 3 month’s later I photograph Tyson Beckford for the launch of Ralph Lauren’s high-end men’s brand, Purple Label. The photo ran in American GQ in the fall of 1995. It was my 1st published photograph and still one of my favorites! My photography career was born and in the summer 1997 I left Ralph Lauren after 10 years in the company to pursue photography full-time with Ralph’s blessing. He became my most loyal client. That’s the real dream for me, shooting Ad campaigns for my mentor, Mr. Ralph Lauren.

THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED


NAVO: Is there a photo book that your fans can collect that features your work in the near future? Any latest project?
ANAYA-LUCCA: No book yet Lope. It’s in the future as I’m still growing as a photographer and it’s so difficult for me to choose a theme or idea for a book but yes I WOULD LOVE TO in the future. I did have my 1st solo exhibition in Miami during Art Basel last December that I’m very proud of. I’m also really excited about a few ad campaigns I’m shooting this month and next for RL (top secret) look for them in the fall as well as one editorial shoot in particular commissioned by Russian GQ-Style that will run in March. It’s an “English Patient” Story with one of my favorite models,Vladimir with Wilhelmina.

NAVO: Congratulations to your art exhibition Arnaldo, I wish I could’ve made it to Miami.  Talking about books,what’s the last book you’ve read lately and what is it about?
ANAYA-LUCCA: Thanks Lope, Further Along the Road Less Traveled: The Unending Journey Towards Spiritual Growth by M. Scott Peck is the last book I’ve read.  My boyfriend suggested it. It made me look at myself in a whole new light. At the end of the day you got to balance your superficial lifestyle with some emotional awareness no?

NAVO: Who’s your favorite historical figure?
ANAYA-LUCCA: Queen Elizabeth I, I’m obsessed with British History especially “The Golden Age” when she ruled.

NAVO: I’m sure you’ve seen the Cate Blanchett “The Golden Age” movie too! Whats your top 3 favorite films of all time?
ANAYA-LUCCA: Umm, that’s hard. I believe that anyone will agree that it is impossible to narrow it down to 3. There are numbers of movies that truly inspired me personally or professionally and for some reason they all fall more or less in a category of social dramas. The Hunger (1997), Sense and Sensibility (1995) and All About My Mother (1999), are some of them.

NAVO: Speaking of Queen Elizabeth I, If you’ll get a chance to photograph a dead icon, who will it be and why?
ANAYA-LUCCA: As much as I find a lot of my inspiration in our history. For some reason when it comes to icons I need to feel them. I need to be able to follow their careers through time and see how they develop as an artist or persona. I need them to be ALIVE.

NAVO: Who’s your favorite Diva?
ANAYA-LUCCA: Madonna.

PUERTO RICAN ON SKIS


NAVO: What’s a regular weekend for an Arnaldo Anaya-Lucca?
ANAYA-LUCCA: Spontaneous getaways with my boyfriend where the beach is near and there is plenty good restaurants to choose from.

NAVO: Your work always reminds me of youth and athleticism, are you an adrenaline junkie?
ANAYA-LUCCA: I love to ski so I guess you can say I’m an adrenaline junkie. When I was a freshmen in college my father gave us an amazing gift for spring break, 4 days at a private mountain home in Winter Park, Colorado. For me, my twin brother and my sister it was a rush… I mean all we knew was the beach when we were kids. We discovered a winter wonderland that was more beautiful than I had ever imagined and I’m still addicted. I ski every year. A Puerto Rican on skis is a rare sight to see.

NAVO: What can you advise the young men and women all over the world reading Dangerously Naive, who wants to make a living photographing the most beautiful and interesting people in the world?
ANAYA-LUCCA: The reality of life is that we need to make a living in order to survive. And often that livelihood doesn’t include our dreams or passions. If your passion is to be a photographer you should passionately continue to create and express yourself through photography and not feel motivated by money-making. Passion should be its own foundation. Making a living from it, it comes as secondary. So I would advise them to keep on creating, expressing themselves and the rest will follow.

CITIES ARE LIKE PEOPLE


NAVO: What do you think of the disappearance of a lot of magazines (367 magazines closed in 2009) for the past years?
ANAYA-LUCCA: We are in transition in many aspects of our world, the biggest transition that is undergoing now is in politics, economics, environment and media. It feels naturally that many business needs to close in order to transit including many fashion magazines. The survival of the fittest in a way. I see a bright future about it all, especially with on-line media. There are already many magazines that created their online versions and there are some really good ones coming up. My favorite is www.thecontributingeditor.com edited by Matthew Edelstein. I think we should all focus on a positive future and keep on creating great work.

NAVO: What is your favorite part of your job?
ANAYA-LUCCA: I would say when my creative vision becomes physically tangible, when it becomes a reality. There is a certain satisfaction to be able to translate a vision from my mind to an actual photograph. I travel a lot for my work and meet many interesting, creative people so therefore travel gives me inspiration and it’s an endless source of joy for me.

NAVO: What’s your top 3 favorite cities in the world? and why?
ANAYA-LUCCA: Well top 3 again, is hard but I guess I could say Barcelona, Rio de Janeiro and London for now. They are super diverse culturally, have a very big art scene and most importantly they feel sexy in some way or another. Cities are like people, you fall in love with them, you explore them, experience them, and stay loyal to them and hopefully grow old with them but there is always an option to grow apart. But the good news is that there is always another city to explore.

http://www.defactoinc.com/

________________________


Related Entries: http://naiveboy.com/2009/12/06/the-ten-greatest-films-about-photographers-by-navo/


________________________


info@navostudios.com

http://navostudios.com/

©2009 Dangerously Naive

©2009 Naiveboy.com

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

MERT ALAS: A FASHION ICON INTERVIEW by Navo

In Arts, EXCLUSIVES, Fashion, INTERVIEW, Icons, Magazine, photography on January 15, 2010 at 2:55 pm


“A lot of great pictures happen spontaneously, no matter how much you plan ahead, In fact our favourite pictures are those done with almost no preparation at all…”

- Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott, Face of Fashion 2007


MERT & MARCUS


(UK) In an article I wrote just last month “THE TEN: GREATEST FILMS ABOUT PHOTOGRAPHERS”, my first sentence was “Why did I become a photographer?”, I attempted to honestly answer the hard question, and I forgot to remember one of my favorite memories growing up is actually browsing magazines, ARENA HOMME + was one of my favorite in the late 90′s and early 00′s. From the very start it was the magazines that serves as my connection to the two most influential and photographic geniuses of my time. In the 2007 book FACE OF FASHION (Hardcover), photography duo Mert and Marcus are two of the featured 5 photographers along with Corinne Day, Steven Klein, Paolo Roversi, and Mario Sorrenti and what an amazing book it is, for fashion photography enthusiast and photography in general. It’s one of those bookmarks in my life that reminds me how I wanted to be better, why I fell in love with photography and why I lust for it like little children do.

1971

When I think of Mert and Marcus, I think of powerful women… sexy, graceful and sophisticated, you can also see their strong influence in my male photography. The team’s works have graced magazines such as Vogue USA, Vogue Italia, W Magazine, Pop Magazine, Numero and Arena Homme Plus, fashion ad campaigns for blue chip clients such as Louis Vuitton, Missoni, Giorgio Armani, Roberto Cavalli, Fendi, Kenzo and Miu Miu, captured images for perfume houses such as Gucci, Yves St Laurent, Givenchy and Lancôme and immortalized basically almost all the most unforgettable beauties of the past decades. Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott’s work and style is influenced and shaped by the work of photographer Guy Bourdin. The dynamic duo are pioneers of contemporary fashion photography, influencing and shaping back the look of the fashion world in the most recent decades. In 1971, Mert was born in Turkey and Marcus was born in Wales, their lives collided in England in 1994 as classical musicians and graphic designers in different periods. Later Marcus became the assistant to Mert Alas and the rest (as they say) is pure world photography history.

THE INTERVIEWER

This is my first world-exclusive one-on-one interview as the interviewer and it almost felt like talking to a Bob Dylan or a Pedro Almadovar, people who have single-handedly shaped the future of their own industries, in their own time, and I’m starstrucked. One thing I discovered, the gods that influenced and inspired me to choose the photography route in some point in my life, at the end of the day are also people who enjoys sailing, travelling, watching movies and being inspired.

ATATURK, LIZ, MARQUESA, & MARILYN

LOPE NAVO: I would like to thank you for having time for Naiveboy.com readers, I know it’s almost impossible to catch you these days for a Q&A. The first thing I always wanted to know about photographers is the first photos they’ve taken and with what camera?
MERT ALAS: Your welcome Lope, thank you for having us in your blog. The first photos we’ve taken is with a second-hand Hasselblad we got from our friend Lula, we did a nude sitting in our flat.

NAVO: What does Marcus Piggott’s family and your family think about your craft and your profession?
ALAS: Our families loves our work and in constant watch. Most of the time we sit back and criticize our work with them, its fun!

NAVO: What’s your top 3 favorite cities in the world?
ALAS: 1. London   2. Istanbul   3. Barcelona

NAVO: What’s a regular ideal weekend for the very busy Mr. Alas?
ALAS: Working out, r & r, dancing and spending time with close friends.

NAVO: Do you surf? Is a Mert Alas an adrenaline junkie?
ALAS: Not surfing! But I love swimming, I love speed, and sailing! I just got my sailing license.

NAVO: Congratulations! Basing on some of your work I can read you love sailing, What’s the last book you’ve read lately and what is it about?
ALAS: Marquesa Casati, it is a biography of an early 20th century eccentric Luisa, the Marchesa Casati Stampa di Soncino in Italy.

NAVO: Speaking of the Marchesa Casati, if you’ll get a chance to photograph a dead icon, who will it be and why?
ALAS: Marilyn Monroe, mainly because I love the enigma that surrounds her amazingly beautiful body and unforgettable face.

NAVO: Who’s your favorite historical figure?

ALAS: Mustafa Kemal Atatürk (1881–1938), a Turkish army officer, revolutionary statesman, and founder of the Republic of Turkey as well as its first President.

NAVO: Favorite diva?
ALAS: Liz Taylor.

(more q&a below)

Mert Alas with LOLA and KIKA.

A GUY ON THE STREET

NAVO: Why did you become a photographer? At what point did you know you want this career?
ALAS: In the early 90′s we had a great bunch of friends, we would go to clubs and on our way back we would dress-up and take silly pictures of each other in our studio, it all happened like this! One morning we just found ourselves shooting the Dazed and Confused Magazine Cover.

NAVO: What is your favorite part in being a photographer?
ALAS: It is great that as a photographer, we are given an opportunity to showcase our visions and desires in the form of the magazine pages.

NAVO: What do you think of the disappearance of a lot of magazines (367 magazines closed in 2009) for the past years?
ALAS: It is a shame for those who work in the magazines, but don’t you also think there are too many magazines out there? Less is more sometimes Lope!

NAVO: Your work has been influential to countless young photographers like myself, one of my fondest memories in college is collecting most of the Mert & Marcus’ magazine editorials and ad campaigns and even your photobooks, it gives me a certain visual rush. What inspire you guys?
ALAS: Life itself inspires us, our dreams, a guy on the street, a movie, a song, our antenna is wide open to receive.

NAVO: What’s your top 3 favorite films of all time?
ALAS: 1. Arizona Dream (1993) by Emir Kusturica     2. Cabaret (1972) by Bob Fosse      3. Kika (1993) by Pedro Almodovar

NAVO: I know this will sound cliché but I’ll ask it anyway. What advise can you give the young men and women all over the world reading Dangerously Naive and wants to make a living photographing the most beautiful and interesting people in the world?
ALAS: Be yourself and work for your dream. If you are good, you will be noticed!

NAVO: Boxers or Briefs?
ALAS: Briefs!



http://www.mertandmarcus.com/

http://www.artpartner.com/

________________________


Related Entries: http://naiveboy.com/2009/12/06/the-ten-greatest-films-about-photographers-by-navo/

________________________


info@navostudios.com

http://navostudios.com/

©2009 Dangerously Naive

©2009 Naiveboy.com

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

THE PENIS SAGA: QUEST FOR LADY GAGA’S MANHOOD by Navo

In Arts, Movies, Pop Culture, viewpoints on January 6, 2010 at 4:06 pm

PART I

“Mine has a mind of its own.” ~ Oscar Wilde

A COCK AND BULL STORY


The Latin word for “tail” is the origin of the word “penis“, the Latin word “phallus” (from Greek φαλλος) is sometimes used to describe it. In Tagalog its called “burat” (erect penis) or “titi” (slang), and in arabic its “zib” قضيب. They say the penis is the primary functioning organ of a male human being that comes in many shapes, sizes, and personal pet names. Also known as the cock, El cock or Le Cock,  Cockadoodle, chalupa, the ant in the pants, the angry eye tube, banana, bazooka, big dipper, little dipper, the bird, the boner, bottom finger, dick, ding-dong, the ankle-spanker, the blue-veined junket pumper, badger, the beast, dipstick, the doughnut holder, free willy, the family jewels, the fibulator, Dr. Love, Eggs ‘n’ sausage, Excalibur, granite edifice, the gigglestick,  gristle missile, hairy bagpipes, the hard on, Harry & the Hendersons (Hendersons are the balls), handlebars, hole hunter, hose, heat-seeking moisture missile, hard candy n’ lollipop, Hancock, injection, IT, jack hammer, Jesus-juice maker, johnson, John Thomas, joy stick, knob, kidney-cracker, love muscle, light saber, little luddy, THE MAN, man meat, meat cigar, meat wrench, member, missile, my little friend, microphone, one hole friction whistle, the one-eyed trouser snake, the purple headed yogurt slinger, nightcrawler, pecker, pee-pee, peter, Peter Piper, popsicle, pork sword, pork ‘n’ beans, pole, prick, pussy plunger, hot rod, Richard and the Twins, Ralph The Fur Faced Chicken, sex pistol, salty dog, hotdog, shaft, schlong, spunk stick, stiffy, the Sodomizor 2000, throbber, the Tallywhacker, the legend, Lightning rod, Magic wand, Man’s best friend, Miner, Moby Dick, Nob, Old blind Bob, Tobias the Cheeky Monkey, the pink oboe, pinga, piss pump, Pumping Pole of Penile Power, Purple-Helmeted Warrior, python of love, sausage, Shake ‘n’ Bake, sperm whale,  snoop dog, the torpedo, tank, tool, thermometer, tube steak, Vlad The Impaler, vertical stick, wanker, wazzu, wang, wee-wee, weiner, woody, yardstick, your every pain reliever, your boss, your daddy, 100% all american beef, 2 sided sword, 2 kegs n a nozzle, and I’m sure there are more names out there but I would like to think I’m clever so I’m adding “Tiger’s Wood” (© my copyright). This is PART I of the Penis Saga, finding Harry & the Hendersons in the most unexpected places in film, tv, music, sports, art and fashion.

A LADY’S MAN-HOOD


In Hollywood where rumors and urban legends are abound, “is he GAY?” OR “is she HERMAPHRODITE” is the name of the popular penis “Guessing Game”. People are too bored nowadays, the thousands of blogs, YouTube videos and websites dedicated in the Quest for pop star Lady Gaga‘s (Stefani Joanne Germanotta) infamous schlong is that evidence. A society where the business of “the Cock” is the business of everyone.

LIGHTS, CAMERA, CHALUPA


In 500 Days of Summer (one of my ten best films of 2009) Tom Hansen (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) and Summer Finn (Zooey Deschanel) are playing “the Penis Game” in a downtown LA public park,  taking turns saying “penis” louder and louder each time (like suffering from a Tourette’s Syndrome) providing one of the funniest scenes in the movie. After being asked, Summer tells Tom about some of her past lovers including a guy named “Puma” focusing on the genital bulge down part of his pants leg in a still photo and zoomed close-up, thats why Summer and Puma “barely left the room” as she recalled.

The newest HBO Series, Hung that premiered in 2009 stars Thomas Jane as Ray Drecker, a struggling suburban Detroit high school basketball coach who resorts to prostitution after discovering the one biggest “asset” he can use to his advantage. The second episode is titled “Great Sausage or Can I Call You Dick?” and the finale titled, “A Dick and a Dream”.


The critically acclaimed 1997 Boogie Nights written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson stars Mark Wahlberg as Dirk Diggler a dimwitted high school dropout with a 13-inch penis who is recruited into the porn industry. The famous scene in which Dirk Diggler whipping out his enormous, prosthetic flaccid penis and the director being quoted: “that is Mark Wahlberg’s penis”. Wahlberg’s penis was nominated for best visual effects award at the MTV Movie Awards that year. One of my favorite director and favorite films of all time where the star is Mark’s Richard and the Twins.

Jonah Hill’s character Seth in 2007′s amazingly hilarious Superbad had a flashback story where the young Seth drawing penis after penis in class, at home and everywhere he goes.

In the Zack Snyder’s Watchmen (2009) the big blue Dr. Manhattan (Billy Crudup) has a swinging big blue penis, that Snyder commented: “Yeah. It looks like a bell clacker.” Dave Gibbons, who illustrated the graphic novel, chimes in: “Swing, swing.” A historical breakthrough appearance by a pecker in an american graphic novel-adapted superhero movie, bravo.


POP GOES THE WEASEL


He brought the SEXY BACK (and front), the droolworthy Justin Timberlake boosted his career by making you lust for his penis, by grabbing it like MJ, subliminally yanking it out on photo shoots, in public and movies, putting it in a “box” (and singing  about it), making sure you ache for more.

Zach Efron is following Mr. Justin’s “sexy swings” by teasing his multitudes of fanatic teenagers all over the globe with his shirtless, wet-look, public display of manliness.

The sexy swimmer Michael Phelps caused quite a stir during the Olympics, his amazing torso and his wet skin-tight speedos are leaving nothing to the imagination, just the way we like it.  One of the hottest athletes out there, no question.

ARTISTIC ERECTION


The giant Penis Chandelier, created by a Dutch company called Rock and Royal, a penis inspired chinese art, and the penis necklaces and pendants by Vivienne Westwood (silver satyr riding a tiger’s eye penis), also the Vivienne Westwood Penis Drop Pendant, for only $138. All are collectibles for the decadent fans of the one-eyed monster.

Dutch conceptual jeweller Ted Noten‘s limited edition bone china dildo with 24k gold plated valve costs approx $3,800.00. The perfect “Dick in a Box” literally.

Bryan Christie‘s “Penis Anatomy” illustration for Men’s Health Magazine (medical article).

An illustration art map of New York in the shape of a huge pinga.

The Big Penis Book by Dian Hanson (Hardcover ) $37.79 in amazon.com, a handsome volume of essays and well-chosen vintage photographs about the Purple Headed Yogurt Slinger. Followed by some unknown arts that illustrates the dong in different styles and some runway models strutting their money-making sex-pistols.
SHAKE ‘N’ BAKE



There’s also a new cock in town! Your new favourite naïveboy.com has made waves, shrills and giggles that it went straight up to #12 on the fastest growing blogs (out of thousands of new blogs all over the world) in the span of 3 months.
Who’s your Daddy now?

________________________


Related Entry: http://naiveboy.com/2009/11/11/erect-phallic-symbols-of-dubai-by-navo/

________________________

info@navostudios.com

http://navostudios.com/

©2009 Dangerously Naive

©2009 Naiveboy.com

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

THE DECADE OF STUPID: THE 10-YEAR HUNT FOR OSAMA BIN LADEN by Navo

In Earth, politics, viewpoints on December 30, 2009 at 6:46 am

_______________________


STUPID AND PROUD OF IT


“Is ignorance truly bliss? Are people with non-existing intelligence happier than the rest of the species?”

Happy New Year! Thank you for all the growing followers of DANGEROUSLY NAIVE (a 3-months old blog). I was working on my novel and while reviewing the 00′s highlights, I just realize what a dumb decade that was, years overwhelmingly dominated by “celebrities” advertising their ignorance like a billboard, the rise of reality shows (featuring the most clueless loonies that ever walk the face of the earth), the wacked global economy and countless people who lost their jobs or countless people who lost their lives this past 10 years, a civilization rotting to its very core. How the hell did that happen? Two words: STUPID PEOPLE. If you track the roots of all the misery (like a forensic investigator in CSI), it all goes down to stupidity of some people in power, and most of them are major celebrities. When a celebrity’s dirt, personal life, breakdowns, delusions, scandals and stupidity are more interesting than their talents, leadership, and just being good role models like the old days, the world actually watch stupid celebrities humiliate themselves on TV makes this decade the most mind-boggling. Reality shows and networks, YouTube, Magazines, Tabloids, Blogs, Talk Shows, and innocent mindless office coffee break chats work hand-in-hand in  glamoriz-ing these stupid celebrities of the world.

_______________________


BIG DUMB FUN IS JUST BIG DUMB FUN

I own a decent size plasma tv that I only use to watch select films, documentaries or to peek at what the rest of the world is watching these days, a glaring 90 % of the programs are targeted towards the idiot demographics, can you blame me for not having any interest? When USA’s version of a vampire movie is “TWILIGHT” compared to Sweden’s “LET THE RIGHT ONE IN” and South Korea’s “THIRST”, you can really see the cultural inferiority of Hollywood in 2009 alone. Sometimes big dumb fun is just big dumb fun, I’m not that square not to enjoy Cameron Diaz’s Charlies Angels or Johnny Depp’s Pirate Trilogy, but there’s a certain stupidity that my brain can only take before it actually bleeds. Every month US Networks and Film Productions seems to successfully raise the STUPID-BAR down a notch. I’ve never seen MTV’s Jersey Shore (from its reviews, sounds like it marks TV history’s rock-bottom) but I know some people who watch it to feel better about themselves. Jerry Springer babies like Tyra Banks, Paula Abdul, Perez Hilton have done so well this decade, for having no talent, low IQ and zero substance, its humiliating for those people who actually have something  to say. The same people who failed every single subject in school, dropped out, or kicked out, are dominating the world’s media, teaching the not so bright kids of the world to be like them, American Media is raising mini-stupids every single day. They are the reminders of having an IQ of an oven toaster can make you famous and filthy rich, the message to all the kids around the globe who owns a TV set or have an internet access every time they click the keyboards or the remote control. A world of blissful ignorance, clueless celebrities but have strong opinions all the same, and have a very passionate fan club that will commit Jihad to protect their honor (like Osama Bin Laden’s fan club, but thats a totally new topic). If the television and internet is the new classroom for our next generation, the following 12 people below are the new heroes produced this decade, and the world’s future has never been so dark to say the very least.

“When it comes to my celebrity interviews, I’m going to do a lot deeper research and ask them things that people haven’t asked before, … I’ve been on the other side so much, I have a leg up on a person that has only just interviewed people.” -Tyra Banks

WHAT SHE PREACHES YOUR KIDS: You can be successful being a moron, have delusions of grandeur of being smart, vain, having no talent, shallow and it’s ok to think the world revolves around you.

“My videos stand the test of time. They are like the almanac for every performer. Even Rhianna has come up to me and said ‘I hope you don’t mind.’ And Beyonce. You can see the influence of what I’ve done.”, “It’s really fun to see that I’ve left a mark. It was my idea to create an animated character. It takes a lot of focus, a lot time, and a lot of money.” -Paula Abdul

WHAT SHE PREACHES YOUR KIDS: You can be successful being stupid, coke head, hardcore junkie, having no talent, vain, delusional, pathological liar and it’s ok to think the world revolves around you.

“She lost not because she doesn’t believe in gay marriage. Miss California lost because she’s a dumb bitch.” – Perez Hilton (Mario Armando Lavandeira)

WHAT HE PREACHES YOUR KIDS: You can be successful being a moron, pathological liar, having no talent, delusional, vain, gossip queen, shallow and it’s ok to think the world revolves around you.

_______________________


TYPHOID MARYS


There is a plague this decade, and never before in the history of civilization that a plague is shamelessly advertised in billboards, tv, radio, magazines, and the world-wide web. Just one click and your exposed to the plague, and with the rate of inbreeding in today’s society it seems unstoppable and our future is a bit scary, like one of those zombie scenes in 28 Days Later (which by the way is an intelligent piece of filmmaking, it’s a metaphor for stupid people spreading disease). Paris Hilton, Britney Spears, Sarah Palin, Miley Cyrus, Jessica Simpson, Lindsay Lohan and Ana Wintour in fact are carriers, the Typhoid Mary‘s of moronic quotes whenever you see or hear them anywhere, and everybody seems to listen to what they have to say.

“Every woman should have four pets in her life. A mink in her closet, a jaguar in her garage, a tiger in her bed, and a jackass who pays for everything.” – Paris Hilton

WHAT SHE PREACHES YOUR KIDS: You can be successful being stupid, shallow, coke head, junkie, having no talent, vain, delusional, materialistic, slut and it’s ok to think the world revolves around you.

“I am for the death penalty. Who commits terrible acts must get a fitting punishment. That way he learns the lesson for the next time.“ – Britney Spears

WHAT SHE PREACHES YOUR KIDS: You can be successful being stupid, shallow, coke head, junkie, having no talent, delusional, vain, materialistic, slut and it’s ok to think the world revolves around you. (Same as above)

“As Putin rears his head and comes into the air space of the United States of America, where– where do they go? It’s Alaska. It’s just right over the border.” – Sarah Palin

WHAT SHE PREACHES YOUR KIDS: You can be successful being a moron, have delusions of grandeur of being smart, shallow, delusional, and it’s ok to think the world revolves around you.
“I’ll be out with my friends and be recognized, and little girls will ask me for my autograph. It is so much fun living out your dream. It, like, totally reflects me 100%.”- Miley Cyrus


WHAT SHE PREACHES YOUR KIDS: You can be successful being a moron, shallow, delusional, having no talent, vain,  materialistic, slut and it’s ok to think the world revolves around you.

“Is this chicken, what I have, or is this fish? I know it’s tuna, but it says ‘Chicken by the Sea.’” – Jessica Simpson

WHAT SHE PREACHES YOUR KIDS: You can be successful being stupid, shallow, coke head, delusional, vain, having no talent,  materialistic, slut and it’s ok to think the world revolves around you.
“Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we.”- George Bush

WHAT HE PREACHES YOUR KIDS: You can be successful being a moron, have delusions of grandeur of being smart, delusional,  mass-murderer, and it’s ok to think the world revolves around you.
“I called her last week, and I was like, ‘Do you wanna hang out?’ And her sister hung up the phone on me! I don’t like having enemies … and there’s the saying, keep your friends close but your enemies closer.” – Lindsay Lohan

WHAT SHE PREACHES YOUR KIDS: You can be successful being stupid, shallow, coke head, hardcore junkie, having no talent, vain,  delusional, materialistic, slut and it’s ok to think the world revolves around you.

“My two brothers and sister are very amused by what I do — they’re amused,” Anna Wintour in an almost self-deprecating tone.

WHAT SHE PREACHES YOUR KIDS: You can be successful being a moron, shallow, coke head, have delusions of grandeur of being smart, vain, materialistic, stuck-up and it’s ok to think the world revolves around you.

“When I get angry enough I write down what I want to say and what I want to talk about, to set the record straight. Because you get to a point where you get tired of people lying. I get tired of situations like this, where people completely lie on (sic) me and I’m sick of it. I want to set the record straight. I’m a black American and I’m proud of it. The bleached skin is a rumour. I don’t bleach my skin. I’m not gay.” – Micheal Jackson (1996)

WHAT HE PREACHES YOUR KIDS: You can be successful being stupid, shallow, coke head, junkie, pathological liar, vain, phedophile (especially if you have good lawyers and money to pay up victims), mutilate your face, and it’s ok to think the world revolves around you.
_______________________


6 YEAR OLDS OF THE WORLD WANTS TO FUCK A 109 YEAR OLD VAMPIRE (GREAT JOB RPatz and Stephanie Meyer)

It’s not hard to spot the “carriers” . You’ll usually see them reading gossip magazines about how awesome Robert Pattison is, a person who talks about celebrities, shoes, scientology, Jesus Christ, and tips they’ve read in Cosmopolitan magazine 24/7, people who straps themselves in a plane to blow up some buildings in New York and llamas. The ‘infected” will spontaneously combust if you include them in conversations that doesn’t revolve around Bradgelina, RPatz, or Louis Vuitton bags and if you mention the word “BOOK”, prepare yourself for some gooey brain explosion, it’s their kryptonite.

“Thats the worst thing, I dont really care if people say I’m a bad actor, I can like work on that, but if they just say that he’s ugly thats just like “oh.. really?” – Robert Pattinson

WHAT HE PREACHES YOUR KIDS: You can be successful being stupid, shallow, having no talent, and it’s ok to think the world revolves around you.

_______________________


PEREZ HILTON WHO?


In an article by Dana Irwin (10/26/2007) titled Why is Perez Hilton Famous? “Perez Hilton proves that some people can succeed on very little talent. Why is he famous? If any one of us were to write our musings of pop culture, would we soon be schmoozing with the very stars we write about? Perez Hilton is the 21st century’s version of the American Dream: becoming a celebrity for doing nothing but making stars quiver in their boots. It’s quite a long way to come for a poor boy born to Cuban immigrants in Miami.” “What is the allure of this site? It might be the snappy layout. Readers can skim all the celebrity gossip during a coffee break. The lack of text puts the rumors front and center, with no need for troublesome reading.” “In an age when some celebrities have more interesting private lives than careers, Perez Hilton has capitalized on the public’s desire to see the nasty underside of Hollywood. The sordid details of the not-so-private lives of Britney Spears, Lindsay Lohan and Paris Hilton keep his site well-visited.” (emorywheel.com)

time.com announced Hilton’s blog one of the top 5 most Overrated Blogs of 2009 “This highly trafficked gossip blog, written by sometimes actor and fulltime celebrity hound Mario Lavandeira, mines the usual Jessica Simpson/Brad Pitt/Jennifer Anniston territory. But blog rivals like TMZ.com do a much better job at uncovering real celeb scoops and providing original video and documents. Leaving PerezHilton to serve up the stalest dish of all: yesterday’s celebrity news.”

I unfortunately bumped in the infamous Hilton Blog once a few months ago, I think Dana nailed it in the head, excuse the pun, it’s a no brainer, “STUPID PEOPLE (LIKE PEREZ HILTON) MADE HIM FAMOUS”, every time you click his blog, whether you like him or not is a “VOTE” to keep his stupidity in business. Like Jessica, Tyra, Palin, Britney, Ana, Bush, Paris, Rpatz, Lindsay, Miley- Mario Armando Lavandeira are the cover boys and girls of “YOU-CAN-SUCCEED-IN-LIFE-WITH-VERY-LITTLE-BRAIN-AND-VERY-LITTLE-TALENT,-OR-NONE-AT-ALL.”, they wear their ignorance like a badge of honor, while the rest of the world worships them and makes them more powerful and influential, making this earth a more stupid place to live in.

_______________________

SOLUTION:


Theres only one antidote to this plague of stupidity  infecting mankind (if not prevented will be the ultimate cause of its own extinction like the dumb dinosaurs). Round up all the infected celebrities, send them to boot camp and ship them to IRAQ, PAKISTAN, AFGHANISTAN or wherever the hell OSAMA BIN LADEN is and let them hunt him down. This 00′s was also the decade of terrorism according to BUSH, it’ll be poetic to watch all this idiots bumble around in the mountains and caves of Pakistan looking for AMERICA’S NO# 1 ENEMY, that after a mind boggling decade of the most powerful nation in the world‘s “efforts” have captured and killed Saddam Hussein (who have nothing to do with 9/11), and Osama (the proclaimed mastermind of 9/11) is still running free with the llama’s in the mountains after 10 painfully long years. BRAVO Network should follow these dummies in the middle east and title the show “AMERICAS MOST STUPID HUNT OSAMA BIN LADEN REALITY SHOW”, hey if the Smartest Americans can’t capture one man, maybe a dozen of AMERICA’S MOST STUPID can, I’m sure Osama want’s an autograph of Britney Spears on his ass cheeks. Now if they survive the mission to capture Osama, they will truly deserve the hero-worship and adoration the kids of the world so generously gives them. After 9/11 less than a decade ago, Osama is in every cover of every magazine, the hottest celebrity in 2001, more popular than Robert Pattinson and the other celebrities combined, no contest, America said “We will never forget”, I think they did with the help of its stupid celebrities.

Bin Laden and Pattinson, this decades top coverboys.

RELATED ENTRIES: http://naiveboy.com/2009/11/04/fame-whore-generation/

http://naiveboy.com/2009/11/26/everybody-wants-to-fuck-edward-cullen-totally-by-navo/

info@navostudios.com

http://navostudios.com/

©2009 Dangerously Naive

©2009 Naiveboy.com

, , , , , , , , ,

DONNIE RISER by Navo

In Editorial, Fashion, photography on December 16, 2009 at 8:10 am


DONNIE RISER

(UK) http://www.immmodels.com/

(shot exclusively for NAIVEBOY.COM)

Photographer: Lope Navo @ http://navostudios.com/

Special Thanks: Mossimo Asia, Bench Asia, Calvin Klein, Leslie MOBO UK and Jonathan Morgan.

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

QUENTIN LÎNW’S TEN VISIONARIES by Navo

In Arts, Icons, Top Ten, photography on December 11, 2009 at 8:06 pm

(FR) “You are what you eat”, the basic idea behind my exclusive “TOP TENS” here in Dangerously Naive, and you’ll be seeing a lot of them, it’s is my take on the one-on-one interview that you usually see on different blogs and articles, I just thought you’ll get to know more of the artist the moment you discover the things that inspires them. Today we are featuring some of the works and inspiration of my good friend, French visual artist Quentin LÎnw, born in 1983 in South-West of France where he is based at the moment. LÎnw devoted his photographic work mixing numerical technologies with the more traditional special effects since 2005. Mixing surrealism, humour and darkness here are some of LÎnw’s latest work and his TOP TEN VISIONARIES that inspires him.

Recent prints are made in Diasec Process Large of ~100cm

______________

LÎNW’S 10 VISIONARIES (in random order)


1. 小林 正樹 Masaki Kobayashi
(February 14, 1916–October 4, 1996)
Japanese director
Kwaidan (1965)
Harakiri (1962)
Samurai Rebellion (1967)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masaki_Kobayashi

2. René Barjavel
(January 24, 1911 – November 24, 1985)
French author
Journalist
Critic
Ravage (1943)
Le Grand Secret (1973)
La Nuit des temps (1968)
Une Rose au Paradis (1981)
Le Voyageur imprudent (1943)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ren%C3%A9_Barjavel

3. Clinton “Clint” Eastwood, Jr.
(born May 31, 1930)
American actor
Film director
Film producer
Composer
Five Academy Awards
Five Golden Globe Awards
Unforgiven (1992)
Million Dollar Baby (2004)
Mystic River (2003)
Letters from Iwo Jima (2007)
In the Line of Fire (1993)
The Bridges of Madison County (1995)
Gran Torino (2008)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clint_Eastwood

4. Sir Ridley Scott
(born 30 November 1937)
English film director
Producer
The Duellists (1977)
Alien (1979)
Blade Runner (1982)

Thelma & Louise (1991)

Gladiator (2000)
Black Hawk Down(2007)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ridley_Scott

5. Steven Allan Spielberg
(born December 18, 1946)
American film director
Screenwriter
Film producer
Academy Award for Best Director for 1993′s Schindler’s List
Academy Award for Best Director for 1998′s Saving Private Ryan
Jaws (1975)
Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
Jurassic Park (1993)
Forbes magazine places Spielberg’s personal net worth at $3.0 billion
Time Magazine’s 100 Most Important People of the Century
Life Magazine’s Most Influential Person of his Generation

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steven_Spielberg

6. 宮崎 駿 Hayao Miyazaki
(born January 5, 1941)
Japanese filmmaker
Co-founder of Studio Ghibli
Princess Mononoke (1997)
Spirited Away (2001)
Time Magazine Most Influential Asians of the past 60 years
Time 100 Most Influential People 2005

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hayao_Miyazaki


7. Philip Kindred Dick
(December 16, 1928 – March 2, 1982)
American novelist
Short story writer
Essayist
A Scanner Darkly (1977)
VALIS (1981)
The Man in the High Castle (1962)
Hugo Award for Best Novel (1963)
Flow My Tears, the Policeman Said (1974)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_K._Dick

8. George Walton Lucas, Jr.
(born May 14, 1944)
American film producer
Screenwriter
Director
Chairman of Lucasfilm Ltd.
Star Wars (1977)
Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
Estimated net worth of $3.0 billion as of 2009

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Lucas

9. 押井守 Mamoru Oshii
(born August 8, 1951 in Tokyo)
Japanese filmmaker
Writer

Ghost in the Shell (1981)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mamoru_Oshii

10. Quentin Jerome Tarantino
(born March 27, 1963)
American film director
Screenwriter
Producer
Cinematographer
Actor
Reservoir Dogs (1992)
Pulp Fiction (1994)
Kill Bill (Vol. 1, 2003; Vol. 2, 2004)
Death Proof (2007)
Inglourious Basterds (2009)
Academy Awards Nomination

Golden Globe Nomination

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quentin_Tarantino


http://www.lenw.org/

Slick 2009

http://www.104.fr/

http://www.slick-paris.com/

Related Entry: http://naiveboy.com/2009/10/08/the-ten-male-beauties-of-all-time-by-photographer-navo/

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

THE TEN: GREATEST FILMS ABOUT PHOTOGRAPHERS by Navo

In Movies, Top Ten, my novel, photography on December 6, 2009 at 4:38 am

DAMN, I NEED TO HIT THE GYM AGAIN

Why did I become a photographer? Do I really love taking pictures or I just like the idea of being a “photographer”? Do I have the right reasons for my passion and obsession for this hobby, for this job? Can a person fake his talent, his eye, his happiness, his vision? Can I just act like a photographer for decades, for the rest of my life and get away with it? Can I just be easily a photographer the moment I invest in a digital camera? I think the most important question is - CAN I FOOL MYSELF AND THE WORLD? I was 18 when I took my first pictures in art school, that was right after I gave up painting and writing and focused on my photography and after a couple of years worked as a graphic designer in Saudi Arabia and Dubai, later Hong Kong, my designing job supported my love for travelling and documenting them, the skylines, the people, the parties, the beaches, the friends, then one day got tapped in Dubai to shoot a DSquared2 advertorial and the rest is history as they say, that was roughly 6 years ago, and the first 3 years was a slow pace into the transition to photography and giving up graphic design altogether, once you learn to love something you need more time to care for them, being a camera person keeps me busy and occupies most of my days for the past years, I take portraits of beautiful people, “Damn, I need to hit the gym again” is the no# 1 reaction to my work, especially with men, I don’t know if thats a good sign, but for some reason I think I should get a commission to all the countless gym memberships I sold, I take pictures of men like I take pictures of buildings, they have to look magnificent, naked, architectural and mysterious.

THE ARTIST & THE POLITICIAN

It’s been a work in progress and a never-ending learning and developing my style that I could call my own, I thrive on adversity, makes life more interesting and journal-worthy. But like any other industries, you don’t only have to worry about your trade and your own business, the industry of beautiful people is also filled with the nasties, politics is deeply entrenched in the very structure of the fashion industry machine. There’s more politics in the fashion house than the white house, and half the wit and education, thats the irony. Thousands of very talented individuals, countless photographers gave up the battle, lensmen who loves photography to their bones, but hates the politics, artists who can’t stomach it, or just basically not built for it. Everytime you look at a billboard in Time Square,  you can’t help but wonder, what this people behind this beautiful pictures have to give up, have to sell, have to kill to get this job? Yes, gone are the days when photography is only about taking good pictures, knowing the camera, going to an art school or just get a Photography for Dummies book, it’s not only about lenses and tripods and reflectors, it’s not only about models and lighting and creativity anymore. You have to be a hustler, a mobster, a bully, a pimp, a thief or a prostitute to be on the top of the foodchain, and unfortunately there’s no university in the world you can learn Fashion Industry Politics or even a Fashion Politics for Dummies book.

MIDNIGHT MEAT TRAIN, THE SEQUEL

L. B. ‘Jeff’ Jefferies, Diane Arbus, Billy Kwan, Laura Mars, Harlen Maguire, Dick Avery, Anna Cameron,  Jeff Kohlver, Seymour ‘SY’ Parrish, Lucy Berliner, Alexandre Rodrigues, Russell Price , Charles Castle, Robert Kincaid and Richard Boyle are some of the most unforgettable characters that I’ve ever seen in the silver screen and there’s one thread that binds them all together. The hunky thespians (some of my favorite actors today)—Jude Law (Sherlock Holmes 2009), Patrick Wilson (Watchmen 2009), and Bradley Cooper (Hangover 2009),  cinematic legends—Clint Eastwood (Gran Torino 2008),  James Stewart (The Man Who Knew Too Much 1956), Fred Astaire (The Sky’s the Limit 1943) and Robin Williams (Mrs. Doubtfire 1993), and Hollywood megastars—Nicole Kidman (The Portrait of a Lady 1996), Julia Roberts (Pretty Woman 1990), and Faye Dunaway (Bonnie and Clyde 1967) have something in common. They will always be my personal favorite actors, because they played once in their remarkable careers a role with bravado, grace and intelligence—the role of a photographer.

If your life is a movie, will it be a Romance? A Thriller, a Mystery or Crime saga?  Perhaps Drama, a War or Adventure Epic? A Horror or a Comedy? A Musical or an Action Sci-fi? Some people who thinks they know me (the Frenemies**) will say my life is a downright HORROR movie, a gay psychopath monster photographer who makes everyone’s lives miserable, sounds like “The Midnight Meat Train, The Sequel” to me, some people say I’m also DRAMATIC, so i guess, there’s a possible bromance lurking between the bloodbath, my life has been casualy summarized into a D-list cult flick in the 70′s.

OSCARS LOVES SHUTTER BUGS

Obviously film and photography are close relatives both use film or digital cameras to capture the world as they see it and tell their different stories. The Academy Awards (Oscars) obviously loves photographers, most films featured on the list are either nominated or have won a major award, most of them for their roles as photographers, many iconic and important films all over the world revolves around that guy (or girl) holding a 35mm, whether they’re risking their lives to reveal a monster of war or a revolution, psychopatic photographers tracking or stalking the protagonist or a photographer tracking a psychopath,  fashion photographers having illicit and scandalous sexual affairs, shutter bugs falling in love with their muse or just becoming obsessed with their subjects, or a combination of all that, these are the characters that have helped millions of moviegoers around the globe (including me) a glimpse into the life of the imaginary, the gritty, the tender, the romantic, the obscene, the savage, the genius and the human—the photographer.

**a future article you’ll find here in Dangerously Naive.

1.

Rear Window (1954)
Through his rear window and the eye of his powerful camera he watched a great city tell on itself, expose its cheating ways…and Murder!

The legend Alfred Hitchcock exerted full potential of suspense in this masterpiece.  Could easily be my favorite movie of all time. James Stewart as L. B. ‘Jeff’ Jefferies, a wheelchair bound photographer spies on his neighbours from his apartment window and becomes convinced one of them has committed murder. Grace Kelly co-stars as Jeff’s girlfriend Lisa Carol Fremont. Nominated for 4 Oscars (Best Cinematography, Color – Robert Burks,  Best Director – Alfred Hitchcock,  Best Sound, Recording – Loren L. Ryder, Paramount,  Best Writing, Screenplay – John Michael Hayes and other 4 wins and 5 nominations.

Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Writers: John Michael Hayes (screenplay) Cornell Woolrich (short story “It Had to Be Murder”)
Release Date: 14 January 1955 (Japan)
Genre: Crime | Mystery | Romance | Thriller

2.

The Year of Living Dangerously (1983)
A Love Caught In The Fire Of Revolution.

A young Australian journalist (on his first job as a foreign correspondent), Guy Hamilton (played by Mel Gibson) tries to navigate the political turmoil of Indonesia during the rule of President Sukarno with the help of a half- Chinese dwarf photographer Billy Kwan as Guy’s local photographer contact, a role for which Linda Hunt won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. Jill Bryant (Sigourney Weaver) as Guy’s love interest, a British Embassy officer. Combining political intrigue, steamy romance, and engaging characters, Peter Weir’s well-crafted, highly enjoyable adventure is one of the few successful efforts to make a Casablanca-like movie for modern audiences. The film was shot in both Australia and the Philippines. An Oscar win and other 7 wins & 15 nominations. Also on the list of my all time favorite classics.

Director: Peter Weir
Writers: C.J. Koch (novel) C.J. Koch (screenplay)
Release Date: 21 January 1983 (USA)
Genre: Drama | Romance | War

3.

Road to Perdition (2002)
Pray for Michael Sullivan.

Jude Law as Harlen Maguire a psychopathic assassin who likes to photograph his victims, Harlen tracks hitman Michael Sullivan Sr. (Tom Hanks) and son in Illinois during the Great Depression. Paul Newman (in his final theatrical screen appearance) as John Rooney, an Irish American organized crime boss of Sullivan Sr., and Daniel Craig as Connor Rooney, the crime boss’s son. A story that had minimal dialogue and conveyed emotion in the imagery. Somber, stately, and beautifully mounted, Sam Mendes’ Road to Perdition is a well-crafted mob movie that explores the ties between fathers and sons.  Winning several awards, 17 wins & 51 nominations, including the Academy Award for Best Cinematography win, and nominations for Best Actor in a Supporting Role- Paul Newman. One of the best film produced this decade in my list.

Director: Sam Mendes
Writers (WGA): Max Allan Collins (graphic novel) and Richard Piers Rayner (graphic novel)
Release Date: 12 July 2002 (USA)
Genre: Adventure | Crime | Drama | Thriller

4.

Closer (2004)
If you believe in love at first sight, you never stop looking.

Julia Roberts as Anna Cameron, a quietly independent divorce and successful art/portrait photographer, Jude Law as Dan, a thoughtful but unsuccessful novelist and journalist, who authors a book about Jane (Natalie Portman), a gorgeous young runaway from New York’s seedy sex industry, and Clive Owen as Larry, a dermatologist with the lust and manners of a soccer hooligan. The plot revolves around the infatuation of the couples for one another, an elaborate character study of two London couples as they engage in an ultimate game of partner swapping. The film was recognized with several awards and nominations, including Oscar nominations (and Golden Globe wins) for both Portman and Owen for their performances in supporting roles, and other 8 wins & 20 nominations.

Director: Mike Nichols
Writers (WGA): Patrick Marber (play) Patrick Marber (screenplay)
Release Date: 3 December 2004 (USA)
Genre: Drama | Romance more

5.

Hard Candy (2005)
Strangers shouldn’t talk to little girls.

After three weeks chatting with the 32-year old fashion/portrait photographer Jeff Kohlver (Patrick Wilson - Watchmen 2009) ‘Lensmaster319′ in Internet, the mature 14-year old Hayley Stark (Ellen Page – Juno 2007) finally meets. Suspecting that he is a pedophile, she goes to his home in an attempt to expose him. The first feature film for director David Slade, who previously had worked mostly in music videos. Disturbing, controversial, but entirely engrossing, a well written with strong lead performances. A movie that stays with the viewer long after leaving the theater, garnering 5 wins & 6 nominations in different award giving body.

Director: David Slade
Writer (WGA): Brian Nelson (written by)
Release Date: 14 April 2006 (USA) more
Genre: Drama | Thriller more

________

One Hour Photo (2002)
The things that we fear the most have already happened to us...

Robin Williams as Seymour ‘SY’ Parrish, a creepy photo developer and photographer. He has a vast knowledge of modern photography and develops photos at a one-hour photo lab in a local department store and becomes obsessed with one of his customers, a young suburban family, the dad, Will Yorkin (Michael Vartan), the mom Nina Yorkin (Connie Nielsen) and their kid. Williams won a Saturn Award for Best Actor (2003) for his work in the film, other 5 wins and 14 nominations.

Director: Mark Romanek
Writer (WGA): Mark Romanek
Release Date: 13 September 2002 (USA)
Genre: Drama | Thriller

6.

Cidade de Deus/ City of God (2002)
If you run you’re dead…if you stay, you’re dead again. Period.

Based on a true story, a shocking and disturbing, but always compelling story of two boys growing up in a violent neighborhood slums of Rio de Janeiro take different paths: one becomes a photographer (Alexandre Rodrigues as Buscapé – Rocket), the other a drug dealer (Leandro Firmino as Zé Pequeno – Li’l Zé). The story is told through eyes of Buscapé, a poor young fisherman’s son who dreams of becoming a photographer one day. The film received four Academy Award nominations in 2004: Best Cinematography (César Charlone), Best Directing (Meirelles), Best Editing (Daniel Rezende) and Best Writing (Adapted Screenplay) (Mantovani). Before that, in 2003 it had been chosen to be Brazil’s runner for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, but it was not nominated to be one of the five finalists.

Directors: Fernando Meirelles  Kátia Lund (co-director)
Writers: Paulo Lins (novel) Bráulio Mantovani (screenplay)
Release Date: 2002 (Russia)
Genre: Action | Crime | Drama

________

The Midnight Meat Train (2008)
The most terrifying ride you’ll ever take.

Bradley Cooper as Leon, a documentary/art photographer who attempts to track down a serial killer named Mahogany (Vinnie Jones) dubbed the “Subway Butcher” and discovers more than he bargained for under the city streets of New York. A creative and energetic adaptation of a Clive Barker 1984 short story of the same name (which can be found in Volume One of Barker’s collection Books of Blood), with enough scares and thrills to be a potential cult classic. 4 wins in different categories.

Director: Ryûhei Kitamura
Writers (WGA): Jeff Buhler (screenplay)
Clive Barker (short story “The Midnight Meat Train”)
Release Date: 7 August 2008 (Russia)
Genre: Crime | Drama | Horror | Mystery | Thriller

7.

Funny Face (1957)

Fred Astaire as Dick Avery, a fashion photographer in search for an intellectual backdrop for an air-headed model, expropriates a Greenwich Village bookstore. When the photo session is over the store is left in a shamble, sales girl Jo Stockton (Audrey Hepburn) comes to the rescue. They offer Jo a modeling contract, which she reluctantly accepts only because it includes a trip to Paris. Eventually, her snobbish attitude toward the job softens, and Jo begins to enjoy the work and the company of her handsome photographer. Richard Avedon designed the opening title sequence and consulted on the film, and Bill Avery was the still photographer. Nominated for 4 Oscars and other win & 5 nominations.

Director: Stanley Donen
Writer: Leonard Gershe (written by)
Release Date: 13 February 1957 (USA)
Genre: Romance | Comedy | Musical

________

The Bridges of Madison County (1995)

Clint Eastwood as Robert Kincaid, a photographer in the farmlands of Iowa on assignment for National Geographic magazine and wanders into the life of a bored, middle-aged Italian housewife Francesca Johnson (Meryl Streep), for four days in the 1960s. They fall in love, but she’s married with children. A film adaptation of Robert James Waller’s wildly popular, bestselling novel. Eastwood and Streep, who was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress in 1996 for her performance in the film, other 6 wins & 6 nominations.

Director: Clint Eastwood
Writers (WGA): Richard LaGravenese (screenplay) Robert James Waller (novel)
Release Date: 2 June 1995 (USA)
Genre: Drama | Romance

8.

Under Fire (1983)
This wasn’t their war but it was their story…and they wouldn’t let it go!

Nick Nolte as Russell Price , a star photographer, one of the journalists in a romantic triangle are involved in political intrigue during the last days of the corrupt Somozoa regime in Nicaragua before it falls to a popular revolution in 1979. Ed Harris as Oates and Gene Hackman as Alex Grazier. Nominated for Oscar. Another 2 wins & 3 nominations.

Director: Roger Spottiswoode
Writers: Clayton Frohman (screenplay) Clayton Frohman (story)
Release Date: 21 October 1983 (USA)
Genre: Drama | War

________

Salvador (1986)

James Woods as Richard Boyle , an American photojournalist down on his luck in the US, drives to El Salvador to chronicle the events of the 1980 Salvadoran civil war. While trying to get footage, he becomes entangled with both leftist guerrillas and the right-wing military.  The film was nominated for two Academy Awards: Best Actor in a Leading Role (Woods) and Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen (Stone and Boyle), and other 3 wins & 6 nominations

Director: Oliver Stone
Writers: Oliver Stone (written by) and Rick Boyle (writer)
Release Date: 23 April 1986 (USA)
Genre: Biography | Drama | Thriller | War

9.

Photographing Fairies (1997)

Toby Stephens as Charles Castle, a photographer numbed with grief after the sudden death of his young wife, devotes himself to his work as a photographer in World War I. Charles is given some photographs purporting to be of fairies. His search for the truth leads him to Burkinwell, a seemingly peaceful village seething with secrets where he becomes drawn into a web of passion, romance and violence. Ben Kingsley as Reverend Templeton. 5 wins and 3 nominations.

Director: Nick Willing
Writers: Chris Harrald (written by) Steve Szilagyi (book)
Release Date: 19 September 1997 (UK)
Genre: Drama | Fantasy | Mystery

________

High Art (1998)
A story of ambition, sacrifice, seduction and other career moves.

Ally Sheedy as Lucy Berliner, a very talented drug-addicted lesbian photographer that contributes with high-art photography magazine Frame meets a young female intern for the magazine, Sydney ‘Syd’ (Radha Mitchell) both of whom seek to exploit each other for their respective careers, while slowly falling in love with each other. Berliner’s photography (Sheedy) was based on Nan Goldin‘s work. The photographs themselves were made by Jojo Whilden. 7 wins and 14 nominations.

Director: Lisa Cholodenko
Writer: Lisa Cholodenko (writer)
Release Date: 12 June 1998 (USA)
Genre: Drama | Romance

10.

Eyes of Laura Mars (1978)

Faye Dunaway as Laura Mars, a very successful high-end fashion and advertising photographer and Tommy Lee Jones as Detective John Neville notes striking similarities between her art photos and those of real crime scenes. The screenplay, adapted from a spec script titled Eyes, written by John Carpenter, was Carpenter’s first major studio film. Producer Jon Peters, who was dating Barbra Streisand at the time, bought the screenplay as a starring vehicle for the actress, but Streisand eventually decided not to take the role because of “the kinky nature of the story”, as Peters later explained. The role went to Dunaway, who had just won an Oscar for her performance in Network. It was shot entirely in New York and New Jersey. The famous sequence where the Laura Mars character photographs a group of models against a backdrop of two burning cars was filmed over four days at New York’s Columbus Circle. Gallery Exhibition Images of Laura Mars are shot by Helmut Newton. Despite its lukewarm critical reception, the film was a box office hit, earning $20M off of a $7M budget, 1 win and 1 nomination.

Director: Irvin Kershner
Writers: John Carpenter (screenplay) and David Zelag Goodman (screenplay)
Release Date: 2 August 1978 (USA)
Genre: Horror | Mystery | Thriller

________

Blow – Up  (1966)

David Hemmings as Thomas, a successful mod photographer in London whose world is bounded by fashion, pop music, marijuana, and easy sex, feels his life is boring and despairing. But in the course of a single day he frolics with young models, then meets the mysterious Jane (Vanessa Redgrave), he accidentally captures on film the commission of a murder. The film was nominated for 2 Oscars and other 7 wins and 4 nominations.

Director: Michelangelo Antonioni
Writers: Michelangelo Antonioni (story) Julio Cortázar (short story)
Release Date: 18 December 1966 (USA)
Genre: Drama | Mystery | Thriller

________

Other film’s that centers around the life of a lensman:

Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008)
Scarlett Johansson as Cristina (photographer)
Javier Bardem as Juan Antonio Gonzalo
Penélope Cruz as Maria Elena
Fur: An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus (2006)
Nicole Kidman as Diane Arbus (photographer)

Robert Downey Jr. as Lionel Sweeney

Mad Dog and Glory  (2000)

Gentlemen’s Relish (2001) (TV)

No Small Affair (1984)

Stardom (2000)

Head in the Clouds (2004)

Femme Fatale (2002)

The Notorious Bettie Page (2005)

Fairy Tale: A True Story (1997)

The Photographer  (2000)

Harrison’s Flowers (2002)

The Truth About Cats & Dogs (1996)

Catch & Release (2007)

Pecker  (1998)

________


“Whether he is an artist or not, the photographer is a joyous sensualist, for the simple reason that the eye traffics in feelings, not in thoughts.”

- Walker Evans, American Photographer (1903-1975)

Related Entry: http://naiveboy.com/2009/11/06/armed-with-saliva-by-navo/


info@navostudios.com

http://navostudios.com/

©2009 Dangerously Naive

©2009 Naiveboy.com


, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

WE ARE LIVING IN A WHITE MAN’S ART/WORLD by Navo

In Arts, politics, viewpoints on November 29, 2009 at 2:05 am

1. Influence over the production of art internationally.


2. Sheer financial clout.


3. Activity in the previous 12 months.

Above are the three criterion where the entrees of artists, collectors, gallerists, curators,  auction houses, politicians, museum directors, foundation directors, critics, talkshow hosts, and websites are ranked. A panel of international experts making the selections published yearly for the ArtReview Power 100 in the November issue of ArtReview magazine. Basing from the results, the most influential figure in the artworld in 2009 is a WHITE MALE ** (no surprise there) the diagrams of Profession, Gender, and Nationality below clearly shows that the people who dominates the Art Industry are the “WHITE AMERICAN MALE GALLERIST”. Its really hard to be a minority in every single sector of the world’s industries, in the top 10 alone, a Mexican Female “Julieta Aranda” of e-flux.com shared the #8 spot with a Russian and an American Male, #9 spot goes to a White Female, the rest of the top 10 including the #1 spot goes to the White Men (4 White Americans and 5 White Europeans), 94% of the list are Caucasians, Asia and South America is 6% combined on the Power 100. This numbers means a lot of things, the shakers and movers of the artworld are strongly dominated by one Race and one Gender in the history of the world, who will be the next Pollock? Warhol? Picasso? (all white men) as an evidence, the most powerful artist in the world now according to ART REVIEW MAGAZINE in 2009 is another caucasian male in the name of Bruce Nauman, a contemporary American artist from Fort Wayne, Indiana. Although the leader of the “most powerful” nation in the world at the moment is a “half-White”, like any other industries (Fashion, Architecture, Politics, Media, Web, Finance,  Real Estate, Medicine, Science, Literature, and Religion) Art is of no exception, is it just a mere universal coincidence that the White Man decides what is”art” and its price tag? or am I just dangerously naive?

**a future article you’ll find here in Dangerously Naive.

Profession 2008/2009

Gender

Nationality

______________

1. Hans Ulrich Obrist

Category: Curator

Nationality: Swiss

Race: Caucasian

Gender: Male

Last year: 35

- Founder of the Museum Robert Walser.
- Curator of the Migrateurs program at the Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris for contemporary art.
- Co-Director, Exhibitions and Programmes and Director of International Projects at the Serpentine Gallery, Kensington Gardens, in London.


______________

2. Glenn D. Lowry

Category: Museum Director

Nationality: American

Race: Caucasian

Gender: Male

Last year: 3

- Director of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City.

______________

3. Sir Nicholas Serota

Category: Museum Director

Nationality: British

Race: Caucasian

Gender: Male

Last year: 4

- Director of the Whitechapel Gallery, London.
- Director of the Museum of Modern Art, Oxford.
- Director of the Tate, the United Kingdom’s national gallery of modern and British art in 1988.
- Awarded a knighthood in 1999.
- Chairman of the Turner Prize jury.
- Driving force behind the creation of  Tate Modern, which opened in 2000.

______________

4. Daniel Birnbaum

Category: Curator

Nationality: Swedish

Race: Caucasian

Gender: Male

Last year: 13

- Principal of the Städelschule in Frankfurt am Main.
- Director of the exhibition centre Portikus, Frankfurt.

______________

5. Larry Gagosian

Category: Gallerist

Nationality: American

Race: Caucasian

Gender: Male

Last year: 2

- American art dealer who owns the Gagosian Gallery chain of art galleries.

Locations:
- New York City (Madison Avenue, West 24th St. and 21st St.)
- London (Britannia and Davies Streets)
- Los Angeles (Beverly Hills)
- Rome
- Athens

______________

6. François Pinault

Category: Collector

Nationality: French

Race: Caucasian

Gender: Male

Last year: 8

- Billionaire French businessman who runs the retail company PPR.
- Forbes List of billionaires (2008) he is ranked 39th in the world, with an estimated fortune of US$16.9 billion.
- His holding company Artemis S.A., owns Converse shoes, Samsonite luggage, Château Latour, the Vail Ski Resort in Colorado, and Christie’s auction house, Executive Life (now Aurora Life) in California.
- Owns one of the biggest collections of contemporary art worldwide.

______________

7. Eli Broad

Category: Collector

Nationality: American

Race: Caucasian

Gender: Male

Last year: 10

- American billionaire who presently resides in Los Angeles, California.
- Known for his philanthropy and extensive art collection.
- Founder of the financial giant SunAmerica.
- Ranked by Forbes as the 93-richest person in the world, with an estimated current net worth of around $5.2 billion.

______________

8. Anton Vidokle, Julieta Aranda & Brian Kuan Wood (http://www.e-flux.com/)

Category: Website

Nationality: Russian, Mexican, American

Race: Caucasian, Hispanic, Caucasian

Gender: Male, Female, Male

Last year: Reentry (99 in 2004)

- Founders/creators of e-flux (eflux.com) is an international network which reaches more than 50,000 visual art professionals on a daily basis through its website, e-mail list and special projects, based in New York.

______________

9. Iwona Blazwick

Category: Museum Director

Nationality: British

Race: Caucasian

Gender: Female

Last year: 76

- Director of the Whitechapel Art Gallery in London.
- Head of Exhibitions and Displays at Tate Modern.

______________

10. Bruce Nauman

Category: Artist

Nationality: American

Race: Caucasian

Gender: Male

Last year: 45

- Contemporary American artist. His practice spans a broad range of media including sculpture, photography, neon, video, drawing, printmaking, and performance.

______________

11. Iwan Wirth
12. David Zwirner
13. Jeff Koons
14. Jay Jopling
15. Marian Goodman
16. Agnes Gund
17. Takashi Murakami
18. Alfred Pacquement
19. Peter Fischli & David Weiss
20. Mike Kelley
21. Barbara Gladstone
22. Steven A. Cohen
23. Dominique Lévy & Robert Mnuchin
24. Adam D. Weinberg
25. Marc Glimcher
26. Amy Cappellazzo & Brett Gorvy
27. Cheyenne Westphal & Tobias Meyer
28. Ann Philbin
29. Matthew Higgs
30. Matthew Marks
31. Tim Blum & Jeff Poe
32. Gavin Brown
33. Ralph Rugoff
34. Liam Gillick
35. Anne Pasternak
36. Dakis Joannou
37. John Baldessari
38. Isa Genzken
39. Paul McCarthy
40. Michael Govan
41. Eugenio López
42. Cindy Sherman
43. Ai Weiwei
44. Patricia Phelps de Cisneros
45. Annette Schönholzer & Marc Spiegler
46. Diedrich Diederichsen
47. Richard Prince
48. Damien Hirst
49. Bernard Arnault
50. Massimiliano Gioni
51. Amanda Sharp & Matthew Slotover
52. Joel Wachs
53. Victor Pinchuk
54. Udo Kittelmann
55. Marina Abramović
56. Michael Ringier
57. Gerhard Richter
58. Richard Serra
59. RoseLee Goldberg
60. Kasper König
61. Roberta Smith
62. Monika Sprüth & Philomene Magers
63. Germano Celant
64. Emmanuel Perrotin
65. Peter Schjeldahl
66. Beatrix Ruf
67. Okwui Enwezor
68. Nicolas Bourriaud
69. Karen & Christian Boros
70. Isabelle Graw
71. Maurizio Cattelan
72. Charles Saatchi
73. Jerry Saltz
74. Jasper Johns
75. Louise Bourgeois
76. Thaddaeus Ropac
77. Mera & Don Rubell
78. Thelma Golden
79. Sarah Morris
80. Carolyn Christov-Bakargiev
81. Anita & Poju Zabludowicz
82. Paul Schimmel
83. Jose, Alberto & David Mugrabi
84. Sadie Coles
85. Daniel Buchholz
86. Victoria Miro
87. Maureen Paley
88. Johann König
89. Nicolai Wallner
90. Maria Lind
91. Massimo De Carlo
92. Mario Cristiani, Lorenzo Fiaschi & Maurizio Rigillo
93. Rirkrit Tiravanija
94. Toby Webster
95. Long March Space
96. Nicholas Logsdail
97. Harry Blain & Graham Southern
98. Claire Hsu
99. Peter Nagy
100. Glenn Beck

_________

info@navostudios.com

http://navostudios.com/

©2009 Dangerously Naive

©2009 Naiveboy.com


, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

LONDON ANONYMOUS by Jaiden Jeremy James

In Fashion, Top Ten, Travel on November 28, 2009 at 10:38 pm


(UK) They say the best way to know a city’s nooks and krannies is through its locals, I couldn’t agree more, Dangerously Naive‘s favorite Londoner graced us with his favorite visionaries last week (http://naiveboy.com/2009/11/21/ten-visionaries-of-jaiden-jeremy-james-by-navo/), and today he’s giving us an exclusive personal first class tour of his favorite spots to be seen or be incognito in London Town.

 

 

1. CLAIRE DE ROUEN’S BOOK STORE on charing x road for all the latest books and specialist magazines.

125 Charing Cross Road, WC2H 0EA London
+442072871813

Mon-Fri, 10:00–18:30; Sat, 10:00–18:00

www.clairederouenbooks.com

2. SOUTHBANK for my cultural fix it is definitely my favorite location in London with its mix of Bohemians for all kind of places from artists, to designers, to film makers. I love the BFI especially when it’s the London Film Festival and always check films out and the latest exhibitions they have, Tate Modern for my cultural fix of contemporary art. Haywood Gallery also puts on some amazing shows in recent months Warhol, Longo and Ruscha.

3. THE ROYAL COURT THEATRE, an amazing place for theatre the celebrates old talent whilst nurturing and embracing new. Each production is beautifully done and seems to question and challenge modern-day culture.

50-51 Sloane Square, London, SW1W 8AX, United Kingdom
+44 20 7565 5000

www.royalcourttheatre.com

4. PONYSTEP, a place where every and anything is welcome. Like boombox and those before it, Ponystep offers a unique clubbing experience.

www.ponystep.com/

5. JOINERS ARM’S, sleazy, cheap, testosterone overloaded and a place I would be lost without.

116-118 Hackney Rd, London E2 7QL, United Kingdom
020 7739 9397‎

6. FASHION RETAIL ACADEMY where I was trained by Philip Green the man behind TOPSHOP, I owe a lot to this them.

15 Gresse Street, London, Greater London W1T 1QL
020 7307 2345 /020 7307 2361

www.fashionretailacademy.ac.uk

7. SOMERSET HOUSE, I am at awe of its architectural beauty every time I see it, the new home of London Fashion Week and currently hosting the amazing Showstudio Exhibition.

Strand, London, WC2R 0RN, United Kingdom
+44 20 7845 4646
www.somersethouse.org.uk

8. INSTITUTE OF CONTEMPORARY ART, always plays the best new arts films and has great shows on as well as a cute little bookshop.

Nash House
12 Carlton House Ter, London, SW1Y 5AH, United Kingdom
+44 20 7930 3647

www.ica.org.uk

9. SHOREDITCH, truly amazing location, home to the coolest people, hot spots and companies from the likes of Gilbert & George to Tracy Emin, as well as the home of Fashion East, Dazed & Confused Magazine and I-D Magazine. Boombox, Ponystep, George & the Dragon, Joiners, the list goes on definitely a place to visit and an even cooler place to live.

10. MY HOUSE, home is where the heart is.

http://jaidenjames.blogspot.com/


Related Entry: http://naiveboy.com/2009/11/25/didios-brasil-by-navo/

, , , , , , , , ,

SWEET CHILD OF MINE by Errikos Andreou

In Editorial, Fashion on November 25, 2009 at 5:48 am

 


 

 


 

 


 

 


 

 


 

 


 

 


 

 


 

 


 

 



SWEET CHILD OF MINE

(shot exclusively for NAIVEBOY.COM)

Photographer: Errikos Andreou @ http://www.errikosandreou.com/

Model: George Pantelakis

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

FILIPINO NEWSMAKERS IN WORLD FASHION HISTORY by Navo

In Fashion on October 13, 2009 at 9:16 am

King Philip II Lope Navo

16th century King Philip II of Spain is a significant historical figure for me, although I enjoyed more of Cate Blanchett’s 1998 “Elizabeth” than the 2007 sequel “Elizabeth: The Golden Age”, I’m  amused to watch one of my favorite actor Jordi Mollà on the latter playing the part of the king where my country of birth was named in his honour.

With the holy water, I got baptized into Christianity, my spanish name Navo, my mother Elvira and my father Cesar, both names of spanish origins, unlike me, the Philippines has more name changing than a witness on a protection program, the ancient Greeks called the archipelago of 7,107 islands “Maniolas”, Chinese traders named it “Ma-yi”, which means “Land of Gold”, the Portuguese born-Spanish explorer Ferdinand Magellan baptized it “Archipelago of St. Lazarus”,  few years after and another explorer of mother Spain Ruy López de Villalobos renamed the colony “Felipinas” in honor of Prince Felipe (later crowned as King Philip II), later evolved to “Filipinas”, the Americans called it “The Philippine Islands” and at present time “Republic of the Philippines”.

Filipino Celebrity Lope Navo

Most people familiar with my work are surprise I’m not a “60 yr old overweight blond caucasian dude” the first time they meet me, another creative or a model, or someone I bump into a line for my venti iced caramel macchiato in starbucks, the top inquiry is, “where is that accent from?” Il’d reply-“Philippines”, they’ll say- “Oh, Manny Pacquiao“, suddenly it hit me, the modern world has renamed the island of my ancestors “Republic of PACMAN”. The ancient Greeks will see the “Maniolas” renamed after the gladiator PACMAN, as America “the United States of Britney Spears” to the middle east, as far as I remember when I was living there. But this is not about Filipino gladiators in the world history of Sports, but the Filipinos who made a name and headlines in the world of Fashion.

It’s fascinating and sometimes appalling to read or watch the news to know that a visionary magazine editor, a notable fashion designer, an iconic first lady, a groundbreaking model, and a controversial Versace murderer has altered and continue changing the course of the world’s fashion history as we speak. Quoting the author Hodding Carter “There are two lasting bequests we can give our children: One is roots, the other is wings.”

Stephen Gan Lope Navo

Stephen Gan

Creative director at Harper’s Bazaar, co-founder of Visionaire, editor-in-chief of V Magazine and Vman magazine.

Born (1966) and raised in the Philippines, arrived in New York City when he was 18, immediately becoming a prominent NYC club kid Gan studied at Parsons School of Design and began his career as a photographer. In 1986—while he was still a student—legendary Times lensman Bill Cunningham shot a photo of Gan on the street in SoHo, took him for coffee and a cookie, and gave him a quarter to call Annie Flanders, the soon-to-be editor of Details. Gan’s meeting with Cunningham proved fortuitous: Flanders later offered him the position of fashion editor at Details. After the magazine was sold to Condé Nast and Gan was kicked to the curb, he used $7,000 of his severance pay to print 1,000 copies of Visionaire with co-founders James Kaliardos and Cecilia Dean.

In 1999, he launched V Magazine, an offshoot of Visionaire focusing on young art, fashion, and culture. His day job, though, is at Harper’s Bazaar, where he was named creative director in 2001, one of Glenda Bailey’s first hires as editor-in-chief. Gan is also director of Dream Project, a creative powerhouse, with advertising clients such as Calvin Klein, Dior, Fendi, Shiseido, Olay Colour Europe, Tommy Hilfiger, D&G and Missoni.

Monique Lhuillier Lope Navo

Monique Lhuillier

Born (1971) and raised in Cebu, Philippines, fashion designer based in the United States. She’s the daughter of Michel Lhuiller, a successful businessman of mixed French Filipino descent, and Amparito Llamas, a society figure & former model of Spanish-Cebuano Filipino descent. Lhuillier’s family is prominent in Philippine society. Lhuillier demonstrated good taste and great imagination at an early age. At 15, she was an outstanding student in Lausanne, Switzerland and hoped to become successful in the fashion industry. Her parents sent her to the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM), where she met the man she married, Tom Bugbee. Lhuillier and Bugbee, a young, dynamic husband and wife team, founded their company in 1996 and launched their first bridal collection. The line was extremely well-received by fashion-savvy brides, editors, and celebrities.

The breakthrough came after Monique designed the gowns for her wedding entourage. These captured the fancy of couture circles. Having had a difficult time finding her own gown, Lhuillier, a 23-year-old newlywed at the time, decided to begin sketching her own line of dresses. She made the news with two high-profile celebrity weddings in a row. She designed Christine Baumgartner‘s wedding dress for her Fall, 2004 wedding to Kevin Costner shortly after designing both of Britney Spears‘s dresses for her wedding to Kevin Federline. She’s also designed the wedding gown of US former Vice President and former Second Lady Al and Tipper Gore’s youngest daughter, Sarah G. Lee, for her marriage to Bill Lee, and also Heidi Montag‘s wedding dress to Spencer Pratt. Also, one of her gowns is used by Hilary Duff when she plays Sam in A Cinderella Story. Subsequently Lhuillier added evening wear to her line, and several of her efforts showed up on red carpets before awards shows. For the Fall, 2007 season she branched off into more typical runway collections. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monique_Lhuillier

Ana Bayle Lope Navo

Anna Bayle

Born (1959) and raised in the Philippines, a Filipina model who achieved success in the late 1970s and 1980s. She became one of the highest paid models of her time.

Bayle worked for numerous New York designers and became a design consultant to some established fashion houses. She did national and international campaigns for fashion houses and major department stores, as well as calendars for Elite Modeling Agency and Shiseido Cosmetics. She was featured in numerous fashion books, such as Mugler, Chanel, Scaasi, Valentino, Versace, YSL, Dior, Fashion Illustrations by Antonio, etc. Bayle was photographed by fashion photographers including Helmut Newton, Norman Parkinson, Sante D’ Orazio, Peter Beard, David Seidner, Olivero Toscani, Arthur Elgort, Patrick Demarchelier, Peter Lindbergh, Skrebneski, Alex Chatelain and Paolo Roversi. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anna_Bayle

Andrew Cunanan Lope Navo

Andrew Cunanan (1969 – 1997)

An American spree killer who murdered at least five people, including fashion designer Gianni Versace, during a three-month period in 1997, ending with Cunanan’s suicide, at age 27. On June 12, 1997, Cunanan became the 449th fugitive to be listed by the FBI on the FBI Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list.

Cunanan was born in National City, California, the youngest of four children to Modesto Cunanan and Mary Anne Shilacci.

In 1981, his father enrolled him in The Bishop’s School in the La Jolla neighborhood of San Diego, California. At school, Cunanan was remembered as being bright and very talkative, testing with an I.Q. of 147, but he was often bullied. As a teenager, he developed a reputation as a prolific liar, given to telling fantastic tales about his family and personal life; he was also adept at changing his appearance according to what he felt was most attractive at a given moment. After graduating from high school in 1987, he became a student at University of California, San Diego, where he majored in American history.
 After graduating from UCSD, he settled in the Castro District of San Francisco. There, he frequented high-class gay bars and prostituted himself to wealthy, older men. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Cunanan

“Still, there was a lot of surface masquerade going on. There was a lot of Andrew Cunanan that Andrew Cunanan did not like. He began to, using author Clarkson’s word, “reinvent” himself almost as a cause celebre. Glamour became the keyword; he wanted to be glamorous. Firstly, he did not like being Filipino, so he suddenly became Latino and acted out the part with the verve of an Antonio Banderas. At the bars he was known as either Andrew DaSilva or David Morales. A chameleon, he changed faces and figures with a pair of stylish glasses or a trim of his sideburns, or through the transformation from a suited Clark Kent to a T-shirt wearing Superman. Even though he was Personality A on Friday night, he could be Personality B at the same spot on Saturday and get away with it. Those who spent hours with him at the bar one night would not recognize him the next.” http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/notorious_murders/mass/cunanan/index_1.html

Imelda Marcos Lope Navo copy

Imelda Marcos

The widow of former President Ferdinand Marcos, and is herself an influential political figure in the Philippines. Imelda was born on July 2, 1929 in Manila. Her own branch of the family was not political. Her father was a scholarly man more interested in music and culture than in public life. Her mother, Remedios Trinidad, a dressmaker who grew up in an orphanage in Manila, said to have been an illegitimate offspring of a friar.

Marcos’s extravagant lifestyle reportedly included five-million-dollar shopping tours in New York, Rome and Copenhagen in 1983, and sending a plane to pick up Australian white sand for a new beach resort. She purchased a number of properties in Manhattan in the 1980s, including the $51-million Crown Building and the $60-million Herald Centre; she declined to purchase the Empire State Building for $750m as she considered it “too ostentatious.” Her New York real estate was later seized and sold, along with much of her jewels and most of her 175 piece art collection, which included works by Michelangelo, Botticelli, and Canaletto.

After the Marcos family fled Malacañang Palace, Marcos was found to have left behind 15 mink coats, 508 gowns, 1000 handbags and 3000 pairs of shoes. In February 2006, Marcos insisted that her husband acquired his wealth legitimately as a gold trader. By the late 1950s, she claimed, he had amassed a personal fortune of 7,500 tons of gold, and after gold prices climbed in the 1970s, the Marcos family was worth about $35 billion. However, the Bureau of Internal Revenue has no record of the Marcos family declaring or paying taxes on these assets, and the source of their wealth remains open to investigation. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imelda_Marcos