It is appropriate that we were on our way to eat after checking out Beyond The Streets, when we passed right by this Warby Parker eyewear store, the exterior of which just happens to be completely covered with the distinctive artwork of Stephen Powers (aka ESPO), whose work we had seen in the exhibit!
The attention-grabbing two-story mural by the graffiti and sign-painting legend (which covers all four sides of the building) makes the store very easy to spot from a distance! We didn’t go in, but I understand that Powers contributed to the store’s interior decor as well.
Check your Instagram feed now for shots of your friends posed in front of this wall.
Warby Parker By ESPO is Located at 124 North 6th Street (Corner of Berry Street) in Williamsburg Brooklyn, NY.
I saw these fun glasses propped on a ledge on West 30th Street between 8th and 9th Avenues when Geoffrey and I were walking back to his house from the train.
This Mural by Samir Evol was painted Live at the Event (All Photos By Gail)
The Ace Hotel on West 29th Street recently hosted Faces Of Arnette, debuting the latest collection of optical frames and sunglasses from leading eyewear brand, Arnette.
As a wearer of eyeglasses since I was practically an egg, it is always exciting for me to go shopping for new frames that are cool and sleek but not too crazy.
Arnette has an amazing selection of gorgeous frames that are just my style. What’s also fun is that the styles are named for familiar vocabulary from the music / recording industry.
Guests enjoyed complimentary beer and wine, and snacks, while renowned street artist, Samir Evol performed a live art installation.
The Red Ones in the back are the Frames I Chose
Everyone who brought in an eyeglass prescription got to choose a pair of optical frames (to be filled and shipped later) or a cool pair of sunglasses! I can’t wait to receive mine!
Anne and I also captured the moment in a complimentary photo booth while DJ Becka Diamond provided tunes behind the decks.
Thanks again, Arnette, for the fun party and cool new glasses!
Albert Einstein with Euclid’s Elements Diptych (All Photos By Gail)
You can say this much about art exhibits comprised of Portraits of Pop Culture Icons: EVERYBODY DOES IT. Seriously, Ev-Ree-Bah-Dee. What keeps an exhibit of Pop Culture Portraiture from being a total yawnfest is the defining twist that the artist puts on his or her work (see Erik den Breejen’sThere’s a Riot Goin’ On at Freight and Volume for an excellent example of what I’m talking about).
So, it’s a huge relief that David Datuna’s Elements – the artist’s eighth solo show at Birnam Wood Galleries – is a portrait-based exhibit with one of the coolest visual spins I’ve ever seen. Although from a distance it appears that each image is mounted behind a layer of marbled glass, on close inspection you can see that Datuna has employed a unique conceptual device of layered optical lenses to focus and diffuse his distinct visual imagery. Talk about Ways of Seeing!
Marilyn Monroe
Detail from Above Portrait
According to the exhibit’s press release, the title Elements is taken from the centerpiece of the show, a diptych that pairs Albert Einstein with Euclid’s Elements, the seminal work of mathematics written in the third century BC. Described as the second most widely published book after the Bible, the book’s findings underpin much of logic and modern science. Its influence is immense. Einstein said it kindled his interest in science. Abraham Lincoln insisted it was the most influential book of his life.
Abraham Lincoln
Andy Warhol
I love the little details Datuna adds, such as printing amd framing Andy Warhol in bright yellow, a color that Warhol used often in his own signature silkscreen portraits of celebrities.
Walt Disney
David Datuna’s Elements is definitely worth adding to your next Art Crawl. Just make sure you schedule it before June 7th.
