Silvia Prada is cutting sharp shapes at the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood with 'The New Modern Hair', her first solo exhibition in the United States. Presented by cultivators-of-cool cultureEDIT, the show explores the nuances of the male psyche through the illustrator's fetishistic examination of their coifs.
Prada's interest in male locks was first piqued while she was leafing through vintage hair magazines in her father's barbershop in the sleepy Spanish town of Ponferrada. This fueled a fascination with identity and iconography in media, which has served as a catalyst for her art practice - her monochromatic illustrations shaping popular culture while simultaneously critiquing it.
Now based in New York, she has used her recently published tome, 'The New Modern Hair: A Styling Chart' as a springboard for the exhibition, combing through male hairdos of the 1950's, 60's and the early 70's as inspiration for a series of graphite drawings and murals. Prada took cues from 20th century art movements like Bauhaus, De Stijl and Russian Constructivism, working geometric shapes alongside portraits of meticulously groomed men.
Speaking about the cultural significance of this show, curator and cultureEDIT-founder Joakim Andréasson said: 'Male beauty has over the last 30 years been completely redefined, and has deepened its relevance and aesthetic purpose. The confidence that comes with choice has created countless of iconic moments in popular culture.' Andréasson previously served as managing director at HL-ART/Helmut Lang Studio, mitigating the cult designer's transition from fashion to the art world and was similarly instrumental in facilitating Louise Bourgeois' retrospective of his work in our first ever guest editors issue (see W* 115).
Prada's illustrations are supplemented by contributions from friends and former collaborators, such as filmmaker Bruce LaBruce, photographer Collier Schorr and Warhol cohort Marc Balet, among others. Nary a hair out of place in this one-of-a-kind show.
'Alexander', by Silvia Prada, 2012
'Geometry', by Silvia Prada, 2012
Prada has juxtaposed small graphite drawings with large-scale murals in her tribute to vintage barbershop coifs
Several artists were invited to contribute artworks to supplement Prada's illustrations. Pictured is 'Aiden Shaw', by Daniel Riera, 2012 (detail)
'Jdsamsonjamiehincebreteastonellispeachesalisonmosshartkikismithcaseyspoonerlawrence- weinerbracepaineandreeputmanalkyzisbernhartwillhelm', by Robert Knoke, 2012
ADDRESS
Pacific Design Center
Blue Building, 2nd Floor, #B255
8687 Melrose Avenue
West Hollywood CA 90069
-
Formafantasma’s biodiversity-boosting installation in a Perrier Jouët vineyard is cross-pollination at its bestFormafantasma and Perrier Jouët unveil the first project in their ‘Cohabitare’ initiative, ‘not only a work of art but also a contribution to the ecosystem’
-
Gingerbread City: architects sculpt London out of the season's favourite treatUntil December 29 in Chelsea, see London brought to life in a seasonal-appropriate medium by leading architects and designers
-
New Revox B77 MK III reel-to-reel tape recorder, and more cassette tape-based trickeryThe new Revox B77 MK III might be the ultimate analogue flex. In response, we’ve explored the outer reaches of cassette tape design
-
Inside the distorted world of artist George RouyFrequently drawing comparisons with Francis Bacon, painter George Rouy is gaining peer points for his use of classic techniques to distort the human form
-
Sunshine noir is given an unsettling spin in new film ‘Skincare’; meet the directorBest known for music videos, director and writer of ‘Skincare’ Austin Peters on how he created the film’s bright, ominous world
-
The seven best Los Angeles museumsExplore LA's world-class museums, set within architectural masterpieces, lush gardens, and breathtaking viewpoints
-
Olafur Eliasson's new light sculptures illuminate Los AngelesOlafur Eliasson's new exhibition, 'Open,' at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles, includes 11 new pieces
-
The lesser-known Los Angeles galleries contributing to a vibrant art sceneOutside of LACMA, MOCA and The Broad, these independent LA galleries are major players in the art world
-
Mona Kuhn’s love affair with Rudolph Schindler’s modernist LA home‘The Schindler House: A Love Affair’ features artist Mona Kuhn’s surreal-inspired silver prints evoking an impossible love
-
Crisis point: Josh Kline's world is wiped out by climate changeJosh Kline's dystopian show is currently on at MOCA in Los Angeles
-
‘Gas Tank City’, a new monograph by Andrew Holmes, is a photorealist eye on the American West‘Gas Tank City’ chronicles the artist’s journey across truck-stop America, creating meticulous drawings of fleeting moments
