intimiste: reflection

Monday, February 20, 2012

fashion week 2012: on display

one of my favorite things about fashion week at lincoln center is the use of alice tully hall as a staging area. its open facade--a 3-story glass wall--effectively "pulls back" the curtain, so we can see the models wearing the collection, the artists, stylists and designers working on finishing touches before the "performance" and the cluster of lucky photographers and reporters who are assigned to capture it all.

but for me there's also an interesting interaction with street life, as shown in some of the reflections: the surrounding architecture, the pedestrians and observers, cars and cabs, "meet" the action inside in a random but dynamic way. i wanted to try to capture that energy or that idea; these were all taken before the rachel roy show. i think a few of these are better than others, but it was a fun experiment.

i hope you like them.

all photos © anita aguilar

Monday, July 4, 2011

paris postcard: la samaritaine

as i wandered my way out of the 1st arrondissement, along the river, it was impossible to miss--and not wonder about--this titanic, abandoned structure--SAMARITAINE--with its disjointed but charming aesthetic (though i was mainly attracted by what it reflected of the sky and structures across the street).

may 27, 2011...photos © anita aguilar

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la samaritaine first opened in 1869 as a boutique. a husband and wife team (he, a tie salesman, she, a clothing vendor) took the bon marché model of the luxury department store and over the course of 50 years, developed an 11- story version that was praised as the most "democratic" of the grand magasins. the word was that rich and poor could find anything they needed there -- flowers, bathing suits, hardware, hats, tombstones. yes, tombstones. the rooftop was a tourist attraction for the spectacular views of the paris skyline.

the property was acquired in 2001 by LMVH -- which also purchased bon marché--and closed in 2005 for safety considerations, with the plan for its redevelopment still unsettled. but it was announced last year that the property would be converted to a shopping, commercial and residential space, with an 80 room luxury hotel anchoring the art deco wing, offering a view of the seine. the target for the grand reopening is 2013-14.

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the video below offers a glimpse of the interior life of the store from its earliest days. you don't need to speak french to get the gist. the best bits are in the first few minutes (maybe stick around for king kong's cameo)

Samaritaine : le projet dévoilé by mairiedeparis

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

park ave: after eight...

i didn't think i'd miss missing the christian marclay exhibit when it was at paula cooper, but then a couple of weeks ago i read this zadie smith piece.

now all i can see are clocks.