Team USA (l to r): Coach Krzyzewski; Dwight Howard; Chris Bosh; Tayshaun Prince; Carlos Boozer; LeBron James; Carmelo Anthony; Kobe Bryant; Michael Redd; Jason Kidd; Dwyane Wade; Deron Williams and Chris Paul

Ramping up to tomorrow’s epic opening of the OLYMPIC GAMES in Beijing, and the impending roundball battle we’ve all been waiting for, we’re happy to report that in a very unexpected move, one of our favorite young photographers, TARYN SIMON has been commissioned to shoot an official portrait of the US men’s basketball team for the occasion. Chosen by NIKE to capture an artistic view of the 12-man team made up of Kobe Bryant, Tayshaun Prince; Dwight Howard; Chris Bosh; Carlos Boozer; LeBron James; Carmelo Anthony; Michael Redd; Jason Kidd; Dwyane Wade; Deron Williams and Chris Paul led by coach Mike Krzyzewski, the stark photo represents the artist’s first foray into sports photography. A 33-year-old Guggenheim Fellow who has exhibited her photography in an array of prestigious international galleries and museums, including Gagosian Gallery and the Whitney Museum, Simon is renowned for her obsession with revealing hidden and inaccessible American stories in her work, most notably the highly acclaimed portrait series “The Innocents,” that documented cases of wrongful conviction in the United States and her recent body of work, “An American Index of the Hidden and Unfamiliar.” See more of Simon’s photography after the jump. HAVE A LOOK: Read the rest of this entry »

Their BMX bikes are more louder than yers…

While the trend of fixed gear cycling explodes around the globe, a distinctly louder single geared biking phenomenon has been quietly evolving in the unlikeliest of places: the suburban backyards of Queens, NY. Fueled by a passionate and tight-knit group of Trinidadian teenagers who squeeze every spare cent into the $4,000+ soundsystems ingeniously integrated into their BMX bikes, the resulting Frankenstein-ian contraptions have become a deafening mobile spectacle in the borough on weekends when members roll out their thundering soundsystems in processions through the streets that can literally be heard for miles around. “MADE IN QUEENS” is a new short film directed by NICOLAS RANDALL and JOE STEVENS chronicling the group, led by teenage master builder NICHOLAS RAGBIR in their quest to build the ultimate bitchin’ mobile ghetto blaster. Explains Stevens, “In this age of obsessive video sharing and social networking nearly every action is designed and packaged for public consumption. Especially with young people. The immediate charm of Nick and his crew is that they’re the exact opposite of all that. There is nothing calculated or self-conscious about who they are. They’re just a group of friends doing something to challenge themselves and have some laughs. It’s a story which would have never come from kids who were born here.” HAVE A LOOK: Read the rest of this entry »

Above: McLaren & Hirst. Below: One of the alleged original fake garments in question…

The world’s highest-paid living artist, DAMIEN HIRST recently shelled out $160,000 of his hard-earned diamond skull money to a private collector for a wardrobe of original punk clothing created by Sex Pistols impresario MALCOLM McLAREN and VIVIENNE WESTWOOD for their legendary 1970s shop SEX & SEDITIONARIES, only to have it all declared fake by McLaren himself. Purchased from longtime McLaren archivist SIMON EASTON as an intended addition to Hirst’s private museum currently under construction, McLaren examined the entire collection at Hirst’s home shortly thereafter only to find the entire lot was comprised of authentic-looking bootlegs. “Seeing these clothes, I said, ‘Wow, they’ve gone to great lengths to manufacture the labels, and distress the fabrics,’” McLaren explained, “but clearly they were not the fabrics we used 35 years ago, and the stitching was totally different. And there were bags and bags of them. We simply didn’t make that many. I mean, we literally made these clothes on my kitchen floor. They were each unique.” While Hirst remains under gag order pending legal action against the collector, Easton maintains that “absolutely everything my clients have purchased is authentic. McLaren actually had very little input in the design of the clothes; he’ll rewrite history on a daily basis. He has less knowledge about these clothes than the people who collect them.” Ever get the feeling you’ve been “cheet-ed”?…

McLaren & Westwood’s “Sex” shoppe as it appeared at 430 King’s Road in the ’70s…

As penance for the over-the-top blinged out art extravaganza that was his “Dirty Cash” show at the FLAWLESS GALLERY last month, London street sniper (and avowed foot fetishist) INSA threw a decidedly more low-rent but heavily alcohol-soaked East End bash for 500 of his closest friends last week replete with new art, free T-shirts, dancing girls, heavy doses of the aforementioned alcohol, and music by DJ ACYDE, KAM, and BURAKA SOM SISTEMA. Few in attendance are able to actually recall the night’s proceedings, a sure sign that the event was indeed a success. HAVE A LOOK: Read the rest of this entry »

The Independents Show on vimeo from Beautiful Losers

Bringing the low-fi art world of BEAUTIFUL LOSERS to the big screen with a full-length documentary on the movement is director and Losers mastermind AARON ROSE, who will debut the film in NYC this Friday, August 8th (aka: 08.08.08) at the IFC CENTER (see screening times below). Presented by NIKE SPORTSWEAR, the film chronicles the lives and creative process of artists including Shepard Fairey, Margaret Kilgallen, Mike Mills, Barry McGee, Jo Jackson, Chris Johanson, Harmony Korine, Stephen Powers, Geoff McFetridge, Thomas Campbell and Ed Templeton, among others, whose DIY attitudes informed the aesthetics and ethos of their generation. To celebrate the film’s release, Nike Sportswear is presenting a series of “MAKE SOMETHING!” youth mentorship workshops in NYC, LA, and San Francisco that will invite local children to participate in creative workshops such as sign painting, photography, skateboard graphic design, toy design, filmmaking, tattoo art, footwear design and zine making taught by featured Beautiful Losers artists including Barry McGee, Ed Templeton, Tobin Yelland, Eric Elms, Geoff McFetridge, Shepard Fairey, Mike Mills, Todd James, Cheryl Dunn, KAWS, Mr. Cartoon and Aaron Rose. The work created in each location will form a continually evolving exhibition, which will be open to the public to view. To further commemorate the film’s release, Nike’s Sportswear’s JESSE LEYVA has also created a series of 22 Beautiful Losers Dunks emblazoned with iconic stills from the movie using the company’s new high-resolution digital printing process. Says Aaron Rose of the project, “We went back to the documentary and pulled frame stills of what we felt were key moments in the narrative. We used these moments to tell the Beautiful Losers story using the shoes as a medium, with the end result being a collection of works of art.” Viewed together, the shoes reflect the overall narrative of the film, and after being exhibited at the NYC and LA “Make Something!” workshops, two sets of the shoes will be auctioned off with proceeds donated to the Children’s Aid Society. HAVE A LOOK: Read the rest of this entry »

Dzine’s new kandy koated three-wheeled dream machine…

Shipping off to Madrid, Spain today for his solo show of new paintings and sculpture at EMILY MURPHY FINE ART in September is DZINE’s latest masterpiece of lowrider bicycle fabrication that must be seen in person to be believed. Dripping with gold and kandy paint, the pedal pusher gets 1,000 times the mileage of a Prius with infinitely more style. Keep an eye out for updates as we draw closer to showtime. Meanwhile, set your eyes to work. HAVE A LOOK: Read the rest of this entry »

Instant Yeezy, just add water… 

Supertouch homie KANYE WEST makes for an interesting if not motivational traveling companion on the subway tracks of NYC…