ARTmonday: Elisa Johns Bouts of Excess

I love the paintings by Elisa Johns’ in Bout of Excess for their colors, flirtatiousness, and femininity. I am definitely drawn to works that portray two women, or women flaunting their sexuality in a playful, bashful or innocent manner. (I’ll have to scan my postcard collection of such paintings for you.)

Stephanie Walker, who owns Walker Contemporary and curated the show, points out that the two women in Johns’ “Rape of the Daughters of Leucippus” (the third one here) aren’t necessarily in a sexual relationship. I think that’s what I am responding to; they could be lovers, but maybe they are close friends, or sisters. There’s an intimacy with just a hint of sexuality; a promise, perhaps.

When I showed my husband the images, he asked of “English Rose” (the second one here), “Why is there a vagina in the sky?” I see that now. And I had just thought, “What a pretty, rosy sun.”

When I asked Stephanie what attracted her to the artist and these works in particular, she cited the way the artist handles the paint, that she uses oil paint in so many ways. And, although the images are obviously based on historical stories, she points out “they’re so L.A., contemporary and of-the-moment.”

One of my favorites is “Daphne and the Laurel Tree” (the last image), which, at 72 x 48 inches, is relatively large work. I’d love to hang it in the living room at our house on the Cape. I love the colors, and how the tree creates angel wings. She’s so Nadja Auermann at the apex of the ’80s, but warmer and more fun. More like Nadja Auermann meets Stephanie Seymour meets Kate Moss.

She said Cate McQuaid, a critic from the Boston Globe, found them to be sort of “Project Runway” gone awry. But Stephanie sees women that are “playing with fashion, while snubbing what they’re portraying, and pushing boundaries.”

Either way, let them eat cake!

On view at Walker Contemporary, 450 Harrison Avenue, Boston until the end of March.

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Entertaining: Tanya and the Tart

My friend Tanya hosted a birthday lunch this afternoon. There was a delicious fennel salad and absolutely divine individual spinach and feta soufflés. Her husband Rob made the desserts, including this gorgeous vanilla cream tart studded with berries.

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There was also handmade ricotta drizzled with honey on some sort of fancy cracker ($8 a box for the crackers, but it was her birthday after all), and lemon profiteroles. Maybe they will cater my birthday brunch.

Get the Look: Bookshelf Bazaar

Jen S. asks: “Have you ever noticed that most bookshelves are really ugly? I think I’ve finally found a pair that I like, but the whole category of furnishing is due for a revamp. Or maybe truly stylish people don’t use them?”

These bookshelves are clean, functional, stylish:

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SHOPPING GUIDE
Brave Space Design Tetrad Mega Shelving, $700 – $3,500 at Design Public
Fabric Magazine Holder, $16.95 at Tiny Living
Madison Loop Ladder Bookshelf, $129.99 at Target
Blu Dot Chicago 3 Box Shelf, $799 at Design Public
Trig Five-Shelf Bookcase, $169 at CB2
Index Four Bookcase, $3,200 at Design Within Reach
Kartell Bookworm Bookshelf, $1,148.46 at All Modern
Flybrary Bookshelf by Umbra, $31.50 at Umbra
Steel Book Truck, $223 at US Library Furniture
10 Thomas Wold Block Party Book Case, $3,990 at Design Public
11 Hancock Bookcase, $199 at CB2
12 Quad Bookshelf, $1999 at Generate
13 Cadman Spine Bookcase, $169 at West Elm
14 Vitra Self Cabinet, from $685 at Unica Home
15 Ginko Shelving by Iannone Design, $1775.00 – $3550.00 at PlushPod
16 Array Bookcase, $189 at CB2
17 Graphic Pop Bookcase, $499 at PB Teen
18 Opus Shelving System, $495 at Design Within Reach
19 Acrylic Bookcase, $3,920.00 at PlushPod
20 Corner Me Shelving, $498 at Design Within Reach
21 Warwick Double Bookcase, $245 at Stacks and Stacks
22 Treku Bookcase, $1,150 at Design Within Reach
23 Cubitec Shelving, $245 – $265, at Design Within Reach
24 BERGSBO Bookcase, $279 at IKEA
25 Offi Ply Grid Shelf, $299 at Modern Seed
26 Sapien Bookcase, $198 – $298 at Design Within Reach
27 Illuzine Magazine Rack, $31.50 at Umbra
28 Scaffold Bookcase, $399 CB2
29 Spine Wood Bookcase, $179 at West Elm
30 Boom Hive Cube, $ at 2modern
31 Kartell Lovely Rita Bookshelf, $293.56 at All Modern Lighting
32 Blu Dot D2 Utility Shelving, from $569 at Design Public
33 Hivemindesign Tier Shelving, $7,200.00 at 2modern

ARTmonday: Lance Cheshire

Lance Cheshire is a fashion photographer from New Zealand who lives in New York City. He’s assisted Mario Testino, Ellen von Unworth, Michael Thompson, and Steven Meisel, and of course works on his own too. I met him through a friend years ago when I was a fashion editor. We worked together and became good friends. We haven’t actually seen each other in years, but we keep in touch sporadically. He’s a great guy and talented artist.

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