12/16/11

THE KARDASHIAN SYNDROME

TEA TIME @ ANTEBELLUM

cookie baked by blanket

THUGS


KILT BONDAGE


AMERICAN HORROR HOUSE


 The property -- probably better known as the place where "AMERICAN HORROR STORY" is filmed -- 
was last listed at $10 million in January. It's been off the market since August to allow for filming of the show and you can expect that price tag to become old news once we bid farewell to 2011, according to the property website.
The home, protected under the Mills Act as a historic landmark, has Tiffany stained-glass windows and light fixtures, and museum-quality Tiffany glass doors. It still has six original fireplaces with Batchelder tiles and lots of other original details.
The three-story main house has a grand ballroom that was once a chapel and is currently being used as a recording studio. An only-in-LA thing!
Architect Rosenheim designed the 15,000-square-foot home in 1902 as his personal residence.
 Also among his credits: the famous Doheny Mansion.
If you want to get an early peek -- and can pass the pre-qualified-buyers-only test -- contact listing agent 
Photos courtesy of Realtor.com.

RON ATHEY- HAPPY TO YOU~!


fetish ball- circa 1992

theoretical party- circa 1982

today is RON ATHEY'S BIRTHDAY.. he is a mere 50!
i have know ron for over 200 years,but it feels only like
 1986 when he used to work for michael morrison on hollywood blvd.

ron athey & michael morrison- circa 1986- 
photo by me- rick castro

 ron was one of the original dancers from CLUB FUCK & THE FIRST FAIMLY OF FUCK
bobby wildfire, christian, ron athey,
 james stones & miquel biernstein~ 
first family of fuck- circa 1990, 
photo by me- rick castro

i have had the pleaseure  of photographing him for DRUMMER magazine and featuring him in my first film- HUSTLER WHITE, (1996) 
HAPPY BDAY~ LLLLLAAAAAADDDYYYY!, 
(it's a joke between the two of us)
Ron Athey (December 16, 1961) is an American performance artist associated with body art and with extreme performance art. He has performed in the U.S. and internationally (especially in the UK and Europe). Athey's work explores challenging subjects like the relationships between desire, sexuality, and traumatic experience. Many of his works include aspects of S&M in order to confront pre-conceived ideas about the body in relation to masculinity and religious iconography.
the judas cradle- vision of excess- 2004



self- obliteration 1
athey also engages directly with the ideas of queer philosophers and artists like
george bataille, pierre, molinier and pier paolo pasolini.
athey's performance SOLAR ANUS refers directly to one of bataille's essays, and in 2002 athey curated an endurance/performance festival inspired by pasolini's work.

athey has been a regular contributor to honcho and la weekly, and teaches performance studies.
he currently lives in london.


In 1994, Athey became the target of controversy over the use of federal funds to support art work with visible gay content. In a performance of an excerpt from Four Scenes in a Harsh Life at theWalker Art Center in Minneapolis, Athey made cuts in co-performer Divinity Fudge's back, placed strips of absorbent paper towel on the cuts and then, using a pulley, hoisted the blood-stained cloths into the air. Local art critic Mary Abbe (who had not witnessed the performance) wrote a sensationalizing story about the performance which appeared on the front page of Minneapolis Star-Tribune
That story was picked up the Associated Press and quickly made national headlines. Widespread anxiety about AIDS created a perfect storm as critics and lawmakers including Jesse Helms falsely described his performances as exposing audience members to HIV-infected blood.
Although this 1994 performance was supported only indirectly (via the Walker Center) by $150 from National Endowment for the Arts, Athey's name was frequently invoked in criticism of the NEA. Athey has never applied for federal funds to support his work. Nevertheless, in many ways the controversy of this incident continues to shape public perception of his work.
wearing leigh bowery's gown- photo michael childers- 2002

ME... I MEAN- W./E.

i went to a screening of W./E. last night @ the pacific design center.
the film is an account of the relationship between british royalty king edward VIII and american wallis simpson- 1930 thru 1972.
at the same time focuses on a contemporary woman living in nyc-
 wally winthrop- who becomes obsessed with their royal love story during the sothebys auction of the estate during 1998.
the film is directed by MADONNA. apparently it was panned in cannes earlier this year and had received 
very negative reviews @ film festivals in europe and the UK in particular. 
this may be because of the "fetish" brits have about the royals in general and the denial- love &hate  of this relationship in particular. it really brings up allot of bad memories to brits... (supposed nazi sympathizers and all).
they are even some accounts that edward married wallis as his "beard." madonna does not address this. maybe she should've!
perhaps in the USA people will be more forgiving since the general public doesn't know as much about this historic relationship.


as a director MADONNA has created a purely visual film. aesthetics seem to be what is important.  as a filmmaker some scenes are clumsy and difficult to follow. 
many new directors make this mistake. they put too much in @ one time. 
she does take risks using a back & forth vintage to modern narrative to tell this story...
this doesn't always work. 
of course madonna can do whatever she wants so the success of this film is guaranteed.
i do notice that all films madonna is a part of seem to have men violent against women...
humm....... i wonder?


the part of the film i enjoyed the most is the modern day relationship between  the contemporary character 
wally winthrop and a russian-emigrant sothebys guard- evgeni, (played by oscar lsaac). 
somehow i found him to be the soul of the film, presenting perhaps what madonna does best as a director- 
tells a love story. it is the true fairy tale, and in real life would never happen.. in a million years.
the acting is good, but the real star of the film are the costumes designed by longtime costumer for madonna-
ARIANNE PHILLIPS. some of the key wardrobe was on display in the lobby.


as stylish as this film is ultimately the plot comes off as false. to quote another famous brit~
"much ado about nothing."



 W./E.

Directed by
Madonna
Writing by
Alek Keshishianscreenplay
Madonnascreenplay
Cast 

Produced by
Scott Franklin....executive producer
Donna Gigliotti....executive producer
Kris Thykier....producer
Colin Vaines....producer
Nigel Wooll....executive producer
Sara Zambreno....co-producer
Original Music by
Abel Korzeniowski
Cinematography by
Hagen Bogdanski(director of photography)

Art Direction by
Huw Arthur
Steven Lawrence(senior art director)
Mark Raggett(supervising art director)
Molly Sole
Sarah Stuart

Production Design by
Martin Childs

Set Decoration by
Celia Bobak
Cherish Magennis
Michel Rollant

Costume Design by
Arianne Phillips