Niche Art & Architecture tours Berlin

I stumbled across this very cool site/concept as I was location searching for my husband and my shamanic wedding party venue (of all things!). Niche are a group of 3 lovely German women who lead tours of art or architecture, available in several languages, around this fascinating city of Berlin. What a wonderful idea and I will certainly take one in the autumn when the summer festivities cool down on my agenda.

Olafur Eliasson fog rooms

Yesterday I finished my little cultural catch-up with the Frida Kahlo retrospective and Olafur Eliasson's first Berlin solo show at the Martin Gropius Bau.

I was moved most by Olafur Eliasson's fog rooms which need to be experienced for their pure foggy joy. Always one for a sensory adventure, they were the works that I enjoyed due to their interactive nature - to bathe in coloured fog felt beautiful to me.

Frida Kahlo's work has always interested me for its symbolism and strong female honesty and vulnerability. To see so much of it in one place was a treat indeed! The heaviness of her story was palpable and I admit, I was relieved to have left the Eliasson work until last on my long afternoon at the museum.

Dysfashional

On Thursday night I went to the opening of the Dysfashional exhibition, formerly shown in Luxembourg and Paris, at the Haus der Kulturen der Welt in the beautiful Tiergarten of Berlin. It showcases non-clothing and conceptual work from such big names in fashion as Maison Martin Margiela, Bless, Bernard Wilhelm, Hussein Chalayan, amongst several others, and then a special installation Bodies in Motion by students from fashion schools in Paris (Institut Français de la Mode) and Berlin (ESMOD).

I loved the installations by Bernard Willhelm & Christophe Hamaide-Pierson (very cheeky penis pictures as fashion magazine covers) and the artificial hair totems called "Babylone" by Justin Morin & Billie Mertens. I am so excited at the moment by work that makes me laugh out loud and is full of fun and cheek!

Mimi Antique Textiles & Dress

I love this city for its endless treasures tucked in side streets, and so I say one must discover Berlin by bike. I was riding past this beautiful little Schöneberg boutique for antique clothing called Mimi today, and had to stop for a peep. It is filled with a serious step-back-in-time collection of clothing which is commonly sought after by film and theatre people, including the likes of Quentin Tarrantino for Inglorious Bastards, for example...

They sew clothing & accessories from historical models, buy, sell and hire costumes, wedding clothing & vintage clothing.

Goltzstrasse 5, 10781 Berlin Schöneberg
Open Mon-Fri: 12.00-19.00
Sat: 11.00-16.00

Salonkatzen

The other day I was showing my mother and aunt around my old 'hood of Prenzlauerberg, and I finally (after 2 years of eyeing it!) went into a cute little boudoir of lingerie delights for the inner sex kitten... Called Miau Miau (dessous) and Chat Noir (Mode), it is beautifully decked out inside to make you feel like a pampered queen. Sexy lingerie, slips and accessories abound - definitely worth a peep.

Idee

I have found heaven on Earth and it's close to my new home over West!!

Idee is the luxury department store KaDeWe's creative and craft market, filled with every imaginable thing you could possibly need to make whatever you can dream up. It reminds me of a smaller exclusively craft version of Tokyu Hands, (amazing department store for all things do-it-yourself in Tokyo).

How could I have not known about this place before now? Wonderfully exciting.

Boon Get Well Soon masks

I bought mine a few years ago in Paris at a Japanese fair. Recently I brought it out to amuse my German classmates as I has a cold... These clever, funny Get Well Soon masks are irresistable! Designed by Studio Samira Boon, an Amsterdam and Tokyo-based product, textile and interior design studio.

from the tongue

I am delighted to be one of many artists showing in Joetta Maue's exhibition from the tongue, showcasing contemporary works on paper and fibre art using text, opening on 24th June 2010 at Lotus Gallery Space, 34 North Moore St, Tribeca, NY, New York.

Please drop in if you live in NY between 8-10pm on the Thursday 24th June for the opening. The show runs until 6 August, which gives you plenty of time to visit it once or twice, or even thrice!

I cannot make it this time for the opening due to my imminent wedding and moving house, but I will most definitely be there in spirit and my glove works will be proudly representing me there, and oh so happy to be travelling across the Atlantic!