LUXE GALLERY   53 Stanton Street, New York, NY 10002 T: 212 582 4425   www.luxegallery.net

Despite the retail fiasco going on out there, ISAORA has managed to emerge from the snow covered slopes of Aspen Fashion Week super successful. Marc Daniels has informed me that “hope” is in the air and that things are heating up for them. Don’t take his word for it, take a look at all of the press coverage and bloggers spreading the good news far and wide!

Hypebeast
High Snobiety
Hope/Glory
Urban Promoter
ImFlashy
Diamond-Surplus
Aspen Daily News
Don’t Bet on Me

For more information check out their blog!

Beatrice Inn - New York City Amory Show, originally uploaded by Jon Cronin.

Last night was a dance filled night at the Beatrice Inn. The crowd was rocking and the place was packed. This party was exceptional because it was truly a dance party. None of this drink and talk new york style party crap but fun, good times and lots of happy people.Click on the photo to see more party shots.

It was only a matter of time before the honor of Best Men’s Salon in New York was bestowed on Martial Vivot. Congratulations Martial!

Best Men’s Salon
Martial Vivot

39 W. 54th St., nr. Sixth Ave.; 212-956-2990

The former director of the men’s division at Paul Labrecque, Martial Vivot went on his own in 2008 with this devoted-to-men salon. Its sophisticated, neutral-toned interior and the bar with top-shelf liquors make it feel masculine and friendly but not overdesigned. There are basic services like manicures ($32), haircuts (from $125), and shaves (from $85), and more devoted groomers can get highlights (from $100) or a mint menthol scalp treatment (from $85).

LUXE Gallery
53 Stanton Street
New York, NY 10002
(212)582-4425
www.luxegallery.net
March 1 – 29, 2009

Opening Reception: Sunday, March 1st, 7-9 pm

Luxe Gallery is proud to present Alive!, a group exhibition with the following artists:Jan Baracz, Amelie Chabannes, Ellen Harvey, Pedro Lasch, Dominik Lejman, Basim Magdy, Marie Maillard, Trine Lise Nedreaas, Yoko Ono, and  Diana Shpungin

Life is transitory.  There is no way around its ever-changing mechanisms.  No matter how much we may want to stay the same, stability is a bit of an illusion and constant movement is often our compulsion even addiction, to deal with impending dissolution and our gradual disillusion.  The artists in this exhibition tell us the stories of our restlessness.

Playing with the constant variability of time, the contemplation of past selves embedded in the regret of age, the arbitrariness of borders displaying desperate tendencies of freedom, as well as, the use of ephemera, these artists reveal evidence of the unsettled at the core of human nature. They speak of our presence as well as absence and ask what remains in the spaces left behind.  Vacillation and desultory wanderings to cope with ensuing confusion and sometimes despondence, argue that we are seemingly always unprepared, taken off balance by change.   “Alive!”, however, reveals a hopeful curve on this circle of inevitably.   Not only are we captured, but defined by our own movement, offering up intentionality.  Forced metamorphosis evolves into purpose and destination.   Opportunity then, becomes the agitator, leading to living with the exclamation point, being a vivacious piece of the swarming, thronged, humming whole.
For more information, please contact Stephan Stoyanov, stephan@luxegallery.net, or Megan Skidmore, galleryluxe@gmail.com

David Shadrach Smith (director of The Revolution) latest film series is hitting the airwaves! Hard Time is a 6 hour mini series that was one year in the making and it is was well worth the wait!

It’s a powerful look at one year’s worth of life behind bars in a Georgia maximum security prison.  Unlike any prison shows you’ve seen before — with unprecedented access and time — this is a journey into the hearts and minds of the incarcerated and their keepers.

When: Monday nights at 9pm, starting February 23rd
Where: The National Geographic Channel (check your local listings)
For more info and web-only extras:

Have a look and let them know what you think over in Brooklyn at www.part2pictures.com
Congrats David!

Below are the words from President Obama’s Inaugural Address made today at 12pm EST. What a moment for the world and I am glad to have supported him from the beginning. Yes We Did!

My fellow citizens:

I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition.

Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because We the People have remained faithful to the ideals of our forbearers, and true to our founding documents.

So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.

That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.

These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land — a nagging fear that America’s decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights.

Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America — they will be met.

On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.

On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.

We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.

In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of short-cuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted — for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things — some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path toward prosperity and freedom.

For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life.

For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.

For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sahn.

Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.

This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions — that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.

For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act — not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology’s wonders to raise health care’s quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. And all this we will do.

Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions — who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage.

What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them — that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works — whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. And those of us who manage the public’s dollars will be held to account — to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day — because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.

Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control - and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous. The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our gross domestic product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on our ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart — not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.

As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our Founding Fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience’s sake. And so to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: Know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more.

Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.

We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort — even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.

For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus — and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.

To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict or blame their society’s ills on the West — know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.

To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world’s resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.

As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us today, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages. We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment — a moment that will define a generation — it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.

For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter’s courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent’s willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.

Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends — hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism — these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility — a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.

This is the price and the promise of citizenship.

This is the source of our confidence — the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.

This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed — why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall, and why a man whose father less than 60 years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.

So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America’s birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:

“Let it be told to the future world … that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive … that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet [it].”

America. In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children’s children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God’s grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.

QUIETLY

Curated by Stephan Stoyanov
Luxe Gallery
53 Stanton Street
New York, NY 10002
212 582-4425
January 7 – February 15, 2009

Luxe Gallery is proud to present Quietly, a group exhibition with the following artists:
Phil Argent, Amanda Church, Claire Corey, Geka Heinke, Rita MacDonald, Paul Henry Ramirez, Stefan Saffer

Quietly is a group exhibition presenting seven contemporary international artists whose eclectic practices reflect the dynamic visual perspective of the computer age. From digital painting, hybrid painting, non-painting, and beyond, this exhibition is an experimental exercise in synthesizing the myriad possibilities and challenges that arise from the dissolution of boundaries within the traditional medium of abstract painting. Using vastly layered patterns, morphed imagery, billboard signage, graffiti, and contemporary design these artists offer the opportunity to visually and mentally travel within complex virtual worlds.

For more information, please contact Stephan Stoyanov (stephan@luxegallery.net) or Megan Skidmore (galleryluxe@gmail.com).

Attached Image: Phil Argent, Untitled (Vacant Angle), 2007, 28″ x 42″ Acrylic on Canvas
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Luxe Gallery
53 Stanton Street
New York
NY 10002

t. 212 582 4425
www.luxegallery.net

CityEcoLab, originally uploaded by cityecolab.

Our good friend Bethany Koby latest project for the Saint Etienne Biennial. She collaborated with John Thackara and the architecture collective exyzt to create a sustainable village in an old gun warehouse full of permaculture, fish farming, discussion spaces, a library, dry toilets and a “tool” shed of ideas. It looks like a fabulous project and I wish that I could have come over to London to see it but the photos will have to do!!

Congrats Bethany!

See all photos here.