Roosters in a Garden

I started to take up painting again. I used to paint with oil when I was little. But now I am not very patient and need to be a little mobile with my life, so I am only able to work with acrylics and pastel.

This painting here has taken a while to complete, largely due to its size (100cm x 140cm), but also because it has an original painting, and everytime I refer back to it, I lose confidence.

I however, wanted to post this painting today, because I was really happy with how the roosters came out. I never thought of adding them in, but the black really sharpened the painting, and the roosters just look a little evil but very comical!


The original painting is by Gustav Klimt and called Garden Path with Hens. I wanted to recreate this particular piece, because the real original does not exist anymore. It was destroyed by fire during WWII.

I made half the painting very fall looking and half spring like. Klimt's original painting is very green, and looks gorgeous with hanging leaves and flowers that look like jewelery.

Coco Chanel

I just saw two of the recent Chanel movies (Coco Before Chanel and Coco Chanel) and did some quick reading, and cannot stop myself from writing about what I newly learned of her clothing and life.

First, unlike my previous perception, the Chanel suit is meant to be a simple attire and not a fancy, scare-thy-enemy-away woman banker's overt weapon. Not just that, but she possibly introduced jersey into women's clothing.

Also surprising is that towards and at the very end of her life, Chanel was not well received in France. Her post-war comeback collections from 1954 were instead fervently followed by the American and British women. She was also not allowed to rest in peace at France's rich and famous grave yard. Instead, she sleeps in Switzerland. These were all connected to having had a relationship with a German officer during WWII and living a somewhat privileged life (she was also arrested by Gestapo for acting as a British spy too - what drama!).

A positive learning from the reading as opposed to the movie is that Chanel had a lot of lovers, aside from the few really serious ones who have ended up in sudden deaths. One of her lovers the Duke of Westminster, who was the closest to a serious relationship, even built her logo into the city posts of Westminster in London!

I also had no idea about a painting of her by Marie Laurencin, which she so did not like that she returned it. Apparently, this is for viewing at the Orangerie. It looks very familiar.

Overall, her life is all drama, with my god, lots of downs. Even so, I would think her life is nothing but encouragement for her continuous trial and continued passion.

Photo credit: Chanel news.

My tailor

One of the superb things about Jakarta is that you can have your own tailor.

I have asked mine to recreate a dress that I so adore. I got the original dress in Bali at a store that houses a former PRADA designer. The dress uses handmade batik fabric (Indoneian speciality using wax to create the pattern) inside, and yet, it looks totally modern, which is usually hardly possible.

I made a purple dress that also uses real handmade batik as base fabric. I wondered how it would look, layering on top the obviously Indian paisley pattern, but I like how it came out. The white dress is more simple. It uses Japanese synthetic silk against a plain lacy white cotton fabric. Lovely.

Teguh Ostenrik

There was a small gallery event last November (this was a busy month for Jakarta) for an Indonesian artist named Teguh Ostenrik. It was a collection of near 100 of his mini paintings (10 cm x 10 cm) that could be purchased in whatever order or however many pieces you like, each costing approximately $100.

His usual work is not my favorite kind of art, but I thought this one was rather pretty, very straightforward, perhaps because it was targeted at the younger Jakarta crowd, and nicely presnted.

The theme was his broken heart and the NYC Subway. The artist had painted this series at a subway station right after someone broke his heart - which gave the art work a sense of beaten-ness and shakiness. Very literal.

The work was very 80s. Literally painted in the early 80s but also perfect that the artist's playground is Berlin, where it seems everything will be eternally preserved in the 80s. Jakarta seems to also keep the 80s trend for a while.

As the artist chose to have his work displayed at, and by the owner of AOD art space and Koi Restaurant & Gallery (a favorite expat hangout in Jakarta), I felt it came out really simple, approachable, and easy to absorb. I would like to see more of these exhibitions here, and I am looking forward to buying something nice too.

Ernesto Neto

I don’t even know where to begin with his work. Ernesto Neto! It’s just so oooozy and gives you a feeling that you will have to hold off on what you immediately want to say. Then you see the humanoids (immediately below), and then feel relieved – thank goodness he can be funny too! I just laugh at how you can both sit and stand in these marshmallows – it’s up to the user, how thoughtful!

I actually don’t remember where I saw Neto’s work first. I feel like I saw it at a gallery in NYC, but wouldn’t be so sure. Maybe I only saw it in a book? After that first encounter, my friend with whom I love frequenting any galleries of which art work you can lightly comment on, and with whom I first saw him, and I are haunted by the image of these natto like… objects. I am waiting to see how I should interact with Neto – would I have this installation in my future house, or would I just sleep in the humanoids in my future life… or would I choose to stay away and see it only once in a while to attain maximum stimulus? Oh I am so obsessed!

Here are some other links:

• Latest show in NYC called Antrhopodino
• Neto’s interview: “People like to toooouuch…”

Photo credit: designboom.

Jakarta Fashion Week

Last November, Jakarta had its second ever Fashion Week, held during the week of November 11-14th. I love that Jakarta would have such an event, and that Jakartans are incredibly conscious of fashion. The ritzy malls are always thriving with girls carrying Chanel bags (not sure if authentic) strutting in front of (but not inside) Harvey Nichols and Christian Louboutin.

My overall impression of this Fashion Week was that it was great fun. It's extremely approachable unlike the Paris or NY fashion shows. While it says invite only on Wikipedia, my friends and I easily self-invited ourselves. If anything, the only scary part is that once you are emersed in Jakarta's crazy over-the-top fashion, you get so used to it that nothing is enough!

I always ponder whether Jakarta's OTT mode is coming from true artistry, local taste, or some negligance? In the fashion shows, many of the clothing were heavy sparkles, on sequins, on a golden fabric, made into a flower shape, pasted on a rainbow colored dress. I would someday like to figure out why it is so over the top (yet completely wearable, so you would actually see people in them at regular events)... or the moment I figure out will be when I have already adjusted my views?

Ichigo Milky

I was happily surprised to find that blog URL Strawberry Milky was not taken already. I took it from the Ichigo Milky candy I was eating in the office. I haven't had this in such a long time, it gave me immediate nostalgia. Now they have so many different kinds!