MYSTERIOUS ORDINARY

The last months have been a whirlwind, an exciting blur that is as enchanting as it could have been destructive . . . depends on how you want to take it.

For me, finally, I have a moment, to breath after this full force collision.

What to do with these pieces/fragments of these collisions? That is the fun of it all, how to make it coherent, how to make them matter, not just to myself but beyond myself. This blog has enabled me to pull together my thoughts, what I see and express them. I wonder how many of these things matter to others. I hope they do, a little, there is so much beauty in the world and at the same time so many problems and issues that it enables us to ask questions, attempt to find answers/solutions and ask even more questions. Such is life. The question comes up after 2 1/2 years of Chomontherox as I ask myself what is next. Venice inspired this blog and in a way Venice has inspired me this year, to move on. It is funny how the same city of meandering canals and water can inspire such different things at different times. Recently I have started to contribute more and more to printed newspapers and magazines, these too take time, it even takes time to go out and buy a copy.

This is NOT a farewell but rather a beginning . . .of something new, called Mysterious Ordinary. Whilst I prepare to launch that to the world, you can find me on Tumblr at Mysterious Ordinary Journal which has been in the works . . .quietly, for a while, it is my moodboard.

Here are some flashbacks of the last few months . . .

Film on the Rocks Recce - to come in 2012, curated by Apichatpong Weerasethakul and Tilda Swinton produced by Nat Sarasas and Mysterious Ordinary (me!).

P'Joei and N'Teem in the jungle

my partner in crime, Nat Sarasas

the rocks

the village

A day and night with Rirkrit Tiravanija and Pette for 2 Mag . . . (Super limited 2 Mag x MYSTERIOUS ORDINARY Edition Art Issue and more widely available 2 Mag Art Issue at good newstands in Thailand, Singapore and HK)

Tangmo on the run

P Rirkrit

Dean, P'Ruay, Lynn, Me, P Rirkrit, Pette

please compare this to the published version

P Rirkrit and Lynn

the kitchen

Tangmo = watermelon

the cover shot

Paris SS '12

Betak magic continues with Viktor and Rolf and Galliano. . . .

The Brigettes at Viktor and Rolf

Galliano post-Galliano

Bill (not John)

a bit of nature

Chanel underwater

stripes while waiting at the Bar du Marche

Patsri et Moi

Valentino

See even in Paris, they get that Chanel in the day time and Valentino at night is ideal . . . it would be perfection. Well for me at least anyway, especially now with how very cool Valentino has become, defo not for big haired ladies, elegant, minimal but still totally glamourous. I loooooved it.

OLT

Cleo

me with Le Tans

Miu Miu was monumental

it was as if I had entered Metropolis

amazing.

and back to Bkk in time for more Frenchness . . . Apichatpong's speech upon receiving his Legion d'Honneur

then from Palais Royale via Tokyo, Corto came to visit me in Bkk. What a treat.

Pette with Corto and a bright red Susan

Lynn, Corto and Jane

Corto and Ti Foster at Mahanakhon for 2 Mag shoot

and more

Corto

T I F O S T E R (C) 2011

Not only Corto was in town but one of my favourite persons in the world, Stephanie Betant and her mum, who I will see in a few days in Beijing.

Then a few days after that was the 2 Mag Art Issue dinner . . .

hosted by Lynn (editor-in-chief of 2 Mag and my BFF), Pette, Ying (the publisher) and me. We decided not to call it off even though it was very much the height of flood hysteria that weekend. It did not flood . . .

Atmo . . .

chairs that walked home with us.

Dinner was to launch this . . . . this is the real version. There are 60 Fake Limited versions floating around the place too. With outtakes and posters.

2 Mag Art Issue Oct/Nov 2011

Finally. . . it is always kinda fun to visit a new place or to visit an old place in a different light. Bkk the last few months has been a very strange place indeed, human error that led to what should not have happened and created a crisis, flood hysteria, melancholia and actual severe damage. I decided to become a flood refugee for a week and it was amazing how light it felt, to not feel victimised or so helpless. Singapore, usually robotland was fun this time around, and a breath of fresh air. I also did a small detour to KL where I have never ever been. It was interesting. . . especially to see the possibilities of an empty lot, an old building recently demolished next to the Petronas Twin Towers to be the canvas of Buro Ole Scheeren's first building, Angkasa Raya.

the floating building will take the place of the empty lot on top

me

Skyscrapers, especially ones like Ole's make me think of The Fountainhead. It then makes me wonder how possible it is to actively create or at least attempt to create what you believe in or that you love and continue to do so when there are so many obstacles. I guess I've been kinda lucky in that those I encounter in their own mysterious ways, do this . . . constantly and yet make it look like it is the most ordinary thing.

This is not farewell, it is platform migration.- Doy Moreau

See you very soon.

www.mysteriousordinary.com

3-D Dior

Looking through my pictures of Paris I stumbled upon the pics of the Dior Couture show produced by Bureau Betak - a tight show, the girls became flowers, stunning. Even though the show was housed in what that day felt like a glass box (very hot), the flowers are a nice touch, especially when they are moving and in bloom.

It was more the fact that it was the first show to be filmed in 3D though that is very cool. Going back stage there was a screen and a bag of glasses . . .it was like you could touch them, the girls were like flowers.

The genius of Alex de Betak and John Galliano and the vision of the House of Dior. . . I am trying to imagine Alex's showreel in 3-D - it woudl be surreal.

Beautiful dresses captured by modern technology and brought to life one more time, this will undoubtedly change the way that fashion is shown. . .forever.

Betak Magic

I found this showreel last week - I saw the beginnings of it last summer when I was in Paris and Alex showed it to me . . . this however, is the completed one and very up-to-date - his most sublime and beautiful works.  

Alex founded Bureau Betak years ago and is truly a visionnaire with a point of view and aesthetic which is uniquely his.  It is a fantastical, incredibly sleek and wonderously mysterious world that he creates - so inspiring. There have been shows I have been to where I was so overwhelmed by the experience and the beauty that I got goosebumps on my body and tears in my eyes, Dior Couture A/W 2005 with the carriage and Jorando and Hussein Chalayan S/S 2007 with the moving/morphing dresses come to mind. Sublime.

Once Upon a Time in Paris . . .the arm and Moncler videos

These are the videos from Saloni's FLIP of the walk from lunch to the Moncler-Valli installation by Alex de Betak.  The first is Susan, Saloni, "the arm" and myself. The second is of Alex in a lovely uniform at the Opera Garnier.   

Good times . . .  

Once Upon a Time in Paris . . .Part IV- Blonde and Blonder

On one of the last days in Paris, Saloni and I became Blonde an Blonder . . after a morning at that essential Parisian stop Alaia. . .we managed to crawl to the Costes . . in our new shoes.  Sal has insisted that I load up her Flip footage - it will be here soon. . .The Costes at lunch during Fashion Week is great fun . . . not sure if our laughter and non-sensical conversations regarding the night before was so funny to anyone else though. 

That night was Galliano . . . I rounded up the girls, Susan gave Sal and I Blonde and Blonder bracelets (yes that is how retarded we were) and we arrived to the show which was far away greeted by the drum of aggressive of anti-fur protesters.  We were safe - no fur. I was not, as my new Alaias, hot as there were, did not aide with balance, I kind of just fell on the path walking to the show . . . Susan and Saloni LAUGHED(when they should have helped me up!).  Thank goodness for Lady Bunny showing up as she managed to diverge attention AWAY fron my horrendous fall. . . Like shows of the past, there was vodka at the entrance! The actual show was stunning. Leave it to John Galliano and of course Mr. de Betak . . so dreamy it was 

then the Fendi'O party after, we managed to kidnap Lara - Alex's ex assistant who was lugging around shades for everyone to try on for her L'Officiel story. . .Sal and Susan had a go too. . . 

Saloni and Susan

The Fendi party was about Mr. Lagerfeld and his boys . . .and of course Beth Ditto 

Beth Ditto

. . .our friend the beautiful and very talented Charlotte Stockdale styles Fendi so we where with her in Karl's section.  Love Charlotte and her assistant Katie :) 

Charlotte, Jim and Katie

Yes, Susan was funny that night - we all were I think - see pics . . .my shoes were not doing well though, did something to my circulation so but-for Susan's ice down my back, i would've fainted.

Me, Matteo and Susan

Susan and I

Saloni in Saloni dress

Susan in nsha and Anja Rubik

Derek Blasberg, Elisabeth Von Gutman and I

Great night though . . .was supposed to be my last night in Paris but there never is that . . .I mean it usually does not end so easily. . I always need a couple extra days. . .