Night Gallery Presents "Sunset Strrip" @ The Battery Social Club in San Francisco

Los Angeles based Night Gallery collaborated with the Thomas Moller and Matthew Bernstein, directors of the art program at The Battery Social Club in San Francisco to present a group show called "Sunset Strrip" featuring artists like Derek Boshier, Mira Dancy, Sojourner Truth Parsons and more. "In the 60s the Sunset Strip was dirrty. Dirrty in the trash that covered the avenues and dirrty in the deals that went down between hustlers on the street and those in cars. Dirrty hands shook behind asbestos walls while polyester fabrics brimmed with dirrty sweat and car exhaust. Today Sunset Strip is very different, operating more like a television commercial through which you drive. Massive billboards consume your visual attention leaving little else to be absorbed.The new strrip has moved southeast. It runs through downtown Los Angeles,  beginning at the Fashion District and ending at Dames-N-Games. This is Night Gallery’s neighborhood." Sunset Strrip will be on view until October 11, 2015 at the Battery Social Club, 717 Battery St, San Francisco, CA. photographs by Oliver Maxwell Kupper

Sound and Vision: Read Our Interview With Eskmo On His New Album That Was Inspired By The Sun →

Brendan Angelides, better known by his stage name Eskmo, is one of those rare musical artists and composers that can combine the natural sounds of the earth and digital elements with a romantic, alchemical simplicity that is orchestrally abstract, but also extremely beautiful - like a soundtrack for a flying dream. Eskmo has used samples of field recordings from Icelandic glaciers, the rain falling in Berlin, tour bus fan noises while passing through the American Midwest, and parking garage construction in San Francisco. Indeed, Eskmo is a constant diarist of sound and vision. His latest album, SOL – which was released back in March – takes a slight departure from his previous albums, but still holds true to the lineage of using samples and drum beats – it is also rife with Eskmo’s discernible aural brush strokes that are cinematic and otherworldly. Click here to read the full interview. 

Not Fleshy Enough Performance at Faith Holland's Solo Exhibition @ Transfer in Brooklyn

Faith Holland is young, and shaking things up. Her exhibition at Transfer in Bushwick, ‘Technophillia,’ presents a strong palette that suggests an examination of the modern links between tech and sex. The centerpiece of the exhibition, entitled ‘Visual Orgasms,’ features a series of looped images emblematic of the co modifying of sex. Her ‘Ookie Canvas’ canvas abstractions are composed of ejaculations selected from porn and lenders’ own photographs. Holland’s work resonates easily as it focuses on two of literally everyone’s primary obsessions: technology and sex. Along with Giovanna Olmos, Holland hosted “four performances on the digitally mediated body’ last Friday night. Alexandra Marzella, who was featured in Autre last week, performed an interpretative dance that was both mentally stimulating and sexually provocative. Not only is her work interesting, she is also a good dancer overall, and the performance worked on two levels. Shireen Ahmed presented a play in which she handed a script to two audience members (both guys, as it turned out) in which the lines read as text conversations between a series of pairs of people. The texts were sexual in nature, emblematic of the over-sharing commonly found in private text messages. Monica Mirabelle choreographed a group dance with one man and several women wearing close to nothing and gyrating in unison. The uniformity reminded me of Vanessa Beecroft on a smaller scale. But unlike Beecroft the movement was more of the focus, rather than the bodies. Finally, curator Olmos gave her performance of unique performance art. Olmos gets held upside down and blows bubbles into a glass of milk, and some chewed skittles held a prominent position in the performance. It is nice to see that New York’s art world is not as dead as some people think it to be, and that there is such strong camaraderie and shared ideals amongst a group of very young artists. photographs and text by Adam Lehrer. Follow Autre on Instagram: @AUTREMAGAZINE

Katherine Bernhardt: Fruit Salad @ Venus Over Los Angeles

Venus Over Los Angeles presents, Katherine Bernhardt: Fruit Salad, a large mural covering the exterior walls of the L.A. gallery; a public iteration of her signature wildly colorful still life patterned paintings. Fruit Salad will serve both as Katherine Bernhardt’s first foray into executing a public mural, and as a prelude to her upcoming solo exhibition at Venus Over Manhattan in September. Katherine Bernhardt’s recent series of paintings offer vibrant portraits of objects that exemplify the casually quotidian in acrylic and spray paint. She covers her canvases with a painterly hodgepodge of commodity items such as fruit, cigarettes, junk food, and objects of New York’s day-to-day that float against richly colored, striking backgrounds that themselves seem to push forward and demand the viewer’s attention. The patterns emerge without source material, purely from the artist’s thoughts and imagination, and driven by her experiences. With this in mind, the pieces become part of a larger portrait of the artist herself to be pieced together by the viewer. The often times random assortment of objects relate to one another in a way that is presumably deeply personal to Bernhardt herself. In fine Los Angeles fashion, the exhibition will be on view indefinitely. photographs by Sara Clarken 

Bruce Davidson's Long Forgotten Rejected Photographs of Los Angeles in the 1960s Finally Get Published

Magnum photographer Bruce Davidson is most known for his photographs of the teenage gangs of New York City in the 1950s. In 1964, Esquire magazine commissioned him to take photographs of Los Angeles. For whatever reason, the photographs were rejected. In Davidson's own words: "Esquire’s editors sent me to Los Angeles, and when I landed at L.A. International Airport I noticed giant palm trees growing in the parking lot. I ordered a hamburger through a microphone speaker in a drive-in called Tiny Naylor’s. The freeways were blank and brilliant, chromium-plated bumpers reflected the Pacific Ocean, but the air quality was said to be bad. People looking like mannequins seemed at peace on the Sunset Strip while others were euphoric as they watered the desert. I stood there ready with my Leica, aware of my shadow on the pavement. I walked up to strangers, framed, focused, and in a split second of alienations and cynicism, pressed the shutter button. Suddenly I had an awakening that led me to another level of visual understanding. But in the end, for some unknown reasons, the editors rejected the pictures, and I had to return home with a big box of prints, put them in a drawer, and forgot all about the trip." Today, venerable publishing house and champion of print, Steidl, is releasing the photographs in beautiful book form. You can purchase here. 

Todd Hido: Selections from a Survey @ Casemore Kirkeby in San Francisco

Casemore Kirkeby presents its inaugural exhibition, Todd Hido: Selections from a Survey, which is currently being held at the gallery's interim project space in San Francisco's Mission District. This installation, drawn from Oakland-based Hido's ever-expanding archive, invites viewers to dwell on the images and ideas that have followed him throughout his career, continually finding new manifestations in his work. This selection focuses on Hido's primary model Khrystyna - a tacit partner in his cinematic narratives, and a shape shifter in the nightscapes, interiors, and psychological landscapes that she haunts. The result is a deeply personal collection of imagery, often drawn from Hido's own biography and his childhood home of Kent, Ohio - the place that has guided his sustained inquiry into the darker aspects of American suburban life, investigated through the lens of his own imperfect memory. The selection includes several new, never before published works by Hido, along with classic pieces that become elements in the carefully composed sequences of this exhibition. Todd Hido: Selections from a Survey will be on view until August 15, at Casemore Kirkeby, 3328 22nd St. at Valencia in San Francisco. 

Aki Sasamoto Food Rental Performance On The High Line at the Rail Yards In New York

New York-based Japanese artist Aki Sasamoto’s work affects the viewer on many levels. Her creations, sculptures that serve utilitarian and aesthetic purposes, are superb enough to warrant museum attention by themselves. But Sasamoto’s work really is about the performance. Her singularly silly performance style is underlined by real human truths. But aside from all the wisdom and beauty that is found in Sasamoto’s work, it’s also really funny. Perhaps that is why her public performance on the New York City Highline, ‘Food Rental,’ worked so well: though a certain art-centric crowd (including NY Mag art critic Jerry Saltz) was in attendance, there was also what seemed to be a gathering crowd of passing tourists. These people were perhaps not aware that they were witnessing the newest performance by one of the most important contemporary artists in the world, but they certainly laughed a lot. Click here to read the full review. Text and photos by Adam Lehrer

Three Rivers Is A Mysterious Fashion Film for Golden Goose Deluxe Brand's Fall Winter 2015 Collection

The mysterious new film for Venice, Italy based fashion brand Golden Goose Deluxe's Fall/Winter 2015 collection is set in the Sequoia National Park and stars Lauryn Holmquist, River Johnson, Sarah Elizabeth who play fashionable adventures that exist in a strange and shape-shifting reality. Directed by Marco Prestini, the film also features an original haunting score by Guido Smider. 

Read Our Conversation With the Last of the Great Actionists, Hermann Nitsch →

Photograph by Luci Lux

Herman Nitsch is considered the last of the great ‘Actionists.’ Together with fellow Austrian artists Günter Brus, Otto Mühl, Rudolf Schwarzkogler, he developed what would become one of the most violent and “depraved” artistic movements of the 20th century. In reaction to a complacent post-war society, Nitsch aimed for realism…shocking, brutal realism, which he insists is only a mirror to man’s own innate brutality and thirst for violence and defilement. His performances, which are held under the title of The Orgies Mysteries Theater, were so shocking and real, that he has been arrested multiple times and even exiled from his own country. His action performances, or “aktionens,” vary in length – sometimes they last several days – but they always convey a sense of pagan ritual, replete with human and animal sacrifices, copulation, blood drinking and bloodletting, disembowelment, intestines spilling from carcasses, dance, music, and audience participation. In one filmed performance, held in Germany in 1970, you can find Nitsch disemboweling a goat, removing the intestines, forcing participants to drink the blood, placing a female participant on a crucifix and then inserting his penis into her vagina through the entrails. Autre was fortunate enough to have a chat with Hermann Nitsch from his studio in Vienna – our conversation ranged from development of The Orgy Mystery Theater, how the artist embraces his work in the face of possible jail time, the success of his current show in Palermo and what he likes to do for fun. Click here to read the full conversation. 

Paddle 8 Benefit Auction Exhibition Organized by Marcel Dzama at David Zwirner Gallery in New York

Digital auctioneer Paddle 8, an agency that combines the high-octane excitement of an auction house with today’s most advanced technology, offered a dizzying selection of pieces last night at David Zwirner. Offering pieces by some of our favorite artists including Richard Prince, Chris Ofili, Oscar Murillo, Raymond Pettibon, Dustin Yellin, Dave Eggers, Enoc Perez, Suzan Frecon, and many more, A Benefit Auction for 826NYC drew a crowd of both powerful collectors looking to build on their collections as well as art students and lovers just looking for a reason to see a vast array of beautiful work. Click here to see our five favorite pieces from this auction. The exhibition and auction will run until July 31, 2015 at David Zwirner Gallery in New York and you can bid online here. text and photographs by Adam Lehrer 

DESIGNER J.W. ANDERSON RELEASES EXCLUSIVE PRINTS BY PHOTOGRAPHER IAN DAVID BAKER

J.W. Anderson is currently hosting an exclusive, online exhibition and print sale of photographs by English photographer Ian David Baker. Baker's intimate, black-and-white portraits and collages offer a rare glimpse into gay youth subculture of 1980s England. The 50 images displayed in the exhibit have been personally curated by designer Jonathan Anderson and selected from Baker's archive. Many of the negatives no longer exist, making these original prints the last remaining copies of Baker's early work. Visit J.W. Anderson's website to view the exhibition and purchase prints.

Read Our Intimate Text Interview With Exhibitionist and Performance Artist Alexandra Marzella →

Alexandra Marzella is an exhibitionist in the purist form – zits, bodily fluids, and armpit hair are all on full display. She is also beautiful, but eschews many of the expectations that society has for women: she rarely wears makeup, her eyebrows are unkempt and her selfies are the opposite of the countless duck face tragedies that bombard most social media feeds. Basically, she lets her freak flag fly and doesn’t give a fuck what you think. I first saw her perform at the Standard Hotel Miami back in December – in a little poolside bungalow – as part of an exhibition by Petra Collins presented by nightlife impresario André Saraiva. In a small, cramped room she writhed as she stripped naked, while getting water poured on her from friend, collaborator, and fellow artist India Menuez – Wet’s “Don’t Want to Be Your Girl” played in the background. It was exciting, erotic, strange and captivating – Marzella was not only stripping off her clothes, she was also stripping off parts of her soul and the audience was too close not to get splashed, which felt intrusive, but also incredibly viscerally engaging. It’s almost like Marzella has created a new form of art out of stripping. Indeed, Marzella, who is based in New York, is part of a new wave of young female artists that are using their youth, bodies, and femininity to say fuck you to the jock rapist culture that dominates the culture. Whatever she is doing, she should keep doing it. In the following text interview Marzella talks about her initial inclination to shun art, her time as a cheerleader and her take on nudity in performance art. Click here to read the interview. 

Read Our Convo With Composer and Musician Holly Herndon on The Future Of Dance Music →

Photograph by Maria Louceiro. 

Many people are quick to label San Francisco based musician and composer Holly Herndon a “futuristic” artist, but the truth of the matter is that she may actually more present than many other artists that are working in electronic music genre. Present in the sense of her intentions and her use of the tools of our time. It is the music of the future imagined ten or fifteen years ago when composers were still primitively discovering and harnessing the power that computers can offer in terms of the construction of music. Moreover, Herndon is coming to the electronic music genre with a scholarly background and a deep understanding about the processes of music – after leaving Tennessee for the Berlin club scene where she immersed herself in the sounds of that culture, she received her degree from Mills College in Oakland. She studied under the likes of John Bischoff, James Fei, Maggi Payne, and Fred Frith. This year, Herndon saw the release of Platorm on the 4AD label. It is her second official album and it is being lauded by critics across the board. Autre was lucky enough to catch up with Herndon for a convo – she discusses the state of club music, her early experiences as a choir girl growing up the South, and her blurring of the line between academia and pop music. Click here to read the full conversation.  

Here Are Ten Things You Need To Know About Elio Fiorucci Who Passed Away On Monday At the Age of 80 →

This Monday, the fashion world was saddened to hear of the death of Italian designer Elio Fiorucci. Known as “The King of Jeans,” the Milanese designer’s raunchy, colorful fashions “sold America back to America.” His kitschy, recycled style broke the harsh, conservative boundaries of haute-couture, gaining international popularity with his low-cost materials and everyday fashions. The Fiorucci name was a staple in the jet-set world of youth and alternative culture in the New Wave era. However, despite fame and acclaim, poor management and legal issues separated Fiorucci from his brand into the 21st century. Interior design guru Rossana Orlandi said Fiorucci was “the point of reference for an entire generation.” Giorgio Armani called him “revolutionary.” Fiorucci recently celebrated his 80th birthday. Click here to read ten things you need to know about Elio Fiorucci. 

"Tiger Tiger" Group Show At Salon 94 in New York

Salon 94 presents Tiger Tiger, a summer group exhibition. Tiger Tiger features work from Michael Assiff, Jules de Balincourt, Brian Belott, Katherine Bernhardt, Karin Gulbran, Shara Hughes, Marc Hundley, Misaki Kawai, Makiko Kudo, Nikki Maloof, Ryan Mrozowski, David Benjamin Sherry, Yutaka Sone, and Paul Swenbeck. The exhibition includes plastic on canvas works by Michael Assiff, counterfeit children’s art by Brian Belott, ceramics by Karin Gulbran and Paul Swenbeck, metal sculpture by Yutaka Sone, and more. The exhibition will be on view until August 21, 2015 at Salon 94 Bowery in New York. 

Read Our Interview With Director Stevan Riley and Rebecca Brando On A New Documentary That Explores Her Father's Life In His Own Poetic Words →

Marlon Brando may be the most famous and iconic movie actor that ever lived, but he may also be the most misunderstood. In his younger years, he was handsome and brilliant and celebrated. He bulldozed his way through each flicker and celluloid frame with supernova luminance. The ladies loved him, and men wanted to be him. However, there is a side to Brando that many people have never seen before. A side that they will soon get to see in a rare, intimate documentary that culls together over 200 hours of his personal voice memos that the actor kept throughout his life. Recently, Autre got a chance to speak with Stevan Riley, as well as Brando’s own daughter, Rebecca Brando, about her collaboration on the documentary and how she would like her father to be remembered. Click here to read the interview. 

Lorn's New Music Video Features Cheerleaders In the Afterlife

Directed by Julian Flores, Pavel Brenner and Sherif R.Alabede of Los Angeles based film collective Room 113, the new music video for mysterious musical artist Lorn's track Acid Rain, features a squad of cheerleaders who emerge from the wreckage of a vintage convertible and dance their way through the naugahyde booths and kitchen of an old 50s diner.