Happy Bunny Times

'Anything for Her' by Fred Cavaye - in cinemas accross the UK from 5th of June!

‘Anything for Her’ (running title in French – Pour Elle) revolves around the lives of a married couple Julien (Vincent Lindon) and Lisa (Diane Kruger). As Lisa is wrongly imprisoned for a murder, Julien goes against the system and comes up with an escape plan. He uses an escaped prisoner and bestselling author as a consultant and manages to keep the plan a secret even from his closest family. Lisa herself has no idea about the plan and is very surprised to see how far can a loving man go.

Fre Cavaye, director of the film, explained that idea belongs to Guillaume Lemans. ‘A man decides to help his wife, victim of miscarriage of justice, to escape from prison and to fight against this cruel blow of fate that has separated him from the woman he loves. He has the choice to give in or to fight back and attempt everything possible, even if that means breaking the law, to get back the relationship, the family life, the wife he loves,” he said.

The film talks about unconditional love and the crimes of passion. With constant moral dilemmas about what is ‘right’ and ‘wrong’, ‘good’ and ‘bad’ the creators play with actors and manipulate viewers. It is a dark but very real loves story and any woman could only dream about such a strong man by her side. While Lisa gives up several times during her years in prison and even considers suicide, Julien stands by her no matter what and fights for both of them.

With some unexpected twists and considerably happy ending, I would describe ‘Anything for Her’ as ‘very French’. One might agree or disagree with the ethical side of the story, however, it definitely leaves one thinking about it. It is a film that forms an opinion and doesn’t make one ignorant.

The Happy Bunny was a little bit disappointed how stupidly Lisa got caught for a crime she did not commit. It seems the creators tried to make the film too real and but lost the spark somewhere half-way thorough. Blinking three out of five times but just because it was Vincent Lindon not Jean Reno (il est très sexy).

In cinemas across the UK from the 5th of June!

Special thanks to Emfoundation!

Text: Marina Scukina

From Galliano’s Warriors, photographed by Nick Knight, styled by Simon Foxton. Published in Arena Homme Plus, Summer/Autumn 2007

The modern climate encourages creative industries to collaborate and more and more successful projects are born breaking the boundaries.

The Photographer’s Gallery is no exception and this summer will present an exhibition ‘When You’re a Boy’ that focuses on men’s fashion stylist Simon Foxton’s work.

The showcase will include work of such photographers as Nick Knight, Jason Evans and Alasdair McLellan and Foxton’s range of photographic prints, scrapbooks and image installation produced while working with John Balsom, Donald Christie and others. The stylist raises the questions of definitions of masculinity, national identity and taste while capturing menswear’s spirit and energy.

Foxton, known for his witty and often provocative approach, anticipated and defined key shifts in menswear design since the early 1980s. Historic portrait iconography and classic English men’s tailoring are combined with contemporary sportswear design, street fashion and references to gay subcultures to produce sophisticated and innovative fashion images for a range of brands and magazines.

The exhibition ‘When You’re a Boy’ runs 17 July – 4 October but while you wait visit the current exhibition ‘The Photographic Object’ that explores the ambiguous space between two and three dimensions by such international artists as Maurizio Anzeri, Walead Beshty, Annette Kelm, Gerhard Richter, Alina Szapocznikow, Wolfgang Tillmans, Andy Warhol and Catherine Yass.

The Photographer’s Gallery
16 – 18 Ramillies Street
London
W1F 7LW

If you are under 20 and enjoyed (or absolutely hated) Tormented movie and know a clever how to say it, enter the write-a-Tormented-review competition via their official blog.

Less than a week left! Deadline 31st of May!

(via Twitter @TormentedBlog)

Tormented in cinemas accross the UK now | Image from blog.tormentedthemovie.com

The Happy Bunny, inspired by Alice Instone’s shoes, put on heels and went for a domestic walk around the town. Some may know that the Happy Bunny is the world’s clumsiest creature, so for no reason the bunny slipped and broke the heel.

The shoe is broken | Image © Marina Scukina

But Happy Bunny did not panic. As soon as the bunny got home, DIY begun and after a few magic strokes with a super-glue brush, the shoe was fixed! Magic!

Read the rest of this entry »

Hall of Mountains by George Morris

There’s less than a week left to see George Morris’s solo show at Schwartz Gallery.

‘The installation ‘Hall of Mountains’ was created specifically for the Schwartz Gallery space: the archetypal mountain as both form and concept, data coordinates and physical place, is collapsed, rationalized then reconstituted throughout the gallery space using a combination of 3D computer modelling, architectural print, sculpture, illumination and sound.’

Until 31st of May
Fri-Sun 12-5pm
Special late night opening: Thursday 7th May 6 – 9pm

Address:
White Post Quay
92 White Post Lane
London, E9 5EN

For more information visit Schwartz Gallery website.

A New Class of Terror: Tormented

Even though Happy Bunny is not a big fan of horror movies or any visual material that includes violence (except for gangster films, of course), we braved ourselves and went to watch the latest teenage zombie horror comedy – Tormented.

The plotline is simple – a bullied school kid (the cool gang refers to him as Shrek) commits suicide then rises from the dead to kill his predators. Not quite From Dusk Till Dawn, not quite Dead Set but still enough blood and unexpected moments.

The story in Tormented is predictable but can still be enjoyable as long as one keeps the mind open. Happy Bunny spent most of the premier hiding behind a friend’s back but noticed a few very important details. For a teenage drama Tormented had very neatly presented sex scenes with an emphasis on the use of condoms (Durex could learn from them). Yes, sex sells, but safe sex sells even better. Also the film promotes ‘bullying is bad, mkey’ concept that is incorporated as anti-bullying week at school.

Overall Tormented was filled with swearing, nudity, blood and very English humour. Happy Bunny believes that ending is the most important part of the film and in Tormented all expectations regarding the grand finale were fulfilled. The film might not be an intelligent challenge but is a good way to celebrate the end of academic year.

Professional cast, imaginative deaths and beautiful camera work – Happy Bunny blinks his eyes 4 out of 5 times.

A new class of terror ‘Tormented’ by Jon Wright in cinemas across the UK now.

Special thanks to Emfoundation!

Text: Marina Scukina

Alice Instone (on the left) with a friend | Image © Marina Scukina

Last week a team of Happy Bunnies put on their heels, layers of make-up and marched to the Beach Blanket Babylon for an ‘Interview with a shoe’ where London-based artist Alice Instone presented her latest collection of portraits – in this case – paintings of shoes.

More than 20 portraits of celebrity and not-so-celebrity shoes were displayed at the exhibition and revealed intimate hints of such contemporary icons as Annie Lennox, Elle Macpherson, Cherie Blair, Baroness Neuberger Alice Temperley, Bianca Jagger Alexander McQueen, Shami Chakrabarti, Nicole Farhi, Sir David Hare, Lord Woolf, Laura Bailey and others.

‘I think shoes have got that something sacred about them.,’ Alice Instone told our Fashion Bunny Kristin Knox. ‘They’ve also got that real fetish side as well, which I tried to capture with the prints and the sculptures.’

Instone’s paintings work as a connecting platform between art and fashion. They form a bridge between two opposites. ‘Art is meant to be something that lasts forever and obviously the whole idea of fashion is that it is ever changing,’ Alice says.

Alice Instone's exhibition 'Interview with a Shoe' runs until 3rd of June | Image © Marina Scukina

‘It’s kind of ironic, on the one hand, we are criticizing sculptures, on the other, we are selling sculptures and hopefully tempting looking paintings celebrating shoes,’ she adds.

Even though shoes are more of a girl-thing, Alice painted some of the male shoes, including Pope’s slippers. However, the artist admits her work is often feminism orientated.

‘A lot of my work is about women–ideas of gender, power and general contemporary cultural values. And as I have been painting all these powerful women I got interested in the shoes they were wearing. It’s amazing how much those shoes say about them it made me want to do some portraits of pairs of shoes,’ she says.

The Happy Bunny was inspired by Alice Instone’s work and beautiful shoes, thus spent most of the evening crawling on the floor and capturing photos of other’s footwear.

‘You’re not really expressing yourself when you put on a pair of trainers,’ says the artist.

Lord Wolf and his father's shoes | Image © Marina Scukina

Read the full interview with Alice Instone by The Clothes Whisperer here.

The exhibition runs until 3rd of June at Beach Blanket Babylon, Shoreditch.

Beach Blanket Babylon East
19-23 Bethnal Green Rd
Shoreditch
London
E1 6LA

Special thanks to Consolidated PR!

Text: Marina Scukina

To see more shoes follow the link!

Read the rest of this entry »

Unseen Guy Bourdin at The Wapping Project | Image © Nicholas Harvey

While people of the Fashion Planet and Johnny Blueeyes’s groupies make their way from one party to another, the critics and artists seek inspiration in one of the greatest 20st century’s fashion photographer’s work. Exhibition at The Wapping Project: Unseen Guy Bourdin.

Nicolle Meyer poses in front of Guy Bourdin's photograph of her | Image © Nicholas Harvey

Guy Bourdin, born and raised in Paris, was an author of iconic pictures. The exhibition Unseen features 32 images collected from over three decades of his creative work. In many Nicolle Meyer – also known as his muse – can be recognised.

‘I had no idea I was being called muse,’ she claims and explains that title was achieved after Bourdin’s death in 1991, when the model compiled ‘A Message For You’ book. She worked with Guy for three ‘very intense’ years at the very peak of his career – untypical long period for him.

‘The legend goes he was very difficult person to work with,’ Meyer says and adds that ‘he was very particular, very sure of what he wanted to do’.

Nicolle reveals she and Bourdin had special chemistry between them. ‘Subconsciously when you work with someone who’s so talented it somehow influences the way you view things. He’s part of my life, my mystery,’ she says.

‘It was the past and now it has become the future as well. Images I did with him are now in contemporary culture and you see people who are influence by his work, who pick up on his elements. I feel like a part of larger picture. I feel like a part of the history,’ the model reveals.

‘The images are technically also astonishing, given that they were taken before the era of digital photography and retouching and were shot on 35mm transparencies,’ says Jules Wright, director of The Wapping Project.

Unseen Guy Bourdin exhibition can be viewed at The Wapping Project until 4th of July.

The Wapping Project
Wapping Hydraulic Power Station
Wapping Wall
Lonodn
E1W 3ST

Special thanks to Camron PR!

Text: Marina Scukina

Dear Happy Fashion Bunnies,

Futuristic: As seen at Holly Fulton | Image © Kristin Knox

Our first ever issue of Happy Bunny Times comes at an awkward time for us fashion bunnies. Just as the London gloom has finally lifted, luring us out of our dark little overpriced holes that we call flats and finally splash out on some new summertime duds, the fashion world is already well into next winter. The autumn/winter shows are long over, the shooting season (not rabbit, of course) is in full swing and editors are putting the final touches on their big September issues. So the piece of wisdom I would like to impart to you today is, while the temptation to plunge head first into the bright chiffoned, light-weight cottoned delights of the High Street and beyond upon the rare occasion of thermometer creeping towards 30 may seem irresistible: don’t. With new merchandise already pushing last season’s daisies in store windows and displays, you know the sales are in the air. But for all you bright eyed, bushy tailed bunnies who can’t wait for the chaos to be unleashed at Harrods in July and you must shop the full-priced rails, here’s are three LFW autumn/winter ’09 trends which, Gulf Stream permitting, you’ll be able to wear comfortably throughout the summer months and into the fall making happy bunnies of us all!

Xoxo,
The Fashion Bunny

The wide-leg jumpsuit: as seen at Nico D | Image © Kristin Knox

1 Bunny: Futuristic. As seen at Holly Fulton (pictured), Topshop Unique, Gareth Pugh, Pam Hogg, Balmain and more. Sequins, spandex and metallics, how can you resist? Slipping into one of Pam Hogg’s hot trekkie one pieces is like actualizing your avatar. Since the zeitgeist of the future seems to leave very little to the imagination, summer breezes may be more favorable anyway. Star Trek has been the surprise summer blockbuster, after all, so why don’t you satortially go where no women has gone before.

2 Bunnies: The wide-leg jumpsuit. As seen at Nico D (pictured), Chloe, Sonia Rykiel and YSL. Yes the jumpsuit is here to stay, for another season at least. And this makes me a very happy bunny. But this fall, they’re going super wide legged, a sophisticated, breezy look perfect for cool summer London nights. Scoop up one in a bold, bright color and team with some funky wedges. Or go for black and jazz it up with chunky white accessories.

3 Bunnies: Printed silk. As seen at Basso&Brooke (pictured), Etro, Pucci, Pucci, Jonathan Saunders, Marios Schwab and more. They’re pretty, they’re timeless, they can be styled a million ways. Pretty patterned silk prints are seasonless—team with with lightweight leather or a denim jacket and some great sandals for summer, and layer with knits, blazers and boots in the fall.

Printed silk: as seen at Basso&Brooke | Image © Kristin Knox

'Awaydays' is bitter, awkward and beautiful, it is a punch right in the stomach.

Someone shot nostalgia in the back,
Someone shot our innocence
(Bauhaus ¨Who killed Mr. Moonlight?¨)

Are you old enough to believe that being young is anywhere close to being easy? Pat Holden’s new movie Awaydays (2009) offers a powerful reminder about the fact that entering the adult life and clashing with its realities tends to be a traumatic experience and about the way this entrance determines us as grown-ups.

We see neatly combed Carty’s way through rites of passage he chooses in order to prove that he is able to be part of the tribe, is able to paint his face in our colors and attack the enemy. Awaydays is set in Liverpool during late 70’s and the tribe he so wants to belong to is a gang of football hooligans called The Pack. He gets his opportunity when Elvis, the ultimate style icon and soul of The Pack, approaches him. Carty is utterly happy, his first awayday changes his life – it is real, it is physical, it is clear which side to take. This thrill and simplicity is totally different from anything he has ever experienced. Life ends up being easy, there is a matrix to feel good and accepted, feel like on the top of the world. The only thing he can’t understand is why Elvis keeps talking about leaving this, why he craves escape, way out of the world where there is nothing below the surface of beer, football, sex, drugs and mates you go to fight together with.

Awaydays is heavy loaded with content not appropriate for children – there is alcohol and substance abuse, smoking, sex, violence, rock’n'roll, lack of moral grounds and right answers. Exactly, just like in reality. The reality that parents cannot grasp even if willing to and that is so crucial – or at least that is what we think – to our survival.

Also, Awaydays take a close-up of masculinity in already post-modern (and post punk) society, quest for fitting gender roles and expression of one’s sexuality.

Production team, headed by producer David A. Hughes and writer, author of the novel Awaydays (1998) on which the script is based, Kevin Sampson, have managed to perfectly recreate the air of late 70´s being scrupulous about every last detail, including maybe even too impeccable emulation of original Liverpool Look (wedge haircut, Fred Perry or Lacoste t-shirt, Lois jeans and bright clean Adidas) and mind-blowing soundtrack that will haunt you for days after seeing the movie. And no wonder, because it features tunes from The Cure, Echo & The Bunnymen, Ultravox!, Joy Division, The Rascals and other landmark bands that made Liverpool music scene after The Beatles alive and possible.

This movie brings up ambiental flashbacks, feeling of already seen rock’n'roll cult movies like Trainspotting (1996), Velvet Goldmine (1998), 24 Hour Party People (2002) and Control (2007). Awaydays is stylish till perfection and the soundtrack is a pleasure that goes even beyond that.

This is not a love song, this is not a feel good movie – Awaydays is bitter, awkward and beautiful, it is a punch right in the stomach. And after seeing it you wish to turn louder your Joy Division and ask for more.

Text: Luīze Ratniece