Sandra‘s Closet

While being in Seoul for the Frieze Art Fair, I was invited by MCM to explore The Upcycle Project, a 20-piece exhibit by British-Nigerian artist Yinka Ilori, who is known for his playful design approach, at the MCM HAUS Flagship in Seoul.

Through emotion and perspective, the pieces in this collection converge at the junction of fashion and contemporary art. A true reflection of Ilori’s signature approach, the collaboration thrives on diverse color motifs, architecture, and spaces to encourage visitors to see new perspectives.

(Part 1) «There is Good in All of Us» on then ground floor of the store features an assortment of 10 renewed chairs that incorporate unused Visetos materials. By repurposing and revitalizing materials, the collaboration highlights the importance of environmental consciousness and responsible consumption.

«Complementing each artwork is a kaleidoscope, enticing visitors into a dance of colors and patterns.»
— Yinka Ilori

(Part 2) «Looking at Me», the latter half of the exhibit on the third floor of the shop, features a mix of Ilori’s older works alongside new ones from his most recent collection. The first six chairs reflect Ilori’s memories of growing up in London as a British Nigerian and explores heritage, culture and family.

The next four (from a new collection titled «All of Us») are bolder, more unapologetic and expressive to capture Ilori’s coming of age as an artist and designer.

«It’s an invitation to delve deeper, to discover the beauty beneath the overt, signifying an unending cycle of growth, balance, and rejuvenation.»
— Yinka Ilori

The pieces are on display at the MCM HAUS Flagship Store in Seoul from 4 September until 22 October, 2023. All works of art can be purchased at MCM HAUS, Seoul, after 22 October, 2023. For more information, please click here.

MCM HAUS
412 Apgujeong-ro, Gangnam-gu
Seoul, South Korea
11am- 8pm
+82 2-540-1404

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht
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At the WWD Art Gala in Seoul, I had the pleasure to sit next to Mike Winkelmann a.k.a. Beeple, digital artist and graphic designer, that you should definitely know. Based in Charleston, SC, USA, he does a variety of digital artwork including short films, Creative Commons VJ loops, everydays and VR / AR work. After he began releasing a set of widely used Creative Commons VJ loops he has worked on concert visuals for Justin Bieber, One Direction, Katy Perry, Nicki Minaj, Eminem, Zedd, deadmau5 and many more.

«BEEPLE is mike winkelmann
he makes a variety of art crap across a variety of media. some of it is ok, but a lot of it kind of blows ass. he’s working on making it suck less everyday though so bear with him… :)»

One of the originators of the current «everyday» movement in 3D graphics, he has been creating a picture everyday from start to finish and posting it online for over ten years without missing a single day. His Instagram account @beeple_crap is absolutely worth following – 2.3 million people would agree on that.

On 1 May 2007, he posted a new work of art online. He did the same thing the next day and the next, and the next one after that, creating and posting a brand-new digital picture, or «everyday» as he called it, every single day for 13-and-a-half years. Now those individual pieces have been brought together in EVERYDAYS: THE FIRST 5000 DAYS, a unique work in the history of digital art. This monumental collage was the first purely digital artwork (NFT) ever offered at Christie’s. EVERYDAYS: THE FIRST 5000 DAYS sold online for $69,346,250.

Beeple (b. 1981), EVERYDAYS: THE FIRST 5000 DAYS, 2021. Non-fungible token (jpg). 21,069 x 21,069 pixels (319,168,313 bytes). Minted on 16 February 2021. Sold for $69,346,250 in a single lot sale concurrently with First Open.

Beeple in Fashion

Apparently, Nicolas Ghesquière, Louis Vuitton Creative Director, was thinking of using some futuristic landscapes for the Maison’s S/S 2019 ready-to-wear collection. Florent Buonomano, Louis Vuitton Artistic Director, then initially approached Beeple after noticing his work on Instagram and brought several of his designs to the attention of Ghesquière. Nine of the «Everydays» pieces were selected and adapted on 13 of the 45 pieces being shown in the Louis Vuitton S/S 2019 collection, mainly on shirts, jackets, and dresses.

When the collection debuted during Paris Fashion Week at The Louvre Museum in Paris, Mike Winkelmann and his wife, with whom he is together since 15 years, attended the show and were impressed themselves to see the digital artwork on the clothing.

Mike Winkelmann has an amazing success story, but he is still down to earth,  and very easy to talk to. The guy from next door. Bravo!

Below you can find some of his recent works that I really love!

LoL, Sandra

He posted this right after the trip to Seoul: JETLAG

FAMILY

X IS COMING

WORLDCOIN

NEW COOL THING

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht, © Louis Vuitton and © Beeple
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I just got back from Seoul, South Korea after an amazing week. One of my highlights was the WWD Art Gala that took place at my Hotel Josun Palace.
Hosted by WWD Korea and parallel to the opening of Frieze Seoul, this illustrious event celebrated the vibrant and diverse world of art and fashion, while honoring the achievements of remarkable artists across all genres, collectors, curators, and art enthusiasts. This year’s gala featured captivating ballet performances  and several live acts, while fostering cultural exchange, and providing a platform to connect with luminaries in the creative communities of art, culture, entertainment and fashion.

The curated exhibition on display presented beautiful artworks for the live auction hosted by the famous Simon de Pury, captivating performances, an elegant cocktail reception and a gastronomically delightful dinner. I tried really hard to get one work but got outbidding by the wonderful Mrs Sung-joo Kim, who is the founder, chairwoman and chief visionary officer of the Sungjoo Group and MCM Holding AG.

Sun-joo Kim with my humble self at the gala. Such an inspiring woman.

«Women are often discriminated by age, especially in Asia. I am trying to represent a new kind of trendy woman, who is not victimized by fashion but rules over it!»
– SUN-JOO KIM.

The culmination of the night was the announcement of the winner of the Art Prize of the Year. Personally speaking, it was a great opportunity to engage with fellow art connoisseurs, meet amazing artists and collectors, forge meaningful connections, and immerse myself in the beauty and creativity that Korea has to offer, while supporting the arts.

Please enjoy my impressions of the night. I already marked my calendar for 2024!

LoL, Sandra

Most stunning floral decoration at the gala by LA based floral artist Gina Kim Park.

With wonderful Yuna Kim, CEO & Publisher WWD Korea

Live auction by Simon de Pury.

I sat next to digital artist Mike Winkelmann, alias Beeple, who sold «Everydays: The First 5000 Days,» an NFT-linked digital collage at Christie’s for $69.3 million two years ago.

And yes, we had a lot of fun!

With my dear friend Susan Shin, Art Advisor to WWD Korea, who helped organizing the event, and Jamie QQ Wu.

From left to right: Yuna Kim, a guest, my humble self, Kim Robson Ortiz, Amy Kim Young, Kim Heirston, Susan Shin and a guest.

Always inspiring Nataliya Pissarro.

With artist Dustin Yellin, who wore a traditional festive Korean outfit.

Amazing goodie bag with lots of Korean beauty products!

Photos: Courtesy of WWD Korea, © Sandra Bauknecht and Photo of me at photo wall: @photo_hola_
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This was one of my favorite encounters this week while being in South Korea. I met artist and curator Hilde Lynn Helphenstein, known for the popular Instagram art meme account @JerryGogosian, to talk conceptual art, including her work «Neo-Narcissus» at the PhillipsX exhibition «Briefly Gorgeous» in Seoul.

The «Briefly Gorgeous» exhibition has been curated in collaboration with Joan Tucker, and sponsored in part by Hanwha Life. Featuring work by over 30 international artists, this exhibition presents an exciting blend of talents from a new generation such as Susan Chen, Hilde Lynn Helphenstein, Yoora Lee, Se Oh, Kaifan Wang, and Ho Jae Kim; alongside art historical titans such as Hernan Bas, Alexander Calder, David Hockney, Scott Kahn, and Yayoi Kusama.

«There is no collecting art without social media anymore.»
— HILDE LYNN HELPHENSTEIN

The notion of impermanence in beauty is a poignant reminder that nothing lasts forever. By showcasing the dynamic interplay between these fearless new voices and established luminaries, this exhibition prompts us to reflect on the significance of embracing beauty in its transitory forms, while  remaining true to our own principles and values. It encourages us to recognize that true beauty lies beyond fleeting trends and external judgments, and that our own standards and beliefs can shape our appreciation of the ever-changing world around us. Briefly Gorgeous serves as an enduring testament to the profound understanding of beauty’s temporality.

It was a true pleasure talking to Hilde Lynn. She explained that bringing this one sculpture to life has been a «wild mission». She found the original photograph of the statue of narcissist that sits in the Louvre. And then on Instagram she found someone to draw that sculpture but change it the way she wanted it to. «Neo-Narcissus» is her largest and most complicated physical work that she has ever exhibited. The price for this amazing sculpture is approximately $150.000.

Hilde Lynn said: «It seems as our relationship with technology develops and we become more intertwined with it every day deeper and deeper, this warning seems to be disappearing. Even in the ’90s, ’80s, ’70s, things were considered beautiful multi-dimensionally, because a person had beautiful personality or they gave a lot to charity, or they helped others, there was something about their being, that made them lovelier. Because today we live with technology, that is alienating and dividing us, and then reflecting back, not just our own image constantly, but an unreal artificial version, there is an implication of ugliness in that. But it is very hard to parse, because there are some people who fall somewhere into it, some people are deep and some people are watching it trepadaciously happen. Some people are like me and go «OMG that is awesome, OMG no its is not,» they go back and forth with it.»

Songwon Art Center
75, Yunposun-gil, Jongno-gu,
Seoul, 03061, Korea (map)

Viewing
1-9 September 2023
Open daily: 10am – 6pm

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht
DISCLOSURE: We may earn commission from links on this page, but I only recommend products I love. Promise!

While being in Seoul, Prada presents the tenth iteration of Prada Mode, Plural and Parallel, at cultural venue KOTE, to coincide with Frieze.

Curated by Lee Sook-Kyung, the space showcases multiple site-specific installations by esteemed directors Kim Jee-Woon, Yeon Sang-ho, and Jeong Dahee, advancing an ambitious vision of contemporary cinema through each director’s idiosyncratic lens.

Lee Sook-Kyung

Lee Sook-Kyung is a curator, lecturer, writer, and the Director of the Whitworth, University of Manchester, UK. Dr. Lee began her career as Exhibitions & Displays Curator at Tate Liverpool, before working as Senior Curator of International Art at Tate Modern, where she curated a number of key exhibitions and headed a major research initiative, Hyundai Tate Research Centre: Transnational. She later cemented her global profile as the Commissioner and Curator of the Korean Pavilion at the 56th Venice Biennale in 2015. Active in the world of contemporary art curation for 28 years, she has played a leading role in the organization of groundbreaking exhibitions, broadening global perspectives and raising the profile of Asian art—particularly Korean art—across the world. Dr. Lee also served as the Artistic Director of the 14th Gwangju Biennale, which ran from April to July 2023 in Korea, and has recently been appointed as the Curator of the Japan Pavilion at the 60th Venice Biennale in 2024.

The Installations
KOTE is a cultural space for creators crossing boundaries. Originally built as a furniture craft store in 1964, the space served as the birthplace of countless stories and memories. For Prada Mode Seoul, KOTE is transformed into a multi-dimensional destination where guests can explore the different universes on offer. Across KOTE’s multiple buildings, the three directors bring their visions to life, brought into conversation by Lee Sook-Kyung and spanning questions of culinary culture, absence, and mortality. Guests are able to move from space to space, experiencing the full depth and richness of each.

LoL, Sandra

The Shadows of Faded Old Love

Hellbound

Paper, Light, Ghost

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht and © Prada
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Greetings from Seoul where I arrived last night to immediately attend the ARTIVIST‘s Inaugural Exhibition, the opening reception «Spooky Portals» by Dustin Yellin, followed by an intimate dinner at Raum East.

I love Dustin’s works. The Brooklyn-based artist tells stories that weave together the diverse forces of nature and technology. Through his multidisciplinary body of work, which includes object making, painting and animation, Yellin draws attention to the interconnectivity of all beings and things. His approach tunnels across traditionally siloed fields so as to crystallize the idea that both the human world, and all other worlds around us, are a collection of enmeshed networks – even if many are hidden.

Yellin’s glass works in particular is absolutely spectacular. Paint and images clipped from various print media are embedded within laminated glass sheets to form grand pictographic allegories, invite viewers to engage with the legions of their own consciousness and its embodied emotions, as well as that of our collective society and its infrastructures.

Yellin is the founder and director of Pioneer Works, a multidisciplinary cultural center that builds community through the arts and sciences. The artist balances descriptive poetry with a prescriptive social practice so as to span new ways of seeing and being, and build a bridge to a more holistic world.

With art collector Kim Robson Ortiz and Walker Waugh at the exhibition opening.

Dustin’s first Asia solo exhibition is open until October 21, 2023 at  27 Dosan-daero 67-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul.

With artist Dustin Yellin at dinner.

Enjoy some impressions of last night! I am here one week, so lots of interesting things will be coming up!

LoL, Sandra

Amazing dinner location in Seoul at Raum East.

Great dinner conversation with Mr. Song, who snapped away my favorite art piece. Congrats!

Great success of the night. Amy Kim is happy.

With lovely Payal Shah, founder of L’Dezen.

With Korean actor Lee JunHyuk, Susan Shin and Payal Shah.

Great night among great people. From left to right: My humble self, Amy Kim, Dustin Yellin, Susan Shin, Walker Waugh and Payal Shah.

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht
DISCLOSURE: We may earn commission from links on this page, but I only recommend products I love. Promise!

A CHANEL ambassador since 2017, Blackpink’s JENNIE is the new face of the CHANEL 22 bag. To embody the mini version of CHANEL’s latest bag, the Korean singer, an iconic K-Pop artist celebrated worldwide, leads Inez & Vinoodh through the streets of Seoul.

Alongside Lily-Rose Depp, Margaret Qualley and Whitney Peak – who bring the tote and backpack versions of the CHANEL 22 bag to life – the campaign continues to make the codes of pop culture resonate with those of the House. For this fourth episode, Inez & Vinoodh have created an original story based around JENNIE’s own tastes and personality. The Korean capital is the latest backdrop following on from Los Angeles, Palm Springs and New York.

JENNIE is a woman of her time. She interprets it in a manner that is both singular and universal: «Inez & Vinoodh call me ‘My Girl’. It’s comforting because they see me as a young woman, not just «JENNIE» in the spotlight. As a member of BLACKPINK, I’m constantly in the spotlight, but these images are an accurate representation of who I really am.»

JENNIE represents the modernity of the CHANEL 22 bag. The style of a cosmopolitan and vibrant youth, capturing the beat of the world. My favorite version for this summer season is this one in denim. I am completely obsessed with it!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: CHANEL – Inez and Vinoodh #CHANEL22 #CHANELHandbags
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My trip to Seoul was so amazing and I have so much to show you. Today, I want to introduce you to the popular Korean fashion brand Stylenanda and their stunning Pink Hotel in Myeongdong, the city’s famous shopping district. It is not actually a hotel even that it looks like one, it is a shopping haven on six levels of surprises. Imagine a spice of Grand Budapest Hotel meeting a 50’s housewife or let me better say princess vibe.

When you enter the narrow shopping street, the powder-pink facade already stands out. The hotel-themed flagship store is no doubt a must visit stop if you are heading to Seoul anytime soon.

Level 1: Lobby

Styled to look like a hotel lobby with hotel room keys on the wall and a bed hanging from the ceiling, you are welcomed by the staff behind a little concierge desk to a beauty shopping experience.

Level 2: Spa

A makeup room for the ladies with a row of mirrors and vanity basins in the middle that invite to try their large selection of beauty products. The highlight at the end of the corridor is a flower filled bathtub.

Level 3: Rooms

But most importantly what’s a hotel without hotel rooms? On this level, Stylenanda’s apparel can be found along a corridor with rooms on both sides. At the end, you can rest on the sofa area and try shoes on that are all displayed on the shelves just next to it. Here you can get a better view of the bed hanging from the ceiling as well.

Level 4: Laundry Room

Here you can find more clothing, denim and a large selection of accessories from hats, socks, and jewelry. I adore how the stacked laundry machines are giving the impression of a real laundry shop with all the detergent and washing powders displayed on the shelves.

Level 5: Pool

Here comes the best! A pretend pool with a real cafe that looks like it jumped out of a ’50s movie with its blue and pink tiles, outdoor chairs and tables with umbrellas to protect you from the sun. In the shower cabin, you can try the clothes.

Rooftop: Terrace

In case you need a rest after all these photo-taking and shopping options of the 5 floors, I recommend taking a break at the pink rooftop terrace. Snuggle in the giant pillows thrown all over and enjoy the view over Seoul’s skyline.

Address:
66-2, Chungmuro 2-ga, Jung-gu, Seoul Korea
서울특별시 중구 충무로2가 66-2
Opening hours: 11:00am~11:00pm
Phone: +82-(0)2-752-4546
Website: stylenanda.com

By the way, Stylenanda opened their second «hotel» in Bangkok last November.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

If you are following me on Instagram, you know already that I spent the last week in South Korea. It was an amazing trip and I am filled with great memories that I cannot wait to share with you. Here you see me on the streets of Seoul in an ensemble by my friend Ukrainian-born, London-based designer Natasha Zinko that I adore a lot.

My look: Zip front hooded jacket, matching track pants, and plaid and denim bustier top, all by Natasha Zinko, ribbed stretch-cotton jersey tank by Les Girls Les Boys, graffiti-print backpack by Chanel, baseball cap with NY Yankees™ patch and aviator-style metal sunglasses, both by Gucci, Cloudbust logo-embossed rubber and leather-trimmed mesh sneakers by Prada, and teddy bear necklace by Dolce & Gabbana.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht