Issue link: http://papercitymagazine.uberflip.com/i/1471748
OBSESSIONS. DECORATION. SALIENT FACTS. H e's equal parts poet, p e r f o r m a n c e a r t i s t , drawing master, and conceptual talent who free- ranges across a multitude of media. So, when international artist Andrea Bianconi reached a creative impasse in 2016, he intuitively slowed down and gave in to the universe. His specific response to an artistic block one day in his studio in Vicenza, Italy, was to take a seat — in an antique chair that once belonged to his grandmother — and wait for inspiration to come for his next creative endeavor. And just like that, his next project was born: Sit Down To Have an Idea. Bianconi's concept for our 24/7-connected world is to indulge in quiet time, think of the big ideas in one's life, and reset our world. The artist translated his eureka moment into roving performances throughout Italy, unveiling in Bologna during the city's Arte Fiera festival, where it was activated in 24 places around the city with the public invited to contemplatively rest in armchairs. After Bologna, Bianconi installed his chairs emblazoned with the text "Sit Down To Have an Idea" in al fresco locations around Italy — on the Cima Carega mountaintop in the Dolomite region, in the picturesque village of Colletta di Castelbianco in Liguria, along the Tyrrhenian coast in Tropea, and atop a medieval tower in the village of Chiampo. Next, a book was born, Andrea Bianconi: La Sentinella (The Sentinel), published last September by Italian art press Vanilla Edizioni, pairing Bianconi's performances with the chairs and his drawings, alongside images documenting the project by four photojournalists. Soon international Italian furniture brand Luxy came calling, collaborating with Bianconi to translate his project into two chair collections, each produced in an edition of 100. The chairs, Biga and Italia by Favaretto & Partners, which both bear Bianconi's text "Sit Down To Have an Idea" debuted at Rinascente during the Italian furniture fair in Milan. Now the chairs and an immersive exhibition documenting the project — encompassing paintings, drawings, sculpture, outdoor projections upon the 4411 Gallery Building, and one of the artist's storied performances — arrive in Houston at Barbara Davis Gallery. As to the chairs themselves, we predict a line of collectors and museums. "Andrea Bianconi: The Journey of the Chair," artist reception Friday, July 8, 7 to 9 pm; exhibition through September 1, at Barbara Davis Gallery, 4411 Montrose, barbaradavisgallery.com. Catherine D. Anspon MILAN TO HOUSTON: "THE JOURNEY OF THE CHAIR" Y our search for that elusive, well-fitting pair of wide- leg, cool European girl pants will conclude at Mr. Larkin, the new women's boutique in Boulevard Oaks on Bissonnet — the first U.S. location of the Copenhagen store. Houston native Casey Larkin Blond launched her clothing line Mr. Larkin in 2008 in San Francisco. After three years, she paused production to relocate to Denmark, her husband's homeland, and start a family. She later launched a new iteration of Mr. Larkin: a clothing and accessories boutique in Copenhagen with a mix of luxury and independent names such as Rachel Comey, Jesse Kamm, Sophie Buhai, and MNZ, which share Blond's artfully modern aesthetic. In her hometown of Houston, she has transformed the former Laurier Blanc space. She conceptualized the Houston store with her uncle, Kevin Antill, and commissioned her mosaic-artist aunt Katy Antill to create a statement mirror to anchor the softly minimalist interiors, which has salmon-pink floors, soaring white walls, and floating racks of clothing arranged in aesthetically pleasing order of hue. The window installations, which currently feature the work of Austin-based floral artist and photographer Leah Pipes Meltzer, will rotate bimonthly, featuring the work of Texan artists and craftsmen. Mr. Larkin, 1926 Bissonnet St., mrlarkin.com. Anne Lee Phillips WELL, HELLO THERE, MR. LARKIN 14 FEELING SAINT-TROPEZ T he world is a dangerous place, full of sunbeams and chemicals, that slowly break down your skin, turning glamorous you into scary you. There are solutions — underground bunkers, hermetically sealed enclosures — but these are rarely rational solutions to looking fresh and staying atop your game. Meet Chanel Les Beiges Water- Fresh Tint, a healthy-glow foundation that provides hydration with a silky, weightless texture. Featuring Chanel's MicroFluidic technology, the foundation delivers a burst of fresh, leaving your skin radiant, hydrated, and energized. You'll look as if you've spent the day in Saint-Tropez. Chanel Les Beiges Water- Fresh Tint $65, at the Chanel boutique, chanel.com. Steven Hempel Casey Larkin Blond "Andrea Bianconi: The Journey of the Chair" at Barbara Davis Gallery JENNY ANTILL CLIFTON COURTESY THE ARTIST, LUXY, AND BARBARA DAVIS GALLERY