Good Morning & Hello Friday!

• This week (actually this whole month) has been epically “arty” in NYC. And I’ve been closely watching the co-optation of all-things Metaverse within the art scene. A perfect example is the current show at Gagosian which is a mashup of RTFKT + Snapchat + Takashi Murakami and, of course, the gallery (#2).
• Learned a new word: Expography. Got on my radar at the absolutely stellar Casa Brasil pop-up. From what I’ve been able to glean online, expography roughly translates to storytelling via physical spaces, be it retail or any kind of exhibition (#3).
• Finally, biggest surprise of all: looming pushback to “wokeness.” Whether it’s Diddy uncanceling the cancelled at the Billboard Music Awards, or Netflix’s culture guidelines to employees, or even Snoop Dogg backing Rick Caruso for Mayor of LA over Karen Bass, something has shifted (#9).

And with that, please scroll down to read this week’s Top 10. Enjoy!

1. Video Recap

2. NFTs are all the rage in the art world (this week at least!)

• This is one of the most popular shows in NYC at the moment, done in collaboration with Nike-owned RTFKT.
• Interestingly, they used Snapchat (vs. Tik Tok) to create the immersive experience (see video below).
• FOR MY LA FRIENDS: Murakami is set to open a special exhibition at The Broad, titled “Takashi Murakami: Stepping on the Tail of a Rainbow,” which will include immersive environments and run from May 21 until September 25.

#MyTake: Murakami’s show is amazing!! How NFTs and the Metaverse will shake out in the long term is still up in the air. This week I also managed to see Olive Allen’s new exhibition at Postmasters Gallery (”Welcome to the Metaverse”). It’s fine, but doesn’t knock it out of the park like Murakami does. I’m also checking out SuperRare in Soho this weekend (a new gallery fully dedicated to NFTS).

3. Expography (a new word for me) discovered at the excellent Casa Brasil Home Furnishings Pop-Up

• Hosted by the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (ApexBrasil). It is one of the best pop-up experiences I’ve seen.
• It’s at 477 Broadway from May 11-25 in tandem with Brazil’s presence at The International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF).
• Casa Brasil is also providing “experience sessions” designed to tactically and experientially showcase the culture, furniture, and design elements of Brazil through Brazilian dinners, wine masterclasses , barista-led tasting of specialty coffees, and cooking demonstrations.
• NOTE: I was told (not verified) that this pop-up will be moving to London next.

What is expography? Expography is the technique of “exhibition narrative.” Its origins lie in the museum world where display and storytelling and communicating knowledge are key for successful exhibitions. The importance of expography has been multiplied tenfold through the use of digital and online communications. What I find exciting is that it helps to explain why the vibe at some events is so spot-on while others, are just MEH!

4. NYC hosted its first-ever Japan Day Parade W/George Takei but the anime girls stole the show!

• This event was originally planned for 2020 but you know — COVID!!
• It was a little chaotic at times but the organizers did a great job of promoting the range and diversity of Japan’s culture – from anime to geisha to kendo.
• And for those who know my passion for street style, it was an absolute treat as you’ll see in the videos below!! The video of the anime girls (2nd below) got over 1.3K views in about 10 mins. Crazy!!!

5. Cities/Counties using Murals to promote Tourism

“Ultimately, the goal is to make downtown Austin a more vital and livable place by bringing together corporate leadership and philanthropic investment to create a lasting legacy.”

Downtown Austin Alliance Foundation

1. The Downtown Austin Alliance Foundation put together a self-guided tour map of 11 inspirational and iconic murals in and around downtown Austin. The largest is on the side of The LINE Hotel on Congress (pic above left). Canadian artist Sandra Chevrier collaborated with Shepard Fairey on the design. (Source: Fox 7 News)
2. In SLC, 10 new murals were featured for Mural Fest 2022. Event organizer (Creative Industries Zone) also arranged artist meet-and-greets. (Source: 2KUTV)
3. Asheville’s Indigenous Walls Project aims to become the epicenter of indigenous and native art in public spaces in the United States. They currently have 25,000 square feet of walls committed to the project. (Source: abc13news)
4. The arts district in downtown Las Vegas, will be exhibiting their COVID Murals starting May 31st. It’s a project that started 2 years ago when the City of Las Vegas provided funding for artists to create murals on the plywood covering storefronts. The artwork is now considered a piece of Las Vegas history and is on display for everyone to see. (Source: KTNV)

6. ‘Bash at the Bureau’ if you’re in the mood to get hitched while raving in Vegas!

• EDC (Electric Daisy Carnival) is happening in Vegas this weekend.
• The Clark County Clerk will be hosting ‘Bash at the Bureau’ in true rave fashion with a live DJ performing electronic dance music, complete with street performers.
• The bureau has also created two specialty keepsake certificates that couples can choose from. One features the EDC Las Vegas logo and the other with the bureau’s iconic showgirl dressed in fun festival attire.

#MyTake: Why not? What could possibly go wrong when you get married at a rave?

7. Retail might be in a funk but not for Veja. Lines outside the store every single day.

• One thing I have noticed about who wears it: they’re super low-key dressers.
• Since 2015, Veja’s sales revenue has increased by 50% every year.
• Meghan Markle is credited with kicking off the Veja frenzy when she wore a pair while on a royal visit to Australia in 2018.
• According to Footwear News, Veja’s sneakers have been on the top of Instagram’s “Insta Brands We Want to Wear” list in recent years (805K followers vs. Allbirds’ 481K).
• Veja’s founders, Sébastien Kopp and Franois-Ghislain Morillion, both 40, left the financial industry in 2002 to found a non-profit to study social responsibility policies of companies around the world. In 2005, they founded Veja, in France, with the hope of producing the “world’s greenest” sneakers through eco-friendly materials and socially responsible suppliers.
• For more on how they produce the shoes, check out this article.

8. Austin’s Air Guitar Championships. winners next stop: espn!

1. Contestants are judged on stage presence, technicality, and “airness.”
2. 1st place gets $300 and entry into the US Finals to compete on ESPN.
3. World Championships take place in Finland in August.

9. Change is in the air: Diddy “uncanceling the canceled;” Snoop backing Caruso for mayor of LA

“One of the things I’m doing directly is uncanceling the canceled. That’s breaking news because people haven’t been about uncanceling. But canceling is a trend that needs to stop.”

Diddy, (Source: TMZ Hip Hop)

“This is what a mayor’s gotta be about. You can’t be about talking about it, you gotta be about it … You gotta really be about the community and she (Sweet Alice Harris) is the community and he’s standing by her side for 40 years. It’s no question. I endorse the real and that is Rick.”

Snoop Dogg (Source: KTLA News)

10. I have been wrong about the return to work (thus far). I’m still not convinced – especially once layoffs hit.

“Managers believe employees who work remote are lower performers than those that come to the office. They will on average be more likely to lay off those who are working remote than those who are coming into the office. Simply put: it’s out of sight, out of mind.”

Brian Kropp, Chief of Human Resources Research, Gartner (Source: NYPost)

• On Blind, an anonymous corporate message board with verified members, tech workers have been fretting about layoffs and the potential end of remote work in recent weeks.
• Remote work is a “great tie breaker” for bosses deciding which employees to lay off.
• That said, the superstars will be safe regardless of whether they schlep into the office.
• Per Wired, nearly 50 startups have made significant layoffs since January.

And that’s a wrap for this week, my friends!

I’m so looking forward to an Upper East Side hang with one of my besties today — we’re checking out “In America: An Anthology of Fashion” at the MET, followed by a ladies-who-lunch lunch at The Mark. And with that, let me wish you all a great weekend!!