Profile: Mike Brown + Lot71

The Chook Visual Directory|May 05, 2011

profile: mike brown - lot71

05.05.2011

i was born in ... 2 November.

in... Philadelphia.

i now i live in... New York City.

I live here because… New York City is endlessly, unfathomably spellbinding. I love this town for its blinding curiosity, unabashed hope, fearless optimism, tireless invention and relentless joy. But truly, it's the people here who make it unlike any other city in the world. And as if that weren't enough, we have the Yankees.

i would most like to live in... an epic loft on Crosby St with a rooftop terrace.

On a typical day off you'll find me... walking my dog, Disco, or riding my '67 Vespa if it's warm enough outside.

I'm surrounded by... windows and skyscrapers.

My absolute hero is… I'll get back to you on that one.

My favourite colour is… green.

I make myself laugh when... I give in to my dog's relentless capacity to make everyone around him laugh.

The way I see things... I've always had a visceral response to physical space - a heightened intuition and imagination about its sculptural and narrative qualities. I see spaces as sculpted layers articulated by volume, movement, light, color. Living in Florence in 1993, I recall my first night in the city running through the narrow alleys... Turning a corner, I suddenly slammed into Il Piazzo del Duomo, blindingly illuminated and recently restored. I was floored by its magic; seemingly a pop-up book of bright green, white and pink marble from 500+ years ago. Studying art history and stage design fueled my imagination and gave me the tools and language to articulate ideas.

I absolutely adore... the sunrise on Cadillac Mountain in Acadia National Park.

I most admire... grace. elegance. bravery. compassion. fearlessness... and the curious.

If only I could have more... market fresh tortellini from Bologna.

I'm afraid of... jumping out of an airplane, even with a chute strapped to my back.

It's not cool but... I love going to movies alone in the afternoon.

My toolkit has... relentless imagination and tireless curiosity.

I am influenced by... abelardo morrell, santiago calatrava, ron arad, JR, to name a few.

I'm currently working on... designing/producing in Miami a reprise of the Bulgari Spring 2011 Jewelry + Accessories Preview that I created for the flagship store in New York City www.lot71.com/project/57, and designing/producing the Swarovski Elements™ Menswear 2011 Preview in New York City this May.

If i was to describe my work i would say... As a designer and artist, I have come to believe that the live experience of the spaces we observe, engage in + interact with is most compelling to me as a design medium. My sensibilities come from an obsession with language, storytelling, art history, architecture, urban space, sculpture, light and color. Live spaces are rich with potential for narrative, and so I consider myself to be a storyteller, a designer-artist-architect of spaces, a creative director of experiences. Whether for luxury, art, fashion, hospitality or entertainment, I thrive on creating unique visual languages that aim to articulate never-before-seen live experiences. Whether driven by a brand narrative, or a cultural impulse to open eyes, provoke conversation and spark a viewer’s imagination, I have a relentless conviction that there ought to be a vibrant renaissance of the live experience between people and their surroundings - in culture, in urban life, in the arts, in design, in lifestyle, etc. I think the spaces that I design are more aptly sculptures or interior architecture that transform over time as people enter and engage with them. I design installations, live events and lifestyle interiors, and I'm hopeful to work on larger, urban scale projects someday soon.

If i could have any other skill it would be... '30's jazz trumpet player. tango dancer. gaucho on the Patagonian Pampas.

I took the leap when… i realized that the sensibilities and skills i developed working as a set designer in theater would suit a limitless array of other design genres and industries, therein sparking countless new possibilities for challenging myself as an artist and a storyteller. And as I continue to work and diversify my art, it's nothing short of brilliant to see how cultivating a core idea/sensibility can fuel such vast creative potential. It's truly like having a new toy to play with.

What makes my work special is… I dont think I have a quantifiable style as a designer. I work as a storyteller to create environments that will open eyes and provoke conversation for the duration of the live moments in which people engage with them.

My biggest challenge has been… becoming a Producer.

The most rewarding time... IS when i strike upon a great collaboration with a client... Collaborating with Isaac Mizrahi is nothing short of brilliant. He's devastatingly insightful, has a limitless imagination and a tireless capacity for invention. He truly embraces the narrative, story-telling potential in design, and seems to thrive equally on refined elegance as well as vibrant theatricality. I'm fortunate to have designed 4 runway shows with him since 2008. Our work together always started with an evocative image or engaging story that he used to anchor his collection from season to season. With great respect, I think our collaborations struck a harmonious chord quite fast, and we developed a great dialogue to anchor our work together. It has been a highlight of my career working with Isaac and I am proud of what I have designed with him. He inspired me to create strikingly visual environments that transformed over time, with both theatrical invention and subtle elegance of tone to establish spectacular visual contexts for his clothing. His generosity of spirit and tireless compassion makes him a great collaborator.

What is exciting about who/what i am working with now is… I am proud to have cultivated a career with seemingly limitless potential. And 2011 appears to be a catalytic moment when the diversity and depth of my ideas, sensibilities and creative curiosity is truly being matched by an equally diverse and impactful array of projects, clients and industries.

My greatest aspirations/ambitions... are to design urban scale art installations that transform epic public spaces into never-before-seen live experiences. i want to design restaurants, lounges and hotel lobbies... and work with the likes of aston martin, audemars piguet, creative time, lvmh and john legend.

And Finally… A few words about Italy. I have a relentless affinity for it. All of it. And every hillside, cobblestone, canal, villa, sea side town, piazza, palazzo, museum, mountain, castle, cafe, vineyard and pasticceria in between. I lived in Florence in '93, visited again in '95, worked in Rome in '08, and have traveled extensively throughout the country. The people, the history, the culture, the heritage, the language, the lifestyle, the passion, the design, the music, the art, the food, the passion, (let alone those stunning red cars from Maranello) make for viaggii squisiti. I'm going back to Rome this November to celebrate turning 40.

Source: http://bit.ly/kZfmcR