New York NY, February 19

Opening tomorrow, February 19th at Last Rites Gallery in Manhattan is Michael Mararian’s solo exhibition entitled Snow White. Famous tattoo artist Paul Booth opened Last Rites Gallery in 2008 and it has become a première gallery for art with a darker vibe and a haven for artists who prefer to explore the ominous, uncomfortable, and eccentric in their work.  If you are in the New York City area, this is a show not to miss!  Auxiliary featured Mararian in the October/November 2010 Issue.

left “Snow White” . right “Doc”

Mararian reveals his technique as, “hand drawn in various paint, dry-brush and ink forms, crudely scratched at times for a gritty, textured aesthetic. He is inspired by new and old journalistic-style photography, vintage graphics, cabinet cards, as well as retro advertisements and post mortem photography.”  Mararian clearly defines his intent as, “touching upon such topics as gross consumerism, school violence, teenage disappointments, pressures and the slowly growing social isolation that are part of our childhood and adult culture. The use of contradiction is an integral part of my work to magnify the absurdity of any given situation and draw a conflicting reaction from the viewer.” What can, on one level, be construed as melancholy and cruel, can alternately be viewed as amusing, or even charming. Mararian enjoys letting his audience decide.

A graduate of the Art and Theater program at the University of Bridgeport. His work has previously been shown at various galleries around the world. Originally from Andover, Massachusetts, Michael currently lives and works from his studios in Brooklyn and Buffalo, New York.

The show will run until March 19th, the opening is tomorrow.

SNOW WHITE a solo exhibition by MICHAEL MARARIAN
DATE : February 19^th, 2011
TIME : 7pm-11pm
LOCATION : Last Rites Gallery, 511 W. 33rd Street, 3rd floor, New York, NY 10001

- Jennifer

The Dec/Jan 2010/2011 Issue saw the final installment of My Life as a Goth Girl, an article that has been in the magazine since the first issue two years ago. Mlaagg, by Vanity Kills, is the fictional stories and dramas of Kimmy, the subculture-elitist, fetish-fashionista, yet sweetly endearing queen of the goth scene that everyone loves to hate. In honor of its end we will be posting all the illustrations done for the reoccurring article over the years. Read the final chapter of Kimmy’s story in the December/January 2010/2011 Issue out now!

October/November 2010 Issue

illustration : Maki Naro

December/January 2010/2011 Issue

illustration : Harley Sparx

Read the articles in the October/November 2010 Issue and the December/January 2010/2011 Issue!

Jack Dangers has been making music for over twenty years.  His pioneering work with Meat Beat Manifesto continues to inspire and fascinate.  With the new album Answers Come In Dreams released in October 2010, Mr. Dangers shows no signs of slowing down.  The album is a dark excursion into dubstep, electro, and ambience.  I caught up with Jack Dangers to ask him about his work and his enthusiasm for electronic music history.

interview by Mike Parker

There has been a transformation in the sound of Jack Dangers and Meat Beat Manifesto. This process can be traced over the years. Recently, you acquired a Synthi 100, which is a rare and vintage synthesizer from the early 1970s.  Can you share with us your thoughts on the role of the Synthi 100 Synthesizer in this transformation?

JD : I’m looking at it now! Well, something this big coming into the studio is going to make its presence known and demand attention.  [writer’s note : The Synthi 100 is a massive instrument.  You can see a picture of one HERE]  It can be so many different things.  A synthesizer with 7200 control points available at your disposal makes it difficult for me to know where to start, really.  I’m still learning how to use it.  I think I always will be.  It’s so vast, what you can do with it.  Even if someone came up with a digital version of it, a software version, you wouldn’t be able to fathom what to do with it without being able to stand in front of the thing and start throwing pins in the patchbay grids to route the signals.  The people who designed it bordered on the eccentric.  It’s quite unlike anything I’ve ever used.  I’ve got a bunch of different modular synthesizers and they’re all pretty easy to grasp, but this one I am still learning.

When did you become comfortable with the Synthi 100?

JD : Probably after about three months of just playing with it.

When did your first recordings with it appear?

JD : I purchased it back in the late 90’s from the University of Adelaide in Australia.  I think there were only about 27 of them ever made.  Afterwards, I sent it away for almost a year for repairs and modifications.  My first recordings with it appeared in 2002 [on the album RUOK?].

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The front man of and mastermind behind Combichrist and vocalist for Icon of Coil reveals how he sins.

Gluttony – If Combichrist was stranded on a desert island, who would be the first member to be eaten for survival? And how long would you hold out until eating them?

I don’t know, the first one to be eaten… I think that would have to be, that would probably be Joey. Because both Z Marr and I are bigger than the other guys, and um… [laughs] Trevor is very good at manipulating so he would probably convince us to eat Joey before him. [laughs] So I guess how long? I don’t know, that would be until we get really hungry I’d guess.

Sloth – You get to plan your ideal vacation with no limitations. Where do you go and what do you do?

I think I would stay at home for a month. And nobody would be allowed to call me. [laughs]

read the full interview in the October/November 2010 Issue

Bombshell Bridget Blonde strikes up a racy, inked up likeness to the iconic and unforgettable Marilyn Monroe. An advocate for the tattooed beauty, Bridget Blonde was recently named in a top list of “tattooed beauties” by G4’s Attack of the Show. With no sign of letting up, we’re excited to bring you Bridget Blonde.

photographer : Ama Lea
makeup artist : Kassandra Kiremit
model : Bridget Blonde

view the full feature in the October/November 2010 Issue

Emerging from the Australian burlesque scene is Mercy St Just, said to be the Australian equivalent to Dita Von Teese. With a varied background in Latin dance and burlesque performance, Mercy St Just is the essential 21st century pin up model. Mercy’s varied worldwide appearances have brought her enough success to headline her very own branded form of burlesque dance complete with custom props and costumes.

photographer : Brent Leideritz
fashion stylist : Jade Sardon
makeup artist : Mishka
hair stylist : Lyndall Vile
model : Mercy St Just
location : Laruche and The Comics Lounge

view the full feature in the October/November 2010 Issue

Audra and Loved to Death’s approach to the macabre is one that truly offers a new perspective on wearable art. Perhaps the Victorian post-mortem practices and the term Memento Mori has never truly ended. San Francisco’s Loved to Death takes the art of taxidermy to a chilling, yet positively sublime atmosphere and reminds us all that we too are animals and must respect the lives of every creature.

photographer : Jennifer Garcia
makeup artist : Sam I Am…
hair stylist : Mikel Sessions
lighting tech : Armando Esquivel
model : Wednesday Mourning
interview by Vanity Kills

“Edgy” and “decadent” are two of the most exhausted adjectives when it comes to words used commonly to describe jewelry, art and clothing. The mundane is dressed up in pompous declarations of grandeur all too often to obscure the fact that there’s nothing special about a few pearls dangling from a chain, or jeans with embellished metal details. The taxidermy masterpieces by Audra Dance of Loved to Death certainly do fit the criteria of creations one can easily ascribe the characteristic of being both “edgy” and “decadent” to. Alas, resorting to using these clichéd terms in relation to Loved to Death would do grave injustice to Audra’s work. Despite the fact that her necklaces assembled from 24 karat gold enhanced mink skulls essentially personify decadence in the flesh (or rather bone).

Still, the bones only manage to scratch the surface. Beneath which one can catch a glimpse into the secret lives of rodents in the afterlife. Where love, life and death lie intertwined, frozen in time and preserved for eternity.

Loved to Death’s masterfully constructed, statement-making accessories hold the power to draw all eyes onto the wearer. How would one successfully integrate one of your bold pieces, such as the Domestic Parakeet Wing Cameo Necklace, into their existing wardrobe?

Audra Dance : I think the trick would be to let the piece be the main attraction, don’t have too much going on with any patterned pieces. The bird wing piece in particular, unless it is worn with a complimentary color, black is the way to go with the wing pieces.

What is the secret to rockin’ a head once attached to a living bird while maintaining an air of sophistication?

AD : As for ‘maintaining an air of sophistication’, that comes from within, you either have it or don’t.

read the full feature in the October/November 2010 Issue

The Birthday Massacre – Pins & Needles

Blonde Redhead – Penny Sparkle

Combichrist – Making Monsters

Dryft – Ventricle

James Blackshaw – All is Falling

Meat Beat Manifesto – Answers Come in Dreams

Rotersand – Waiting To Be Born (EP)

Street Dogs – Street Dogs

Swans – My Father Will Guide Me Up a Rope to the Sky

Underworld – Barking

read the reviews in the October/November 2010 Issue

featuring fashion by Eve Gravel, Unique Vintage, Rebecca Taylor, and more

photographer : Luke Copping
fashion stylist : Molly Hoeltke
makeup artist : Stephanie Signorelli
hair stylist : April Grigajtis
models : Steph Rai and Stacey Caron
assistant : Adam Rosina
location : Buffalo Chophouse

view the full editorial in the October/November 2010 Issue

The October/November issue’s Aesthetic brings you Medieval Metal.

If the feudal Dark Ages immersed itself wholly in the thrash laden doom of heavy metal, perhaps it would take hold of all manner of fealty, from the lower serfdom to ladies of the manor. The etchings of Durer seem appropriate enough within the confines of the manor walls and tavern alike, whether it be the year 1350 or our own present dark times.

Smash styles and looks together, create your own aesthetic.

Below are a few additional photos from Auxiliary’s shoot for the October/November issue Aesthetic feature. Enjoy!

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