This comes as no surprise to me. Thank you Gail Williams for sharing The Atlantic story to confirm what I believe to be true, most of the time.
Success in school is not the same thing as success in life. University administrators assumed that people who could earn high grades would continue to excel later in their career.
But school is not like the rest of life. Success in school is about jumping through the hoops that adults put in front of you; success in life can involve charting your own course. In school, a lot of success is individual: How do I stand out? In life, most success is team-based: How can we work together? Grades reveal who is persistent, self-disciplined, and compliant—but they don’t reveal much about emotional intelligence, relationship skills, passion, leadership ability, creativity, or courage.
For Years, KAWS Kept His Prolific Collecting Practice on the DL. Now He’s Giving Us a Peek at His Monumental Trove
Brian Donnelly’s jaw-dropping collection is the subject of the Drawing Center’s latest exhibition, which has put just a fraction of the artist’s expansive trove on view.
Brian Donnelly in Brooklyn studio. All images courtesy of Donnelly.
“I don’t think my practice has much of an effect on the works I acquire, I simply collect works I am naturally drawn to,” explains Brian Donnelly—better known under his artistic pseudonym KAWS, whose personal auction record is sitting at $14.8 million. “But there could be some subconscious elements at play …”
Donnelly’s artistic output may not tidily mirror his vast and far-ranging collecting habit, but the two are intimately tied nonetheless. The Drawing Center, which is currently hosting a show of over 300 works on paper pulled from the the artist’s personal holdings, likens the trove to a personal reference library for his creative investigations. “Looking at works in my collection is a good way for me to get out of my head and take a break from my own practice,” Donnelly admits. “It’s refreshing to step away and look at work that’s totally different from mine and see things from another perspective.”
In addition to resurfacing drawings the artist has kept in storage, “The Way I See It: Selections from the KAWS Collection” also lifted some of the works on view straight from Donnelly’s walls—going so far as to reconstruct the layout the artist devised for them in his Brooklyn home. In the midst of their temporary move to Manhattan, Donnelly took a moment to let CULTURED peek inside his prolific collecting practice. Futura 2000, World Tour Action, 1984.
Where does the story of your personal collection begin?
I always collected things like stamps or trading cards growing up, so I always had that kind of mindset within me. When I was younger and doing graffiti, we would all trade black book drawings and small paintings with other artists and writers that you would meet. That was the first art I owned by other people.
What is the first piece you ever bought? How about the most recent?
The first piece I bought from a gallery was a Raymond Pettibon drawing from David Zwirner in 2000. It was a drawing of a fly with the word “SWAK!” (like the sound of a fly swatter) written on it. “SWAK” being “KAWS” backward, I took it as a sign and bought it as a birthday present for myself. This morning I purchased a painting by Futura 2000 titled World Tour Action, 1984. It’s a painting I’ve wanted for a while and was the invitation image for his show at Tony Shafrazi.
Which work in your home provokes the most conversation from visitors?
I don’t have many visitors.
How do you discover new artists or work?
When I find an artist I’m interested in, I tend to go down a rabbit hole researching where they were from, who their peers were, what was going on around them at the time, etc. This leads me to discover new artists all the time and learn about different movements and groups as a whole. In regard to new artists coming up now, I discover them in all kinds of ways––whether through word of mouth or often on Instagram, honestly. That also allows me to connect with them directly from time to time.
Which artist are you currently most excited about and why?
I just finished hanging the show at the Drawing Center, so I would say there are about 60 artists I’m currently very excited about.On left wall: Peter Saul, Untitled (Blue Interior), 1960.
What factors do you consider when expanding your collection?
I see my collection as a research library that I can use to investigate artists and works that I am interested in. Sometimes I acquire a work by an artist so that I can study it in relation to other works by that artist––that allows me to see how their processes change over time.
For example, Peter Saul is an artist I collect whose work has changed a lot over the years. It’s interesting to look at his works from different eras side by side and see that progression. Owning a work and living with it on your wall is a totally different experience than visiting a museum. You can really see how your relationship with a work changes over time and sometimes things wind up taking on more or less meaning after a while.Mudd Club Register Book, showing a drawing by Jean-Michel Basquiat, 1981. Photography by Brad Bridgers.
You have a Mudd Club sign-in book in your collection. Are there any other surprising mementos of the art world you’ve been able to pick up along the way? How do these fit into your collecting habits?
I enjoy collecting all kinds of ephemera and source material that relates to artists and their work. It helps inform the work and gives you more insight into what the artist was thinking or their process. Sketchbooks or original works for things like posters or album art deepen the story and allow you to make connections you might not have seen before. A similar group of works I own are the sign-in books for 51X Gallery. It’s so interesting seeing who turned up to these shows and left notes.
But the New Jersey native has set the record straight, bluntly telling media: “I’m not a billionaire.
“I wish I was, but they got that real wrong,” Springsteen told the Telegraph in a recent interview. “I’ve spent too much money on superfluous things.”
The 75-year-old rock-and-roll legend released his first studio album—Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J.—more than 50 years ago and has been touring ever since.
He wants to enjoy the fruits of his labor, adding people should enjoy their “good fortune” because after all, “you put the work in.”
But the father of three said he’s never let the finer things in life distract him from the bigger picture, adding, “That’s usually where people go south.”
Protecting his talent was key to ensuring that didn’t happen, he added: “If I had failed at that, I would have failed at everything, in my opinion.”
‘Superfluous’ spending
What Springsteen would class as a “superfluous” spend isn’t clear, but his philanthropic and charitable spending is well-documented.
Earlier this year it emerged that the rocker donated $20,000—the equivalent of more than $58,000 in 2024 currency—to support miners in the north of England in the 1980s, who were on strike at the time.
Springsteen handed two miners’ wives—Juliana Heron and Anne Suddick—the check at a gig in Newcastle in 1985, without any publicity.
“He just said, ‘I truly support what the miners are doing for their communities. I want to present you with this cheque,’” Heron told the BBC earlier this year.
A year prior Springsteen and his wife, Patti Scialfa, donated $100,000 to the restoration of the Turf Club, a music venue dating back to the 1960s, in Asbury Park, where the musician grew up.
Indeed the Born in the U.S.A. singer-songwriter has stayed close to his roots and in 2019 gave fans some insight into his home life.
Springsteen shows CBS’s Gayle King around his home studio in New Jersey, where he has recorded the majority of his music over the past 15 years.
A portion of Springsteen’s wealth also apparently goes to keeping livestock, as he showed King his pet pigs and horses.
Springsteen was a staunch supporter of President Obama, frequently headlining concerts and appearing at rallies for the former Democratic commander-in-chief.
Whether or not Springsteen donates to Democratic nominees isn’t known, but the “Thunder Road” singer has come out in support of Harris in the upcoming presidential election.
He told the Telegraph this month he’s “not that anxious” about the outcome of the White House race because he believes Harris will win, though adding, “Of course, I’ve been wrong before about this.”
Springsteen continued, referring to Donald Trump: “In the States, there’s an enormous anxiety, however, at losing the things that are dearest to us, the danger of losing democracy, rule of law, peaceful transfer of power. And this is a guy who is committed to none of these things.
“He’s an insurrectionist. You know, he led a coup on the United States government, so there’s no way he should be let anywhere near the office of the presidency.”
Sunny’s Steakhouse In Miami’s Little River Neighborhood Is The Biggest, Delightful Surprise Ever. Just letting you know that the Little River neighborhood in Miami is going to be where all the new exquisite and hot new restaurants will be located. Sunny’s Steakhouse, at 7357 NW Miami CT, is leading the way.
Our friends Alison Davis and Jan Gerits of City Life Guru took us there last night and we were shocked to see what is developing in a neighborhood that was just devoted to commercial businesses.
Sunny’s is a 13,000 square foot, 220-seat restaurant that has so many indoor and outdoor elegant rooms you will feel like you have traveled to a far away luxury destination.
It’s pricey but you can share several dishes to limit what you spend. However, the steaks and pastas are delicious so you are going to get a great meal. Of course the crowd is super fashionable and filled with influencers but that is to be expected in any new Miami place. The staff treats you completely first class so that’s refreshing too.
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We did a studio visit with @jenclay this morning. Being with her is like going to your happy place and forgetting that the rest of the world is a constant toothache. She is a textile artist that brings your soul to a land of total satisfaction.
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@charooquet we are crazy for you. @pieroatchugarrygallery. Women At Large Nathalie Alfonso, Carolina Cueva, Carol Jazzar, Charo Oquet, Luna Palazzolo-Daboul, Chire Regans, Maria Theresa Barbist, Carol Todaro, Denise Treizman
What happened in Nazi Germany after Hitler’s suicide may offer some parallels to consider now that Yahya Sinwar is dead.
After Hitler’s death, the Third Reich continued fighting for 10 days, but many top Nazis shifted to self-preservation, making desperate overtures to the Allies. They ignored Hitler’s “scorched earth” directive, in which he wanted Germany to be left a dystopian wasteland for the victors.
Sinwar and Hitler shared a nihilistic apocalyptic worldview. Their sadistic narcissism drove them to punish those they believe had failed them. For Hitler, this meant turning on the German people, while Sinwar was willing to sacrifice Gazan civilians as a cynical strategy to shield Hamas and shift international public opinion. The huge anti-Israel demonstrations in world capitals and on college campuses illustrated its success as the memories of the October 7 atrocities. Sinwar’s unwavering Islamist fanaticism made him Israel’s fiercest foe but also the most devastating leader for Palestinians.
Now that Sinwar is gone, will the surviving Hamas commanders, like the Nazis decades ago, attempt to save themselves? If so, it might present Israel an opportunity to push for a resolution to the Gaza conflict. A cessation of fighting is only possible with the release of all hostages, the dismantling of Hamas’s remaining political infrastructure, and the complete demilitarization of Gaza. Achieving such goals would be extremely difficult, but Sinwar’s death creates an opening that was unthinkable while he was alive and running Hamas.
Inside Diane von Furstenberg’s Venetian Home in the Palazzo Giustinian Brandolini
The fashion designer hosted friends including Oprah Winfrey and talked about how she made a grandiose space cozy and personal.
By Luisa Zargani
Diane von Furstenberg at Palazzo Giustinian BrandoliniSTEFANO TROVATI SGP – COURTESY IMAGE
Diane von Furstenberg would be much happier talking about women’s empowerment and Democratic presidential candidate Vice President Kamala Harris than her home in Venice. “I don’t want to sound like just another rich American woman in Venice,” she says politely, yet quite firmly, in her purring voice.
And “I don’t want to pretend I am Venetian,” adds von Furstenberg, who had just arrived in Venice on the three-masted yacht Eos she owns with her husband Barry Diller.
She is very respectful of the Italian city and its history and her affection for Venice is obvious — she peppers her Instagram handle with views of the lagoon and its ornate buildings. Von Furstenberg spends several months of the year in Venice and in 2022, she decided to begin holding the DVF Awards here, timing the event with the Venice Film Festival.
“The city has always been part of my life and I compare Venice to an eternal, legendary and very resilient woman, always looking ahead,” she explains.
The annual DVF Awards were created in 2010 by the fashion designer and The Diller-von Furstenberg Family Foundation to recognize and support extraordinary women who are dedicated to transforming and inspiring the lives of other women. From that first edition in Venice, which recognized Christine Lagarde, president of the European Central Bank, and “Selma” director Ava DuVernay, among others, each award bestows $100,000, doubling the initial grant.
The awards have drawn such powerful women as Hillary Rodham Clinton, U.S. House Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi and Oprah Winfrey, as well as A-listers such as George Clooney, accompanied by his wife and human rights lawyer Amal, who last year received the DVF Leadership Award for her work on behalf of victims of human rights abuses, and Dame Emma Thompson. Von Furstenberg admits these celebrities help draw attention to the event, but her focus is to amplify the voice of, and support, displaced, challenged and at-risk women, whether Indigenous or hailing from Afghanistan, Africa or Ukraine.
Once again, this year the awards were bestowed as the Venice Film Festival was kicking off and, ahead of the evening ceremony, von Furstenberg held a lunch for the recipients at her apartment in the city. This unfolded after a talk with Winfrey, herself a DVF Award recipient in 2012, on U.S. politics and ranging from reproductive rights to the American Dream.
Bringing People Together
The lunch reflected a key goal von Furstenberg has set with her home in Venice, which is “to bring people together and create connections, opening up a constructive dialogue.” Because, as Winfrey put it, her longtime friend is always “on.”
“Diane is this way all the time,” Winfrey says, referring to the fashion designer’s activist initiatives. “This is not a show for her. This isn’t just something to be on display. She’s always thinking about what can we do to help the world? What can we do to bring about change? She’s always trying to connect people, anything that’s going to bring enlightenment or some kind of empowerment to all of us.”
With the lunch, seeing awardees such as Graça Machel and Dame Jacinda Ardern, the former prime minister of New Zealand, around the same table, “I felt it was closing a circle,” the hostess says.
Under the sparkling original Murano chandeliers, the table was set with glassware by Marcantonio Brandolini’s Laguna~B brand and placemats by Chiarastella Cattana, both based in Venice. Wooden lounge chairs around the long glass and wrought brass table by Brazilian postmodern sculptor Saint Clair Cemin juxtaposed with the imposing stuccoed walls while classical paintings added the laid-back touch von Furstenberg is known for.
To call her home an apartment is an understatement. She is renting the “piano nobile,” or the principal floor of a palazzo that usually includes the main reception room, of the 15th-century Palazzo Giustinian Brandolini on the Grand Canal — a marvel of wooden carved ceilings, Baroque gilded wall mirrors and statues of cherubs standing guard over the massive doors.
It’s a family building, owned by the 97-year-old Countess Cristiana Brandolini d’Adda, sister of the late Fiat tycoon Gianni Agnelli. The designer married the nephew of the countess, the late Prince Egon von Furstenberg, in 1969; they separated in 1973 and divorced in 1983.
“I came here the first time when I was 20, and I have been coming each year ever since,” she recalls fondly. “Egon’s aunt lives here and she realized the apartment would be suited for what I want to achieve, connecting people without a financial purpose. Also, I feel Venice will have a major role and impact in civilization in the next years.” Asked why, she simply says, “It’s an instinct and I always think positive.”
Interior designer, antique dealer and gallery director Chahan Minassian helped von Furstenberg renovate the apartment. Of Armenian origin, born in Lebanon, Minassian, like von Furstenberg, is a patron of the Venetian Heritage Foundation. On the occasion of the Venice Art Biennale, which runs until Nov. 24, Minassian was tapped to reenvision the historic Fortuny headquarters and former home of Countess Gozzi into a gallery showcase of contemporary design, opened to the broader design community for the very first time.
While opening it up to her friends, activists, artists and writers, she underscores “this is a personal home, I brought things from Paris and New York. It’s grandiose and very beautiful and I wanted to make it cozy, bohemien, reflecting my personality.”
Case in point: bold animal print rugs contrast with decorative wallpaper and ruched curtains, called Impero in reference to the 18th-century Napoleonic era. A Bert Stern image of Elizabeth Taylor as Cleopatra hangs in her bedroom and Andy Warhol’s 1974 paintings of von Furstenberg are placed in the family room. In her studio, a photo by François-Marie Banier of actress Silvana Mangano, a Francesco Clemente painting over the classic fireplace and a work of French artist and actress Anh Duong are some of von Furstenberg’s cherished pieces.
Also in her studio stands an imposing floor-to-ceiling bookshelf created by Renzo Mongiardino, the famed architect who renovated the palazzo as well as Countess Cristiana Brandolini D’Adda’s Venetian country estate, Vistorta. Many family photos pepper the bookshelf and the studio.
“There is magic in connection and kindness is a currency. This is also very much what leads me in Venice, in this place, at this stage of my life, since I’ve entered the winter of my life, and I hope I have a very long winter. The important thing is to be productive. Connecting people creates energy that goes around and around,” she concludes.
Los Angeles’ 50 wealthiest individuals are worth roughly $256 billion, up from last year’s $237 billion. Some saw huge gains over the year, while a number saw their net worth decline. Gains in the stock market and declines in the real estate market impacted a number of the area’s wealthiest..
DigiDame 