Augmented reality goes fashion – resulting from the collaboration between fashion brand LUISA CERANO and MONICA MENEZ is an artistic project which, at the same time, stages the capsule collection digitally for the 25th anniversary of the label.

The topic explored by Monica Menez is an unusual type of time transformation and glimpse back into the future. The project blurs the boundaries between fashion, art and technology: the AR photo spread redefines the perception of fashion – and the role of the viewer. LUISA CERANO thus sparks a paradigm change in how fashion photography is staged.

MONICA MENEZ tells GoSee : “At the beginning of the year, Luisa Cerano asked me if I felt like photographing the exclusive capsule collection for the 25th anniversary of the company. They booked me as an artist, and I had carte blanche, which was phenomenal. I developed an exhibition concept with which the photos can also be experienced in augmented reality. For each picture I photographed, there are also moving images, which can be viewed on mobile devices with the app from Artivive (www.artivive.com).”

The imagery exudes a futuristic atmosphere, within which the viewer is transported into a new time dimension. Style elements such as VHS effects, glitches and surveillance cameras give the works of Monica Menez a modern digital aesthetic – thus initiating reflection upon the impact of digitalization and artificial intelligence.

“Working with Monica Menez is fantastic. She literally leads us into the future with her photos. Art and fashion merge here in a completely new and digital way,” says Jürgen Leuthe, CEO of LUISA CERANO.

Monica Menez adds : “In my images, I touch on the exciting topics of digitalization and artificial intelligence – posing the question ‘Where is the future leading us?’. The close and inspiring cooperation with the Luisa Cerano brand enables me to explore fashion, technoid applications and aesthetic in an entirely new way. My photo spread was created by fusing the triad of technology, art, and fashion. I work with visual metaphors; they emotionalize the illustrated unpredictabilities of our digitalized world. The aesthetic glitches in pink give my work a modern twist enhancing its visual stimulation. My inspiration for these works came from the style of the 1980s. A VHS aesthetic is superimposed over the sceneries and gives them a retro update. This conscious recourse to the historical accentuates the significance that past and present bear for our understanding of the future.”

The works by Monica Menez will be on display in a pop-up space starting mid-September at Dorotheen Quartier, which is celebrating this artistic premiere for its anniversary. On 14 September, the pre-opening for invited guests and the press took place. The pop-up store subsequently opened for the public from 15 September through 27 October. Several events will take place such as a talk with Nina Klein on transformation and the collective mindset, plus a film screening of the multiple award-winning fashion films by Monica Menez (30 September, 23), an AI event and much more.

LUISA CERANO has for many years pursued close cooperation in the area of cultural communication and is constantly realizing new progressive art projects or sponsoring exhibitions, such as ‘Anti-Fashion’ by Cindy Sherman at Staatsgalerie Stuttgart.

GoSee : monicamenez.de  luisacerano.com  dorotheen-quartier.de
14.09.2023 show complete article

While people elsewhere are still bickering about how shamelessly AI is pushing out photography, several artists have long started trying out the creative possibilities this new technology – like every other technology before it – brings with it. And the fact that photographer, director and, not lastly, artist Monica Menez is at the vanguard somehow doesn’t surprise us at all.

For her spread ‘U.F.O. – Unidentified Female Object’, she closely collaborated with Thorsten Jasper Weese c/o RECOM both on the concept and realizing it. We would love to tell you who the beautiful model of the creative spread was – but we were unfortunately unable to identify her so far.

Monica’s work made it into the TOP20 of the GoSeeAWARDS ‘23 – and left some 400 submissions behind her on the way. Rightly so, … here at GoSee, we have been fans of the proud Stuttgarter for ages.

GoSee : monicamenez.de & recom.de
21.06.2023 show complete article

Now it’s time to cross our fingers : The personal work ‘U.F.O. – Unidentified Female Object’, created in creative cooperation between photographer/director Monica Menez and Thorsten Jasper Weese/RECOM, has made it into the finale of the GoSeeAWARDS ‘23.

Right this minute, the over 70-member jury is voting in the second and final round to see who will take home the victory. Winners will be announced – like every year – live at UPDATE, where you can meet a juror or two in person.

Of course, you’ll also meet Thorsten Jasper Weese at UPDATE, who is looking forward, together with his partners Lars Wittmaak, Jonas Braukmann and Tobias Kern, to you stopping by the XXL RECOM booth. So please save the date : Thursday, 25 May, 2023, at Telegraphenamt, Berlin Mitte. 

RECOM is made up of the units RECOMPOST, RECOMCGI, RECOMFILM and RECOMART – which together form the RECOMGROUP, meanwhile among the most renowned and high-performance ARTWORK/POST and CGI STUDIOS worldwide for more than 25 years with offices in Stuttgart (head office), Berlin, Munich, Paris, Sofia, London & New York. The RECOMGROUP is a forge of award-winning, international creative work for famous photographers, agencies and photo art projects.

GoSee : recom.de & UPDATE.Salon
16.05.2023 show complete article