LAUNCH OF OUR NEW CREATION COMING UP! Comfort Zone... Are you ready to explore the nuances of social boundaries?

Logo design of the game. 

Copyright Garance Marneur Design Studio, 2013

How do we navigate social boundaries, and how do they shape who we are? 

What choices do we make when interacting with others, 

and how does that affect our intimacy with each other? 

Explore the nuances of social boundaries with Comfort Zone, a new participatory installation which integrates choreography into a virtual, interactive experience, exploring themes of group dynamics, choice, and social boundaries. 

Comfort Zone will debut October 22, 2013, in the Black Box in the museum’s West Gallery, a space devoted to experimenting with social interaction and exploring the interplay between science, society, and culture.

"At the center of the experience is a virtual, responsive “avatar” which interacts with visitors through movement, encouraging them to investigate choice in social situations. The 10-minute exhibit cycle will lead visitors through stages of interaction, from connecting with the game’s avatar to cooperating with other visitors in the room to create movements and shapes together, collectively and playfully exploring the edges of each participant’s comfort zone."

Photograph by Amy Snyder.

For more information, please visit  http://www.exploratorium.edu/press-office/press-releases/play-edge-your-comfort-zone-san-francisco%E2%80%99s-exploratorium

MORE PHOTOGRAPHS AND DETAILS COMING SOON.

ALICE THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS @ the Jet set club Loulou in Mayfair, London

A promising entrance at Loulou's...

ALICE THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS

Are you ready to go on a journey?

   7.30pm... waiting outside Loulou's entrance (http://jetsetreport.com/nightlife.php?articleId=616). The show is about to start... I smile at the security who politely invites me to come through. I walk down a beautiful and atmospheric staircase. A bunch of actors dressed in costumes frantically runs around, and asks me... 'have you got the time? Is it time yet?'. Although it all felt part of the performance, it did not take me long before realising I had come too early, and I was not supposed to be there.

Here on my own, I found myself walking back up to the entrance with a feel of magic, and envy to perform myself and go on an adventure for the night...

   7.45pm... The line of VIP and guests officially builds up outside Loulou's. We can enter officially!

A giant human egg welcomes us. We all walk down that same staircase, and are welcomed by magical characters. 

'A cup of tea?', asks one of the characters 'Yes, with pleasure!'

Vodka tea is something I had never experienced before, and I have to say... it was quite lovely! Wandering about on my own across the room... observing people... I found for myself a tiny chair to rest my bum, and finish my 'cup of tea'. It did not take long before the King approached me...

'Lovely Lady... what is your story? I have here a magical ball, which I have cherished and polished with great care for a very long time. It tells me the future.'

ME: 'What does it tell you about me? What can you say about my future if your little globe is so clever?'

THE KING: 'Well, my dear Alice, that's for you to found out. All I like to do is talk about myself. But I can tell you great stories about me.'

And here I was, I had become Alice for the night!

The king disappeared and left me alone on my little chair with my cup of 'tea'.

It did not take long before one of the guests joined me for a chat... and I met my lovely and talented designer friend who created this show (Francesco Pastori).

A 'normal' chat and catch up in a surreal train booth setting with characters tumbling around, and asking me if I know what is my destination.

'I don't know!', I answered starring at the window of the train (a flat screen TV behind a train window frame transporting me to some weird surreal landscapes).

THE TRAIN CONTROLLER: 'Well, then my dear, you must find the 'Mad Hatter'!

At that point, I must admit, I was starving and decided to wonder through all the rooms to have a quick look before treating myself to a lovely meal at the restaurant.

But as I walked to the next room, I saw this giant constructions of sweets and macaroons hosted by a giant giraffe inviting me to help myself. A total treat! In the same luxury as Hansel and Gretel probably would have felt facing the Ginger Bread House, I found myself stuffing my face with a stupid amount of sweets and chocolate treats... and then... well, obvious result of it all... I crashed on the nearest sofa as I was so stuffed after eating so much! Very immature... but a very satisfying feeling after all.

'Okay, I give myself 5 minutes to rest.'

Nope, here is the Mad Hatter coming straight at me! 'Are you ready to go on an other adventure Alice?!'

Well, the truth is... I have always been a curious person.

'Yes, of course. What's your plan?'

THE MAD HATTER: 'Put on those goggles, and follow me!'

WOW, BLOODY HELL! What I saw through those goggles was nothing like what I had ever experienced before. All my senses were messed around, my notions of perspective inverted, and here I was, following this mad man across the restaurant and VIP lounge with a completely distorted vision. A truly unique experience!!!

So much more fun to follow... a parade... a crowning of the new Queen... my good bye to the King! and my way back into the 'normal' world, or shall we call it LalaLand ;-)

Congratulations to so many people, along with my dear friends Francesco Pastori, and Stella Scott for making this night so special!

Poppy Delivigne, Jefferson Hack & Arizona Muse Photography by Amelia Karlsen

Jefferson Hack celebrates the 25th issue of AnOther Magazine with a Through the Looking Glass themed party in London

more about this article can be found at:

http://www.anothermag.com/current/view/3025/AnOther_Magazine_25th_Issue_Party_Lou_Lous_Through_the_Looking_Glass

My little encounter with one of the characters...

 A beautiful opportunity to feel like a little girl again asking questions about life and choices...

A very lovely, and entertaining evening!

I POSTED THIS ARTICLE A WHILE AGO... IT IS SO WONDERFUL, I THOUGHT IT WAS TIME TO SHARE IT AGAIN!

More on Coco Chanel

Coco Chanel and elegance

by PAULO COELHO on FEBRUARY 22, 2012

A woman has the age she deserves.

There is no time for cut-and-dried monotony. There is time for work. And time for love. That leaves no other time!

Elegance does not consist in putting on a new dress.

Elegance is not the prerogative of those who have just escaped from adolescence, but of those who have already taken possession of their future.

Elegance is refusal.

Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening.

Fashion fades, only style remains the same.

Look for the woman in the dress. If there is no woman, there is no dress.

Some people think luxury is the opposite of poverty. It is not. It is the opposite of vulgarity. Luxury must be comfortable, otherwise it is not luxury.

Hard times arouse an instinctive desire for authenticity.

Since everything is in our heads, we had better not lose them

In order to be irreplaceable one must always be different.

There are people who have money and people who are rich.

by Gabrielle Bonheur “Coco” Chanel (19 August 1883 – 10 January 1971), a pioneering French fashion designer

Article taken from Paolo Coelho's blog http://paulocoelhoblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Coco_Chanel.jpg

Reviews for the Prince and the Pauper

Dear all,

First of all... Happy New Year!
We have started the year straight in 5th Gear at the Studio.

First of all, please see below some reviews about my designs for the Prince and the Pauper @ the Unicorn Theatre in London Bridge.

Calligraphic Artist: Marius Bogdanas

"Congratulations to Garance Marneur for the ingenious giant reel of a set. 

It has two semi-circular wings which open to reveal, for example, Henry VIII's bedroom or Westminster Abbey while providing niches, alcoves and balconies both inside and out. And the auditorium is configured to provide the cast with an extra walkway and to bring some of the audience further forward than usual"

THE STAGE

"the extremely clever set: two white semi-circles that conjoin then move apart 

[...] The play-within-a-play concept, together with the minimalist white space, gives the production the intriguing air of a postmodern morality tale."

THE TELEGRAPH ****

"Armed with catchy musical numbers and a spectacular stage by Garance Marneur, the play won over its young audience straight away"

A YOUNGER THEATRE, Theatre through the eyes of the younger generations

"The minimalist, abstract set by Garance Marneur is a nice contrast to the explosion of all things Tudor. The movable white blocks that frame the story contain windows, levels, stairs and curtains as the actors play inside them rather than just around"

WHATS ON STAGE ****

"Set during the reign of Henry VIII, but littered with contemporary references. [...] With a multi role playing cast of actor musicians and an effective set this piece has all the elements of a great children's production. [...] the revolving set meant that scene changes were always slick and well organized. The seats just for children at the front of the stage were also a nie touch and gave the cast many opportunities to interact with the audience. The pale set also allowed the bright colours of the fruits and some of the costumes to really shine through."

THE PUBLIC REVIEWS ****

"The minimalist stage design was something of an interior epiphany for us and has given us some fantastic ideas"

CURIOUS MUM Blog

There will be a lot more news coming up soon.

For now, I am proud to announce that Transformation & Revelation: From Gormley to Gaga previously exhibited at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London and featuring my designs for KHAOS, is currently on show at Summerhall in Edinburgh until 21^st February 2013. http://www.summerhall.co.uk/category/events/exhibition/

Black Dog Publishing will also be releasing soon a book on Contemporary Stage Designs,

Behind the Scenes: Set Design

which features some of my work.

There is more...

We are now about to go into production at the Abbey Theatre in Dublin... if the snow let us get there!

Opening of King Lear on WEDNESDAY, 6 FEBRUARY 2013

To book tickets, go to 

http://www.abbeytheatre.ie/whats_on/performances/king-lear

Wishing you all the best again for 2013. Will this year be full of love, success and happiness for all.

Love,

Garance