David LaChapelle can be considered more than a name itself, maybe an icon to modern pop culture. Probably a renowned photographer or a celebrities’ favorite visual art-man, but in my opinion, he’s an experience for the lack of a better word to describe this famous character.I arrived to Guadalajara on Wednesday September the 2nd at 11:30 am. Minutes later I joined Luis Enrique (Editor of BLINK Magazine & LaChapelle's visit head-staff) and company on board to the adventure of getting involved on the production and organization of LaChapelle’s visit and exhibit opening of his master collection ‘DELIRIUM OF REASON’ on MUSA. My first approach towards everything began when I arrived to the hotel where the crew and the special guests were staying. The first thing I could see when the doors opened was the legendary Amanda Lepore working out some yoga moves on mid-day at the outdoors hall while others were busy accomplishing their duties for the mayor event. So, that was some memorable welcome scene, wasn’t it?Everything seemed as a well orchestrated chaos, to much going on and at the same time there was a sense of calm and peace, a battle among time, agenda, names and much more. Somehow, we all knew everything was going to be fine. Everyone knew what they were doing, it was just too much.After some planning and organizing, we head ourselves on to MUSA and I witnessed and somehow listed myself as a staff member for the production of the installation of the red carpet and the outdoors venue for the opening party. The museum was beautiful and right in front of it was a big gothic-style church that made a very smart contrast as an atmosphere theme among David LaChapelle’s exhibition of controversy and material of edge. It all couldn’t be more perfectly settled for the event.DELIRIUM OF REASON | MUSEUM GUIDED TOUR
I among the press and some VIP guests were expecting the arrival of LaChapelle and Lepore to the museum. We were all getting a private experience from the artist himself to guide us towards the exhibition and share with us his inspiration behind the art work, some stories about his journey and hopefully some details we weren’t aware on behalf of the message he was trying to share through his visual expressions.
The opening piece on the exhibit lead to Courtney Love holding a resemblance of Court Kobain, the title of the first collection was Heaven & Hell. In the same room you could also make yourself aware of a picture of Kanye West wearing a crown of thorns, just like the image of Jesus Christ, but instead there was this famous African-American egocentric hip-hop figure.
We were all waiting for the visual artist to arrive, it’s usual for high profile talent to get somewhere fashionably late. The press was packed to appreciate David LaChapelle’s art work and presence. It was somehow a delightful chaos, like his pictures reflect on symbolism and metaphor. Finally, an hour later, David & Amanda arrived to the museum and the cameras were ready to flash their welcome entrance.
They walked through the entrance and the duo was welcomed by the high administrators of the museum and all the press. Then David started to talk about his art work and also shared how pleased he was with the venue and his visit to Guadalajara.
“My pictures somehow reflect a fight between decadence and an idea of the renaissance, hope through decadence, light among darkness.” - “This is one of the most beautiful museums (MUSA) I’ve ever been. Mexico is very kind and worm. I’m delighted by its people, art and culture.”
He shared stories about his up-bringing in the art world. He said he started making magazines out of other magazines; he was devoted to pop art, culture and the portrayal of the idea of an obsessed society on fame and glamour.“I was never aware I was making art. For me it was only photography, but work leaded me out of the box through intuition and then I found out I could express and communicate through provocation and the art of beauty.”
We explored the whole exhibition, going through different photos, installations and collections. At the end of it all, LaChapelle explained that his intention of the use of beauty and materialism was in a way to contradict itself from his struggle against those values and bring out the worse of humanity towards a view point of negation. “Instead of making dramatic horrifying and humanizing pictures I choose to play a part in the use of beauty in order to gain attention and provoke the viewers, hopefully landing on the idea of humanism through materialism and pop culture.”
PARTY & AFTERPARTY
The guided tour through the exhibition was a complete success. Everybody was pleased and both special guests couldn’t be nicer and more pleasant. Once that was over, both David and Amanda went back to the hotel in order to get ready for the big night; the party for the exhibition opening! …And the “secret” after party as well.A few hours went by and anybody who’s anybody at Guadalajara started to arrive through the red carpet. To be honest I didn’t know half the people there but I was told they were local personalities, though they were treated as celebrities so that was interesting for me to witness. After a while a few Mexican A-List celebrities arrived, such as Fer – lead singer from Mexican rock-pop band Maná, Denise Guerrero – lead singer of electropop band called Belanova, and several others. It was a great mixture of styles, personalities and “groove” to say the least. Free drinks and gifts everywhere, the guests were pleased but all expecting for the man & woman of the hour to arrive. Once again, a few hours later they made a marvelous entrance, went through the exhibition (again) and then mingled into the party, which basically turned into a meet & greet gathering. Everybody wanted a piece of David LaChapelle & Amanda Lepore, and boy they got it!After signing thousands of autographs and taking pictures with everyone, David & Amanda left to the after party. An exclusive number of people and me head to the secret event a few hours later. The after party was set at a very extravagant and luxurious home. The music was fun, free drinks and a very relaxed, easy going mood. I was warned to be aware for “hardcore” behavior but I saw none of that to be honest. It was a nice gathering; LaChapelle & Lepore seemed to be having fun just like everybody else. They left early by the way, but the party wasn’t half over. It was four thirty in the morning, I had some tequilas in my system and we finally left the celebration.
A CONVERSATION WITH LACHAPELLE & LEPORE
{Amanda Lepore, Myself & David LaChapelle - Photography by Ana Lorena Mendez Flores}I had very little (if not none) time to cross words with both icons. Like I said before, chaos seemed to be the best choice of a word to describe the situation. Everything was happening at once. At the end, before my departure from the museum and Guadalajara, I had the chance to share some verbal lines with the artist and this muse; “David, I want to congratulate you for such a wonderful collection of art work and provocation in print. Amanda and David, you’re both in my opinion true icons of beauty and art, because you have both found a way to create in tangible form what your ideal of beauty is all about.” – LaChapelle and Lepore seemed interested on what I was sharing, for what David turned to Amanda, he looked at her up-side-down, turned to me and gracefully said; “Isn’t Amanda a hot tamale? Yeah, she’s the hottest tamale in town!” – For what I answered, “No-doubt she is true hot tamale, the hottest one in the room.” For what I smiled, they pleasantly laughed and that’s what I took from the man and muse behind the delirium of reason.
More on David LaChapelle's visit to Guadalajara México click here.More information on David LaChapelle click here.More information on Amanda Lepore click here.
It’s not too late! I was asked to write an article for the 5th anniversary of BLINK lifestyle magazine. The article’s title is “50” (same as the number of the edition). The article is about the 50 most influential designers of our time and I was very much honored to be in charge of such a contribution. Be sure to get your October issue, available in every Sanborns and other prestigious venues. 
I’ve always admired strong women, there’s an element of value in a female that I appreciate in a very unique way. This time I was honored to be interviewed for a female-lesbian focused magazine called MUJER X MUJER (Woman for Woman). It is distributed in Monterrey Nuevo Leon, one of Mexico’s most important cities and one I love with all my heart. 
David LaChapelle can be considered more than a name itself, maybe an icon to modern pop culture. Probably a renowned photographer or a celebrities’ favorite visual art-man, but in my opinion, he’s an experience for the lack of a better word to describe this famous character.
I among the press and some VIP guests were expecting the arrival of LaChapelle and Lepore to the museum. We were all getting a private experience from the artist himself to guide us towards the exhibition and share with us his inspiration behind the art work, some stories about his journey and hopefully some details we weren’t aware on behalf of the message he was trying to share through his visual expressions.
The opening piece on the exhibit lead to Courtney Love holding a resemblance of Court Kobain, the title of the first collection was Heaven & Hell. In the same room you could also make yourself aware of a picture of Kanye West wearing a crown of thorns, just like the image of Jesus Christ, but instead there was this famous African-American egocentric hip-hop figure.
We were all waiting for the visual artist to arrive, it’s usual for high profile talent to get somewhere fashionably late. The press was packed to appreciate David LaChapelle’s art work and presence. It was somehow a delightful chaos, like his pictures reflect on symbolism and metaphor. Finally, an hour later, David & Amanda arrived to the museum and the cameras were ready to flash their welcome entrance.
They walked through the entrance and the duo was welcomed by the high administrators of the museum and all the press. Then David started to talk about his art work and also shared how pleased he was with the venue and his visit to Guadalajara.
“My pictures somehow reflect a fight between decadence and an idea of the renaissance, hope through decadence, light among darkness.” - “This is one of the most beautiful museums (MUSA) I’ve ever been. Mexico is very kind and worm. I’m delighted by its people, art and culture.”
He shared stories about his up-bringing in the art world. He said he started making magazines out of other magazines; he was devoted to pop art, culture and the portrayal of the idea of an obsessed society on fame and glamour.
We explored the whole exhibition, going through different photos, installations and collections. At the end of it all, LaChapelle explained that his intention of the use of beauty and materialism was in a way to contradict itself from his struggle against those values and bring out the worse of humanity towards a view point of negation. “Instead of making dramatic horrifying and humanizing pictures I choose to play a part in the use of beauty in order to gain attention and provoke the viewers, hopefully landing on the idea of humanism through materialism and pop culture.”
The guided tour through the exhibition was a complete success. Everybody was pleased and both special guests couldn’t be nicer and more pleasant. Once that was over, both David and Amanda went back to the hotel in order to get ready for the big night; the party for the exhibition opening! …And the “secret” after party as well.
{Amanda Lepore, Myself & David LaChapelle - Photography by Ana Lorena Mendez Flores}
