With the backdrop of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York Raf Simons officially handed over the reins to Mike D, a native New Yorker. As part of his role in the "Transmission LA: AV CLUB curated by Mike D", he serves as artistic director for the 21-day festival that will be open to the public and include the first ever viewing of the Mercedes-Benz Concept Style Coupé presented within an art exhibit.
"Growing up and living in NYC, visual art is part of my daily experience. It is part of the fabric of the city and its citizens are surrounded by it, like it or not. I've always been interested in how music has helped to inform artists work and vice-versa forming a most interesting feed back loop," said Mike D, who will enter the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with the Beastie Boys in April. "This show to me is a great opportunity to get into that dialogue and to reach out to artists of all types that I admire. My hope is that we together create a unique and changing arts programme inclusive of painting video, installation, music, and design."
The Avant/Garde Diaries form a creative platform for topics ranging from art to fashion to music, and the innovations, trends, and culture that are shaping social discussions. The festival itself provides a platform for international artists and trendsetters under the directorship of a visionary mind, to present their perspective on the world of today and tomorrow as well as enter into dialogue with experts and the general public. A digital interview magazine at www.theavantgardediaries.com captures innovators with extraordinary ideas who are influencing culture and future trends.
"The success of the festival's first outing in Berlin proved that we were on the right track by offering younger target groups a platform for issues that they relate to and by creating awareness for new ideas and solutions," said Anders Sundt Jensen, Vice President Brand Communications Mercedes-Benz Cars, at the handover from Raf Simons to Mike D. "Mercedes-Benz has always been the driving force in automotive development. We are creating tomorrow's standard today. Challenging the status quo, breaking through the accepted limits of thinking, daring to take a new direction and releasing synergies – these are also the aims of Avant/Garde Diaries."
"The Transmission event in Berlin enabled us to impressively demonstrate that technology, fashion, art and music are effectively inseparable," said designer Raf Simons. "It's about bringing these elements together, which are the driving forces behind innovation and progress. Mercedes-Benz design and aesthetic has always attracted me and I was fascinated with the idea of them providing a platform in which I had the freedom to create an exhibit with the artists that are influencing my life. Together we created a meaningful expression of what it means to be avant-garde. I am excited that Mike D will now have the same opportunity and I look forward to seeing what he creates."
Prior to "Transmission LA: AV CLUB curated by Mike D", an Avant/Garde Diaries event will take place in Copenhagen on 29th March, 2012 with painter Andreas Emenius, who is working with musician Mikkel Hess. They will collaborate with other artists to create a festival around the theme of movement.