LARGE SCALE SITE SPECIFIC ART INSTALLATION - 119 MARVILA STUDIOS, lisbon

Aluminum mesh, painted stainless steel | Brooklyn 2019 - Lisbon, Portugal 2021

Large scale site specific art installation for 119 Marvila Studios, Lisbon, Portugal; Aluminum metal mesh, painted steel; Concept – to proceed with fabrication; size varies between 9’ to 12’ in height, size of top metal rose – varies between 2’ and 4’

In creating As Quinze Rosas (Fifteen Roses) I was inspired by the legend of the Miracle of the Roses. The story speaks about compassion towards the poor. As Isabel of Aragon was helping the hungry, inexplicably the bread was transformed into roses. To this day the legend continues to be retold throughout various Portuguese-speaking communities.

The Cluster: The process of Making it Real

Special thanks to Brooklyn Glass and Studios Architecture team

It was a real pleasure to collaborate with the team of Studios Architecture in creating the neon light installation for the lobby of 817 Broadway.  The building was designed in 1895 by architect George B. Post, known for his innovative skyscraper designs. As with many other buildings along Broadway at the turn of the century, 817 Broadway housed clothing and textile manufacturers and their retail branches. This particular building was designed for cloak manufacturers of Meyer Jonasson & Company, which touted itself as the “world’s largest manufacturer of ladies garments.”  In 2017, 817 Broadway project got underway. Working with Taconic, the new owner of the building, Studios Architecture was tasked to bring this piece of history into the modern era. The building’s historic brick and terra cotta façade with its ornate columns, and intricate brickwork was fully restored; the office lobby was completely redesigned.

As part of the lobby's redesign, I was approached to work with the architectural team to create a site specific light installation. I was inspired both by the history of the building and the proportions of the new space. I wanted to nod to the building's history and abstractly to bring to life the fashion garments that were designed and produced in the building a century ago. Working with the contemporary version of the classical neon lights my design called for shapes that were reminiscent of the outline of the cloak with its hood and bell shape outline. The architectural team of Studios had created a quite handsome new lobby. I wanted to juxtapose my work by creating a design that carries a more feminine spirit. The proportions of the lobby were quite striking. Studios had created almost a perfect cubical volume. This space brought a calm and soothing spirit to the lobby. I wanted a light installation to read almost as a crown and to celebrate the revival of the building.

Studios and I worked closely with Brooklyn Glass where the light was fabricated. To make the light a reality, we did real size stencils and a series of 3D mock ups.  A stream of argon and a touch of mercury filled up 175’ of glass tubes and a light lit up the lobby space bringing new life for the new century.

/Some of the images used at the presentation above are by Ines Leong /

COLLABORATION WITH PALM ANGELs i SPRING SUMMER 2020 mens fashion show i MILAN FASHION WEEK MILAN ITALY JUNE 2019

I am excited to collaborate with Palm Angels on their Spring/Summer 2020 Menswear, presented at Milan Fashion Week SS20. All one of kind hand made necklaces and bracelets were designed and made by myself - Margarita Mileva especially for Plam Angels SS2020. Palm Angels introduced the audience to various wearable sources of joy including leisure suits; basketball shirts with tattoo or pin-up girl prints; cavalry striped slacks; fishtail parkas; and Magnum P.I.-style Hawaiian prints on shirts and outerwear, accessorized—like every look here—with Lei-like rubber band garlands. These looks were carefully remixed to resonate freshly and featured eye-catching asides—extra strapping, detachable leather pochettes, single-lens cyclops sunglasses—to add an extra sheen of newness. Slingback cushioned sneakers were geekily cool, as were the boxy rainbow gilets.

MFW Men’s SS20: Palm Angels. Intrigued by the way a vintage store can be equally familiar—filled with that vague smell of old perfume, a selection of odd Hawaiian shirts, tie-dye, and discarded army uniforms—and entirely new at once, Palm Angels’ Francesco Ragazzi aimed to recreate those sensations for Spring/Summer 2020. A comfortable feeling of normalcy sits at the base of the designs, while each piece remains entirely new and utterly exciting. The usual vintage store finds are altered and elevated—like tie-dye washed jeans, utilitarian work vests in white, and Hawaiian florals transformed into blazer jackets. Standout details included the eyewear reminiscent of a pair of virtual reality glasses, the lei-inspired necklaces constructed of knotted chord, and the recurring butterfly motif, seen throughout in the form of prints, patches, and graphics.

BACKSTAGE AT MILAN FASHION WEEK SS 2020

Photos by Sonny Vandevelde @ Milano Porta Venezia railway station

NEW YORK 2019

Arte Concerts: Angelique Kidjo and Guests, Paris 2019

The Flying Concerts give carte blanche to Angélique Kidjo! For this special issue, the African icon invites three of her friends on the top floor of the Arab World Institute: drummer Tony Allen and singers Fatoumata Diawara and Yael Naim. An evening that is shared between Africa, the Middle East and Europe.

ОЛИМПИЙСКО ДВИЖЕНИЕ 2018 i 2019 TEYADESIGN + M2ELASTIC

FASHION COLLABORATION SOFIA, BULGARI

This project is result of a fashion collaboration with Teya Troshanova - friend, architect, inspiring designer. Friends of ours, architects as well, joined us in passing the rubber bands segments from New York to Paris to Sofia. The “game” began and we named our collection Olympic Movement 2018/2019.

THE CLUSTER: NEON LIGHT INSTALLATION

MANHATTAN, NEW YORK

Working on the light installation, gives me the opportunity to "stretch" the light. I started  the design process with small conceptual models using galvanized wire, that represents the glass neon tubes. Gradually I've transitioned into scaled models, specific to the architecture of the lobby. At that phase I also began considering the technical constrains of the neon installation. All segments have to be 7' max (2,10m), the tube will be 18mm, the light - moon white  (2400 Kelvin) and so on. Working on this project gives me great pleasure since I am able to combine my art and architectural ideas.

TOTEM

Recycled bicycle inner tubes, red and orange rubber bands, 4'-6" x 4'-6" , 2016 New York.

Special thanks to Nomad Cycle for providing me with endless  supply of used tires. Thank you New York for all the potholes

Pup Van Winkle

MAGIS PUPPY LOVE DESIGN CHALLENGE

HERMAN MILLER, NEW YORK, 2018

Herman Miller Collection and Creative Office Pavilion provided one white Magis Puppy to each of 20 NYC A&D firms to transform into a playful puppy sculpture. I was part of team of FXCollaborative colleagues. We reimagined the Magis Puppy into “Pup Van Winkle” for Herman Miller’s Puppy Love design challenge.  Inspired by the vibrancy of New York City, our team spray-painted the Eero Aarnio-designed molded plastic dog, used bicycle inner tubes for hair, and mounted it at an angle, transforming it into a hip urbanite who “breakdances” on a vinyl record. Proceeds from the event went to Social Tees, a not-for-profit no-kill animal rescue in the East Village

INSPIRED

CHRISTMAS COLLAGES

Personal Project

Every year, at Christmas time I am creating a collage using images from the past year. This "adventure"  started as a game with my daughters many years ago. Now I am obsessed with the project. This is my present to friends and family. What a year 2023 has been! Let's welcome very happy, merry and prosperous New 2024!

BUBBLE RINGS FEATURED BY designed by dimana arnaoudova 

Special thanks to my very talented niece Dimana. It is a joy to be featured at her latest collection, inspiered by the art of Kandinsky

Storytelling Portraits for High School Seniors

COURTESY OF KATY MOSES PHOTOGRAPHY

Thank you Katy! Thank you Grace! So happy to see my necklaces featuring bay you! / Necklaces - Various colors rubber bands + Industrial felt/

COLLAGES: M2 NEW YORK 

COLLAGES: M2 MEETS PAUL GAUGUIN