Pow! Wow! Hawaii 2015: Holoholo with John “Prime” Hina
“In celebration of the ongoing POW! WOW! Hawaii, festival organizers have released a video highlighting an annual ritual. Hoping to encourage cultural exchange, participating artists are led on a tour around the island of Hawaii every year, visiting a variety of significant historical and cultural locations. This year features a “holoholo” told by Hawaii native John “Prime” Hina. Similar to artist’s aspirations to inspire with their creations, Hina hopes his storytelling will spark attendees’ interests in their own heritage. Besides its obvious geographic isolation, Hawaii stands as an anomaly among the rest of the United States, having been able to keep more of its rich, vibrant, yet complicated native culture intact relative to anywhere else in the country. Enjoy Hina’s compelling words in the Michael Inouye video above.” -Hypebeast

Author: Clarance Leung
Director: Michael Inouye
Editor: Kali Kasashima

I’m happy to announce my new figure with Playboy for their 60th Anniversary.
Exact release date tbd. I have created a 12″ bust, modeled from the classic 60’s era Playboy Bunny, Collectors Edition vinyl.

John Lennon mural titled ‘Imagine’ now on the newly open DAS SHOP.

Drive by, take a picture. If you have some time stop in Das Shop and take a look around. They keep it well stocked with some quality product.

The address is 1930 Lincoln Blvd Venice, CA 90291

Tell them DF sent ya.

Hey Tomo, Get off the handwoven rug!
Now that the remodeling is done the gallery is pulling together nicely.
4 Foot Deathshead Mickey in Gold and custom painted black – Toy Art Gallery
Handwoven Dali rug – Soho Design House
Phil Stern collaboration and several small originals peppered in.

Special delivery! Hey just got a bunch of advanced copies of the book Gift from cameron + co. GIFT: The Art of David Flores, currently preparing a ltd. studio edition of 100pc for you. Cause none of this would be possible without you. I do the work you sing the songs.
-DF

My good friend Mike Malbon, founder of Frank’s Chop Shop has officially opened his third location in Los Angeles, CA.

Being a New York native and having roots in the skateboarding community. I saw my opportunity to have my way with Larry Clark’s 1995 film KIDS. Stop by the Chop Shop at 8209 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90046 You’ll be able to see this four canvas installation walking up Melrose into the shop. Tell Mike I sent you and go get yourself cleaned up by the best.

Here is a great write up from NY Daily News to introduce or catch you up on some original Chop Shop history.

“A lower East Side barbershop that’s been a hot spot for celebrities credits its success to a traditional, yet high-end grooming experience.

“Don’t be surprised when you come here for your regular cut and see Jake Gyllenhaal seated on the chair to your left, or Wu-Tang’s GZA to your right,” says Michael Malbon, founder of Frank’s Chop Shop. “All clients get the same quality treatment. We let them sit in the barber chair and relax.”

The Essex St. shop has become a destination for the style-conscious around the world. The barbers have built a dedicated following ranging from young professionals and edgy gals to gilded hip-hop stars and A-list actors.

Oscar-winning actor Adrien Brody, rapper Rick Ross, hip-hop artist Drake and journalist Anderson Cooper are among the clients who have sat in Frank’s four vintage barber chairs.

Frank’s Chop Shop brings back and embraces the classic barbershop, a piece of 1930s Americana that is vanishing,” Malbon says.

Old-fashioned straight-edge razor shaves are offered, along with haircuts and shapeups. There are no distractions like loud flat-screen TVs, piles of product clutter or spa stations.

“With barbering, there’s an art to conversation and an art to grooming,” head barber and manager Brandon (Mr. Bee) Wiseman says as his tattooed fingers work away at a client’s scalp.

Mr. Bee emphasizes the importance of a barber building a quality relationship with a client. The painter and rocker with the band Scrapers taught himself how to cut a broad range of styles, starting with mohawks during his punk-skater youth in Boston.

“You act accordingly and engage in conversation with the vibe of each client,” Mr. Bee says.

The shop has drawn barbers from all over the world, as far away as Japan, each with their own unique style. Malbon sports sneakers, T-shirts and a diamond-studded razor pendant he got as a gift from a client.

Business manager Tony Tricarico prefers pressed suits and wears sunglasses indoors. And Mr. Bee has an ever-evolving hairstyle and a penchant for plain white shirts and Dr. Martens.

The name of the shop pays homage to Benjamin Franklin.

“He was a smart modern man of leisure of his time,” Malbon reasons, a combination of qualities the shop values.

“You can have a relaxed meeting, make a new connection or collaboration, and get yourself groomed to feel good at the same time,” Malbon says, calling the shop a business hub. “Through word-of-mouth recommendations, the shop became a New York City destination like the Statue of Liberty.”

It got off to an interesting start, though.

“When we first opened in 2006, the nearby brothel thought we were setting up surveillance on them,” Mr. Bee chuckles. “SWAT teams would raid next door all the time while we had clients getting a shave in the barber chairs.”

Frank’s holds a retail space, selling caps, T-shirts and razor chain necklaces bearing the shop’s logos. The products are also available online and in specialty boutiques around the world.

“People get a Frank’s hat or shirt as a souvenir to take back home with them,” Malbon says.

Some of the hats are embossed with quotes attributed to Franklin, like “Time Is Money” and “No Nation Was Ever Ruined by Trade.” Others simply bear a picture of a razor or the words “Chop NY.”

Count rapper Lil Wayne among Frank’s fans. He wore one of the shop’s hats onstage while rehearsing for last year’s MTV Video Music Awards.”

Jean Shrimpton, one of the world’s first supermodels, the highest-paid model of the 1960s, now adorns the street level of The Souferian Group’s latest, 8075 3rd St.  in Hollywood, CA.

Greyscale on hues of peach compliment the hard masculine lines of this buildings new facade. The Shrimp has always been a favorite supermodel of mind. A true icon and fashion pioneer, Jean Shrimpton elegant yet playful with a universal appeal that travels well through the generations.