In M·A·C culture, the human face and body are the ultimate canvas for makeup artists. Makeup and brushes are quite literally the tools. M·A·C Artists are influenced by all forms of art from painting to photography to images in film, using makeup as their means of expression. Like fine artists, they create depth, sculpt contours, brush on highlights, blend textures, mix colours, or apply pigment straight from the tube like Van Gogh. But in this case, the canvas talks back.
“We are M·A·C … Make-Up Art Cosmetics. Every face is a canvas to us, a glorious chance for spectacular transformation. It’s nice to be pretty, but it’s so much more fabulous and interesting to be a persona, something once out-of-grasp that has, through the power of art, become thrillingly real,” says James Gager, Senior Vice President/Creative Director. “In keeping with our art heritage, it made sense to ask these three artists to participate in a unique collaboration with us for fall. Working in their individual mediums – drawing, photography and painting – each applied a different colour palette to a portrait, with inspired results.”
FALL ’09 AS SEEN BY MARILYN MINTER, PHOTOGRAPHER
Marilyn Minter, equally at home in art and fashion, has a penchant for iridescence that made her a perfect candidate for M·A·C’s glitter pigments, putting them to utterly seductive use. Minter’s erotic imagery zooms in on a succulently wet, red lip, a dappled, sequined eye, or a silverized stiletto splashing in the mud. The Whitney Biennial Artist says she’s “Never met a model who actually thinks she’s beautiful,” and that observation goes a long way to explain how she connects to what M·A·C wants to say about all-inclusiveness – we’re ALL beautiful sometimes. Pigments in Push the Edge and Copper or Gold Glitter have the power to make anyone feel like they WILL be seen – and desired.
FALL ’09 AS SEEN BY RICHARD PHILLIPS, PAINTER
Richard Phillips surprised even himself with this project. Using the expert skills of a photo-retoucher, he subjected his own painting to a M·A·C makeover with the new eye shadows, blushes and lipsticks. Andy Warhol did a cameo on The Love Boat in 1985…and in the same spirit, Richard Phillips’ 1998 painting, Spectrum, made its debut on an episode of the scandalous Gossip Girl – a sign of the times! Recycled and re-imagined ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s advertisments and images, and every colourful issue ever considered when pondering the question of “identity” is what Richard Phillips is all about. His bold and beautiful portraits are highly technical, a refinement of precise, academic painting, so relevant to everything M·A·C artistry is all about. A collection of Eye Shadow quads, Lipsticks, Lipglass, and The Perfect Cheek Blush just leap off the canvas!
FALL ’09 AS SEEN BY MAIRA KALMAN, ILLUSTRATOR
Famous for her whimsical visual diaries, Maira Kalman performed a bit of magic with M·A·C's new Technakohl Eye Liners and Eye Shadows, instantly drafting a captivating look at a stranger. Cheeky, witty, always amusing, Maira’s illustrations are cute and colourful, wonderfully child-like, playful…and sophisticated all at once. Warm and eccentric at the same time, Maira’s faces are full of cock-eyed optimism, with the tiniest smidge of city-girl-snobbism…simply, scrumptiously, stupendously sublime!
