Wednesday, February 6, 2008

A Little Chupi-cabra for the Afternoon Commuters

According to the good people at New York Magazine, bespectacled editrix and art world insider Ingrid Sischy penned an article for the March issue of Vanity Fair–Your Mama's favorite terlit reading for the somewhat sophisticatedthat follows 1980s art star turned film maker Julian Schabel as he moves and settles into his newly built Palazzo Chupi that rises in all it's pink and gaudy gloriousness in Manhattan's far West Village.

And there are pictures!

As the children know, the building is widely and wildly reviled by architectural snobs and neighborhood know it alls who don't appreciate its size (too big), its color (too pink) or its bizarre and unexpected articulation that includes a mish-mash of window sizes and styles and balconies stuck on to the side of the pink beast like gum on a wall.

None the less, Your Mama lurvs it. We can't help it. We just adore a rule breaker and Jeezis Mary and Joseph this building is breaking all the rules.

We love the fish out of water building even more after seeing a couple of photos of the Mister Schnabel's quirky and art filled private rooms. No babies, this is not how everyone should live, but it suits the painter and his bigger than life personality pefectly. This, in our feeble mind, is flawless interior day-core. Not because it adheres to any standards of good taste, but rather because it decidedly does not and even better, it does not care a whit about "good" taste or its Prada clad arbiters.

As for the swimming pool...well, we wish the far wall didn't look like it had gangrene, but otherwise we're melting with envy. Bravo Mister Schnabel! When do we get to come by for our own up close and personal tour?

Photos: Robert Polidori for Vanity Fair

24 comments:

so_chic_darling said...

How is any uglier than the dozens of mediocre condo buildings that go up every month in Manhattan?
I'm also in the neighborhood and I'm a big fan.

Alessandra said...

Paint your interior walls cotton-candy pink and get away with anything.

I'm a fan of bravery and whimsy in decorating.

Anonymous said...

"No diving"? Whaa?

Anonymous said...

Guilty! Definitely an 'architectural snob' & also one of the 'neighborhood know it alls' ... most people I know dislike it but then again many people in the neighborhood dislike the building I live in - you can't please everyone i guess.

I really do detest this building though. I think it's more to do with me detesting Julian Schnabel? The livingroom looks nice though, very chateau marmont'esque which i like ...

Anonymous said...

This is spectacular. Have been counting the days (and months) to glimpse these interiors. So reminiscent of his Gramercy Park work, as I had hoped. Such atmosphere.

Mama, possible to upload a few more pics? (Please?)

Anonymous said...

GASP!

so_chic_darling said...

It does fit into the Village because there are quite alot of deco buildings with this very same Venetian detailing all over them that have been around long before glass condos.

Anonymous said...

uh yuck
I may be a notch lower on the tool belt but it looks like
cotton candy puke to me.

Anonymous said...

It's ugly, but I love it. Chupi is flipping the big bird at all the Meier glass towers on the West Side Highway, and that my dears is funny.

Anonymous said...

Mama, I write headlines all the time and I'd be insanely proud of Chupi-cabra if I'd come up with it.

Anonymous said...

who owns the house at 1 electra drive, I heard it was an internet mogul that is in his 20's

it is an amazing house, they host oscar and other star parties their, I heard they rent it out for 200k for 1 night.

Anonymous said...

is that the one in the hollywood hills on mount olympus ?

Anonymous said...

yes it is, I went to a new years party there

Anonymous said...

Pink is the new beige!

Alessandra said...

On second thought, I hate the swimming pool. Either move it six feet to the left or move the support columns six feet to the right, but who the hell is going to swim in that rather chunky maze?

Anonymous said...

Indoor pools are all creepy, if you ask me.

Hate Schnabel, love his building.

I, too, chuckle every time I see it. It's so over the top. How can anybody who lives in New York, the mecca of over the top, bitch about this building?

Anonymous said...

High Class Decorator Lady,

You're almost right, my dear - it's FUGLY that is the new beige . . .

(Actually, it does have a certain "locational" charm).

And Alessandra, this pool is just custom-made for playing "Marco . . "

Anonymous said...

Poloooooooo. Splash!

Anonymous said...

Not for me...If I was going to drop thousands of $ per square foot for a place in Manhattan, I prefer the grand pre-war classics that line CPW like the San Remo, Beresford, El Dorado, etc...

Anonymous said...

i dig it. it's very jean michel basquiat meets sofia coppolla.

Anonymous said...

Babe, very apt description; you got it on there, girl!

Anonymous said...

what's the adrress?

Anonymous said...

Babe runs up panting..."LGB! sorry for the late response! was being interviewed by W! Thank you for the props...will u be my Valentine?
xo
BP

Anonymous said...

How the hell did he get so rich? This must have cost tens of millions to build, no?