Old Hollywood ambiance met hard rock n’ roll at Ella Lounge for an end of fashion week performance by the band The Bushwick Hotel.
As thunderstorms and lightning broke outside, the upstairs of the Lower East Side bar was serenaded by dapper old timey crooners. Decorated with black and white images of Joan Crawford and Clark Gable, the atmosphere was speakeasy.
Downstairs fashion photographer and film director Cathrine Westergaard projected her bold, sexy take on modern icons in majestic moving images that played over the band members of Bushwick Hotel as they rocked to a packed house.
The Bushwick Hotel is Iggy Pop updated. They have a brash, but catchy sound punctuated by soaring saxophone and ecstatic energy. Their set was a study in complimentary opposites, band members tattooed but in tuxedos. Grunge against the backdrop of gorgeous models—who Westergaard shot smothered in paint that looked like beautiful dirt.
A New York native, Westergaard has always drawn creative energy from her hometown. “My inspiration comes directly from growing up in New York City during a time when diverse wild characters were the norm,” Westergaard shares, her lush red hair tucked into a hat with the words NAKED WASTED in pink over the brim. “Sneaking out to head to the Lower East Side was my excitement. There was a rush intrinsic to the sense of danger and adventure we experienced. You never knew what to expect and that was why living in New York inspired such great art and culture.”
Westergaard is currently working on “Innocent & Vain,” a film installation and gallery piece which explores the mythology of the femme fatale. Loosely inspired by the life of downtown icon in Warhol’s day, Nico, the project will star actress Malgosia Garnys. Westergaard is interested in exploring the grit behind the glamour, “I refuse to believe my city has lost all of that,” She says, “My work is a process of seeking that out of the box experience and the sensual allure of letting life follow its natural course.”
