TI PREVIEW: NAILED : The History of Nail Culture And DZINE: Damiani Editore

For Art Basel Miami Beach, The Standard, Miami will host Dzine's Imperial Nails, a nail salon and site-specific installation

Just think of the couture possibilities. Press release post-jump

Introduction by Kim Hastreiter . Text by Fred Brathwaite a.k.a. Fab 5 Freddy, Luis Gispert, Yone and Jamel Shabazz.

Nailed, a 232-page hardcover book, recounts the history of nail adornment and documents contemporary nail art around the world, including the artist's own creations with an introduction by Paper co-founder Kim Hastreiter and contributions by Luis Gispert, Yonehara Yasuma, Mickalene Thomas, Jamel Shabazz and Fab 5 Freddy. Commissioned photographers captured nail artists, clientele, and salon owners in their respective cities, culminating with images by Kai Regan of Dzine's wearable sculptural nails.

Dzine's work explores the subculture of customization and its relationship to art, music, fashion, and popular culture, which the artist references as "Kustom Kulture." Known for his colorful, jewel-encrusted paintings and for his artfully tricked out vehicles, Dzine's work mines the sensibilities and trends of the street and translates them into a highly personal, meticulously crafted art form. In Nailed, the artist delves into the more intimate realm of body decoration, celebrating the once underground, now burgeoning nail art movement. Used in Ming Dynasty China to designate social status, and in ancient Egypt, Babylon, and Rome as battle adornment, nail art functions today as much as a vehicle for personal and cultural expression, as a mainstream fashion accessory.

The child of first generation Puerto Rican immigrants, Dzine fondly recalls the bootleg salon his mother set up in his childhood home and the sense of community it created. It is this environment--the nexus of Nail Art Culture--that inspired Dzine to tell a story that was honest, while staying true to his studio practice. Dzine states, "The people involved in this community have no formal art training, yet their passion to make beautiful, over-the-top ornamental objects is what truly struck me, hence the body of work. It has reminded me why I'm an artist and why I choose to create."

The body of work informed by Dzine's research was first exhibited at Salon 94 Freemans, titled Imperial Nail Salon, which in addition to sculptures and paintings, featured a salon chair with a part-time manicurist in the gallery and at the New Museum. For the release of Nailed and coinciding with Art Basel Miami Beach, The Standard, Miami will host Dzine's Imperial Nails, a nail salon and site-specific installation that will include references to the artist's childhood home and surroundings, containing personal artifacts and a specially commissioned video installation. The salon will be open for nail appointments by invitation during Art Basel, Nov 30 - Dec 4 from 11 am - 6 pm, and open to the public Dec 10 - Dec 18, Saturday and Sunday only, from 11 am - 6 pm with support from the Bass Museum of Art.

Nailed will be available exclusively through The Standard shops and shopthestandard.com from December 1, 2011 to February 1, 2012 and distributed internationally by D.A.P. thereafter.

The body of work informed by Dzine's research was first exhibited at Salon 94 Freemans, titled Imperial Nail Salon,

Nailed will be available exclusively through The Standard shops and shopthestandard.com from Dec 1, 2011 to Feb 1, 2012