Los Angeles – Sept. 2007 – Scion goes international with Australian Characters, the latest art show at its 4,500 square foot Installation L.A. Gallery. The show features Australian artists Amanda Shelsher, Stormie Mills, Jodee Knowles, Leon vs Pippa and Frances Andrijich reclaiming the representation of their country and its history.

“Due in large part to early colonization, Australia has one of the most culturally diverse populations on the planet,” said curator and Aussie Stormie Mills. “Prior to anyone arriving in the country it was gainfully inhabited by mainly nomadic and largely peaceful aboriginal tribes. It wasn’t until Captain Cook landed his ship in Botany Bay [now a suburb of Sydney] in 1770, and therein opening the floodgates for ship loads of thieves and reprobates in quantities too large for the prisons systems of Great Britain, that everything changed. Nowadays the wiry smile, the quick wit and steel handshake are firmly ingrained across all cultural ethnicities in cities, country towns and stations. This small collective of West Australian artists are well versed in these characters and it’s these wider known [to us] and lesser known [to you] depictions of our country we bring, the characters, the larrikins, the dark and disturbed, it’s another view of our wide brown country, one we’re more comfortable with.”

The opening reception takes place September 15, 7:00 P.M. – 10:00 P.M. and will run through September 29 at the Scion Installation LA Gallery, 3521 Helms Ave. (at National), Culver City, CA 90232. Artists will be present from Australia.

Dedicated to fostering independent artistic expression, the Scion Installation L.A. Gallery is a space that allows artists to explore their creative visions. The new Scion Installation Gallery hosts art shows and art-related events for cutting-edge artists from across the globe. Due to success and growth, the Scion Installation L.A. Gallery recently moved from its Washington Boulevard location to Helms and National near the Hayden Tract area. Gallery hours are Wednesday through Saturday 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM and by appointment -310.815.8840. For more information, visit www.scion.com/space.

NEW YORK, NY (September 11th, 2007) – Kimora Lee Simmons turned her celebrity laden Baby Phat and KLS Collection Fashion Week show into a celebration of giving Green Friday night. The show, attended by Russell Simmons, Mary J. Blige, Olivia Palermo, Jamie-Lynn Sigler, Nick Cannon with fiancée Selita Ebanks, Star Jones, Mya and and Djimon Hounsou, promised attendees a first-class trip to St. Tropez, and delivered that and then some. Along with the candy colored hot pants, hoodies, monokinis and more, Kimora armed her models with what is rapidly becoming a symbol of giving back to Africa – the Simmons Jewelry Co’s Green Bracelet.

Made of green malachite beads and a rough diamond, the bracelet was the brainchild of visionary and Simmons Jewelry co-founder Russell Simmons, upon his return from an African fact finding mission last December to see how diamonds were helping Africans in countries where they are a natural resource. The Green Bracelet sells for $125 and more than $20 from the sale of each goes back to Africa for education programs via the Simmons’ created Diamond Empowerment Fund(TM)(D.E.F.).
Kimora also hosted a special VIP dinner following her show in honor of D.E.F.

The list of celebrities putting on the Green Bracelet to show their support of helping Africans help Africa keeps growing. At Fashion Rocks the previous night, the Green Bracelet had adorned the wrists of Jennifer Lopez, Usher, Mary J. Blige, Tyra Banks, Mischa Barton, Nicky Hilton and LL Cool J, among others.

“The Green Bracelet symbolizes giving and there’s nothing sexier than that. I can’t believe how gracious and sweet the celebrity community has been in supporting it,” said Russell Simmons.