Design Feed

Map-ography, Skin-ography and...Book-ography!

2009-09-15T08:52:00.000-07:00

Here are three examples of innovative and inventive typography I have come
across recently and really stuck in my mind. The first is google maps typography. Created by Australian designer Rhett Dashwood. Incredibly he has used google maps to search for land formations and buildings that resemble each individual letter of the alphabet! And perhaps what's even more incredible is that he has found them all within the state of Victoria, Australia. When I first caught glimpse of this alphabet I at least presumed that it was compiled with aerial snapshots from around the world, not just from one region of one country! A great result from an interesting and unique idea.

The second is this typography created from the skin, officially termed Skinography. I don’t know much about it or where it came from, but I discovered it here. I gave up attempting to guess from which parts of the body theses letters were made. All I could spot was the odd nipple here and odd earlobe there! It’s almost quite grotesque and looks pretty painful. The outcome however is extremely effective, even if it does make you cringe. I couldn’t figure out why they hadn’t done a ‘z’ though…

Last but not least is this book typography, by Amandine Alessandra. She has taken Thomas Fuller’s phrase “A book that is shut is but a block” and built up this series of letters using the spines of different coloured books. In between the coloured books, white books are used to block the letters into their forms. On her website there are more examples of typefaces created from everyday things, such as chairs and hands. It’s interesting to see someone transform such mundane, everyday objects into something of order, and look at I from a different perspective.

A curious film about a curious man

2009-09-15T06:43:00.000-07:00

I was quite disappointed when I missed this film in the cinemas after hearing so much about it, so I was quite excited when I finally got around to renting it from Blockbuster the other day. With such an intriguing concept I had an inkling that I would enjoy it, but to honest I didn’t know quite what to expect especially with all the mixed reviews it has received. However 165 minutes later and I discovered that my inkling was infact correct, and I enjoyed it far more than I even expected.

Brilliantly directed by David Fincher - with his great eye for detail - and screenplay by Eric Roth, who also worked on Forrest Gump, this American fantasy drama is loosely based on the 1921 short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald. If you haven’t already seen it, then I won’t give too much of the extraordinary plot away, as I think it really should be experienced first hand. But just a brief outline, this is a tale of a curious man, Benjamin, born as a baby in a crippled, old mans body. His disgusted father abandons him on the steps of a stranger’s house, the warm and caring Queenie, who immediately and unquestionably takes him in to care for. The story follows Benjamins life, as he begins to age, but biologically grows younger. The entire thing is told through the narration of Benjamin’s diary, bestowed into the possession of his love, Daisy. Now, I can see why some people have complained at the length of the film; at over two and a half ours, it’s fairly long, a feature perhaps highlighted by the premise of the film itself being based on time. However I have to say that I didn’t want it to end.

Pervaded with life and death, love and loss, the film deals with these occurrences in an almost matter-of-fact way that somehow doesn’t make it any less emotional. Rich in humour, sorrow, heart-ache, and ultimately life, a film full of ironies that explores the process of aging and how old we are against how old we feel. The great anecdotes and twists in this curious tale are played fantastically by Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett, who play the lead characters Benjamin and Daisy. Pitt especially brings the shading to Benjamin’s character alive, to accompany the fantastic special effects and CGI to age the characters accordingly. Fincher focuses mainly on the face to express age, with great success. All things considered it is unsurprising that this film was nominated for a total of 13 Oscars. Overall I think I have figured out why this film has had such contrasting reviews; if you are looking for a point to film then you may not find it. However if you’re willing to just experience it, then it’s an epic. Moreover I suppose that for a film based on such a bizarre and unique premise, you might sort of expect a message that is a bit more out of the ordinary. But of course it doesn’t tell us anything more than we already know or have been told before, that we should discover life, love and what is really important to us, and make the most of it while we can in the short time that we are given. However for me this was perfect, in its elegant and imaginative depiction of love, life and the things that we lose. And while I can see how it may not be for everyone, I still absolutely recommend this film to you, and hope that you won’t be disappointed.

Nacho Gil

2009-09-14T08:47:00.000-07:00

I really like these illustrations of animals by Nacho Gil - Argentinean artist and designer at MTV with a delicious sounding name! Illustrations of animals don’t usually grip me, however he takes this fairly (in my opinion) boring concept and turns it into a contemporary one again, with his angular shapes and graphic style. I like the way he has taken this style of illustration and applied it to create a series, each of which complement and strengthen the others. When I look at them I feel like I’m looking down a kaleidoscope, in the symmetry and the jagged, 3D ‘diamond’ effect, with sharp points rising up in numerous places. In that respect, they sort of remind me of childhood. These are my favourites but you can take a look at the whole series by visiting his website here.

A splash of paint

2009-09-14T07:59:00.000-07:00

Stunning photos from London based photographer Iain Crawford. With his quite extraordinary approach to fashion photography he has produced a fantastic and unique portfolio full of amazing work. This series where brightly coloured paint is thrown over flawless models, possesses something extra special. The elegant shapes that Crawford captures in that split second are incredible, as if the paint was meant to wrap itself around the model in that exact way…I can’t imagine how the models manage to pose so professionally with paint being thrown at them, but somehow they accomplish it with total grace! The result is a range of brilliant pictures full of emotion, energy, and most of all, captivating COLOUR! The colour is my favourite aspect of Crawford’s work, it’s bright and it’s fantastic! I haven’t seen colour used like this before, to full effect, with one simple, bold colour at a time. With work like this it’s not surprising he’s been commissioned by the likes of L’Oreal, Givenchy, Lancome and Vogue, among many many more. Every time I look at these pictures it strikes me how Crawford has managed to create a feeling of such calm, from such chaos.

Click here for Iain Crawford’s website and to take a peek at the rest of his work.

Lazy Sunday afternoons

2009-09-13T06:19:00.001-07:00

Ever dreamt of become a great expressionist master?! Well now you can. I stumbled across this totally addictive website by Miltos Maneta, www.manetas.com/pollock/, where you can become the great Jackson Pollock himself, and with just a few clicks of the mouse you can create a real-life abstract masterpiece; well maybe not a masterpiece, but it'll look pretty good anyway. I could stare into space at this thing for hours, it's strangely therapeutic!

This is my best piece yet...I can tell your impressed, haha!

This is a story about a man and a boot...

2009-09-13T05:28:00.000-07:00

I first began to notice Gary Hume’s work when I stumbled across an exhibition of his at the Tate Britain a few years ago. I was immediately struck by the simplicity and bold use of colour in his paintings that really caught and held my attention. I remember finding his work aesthetically appealing with an almost alluring quality to it, perhaps due to his seductive use of glossy colour, or perhaps his use of complex, interweaving lines to represent such simplified forms. They somehow seemed to contain a feeling of melancholy in their fluidity and beauty. Ever since that first exhibition I became a big fan, following his work from time to time.

Months later I found myself at a friends 18^th birthday party, tucking into some nibbles and some bubbly, when Gary Hume came up in conversation with a friend of mine who is a bit of an arty type too. Suddenly the birthday boy piped up “Are you talking about Gary Hume? He’s my uncle, and he’s over in the barn having drinks with my parents. You can go and meet him if you like!” Now of course our natural reaction was “yeah yeah, whatever, how would we not already know this if it were true…”, when we found ourselves being dragged over to the barn, up the stairs, through the door…and there he was! I was totally star-struck. I always thought I’d be able to think of some really good question if I ever met someone famous who I really admire, but no, not this time. I vaguely remember babbling like an idiot, although I think the champagne may have had something to do with it! So we chatted for a bit and in the end he very sweetly signed his painting boots which he had brought with him straight from his studio: ‘Gary Hume painted in these’ and gave us one each. I remember thinking how generous it was, although maybe had something to do with his consumption of champagne too! So we joked about how he’d probably wake up in the morning and wonder where they were…and then left, still quite shocked at what had just happened! It was really fantastic to meet such a prominent figure in the art world and realise that as well as such an innovative artist, he was also a really lovely and down-to-earth man. I still sometimes look at the boot and wonder if it would be possible to match up the blobs of paint with the paintings they came from. So far I have had no success!

Predicting the lottery...bah!

2009-09-11T07:58:00.000-07:00

If, like me, you were one of the 3m viewers that tuned in to watch Derren Brown predict the lottery numbers live on Wednesday night, then it’s quite likely that you are feeling as stumped as I am. Channel 4 broadcast a rather nervous looking Brown pacing back and forth next to a TV that was tuned into BBC1 whilst the lottery was taking place. To his side there was a stand with a line of balls facing away from us, upon which he claimed to have written his predictions for the winning lottery numbers earlier that day. Once the lottery numbers had been announced on BBC1 Derren Brown jabbered, “That’s a year of my life right there. I can’t believe it.” Seeming genuinely flustered and high as a kite he proceeded to turn the balls around reviewing his correct predictions. These balls had been in shot for the duration of the show and had not been tampered with at all, no one had even come close to them, or so it seemed. Now wouldn’t it have been much more convincing if we had been able to see his predictions before they results had been broadcast on BBC1, however for legal reasons the BBC had to announce them first. Convenient this, but how did he do it?! Could it somehow have been a digital trick, and the balls next to Derren Brown were being updated by some clever technological feat as the results were announced? It certainly didn’t look that way, but it wouldn't would it, and what is the other explanation? Brown claimed the trick took a year of his life, so maybe he spent it filming himself unveiling millions of different predictions, any of which could be reclaimed from a pre-recorded archive at the time of the live broadcast. Is it possible he could have already seen the results and somehow convinced the BBC to broadcast with a delay? Surely to believe for one split second Brown’s claims that the lottery it is not a random event but infact predictable, undermines the entire game. Moreover how could the lottery continue if there was some crazy method of predicting its results…

Brown’s work has always been composed by some clever illusion. There is no doubt about it that whichever theory of how he pulled off the stunt is correct, it is clever and highly entertaining, even if it is totally frustrating! It will be interesting to see what he has to say in his show tonight ‘How to win the lottery’, will it live up to the hype that it has created? I’m sure that whatever he says, in true Derren style, he won’t be giving much away.

Derren Brown The Event - Lottery Prediction @ Yahoo! Video

The living wall

2009-09-11T05:21:00.000-07:00

Providing a new context to the term ‘green hotel’, is the swanky 5 star Athenaeum Hotel in London’s Piccadilly. In addition to the green efforts that many hotels incorporate of energy saving and waste reducing, comes the ‘living wall’ presented by botanist turned artist Patrick Blanc. The wall, or ‘wall garden’ as it is more commonly known, spans the entire side of the building, from the ground floor to the penthouse suite, subsequently rendering it the tallest garden in Britain! Boasting over 12,000 plants from a range of 260 different species the garden provides a varied sanctuary of flourishing wildlife, in an unusual composition. Blanc carefully selected the plants, not all indigenous to the UK, in order to suit both the climate as well as the overall aesthetic. A substantial collection of nettles, the world’s largest in fact, as well as Japanese Iris’s and Chinese begonia’s among many others make up this installation of biodiversity, a treat for the budding botanist. But it does not just act as a showcase for impressive greenery – it also acts as natural insulation for the building as well as an air purification system...so it really does live up to it’s ‘green’ appearance!

Blanc’s signature gardens can be found spanning buildings all over the world in countries from Paris and Madrid to Tokyo amongst many others. He has perfected his technique of growing his gardens, not on soil, but on a specially designed synthetic felt material within which the plant roots can anchor and grow. An automatic fertilization and watering system is also in place, completing the components of an intelligent system and great example of botanical architecture. Personally I think it is quite a fun way of jazzing up the side of a building, almost like a sort of live mural or canvas. Blanc, pioneer of the wall garden – who knows, you may see a living wall coming to a building near you!

Snozzcumbers and Frobscottle

2009-09-11T05:00:00.000-07:00

For those unfamiliar with Dahl’s peculiar terminology, Snozzcumbers and Frobscottle make up the main components of the Big Friendly Giant’s diet. Snozzcumbers are a particularly foul type of cucumber, covered in warts and sour in taste. Quite on the contrary, Frobscottle is a delicious and refreshing drink, full of fizzy bubbles and delight.

A fantastic exhibition at the V&A Museum of Childhood drew to a close last Sunday after 4 months of the capturing the imagination of children and adults alike. The traveling exhibition titled ‘Snozzcumbers and Frobscottle; the Wonderful World of Roald Dahl and Quentin Blake’ was organised by the children’s literature museum, Seven Stories. It brought together a wide range of exhibits from original illustrations and manuscripts, to sculptures and objects including both stationary as well as interactive displays. This exhibition celebrated the great creative partnership between Dahl and Blake, a collaboration that began with The Enormous Crocodile and evolved into twenty one well-known and loved classics.

So set for a nostalgic trip down memory lane, I was delighted to discover plenty of gems, including initial illustrations of the BFG, his friend Sophie, and models of snozzcumbers and dreamcatchers in the BFG’s model cave. Everyone has their favourite Roald Dahl story, many of them read time and time again as a child, until our parents were blue in the face! Whether it be Matilda, James and the Giant Peach or Esio Trot among many others, the BFG is definitely up there for me so this was a treat! There were also plenty of other familiar characters to spot, among them the scary witch from The Twits and Charlie Bucket’s grandparents lined up in their big bed. What was fascinating, and for me added another dimension to the exhibition, was the showing of a film following Quentin Blake carry out his work in his studio. It’s curious and almost surreal stepping into this world as an adult, coming face-to-face with original work by Blake. One can’t help but marvel, with the knowledge that these magical illustrations have touched millions of childrens imaginations and continue to all of the time. His naïve style is especially striking, immediately recognisable with its scribbley lines and splashes of watercolour. He manages to create images that are spontaneous and disorderly, as if he’s drawn them extremely quickly, but at the same time are perfect without a line feeling out of place. The result is wild, yet enchanting at the same time. I love Blake’s style, with his carefree illustrations perfectly embodying Dahl’s characters and their expressions, from the totally bizarre to damnright abominable.

I can imagine that illustrating Dahl’s stories, bristling with neology and make-believe, and creating a visual identity was not always an easy job for Blake, however it certainly feels like it would have been an adventure full of fun. This is highlighted when he struggled to visualize what the BFG would wear on his feet, so Dahl sent him a package to re-instil some inspiration. In a quote from the culture 24 website Blake recalls: "I received through the post a rather oddly-shaped and oddly-wrapped brown paper parcel. Unwrapping it revealed a large sandal of a type unfamiliar to me. I soon discovered that it was Norwegian and one of Roald's own. It is what the BFG wears." The original Norwegian sandal also featured in the exhibition. I think that ultimately it is the successful capturing of the essence and humour of Dahl’s writing in the illustrations that makes the duos work so powerful and really allows you to jump head first into their vividly animated, imaginary world. The illustration of children’s fiction is always a wondrous thing, however this particular partnership between Dahl and Blake is clearly something extra special. With so much excellent work to chose from the V&A did a great job in whittling it down to a captivating and succinct exhibition. Here are some of the characters featured below:

To think we used to say it in a text...!

2009-09-08T07:13:00.000-07:00

Teehee! I spied these card designs online - 'courtesy cards' from Gramkin Paper Studio, sold on Etsy. Check out their cute, kitsch range of card designs. This one’s a bit mean…but it does look pretty though! They aren’t all of the same tone, in fact there are some other charming card designs with peacock illustrations and the like, but these are definitely my favourites. I like the way they look so delightful, disguised in pretty and colourful typography and printed on nice card stock…until you read what they actually say!

Description:

"Are you tired of trying to have a good time with your friends and being interrupted by that annoying pick up artist? Sick of wasting valuable minutes of your life that you can't get back by turning down the overly confident pursuer? Then try a courtesy card! These handy little cards are the perfect size to get the job done! When you don't want to be bothered and can't waste anytime, simply reach for a card and hand it over to the offender...and walk away....just let the card do the rest What a small price to pay for peace of mind! And remember when you can't say it to someones face......Say it in a card!"

So if you need to get that little something off your chest, for those of you amongst us who are too shy to say it out loud, Gramkin Paper Studio may just be able to help!

Quirky lionfish lamp

2009-09-06T09:30:00.001-07:00

A creative lamp in the shape of a lionfish by Australian design company Alex Earl. Alex Earl produces a wide range of contemporary lighting and furniture. The lionfish pendant creates and emits a luminescence in the form of a deep-sea creature. With the option of being custom made to any size, imagine walking into a room centered around a giant lionfish lamp! I have witnessed many lights featuring flowers, leaves, swirls and chandelier types, and although no doubt beautiful, they can be rather predictable. This little critter on the other hand, is a first. It reminds me of one of those strange and elusive bioluminescent fish that lives in the darkness at the lowest depths of the ocean, and functions as it’s own little lantern. I like the fact that this lamp has a practical function as well as being an art piece.

Fashion good enough to eat!

2009-09-06T08:25:00.000-07:00

On a similar theme to that of the cabbage and brussel sprouts dress by Sarah Illenberger, ‘A Matter of Taste’ is a unique and tantalizing book by Fulvio Bonavia, Italian graphic designer turned photographer, who has worked with the likes of Saab, BMW, Adidas and Heinenken among many others. Published in 2008, it contains a collection of weird and wonderful photographs of fashion items made from food. Guaranteed to tease your taste buds, this body of work sees rise to the introduction of fashion good enough to eat…literally. From rice boots, aubergine pumps and delicious candy shoes to bags made from broccoli and luscious raspberries, there are literally all of the accessories a girl could ever need to create one scrumptious outfit. I love the bright and colourful photographs and think the concept of fusing cuisine and couture is both imaginative and humorous. The pics certainly made me giggle. These delightful images are accompanied with text written by Peta Mathias, an artistic chef, author and broadcaster from New Zealand. Earlier this year a few of his photographs were exhibited among the exquisitely displayed food at La Grande Epicerire, Paris. Here are some of my favourites. To see more of Fulvio’s work visit his homepage here.

Cabbage dresses and balloon lips

2009-09-04T11:42:00.000-07:00

I love the work of Berlin-based artist Sarah Illenberger. She creates the most wonderful sculptures and visuals from any items that she can get her hands on, or so it seems. From a burger created with the materials of a tree to a Nike boot made out of odds and bods, Illenberger transforms the everyday and miscellaneous into beautiful pieces of art, full of character. A multi-talented artist, she seems to be able to turn her hand to anything she pleases with a portfolio bursting full of work, including set design, illustration, both commercial and editorial work too. There’s so much there I found it impossible to choose my favourite! So instead I chose quite a few favourites:

She manages to create unique three-dimensional pieces of art with a humorous and whimsical flair. I love the bright colours and playful aspect of her work, and her ability to visualise such imaginative outcomes. To view more of her work visit www.sarahillenberger.com.

1000 melting men

2009-09-03T11:22:00.000-07:00

I caught a glimpse of these ice sculptures on Yahoo! News and was strangely drawn to them…so I decided to find out what they were in aid of. Their simplistic forms reminded me of some of Antony Gormley’s figure sculptures, and I thought how clever it was to sculpt such small forms from ice. I wondered about the method of their creation, were they sculpted in a giant freezer so as not to melt before completion? Initially I was quite surprised to discover that they were installed by the World Wildlife Foundation (WWF), however it does make sense as they were produced as a medium by which to visualize the effects of global warming. Created by Brazilian artist Nele Azevedom the 1000 ice sculptures were placed on the steps of the music hall in Berlin’s Gendarmenmarkt Square yesterday.

They began melting 30 minutes in, what with temperatures around 23 degrees Celsius. I like this simple, yet effective project and think that the human forms really symbolize the fact that global warming will affect us all. On Wednesday the WWF announced that the effects of global warming are more serious than anticipated, and in a statement by the head of the Foundation, James Leape said "We need to listen now to these signals from the arctic, and take the necessary action in Copenhagen this December to get a deal that quickly and effectively limits greenhouse gas emissions." These issues obviously need to be addressed and therefore promoted to the world, and I think that installations such as this from the WWF are an eye-catching and creative way to achieve this. These ice figures certainly act as a somber reminder to us all.

Partly Cloudy

2009-09-03T08:27:00.000-07:00

‘Partly Cloudy’ is Pixar’s latest short film released around the beginning of August this year, being shown at cinemas before ‘Up’. Directed by Peter Sohn and produced by Kevin Reher it is one of many short films by Pixar, including ‘Your Friend the Rat’, ‘Lifted’, ‘Geri’s Game’, ‘One Man Band’, ‘Poundin’’ and ‘Presto’. Click here to find out more about all of these short films.

The story is based around a lonely, grey cloud called Gus and his stork friend Peck. The clouds spend their days laughing, joking and sculpting adorable little babies from the fluffy cloud around them, whilst their delivery stalks carry them to their joyful and awaiting parents on Earth below. However Gus seems to have a knack for creating dangerous animals with sharp teeth, horns and attitude providing tricky and hazardous cargo for Peck. Will Peck be able to carry on with his deliveries and assisting his good friend Gus?

The animation in this film is excellent, but then again we expect nothing less from Pixar. It is a beautiful and poetic animation for children to enjoy and for adults it reminds them of that childhood innocence. I hadn’t given much thought to any morals, simply just enjoyed the animation, however loyalty and acceptance of everyone is perhaps the key. Funny and sympathetic, it is pretty impossible not to crack a smile. Watch the approx 5 min clip here.

To celebrate the last 20 years of Pixar animation, between August and November this year, the Taipei Fine Arts Museum in Taiwan is holding an ongoing major exhibition showcasing some of their finest work and much-loved characters. Bringing the stories to life, the exhibition contains a mix of storyboards, sculptures, sketches, paintings and interactive elements. The tour of this exhibition has been all over the world, starting in New York back in 2005 and set for its last stop in Mexico after Taiwan. Personally I missed the exhibition in London 2006, and for those of you in the same boat, seeing as I’m guessing not many of us will get to experience it first-hand, it is definitely worth having a quick peek at some of the pics up and around on the net.

Origami tea

2009-09-03T07:08:00.001-07:00

I came across these clever little teabags, designed by Natalia Ponomareva, and think they are adorable. Based on the principles of the Japanese art of origami, the bag expands as the tea infuses. So it changes from it’s original shape, such as these birds here made from green berry teabags. The packaging is clean and simple, adding an organic and sophisticated feel to the design. A teabag is the last place I expected to find the use of origami, but I think that the concept works well and they make a nice novelty product for a tea lover like me!

V for Vendetta

2009-09-03T06:31:00.000-07:00

Since, for the moment, I am fairly immobile with my leg strapped up in a plaster cast, I have been spending my days working my way through an impressive mountain of dvds. One that recently stood out among the rest was V for Vendetta. I remember first seeing the film in Perth, Australia when it was released in 2005. Only really half concentrating on the heavy plot, I left the cinema wondering why it was that I felt totally overwhelmed. However by recently re-watching the film and this time giving it my full attention, my first reaction started to make a lot more sense.

Based on the 1989 graphic novel V for Vendetta by Alan Moore and David Lloyd, the film is directed by James McTeigue, produced by Joel Silver with screenplay by the Wachowski brothers, who also directed the Matrix. V for Vendetta is certainly up there with The Matrix, however the only similarity being that Hugo Weaving, who played Agent Smith in the Matrix Trilogy, is cast here as the lead role, 'V'. Set in 2034 in totalitarian Britain trapped in the midst of a Right-wing, Fascist regime, this social and political thriller tells the tale of a young woman named Evey Hammond (played by Natalie Portman) who is rescued one night after curfew by a masked vigilante known only as V from being raped by the corrupted state police.

Throughout the film V never reveals his identity, and through his elegance and eloquence he presents a character that is doubly eminent in presence and charisma. He claims that he is in fact 'all of us', urging his fellow citizens to join with him in igniting a revolution against the government. His aim is to be set free from the oppression and dictatorship, and collapse the regime which rendered him a scarred and disfigured survivor of its terrifying experiments. He is determined to finish what Guy Fawkes started and successfully blow up the Houses of Parliament on the 5^th November the following year, and as Evie digs deep and discovers more about who she really is, she becomes V’s unexpected ally. The totalitarian regime is headed up by High Chancellor Adam Sutler (John Hurt), a rascist, homophobic, fear-mongering and state power abusing dictator who sends out witch-hunts for those he deems ‘enemy ‘ of the state. In return he promises protection from bioweapons and bioterrorist attacks, like the previous attacks that the regime conveniently found a cure for shortly after coming to power. I won’t reveal the twist in the plot, but lets just say it’s pretty bold and nervy stuff for a mainstream, popcorn film, that, no doubt about it, will bring out the conspiracy theorist in you. You cannot help but draw comparisons between the updated Guy Fawkes story in the1980’s comic book and the 2001 bombings of 9/11, and what’s more so, is that it feels like this is slightly deliberate on behalf of the Wachowski's. Despite V’s Phantom of the Opera appearance, and Evie’s slightly dodgy English accent, both Hugo Weaving and Natalie Portland present great performances, providing energy, drama and suspense in abundance.

V for Vendetta contains big concepts that are, in places, challenging, troubling and quite hard to digest. It certainly isn’t for everyone, and you have to be in the mood for a plot fairly heavy and fraught with corruption, but there’s definitely something about this explosive film; it will really stay with you and most probably leave quite an impression.

The London Bridge Quarter

2009-09-01T15:13:00.000-07:00

Behold the latest visual representations of London Bridge Tower aka ‘The Shard’ presented to you by the Renzo Piano Building Workshop. As part of the London Bridge Quarter makeover, a 2 billion pound development, the Shard is set to be the tallest building in the UK and one of the tallest in Europe measuring in at a staggering 1017ft. It will lose out to the Federation Tower in Moscow by approximtely 50 metres. This height is quite significant, almost three times the height of St Paul’s Cathedral, that will no doubt take president as the most prominent feature across the London skyline. The Shard will provide the centerpiece of the London Bridge Quarter redevelopment, encompassing offices, restaurants, apartments, retail areas and a hotel, joined to a public piazza and passageway to London Bridge Station. The concept is that an urban environment will be generated 24 hours a day.

The name says it all…in a design that resembles a handful of glass shards pieced together beginning wider at the base and narrowing to the tip, piercing upwards towards the sky. From the pictures it appears incredibly sci-fi-esque with a pinnacle that might shoot a beam into space at any second. Upon visiting the official website, it states the inspiration behind the Shard’s design is in fact based in the ‘historic form of London’s masts and spires’ featuring a 16^th century scene of the river Thames full of the many masts of hundreds of boats and ships.

The design is unique and refreshing if not a bit bizarre, combining art, design and architecture in great harmony. This uniqueness stands it in good stead to become an internationally recognised brand. I look forward to experiencing the monumental building upon its completion in 2012.

The 'real' Daily Prophet

2009-08-28T09:17:00.000-07:00

I heard on the grapevine, from some Harry Potter-loving friends of mine, that the real Daily Prophet is being invented. For those of you who have escaped Potter mania and are not in the know, the Daily Prophet is the most widely read and distributed tabloid across the wizarding world, complete with moving words and pictures. So I did a bit of digging to see if the rumours were true…

…And while us muggles cannot expect to receive this magical newspaper any time soon, the concept is infact being worked upon by teams both across America and at Cambridge University. They have been using revolutionary technology to produce the ‘world’s first flexible electronic screen’ according to a report in the Times entitled ‘Moving newspaper on flexible screen to be launched within months'. Designed to compete with e-books available on computers and phones, the “intelligent plastic” display can be recharged and regularly updated. However it seems for the moment that this new technology needs a little more developing to produce colour as well as black and white versions. I found this clip on YouTube ‘The REAL daily prophet’ which speculates on the use of these electronic screens in not only newspapers, but windscreens and spectacles alike! The short clip is quite extraordinary with incredible advances in technology, the stuff of which films are made. Although not set to be launched for a few years yet…this is definitely one to watch this space!

High speed typography

2009-08-28T07:41:00.000-07:00

I came across this typography whilst browsing the creative review website and found it quite refreshing and extremely inventive. Ad agency ‘Happiness Brussels’ have come up with a unique idea to promote the new Toyota iQ. With a little help from some friends – namely professional photographers/designers Pierre and Damien from ‘Please let me design’, and interactive expert Zachary Lieberman – cue the creation of the iQ font.

As car advertisements have progressively moved forward in sophistication and creativity over the recent years (from Ford Focus’ ‘beautifully arranged’ orchestra of car parts to Skoda’s ‘full of lovely stuff’ model cake of the Fabia) it seems only fitting that the creative boundaries are further pushed. And Toyota has risen to the challenge by concocting some fresh and unique typography formulated by the new compact iQ.

As pro racing driver Stef Van Campenhoudt was strapped into place and let loose behind the wheel of the miniature iQ, a clever tracking programme monitored by Lieberman recorded the motion of the car’s skids, translating them into ABC’s and 123’s. Despite it’s obvious purpose as an eye catcher and talking point, the making of the font does illustrate the impressive steering on the iQ. For a more detailed insight into the making of the iQ font, take a look at the video from Vimeo posted below, “When driving becomes writing”:

iQ font - When driving becomes writing / Full making of from wireless on Vimeo.

Mad about PHOTOBLOGS!

2009-08-26T07:32:00.001-07:00

My next few posts are dedicated to a few of my favourite photoblogs, a.k.a. phlogs. A collection of photo-centric weblogs, with hundreds of entertaining and creative pics posted and updated regularly.

Faces in Places

2009-08-26T07:25:00.000-07:00

Brought to us by fellow blogger on blogspot.com, 'Faces in Places' is a photoblog that features a series of archived photographs presenting a selection of faces found in everyday places. The photos contain inert objects to which human qualities have been attributed.

There are links to a flikr group and discussions such as ‘are there more happy or sad faces in places’ – a fairly comical group in my opinion, especially as I myself am one to judge cars on whether their headlights are shaped as friendly or evil eyes!

Here are a few of my favourites taken from the Faces in Places website. I now see faces everywhere!

Sleeveface

2009-08-26T07:20:00.000-07:00

'Sleeveface' is the brainchild of Carl Morris, who set up the website alongside his friend John Rostron in 2007. Another comical photoblog which encorporates, according to the website, ‘one or more persons obscuring or augmenting any part of their body or bodies with record sleeve(s) causing an illusion’ producing clever and witty images.

Sleeveface parties are apparently held by vinyl junkies across the world with the concept becoming popular on social networking sites. ‘Sleeveface’ mania is substantially better established that faces in places, with what begun as a game between vinyl lovers now transformed into a book. A great edition to the coffee table! To visit the website click here.

Bad hair day

2009-08-26T07:15:00.000-07:00

'Don't Judge my Hair' is a photoblog featuring bizarre hairstyles with the tag line ‘epic hairstyles’, an interesting label! Amongst the many photographs, some retro, some modern, there are countless and hilarious hairstyle failures which will have you in stitches.

The phrase ‘bad hair day’ doesn’t quite cover it! Here are some snaps taken form the website:

To view more disastrous cuts, colours and styles from around the world visit 'Don't Judge my Hair' for yourself. I can guarantee ‘What were they thinking?!’ will be the first thought to cross your mind!

The man behind the hand

2009-08-26T07:04:00.000-07:00

The 'Souvenirs' project is not a photoblog as such, but is of a similar theme. It is slightly different as the photographs featured are the work of one man only. Michael Hughes travels the world taking snapshots of famous landmarks with cheap souvenirs placed in front of them. With as many as 200 countries visited by Hughes, he has been able to refine his technique, capturing the souvenir in perfect proportion to the landmark in subject and its surroundings, producing a collection of over 100 fun and playful images. Michael stumbled across the idea of creating such illusions and developed it as a hobby, producing photos that, at a glance, could be the real thing.

'I was on the tourist platform at the Lorelei cliffs next to the river Rhine when I held up a postcard I bought for my daughter. I was amazed because it just seemed to fill a massive grey hole that was in the sky and it was the exact position the photographer had taken the picture from.

After that I noticed coffee cups from a shop near the Statue of Liberty had the statue printed on so I poured my drink on the floor, and position it in front of the statue. Since then taking the pictures has developed into a hobby and a passion to the point where I have been taking trips recently just to photograph a souvenir next to its landmark.'

Quote from an interview with Michael Hughes for the Daily Mail online.

These holiday snaps are no doubt a clever use of perspective – the best of which have been published in the book ‘Souvenirs’ as seen below. Visit Hughes’ souvenir set on Flikr to view a slideshow of his work.

Electrolux presents...

2009-08-23T07:57:00.000-07:00

The Electrolux Design Lab Competition is a global competition that invites design students to create innovative inventions for this year’s theme of household appliances over the next 90 years. From digital wardrobes and washers that paint pictures on your clothes, to greenhouse robots that can walk on Mars, it seems to attract some fairly radical design ideas! The competition website has listed the top 25 best entries from 2009, 8 of which will compete in the finals in London on September 24^th this year. Take a peek here to view 25 designs with pictures and information on each.

Designed for this year’s competition, The Kitchen Tree, by Australian designer Balin Lee, is one of my favourite entries. Inspired by the growth of trees in nature, the Kitchen Tree incorporates advanced technology to render it adjustable to meet all of our individual needs when it comes to our daily use of the kitchen. The model consists of five arms or ‘branches’ attached to independent rings that freely rotate around a central shaft or ‘trunk’. The user is also able to customise the height of each arm to a level to suit their need. There is a refrigerator at the top of the central shaft, with connections to each of the five pods and a built-in sensor, which enables them all to become refrigerators if required. On top of this the pods may also function as cupboards or even freezers, alternating between states when desired. There is a sink mechanism and a stove pot, which automatically springs into action when a pot is paced on top. Sensors in-built into the arms detect a pot and illuminate temperature controls ready for use.

Unlike some of the 25 wacky designs short-listed on the Electrolux Competition webpage listed above, I think the Kitchen Tree presents a useful and unique design that would certainly fit into modern homes today, with many different functions compacted together, saving time and space to assist a modern kitchen user. However, despite some of the other designs appearing of little realistic use today, it is definitely worth checking them out as there are some great ones that we never know, might become integral over the next 90 years. All are extremely intelligent and creative, and will definitely knock your socks off!

Putting the 'sweet' in 'tweet'

2009-08-23T05:42:00.000-07:00

Check out this little fellow, the Guardian Robot, created by Ken Lim to keep a watchful eye on your Twitter feed. In the instance of a happy message it raises its arm in celebration, and in the presence of a sad message, it lowers its head in a bit of a stew. More than this, the Guardian bot encourages a certain interaction… high-five it in its happy state and it returns to being idle... hug it in its sad state and it returns to being idle as well.

This quirky little thing does retain a certain charm, and will sit on your desk alerting you of your tweets. Costing in at around £60, a relatively cheap buddy could be a welcome addition to your desk clutter! See below for a demonstration of the Guardian robot by Ken Lim.

Ken Lim's Guardian Robot from InsideGuardian on Vimeo.

Foods from afar

2009-08-23T05:31:00.000-07:00

The Far Foods project, as presented by designer James Reynolds, consists of an interesting alternative to food packaging, incorporating simple graphics reflecting an airport style theme. Consisting of labels that wrap around food like suitcase stickers, Reynold’s proposes to inform the consumer of the origin of the food, the miles it has traveled and the amount of carbon dioxide released during the journey. Additionally the receipt features a perforated strip, in the style of a ‘tear-off’ boarding card, summarising the total and cumulative information.

Always one to be interested in anything to do with food, I find this is a captivating approach – packaging that throws another factor into the mix that influences buying decisions, the environmentally-conscious concept of carbon miles, highlighting the distance your food has traveled from source to shelf. How would this influence consumer behaviour? Out with the calorie-counting, in with the carbon miles. Would you pay more knowing the food you were buying had used less carbon miles?

With relevance to recent hype in the media and public eye about the benefits of local produce and buying close to home, food miles backs up the notion of reinvesting money back into the local community as well as helping to combat issues of global warming.

Overall a novel idea – eco-educational packaging – in providing an understanding of where you food came from, a notion that most of us probably don’t think much about. Click here for Far Foods link.

BP Portrait Awards 2009

2009-08-23T05:07:00.000-07:00

Exhibition @ the National Portrait Gallery, St Martin’s Place, London, 18^th June – 20^th September

After picking up one of those ‘What’s on: Guide’ type supplements I decided to visit the BP Portrait Awards Exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery, London. An annual and prestigious competition, I learnt that the BP Portrait Awards sees thousands of entrants from all around the world put forward their accomplishment in contemporary portraiture work. This year, 2009 saw 1, 901 entries, a record number in the history of the event, and from there the winners were chosen and the remainder whittled down to 56 paintings to be showcased in the exhibition.

Here are the portraits that won first, second and third prizes:

First prize awarded to Pete Monkman for his work Changeling 2 which contains a series of portraits of his daughter at different stages of her life, exploring the concept of childhood.

Second prize awarded to Michael Gaskell for his work Tom, a portrait of Gaskell’s 17 year old son.

Third prize awarded to Annalisa Avancini for Manuel, a portrait of 31 year old Manuel, in her aim to catch his story and personality through his face.

Upon arrival I was intrigued to be amongst works submitted from members of the public with varied backgrounds and training in the arts, in what felt like a sort of an extremely high quality talent show, one in which every piece was worthy of a prize. The variety between portraits was of interest, in subject and in style. Featured were the young and old alike, a Lord, a fisherman, a football fan, as well as subjects from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds. However what really drew me in was being able to relate to the relationships between the subject and the artist, and pondering on the complex characters laid out in front of me. Which family member is featured, what are they doing, what mood are they in, what sort of personality do they have. Similarly here as when looking at the book 'Two Faced', it is the relationships between the sitter and the artist that have created such interesting portraits, and the intimacy that can therefore be conveyed within.

One of my favourites was this piece, Madeleine, by Jane Cooper. The way she has captured the light falling across the little girl. The juxtaposition of the furry headband symbolising fun and playfulness, against the pose, which suggests a certain fragility and seriousness making her old beyond her years.

The exhibition has quite an old-fashioned feel to it, in the exploration of portraiture in a fairly traditional sense without much pushing of boundaries. Much of the work is photorealistic, with only a few exceptions of more naïve and abstract representations. In fact there are perhaps a few too many photorealistic portraits, despite the extremely obvious high level of skill and incredible realism. Overall however, the exhibition exudes energy and features an impressive range of portraits full of emotion, and committed to high quality figurative painting.

Two Faced portraiture

2009-08-18T11:38:00.000-07:00

‘A face is like a good guidebook to a city we are unfamiliar with: it doesn’t tell us everything, yet it tells us most of what we need to know’. Quote by Adrian Shaughnessy whilst pondering how reliable our faces are in illustrating our personality and our moods. It is the role of the portrait artist to scruntinise a face, pick up on those traits within, and transform them into a portrait imbued with likeness in the physical sense but also reflective of the personality of the subject.

“The person portrayed and the portrait are two entirely different things” Jose Ortega Y Gasset

I received Two Faced as a birthday gift last year, and it has since become one of my favourite books to flick through for creative inspiration. Produced by Darren Firth of WIWP, it is a colourful collection of work by different influential and professional image-makers, split into two sections. The first is a celebration of 21^st century portraiture, showcasing a varied selection of portraits produced by different methods through many different creative mediums – from felt pen on paper to badges arranged on a board. The second section contains series of portraits produced by pairs of artists coupled by Firth to create representations of one another. The result is over 100 portraits found exclusively in this book and transforms Two Faced from merely a collection of portraiture to more of an art project in itself. For me this pairing up of the artists is quite an interesting concept, the interaction between the two, producing work that is representative and revealing of characteristics belonging to both the subject and the artist, and then vice versa. The book has quite a free and experimental feel to it, including interviews, quotes and biographies amongst the hundreds of illustrations.

“A portrait, to be a work of art, neither must nor may resemble the sitter, one must paint its atmosphere” Umberto Boccioni

Overall an inspiring book that showcases colourful and exciting work created from an extremely wide variety of styles and therefore producing fascinating and contrasting outcomes – all originating from the same starting point, that of the face. Work included by artists such as David Shrigley, McFaul, Stella Vine, Paul Willoughby, Marion Deuchars, Jonathon Ellery and many more.

Walking in the Air

2009-08-18T07:57:00.000-07:00

Last night I eventually got around to watching ‘Man on Wire’, a documentary film which I had recorded on my sky plus box a few weeks ago and until now not seen. The film directed by James March was released in 2008, however I did not hear of it until recently when a friend of mine described in to me, telling me it had won a BAFTA and that it was being shown on tv. Partial to a good documentary, and by all accounts this was a great documentary, I decided it was not to be missed. I was not wrong!

On 7^th August 1974, the French artiste named Phillippe Petit spent 45 minutes transcended between the Twin Towers of the World Trade Centre. On a slim metal wire 1350 feet above the ground, he walked, he lay, he danced his way across a number of 8 times in an enthralling illegal tight-walking feat.

Based on a booked published by Petit in 2002, this magnificent documentary is constructed as a heist film, with two major factors setting it apart from the rest – 1. It is a true story and 2. The intricate plot is woven around the theft of nothing more than air. ‘Man on Wire’ is recreated with a series of archive material, photographs, video footage and interviews with Petit’s friends and associates, pieced together chronologically. The film illustrates the passion involved in the years of planning this crazy adventure, from the day Petit first heard about the building of the Twin Towers and began to sketch his ideas right at the beginning, all the way through to the smuggling of the heavy wire cable up to the top of the buildings under a blanket of darkness the night before the grand finale.

Marsh’s film does full justice to this incredible story highlighting the extreme lengths Petit’s team went to fulfill his dream, their will to sacrifice anything and everything to get there. As the observer, the suspense builds up and up throughout the documentary as the day of the stunt gets nearer, will he make it, won’t he make it. Indeed deep down we know he must make it as interview clips from the present day are included in the script, so the question is more how will he make it? It seems such an impossible feat that can undoubtedly be classed as both pure stupidity and pure genius at the same time. What adds even more to this awe-inspiring tale, is that when the time comes and he is up on that high wire spanning the twin towers, as the observer you can’t help but share Petit’s feeling of overwhelming exhilaration. The onlookers at the World Trade Centre react with a mixture awe and gratitude, making for a very moving scene. Phillippe’s philosophy is simple; life is not worth living, unless – quite literally – it is lived on the edge. And for anyone wishing to escape their own reality for an hour or so and experience the mind-blowing reality of the Man on Wire that will have you holding your breath with astonishment, then this is not to missed. Five stars from me!

Dazzling photography by Ruud Baan

2009-08-12T07:33:00.000-07:00

Photography is something I don’t claim to know much about, however when I stumbled across Ruud Baan’s work for Nike something about it just caught my eye. The images consisted of different figures, mostly soaring in mid air, with their bodies contorted into strange shapes, hurtling over the high jump or flying over a hurdle. I suppose what struck me was the perspective from which they were taken and how this added a dramatic aspect to the overall composition, mostly taken from below so legs and bodies look distorted against a massive, cloud-ridden sky.

Upon further investigation I discovered that Dutch photographer Ruud Baan’s website boasts a portfolio full of incredible work, from fashion to editorial and advertising, with clients such as Adidas, Sony, Coca-Cola, Marriott Hotel as well as Nike and many others. The high energy and action captured in his photographs links his work together with a common theme, often with the subject caught in mid air in motion in some sort of pose. His use of lighting, colour and digital effects is such a way that accentuates the action shot further to add a stunning and dramatic edge.

My favourites are the stunning series of underwater shots for Het Nationale Ballet. For me it is his use of lighting to highlight entry into the water against the darkness behind, this coupled with the sharp body positions that gives the pieces such a resonance. The spotlight into the darkness effect gives the feel of an eerie almost martyr-like suffering, but this is juxtaposed with an overall sensation of movement and life. Baan produces quite a strange visual; this strong and graceful kinetic sensation in the slow and heavy medium of water, reminds me slightly of a mosquito trapped in amber, frozen in time.

This underwater series really seems to have a powerful edge to it that dazzles and shines, an edge that continues throughout his portfolio. As a result of his style and technique, his pictures really seem to pop out in a sense that you get thrown head first into the experience of the photograph. Take a peek at www.ruudbaan.com.

Peace Love & Ice cream

2009-08-12T04:06:00.000-07:00

Created by Ogilvy & Mather (Singapore) these fascinating and quirky adverts for Ben & Jerry’s are entirely hand-made. Upon close inspection you can see that everything is composed of day-to-day materials and objects, creating a bright and colourful treat for the eyes!

Upon first observing these ads, the extra dimension that the hand-crafted visuals delivered immediately struck me. Not just in terms of the literal third dimension, but this palpable, touchable dimension that you can imagine and really relate to. Being interested in crafts myself, for me these ads highlight the idea that people may turn away from technology in search for more tactile solutions to creative challenges for a more tangible feel; an increasingly ‘real’ outcome which the audience can successfully connect with and be interested in. I think that this is certainly the case here.

Despite Ben & Jerry's ice cream having no need to attempt to entice more than it already does, this set of 4 ads certainly fits the bill, appealing to the viewer by capturing a fun and playful essence, reflective of the brand. The psychedelic hand-made visuals and retro typography project the idea that your B & J's experience will be full of fun, colour, and just as well crafted. Which indeed we know, it will!

A 'Snuggle'-ly way to stay

2009-08-11T04:03:00.000-07:00

Contemporary German architectural group Raumlaboberlin have designed their own dream mobile hotel for festivals, workshops, symposiums or any other such events which require temporary lodgings.

‘Snuggle’ consists of a number of modules each secured in a scaffolding area, with platforms for each mattress enclosed by willow meshwork and a waterproof textile coat. Each room has a separate entrance that is individually closeable, with rooms connected to each other via a series of tunnels. Open or closed coverings on each module can act as windows, entrance/exits, or tunnels to the next room.

I love the concept that these dinky little pods are able to adapt to where-ever their surroundings may be, winding in and out of trees or pathways to create a novel and flexible design each time. For me, this flexibility is one of the main advantages of the design, extendable in terms of size, number of rooms needed, and enabling the accommodation to be removed and rebuilt elsewhere. The recycling and sustainable element added here is very fitting with the organic feel and ‘at one with nature’ theme. ‘Snuggle’ provides a unique alternative to a tent, with I can imagine, great views to match.

Wind Knitting Factory

2009-08-04T05:13:00.000-07:00

Whilst browsing online, I came across this peculiar invention - The Wind Knitting Factory - a temporary machine set up outside the Royal College of Art, presented to you by artist Merel Karhof. By harnessing wind power via a windmill of 1.2m diameter, the contraption produces knitwear running from outside of the building to inside where it is harvested and made into scarves and the like. The time taken to produce a scarf is around about 2 hours, however productivity would be much lower if the wind did not prevail. Despite looking like an amalgamation of some old mangle crossed with a meat grinder, this intelligent design does provide an escape from the monotony of knitting. I thought I’d share this bizarre design with you as it did give me a giggle or two!

The Age of Stupid

2009-08-04T03:42:00.000-07:00

From the director of McLibel, Franny Armstrong, The Age of Stupid stars Pete Postlewaithe as an old man living in the devastated, fried world of 2055. From his base in the Arctic Circle, he pieces together old archived footage of news clips and interviews from 2008 to discover what went wrong and why we didn’t put a stop to climate change while we had the chance. After seeing these stills from the movie I am curious to see the visual effects that a hybrid animation/drama/documentary subsumes. The apocalyptic images such as the Opera House in Sydney and the Taj Mahal in India are certainly morbid and shocking to say the least, and raise expectations for some visually stunning, sci-fi-esque artwork along the way.

The solar-powered premiere took place in March this year in a tent at London’s Leceister Square with, as you can imagine, a green carpet and guests arriving on bike or foot. The event produced a rumoured 1% of your average film premiere’s carbon footprint, quite an impressive feat! What’s even more impressive is the film has been screened in UK Pariament, the EU, Scottish, Welsh, Swedish and Dutch parliaments, as well as the UN’s climate summit, Obama’s think tank and the World Bank. And all this from a crowd-funded film with a crew working for survival wages!

The Age of Stupid is especially resonant with the up-and-coming COP15 in December - the UN’s Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, in which the world’s environment ministers and global leaders will meet to negotiate the new rules for climate change. Some are saying that it is the most important deal in human history, and the only serious opportunity to prevent climate change increasing. It is ready acknowledged that 300 million people are at serious risk as a result of climate change. Armstrong is no doubt succeeding with her film, employing shock tactics to portray the seriousness of the issue. She quotes “Independent feature documents are currently the number one way to save the world”. Let’s hope she’s right.

Visit www.ageofstupid.net/screenings/upcoming for film screenings, in locations across the UK including LUU’s Peanut Gallery on 29^th September. With quotes such as it “knocks spots off the inconvenient truth” from The Economist and “every single person in the country should be forcibly made to watch this film” from Ken Livingstone, I am personally fascinated to see the source of all the hype for myself. Film review to follow shortly!

Mad about PAPER!

2009-08-02T10:32:00.000-07:00

My next three posts are a tribute to paper as an exciting element in design. They feature three artists who have pushed the boundaries in exploring the use of paper as so much more than a material for which to write or print upon. They are perfect examples and advocates of the importance of paper as a versatile design medium.

Saloukee paper delights

2009-08-02T10:22:00.000-07:00

Sarah Louise Kelly produces a stunning collection of sculptural paper jewelry named ‘Saloukee’. These hand-made creations take the form of necklaces, bracelets, pins or earrings with Kelly using paper as the fundamental material. Like miniature sculptures themselves, I absolutely love these pieces, especially the collection of bracelets with their delicate and pure, concertina-like forms. The origami style coupled with the whites and creams make refreshing and unique designs, totally unlike any jewelry I’ve seen before! I also love the fact the environmentally friendly aspect. What an innovative use of paper!

Noriko Ambe

2009-08-02T09:21:00.000-07:00

These awe-inspiring creations are the works of Japanese artist Noriko Ambe, produced from using a knife and layers of synthetic paper. She has produced many collections over the years including cut-out books, wall hangings and stand-alone sculptures, all of which exude an organic sort of ‘crispness’, with the juxtaposition of feeling delicate yet unbreakable at the same time. More recently she has begun to add metal cabinets to her exhibitions, operating as architectural space within which to accommodate her sculptures.

Ambe describes her work as ‘mapping the mysterious land between physical and emotional geography’, and claims that it is the incremental process of 'doing' that is just as important to her as the outcome. In this sense she considers her work as installations, whose detail reflect nature, and therefore reflect us. The process from the beginning – sheets and sheets of paper on top of each other – to the topological-like sculptures at the end, seems to create the build up of a dynamic energy which radiates from the completed piece. On top of this, I think the finished pieces are extremely aesthetically pleasing, with the negative space resembling some kind of erosion.

It astounds me that from such simple materials and processes, such complex and convoluted pieces can be created. To view more of Ambe's work from 2000-present visit her website www.norikoambe.com/index.html.

Mister Rob 'This Is For You'

2009-08-02T07:27:00.001-07:00

I came across this book whilst browsing the collection at Urban Outfitters. ‘This is for you’ by Rob Ryan tells the magical yet melancholy tale of a man who is lost and undiscovered in the world, who sets out on a journey to find where he belongs. For me, the magic of the book is that each individual page feels like an entire story in itself, with the power to immerse you in every romanticised scenario. The pages are over-flowing with silhouettes, birds, lovers and meadows full of flowers, created with such incredibly intricate detail that you notice something different every time you look at them. What I also love are his poetic use of words within each papercut illustration, really reinforcing that reminiscent sense of longing.

As well as the release of his book, Rob Ryan has worked with some major clients including Paul Smith, Roxy Quicksilver, Penguin Publishing, Vogue and many others. My favourite is the fairy-tale gown he created for Vogue. What an amazing outcome from paper and a scalpel!

The Fourth Plinth, Trafalgar Sqaure

2009-07-28T09:14:00.001-07:00

Antony Gormley is the latest artist to be commissioned to fill the empty fourth plinth at London’s Trafalgar Square. The One & Other project spans over 100 days for 24 hours a day from 6^th July to 14^th October, seeing one member of the public spend one hour on the plinth, doing whatever they please.

In the past figures of David Beckham and Jonny Wilkinson have made appearances on the fourth plinth, alongside sculptural pieces by the likes of Marc Quinn, Bill Woodrow and Mark Wallinger. However, it is clear that this particular project has either fascinated or infuriated its audience, with critics accusing Gormley's work as lazy, and an unnecessary risk encouraging exhibitionism among the public. It raises the old question to the subjective debate ‘what is art?’ What are the necessary conditions for being art? When Nicolas Penny, director of the National Gallery in London, was asked for his opinion on One & Other he replied “As a historian of sculpture it seems to me to have more to do with theatre than sculpture. Therefore, I leave it to theatre critics to decide. I have seen only one or two of the performances. Or non-performances.”

On the other hand, it cannot be denied that Gormley has produced an interesting twist on the tradition of living art. A quick visit to the One & Other website and you will see a live screening of the person currently positioned on the plinth, carrying out whatever is it they are doing, in what feels like a very Big Brother-esque scenario. For me, it is through the combination of the concept of living sculpture and these new digital ideas, such as reality tv, where the attraction and curiosity lies.

Gormley claims that the idea behind his demogratic artwork is to create a composite picture of Britain, by setting the conditions with the rest passed on to the participants. Who knows what is to come but so far people have used the hour to perform art, music, raise charity profiles or simply just be. The project certainly isn’t without risk, however so far, albeit a few protestors, his gamble has been successful. To view participants live go to www.oneandother.co.uk.

A literary masterpiece

2009-07-28T04:09:00.000-07:00

I have to admit, when I come across a book that could act a door stop I usually shy away in reluctance. No difference then with Shantaram, where after initial inspection I came to the conclusion that it would take me in the region of years to plough my way through the almost 1000 pages ahead. However, after several enthusiastic recommendations and being gripped by the blurb on the back cover, I decided to give it a go. I can safely say this exhilarating thriller is the best book I have read in a very long time, I couldn’t put it down and it was over in a matter of days.

Shantaram, written by Gregory David Roberts, is the description of real life events and Roberts’ own experiences, behind the façade of fiction. In 1980, Roberts escaped from an Australian prison after being sentenced in 1978 to 19 years in jail for armed robbery. He subsequently became one of Australia’s most wanted men for the 10 years that followed.

Shantaram tells a breath-taking tale of escaping to Bombay with a fake passport, where he is forced to the slums with nothing but his new identity as a man named Lindsay. Here he sets up a free health clinic and learns about the culture, finding time to become fluent in Hindi and Marathi. He joins the Bombay underworld, recruited by the mafia and becomes tangled up in criminal operations from money laundering to forging and street fighting. His incredible adventure sees him fighting with the Maujahedeen in Afghanistan, surviving outbreaks of cholera, ethnic conflicts, starring in Bollywood movies, until he eventually lands in prison and is abused to the edge of death. The book presents a spiritual journey, in which fear and loneliness, love and compassion are at its very core. What is even more jaw dropping about this novel, alongside the extraordinary adventures, is that Roberts wrote it a staggering total of three times after prison guards destroyed the first two copies.

Roberts portrays such vivid cultural scenes, you cannot help but become totally engaged in the power of the images he conjures. It has given me the travel bug, and I would now desperately love to visit India. I recently discovered that a film based on the novel is on track to be released in 2011, with Johnny Depp cast as the lead. If the film can reflect everything at the heart of the book, it should be set for great success.