Cabbage dresses and balloon lips

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.

Peace Love & Ice cream

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!

Wind Knitting Factory

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!