This new track off Lily Allen’s forthcoming album It’s Not Me, It’s You
is pretty infectious.
Tune of the day – The Fear
This night is winding down
Still basking in the afterglow of the We Are Scientists show at Irving Plaza. Err, The Fillmore. Opening act Mobius Band won me over as well.
(Photos via qromag)
Friday at the Whitney
The Whitney Museum is currently playing host to some excellent exhibits. William Eggleston: Democratic Camera, the photographer’s first retrospective in the US, is impressive in breadth, yet only scratches the surface of Eggleston’s oeuvre. As a passive admirer of Eggleston’s work, I was already familiar with his sumptuous dye transfer prints and penchant for the quotidian. What I had failed to observe previously, though, was the (seemingly) unconscious way in which he framed his shots. Limbs and signs are cropped casually, horizon lines sit askew and magnified objects assume new identities.
Memphis, c. 1969-70; Untitled, n.d, from “Los Alamos”; Untitled, 1973
There’s something captivating about being able to tell a story with an economy of means. This is what makes Alexander Calder: The Paris Years, 1926—1933 such a treat. Long before he created his signature mobiles, Calder began his artistic career in Paris crafting toys, animal sculptures and wire caricatures. His whimsical one-man circus, aptly titled Calder’s Circus, is a charming demonstration of childhood imagination.
Detail of Tight Rope Artists from Calder’s Circus, 1926-31; Goldfish Bowl, 1929
The art of the cut
Infatuated with papercutting. From Etsy:
Tree Women by papercutdiecut, Swings by FogAndThistle, Pippi Longstocking by IsabellasArt, Mermaid Seascape by owlyshadowpuppets, Tree Card by littlepaperbird, Pinocchio by elsita
Bookmarked: The Heart of Papercuts
Day at the museum
National Design Week came to a close today. Established three years ago by the Cooper-Hewitt to spotlight the ways in which design enhances our everyday lives, the week-long celebration included free admission to the museum and public programs and events. I hustled over to the Cooper-Hewitt in time to catch the eclectic mix of exhibits – children’s wallpapers, 19th c. watercolor interiors and a prototype housing project in China. Highlights included the scratch and sniff wallpaper (below) and discovering the works of 19th c. children’s book illustrators Arthur Rackham and Kate Greenaway.
(left to right): Christopher Robin Leads an Expotition to the North Pole by E.H. Shephard, Alice in Wonderland by John Rombola, Frames by Chris Taylor + Craig Wood, Cherry Forever by Michael Angelo
After a bite to eat, it was off to the Chanel Mobile Art pod in Central Park. The carousel of artwork, centered around Chanel’s iconic quilted bag, was comparable to a mini biennial. A favorite was Leandro Erlich‘s Le Trottoir (The Sidewalk), a voyeuristic meditation on Parisian street life (below, right).
Tea time
Autumn has finally arrived. Time for a nice cuppa.
Tear Drop Tea Set at Tea Forte, Owling Pot at Anthropologie, Ivory Dragonfly Iron Teapot at Ito En, MyCuppa Tea by Sam + Jude, Sorapot Teapot at PureModern, Tea Bag and Tea Spoon at bailey doesn’t bark, Bee Infuser at Herb + Ginger, 10-Cookie Tea Sweets at Amai, Teapot with a Cold by Lola Goldstein, Tea for One by teaposy, Red Berry Teapot by Bodo Sperlein, Botanical Teapot by Michael Aram, Polka Dot Gallon Teapot by Bridgewater Pottery, Minami Teapot at Crate and Barrel, Orange Pekoe Cup & Saucer at Anthropologie, Anita Teacup by Irana Doue
Bookmarked: Save the World with Tea, TeaMap.
If you build it
A failed attempt to nab a ticket to Van Gogh led to some restless wandering through MoMA a few weeks back. Though mostly a historical survey on prefab architecture, Home Delivery presented some intriguing ideas on compact living and the use of recycled materials in construction. Some of my favorite projects: the micro compact home, Teddy Cruz’s Maquiladora and the shipping container constructions of Wes Jones. Being surrounded by architecture models also made me a tad nostalgic. From Dreamland: Architectural Experiments since the 1970s:
Engine Room
The last time I paid any real attention to MTV, 120 Minutes was still on the air. MTV’s Engine Room, which began airing a few weeks ago on mtvU and online, might change that. The premise: 16 digital artists from around the world are put in teams of 4 to compete in a series of creative challenges. The prize: $400k in pocket money and HP gear. Not too shabby. The most recent challenge brought together two of my faves – Web Design + We Are Scientists. While 3 days to redesign a website seems a bit generous (for a competition), the results are pretty inspiring.
The guy hating on templates made my day.
Typos
I’m really digging the production design on Mad Men at the moment. Designer/typographer Mark Simonson even conducted an analysis of the show’s typographical faux pas. (Via Kottke.)
Animating the old skool way
I was stunned to read that the awesome opening sequence in Kung Fu Panda was not created via CG, but traditional, hand-drawn animation.
From Art of the Title.
Speaking of old skool, I can’t wait til Neil Gaiman’s Coraline hits theatres in February. It’s the first stop-motion animation feature to be shot in 3D. Bonus – John Hodgman provides the voice of Coraline’s father. IGN has more behind-the-scenes features.
