Year in Pictures

Uh-oh, I think Boston's Big Picture has a rival: Spiegel... Stunning pictures of real stuff.

The Pedestrian Project

The Pedestrians performing outside the Metropolitan Museum in New York City

The Pedestrian Project consists of several performers wearing entirely black custom-made costumes modeled after the generic images of men, women, and children seen on public signs. Mimicking the lives of everyday people, the roaming sculptural forms inspire the imaginations of onlookers, who often find themselves mesmerized as these familiar icons assume busy lives of their own.

The Pedestrian Project has performed internationally, sponsored by organizations and institutions which include the Museum of Modern Art in New York City; The High Museum in Atlanta,Georgia; The Krannert Art Museum in Champaign, Illinois; AVE Festival in Arnhem, The Netherlands; Waves Festival in Voordingborg, Denmark; The Prague Quadrennial in Czech Republic; Kunst Art show in Frankfurt, Germany; ACC Galerie in Weimar, Germany; American Fine Arts New York City; “Intro-Graz-Spection” Art Show/Event in Graz, Austria; 2001 International Sculpture Conference in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania; Halifax Arts Festival, Halifax,Nova Scotia; Utah Arts Festival in Salt Lake City; New Haven Festival of Arts and Ideas; PS 122 Performance Space,New York City; and the Detroit Arts Festival in Detroit, Michigan. Often the “Peds” show up for political events, in support of (or against) issues on the table. Some of the events Yvette's group has participated in include the Annual AIDS Walk NY; World Aids Day; Earth Day New York; the Brooklyn Incinerator Hearings; and Williamsburg Walks, Brooklyn, New York.

more info

Green Bentley!

Bentley is coming out with a eco-friendly car that is its fastest to date! ZOMG! Read it here!

The Places We Live

Jonas Bendickson now has an exhibit at the Nobel Peace Center in Norway that showcases his research through the world's slums. The website http://www.theplaceswelive.com/ has large, high-resolution pictures that are displayed at this exhibit along with accompanying sound and info clips. I think it's a pretty powerful piece and reminds you once again how different living conditions around the world really are.

Marry ME: Steve Lambert

I have just come back from a lecture and was move enough to have to post here now. Steve Lambert was today's guest and he was fantastic!


Simmer Down Sprinter is one of my favorite works that he showedIt's an arcade game that involves two sprinters competing but the trick is, the higher your stress level, the slower you will run. Lambert is questioning why video games encourage so much aggression in competition. Perhaps sometimes it is advantageous not to care? Hilarious and yes, I found myself bursting into uncontrollable laughter when he played the video of this game.

His lecture meant a lot to me especially because so much he said resonated in me and for once I thought "wow I'm normal kinda". He was fixated on the idea that art can be anything, something that I've been taught since my very first art class but when he said stand-up comedy, speeches, and ideas motivated him way more than any other artwork could I felt normal again. The feeling I get from watching a great movie, seeing a great act, or listening to a great stories is often incomparable to seeing a renaissance painting or a world-famous building.

Great Ideas:

1. Hacking: identifying and exploiting vulnerabilities in existing systems to hijack their intended use

2. Creating temporary utopias (he suggested that longterm utopias often end up crumbling into fascism)

3. Open Art- using the already very popular Firefox plug-in adblock, in place of the white place that is left by adblock should be curated art pieces

4. life of service, vow of poverty... generosity, service, empowerment

Well everything he said was just great and he was a wonderful speaker that made the atmosphere super casual and I was the most comfortable I've ever been at a lecture.



Stencils done over advertising


Yea add Steve Lambert to THE LIST with Roel Wouters, John Bowe, and Bjork.

Edina Tokodi More Green Art

Edina Tokodi 's works are a pure pleasure to see. She's one of growing group of green artists that are getting attention for their works.

This is her piece last year she did for Philly public transportation:



Then here's her street art (Williamsburg, Brooklyn) which was recently featured in InHabitat:



Pretty neat stuff all with the intention on making passersby think.

Save the Bees

Props to Haagen-Daaz for trying to save the world a bit. They've made a new site to help the ever diminishing honey bee population. Unexpected and pretty neat.

School Lecture TIME

Our school has a lectures series titled Wats:on

that we are required to attend and our latest guest was Peter Fend, an American Eco-artist that seeks to use art to make an impact ecologically. This is what New York Times has to say about him. Watching him speak was like tripping. He jumped from one idea to another and in the words of a fellow classmate, "it seemed like he couldn't speak fast enough to share all his ideas". Ha, I can somewhat relate to that sensation. If anyone has seen my sketchbook/ the million and one mindmaps I have drawn you understand. All in all had some crazy concepts and kept referring to "fat corner" which after a few minutes researching on the Internet I have yet to understand/find. 

Then there was Bruce Mau. Who also wants to save the world. That seems like the string that holds all these artists together and something I deeply appreciate. I felt like he was much more of a conceptual artist and had lots of really good ideas to share that he's working on. I guess both artists achieved their goals because they made me think. Good job guys!

Hussein Chalayan

I might not be completely familiar with the major contemporary clothing designers, but i know Hussein Chalayan. He makes the most interesting clothing to test boundaries.

Check this video out of his transforming clothes. TOO COOL. Then I found out he designs for Bjork... I knew I liked this kid. 

Uni-ball Kuru Toga Pencil

This may look like just an ordinary pencil but the uni kuru toga is awesome. The lead auto rotates with each writing stoke meaning each line you make will be the exact same thickness as the last. Hmm all yall architects thinking what I'm thinking?

Save the Polar Bears!

I've always heard of the polar bears dying because of global warming. It was chanted by the eco-freaks almost as often as Save the Whales! But now being an eco-freak myself and seeing a video recently on Planet Earth I am horrified. The bears that would normally just walk in search of food are falling through the melting ice and crawling to inch their way about. They look utterly miserable and it is one of the saddest sights I've ever seen. What are we doing to our planet?

Here's a good video.

Birds of Paradise

I was watching my new favorite show, Planet Earth when I saw the special on New Guinea and flipped out. I couldn't believe what I saw. They looked like they had come straight out of Pixar Studios very CG! Sure you can call me a weirdo for liking Planet Earth but anyone can appreciate the beauty of these birds. Video here. 

The Obameter

The www.politifact.com has generated an Obameter that lists around 500 policies that Obama promised during his campaign and his actions towards them (Promise Kept, Promise Broken, Inaction). So far so good prez!

Theo Jansen

sorry to leave you hanging there but my computer is temporarily unavailable... So here I am blogging away in the clusters:

Theo Jansen might be one of the most incredible artists I have yet to see. He makes these kinetic sculptures of "animals" that walk powered by wind. They move so gracefully and Jansen wants to ultimately create a herd of these animals to walk freely and live their own lives in the wild. MUST SEE video that is absolutely incredible!

Watch this video!

Jon Favreau

Surely President Obama is a fine speaker but behind him is Jon Favreau... the man. He's Obama's speechwriter and I'm sure everyone will agree, Jon is pretty fabulous. 26 years young eh? More info.

Yarnbombing

First there was graffiti art... now street artists are using wool and needles for their creations in what is called yarnbombing. Read more here.

Polaroid to continue?

ZOMG these guys are trying to make polariods possible again!



Here's their mission from their site:

Polaroid is transforming itself from an analog Instant Film Production Company to a global Consumer Electronics and Digital Imaging company.

Production of analog Instant Film stopped in June 2008, closing the factories in Mexico (Instant Packfilm production) and the Netherlands (Instant Integral production).

Impossible b.v. has been founded with the concrete aim to re-invent and re-start production of analog INTEGRAL FILM for vintage Polaroid cameras. Therefore Impossible b.v. has acquired the complete film production equipment in Enschede (NL) from Polaroid, has signed a 10-year lease agreement on the factory building; and has engaged the most experienced team of Integral Film experts worldwide.

The Impossible mission is NOT to re-build Polaroid Integral film but (with the help of strategic partners) to develop a new product with new characteristics, consisting of new optimised components, produced with a streamlined modern setup. An innovative and fresh analog material, sold under a new brand name that perfectly will match the global re-positioning of Integral Films.

More amazing Inauguration Pics

If you haven't checked out The Boston Globe's Big Picture Section yet, you're missing out!
Check it out! New ones of the inauguration are up and spectacular!

My sister would love this

Muji

My friend's mom once said, "my daughter is not a billboard". She was referring to the fact that so many companies, namely Abercromie and such, sell their goods solely on their name. Even higher end brands, Gucci or Prada sell themselves on their name (but at least their goods are quality). I've always agreed with that idea and refrain from buying anything that has a name visibly branded on it.





So... that's why I fell in love with Muji. They want what I want.

"Muji is distinguished by its design minimalism, emphasis on recycling, avoidance of waste in production and packaging, and no-logo or "no-brand" policy." (Wikipedia:Muji)

They have great simple little things and design to best fit your needs and make you but as little as as least often as possible. I first stumbled upon them in the MOMA design store and became obsessed enough to seek out the MUJI store itself this winter. I guess it's ironic though that I'm obsessed with the brand MUJI when their entire goal is to be no-brand... but if I'm going to buy anything I might as well have my money going to something I believe in right?

Muji Design Competition brought out some pretty cool ideas as well that are worth checking out. MUJI!

Lightbulb Speakers

When in need of speakers, just go to the nearest lightbulb and switch it for this baby and you're done! How crazy? Check it out!

Miyi seeks to clean China's water

China's pollution problems (just like the rest of the world's) is terrible. From Current's Vanguard special Pollution to Protest I saw exactly how bad it was. From the visibly foamy chemical-laden banks of water to deteriorating hands of men and women who live in water with high heavy metal content, the images were pretty horrific.




But on an optimistic note Miyi Tower to be built in Miyi County of China intends to purify the surrounding area's water and help with China's pollution problem. Perhaps it's yet another building that will never get built but the concept is pretty cool.

Wooden Vespa

Enough said. Drool-worthy and the craftsmanship is delightful.
Check it out.

World Highest Base Jump!

I saw THIS video a while back about a British man and a French man who based jumped off the Burj Dubai aka the world's tallest building at 2,684 feet. And then again today I stumbled upon THIS video about these men who like to ski wingsuit base jump. Basically, they begin by skiing normally down a mountain and then open their opens into these wingsuits and start flying. too cool.

Planet Earth + Power of Art ... oh bbc

Jake let me borrow a Planet Earth CD and I think I'm hooked. I'm only on the first part of the 2nd CD (the caves part)... and it is pretty damn cool. More info here.



Also by BBC and equally cool is Simon Schama's Power of Art. Super cool bios of artist icons.

Fista Cuffs

Being a comedian gets easier every single day...

I think this gets lumped in with leaving your name at the scene of the crime, taking a nap while looting someone's house and...setting yourself on fire?

Thank you Phyllis Kim (and Al Gore, I suppose) for peeling back my eye lids and introducing me to Current.

Bishop Gene Robinson

Openly gay Bishop Gene Robinson had this prayer to share in Obama's inauguration.

Sadly, the Obama people specifically told HBO to exclude this from the worldwide broadcast. wtf?


I think it was really a great prayer that addressed the need for equality for all, the need for humility and to recognize Obama is not the messiah, and the unification of red and blue, the remembrance of Martin Luther King, Obama's important role as a father. Damn pretty much a great speech/prayer. Amen.

Rock Stars and Their Parents

You thought your parents were awkward? Check out Rockstars and Their Parents.
From Frank Zappa to the Jackson Five to good ole Elton are all featured in this photoessay by the Guardian.

A Hipster's Dream

Yea yea I get it. All yall love Obama but THIS?

Bush Gets Shoed (Again)

Poor guy really. This is ridiculously unneccessary I think... but at the same time mildy funny I suppose. Bush got shoed again but this time in DC on his last day as president. Oh boy.