Ladies Plaza

For three days each fall, hundreds of artists who live or work in Vancouver’s artist-dense Eastside open their studios to the public for the Eastside Culture Crawl. The event incorporates artists in almost every field—from weavers, furniture makers and jewelers, to painters, photographers and sculptors—and features emerging artists as well as names that are recognizable on the world stage.

This is a great time to see a lot of work in a short amount of time, as well as to talk to people about their creations and techniques all within the intimate setting of their workspace. Works can be purchased directly from the artists, or if you are interested in having something created that is unique, most artists are willing to discuss having work commissioned.

The Crawl starts on Friday, 16 November 2007 at 5pm and goes until Sunday, 18 November 2007 at 6pm. For more information and a full map of the venues, check out their website.

Ever want to see what a tattoo would look like on your body before permanently inking yourself? Computer graphics artist Loïc Zimmerman developed a program that does just that. By scanning your body you can capture exact body proportions to accurately depict a complex 2-D design on a body’s 3-D canvas. What it looks like after years of aging and wrinkling is another story.

Continue reading at Needled.

Zune’s next move takes their support of emerging artists and literally puts it on their sleeve. Zune Originals is a collection of 27 original works by 18 international artists designed to be engraved onto the back of the device. (Click images for detail.) On the Zune Originals site, launching tomorrow (13 November 2007), visitors will be able to customize their Zune by size, color, illustration and with up to four optional lines of text—all free of charge, at least for the time being.

When we got a sneak peek of what the artists came up with, we were truly amazed at what we saw—one CH editor even wants one as a tattoo. (See all 27 of the illustrations and the artist bios after the jump.) A project six months in the making, we decided to check in with Microsoft’s general manager of global marketing, Chris Stephenson, to learn what went into it.

How did this project came to be and what role did your background play in it?

I came out of the music industry. I was at MTV, I worked in fashion, I ran a record label, Ministry of Sound, and I had my own consulting business in music and design. And the thing I was used to was creating. I was into creating, making mistakes and making stuff that really resonates with people.

So, from day one we committed ourselves to authenticity and action, to supporting arts and giving artists the opportunity to express themselves.

The first foray was Zune Arts and we put absolutely no restrictions, just asked artists to participate. We thought, ‘wouldn’t it be interesting to take this love of art to the device.’

It was a way of saying, ‘let the consumer get involved let them do the customization.’
It’s like NIKEiD for the MP3 player. We looked at Nike a lot and we also took inspiration from something as pedestrian as MySpace. That’s what the internet is about, it makes readers into writers.

It’s putting self-expression into the consumer’s hands.

What was your strategy in curating this group of artists?

We realized after the first 12 calls that everyone was like, “Yeah we’d love to do that.” So after that we just fine-tuned that to the people that we were really excited about. We had a really high conversion rate. There are some who don’t want to have anything to do with anything corporate and we respect and understand that. Others were excited for the exposure and I think we have some of the best contemporary artists and illustrators.

I noticed a strong international representation, how did that play a role?

It was very purposeful. I think it goes back to my years at MTV. Some of my responsibilities were getting the best animations and it was amazing where they came from. They came from Poland, from India, Bulgaria. If they just came from the U.S. and Eurpoe, it’d be different. From day one we said this is our goal.

We’d already worked a lot with South American illustrators, we’ve been global in our aspirations from day one.

What was the directive?

The brief that we had for ourselves and for artists was that it had to be something that would work as a tattoo on the back of a device. But what you create needs to works as line art but also as a poster, because what happens is you get a beautiful poster that you can frame and a set of cards. We wanted it to be a deeper experience.

Otherwise, the directive that we gave was very loose. We have a couple of brand themes that we really believe in and one was sharing and also community, but we made it very loose.

When you look at someone like Catalina [Estrada] (pictured top left) she has these great themes so we didn’t want to over brief. But some of the Japanese art is playing on vibrant communities.
Someone like Kenzo [Minami] (at left), you just love the architectural side of it. His work looks almost like Frank Lloyd Wright in a way. It has that something that you didn’t want to lose.

What did you discover along the way as far as trends in art?
The one thing that I’m noticing, not just this particular project, but I think there’s been a very clean aesthetic for a long time, in the ’90s and with Apple. Now, you look at wallpaper, there’s so much Fluer de Lys patterning, paisley—we’re seeing much more richness, seeing flocked wallpapers, seeing some great companies like Timorous Beasties and Flavor Paper.

The Apple cult and homogeneous art, homogeneous culture—things are opening up. Look at Artful Dodger, look at some of the clothes hip hop kids are wearing. The quote is, ‘were just opening up color again.’

Ami, I have to tell you, I’m sitting in a room right now at Microsoft and on the wall I’ve got wallpaper with tanks and airplanes and rainbows and clouds that we made. And we live this because we love it and it’s very much a part of the culture that we’re trying to build there. And it’s not a project, it’s coming to life in natural, intuitive way. It’s really just who we are.

Also on Cool Hunting: Anthony Burrill: One For Me, One For You, BPMW Zune, Zune Giveaway

Inspired by the work of underground comic artist Vaughn Bode and realized by his son Mark, comes a voluptuous little chunk of violent sexuality known simply as “Darlene”. Old School Ice-T fans will instantly recognize the resemblance to Ice’s ex-wife of the same name, while new comers will appreciate the level of attention paid to all the fine details.

Info.Image: Vinyl Pulse

by Anna Oberthur

Called a genius by some and a misogynist by others, Japanese photographer Nobuyoshi Araki is probably best known for his sexually provocative female nudes. But the controversial artist’s work stretches beyond black and white portraits of women draped across rumpled bedclothes or—more distressingly—elaborately bound and tied to trees.

In the Araki, Miyamoto, Sugimoto: Contemporary Japanese Photography exhibit opening 10 November 2007 at Kunstmuseum Wolfsburg, (in Wolfsburg, Germany) some of Araki’s best-known shots from the 1995 series “Tokyo Novelle” are showcased alongside photos from his newer “Painting Flowers” series. (Click images for detail and see more after the jump.)

In those photos, Araki has splattered or brushed the blooms with glistening paint before capturing them on film. The result is an “almost obscene voluptuousness,” the museum says, giving the floral imagery so common in both Eastern and Western culture a “cryptic, decadent air,” and—some might say—the provocative nudes a run for their money.

The exhibit also includes Ryuji Miyamoto’s images of the Japanese city of Kobe after the devastating 1995 earthquake that nearly destroyed it, and Hiroshi Sugimoto’s strangely alluring photos of American drive-in theaters and cinemas. By letting the exposure run an entire movie length, Sugimoto captures the screens as empty, eerily glowing rectangles.

The show, which runs until 24 March 2007, is a compliment to of the museum’s current main exhibition, “Japan and the West: Fulfilled Emptiness.”

Also on Cool Hunting: Arakimentari

Humor is always a great asset, but incorporating it into design? Part of their Offsite series, our friends at Core 77 are hosting an excellent panel of speakers to discuss Design, Wit and the Creative Act this Friday, 9 November 2007, at the Art Directors Club in New York City. All joining in to offer their opinions on how humor can help customer experiences, artist Tobias Wong, Kidrobot founder Paul Budnitz, technologist Kelly Dobson and editor Steven Heller will be moderated by digital age satirist Ze Frank. For more info on the speakers, event and to register for the event, visit Core77.

Friday, 9 November 2007, 2-5pm (followed by a cocktail reception)
Art Directors Club
106 West 29th Street
New York, NY 10001 map
tel. +1 212 643 1440

Building on what’s developing as a series of products geared toward raised awareness of our ecology, part of the profits from Patagonia’s latest tee go to protect the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge, a 19 million acre area of Alaska’s North Slope, that’s long been eyed by the energy industry because of huge oil deposits thought to exist underneath this protected region.

Designed by Northern California-based artist Jason Munn, whose Oakland studio Small Stakes has gained a following in its own right, Patagonia is donating $5 from each sale to the Alaska Wilderness League, a nonprofit committed to protecting the grizzly bear, caribou, wolves and 125 different migratory bird species that conservations fear would be threatened if the land is opened to oil exploration. (Click images for detail.)

Check out the t-shirts (available in white or brown in both men’s and women’s sizes for $30) and get more information on the campaign from Patagonia.

Bob Dob’s paintings are a reflection of Bob Dob. Wait, that statement may not be correct. Bob Dob likes film noir, but in the traditional way, not the Hilary Swank, Josh Hartnett, Scarlett Johansson and Aaron Eckhart way, though. “They changed the story so much I didn’t know what to expect anymore. I didn’t finish the movie, it was that bad,” says Bob Dob.

Maybe his affection for film noir explains why his paints are often filled with shady characters that are smoking cigarettes and cigars. But Bob Dob doesn’t like smoking. “I don’t want the government to come in and pass laws telling businesses they can’t allow smoking. Personally, I wouldn’t go to a restaurant or bar that allowed smoking,” he says.

Recently, Bob Dob released his toy figure, Luey, with STRANGEco and had a solo art show in Los Angeles called Where Crows Die.

“I’ve said this before: I love adding the darker side of human nature in my work and film noir is a great source of inspiration.”

Format: Recently, you teamed up with STRANGEco to release Luey, a vinyl figure series. How did this opportunity materialize and why is STRANGEco a good partner for you?
Bob Dob: I met them through my friend, artist Greg Simkins before Comic Con 2006. I liked the toys they were doing and they were great people. Very nice.

Format: Luey is part of Satan’s army and it is interesting that Luey will get drunk off of milk. Why milk, wouldn’t a bottle of gutter whiskey be more appropriate?
Dob: I think, subconsciously, I came up with milk, because my son is allergic to it. I guess milk can be this bad thing so it’s fitting that Satan’s minions get drunk from it.

Format: Several illustrators and painters are taken advantage of by not receiving the payment their work is worth. In your opinion, how can artists overcome cheap payment standards?
Dob: In my opinion all artists have to pay their dues. I did some low paying jobs right out of school, but I worked hard and eventually made a small name for myself. I’m very fortunate, because I’m now considered for some high paying jobs. I currently have an agent who handles the money negotiating. She’s great.

Format: Several of your pieces have the characters smoking cigarettes - Luey is, too - but in a previous interview you mention that smoking annoys you. In 2007, it is nearly impossible to smoke a cigarette in public. Do you think anti-smoking initiatives have extended their purpose by stomping out public smoking?
Dob: Yes I feel it has extended its purpose. The no smoking in bars and restaurants is not right, in my opinion. It should be the owner of the establishment’s decision on whether to allow smoking or not. In turn, the consumer can choose whether or not they want to go into that establishment. I don’t want the government to come in and pass laws telling businesses they can’t allow smoking. Personally, I wouldn’t go to a restaurant or bar that allowed smoking.

Format: GelaSkins used Rough Night Out for their iPod covers. What other commercial medium would you enjoy seeing your work on?
Dob: Maybe skateboards and clothing.

Format: If a tobacco company approached you to illustrate their product, would you?
Dob: Depends on how they use my artwork.

Format: In Election 2008, do you predict a female, an African-American or a Republican to be President?
Dob: It’s all up in the air. A lot of things are in play.

Bob Dob

Format: In a past interview, you say you enjoy James Ellroy. In your opinion, did the film, The Black Dahlia, live up to the novel?
Dob: I felt the movie was horrible. They changed the story so much I didn’t know what to expect anymore. I didn’t finish the movie, it was that bad. L.A Confidential was by far a better adaption of one of James Ellroy’s books.

Format: Does film noir find its way into your art?
Dob: I love film noir. Sunset Blvd, Touch of Evil, Chinatown, The Big Combo and Blade Runner. I’ve said this before: I love adding the darker side of human nature in my work and film noir is a great source of inspiration.

Format: Recently, your show, Where Crows Die, took place. You’ve done shows with other artists before and one other official solo show. Do you feel more pressure being the only artists and how did this event turn out?
Dob: Being the only artist is what my goal was. It’s less competitive. The Where Crows Die show was very nice. I had a great time talking with people that were interested in my art. It was very humbling.

Format: You released a book with Murphy Marketplace that has a collection of your paintings. How did you choose what paintings would be in the book?
Dob: I left that up to Mark Murphy. He has a great eye for book design. I completely trusted him. If I wanted a painting to be in the book he wouldn’t have had a problem though.

Format: Some of your paintings and illustrations use popular imagery: Conan O’Brien, Mario and Luigi, and Pinocchio. Have you encountered any legal action or letters from people, companies or organizations that do not appreciate your parody?
Dob: Not yet. Knock on wood.

Format: Do you feel that your creativity has changed since you became a father?
Dob: Absolutely. My son is becoming my greatest inspiration. He’s very mischievous for only being 14 months.

Format: Please explain what La Luz de Jesus Gallery is to Los Angeles and what it has done for your career.
Dob: The owner of La Luz De Jesus is Billy Shire. I’m very new to this art movement, but in my opinion he was the first to recognize it. He’s been very good to me and has given me great exposure. It’s kind of a world famous gallery. Now he has the Billy Shire Fine Arts Gallery which is my next goal. It’s a bigger space and another great location.

Format: You lecture at Otis College of Art and Design, the same place you graduated. How has your experience as teacher been?
Dob: Teaching has been enjoyable this far. I love passing on any knowledge I have to students. It’s very rewarding to see a student become very successful.

More Info: http://www.bobdob.com/

Northern California-based artist
Bruce Shapiro makes the kind of kinetic sculpture that mesmerizes and dazzles visitors at science museums using computers and simple motors, a practice he terms “The Art of Motion Control.” In episode 94
we visit Bruce at the Maker Fair and at his home to learn more about works like “Pipedream,” effectively a screen that uses bubbles in place of pixels, “Sisyphus, “an intricate zen sand drawing and a kinetic ribbon sculpture modeled on ribbon dancers.

Also on Cool Hunting: Bruce Shapiro’s Art Machines, Artbots 3

Imagine an online social network that provides free, on-demand online music but without the legal anxiety of peer-to-peer networks. More interactive than conventional internet radio, though not as gratifying as Napster was in its glory days, Jango
is a New York City-based music site with a large database of songs and artists and is instantly addictive.

Now in its beta launch, there’s a waiting list for new members though the first 100 readers to click this link can join. If you don’t make the cut, not to worry. The site maintains a waiting list and it should only take a couple of days for an account to get activated. Once you’re in, you can invite three of your friends.

The interface couldn’t be more simple. Simply type in a musical artist you like and the site will play their songs. You can also specify how broad your tastes are by setting it to play only the artists you have identified or you can opt to hear artists it considers to be in the same genre. This isn’t risk free. After adding a few classic rock bands the site began playing The Eagle’s “Hotel California.” Luckily by clicking on the frowning face icon, I was able to banish that song from ever playing again. Conversely, you can tag songs you like and the site will make sure to keep them in the mix.

It’s a social networking site so after creating a profile the site continues to learn your musical tastes and tailors its selections accordingly. Meanwhile, you can add friends with similar music tastes and swap playlists. It’s a great site because not only is it easy to hear songs you like, but it also turns you on to new music.

Giant screens loom over Harvard Square (below), a pedestrian thoroughfare that’s an integral part of the Boston metropolitan area, displaying avant-garde works of video art by established and up-and-coming artists from around the world. Updated monthly and cleverly named Lumen Eclipse, it’s no insular clique. In fact, Lumen is actively seeking submissions from artists on its website, even going as far as offering a $2,000 a-month stipend for chosen works.

It’s no surprise that the creators chose Harvard Square as the location. Since its founding nearly 400 years ago, it has remained an epicenter of counter-cultural ideas and events ranging from colonial revolutionaries in the 1700s to the coffee-house folk scene in the early 1960s. An integral part of the Boston metro area, it’s a destination in its own right and with its close proximity to Harvard University and MIT it is one of the foremost intellectual centers in North America.

Oliver Larich (top left) and Hiraki Sawa (top right) are just two of the eight artist that will be exhibited during the November showcase. For those outside of Boston, the Lumen Eclipse project boasts a rich online archive of works from its past and upcoming featured artists.

Creative Gro-Ops/Apparel Label The Story has just released their second series titled B Side. The release includes works from Alan Easter, C. Williams, Mishka, Peculiar-I, Rebeloc and Toofly. The B Side series consist of two new custom AF1 designs from C. Williams, hoodie, sweatshirt, tshirts and Flip Hats designed by featured artist Peculiar-i. Available at http://www.thestoryapparel.com

NYC-based artist Andrew Kuo’s obsessive charts that analyze musical events have been popping up in the New York Times’ music section for the last couple of months. His latest graphic representation that appeared there over the weekend takes on this summer’s series of concerts at Brooklyn’s McCarren pool and is by far his most nerdy yet.

Diagrams represent his own sets of quirky data (”My Summer Mood Swings,” “Times I Wish I Knew Somebody at the Show”) in visually pleasing arrangements of color and pattern. As someone who likes to daydream at concerts, I appreciated the graph representing what was going through Kuo’s mind during the shows. On the Slip n’ Slide participants: “It’s really hard to watch some people flopping around in bathing suits.” His generally positive approach and lighthearted first-person critiques are OCD reviews for the geek chic generation.

Word on the street is that the prolific graffiti artist Dumbo had to leave Milan for Brooklyn at the risk of arrest. The writer’s tag dots lower Manhattan, around Canal on West Broadway, but in Milan it seems like he hit every single building.

His recent book documents his life as a vandal, including his tags, art, actions and the like, featuring an intro penned by his fan, Barry McGee.

Why a book? Dumbo says “because I’m completely egocentric. Because there are so many things to learn from the experience of vandalism, so why not do a little propaganda for it? Because, unlike those (usually writers) who tout graffiti as the newest high art form, I want to tell the grimy truth, the most indefensible side, which will undoubtedly get me in the most trouble. But also to widen my public. To show this corrupt society that it will never represent me. To give context to all of the photos I’ve taken in these past years. But more than anything because I was coming to the end of a period that I wanted to record before officially beginning the next.”

Dumbo is available from Amazon and Powell’s.

Three artists playing with light, form, perception and optical illusion.

Sean Snyder: A broken piece of raw optical glass from the Carl Zeiss Archive, 2007
Snyder picked this photo of raw optical glass, taken between the First and Second World Wars, from the Carl Zeiss Archive (world famous lens manufacturer) and reprinted it using the various standard processes of the printing industry—as a photographic print, a magazine image, a newspaper image and as an internet jpeg. The Lisson Gallery, which represents this American artist, describes his work as dealing with ideas “of accessibility, transparency and the limitation of what is visible.” Image courtesy of the artist and The Lisson Gallery.

Kris Martin: Space I and II, 1007
A multimedia artist of the moment, Martin is enthralled with abstract compositions of light, space and form (currently on display at the Marc Foxx Gallery). He was also commissioned by the Frieze Foundation to create a site-specific work for the fair this year. His appeal, asking every visitor and participant to hold a minute of silence to commemorate something personal to them, was, “a moment of reflection, during which time the wheels of commerce may be momentarily stilled.”

You can also check out his work currently at P.S.1 in New York through 7 January 2008.

Alex Hartley: Annexe and Portal, both 2007
Integrating architectural form and photography in his work, in these photographs this British artist uses satin etched glass boxes to filter interior spaces. The blurred images confuse the eye, which tries and fails to focus on the partially obscured forms in space. (Annexe is pictured above left and Portal above right.) TheVictoria Miro Gallery describes his work as “An innovative dialogue with iconic modernist architecture.” Images courtesy of Victoria Miro Gallery.

As wind power gains popularity, the synchronized movements of windmills dotting large expanses are a pretty awe-inspiring sight. Artist Christoph Ernst takes the visual display a step further by installing colored LEDs in the wind turbine blades.

The innovative public art project he calls Windmove began last night, 22 October, and will light up fields outside of Berlin through the end of the year, 31 December 2007.

Spinning at speeds of up to 220 km/h, the lights transform into kinetic strips of color. Ambient, industrial music by Andre Unruh of Einstuerzende Neubauten, an experimental band out of Berlin, accompanies the installation, making it an audio-visual show.

For you cynics, there’s no reason to fret about the effects on sustainable energy as extensive studies showed no decrease in efficiency of the wind turbines.

Located outside of Berlin at Windpark Klettwitz (once Europe’s largest wind park), the windmills can also be seen driving down highway A13, one of Germany’s main thoroughfares. Visit Windmove for more information and maps.

The Beast Within Exhibition is coming up on October 30th at The Showroom NYC and 10 Deep got together with artist Pushead to release a shirt to commemorate the event. Artwork will be featured by Pushead, Ron English, House Industries, Usugrow, Tristan Eaton, Phil Frost, Pete Fowler, 123 Klan among others. The tee is limited to 200 pieces, so unless you attend the event your only chance to cop is at the 10.Deep online store after the 30th.

Info.Image: High Snobiety

We’re always a fan of a good website stemming from simple ideas that have been competently executed. BoundlessGallery is one such site that connects thousands of artists from all over the world with potential buyers and clients, creating a global art marketplace that excludes the corpulent art dealer in the middle.

After just a cursory look at some of the artists added in the past few days, there seems to be a lot of quality work representing a range of genres. Aside from the October artist of the month, the site gives many other new and otherwise obscure artists the exposure they deserve.

Organized into several different compartments, a search engine allows artists and clients to find each other. Guests of the site can also tour virtual studios using the site’s in-built interface to negotiate directly with the artist before deciding whether to purchase a piece.

Of course the internet has its limitations as nothing can replace the ability to see or feel a piece in the physical realm. To help compensate, Boundless will super-impose an artwork to scale in your chosen space so that you can make a better assessment of what that piece would look like in your home or office. Clients with an artistic vision that needs to be actualized can also contact an artist to commission the piece, choosing from one of thousands of artists that have already registered with the Carbondale, Illinois-based virtual art broker.

The latest from Threadless Select, today’s release features The Future Is Feeling, a t-shirt and matching headband from Montreal-based artist Neil Doshi. While the regular Threadless shirts rely on the community to vote on the winning submitted designs, the Select shirts are invite only, and bypass the typical Threadless voting process. They hand-pick artists and designers who they think excel in their fields to do an anything-goes tee that can use up to 10 colors, as well as interesting materials like puff, glow and foils on (thankfully) American Apparel shirts. In addition, they’re now encouraging the artists to come up with “extras” to come with the designs, like Doshi’s shamanistic headgear.

I really don’t think I could ever get my fill of good dioramas, and here are some more great ones from French artist Didier Massard.

Made without the help of digital manipulation, he conceives his complex images in his imagination and draws on our romantic notions of travel and place. His exotic creations evoke travels throughout Ireland, China, India, Holland, the cliffs of Normandy, and even underwater. Massard works for very long periods on each diorama, and hopes that each “is the completion of an inner imaginary journey.”

Didier Massard
7 September-23 November 2007
Robert Klein Gallery
38 Newbury Street, Fourth Floor
Boston, MA 02116 map
tel. +1 617 267 7997

One of the earliest and most influential icons of contemporary Chinese art, Zhang Huan, is best known for his performance piece in which he covered himself with honey and sat naked in front of a fetid public restroom outside of Beijing until he was completely covered in flies. Another popular work is his muscle suit made of meat—or muscle depending on how you look at it (click on image for enlarged view).

Now living in New York City, he’s created sculptures, drawings, installations and has travelled the world shocking and mesmerizing people with his masochistic performances. Watch a short film about the artist here.

HK artist Ultraman is prepping to release his Ultra King ape vinyl figure. There will be two versions of the figure, those being a standard as well as a Diamond Skeleton edition. More info as it becomes available.

Info.Image: Vinyl Pulse

Many regard Shepard Fairey as one of the godfathers of the modern urban art scene and he’s widely known as one of the hardest working men in the business. His Obey Andre the Giant figure can be found all over the world, oftentimes in some surprising locales. Unique stencil, collage, photography and painting techniques have made him possibly the worlds most well-known street artist.

Fairey’s latest venture is taking on the art world as he continues to move his pieces into gallery environments. For those of you who missed the show in New York City you’ll have a chance to view his work across the pond in London 1-25 November 2007 at Stolenspace. Named Nineteeneightyphoria, it’s his inaugural show in London, arguably the street art capital of the world. Comprised of a range of artworks, mostly awesome in scale, it’s an overt reference to the surveillance culture of Orwell’s 1984 and where better than just under the Eye and Big Ben. Fairey harnesses his counter culture reputation to question and instigate the cultural paradigm post 9-11.

In the midst of all his preparation for the show Shepard graciously offered us some time on the phone. Even over the wires, it was apparent that he’s a genuine and passionate individual. We had a great conversation…

So this is your first time exhibiting your work in London?
Well, not exactly. This is my first solo show in London since 1999 and I’ve been here a few times since putting up some stuff around town. Inaugural makes it sound a bit more special. At the same time, I think Londoners usually only see my stuff online so it will be nice to go there and show my stuff, especially in the large scale that I’m working with right now. And London’s a great city! Any excuse to visit is good enough for me.

London, in my opinion, is the center of the street art world right now, especially with the likes of Banksy and his sucess. I’m observing a paradigm shift there more than anywhere else as far as street art, it’s value and cultural relevance. London is even starting to loosely protect some of Banksy’s work around the city. It is obviously the place to be right now when it comes to this sort of stuff.

I caught your recent show in New York City, what are you doing for this show, anything different?
I am building upon my New York show. Printing my own intricate wallpapers, using some old stencils, making some new ones. A big inspiration for me lately has been Rauschenberg’s pieces, so I try to bring that same aesthetic and feel to my collage work. Just very organic, colorful but detailed. I’ve also been working my brush skills into my work a bit more these days. I mean I always painted, I actually studied illustration and painting in school, but now I have a bit more time to do it all. I’m not just slapping these pieces up on a wall outside where it might be taken down in a few hours so I work at it a bit more.

I have to remember that this is for an audience that will be inspecting my work more closely. So I take my time with it, fill in more details with my brush.

Any difference internally or superficially now that you’re increasingly finding yourself in gallery environments?
Firstly, to satisfy the gallery and related components, the pieces need to be strong enough to buy. I want the gallery to be happy with me. Even more than that, they have to be good enough to look at all the time. My pieces on the street, you will just pass in the car or walk by, you’re only dedicating a few seconds worth of attention. However, I always have in mind that whoever decides to buy the piece needs to look at it everyday so the work needs to represented in that same light. That right there is rather daunting. Because of this, I obviously put much more time and detail into my work when exhibited in a gallery. I want them to be able to see something new with every look.

Overall being shown in galleries has catalyzed an evolution in my work and things are coming out that I didn’t notice before because I’m spending more time with my pieces. It’s been a great experience.

Continue reading…

Phaidon has a knack for publishing massive overviews that inform, educate, become trusted resources for years to come, and—as is the case with their “cream” series on emerging artists—boast amazing packaging as well. The latest edition, Ice Cream, is no exception with its rainbow mylar cover that takes us back to our sticker collection days.

Fortunately, what’s inside the cover doesn’t disappoint, including some artists you may have seen in these pages, such as Gelitin (pictured below right), Brian Jungen, some you’ve probably heard of like Daniel Johnston and Banks Violette and others (Thomas Bayrle, pictured below left) that we probably should’ve already known about. Chosen by a committee of 10 international curators, the 100-artist round up includes several from the Whitney’s 2006 biennial (no doubt thanks to co-curator Philippe Vergne’s involvement) as well as a fairly good representation from around the globe (thanks to the geographic specialties of other curators).

Each four-page spread on the alphabetically-organized artists features a history of selected exhibitions, a brief essay or interview, as well as reproductions of their work. A supplemental section of 10 source artists lends some context to the snapshot of contemporary art that Ice Cream presents.

It’s available from
Phaidon or Amazon.

Kansas City artist Kacy Maddux, whose headless sketches in the University of Chicago Renaissance Society’s “All My Pretty Corpses” exhibition caught a lot of attention in 2005, is to be featured again in the Windy City.

This time her fine illustrations are to be featured in a solo exhibition at the Gescheidle gallery in downtown Chicago. These free-hand drawings appear to riff on the theme of anatomy and symmetry while remaining fairly abstract. It’s an interesting installment in this 27 year-old artist’s career, presenting “empirical information metaphorically, and intuitive misunderstandings literally.” The result is equal parts new age and science class, to stunning effect.

New Drawings
Opening Reception: 12 October 2007, 6-9pm
Conversation with the artist: 13 October 2007, 1-2pm
12 October -10 November 2007
Gescheidle
1039 W. Lake Street, 2nd floor
Chicago, IL. 60607 map
tel. +1 312.226.3500

Artist and sculptor John Casey unveiled his new website this week. Casey is well known for his often freakish human morphology drawings and sculptures. His next show will be at Receiver Gallery in San Francisco and will open November 3rd and run through the end of the month.

Info.Image: Bunnywax via Juxtapoz

Saturday, Oct 20 marks the first U.S show by prestigious Hong Kong toy artist Tim Tsui. The exhibit, being held at Mixi-Bang! in Pasadena, CA, will feature a limited edition GreyOne Da Minci (only 100 pieces available). The opening reception starts at 7 pm.

Info.Image: Vinyl Pulse

This isn’t the first time that Brooklyn-based
artist
Joel Dugan has been featured on Cool Hunting. In 2005, his
nautically themed octopus tees were being sold to
raise money for arts education for underprivileged
schoolchildren. Dugan continues to be produce,
elaborating and improving on the timeless maritime
theme in what is his solo debut in the port city of
San Francisco where the Iowa-born artist studied his
craft.

We think this Pacific port is a fitting host for
Dugan’s latest portraits of foggy coastlines,
shorebirds and lighthouses. Contrary to our simplistic
description, these paintings are not clam chowder,
Cape Cod-kitsch. Dugan’s pieces bring a fresh
perspective to a well worn (and at
times overwrought) theme by artists who for years have been
fascinated by the sea.

Dugan says he drew much of his inspiration from
trips to coastal Nova Scotia, Ireland and New England,
and we think he’s done justice in to the maritime
aesthetic.

Ocea
Opening Reception: 13 October 2007, 7-10pm

13 October-3
November 2007
White Walls Gallery
835 Larkin Street
San Francisco, CA map
tel. +1 415 9311500

Its VERY rare that the ladies get the special artist designed kicks these days, but with the release of the Claw Money x Nike Blazers back in July, that trend showed signs of change.  Here is another for sure sign as they have come together again to bring the girls this new Vandal Hi pack.  Claw Money has gone on record to say that this is her favorite hi top sneaker of all time and that is why she is bringing the pain for all the ladies out there.  This Claw Money x Nike exclusive will drop on 10/25/07 at IHeart in NYC, followed by a 10/27/07 release for other select Tier 0 accounts.

Info.Image:  High Snobiety

Shaolin monks, the guardians of the “vehicle to zen,” are the subject of talented and determined photographer Justin Guariglia’s new book, Shaolin: Temple of Zen. Having once made the two-day trip from Beijing to the birthplace of Zen Buddhism, the Shaolin Temples of central China, where Guariglia shot the series, I know these images were not easy to get. Walking the grounds as a visitor and watching demonstrations, it was understandable and very apparent that I was not experiencing anything close to authentic. Guariglia, on the other hand, befriended and gained the trust of temple inhabitants over numerous visits. As a result, for the first time in the secret society’s fifteen hundred year-old history, the monograph documents the Buddhist monks dedication to preserving Kung fu.

Shaolin compiles select images shot over the past eight years in the recently-released book, capturing intimate, candid and unplanned moments that lend some humanity to these enlightened figures. Addressing the fact that Shaolin has experienced a recent boom of popularity due to the success of Kung fu movies like “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” his photos often show the traditions of Shaolin culture clashing with a fast-paced contemporary China.

In celebration of the book’s release there will be a special event this Friday, 12 October 2007, at the Rubin Museum of Art which will include a demonstration by Shaolin monk Shi de Chao of the 31st generation (pictured right), a book signing and a slide show. Visit Aperture for more information on the event and to purchase the book for $28. See more images here.

Shaolin: Temple of Zen
Book release and demonstration: 12 October 2007, 6pm
Rubin Museum of Art
150 West 17th Street
New York, NY map
tel. +1 212 620-5000

Also on Cool Hunting: Guariglia + Chen: Qi

REDCAT in the Walt Disney Concert hall recently opened “Advanced Mature Work,” a new exhibit my master artist Barry McGee. The newly commissioned installation “draws upon the attitudes and processes of unsanctioned acts of expression.” If you’re in the Los Angeles area, be sure to check the exhibit out. It runs until Nov. 25, 2007.

Info.Image: Best Ever

BumpHipHop.com pays respect to hip hop’s fallen stars with the “R.I.P. Hip Hop” set of nine wallpapers. Featuring Biggie, Big Pun, 2Pac, ODB, Easy E, Big L, JMJ, Mac Dre, and J Dilla, the “R.I.P. Hip Hop” set displays each artist illuminated against a blank green background, as a nod to their respective contributions within hip hop culture. Each wallpaper is available in 1600×1200, 1280×1024, and 1024×768 resolutions. Download the wallpapers individually here.

Native New Jersey resident, Dust La Rock, is defining his career by not following tradition: design college, intern, intern again, work a nominal position and retire. Rock is defining his career by grinding contacts and pursuing opportunity, every opportunity. “I worked my way up through Ecko, eventually, into the art department,” says Rock, adding Ecko was a training ground that made a positive impact – Rock’s troubled youth may have derailed the Rock people know, today – on his career by learning from PK, Grotesk, Doze Green and Mike Thompson, among others, too.

Today, Rock is one-third of the raising record label, Fool’s Gold, a label his friends A-Trak and Nick Catchdubs created. When he’s not assuming the art director position at Fool’s Gold, Rock is designing websites and print materials for clients like Roxy Cottontail, MTV and various magazines from Beautiful Decay to Missbehave.

“Anybody can start a brand by printing a couple T-shirts and emailing one of the various blogs.”

Format: You collaborated with Bijules NYC to make a jewelry piece called Sympathy for the Devil. How was the experience?
DLR: The name of the necklace is La Feuille d’Absinthe which literally translates to ‘the Absinthe leaf.’ It is based on the design of one of the most popular absinthe spoons of the past and can be used in the preparation of absinthe.

Jules and I had discussed working on a project together for awhile so I brought the idea of the absinthe spoon necklace to the table, designed it, and we produced it together. She’s quite a character, truly focused on her various business ventures whilst remembering to enjoy life, which is what made this collaborative project so fun and the result so unique.

We also recruited Dave 1 from Chromeo – A-Trak’s big brother – and Angel Clouthier, a multi-cultural savant, to do the photo shoot at my loft-studio and that was a blast. You’ll notice on the website there’s a roll call including bios on everyone mentioned above, my web programmer Greg and Adam Amengual who took all the beautiful photographs you see on the site.

Sympathy for the Devil is an ongoing project which will eventually serve as a online retail outlet for various original products by myself and friends. I designed the current site specifically for the promotion of the necklace and plan on a redesign and brand launch in the first quarter of 2008.

Format: Where did you go to school for design?
DLR: I didn¹t go to school.

Format: How did you learn design?
DLR: I got into some trouble shortly after graduating from high school and was fortunate enough to get a job at a well known and respected clothing company. I had taken commercial and graphic arts classes in high school and had always been artistically inclined growing up, so I worked my way up through Ecko, eventually, into the art department and had the opportunity to learn from some really amazing designers such as Cody Hudson, Grotesk, PK, artists like Doze Green, Mike Thompson, Rob-O and many others. After six years at this company I decided it was time to leave and continue my growth elsewhere. I worked at a couple different places in both print and product design, decided it was time to work for myself as a freelance artist and have never looked back.

Format: You do a lot of works for friends. Is it a good thing to mix personal and business relationships?
DLR: It goes both ways: working with friends and associates allows you to grow as an individual and a professional but there are always differences in opinion and unfortunately once in awhile that leads to a strained relationship. I have a couple different groups of friends which I regard as family, we have a mutual personal and professional respect for each other and that translates into our business practices. All that aside, it’s really a matter of knowing when to hold them and when to fold them.

Format: You do album artwork. Do you have a lot of creative restraints by record labels when you’re creating artwork?
DLR: It really depends on the level of input by musician and their respective label. When I first started doing freelance outside of my day job I worked with a number of notable UK drum-n-bass producers and DJs and was given the freedom to do my own thing. Working with the Orb and Transit Kings, I received a fair amount of input and direction from the members of the band while the major label was simply a vehicle for promotion and distribution.

I currently function as art director for Fool’s Gold Records with A-Trak and Nick Catchdubs and am also a partner in the company so it allows me to see both sides of the business and creative process. It’s truly a blessing and a curse; while I’ve established a strong graphic aesthetic for the label I still need to make sure my partners and the artists are happy with my output and, ultimately, I have no one but myself to blame if shit gets fucked up.

Format: Please explain your involvement with Syintific skateboard company.
DLR: My business partner Adam Gianotti started the company out of his basement in New Jersey. We both worked for the aforementioned clothing company at one point and I overheard him speaking to someone about needing to get some boards and tee designs. I approached him, and four to five years later I’m now part-owner and art director.

Format: Do you skateboard?
DLR: BMX. Ride or die.

Format: A lot of designers are linked parallel to the streetwear industry, whether they want to be or not. What is your opinion on streetwear?
DLR: I think the current manifestation of streetwear is a direct result of consumer’s dissatisfaction with the urban and mainstream markets. It’s also an interesting study in trend, marketing and consumerism. It’s great to see companies like Stussy, Fuct and Supreme still flourishing after many years in the game and a lot of the mid to smaller companies continuing to come out with great designs and product.

My only real issue with the streetwear market is the lack of quality control, but I suppose this extends to all forms of industry. Anybody can start a brand by printing a couple T-shirts and emailing one of the various blogs. Ultimately, I think it’s the consumers’ job to: one, be informed and, two, exercise restraint in their purchases and the brands they support.

Format: When you’re doing a website, you have to catch a person¹s eye and have them stay at that website. How do you achieve this?
DLR: When I start a web project I meet with the client to discuss their needs, the site’s functionality and the overall design. Usually I’m approached to lend my specific graphic touch but ultimately the client and, or the site’s subject matter should be what is drawing a viewer to a website, my visual aesthetic is just the proverbial icing on the cake.

Format: Looking at A-Trak’s site, there is nothing that says I’m a DJ; visually, it reveals more about his character.
DLR: There’s really no point in stating the obvious, he’s an animal, what can I say?

Format: What are some bad website design characteristics?
DLR: Blogs aside, I’m not a fan of vertically scrolling sites. I feel as if I’m missing something if I can’t see a pages full content all at once. They work well when the site design is on point but just not my preferred cup of tea. Pop-up windows are also annoying but due to client preferences I’ve been guilty of using them in the past.

More Info: http://www.dustlarock.com/

Not everyone likes Bryce ‘Best’ Davies’s work. Many traditionalists in the graf scene he grew up in have snubbed their spraycans at him, but he doesn’t really care. His incorporation of fine art techniques into his graffiti work has found him a wider more accepting audience, as well as some great friends and artists with whom he can collaborate. It has also helped him find himself.

Born in South Jersey to an American mother and a Welsh father, Bryce moved to Bedwas in South Wales with his parents at an early age. However, his father died when he was three years old and he eventually settled with his Mother, her partner at the time and his son in Cardiff at aged 10.

It was his step brother who would first influence Bryce artistically. He was inspired by the art student’s paintings, which themselves were inspired by graf writers such as Mode 2 and Vaughn Bode. It wasn’t until age 12 when given the chance to decorate his room himself that he first picked up a spraycan. The graffiti wasn’t great, think bad Calvin and Hobbes characters, but the buzz was addictive and Bryce was soon out bombing the streets and tracksides.

Unsettled at school, and pretty much anywhere except while painting, Bryce spent most of his time out painting and at 15, alongside a fellow Cardiff writer, set up a legal Hall Of Fame in Haley Park, Cardiff. Here he could spend all day developing styles and working on his letters. The bombing continued until South Wales Police raided his house three times. Luckily for him they went to the wrong person’s house each time and he managed to get tipped off. Many others in the scene weren’t so lucky and after rather too much finger pointing, Bryce decided it was time to go legit.

One of the other major influences on his artwork was Dafydd Fortt. Bryce’s vision was very much rooted in the graf scene but Dafydd influenced him to look at things from a different angle, and be happy in doing what you want rather than worrying too much how things are supposed to be done. He showed him how to stretch canvas and make frames and pushed him to try new techniques. In the studio together Bryce finally found the direction he’d been looking for and painted all the free hours he could. In 2003 both Bryce and Dafydd moved to the Kings Rd Studios in Cardiff. It was here that Peaceful Progress was born.

There were soon many collaborations with other resident artists in the studios, especially Andy Fung and James Charlton, and a number of exhibitions such as Slice which included all the Kings Rd Artists. Peaceful Progress began as a website to showcase both this work and each artist’s solo work.

Around the same time he started painting, Bryce also took up B-Boying and helped to form the Welsh B-Boy crew Uprock Addicts. These were his main expressive outlets and they also became his main income, meaning that he could literally do the things he loved all day. As well as commissions with his painting and various shows with the Uprock Addicts, Bryce began to pass on his skills to the young people of Wales in graffiti and breakdance workshops. Dealing mainly with the kind of teens that he had once been, restless - unsettled and quite a handful at times - he enjoys seeing the familiar spark in their eyes when what he is teaching manages to connect. He is also part of Bassline Circus and has been touring with them for the last three years. Living in a trailer, travelling and the alternative lifestyle of the circus along with regular visits to Coed Hills, a self sufficient community where many of the residents are artists living in yurts and tepees, has lent Bryce’s work a natural, organic feel and helped him to think more about the environment he’s painting in and for. A lot of the work and exhibitions recently are site specific and he thinks more about the placement of pieces, his murals are also noticeably fuller, with the background, shapes and letters all working well together. Some of his recent commissions have been for, amongst others, Glastonbury, Bestival, Green Man, MTV, Cargo and Big Brother.

The most important for Bryce is getting on with what he enjoys in a positive and true manner, and working with others on a similar vibe. With a Peaceful Progress tent in the pipeline for next years festivals it looks like we shall be seeing many more collaborations with this ethos.

More Info: http://www.peacefulprogress.co.uk/

Peter Gatien Dunny release for CIRCA, Toronto
You might remember his movie portrayal as Michael Alig’s mentor in the biopic Party Monster, or maybe you’ve been one of his New York megaclubs like Limelight or Tunnel. In order to celebrate the new Kidrobot designed room at Gatien’s latest megaclub in Toronto, Kidrobot has eternally idolized his image in Dunny likeness. He doesn’t actually wear the eye patch anymore, but according to ‘a close friend’ the lips are pure Peter.

Kidrobot minishop/bar at CIRCA Club
Kidrobot is spreading its vinyl wings and delving in to new territory with their first club design at Circa. The story goes that Peter Gatien’s son is a big fan of Kidrobot and bugged his dad forever to have him get Paul Budnitz, founder of Kidrobot, in on his nightclub empire. Aside from the minishop, the Kidrobot bar features a smorkin labbit conveyor belt, dunny projections on the tables, wall murals and more. According to Paul, the best way to describe the room is that “it’s like Lucky Charms come to life.”

Keiko, the Director, from Junko Mizuno’s Pure Trance
Pure Trance was a revolutionary manga for being one of the first to openly challenge female body image by tackling issues like anorexia and bulimia, illustrated through the use of the ‘Pure Trance life Sustaining Pill’ which causes a condition called ‘hyperorexia’, or severe over eating. Keiko is the director of the ‘Over Eaters Treatment Center 102’ and her origins are unknown. This is probably the hottest figure I’ve ever set my eyes on and no doubt it will sell like wildfire, for it’s challenging societal values of course.

Coot, by Wilfrid Wood
Coot gets in on shock value and evens the score for those who might be critical of unrealistic female proportion like the anime styled figures on the above-mentioned Director. He’s so big, naked and hairless, that he could possibly come in peace, except the ray gun he’s toting looks like it could possibly fry your balls off, or maybe it just makes your clothes disappear. Who knows? Ask artist Wilfrid Wood, at www.Wilfridwood.com for an answer. The figure stands 7’’ high and is available only in 400 pieces.

Toys Are Us: A Revolution in Plastic
Toys Are Us is one of the first of a new wave of vinyl toy docs. The first part is a shortish half hour introduction to the toy scene set at the San Diego Comic Con. It provides some nice eye candy for those who might have never been to a toy/comic convention, while the real meat of the doc is made up with a kick ass extended interviews. Highlights include Mars-1 divulging on his theories of alien life, a look at Patrick Ma’s (Rocketworld) lesser known FBI and CIA approved Kevlar studio, and a not to be missed tour of Frank Kozik’s private toy collection. Also featured in the extended interview section is Brian Flynn from Super7. Toys Are Us is available for $19.99 through Filmbaby

Artist Parra, through his Rockwell Clothing line, has teamed with Amsterdam-based stores Patta and Ben G on a series of skateboard decks. The decks feature original art by Parra and will be available through Ben G some time next week.

Info.Image: High Snobiety

If you’re an OG in the game, your eyes light up every time you hear that HAZE is at again. The famed artist and label is back for the Fall/Winter season with some new tees, hoodies and even a pretty dope scarf for those brisk fall evenings. The gear will be hitting retailers soon, so keep ya’ eyes and ya’ wallets open.

Info.Image: SlamXHype

In celebration of their newly redesigned site, Beautiful Decay is giving away a three-pack of tees along with their Archive Book to a few CH readers. We’ve been fans of their artist series shirts from the beginning and the book showcases many of the artists that have been featured in the magazine, so this is definitely a giveaway not to miss.

As far as the new site, it’s worth taking note of a couple features. Overall, clear, concise navigation through the menu makes it easy to get to content. A welcome new component is the gallery guide, a comprehensive listing of many B/D type galleries covering most of the U.S. and Europe—it’s a great resource that I’m sure I’ll be using often.

To enter the giveaway, just follow the contact link at the bottom of the page, select “Beautiful Decay Giveaway” from the pull-down menu and tell us your favorite part of their new site before Thursday, 4 October 2007, 11:59pm EST. We’ll chose a winner at random from the entries.

You know someone out there was gonna do it… After the release of the highly anticipated “Graduation” album by Kanye West, sneaker artist/customizer Emmanuel Labor has crafted these gems to emulate the sonic masterpiece.  As you can see, the kicks draw so much inspiration from the album cover artwork by using a furry bear-like material, images of the teddy bear itself, and a tribute to the now popular white shades that look like window blinds!  Great execution on this one… hats off!

Info.Image:  Sneaker Files

La La, la la la la… Yes you guessed right, prominent artist/designer KAWS has done some rad new Smurf-inspired paintings for super producer Pharrell Williams.  Classic Smurfs drawings combined with that special KAWS touch are sure to bring new life to the Miami apartment that they are intended for.  Word has it that there is also a 4 foot KAWS statue that came with the 3 painting set.  I think the Smurfs are cool and all, but why?? 

What do you want on your tombstone? UK underground artist Laura Keeble’s latest installation is a series of plaster headstones featuring popular corporate logos including Nike and McDonalds. Keeble intends the installation to be a comment on “beliefs systems and idol worship.” Check out her website for more photos of the “Graveyard Installation” in London’s Southend.

Info.Image: Wooster Collective

New Era collaborations come a boring dime a dozen these days but every once in a while we get a good one. This time that goodness comes in the form of a collaboration with UK artist C-Law, known for his work with Addict and Adidas. No release info yet but we’ll keep ya’ posted.

Info.Image: High Snobiety

Reuters - Bold colors, high heels and an artist's
touch were key themes at Milan's summer 2008 womenswear week
which ended on Saturday, epitomized in the stunning gallery
gowns that finished Dolce & Gabbana's show on Thursday.

Zoo York’s fall lineup is underway with skate deck designs by Makeset and Broken Windows. The Makeset series features Technicolor renditions of NYC landscapes including Coney Island, Times Square, and The Brooklyn Bridge. The Broken Windows series features graffiti-based typography, that bleeds from one board to the next to create a complete series. The decks are available now through Zoo York and other authorized retailers.

Info.Image: High Snobiety

Collectively, Team CH is more of a dog person, but we do love a three-legged feline on a t-shirt—especially when profits support pooches fighting cancer. Designed by L.A.-based artist Amanda Viselli, the cat-in-a-hat graphic tee helps Sonia Zjawinski’s ongoing effort (dubbed I Heart Tripods) inspired by her own dog Lulu’s battle with bone cancer. Printed on a heather blue Alternative Apparel crew neck, the tee is $30 from Tripod Charity Gear.

Also on Cool Hunting: I Heart Tripods Tee

At a time when modern high-rise condos are transforming much of NYC’s landscape, it’s more and more important to preserve what makes the city unique. U.K. artist Mike Nelson embraces this sentiment with his first major installation in the U.S., ???A Psychic Vacuum,??? presented in conjunction with Creative Time.

Imagine a derelict building located in Manhattan’s Lower East Side—former home to the bustling Essex Street Market and soon to be hot real estate commodity—its neglected innards a history lesson unraveled beneath peeling layers of paint and gleaned through the things left behind, disparate objects as easily rescued from your grandparent’s attic as from the local dump. Here, Nelson gathers the clutter into meticulously crafted environments to form his dusty homage to the vanishing past.

Wandering along a seemingly endless labyrinth of dimly lit passageways through ranks of mismatched doors, the audience is transported into Nelson’s shadowy world of back alley dentists, gypsy fortune tellers and blue collar VFW bars. With each turn, you seesaw between the role of fascinated explorer and anxious interloper simultaneously anticipating and dreading the anonymous occupants’ return.

All of Nelson’s carefully selected details create a running narrative that at once interprets the (now endangered) character of the neighborhood as a relic forgotten as the days pass by, while at the same time revering it as a still vital participant in the flow of daily life happening on these streets.

With curiosity and persistence, you will finally emerge from the simulated catacombs into the light of day, only to be confronted by the biggest revelation of the entire journey???but some secrets are best revealed firsthand. The show is open Friday through Sunday from 12-6pm and admission is free.

A Psychic Vacuum
8 September-28 October 28 2007
The Old Essex Street Market
117 Delancey Street
New York, NY 10002 map

Image via
This Week in NY

by Scott Lachut

Sydney-based artist, James Jirat Patradoon, on his career defining moment: “If I could trace my artistic inspiration back to one event, it would have to be the Neo Tokyo exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art in 2001. I had never seen art like that before; I didn’t know you could be so playful with it. I vividly remember the Yoshitomo Nara sculptures made out of bandages, and Kenji Yanobe’s atom suit and Godzilla/Astro Boy sculptures that blew bubbles. It was just so fun. I think because a lot of Japanese art contains references to pop culture, it’s more accessible for audiences. They aren’t so intimidated by it because it can be quite light-hearted but still have a serious undertone to it.”

Nestled in a garden down a secret cobblestone path off Avenue Junot in Montmartre lies the impossibly charming five-room Hotel Particulier. CH had the privilege of staying there recently (courtesy of the hotel, which just opened its doors in June) and enjoyed the luxuriously appointed rooms and movie-perfect setting—the adjacent Pétanque court being the cherry on top of the cake.

With a well-curated art collection adorning the walls, antiques, design objects and coffee table books everywhere, our experience felt something like living in the pages of a shelter magazine for a few days. Considering the building was formerly an actual hotel particulier (the French phrase means “private mansion”), the home-like atmosphere makes sense.

We stayed in the “Vitrine Room,” so named for the artwork by Philippe Mayaux (who designed the room) consisting of a glass case filled with pink objects suggesting sex toys and genitalia (pictured left). Spacious and with windows overlooking the Petanque court and gardens, the highlight was the massive steam room in the bathroom. The equally massive bed, ideal for watching a film on the flat screen television and DVD player, also helped encourage relaxation.

The other four rooms, each also designed by a different creative force, were all as inviting and large as the next—except for the huge top-floor loft featuring two bedrooms, skylights and a claw foot tub in the center of the room. We also loved the “Tree with ears” room, featuring custom artist-designed wallpaper and a sound installation enabling guests to leave messages for future guests.

Whether dining al fresco in the garden (designed by Louis Bénech who’s responsible for renovating Tuileries) with floral scents wafting by or sipping a glass of red wine in the ground floor salon, we can’t think of a more perfect place for the kind of Paris visit that’s so enchanted it feels like a cliché. And yes we’d say all that even if our stay hadn’t been sponsored.

Street artist Underfoot creates new work in Sao Paulo.

Info.Image: Wooster

Hungarian-born illustrator and artist
Balint Zsako creates beautiful images. Be sure to check out his incredible collages—they’re otherworldly, hypnotic and compelling. Crafted from elements that skirt along the edges of the familiar, Zsako creates dreamlike vistas and interiors, as elements from western art history are carefully re-articulated into new mysterious forms. (Click image for detail.)