Hiatus Over

I will start posting again. Soon.

Christmas Ad

Great ad by LAIKA/house for Apple:


Never underestimate the power of adorability!

Explosion

A classic idea/technique that never seems to get stale:


Ad was created by Mother New York.

Surreal but Real

From Metropolis, "It’s often hard to convince people that Olivo Barbieri’s aerial photographs are real. They look uncannily like hyperdetailed models, absent the imperfections of reality. Streets are strangely clean, trees look plastic, and odd distortions of scale create the opposite effect of what we expect from aerial photography—a complete overview, like military surveillance."


"I was a little bit tired of the idea of photography allowing you to see everything," Barbieri says. "After 9/11 the world had become a little bit blurred because things that seemed impossible happened. My desire was to look at the city again." He achieves the distinctive look by photographing from a helicopter using a tilt-shift lens—a method, he says, that "allows me to choose what I really like in focus: like in a written page, we don’t read [it as an] image but one line at a time."


Although I do not readily participate in outdoor/nature type excursions in my life, I do sincerely appreciate natural surroundings, especially ones that are real but surreal.

Shock Art

I have been struggling with the meaning of art lately. In my opinion, art really should stimulate your senses and provoke, perhaps, a discussion about our culture, traditions, morality, habits and being. However, where do we draw the line? When does artistic expression become vile, offensive and disrespectful? And when does its shocking qualities start to convolute the intent? I will leave you with those quesitons to ponder over after reading about this project by Santiago Sierra:


This project is titled "21 Anthropometric Modules Made From Human Faeces By The People Of Sulabh International, India". The sculptures are just that - wrought of human excrement. From Guardian, "They look like oversized garden-centre trays for growing tomatoes. One might think of them as wholesome examples of recycling in action, although why anyone would want to manufacture all these unwieldy blocks in the first place is more the issue. They all stand on their longer sides, in the opened wooden crates in which each was shipped. One side of each slab is flat, the other is a shallow lidless box, into which, as the title suggests, a human being might fit. As with much of Sierra's work, what counts is the story as much as the objects themselves, which are an unprepossessing sight. The rows of slabs standing in their crates, the lids against the walls, packing material and rubbish lying about on the unswept floor - it all gives the air of interrupted labour, of things in transit."


"The excrement was collected in New Delhi and Jaipur by the low-caste poor who, atoning for their deeds in previous lives, scavenge human faecal matter for a living. The ordure collectors in this case work for Sulabh International, a group dedicated to improving the appalling sanitary conditions in India and bettering the lives of those forced to earn a living by manually collecting and disposing of human waste."

"According to Pilar Villela Mascaró, writing in the catalogue, Sierra 'will be selling shit to art collectors and explicitly stating that its surplus value has been provided by labourers who sponsored the piece by working for free'. Mascaró makes this argument only to dispose of it, as it were, later. The point is that Sierra is doing as much as he can to dramatise both how the work came about and where it might end up. Works of 1960s minimalist art often looked as if they were made by machines, or were so pure and immaculate that they had surely been beamed down by superior beings from outer space. Sierra's blocks, on the other hand, are the result of deeply unpleasant, though unseen toil, and can be bought by anyone who hands over their filthy lucre."

Environmental Impact

Came across a brilliant magazine advertisement created by King in Sweden:

Alliance Graphique Internationale

Found this beautiful and distinctly Canadian poster designed by Rolf Harder in 1968 for Alliance Graphique Internationale on insect54's flickr page:

Chocolate Bunny

This was deeply disturbing for me, but in a beautiful surreal way. I was reminded of Matthew Barney's Cremaster Cycle.

Millionaire Lottery Home

Like many other people, I watch HGTV and flip through the pages of Elle Decor and Architectural Digest. The pictures are undeniably beautiful and definitely represent, in almost all examples, the way I would like to live. However, I am also of the opinion that, your house should be YOUR home, renovated and decorated to suit YOUR needs and aesthetics (unless, of course, you are staging your house for sale). Hiring an interior designer means your desires are merely interpreted through his/her style and way/habits of living. Moreover, the decorated rooms, as exciting as it is that they are all dressed up almost in an instant, always seem perfect but uninhabited. They look like showrooms that sell swanky designer furniture, complete with hefty price tags. Personally, I like the process of collecting items and pieces of furniture that make up who I am and the look I strive for respectively. However, there are cases where the designer is expected to create interiors that appeal to everyone. The following is one such case:


These picturs are of the latest lottery home situated in White Rock, British Columbia, overlooking the beautiful sea. It will be given away to someone. All you have to do is buy a ticket or two to be entered into the lucky draw. Proceeds from the tickets goes to Vancouver General Hospital.


"When British Columbians are faced with the most serious, complex and life-threatening illnesses and diseases, they rely on the “super-specialists” at VGH, UBC Hospital and GF Strong for hope. Whether it’s for a catastrophic, traumatic accident, cancer care, cardiac care or other serious diseases, our medical teams are among the world’s best and brightest, providing leading-edge patient care and research. Discoveries in the lab are quickly translated to new patient treatments and cures. Patients have access to the latest, most sophisticated equipment." All this cost a lot of money, especially with our public health care system.


It is for a good cause. So, the designer decorated rooms are the icing on the cake. But on the designers' end (the rooms are the work of Sarah Richardson and her team), how do you create a room that appeal to everyone? It can neither be too feminine nor masculine; it needs to be child-friendly and even elderly-friendly (there is an elevator installed in the 3-storey house); the colours and fabrication need to be crowd-pleasing, yet are not generic. In all, I think these rooms were very beautifully designed. And while I certainly have that glimmer of hope to win the grand prize (though I will most definitely not be able to afford to maintain a house like that), I am more happy that the money goes to health care services.

To get your tickets for the draw (the grand prize is worth CDN$2.8 million), go to the Millionaire Lottery homepage.

Blank Catalogue

In any printed matter, the text and graphics are always the centre of attention. Their aim is to provide you with information and visual stimulation. So it is not surprising that little of the backgrounds is registered in the brain. But the backgrounds cannot be overlooked because they do play a very essential role in a any layouts: they section off nuggets of information where necessary; they unify a layout and make an otherwise stark design stand out.

Today I came across a project that puts the spotlight on the background:


Created by Jason Salavon, "[t]his suite of ten prints abstracts selected facing-page layouts from the 2007 IKEA catalogue based upon the original page design, leaving only color and structure."


He has also created a large light box, as shown above, that contains "all 374 pages of the 2007 IKEA catalogue, each simplified to a rectangle of pure color and arranged them left-to-right, top-to-bottom."

2010 Olympic Mascots

Originally, mascots were created to bring luck, not unlike a talisman. But its intent has changed in recent times. It is used to represent a group with a common identity and to portray the spirit of a certain cause. It is not more like a spokesperson. Of course, this ist he product of marketing - they are almost always anthropomorphised animals to convey character traits that help instil desire among potential consumers. However, in the case of the Olympics, mascots have an additional role: to symbolise and summarise a host's culture, background and ideals.

In 2010, Vancouver will host the Winter Olympics. The mascots used to represent us and the Olympics and Paralympics were revealed yesterday. Inspired by our heritage (First Nations), they are:


Miga is a mythical sea bear, part orca and part kermode bear; Quatchi is a sasquatch (an entirely mythical creature); Sumi is an animal guardian spirit with the wings of the Thunderbird and legs of a black bear; Mukmuk is a Vancouver Island marmot. Of the four, only three will assume physical representations; Mukmuk will only exist online. Globe and Mail journalist Rod Mickleburgh got from feedback from children (whom these mascots are targeted towards):

"I like the shark and bear dude," said 11-year old Luken Lake, referring to mascot Miga, which is actually part whale. Luken's friend Anthony Arnason agreed. "The whale dude was the best. He snowboards and so do I."

The mascots were created by Vicky Wong and Michael Murphy of Meomi Design in Vancouver. "[We] did a lot of research into aboriginal mythology and B.C. culture in order to come up with their designs. It all just came together in our heads. They represent our values, environmentalism, our affinity with nature, and the fact we all have different backgrounds," said Vicki.


"Vancouver officials have said for months that the mascot selection represents one of their most significant Olympic milestones on the road to the 2010 Winter Games. The importance of the mascots to VANOC goals was made clear by the extraordinary lengths the committee went to keep the selections secret and the media management resembling a budget lockup. The few VANOC officials who have known the mascots' identity for months were sworn to secrecy. Even their families were kept in the dark."

"We really tightened up internally," said delighted VANOC boss John Furlong. "It was very important that the mascots be a surprise ... like Christmas morning, with the children coming down and seeing that look in their eyes... This is about children and making them happy." This alone, I think, could very well be the element that makes all the money spent on hosting the games worth our while.

For more information and background on the mascots, go to Vancouver2010.

Theory of Everything

From Wikipedia, "Symmetry in common usage generally conveys two primary meanings. The first is an imprecise sense of harmonious or aesthetically-pleasing proportionality and balance; such that it reflects beauty or perfection. The second meaning is a precise and well-defined concept of balance or "patterned self-similarity" that can be demonstrated or proved according to the rules of a formal system: by geometry, through physics or otherwise."

Symmetry exists almost everywhere around us: in Mathematics, science and technology, in religion and culture... It can be simple or excedingly complex. The latter is used to describe this following pattern:


It is called the E8 graph. It is one of the most complicated symmetrical structures ever studied, a 248-dimensional shape known as E8. And it is the basis of a new "Theory of Everything" by Garrett Lisi. "[Lisi] has high hopes that his new theory could provide what he says is a 'radical new explanation' for the three decade old Standard Model, which weaves together three of the four fundamental forces of nature: the electromagnetic force; the strong force, which binds quarks together in atomic nuclei; and the weak force, which controls radioactive decay... Lisi's model also takes account of gravity, a force that has only successfully been included by a rival and highly fashionable idea called string theory, one that proposes particles are made up of minute strings, which is highly complex and elegant but has lacked predictions by which to do experiments to see if it works."

E8 encapsulates the symmetries of a geometric object that is 57-dimensional and is itself is 248-dimensional. Lisi says "I think our universe is this beautiful shape." From Times Online, "Lisi first encountered E8 six months ago and thought he saw mathematical echoes of his ideas about the cosmos in its structure; so he started 'playing around' with it. When he used its shape to relate all the known fundamental particles and forces in the universe with each other, the pieces seemed to fit together like a jigsaw. He realised that this could be something profound."

"If Lisi’s calculations are correct, the intimidating beauty of E8 could be the key to uniting all the fundamental forces and particles in the universe. For the first time, science would have an overarching explanation for why the cosmos is the way it is."

"It would be kind of nice if it all made sense, mathematically anyway," Lisi says. "It’s nice to think that there’s a bigger picture that’s beautiful and that we’re all a part of it."

Most of the scientific articles is way beyond my comprehension, but it does not take a quantum physicist to see that the pattern is undeniably, indescribably beautiful. More wonderment at the great beauty of all that is around us...

Real Surreal

Photographs are meant to capture a point in time. Traditionally, this 'point in time' is based on reality. However, with the help of technology, realities can be blurred, nay - even conjured up. It is this power that allows photographers to attain their true vision - the perfect picture.


Today, I came across a Canadian (Vancourite too!) photographer who made me question my eyesight. The photographer is Scott McFarland. From Monte Clark Gallery, "Scott McFarland's vision has evolved out of a familiarity with the particular environments he photographs... Regardless of the [environment], a personal consideration is present in which the artist attempts to reconcile a 'true' notion of the real with the limited one which is captured by the camera lens. McFarland's photographs, which employ subtle digital alteration, return the image as much as possible to its orginal appearance seen by the eye."


The first time I laid my eyes on the above picture, I thought to myself, "what a unique scene!". But upon closer inspection, the shadows of the cacti face radically different directions. That is simply impossible in a natural setting. I felt like I was looking into some extraterrestrial scene, albeit one that closely resembles the Earthly ones that I am accustomed to. It is simply amazing how such a subtle change can dramatically alter one's perception.


It would be sort of wonderful to visit McFarland's world...

New York Times Building

I have come to believe that space is very much like clothing. If you do not feel that great on any particular day, putting on immaculately tailored beautiful clothing can immediately change your mood. Same with a good haircut. You just feel better about yourself. Similarly, if you walk into a open airy space awash with glorious sunlight, you feel instantly more positive and awake. However, unlike attire, buildings are almost always much more permanent. So mistakes could easily cost decades worth of low morale. This gargantuan undertaking is not foreign to architects, yet in this case, the same make-or-break element must have been magnified by several times. The building in question? New York Times Tower.


The building is designed by Renzo Piano. Being a newspaper, New York Times is steeped in both past and present. Its journalistic intent means it observes the world and compiles a daily collection of news articles, while back issues archive all history. How did Piano approach this task then? he tower rises 748 feet (228 m) from the street to its roof, but the exterior curtain wall extends 92 feet higher to 840 feet (256 m), and a mast extends up to 1,046 feet (319 m). The building has 1.54-million square feet (143,000 square meters) of gross space. This story describes it all, but here are some of the pictures and quotes (all excerpted from the article) that really awed me:


Nicolai Ouroussoff calls Renzo Piano’s new 52-story home for The New York Times "a towering composition of glass and steel clad in a veil of ceramic rods” that “delivers on Modernism’s age-old promise to drag us — in this case, The Times — out of the Dark Ages... The last decade has been a time of major upheaval in newspaper journalism, with editors and reporters fretting about how they should adapt to the global digital age. In New York that anxiety has been compounded by the terrorist attacks of 2001, which prompted many corporations to barricade themselves inside gilded fortresses... Mr. Piano’s building is rooted in a more comforting time: the era of corporate Modernism that reached its apogee in New York in the 1950s and 60s. If he has gently updated that ethos for the Internet age, the building is still more a paean to the past than to the future."


"The architect’s goal is to blur the boundary between inside and out, between the life of the newspaper and the life of the street. The lobby is encased entirely in glass, and its transparency plays delightfully against the muscular steel beams and spandrels that support the soaring tower."


“People entering the building from Eighth Avenue can glance past rows of elevator banks all the way to the fairy tale atrium garden and beyond, to the plush red interior of TheTimesCenter auditorium. From the auditorium, you gaze back through the trees to the majestic lobby space. In effect, the lobby itself is a continuous public performance. The sense of transparency is reinforced by the people streaming through the lobby.”


"Depending on your point of view, the Times Building can thus be read as a poignant expression of nostalgia or a reassertion of the paper’s highest values as it faces an uncertain future. Or, more likely, a bit of both."

You can also view Annie Leibovitz's photographs of the building here.

Meiryo

Just discovered these beautiful Japanese fontset called Meiryo that comes along with Windows Vista:

From TokyoTDC, Eiichi Kono - the designer - said that "[i]n all ages and cultures, Gutenberg is called the father of modern printing technology and his discovery "Movable Type Technology" spread an information revolution rapidly throughout the world. Since then in the Western world, "creating letters" has been seen as the source of design for the fountain of knowledge that is books. Even now extremely high quality printing books are printed with high quality type-face that has been traditionally polished. "Creating type-face" became "creating phototypesetting" in the latter half of the 20th Century, and now it has further become gcreating digital letters". "Paper" is also becoming "screen" and brilliant color 3D graphics are meaning that printing is moving away from typesetting but without letters one could not use a mobile phone. Technology is always on the move and now Western and Asian characters are being mixed into horizontal typesetting in increasing regularity from books to business documents. I would like to work toward creating a book and useful font to understand the increasingly confused and different language and culture."

Art Pepper

I remember driving home from work a few years ago and restlessly skipping through several channels on the radio. I was in an odd mood that evening and was, the reason unfathomable even by myself, somewhat upset at the state of 'music'. To me, good music must be written from the heart and performed from the soul. Sadly, there are very few musicians and composers with true artistic integrity; the overwhelming majority of them rely too heavily on other means (such as visual, as opposed to purely aural) to help set them apart from other manufactured outfits. However, even with this compensation, they cannot feign the musical talents that true artists have. As I frantically flipped through the channels, the sound of a wailing saxophone suddenly came on. There was something in the lone sound that made me sit up and listen: genuine feeling. I was thus introduced to the music of Art Pepper.


Photograph of Art Pepper by Andy Freeberg.

From NPR, "Art Pepper was a self-taught jazz saxophonist who never practiced. But he earned acclaim as one of the greatest alto players to follow in the footsteps of Charlie Parker, and one of the foremost exponents of West Coast jazz. His career was interrupted by 10 years in prison on narcotics charges, and he died in 1982 at the age of 56. Now his widow, Laurie Pepper, is trying to tell his story on film, doing it one chapter at a time and posting it on YouTube."

"Laurie says she expects to be done in about a year with the first of three hourlong films — one for each period of Art Pepper's life, between his jail terms... The images are layered, kaleidoscopic — almost hallucinatory. Laurie says that the animation and drawings are an attempt to re-create the way her late husband saw the world. "The stories — the things that he tells — really did happen," she says. "But the way he saw them is the way that, you know, a baby or a schizophrenic sees things.""


Photograph from 17 Dots.

""It's always dangerous to equate art with autobiography," says Fred Kaplan, a jazz blogger for Stereophile magazine. "But in Art Pepper's case, I mean, the two are at one, because … he's pouring out the miseries of his life into the ballad. And by using these songs as the background material, she enriches that." Kaplan thinks that the point of Laurie Pepper's documentary is the way Art Pepper turned his misery into music. "And that's how Art saved himself for so many years as he did, which was by utilizing this pain and experience and making it into something that can be shared, and that was rich and meaningful.""

In conjunction with the project, Laurie Papper has launched a website here.

Skewed World

When I was really quite small, I remember seeing snow globes everywhere I went. I then thought to myself: why are people so fascinated with the idea? I cannot deny that I compulsively shook the living daylights out of it whenever I came across one and then waited to see the bits and pieces of snowflakes settle down again. I also remember thinking that our planet Earth is very much like a snow globe, albeit one that spins instead. Perhaps that is why we remain ever so intrigued with it?


The photograph/sculptures seen in this post are by Walter Martin and Paloma Muñoz. From Imitation of Life, Dan Cameron writes that "[t]he slippage between states of dreaming and waking is symbolized in the sculpture... by an ongoing tension between the purely visual qualities of the work and a type of functionality that is enacted without ever being applied... [S]surrealist tendency is achieved within the scope of a visual "first glance" that is based on the expectation of finding a certain logical order within the world. Once the more whimsical aspects of the work are revealed, however, its ties to the world's logic become accentuated rather than erased."


"While it may be pointless to reduce Martin's and Muñoz' sculpture to a fixed world view - indeed, the humor in the work argues against such rigid interpretation-, it seems clear that the metaphors... represent an attempt to explore some of the deeper aspects of their philosophies about life. Not only the works embody a strong distrust towards the place given to rational thought in most accepted notions of western civilization, but the artists unusual ability to distill these meanings into a single visual statement privileges the perceptual over the conceptual."


"At the same time that they produce riddle-like parables about modern existence, they do not shirk the artist's obligation to invent a new formulation of tactile and even sensual pleasure. Like the philosophy conveyed by their predilection towards visual paradox. Martin's & Muñoz' critical awareness is balanced by the knowledge that no matter how far the human species evolves (or devolves), we will never invent a credible substitute for experience."

Subconsciously, perhaps we see ourselves in the very idea of a snow globe perhaps - Somewhat trapped, wondering whose hands are going to come down on our green sphere, then shake and observe, shake and observe...

Bubble-Popping

The second most rewarding feeling I get when I open up any fragile purchases is the opportunity to pop bubble wraps (the first, of course, is the joy is buying something nice, shiny and new!). I get all flushed with excitement and greedily try to pop as many as I can in the least amount of time possible. It is then of no surprise that I find my fingers itching to get my hands on a few sheets of these when I saw it on Xin Hua:


"In Japan, the plastic packaging material is best known by a local brand-name Puti Puti... and Kawakami Sangyo Co, its biggest manufacturer, has set up the Puti Puti Culture Laboratory dedicated to finding unusual uses for it. "I'm not an expert in psychology, but it is said that if people see a chair, they want to sit in it. If they see a button on an intercom, they want to push it," said Ayaka Sugiyama, the head of the laboratory... It's the same with Puti Puti. The bubbles stick out, so you want to squash them.""

"Hoping to tap into Puti Puti's appeal, Sugiyama started jotting down notes on unusual uses of the packaging material about seven years ago and the ideas were compiled in a "Puti Puti Official Book" published last year. Among the suggestions are injecting the bubbles with colored ink to create mosaic-like artwork, sitting on the sheets at picnics, sewing them into in a wedding dress and -- this from an 85-year-old woman -- popping bubbles to help prevent senility."


"Pucchin Sukatto, a box of small bubble wrap sheets developed solely for popping, went on sale at convenience stores for 198 yen ($1.78) in October and a Puti Puti Calendar comes with a square bubble on each day of the month. "For those who think one Puti Puti per day is not enough, there are extras at the end of each month," Sugiyama said."

Aye aye I say! Bring the bubble-popping devil out in me!

Office Furniture Ad

Simple and to the point by Emmpathy/Communion. No other words necessary:

Red Phone Booth

I never grew up with red phone booths, but I certainly knew it from the Avengers. It is just one of those objects that I can never forget after seeing just once. In my opinion, it really is a national emblem of the UK. It even has its own (rather lengthy) Wikipedia page. However, in recent times, the cell phone has really become the communication device of choice. Everyone seemingly has one. So what happens to these beautiful structures?

Blake Morrison from the Guardian asks the same question.

Beard Hat

Saw this amazingly quirky hat created by Vik Prjónsdóttir in Iceland. Now that is function + personality:

Savages Poster

Every now and then, a movie poster comes along that simply compels you to find out more about it and, perhaps, even to watch it at the cinema. This one by Chris Ware for The Savagesis one such example:

New Computer

This post is written from my new 24-inch iMac furnished with Leopard. Oh, and WOW!

New Zune - UI

I have never really used iTunes for music playback. I simple did not like the interface. I also never used Windows Media Player until very recently for the exact same reason. I am not sure why I switched to the 9th version of it because I still do not like the interface. Zune was just as bad. As were the many different offerings in the same market. I believe I switched to Windows Media Player because of the "WOW" factor. I have to admit I like shiny things, and naturally gravitate toward beautiful NEW things. But once the initial awe ends, I immediately switch modes to resume that of a jaded frustrated user. It got me thinking: how do you extend the WOW factor?


The above is essentially a much more beautiful version of the dreaded visualisations in Windows Media Player. Subtle changes such as sporadic and periodical switching of album artwork within the collage makes it much more appealing and much less distracting. The playlist and command buttons (like 'play' and 'pause') are all hidden away but will reappear upon rollover.

There is also a more conventional playlist like the screenshot shown above. Here, I am quite sure the use of a rather flashy texture in the background could get stale after a while. However, Microsoft did provide 5 different background patterns in addition to a plain one. Perhaps, down the road, to help build a community, users will be able to share background patterns. If so, I think the layout fits this idea very nicely.

Personally, I think one of the most interesting directions in UI design is the shift away from a standard buttons, toolbars and workspace layout. The links and features in here are presented much more organically. It also makes for a much more visually appealing design, with a major focus on typography and beautiful icons. This new Zune software is by no means perfect, but I think Microsoft has shown that it too can play in the field with innovative UI (as evidenced here and in the new Office Suite). I realise it's only been two days since I started using application, but I have not pulled any hair out yet, so that must say something.

Is it possible to dethrone the iPod's reign of the portable music market? Can Zune give users that joy every time they use the device? Not yet, as I think there is definitely still some work to be done, but the "wow" factor (note the non-capitalisation) is present, albeit fledgling.

Ads Without Voiceovers

Sometimes, effective commercials simply do not need extraneous voiceovers to convey the idea. In fact, I think sparse soundtracks that accompany great visuals simply create stunning and memorable ads, like the following Nissan ones show:

Dead Children Playing

I have stated before that I do purchase music simply for the artwork. This was very much the case when Radiohead exploded into the scene with 'OK Computer'. At the time, I really did not know who they were, but the artwork intrigued me enough for me to purchase the album. While it was definitely interesting to follow the sonic evolution of Thom Yorke and co, it was just as exciting to anticipate new imagery from Stanley Donwood, the artist behind all the albums. In fact, I would even go as far as saying that his art is synonymous with Radiohead, and with Thom Yorke himself. Every time I see something that remotely resembles Donwood's artwork, I think of Radiohead. This is brand imagery at its best.

Well, for those who cannot get enough of the packaging, or are eagerly awaiting the packaged version of In Rainbows, here is a book for you:


From LA Times, ""Dead Children Playing" [is] devoted to the visual side of the Radiohead juggernaut. Along with reproductions of works that have appeared with every Radiohead album since "The Bends" in 1995, "Dead Children Playing" includes examples of Donwood's other pieces and commentary by the two men, offering illumination into the jagged, icy landscapes they've crafted to accompany the band's atmospheric music."


For more information, and to see other images, go to slowlydownward.

Heart Breaking Ad

Here is an ad that totally broke my heart. The concept really drives right into your head and touches your nerve:


Created by The Alchemy Partnership in Singapore.

Re-performance

Glenn Gould is known for his revolutionary approach to playing Bach's music. Fortunately for us, he also left behind a vast collection of his recordings, which makes for a comprehensive resource into his insight and philosophy; unfortunately, he also hummed while he played, which frustrated sound engineers because his voice was, at times, highly audible. His habit of humming is by no means a hindrance to my aural enjoyment though. Quite the contrary in fact. I personally find it to be very charming. But for those who do not find so, the following should pique your interest:


From Deseret Morning News, "Technophiles will no doubt be intrigued (and purists appalled) by the Zenph "re-performance" of Glenn Gould's 1955 recording of Bach's Goldberg Variations, an interesting experiment in the world of technology and art. What is a "re-performance?" The Zenph software analyzes a piano performance, separates the musical attributes (pitch and duration of notes, velocity of key strikes, key releases, and so on), and then encodes those to be re-created and re-played on a high-resolution, computer-controlled piano. The result is a re-creation of the original performance on an actual piano — supposedly exactly as the original artist played it. Instead of re-mastering old recordings, they can simply re-perform and newly record "old performances" on state-of-the-art recording equipment."

"This CD is a musical litmus test that the creators of this technology gave themselves: creating Gould's 1955 performance of the Goldberg Variations, as the original recording was before the advent of stereo sound. It was recorded twice: once as a stereo surround version and once as the binaural stereo version, billed as the 'ultimate headphone experience'. The binaural version was recorded on two microphones inside ear-shaped apparatus (on a dummy head), placed approximately at the distance away from the piano that Glenn Gould's actual two ears would have been. So it's intended to re-create exactly the way it would have sounded to Gould himself as he was playing, and is intended to be heard through headphones."

The re-performance sounds almost exactly like the original one, sans extraenous noise. While I will opt for the original any time, the binaural quality could make for a really interesting experience. For more information, go to Zenph.

Virtual Water Project

Found this great poster about the Virtual Water Project today:

"Water is probably one of the most precious resources and vital for everyone’s everyday life. In spite of this obvious fact, people use large amounts of water: drinking, cooking and washing, but even more for producing things such as food, paper, cotton clothes, etc... One of the most important research papers in this field is Chapagain, A.K. and Hoekstra, A.Y. (2004), »Water footprints of nations«, Value of Water Research Report Series No. 16, UNESCO-IHE, Delft, the Netherlands. Designer Timm Kekeritz created a poster, visualizing parts of their research data, to make the issue of virtual water and the water footprint perceptible. The water footprint of a person, company or nation is defined as the total volume of freshwater that is used to produce the commodities, goods and services consumed by the person, company or nation. The idea of the water footprint is quite similar to the ecological footprint, but focussing on the use of water." (Virtual Water Project)

Olympic Mint

From Royal Canadian Mint:

CITIUS... ALTIUS... FORTIUS... (Faster... Higher... Stronger...)
These three words, comprising the motto of the Olympic movement, encourage the athlete in all of us to give our best during competition, and to view this effort as its own victory. The Olympic Games have a 3,000 year history of bringing people together to give their best in competition. The Winter Games are the cold-weather complement to the original Olympic Summer Games. Held every four years, the Olympic Winter Games feature winter sports, all of which are held on ice or snow. The only Olympic Winter Games held in Canada was in 1988, in the city of Calgary, Alberta. In 2010, Canada will proudly host the XXI Olympic Winter Games, this time in Vancouver, British Columbia."

To commemorate this great event, RCM will be launching a series of coins.

From CNW, "The Royal Canadian Mint (RCM) officially released the fifth of 17 circulation coins to celebrate the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. The sport of alpine skiing is depicted on the 25-cent coin. "Alpine skiing is yet another sport the Mint is proudly celebrating as part of its extensive Olympic coin program," said Ian E. Bennett, President and CEO of the Royal Canadian Mint. "As we look ahead to the next two years, the Mint will continue to offer Canadians from coast to coast the unique opportunity to collect a piece of the Games." "Alpine Canada Alpin is honoured that our great sport is being showcased to all Canadians though the issuing of an Olympic coin," said Mr. Ken Read, Chief Executive Officer of Alpine Canada Alpin. "Alpine ski racing has a long tradition of excellence in this country and our athletes are committed to being the very best in the world as we head towards the 2010 Winter Games.""


"Designed by Canadian artist Glenn Green of Vancouver, BC, the alpine
skiing circulation coin features an alpine skier in the centre, a stylized
maple leaf and the words 'Vancouver 2010'. The obverse features the portrait
of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, rendered by Susanna Blunt."

"Alpine skiing has been contested at every Winter Olympics since the 1936
Winter Games in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. The Olympic alpine
competition consists of ten events, one each for men and women in the
following disciplines: super combined, downhill, giant slalom, slalom and
super-G. Canadians have won 10 medals in alpine skiing at the Olympic Games,
including four gold medals. The first Canadian to win Olympic alpine gold was
Anne Heggtveit in the slalom event at the 1960 Olympics in Squaw Valley."

Glassybabies

Of my hypochondriacal tendencies, cancer tops the list. I have spent quite a few sleepless nights during spikes imagining the pain and suffering that accompanies the disease. The misery and agony is indescribable. And while I am glad that cancer is a heavily covered topic (hence, the public is better equipped with necessary knowledge for early detection), I strongly believe that it has also contributed to my fear of it. Perhaps it is this, along with my fervent prayers that my family and I will never be cursed with this disease, that I find this following artist very courageous and inspiring:

From SFGate, "During a seven-year battle with lung cancer, Lee Rhodes realized how much people with cancer needed support. When it was all over, she turned to glassmaking and eventually created the Glassybaby, which she now produces for charity. '[My then-husband] would bring adorable cups home, and we would light candles in them. We gave them as baby presents. That's how we started to call them glassybaby,' [Lee said]. But, at 32, after their third child was born, Rhodes was stricken with cancer. She suffered three bouts of the disease. Later, in 2000, her marriage ended and she rekindled her interest in glassblowing. With her damaged lungs, she couldn't blow glass anymore, but she wanted to start a business to help the kind of women who had sat with her in waiting rooms or in recovery at the hospital. She decided to have the Glassybabies produced in larger quantities so she could sell them at parties and then donate the proceeds to support cancer research and groups that help patients."


From Seattle PI, "She's hoping to break $1 million in sales this year, which is above her conservative estimates but not unthinkable. And for members of the glassybaby clubs, there are seasonal or monthly deliveries of bouquets of glassybaby colors. And though the 2,000-degree molten glass must be handled by five glass blowers to make each hand-finished glassybaby, Rhodes said the soul of the glassybaby is 'simple, simple'."

Type Design

Here is a great short on type design:

Business Card Concept

Here is a wonderful concept to accurately summarise a profession on a business card:


Created by DDB Singapore. Illustrated by Kuanth.

Invisible Creatures

There are very few areas in design that are not influenced by mass commercial appeal and retail potential. Music CD packaging is one such example. It is catered towards subgroups, such as fans. More often than not, fans value the packaging just as much as they do the music. They expect that the artwork to round out and complete the artistic intentions of the musician. Therefore, designers and artists are given more room to explore and design for the sake of art. In fact, I have purchased music (without knowing who the artist is) simply for the packaging. Many times. If I saw this on a shelf, I would certainly buy it. And no, I do not know who they are:


Artwork created by Invisible Creature.

Camouflage Clothing

Attire, at its most basic, has a function - to shield the more intimate parts of our body; it can, however, also be functional - to wick moisture off when we sweat, to protect our skin from the harsh elements, or to help us navigate more efficiently or hide more discreetly (to escape detection) in different kinds of environments. With the advent of the computer, we even have wearable computing to integrate technology into every last possible aspect of our lives. Perhaps one day we will really be able to simple blast off into the sky simply with our shoes to avoid potential harm, a la cartoons, but for now, we simply have to rely on more lo-tech methods:


From New York Times, "Aya Tsukioka [an experimental fashion designer] demonstrated new clothing designs that she hopes will ease Japan’s growing fears of crime. [She] lifted a flap on her skirt to reveal a large sheet of cloth printed in bright red with a soft drink logo partly visible. By holding the sheet open and stepping to the side of the road, she showed how a woman walking alone could elude pursuers — by disguising herself as a vending machine. The wearer hides behind the sheet, printed with an actual-size photo of a vending machine. [Her] clothing is still in development, but she already has several versions, including one that unfolds from a kimono and a deluxe model with four sides for more complete camouflaging."

She also has other ideas that help you escape harm:


"For children, she has a backpack that transforms into a Japanese-style fire hydrant, hiding the child. The 'manhole bag' [is] a purse that can hide valuables by unfolding to look like a sewer cover. Lay it on the street with your wallet inside, and unwitting thieves are supposed to walk right by."

Paper Usage Awareness Ad

Are you aware how much paper you throw out in a day? I would imagine most of us use the bulk of it to wipe our hands before exiting the washroom and to clean up any kitchen spills. All this paper will probably not be recycled, so it is a great strain on the environment. Well, here is an ad to raise awareness, created by Saatchi & Saatchi:


"To make people realize that saving the planet starts with them saving paper, we took a standard paper dispenser and made a simple modification with green foil and the silhouette of South America. This allowed us to prove that the survival of the forest is directly connected to what people consume."

Olympic Bridge

Vancouver will be hosting the 2010 Winter Olympics. To accommodate the 17 days of Olympics events and 10 days of paralympics events, there is a stretch of land spanning from Richmond - one of Greater Vancouver's numerous municipalities - to downtown Vancouver, to be made into games venues. A lot of money has been poured into these facilities, but I have always wondered whether that money spent is justified. Only time will tell if these venues will continue serving us Vancouverites on a regular basis well after the games has ended. Meanwhile, London is facing the same issues. One of the venues is to contain two footbridges in the centre of the Olympic Park. The winning design, by Heneghan Peng Architects, for this was recently revealed:


From a London2012 media release, "The design competition, launched in May, was for multidisciplined teams to design the footbridge located on the central pedestrian concourse in the Olympic Park. The footbridge spans 26m over the River Lea at a focal point between the Olympic Stadium, Aquatics Centre and Basketball Arena. The planning and design of the bridge will integrate both Games and legacy use. During the Games the bridge will have a total width of 55 metres to accommodate increased spectator numbers. After the Games temporary sections of bridge will be removed leaving two narrower bridges that span either side of Carpenters Lock, a unique 1930’s historic structure on the River Lea Waterway."


Heneghan Peng’s concept designs were praised by the design jury for making the bridge a spectacle in Games mode by using the landscape for colour and activity followed by the transformation of the structure in legacy to leave two footbridges linked by a central blade-like walkway offering views over the river and Carpenters Lock. "The winning team impressed the design jury with their understanding of the need to plan Games and legacy together. Their designs will help us lock-in legacy now by designing a bridge that meets Games-time needs but which also leaves behind a striking structure in the heart of the Olympic Park for future generations to enjoy," said ODA Director of Infrastructure and Utilities Simon Wright.

End Poverty Stamp

I am lucky - I never grew up on the other side of the poverty line. Therefore, I simply cannot imagine what both parent and child have to give up just to survive in this money-centric society. Yet, poverty runs rampant in almost every country. To commemorate the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, which falls on October 17th, the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs collaborated with the Department of Public Information and the United Nations Postal Administration to hold International Children's Art Competition for the purpose of a stamp with the theme "we can end poverty".

Asking a child, especially if the child does not yet understand the meaning of poverty, to address this issue is no small feat. So, I am utterly amazed at the level of comprehension of the world's affairs many of these children have. Here they offer their honest opinions:

"... [t]he majority of children tell us that the richer countries and individuals should help those in need. They depict solidarity, cooperation and fairness as key values indispensable for ending poverty. Many children point to the existence of inequality and divisions in the world and suggest greater sharing and unity. Many give emphasis to the importance of love and compassion. Numerous entries depict the significance of education for poverty eradication. Children from developing countries often show the importance of small-scale farming for self-sufficiency. Many children think that employment, urbanization and the promotion of technology can help end poverty. A number of children, in particular children from countries in conflict, stress that the world needs peace and security to end poverty." (from UN)

It is heart-breaking... especially that last finding. Anyway, here are the winning entries, which I think will look beautiful on a stamp, and hopefully raise awareness of this issue:

Mowing the Lawn

Here is an amazingly simple and effective idea for Norton, via newcreatives: