*notcot - 03.20.06 , 19:11 -

A USB Future

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Dialogue5 was an exhibition that ran in Munich back in Dec-Jan, and i’d seen some of the images floating around, but never saw these! Your USB bra? USB male and female rings? (see how you fit? nice metaphor?) The physical manifestation of logging in? - you bring your own “key”… more than a key it is the handle itself? And the usb CROWBAR… for physical/digital hacking, how multipurpose. The site has nice refreshing blue line drawings on white and some fun images of the actual exhibition as well…

*notcot - 03.19.06 , 00:09 -

Diesel Turns 50

PAAAIACKDMEGBDDA.jpgDiesel - yes the Italian fashion line thats has some of the most incredible graphics and window displays, not to mention ads and flashy sites with insane themes - is turning 50. And to commemorate this half a century, there is a hefty hardcover complete with DVD i think i need to own. Purchase it here for 95$ (and help support notcot a little!) instead of the cover price of 150$! “Fifty is made up of five chapters that convey the Diesel lifestyle and philosophy in an unconventional way. The book’s first chapter features an insightful portrait of company visionary Renzo Rosso, followed by a second dedicated to the key moments in Diesel’s history, from its “jeans & workwear” beginnings to its current premium positioning. The third chapter presents the brand’s innovative communication and retail approach while the fourth focuses on the company’s long-lasting support of young creative talent worldwide. A concluding chapter presenting Diesel’s views of the future rounds out the book. Each section ends with a face-to-face interview between Rosso and a prestigious (or, in pure Diesel style, simply unconventional) personality, including the Dalai Lama, i-D magazine founder Terry Jones, Alexander McQueen and a few, well kept, secrets.”

*notcot - 03.15.06 , 20:04 -

Throughfare

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Exploring Williamsburg (possibly my new favorite place in NY), imagine stumbling across this incredible window… which at first looks like an insane window display, but upon further inspection, you realize it’s possibly the BEST use of gallery space i’ve seen in quite some time. This is Throughfare, and installation from March 2 - March 19, by Andrew Poneros, Leon Reed (Darius Jones), and Alex Holden at the Riviera. This incredible landscape, part signage - part man made nature (faux grass and park bench included), environment is even more than meets the eye as you get closer to each sign, which is filled with brilliant juxtapositions of urban life and the nature that learns to grow around/within it. In a combination of gorgeous graphical elements and physically manipulated signage (from curving metal to leaves cut out from signs), the impact is spectacular. OH! And i nearly forgot the murals, mixing soft greens and what appears to be woodprint wallpaper to further expand the little world you step in to.

*notcot - 03.14.06 , 01:18 -

Technicolor Mars

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I felt like i was dreaming. Dreaming in technicolor. Mars looks like Joseph’s Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Working on my project in NY has left me utterly drained today, and this is all i have brainpower to share. Mars is art… the way Google has painted it anyhow.

*ShadeElaine - 03.09.06 , 22:47 -

UAMOU - From another planet!

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I like my cute to have a hint of creepy and Ayako Takagi achieves this balance flawlessly. This London-based artist is the creator of the comic Uamou From Another Planet, and other characters like this Katz & Beer figure. Uamou is apparently an alien who explores the galaxy and befriends a ghost. As if that wasn’t cute enough, check out the artist’s adorable website.

You can get Uamou #1 and the Katz & Beer figure from the Australian site, Via Alley. I’d love to get my hands on one or two.. or three of those Uamou pins!

*notcot - 03.03.06 , 03:49 -

Petri Art

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Science and art have never differed by much, and both offer new perspectives on our surroundings… but seldom enough do you really get a chance to peek at how beautiful some of the scientific imagery can be, and these were just to incredible not to capture the images of here… even if it did get boingboinged and such. “These images are a part of a series of remarkable patterns that bacteria form when grown in a petri dish. While the colors and shading are artistic additions, the image templates are actual colonies of tens of billions of these microorganisms.” These images from from the lab of Prof Eshel Ben-Jacob of Tel-Aviv University in collaboration with Prof. Herbert Levine from my alma mater, UC San Diego. See the gallery here, and i must say such scientists need to pair up with more artists when coloring and shading some of these others!

*notcot - 03.02.06 , 21:04 -

Gigaride Animals

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OOOOH. Adidas Gigaride campaign: I saw the kangaroo ad on TV, and the animations of the animals are really well rendered/designed and you have to go watch the whole series (Kangaroo, Rhino, Frogs). But here’s an image i had to share of the Rhino’s on the page just as the back one is about to bump the whole row. Adorable campaign. Love the visuals, go check out the desktops for download as well.

*notcot - 03.01.06 , 18:01 -

Plastic Giraffe

giraffewoo.jpgWooster is my feel good drug of choice. Didn’t you ever wonder what those enormous stuffed animals that weren’t soft enough to use like pillows were useful for? Question answered. Wow. I have this 8 foot soft stuffed animal like palm tree from when i was a little kid around, maybe i should construct a clear plastic one of those… and place it somewhere not in LA (would be far too cliche, don’t you think?)… hmmm.

*notcot - 02.28.06 , 03:22 -

Styrofoam Cups

8g.jpgThis installation is completely composed of styrofoam coffee cups. The works of Tara Donovan have passed me before (i’m sure you’ve seen the image of a giant cube made of toothpicks), but this styrofoam structure is just so organic in nature and bizarre yet lovely to look at, had to post this image. Or the furry large growths that resemble moss growing or crystals forming under a microscope that are made of purely fishing line… take a look at them here.

*notcot - , 02:08 -

Toy Gods

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Toys are Gods. We knew that since we were kids (and if not, you lived a deprived childhood). Blythe traveled the “real” world, but Bryan McCarty brings figurines and barbies to a level of real world glam that she never reached. He literally breathes life and creates mysetry with his images of some of my favorite adult swim characters, dolls, and other toys. You know they have fixed features and emotions, yet he taps into some bizarre world that makes his images playfully personal. WOW. just wow. Now if only my local cafe would give up their horrible photography exhibition and have these images to mesmerize customers.

*notcot - 02.27.06 , 03:21 -

Dror

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This image of Studio Dror’s “Expanding Herb Pot” mesmerized me. Its just a bizarre yet beautiful idea. And the hour glass lamp seems like the ideal piece for being stuck in a dark room, watching the time go by as it casts large shadows of the sand falling. And the concept of the broken martini glass just made me smile. the glass was designed for Bombay Saphire and is available at the Pop Up Store in Manhattan.

*notcot - 02.24.06 , 15:45 -

Imaginary Friends

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I love Elsewares, and must admit it bothered me when Design*Sponge found these cards on their site, and i hadn’t seem them yet! They are truly inspiring, and i can’t stop staring at the images and the gentle transitions in coloration. Designed by Imaginary Friends (I was unable to find the website for them so far), these are hand printed cards. Yes i’m still staring at them, and the image links to a larger image of these favorites of mine (there are 8 total).

On anther note, anxiously awaiting D*S’ big redesign and new features. Congrats to Grace on leaving her job to take D*S to the next level (or next few levels)! And can’t wait to see how her new features turn out.

*notcot - 02.17.06 , 12:29 -

Emanuelle Jaques

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Today i stumbled upon the work of Swiss designer Emanuelle Jaques, and loved the tree saving and tree themes. To the left we have Tree’s Stool which first thought in my head is Sesame Street… and i love that its a multifunctional environmentally friendly design. Then we have the Chopping Board in an ingenius two levels, one for chopping herbs, second level to catch the bits. The Bottle Opener is one of my favorites. A snapped twig transformed into a bottle opener shape. Nice. And the Ladder is self explanatory enough, and just an adorable to round out this tree themed look at the work of Emanuelle Jaques.

Found via the Swiss Young designer group of In Out Designers - more great projects here as well, but that tree protecting chair got me the most.

*notcot - 02.16.06 , 18:58 -

Ashes and Snow

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Here’s a sneak peak of what you will see when you enter that Nomadic Museum i wrote about below. I can not do it justice in this space what so ever… the videos and prints require viewing at a larger than life size. The work of Gregory Colbert is truly astounding, and your jaw will drop regardless of whether you even have the slightest inclination of being in the presence of greatness, love nature, realize the zen like juxtapositions created - get this - with out photoshop! “His 21st-century bestiary includes more than 40 totemic species from around the world. Since he began creating his singular work of Ashes and Snow, Colbert had mounted more than 30 expeditions to locations such as India, Egypt, Burma, Tonga, Sri Lanka, Namibia, Kenya, Antarctica, the Azores and Borneo.” Ashes and Snow

*notcot - , 13:22 -

Nomadic SM

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So i told you about the Nomadic Museum popping up in Santa Monica a few weeks ago (old posts here and also raved about the genius of the architect Shigeru Ban here)- and i also visited it the day before i left for Singapore. In the chaos i apologize for not having posted this sooner - but its never too late, since it is open until May. It, to put it mildly, blew my mind on more levels than i thought possible… the architecture! the incredible use of cardboard! (i stood and spun in circles in awe of the cardboard tube usage) and the lighting and precise shadow creation! the way the prints were hung! the way the prints were PRINTED! the transformation of space! the videos! and last but not least - all of that captivated me to no end… but the PHOTOGRAPHY and MOTION captured if printed on postcards i would have sat and stared at for hours and hours on end. Put that all together, and i am floored. Absolutely stunned and amazed at how moving, inspirational, and absolutely mind blowing this exhibition is.

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