I was looking at the Designboom Sunday edition email (get on their website to join their daily emails, they are great). The work of Norwegian artist Are Mokkelbost caught my eye.
He makes the most arresting collages from magazine clippings. The way he produces them is really sophisticated, transforming the faces of beautiful models into skulls without eyes. His composition is really complex, layed and reminds me of Rococo frescos on the ceilings of catherdrals.
It also brought to mind the surrealist work of Australian James Gleeson, the late great surrealist painter and his figurative works. I really enjoy the way Mokkelbost's collages are so sharp and digital looking yet cratfed tediously by hand, some taking upto 3 years to complete. They are a contemporary and fresh approach to working with the age old subjects of mortality, beauty and death.
For more on Mokkelbost's work, link to Designboom above or see more images of his work on an earlier web article from Booooooom
Hello All! Just in case you didn't know, I started a Twitter account for the gallery last Wednesday. It's an interesting medium and a little like a very succinct blog. If you are on Twitter, please follow us for snippets of news, links and general good stuff!
Play Time is a brilliant film by Jacques Tati, full of witty visual and audio gags in a artfully artificial urban Paris. Shot from 1964 -1967, I highly recommend this film, watch it while sipping red wine and nibbling on terrine and cornichons! Stylish fun! Look out for the end restaurant scene, it's an outrageous mess!
As I adore baths and bathing (see previous posts for evidence of this!), I instantly fell in love with this beautiful Bathboat. Designed in 2005 by Weiki Somers it is made in an edition of 30 only. Constructed in oak and red cedar, I found it on a beautiful Parisian Design Website called Galerie Kreo. They see themselves as a 'research laboratory' where they exhibit and hold the rights to the production of the works shown. Some amazing creativity to explore on their site- if only I had a stash of Euro to play with...!
Genius! I love this ad campaign and have had it in my inspiration file for some time. Now it's time to share! Garments folded to mimic sushi, only the Japanese could be so brilliant!
I love this concept of filling potholes in public roads with small flowering gardens. Created by British artist Pete Dungey and curtesy of Yellowtrace blog.
As he states, 'If we planted one of those in every hole, it would be like a forest in the road'.
See more of his work here.
I can't believe it's been so long since I last posted- last year go the better of me. It's been really nice to relax into 2010 and reflect on last year.
Nick and I went to Japan in Oct/Nov 2009, here are some random pics of places we visited and things we saw. It was our third trip there together, when we went in 2008 we were engaged on Naoshima Island. We could happily go back annually!
For those of you missing and reminiscing Polaroid, there is always The Impossible Project to look to for hope!! Also, there are several fun free applications you can download to create a Polaroid experience- not nearly the original, but pretty fun all the same! I just downloaded the free app from Poladroid, in this post are some quick examples of the results, including cranes from our wedding day.
You get a little Polaroid camera which sits on your desktop and makes shutter sound when you drag an image into the camera, it then slowly develops on your desktop and your nostalgic journey is complete!
Russell Place Substation, interior
Instead, I high tailed it to This Is Not A Design Market with the lovely Krista McRae (fellow jeweller and member of the Pieces of Eight Workshop) which was a great day out! Bigger Than Ten Bears and Moth Design collaborated to turn this empty dormant factory into a lively design market for one day only. During the same week, I also was able to attend Design:Made:Trade at the Exhibition Buildings and the Design Boom Mart 2009. All these events profiled some great designers working in broad disciplines from textiles to furniture and products to books.
Some highlights from these events: Furniture and lighting by Alex Earl who I first met when we studied NEIS years ago. I bought a great poncho/shrug from a very cute Japanese lady from Perth who's label is called Bonito. Her website is super kawaii! Oh and I couldn't resist the cards from Able and Game, check out their blog to see why... They even had the perfect card for my currently zombie obsessed husband (a side effect from quiting smoking I think!). Beautiful calenders and printed designed goods from The Foundry from whom I bought a 2010 calender and coveted the gorgeous Japanese books they import. I bought some great leggings, including an electric blue pair, from OK-OK who had a great stand. Check out their shop in Brunswick where they have created a thoughtful fit-out in a small space.
Card by Able and Game
Products from The Foundry
As a side note, Pieces of Eight will be moving to Little Hero Building early next year which is set to be built above the Russell Place Substation- a reason for me wanting to visit this subterranean space. Also, we will most likely be part of the next This Is Not A Design Market later in the year, stay tuned!!
Here's a snap-shot of my own orchids, grown on our little sunny terrace. I love having fresh flowers in the house, especially if I've grown or picked them myself! Spring is in the air...
Jean Despres Pendant, 1932
The Art Deco period was marked by a post-war rebirth and a rejection of the old while embracing the modern. There were advances and innovations in technology, science, art and architecture. The jewellery in this exhibition was created in this environment and reflected this new age. Some of the pieces in the exhibition are instantly recognisable as Deco and Cubist inspired, while others look incredibly timeless and even contemporary.
These jewellers would have been radical in their day and I can imagine these pieces being purchased by the wealthy intellectual elite who would have worn them to the most amazing soirees! After all, the jewellers shown in this exhibition were using the gold and precious stones. This was jewellery for the wealthy and few. The exhibition ends July 12th, 2009.
Cartier Bracelet, 1930
Jean Fouquet Bracelet, 1931
Jean Despres Brooch, 1937
Jean Fouquet Brooch, 1925
Gerard Sandoz, 1928
Raymond Templier, Cigarette Case, 1930
