You thought your workspace was awesome? Not as awesome as Justin Kemp, I’m afraid. The Massachusetts-based art assistant has installed a sand pit for his feet to rest whilst he works away. His “Surfing with the Sand Between My Toes” concept consists of a wooden box lined with plastic on the bottom, filled with sand. This brilliant concept keeps Justin’s toes feeling great and allows for a relaxing environment to work in.
Justin explains his unconventional work place to us, “The sand is relaxing, but for me, it’s more a symbol of my permanent vacation. It’s the design of a lifestyle where ‘work’ becomes so satisfying that vacation and retirement become undesirable. It’s a permanent state of chill.”
Why go to the beach when you can take the beach to you? Brilliant work, Justin. You can check our more of Justin’s interesting work over at his website.
Though these pictures may look like the blueprints to your standard, albeit rather extravagant, theme park thrill, this extraordinary ride certainly has a more sinister underbelly than any other ride you may have experienced. Named the ‘Euthanasia Coaster’ and described by it’s creator, Lithuanian Multidisciplinary Artist, Julijonas Urbonas,as “a hypothetical euthanasia machine in the form of a roller coaster, engineered to humanely – with elegance and euphoria – take the life of a human being” this piece of engineering genius has certainly gained it’s fair share of attention, since it’s debut showing as part of the HUMAN+ display at the Science Gallery in Dublin from April, 2011.
Prior to his design’s completion, Urbonas consulted Doctors at the Imperial College of London in order to know the exact affects of the ‘Euthanasia Coaster’ and, with terminology destined to make the Science-lovers amongst you swoon, found that the estimated results showed that a single ride on this literal ‘death trap’ would induce Cerebral Hypoxia, otherwise known as a lack of oxygen supply to the brain, with symptoms such as Greyout, Tunnel Vision, Blackout and G-LOC (G-Force induced loss of consciousness) being consequently followed by Cerebral Anoxia, in other words, leaving each passenger brain dead, due to it’s blistering 100 meters-per-second speed and 60 second exposure to 10g.
Due to the unavoidable, fatal effects of this ride, Urbonas’ creation hasn’t been without its ethical disputes. When answering FAQ’s on his website, Urbonas touched upon it’s ethical issues, speaking about whether or not he believes the ride to be more humane than a lethal injection. During this discussion, Urbonas even speaks about the great number of people who have already expressed a desire to ride the coaster themselves, despite the fact that the ride doesn’t yet physically exist in any form greater than a 1:1000 scaled model, and even speaks of a desire to ride it himself, should a full-scale version ever be built.
It is certainly an incredibly intriguing matter with many differing opinions bound to be expressed by anybody who becomes acquainted with the idea. We’d love to hear your opinion on the subject. Do you think an idea like this is creative or do you see it as sinister? Would you like to see a full-scale rollercoaster built and would you ride it if it were to be constructed?
If you would like to read more about this project, head over to Urbonas’ website, where you can read the FAQ’s in their entirety or simply find out a little more about the ins and outs of the rollercoaster it self, both of which makes for some wonderfully provocative reading. Thanks to FastCoDesign for the original post.
George Chamoun, a Swedish artist, has created these beautiful artistic portraits combining the old and the new. His idea was to work with movie stars from two different eras. The project combines the anatomy of Hollywood stars and expresses the similarities even in two separate eras. According to the creator, the intention was not to make comparisons of any sort, but rather to emphasise the similarities between the subjects. The first image in the selection above is a merge between Robert Pattinson and James Dean. You may recognise the others, but you can also visit George Chamoun’s print site to purchase or explore more of his work.
Built around core values of simplicity, functionality and smallness, the house on sleds sits within the sun kissed landscape of the Coromandel Peninsula of New Zealand.
The Architects responsible for such a creation are the Auckland based Crosson, Clarke, Carnachan Architects.Who boast a portfolio of coastal and rural buildings, alongside a commitment to;
“Critical consideration is given to the project’s specific environmental and historical context, and to the appropriate use of materials and construction methods.”
You do wonder how a family of five can fit in what is just a hut!
The two-storey steel structure escapes the normality of a family house and exploits the instant glance from passers by with a comment on it’s size which is understandable, with only a mere 40 sqm, which rests on two thick wooden sleds.
The moment the house springs to life, there is one moment of utter beauty and of titillating functionality – a recursive moment for the family I’m sure. This being the large and sturdy shutter on the northeast façade. Exposing a somewhat juxtaposed two-storey high, steel framed glass door to the entrance, against the textured macrocarpa-cladding which blends into the surrounding dunes.
One may ask why this family of five home is on sleds. The main reason is due to the nature of the New Zealand beach eroding so frequently, the house had to be designed to be mobile and subject to planning laws where all houses be removable at request.
What really hits home is the manner in which this delicate and dainty holiday home sits within its soft-sanded environment. As stated on CCCA’s website,
“The hut then transforms into a sun drenched haven, opening up to the views of the surf and the distant Mercury Islands.”
This encapsulates the holiday home essence with its confinement of which many families would not adapt to. The family, however, relish in these plights: cooking, dining, sleeping and showering; all basking in the glorious sunspace of the utopist white sand beach of Coromandel Peninsula.
Whilst these stunning images may appear to be something from a psychedelic, futuristic movie, in reality these digital collages are little more than a day’s work for the hugely talented, multidisciplinary design studio, Atelier Olschinsky, comprised of Vienna-based designers Peter Olschinsky and Verena Weiss. With their elegant-yet-stark approach, these colour-rich photographs are taken to the next level of creativity to create the project, ‘Ghost Cities’. By merging photographs of existing locations, where their every day lights and reflections illuminate the darkness of night as they do in any town or city, these features are combined to transport us into a make-believe world, similar to those only ever seen before in a fictional utopia of the future. If you would like to see more artwork from Atelier Olschinsky, head over to their websiteor their vastly creative Behance profile where you can view many of their other cross-genre projects.
Architecture and design studio LIKEarchitects have designed a spectacular garden of lights for IKEA. Constructed with 1,200 lightbulbs, the installation titled LEDscape acts as an interactive playground for visitors.
The LIKEarchitects studio designed this maze of light to explore and emphasise the beauty of LED technology and its sustainable properties. LEDscape, which comes alive at night interacts with the visitor and lights the lamps gradually, pulsing in different rhythms.
Alfred Eisenstaedt was arguably one of the most talented and famous photographers in history. His most famous shot, V-J Day in Times Square, which was featured in Life Magazine, captures the spontaneous kiss of a serviceman and a nurse. Unfortunately, Eisenstaedt was not able to document the names of the subjects in the photo because Times Square was rapidly overflowing with people celebrating the signing of surrender of the Japanese on September 2nd, 1945. What is clear, though, is the emotion of the embraced couple. In a quote from Eisenstaedt on Eisenstaedt, Eisenstaedt explains,
“In Times Square on V.J. Day I saw a sailor running along the street grabbing any and every girl in sight. Whether she was a grandmother, stout, thin, old, didn’t make a difference. I was running ahead of him with my Leica looking back over my shoulder but none of the pictures that were possible pleased me. Then suddenly, in a flash, I saw something white being grabbed. I turned around and clicked the moment the sailor kissed the nurse. If she had been dressed in a dark dress I would never have taken the picture. If the sailor had worn a white uniform, the same. I took exactly four pictures. It was done within a few seconds.”
Another, lesser known, image captured by Alfred Eisenstaedt portrays Joseph Goebbels, the Propaganda Minister of Germany, before a League of Nations conference in Geneva, Switzerland in the year 1993. The haunting image was snapped after Goebbels realised Eisenstaedt was, in fact, Jewish. Eisenstaedt reflects on the photograph,
“In 1933, I traveled to Geneva for the fifteenth session of the League of Nations. There, sitting in the hotel garden, was Dr. Joseph Goebbels, Hitler’s Minister of Propaganda…. Sunddenly he spotted me and I snapped him. Here are the eyes of hate. Was I an enemy?… I have been asked how I felt photographing these men. Naturally, not so good, but when I have a camera in my hand I know no fear.”
This fascinating project, brought to us by Ewan Yap, explores how “less is more” within big consumer brands. Ewan created a series of experimental packaging design based on the principle of ‘Big Brand Theory‘. The main focus is to have each brand’s identity meticulously and uniquely cropped out of the packaging as much as possible, yet maintaining it’s integrity and comprehension and, at the same time, enhancing the aesthetic value. His series explores how iconic brands can maintain an ever-present influence on the market whilst keeping its design simple and minimal. Looking at his study, it is clear that these big brands can take a leaf out of his book and strive to minimise and refine their identity.
Not too long ago, we discovered Taylor Allen who is a photographer and film maker from New Jersey. Above is the captivating work from his exposure series. Using many different exposure techniques, Taylor captures a beautiful combination of two images. With his eye for detail, the images come to life whilst living in separate dimensions.
Taylor explains, “I love using photography to see the world in a way that’s impossible through the human eye. Artifacts like flare, distortion, exposure… these are things that can only be experienced through a lens. Double exposures tell a lot of story, because there’s a juxtaposition of the subject and their environment. Like looking at a person through a reflective window, you see their face, but you also see a glimpse into the environment they choose to exist in, and I think that can tell a really strong story.”
We had the opportunity to speak to Taylor and he told us about where his inspiration came from.
“I try to find inspiration in the world around me. The environment, the structures, the wildlife, and the faces of people. Everything tells a story and I think that’s what art is all about—telling a story.”
What you see here are a small selection of pictures featuring examples from the ingenious ‘Animal Vector Sculptures’ project, made by London-based Multidisciplinary Artist, Arran Gregory. As an artist who suffers from colour blindness, through specialising in Illustration and Sculpture, Gregory chooses to allow monochrome tones to dictate the colour and subsequent mood of his work. In this particular project, Gregory has taken to his sculpting skills to create a set of figures using mirrors to map the curvature of the animals shape in a triangular vector style. Boasting an impressive CV of both personal and commercial work, with the latter including the likes of Coca Cola, Urban Outfitters, Brutus and Island Records to name but a few, it is always great to see a talented artist receiving the recognition you believe he deserves. If you would like to see more of Arran Gregory’s art, head over to his website as previously linked or head over to his Facebook and Tumblr profiles.
Next time you head over to Costa Rica, you might want to stay in this hotel. Yes, I said that right. This refurbished vintage 1965 Boeing 727 has been turned into a hotel for your relaxing needs.
At this height, you will enjoy scenic ocean and jungle views from the hardwood deck built atop the plane’s former right wing. The plane’s interior is Costa Rican teak, paneling from the cockpit to the tail. Furnishings are hand-carved, teak furniture from Java, Indonesia. Our 727 home features two air conditioned bedrooms – one with two queen sized beds and the other with one queen sized bed, each with its own private bath, a flat screen TV, a kitchenette, dining area foyer, an ocean view terrace, a private entrance up a river rock, spiral staircase, and 360 degrees of surrounding gardens.
Sounds like my kind of place. You can book a night by heading over to the Costa Verde website and enjoy an evening with your tree top neighbors: sloths, toucans and monkeys. Buy me a ticket whilst you are at it.
Whilst what you see here may look like something taken straight from a Pop Art lover’s dream, these stunningly designed bags are, believe it or not, genuine, fully functional hand bags. Designed and created by Taipei-based design duo, Chay Su and Rika Lin, this fantastic though unconventional project named, ‘Jump From Paper’, may have begun as a simple thought with a playful concept, but soon became an innovative product which took the design world by storm.
Though the bold, hand-drawn appearance of these seemingly two dimensional bags may lead you to believe that they are slightly impractical, we are reassured that “despite the slim appearance, each bag has a roomy interior to accommodate personal belongings and even iPad/tablets,” which is equally important as it is baffling.
If you would like to own one of these truly unique hand bags, head over to the official ‘Jump From Paper’ website, as linked above, or go ahead and view their Facebook pageor Tumblr profilewhere you’ll find even more information about the products and pictures of them being used by their seemingly chuffed customers.
Here, we have a beautifully made project with an extraordinary concept matched only by it’s sublime execution and attention to detail, brought to us by American Fine Artist & Photographer, Andy Alcala. In this project, named ‘Face Artists’, Alcala has taken it upon himself to recreate a vast selection of famous pieces, ranging from early 19th century oil paintings such as Claude Monet’s ‘Impression, Sunrise’ to modern day street art such as Banksy’s ‘Girl With Balloon’, and all by simply painting them onto his own face.
Whilst it may sound simple, it is that very self-made method, as well as the great attention to detail in every piece, which makes them all so impressive. In an interview with celebrity news website, WENN.com, Alcala spoke of this project, saying, “This series of images was created to show art at face value. It was also a way to put a face to the artists of many of the famous works of art that have been made. I’ve had to take a few art history courses during my time in college so I figured I would use the past as part of my future.” It is clear to see that Alcala was certainly paying attention in those art history courses.
On his website, as previously linked, Alcala has created a timeline in an effort to order the many recreations he has made. This impressive list currently boasts over 50 recreations, with original pieces dating back as far as 1872. Featuring such historic paintings as Vincent Van Gogh’s ‘Starry Night Over Rhone’, Jasper Johns’ ‘Flag’, Salvador Dali’s ‘The Persistence Of Memory’, Andy Warhol’s ‘Campbell Soup Can’ and many more, each intertwining artistic movements and time periods as they go, there is certainly something here for both the die-hard art history lovers, and the casual art fans, each of whom are sure to recognise a number of pieces they adore.
If you would like to see more of Alcala’s artwork, head over to his website or visit his Flickr profile where you will find many more fantastic pieces such as these.
This remarkable work by Julian Hoeber explores the mysterious physics of ‘gravitational mystery spots’. The exhibition, appropriately entitled “Demon Hill 2″, will send your mind and your stomach into a disorientated state. The free standing tilted structure warns visitors that due to its abnormal gravity, visitors may experience dizziness and nausea. The exhibition is set up in such a way that allows the mind and the body to be tricked by the tilted structure, whilst the gravity spots move and hold you in positions you will of never experienced before.
“[Demon Hill 2] DH#2, a free-standing structure based on the architecture of “gravitational mystery spots”, a kind of American roadside attraction. Mystery spots usually lay claim to being sites of supernatural power or geological anomaly to explain a severe effect of disorientation and vertigo for the visitor, when in truth these effects are the result of an architectural trick.”
Being from England, you won’t be surprised that us English do love a good cup of tea. That is why this tea infuser called ‘MR Tea Infuser’ is a real favourite of mine. The tough little guy, made from silicone rubber, can withstand up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Just load his little silicone pants with loose tea leaves, perch him in your cup and watch him relax as he does all the work. We think he is a great example of bringing a smile to your rainy and lazy days. You can purchase the little dude for $10.99. Bottoms up!
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