Cool Hunting
| 19 September 2006view entries from: this week | this month | view previous day | view next day |
After School Art
by Ami Kealoha
An innocent lamp pole on a quiet street in Williamsburg, Brooklyn was the latest bit of urban architecture to get "knitta'd" with it's own knitted accessory by Knitta Please. The slightly subversive public installation is part of a group show kicking off back-to-school season called "After School Art" this coming Thursday, 21 September 2006 and running through 17 October 2006. Inspired by the no-pressure atmosphere of after school art classes, s.u.n.Arts (the New York-based non-profit arts organization producing the show) encouraged artists to let loose "to create and show art in a supportive, non-judgemental atmosphere." In addition to Knitta Please's work, highlights include Robots Kill Will's Thundercut, and a live drawing by New York native graffiti artist Ellis G, who's known for tracing shadows of bikes and other urban fixtures onto the surrounding sidewalks.
After School Art
Opening 21 September 2006, 7pm-12am
Laila Lounge
113 North 7th Street
Brooklyn, NY 11211 map
tel. 01 718 486 6791
The Run Up
by Letizia Rossi
The Run Up is the second volume in the series of visual commentaries on today's art culture released in collaboration between Upper Playground and Fifty24SF. The DVD is the follow-up to the 2004 release, Dithers which featured 30 influential artists, designers and photographers. The new DVD features interviews and studio visits with 26 eminent artist including Ryan McGinness, the Heavyweight (HVW8) Art Collective, Herbert Baglione, Cody Hudson, Jeff Soto and Maya Hayuk. Thumbing through high school yearbooks with Maya Hayuk and riffling through Jason Bass' sneaker collection, directors Shaun Roberts and Joey Garfield profile the artists in a series of vignettes with varied settings that reveal the artists' inspiration and personal philosphies. The Run Up functions as a worthwhile historical representation of today's contemporary art movement.
The 2-disc DVD is available for $30 from Upper Playground
Cockpit Arts at Canary Wharf
by Leonora Oppenheim
As much as the London Design Festival promotes creativity in the UK, it’s also (obviously) a chance for new designers to raise their profile and attract investors. Marrying creative talent with retail, Cockpit Arts, London's mega-nonprofit offering designers affordable workspace and business support, has commissioned installations from two designers for the Canary Wharf Window Galleries, a busy shopping center located in London's burgeoning Docklands district.
Becky Oldfield, of Lost and Found Design, created a very British "Old Curiosity Shop" with a collection of furniture and curios featuring the Union Jack flag. Using a picture frame motif, passersby can look through to see different views of her installation. A few shops down, Linda Florence (featured here for her scratch-off wallpaper) also created windows within windows by layering her hand-printed wallpapers with round cut-outs that offer viewers a glimpse into the interior. The beautifully decorative prints and abstracted floral patterns seem to grow out of the window as they flow onto the floor of the gallery.
What to Drink with What You Eat
by Letizia Rossi
For aspiring foodies there's finally a definitive guide to beverage and food pairings. Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg, the award-winning co-authors of Becoming a Chef, Dining Out and The New American Chef have compiled expert advice from America's top sommeliers and other experts in What to Drink with What You Eat.
Taking a holistic—almost philosophical—approach the book offers ways to increase enjoyment of food and drink and gives practical advice like matching foods and wines by region and a list for a "starter case" of wine to have on hand. The thorough index of pairings (organized both by beverage and by food) includes the obvious choices like chocolate and coffee, but also slightly more nuanced matches; Kung Pao chicken can be served with beer, fruity wine, Gewürztraminer or Riesling and that persimmons are best with pear brandy. There are some surprises too, like the marriage of Kit Kat Candy bars with African tea . With a user-friendly layout, helpful tables and inspiring sample menus from some of our favorite chefs this book is the perfect addition to any kitchen library. Available from Amazon.
Ear Drops
by Letizia Rossi
Like the iDiamond Earphones we featured in May, Ear Drops add personality to the standard-issue white earbud. Available in three bejeweled models—heart-shaped, round with pearls and the traditional in-ear bud shape—they come in either black or white and with a variety of rhinestone colors. Like the charming copy reads, " As stylish accessories and dresses, don't you want to have fashionable headphones? ...The beautiful rhinestones shine casually beside your ears which make your music life glamorous." In other words, starting at just $31, you can get a pair to match every outfit.
