Jonah Cacioppe

by Lost At E Minor

One of our favourite Australian artists Jonah Cacioppe (now London-based) has recently launched his website. It's bursting with his highly original artworks which cover a variety of slightly esoteric themes from "The Openess Of Being" to "The World In A Grain Of Salt."

Cut&Paste 2006 NYC Entry Deadline

by Letizia Rossi

Today is the deadline for the New York leg of the Deanne Cheuk, Flavorpill co-founder Sascha Lewis, designer Jeff Staple, graffiti artist Buffmonster, and Giant Robot publisher Eric Nakamura. For more info and to submit, check out cutandpaste.cc.

Moo Flickr MiniCards

by Letizia Rossi

Moo, "a new kind of printing business," understands that though the web is amazing "you can't touch it, write on it, hang it on the wall or pass it to the cute guy on the bus." They aim to help people "take their virtual lives offline" by creating tangible products based on online images. Their new Flickr minicards are a perfect way to show off all those digital photos that are gathering virtual dust on your hard drive. For $20 you can get 100 unique cards, each printed with four-color images from your Flickr pool and with your personal information on the other side.

via Notcot

Three Nature-Inspired Lamps

by Leonora Oppenheim

100% Design, the London design fest's main event, usually focuses on the slick and often boring end of the market, but this year these three lamps stood out from the crowd for their beautifully simple organic forms.

Diffuse. Their minimal forms with beautiful textures and floral details (pictured above left and right) are elegantly understated additions to any room.

FOC (or Freedom Of Creation) is a Finnish/Dutch design team who use a specialized Laser Sintering process—a machine that builds up a computer-drawn form in layers—enabling infinitely complex natural forms (pictured above right and left).

Kiwi designer Jeremy Cole made a splash in 2005 with the debut of his sensuous "Aloe" collection, which he's expanding this year with the introduction of his "Blossom Noir" lamp (pictured above center). Handmade from porcelain, Jeremy's Aloe lamps are inspired by the Agave plant, "a tropical cactus with distinctive fleshy-leaved flowers that lend themselves perfectly to sculptural lighting."

Henrik Schwarz: DJ-Kicks

by Ami Kealoha

What do James Brown, Marvin Gaye, D’Angelo, and Pharoah Sanders all share with German techno? Surprisingly, on the upcoming richly eclectic DJ-Kicks mix, these and others from the soul archives get German minimal house and techno producer Henrik Schwarz' treatment. Who would have guessed that a guy who makes sparse and moody electronic dance music had so much soul up his proverbial record sleeve? While hailing from Bodensee, Germany, Schwarz’s productions have always clearly been rooted in the nascent house and techno sounds of Chicago and Detroit. These genres—which have come to be more widely associated with European artists—evolved out of the soul music continuum of gospel, disco, and electric funk of America’s inner cities.

On this latest DJ-Kick's release, Henrik takes it back to the music’s spiritual beginnings with 23 deep and esoteric selections. This is not a party mix. In addition to more recognizable names, the album incorporates Moondog’s jazz shuffler “Bird’s Lament” (which served as sample fodder for UK producer Mr. Scruff), rare soul from Jae Mason and the Luther Davis Group, quirky proto-house, and original tracks from Sir Henrik himself. I was actually expecting not to like it, but ultimately it won me over. Due out 31 October 2006, pre-order it from Amazon.

by DJ Scribe

The Black Panthers

by Letizia Rossi

On the occasion of the fortieth anniversary of The Black Panther Party for Self Defense, Aperture will release The Black Panthers, a collection of Stephen Shames' never before published photographs of one the most controversial organizations of the Civil Rights movement. From 1967 to 1973 Stephen captured both the enigmatic public face of the Panthers and also the intimate private moments of the group that former FBI head J. Edgar Hoover once described as the country's greatest threat to internal security. The striking photographs illustrate how the political agenda and community service of the Panthers was tied to their aesthetic sense. The image created by the slick leather jackets and berets that were their uniforms was intrinsic to their 10 point plan. As Black Panther's founder Bobby Seale explains in the preface "I understood that good visuals—the graphics in our posters and newspapers and the use of photographs like Stephen Shames' were part of how we could successfully communicate the imagination of people." The Black Panthers includes essays by Bobby Seale and Charles E. Jones. Pre-order from Amazon.

Aperture will be hosting a panel discussion and book signing with Stephen Shames and Bobby Seale for the release of the book on on 12 October 2006 in Oakland, California (where the Panthers were founded) that will also kick-off an exhibition of the photographs. Another event's scheduled for 18 October 2006 in New York City. Details are available from Aperture.

The Black Panthers
Opening reception: Thursday, 12 October 2006 6pm
Exhibition: 12 October 2006 — Monday, 13 November 2006
Asian Resource Gallery
310 Eighth Street
Oakland, CA 94607 map

Wednesday, 18 October 2006
The Great Hall at Cooper Union
7 East 7th Street
New York, NY map