Sleepwalkers

by Wendy Dembo

In what could be the most-seen show in MoMA's history, Doug Aitken's "Sleepwalkers" opened last night on the coldest night of the year in NYC so far this season. Sleepwalkers is a nighttime installation comprised of continuous sequences of film scenes projected onto facades that transform West 53rd and 54th streets into a vast outdoor multiplex. Turning MoMA inside-out by bringing public art to the exterior walls of the new iconic building for the first time, the project is a joint effort between MoMA and non-profit Creative Time, famous for enlivening the city with public art. It was challenging to be outside to watch the premiere, but it was well worth it.

Filmed in New York, five interweaving vignettes follow each character—a bicycle messenger (played by Ryan Donowho, a drummer that Aitkin found in the subway, who's now appeared on "The O.C."), an electrician who fixes neon signs in Times Square (Seu Jorge of Life Aquatic and City of God fame), a postal worker (Chan Marshall aka Cat Power), a businessman (Donald Sutherland), and an office worker (Tilda Swinton)—through a night in New York. As they move from the solitude of their personal lives (waking up, drinking coffee or juice, leaving their apartments) to their workplace and unexpected encounters, the interconnected narratives emerge.

The eight gigantic projections, averaging 30’ x 60’, engage with the architecture in a way that I have never experienced before. You can see two of the projections from an adjoining street and walking towards the museum gives you a little clue of what's in store. In the sculpture garden (open to the public for free during the project) you see five projections at the same time—three characters and two ambient projections featuring landscapes including clouds and sunrises. Much of the imagery is in sync, i.e. when Ryan Donowho gets on his bike, Donald Sutherland climbs into his always waiting town car and Tilda Swinton hails a cab. A surprising treat is how other buildings and the museum itself reflect multiply the projections, immersing viewers in the cinematic experience.

Winner of the International Prize at the Venice Biennale and director of music videos for Interpol and Fatboy Slim, the artist's first large-scale public artwork in the United States challenges viewers perceptions of public space. Aitken calls the show a “silent film for the 21st century.” It will be projected every evening from 5-10 pm for 28 consecutive days, from 16 January-12 February 2007. To see more images, get more info and watch a trailer go here.

A few blocks away, Aitken created a one minute film, New Day, which will run once every hour in the middle of Times Square on the Astrovision Screen. New Day also depicts the constant flow of life that is New York. You can hear commentaries on your cell phone, by calling +01 408 794 0886

With contributions from Evan Orensten and Tim Yu.

Rosendahl Ice Scraper

by Tim Yu

It's about 18˚ Farenheit (-8˚ Celsius) in New York today—those of us who live in areas with cold temperatures, snow and ice storms know how delicate and ineffective most scraper/brushes are. Made of stainless steel and synthetics, the Rosendahl Ice Scraper is designed to remove anything from dew to a layer of hard ice. There is a soft edge for fogged up and frosty windows and a hard synthetic side for ice. Designed by Erik Bagger in cooperation with physical therapists, it grips well and is ergonomically designed to prevent strain on the hand, arm or shoulder. The smart engineering makes the brute strength that usually breaks most other scrapers unnecessary. And it doesn't hurt that it's much better looking than other conventional ice scrapers.

It is available from Yanko Design for $29.

Christiaan van der Klaauw's Astronomical Watches

by Watchismo

Literally out of this world, the classic-cased timepieces by Dutch watchmaker Christian van der Klauuw are astronomically complicated. Measuring everything from the position of the planets, the constellations, worldwide sunrises, sunsets, solar and lunar eclipses, each model is handmade by Christiaan himself resulting in a very limited edition of each. Originally an astronomical clockmaker, the watches were developed after he miniaturized highly complicated movements of his own design.

Self-lauded as the smallest planetarium in the world, the obviously named "Planetarium" (pictured above left) features a heliocentric revolution of the planets (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn) and is available from Watch Buys for $23,700. It's best experienced by watching the animation here.

Introduced at the 2006 Basel World, his most recent invention, the "Venus" (pictured above center) features a very animated dial with separately rotating Earth, Moon and Venus orbiting the Sun amidst the Constellations. It sells from Watch Buys for $19,800 and the animation is here.

Frighteningly complex, the "Astrolibium" (pictured above left) measures celestial bodies and constellations. I won't even try to regurgitate the mind numbing details here, see the animation here and info here for yourself.

A variation of the Astrolibium, the "Mondial CK1" is customized according to your location on the globe, featuring a sunrise/sunset gauge for the rest of the planet. It's far better (and more expensive at $16,200 from Watch Buys) than your simple-minded moonphase. See the animation here.

For images of one of Christiaan van der Klaauw's original Astronomical Clocks and more images of the watches they inspired, go here.

John & Kira Chocolates

by Ami Kealoha

Known for pioneering "Project Mintpatch," a student run urban garden at schools in Philadelphia (and more recently Chicago), John & Kira Chocolates put their socially-conscious values and commitment to quality at the forefront of what they do. Husband and wife chocolatiers John and Kira Doyle mix John's foodie background and Kira's degrees in education, forming a company that makes artisinal chocolates by supporting small, organic and biodynamic farmers in the U.S., Mexico and Sri Lanka.

The result are square-shaped chocolates filled with infused ganaches—flavors range from Bergamot to Lemongrass—with a melty smooth texture that's neither runny nor like the thick centers of traditional chocolates. Enrobed in a thin layer of dark chocolate, all (except for the surprising freshness of the Drew Elementary Garden Mint) are subtly infused with the various extracts John and Kira have sourced. The Lavender Honey in particular benefits from this light touch. Packaged in a simple wooden box wrapped in a sumptuous ribbon, an assorted box starts at $28 for 15. Heart-stamped golden sealing wax (pictured) make the Valentine Collection a good choice for a sweetheart. They're available for purchase from John & Kira.

Zanerobe

by Lost At E Minor

Australian streetwear label Zanerobe create sporty casual wear for guys and gals with a distinctly retro feel. It's all tight tees with old school numbering, skimpy "Grease-inspired" shorts and loose fitting jeans in an assortment of styles. The label recently released its Fantasy League collection which was inspired by Australia's fanatacism with sport.