Three New MoMA Store Additions

by Doug Black

The Museum of Modern Art's popular design store added some clever new items recently, all of which aimed to help you further personalize your personal space. The Exhibit Your Art Pad (pictured at right) is a stack of sticky note pages that feature a stylized blue frame on the border. As such, anything you write in the center—whether a doodle or detailed painting—is immediately a framed work of art and ready for display, which is as simple as placing it on any surface. Each pad costs $12 and is recommended to accompany the MoMA's current exhibition, "Color Chart: Reinventing Color."

The Chalkboard Napkin Rings (pictured at left) come straight out of Jörg Gätjens' German workshops, which feature contributions from the physically challenged. The rings serve the dual purpose of holding napkins, while acting as place cards for dinner parties. You can use the white pencil to write on the rings and the included sponge to erase messages before reusing. They come in a set of four that costs $65.

The Magnetic Cork Pin Cushion (right) adds a third dimension to the usual flat bulletin board. Designed by Blanc & Reed, each cushion consists of a dome-shaped piece of cork on top of a magnet. They can then be fixed to any metallic surface, like a refrigerator, where you can use the six pins to attach grocery lists or whatever messages you want to send to your housemates. A set of two cushions runs for $10.

All of the items, of course, can be found in your local MoMA Store and online.

Nomadaz

by Wendy Dembo

"Nomadaz - A Mediterranean Art Connection" features artists from Italy and Spain: 108, Microbo, Bo130, Dem (pictured at right), Eltono, Nano 4814, Sixe and Nuria Mora—for some it was their first time in sunny L.A.

I really enjoyed the two collaborations in the show both by a man and a woman. One was by Nuria Mora and Eltono of Spain (pictured below), who made and decorated a little Favela-like house using recycled materials and the other was by Microbo and Bo130 (pictured after the jump with others), who worked next to each other using wheat paste and paintings. (In graffiti or street art shows it is not unusual for the artists to work together and share wall space.)

As the charming Microbo said, “We grew up together and share a technique, but are totally different. Shows like this offer artists the chance to work together.”

Curated by Pablo Aravena, the filmmaker of "Next: a primer in Urban Painting," he said that "while filming the movie, I met some artists whose work really dazzled me. And this was an opportunity to bring together people, who I thought would compliment each other. "

Nomadaz
Through 29 March 2008
Scion Installation LA
3521 Helms Avenue
Culver City, CA 90232 map
tel. +1 310 815 8840

Ubantu Clothing

by Lost At E Minor

Ubantu is derived from the Zulu word for humanity and promoting the virtues of kindness is the ethos behind this new girls streetwear label which was set-up by South African raised, Sydney-based designer Aimee Pezaro. The t-shirts in particular are amazing—vibrant, dynamic, and made for comfort. We like.

Nat Russell March to March Calendar

by Letizia Rossi

Nat Russell's "Always Late In 2008 But Just In Time For 2009" is the perfect solution for those of us who still haven't gotten around to getting a 2008 calendar. The calendar begins on 16 March 2008 and ends on 15 March of 2009, making you right on time to snatch up one of these limited edition posters. We think its also a subtly good way to celebrate the Ides of March.

A beautiful print (click image for detail) that will brighten your days through the new year and long beyond, the poster features a whimsical illustration dense with imagery of pipe smoking mountain lurkers, the hag of the hills, foamy fog and Russell's recurring Sea Kat characters. The limited edition of 50 prints are signed and numbered, silkscreened with red ink on 140-pound Fabriano paper and measure 16 by 22 inches.

Order your calendar for $25 including shipping directly from Nat Russell at crookedarm [at] gmail [dot] com.

Also on CH Nat Russell T-Shirts.

Periodic Rings

by Mike Frank

Brooklyn-based husband-and-wife team, Itsnoname, bring some sexy back to the periodic table of elements. While the solid platinum version might be a bit too costly for most, the sterling silver ring should enable anyone to put their gangster nerd stamp on foreheads—or at least make it seem that way.

via Computerlove