MUJI Award 03

by Max Gold

Design junkies take note, MUJI just announced the launch of its third MUJI AWARD International Design Competition.

The theme for this year's awards is "Found MUJI," which is about discovering the benefits of old wisdom, and translating these ideas into design that works in tandem with our modern lifestyle.

The inspiration of the competition and the seriousness with which it is judged (not to mention last month's opening of a MUJI store in a new Times Square location joining the SoHo spot) is further proof of the retailer's growth and influence.

The entry period for this year's competition spans the month of July.

Alba Make Art Clocks

by Ami Kealoha

After overhearing hushed dialogues of "I can do that" and "Why not me?" at Montreal-based Furni's last art show titled "Alba Matters", the boys decided to let others have a shot with their latest release titled "Alba Make Art" (or Alba Ma for short). There are only 25 available in this exclusive all white colorway and each clock is packaged with a set of permanent markers to give artists a head start. Send them a picture when all is done and who knows what could happen! Pictured above is artist Frank Lam's interpretation and below are Tim Barnard's (left) and Evan Melnyk's (right) contributions.

Think you could do better? Give it a shot for $88 (and view the rest of the clocks from the "Alba Matters" show) on Furni's site. The clocks from the show are available for $150 each with a third of the proceeds going back to support the artists themselves.

Jason Kronenwald: A Fresh Pack of Gum Blondes

by Brian Fichtner

Jason Kronenwald, an MFA graduate from Queens University in Kingston, Ontario, made one of his first bubblegum artworks called Gum Blondes in 1996. In the last decade he has flirted extensively with these blondes, refining his craft and technique to such remarkable degree that the notion these portraits are made from bubblegum seems preposterous. But gum they are.

Comprised solely of chewed gum (all colors are inherent to the gum and mixed in the mouth), every portrait is manipulated onto a plywood surface, and sealed with an epoxy resin for protection and preservation.

In the past several years alone, our exploitive media has given Jason plenty of celebrity fodder to work with. With portraits of Britney Spears, Anna Kournikova, Paris Hilton, and Lindsey Lohan already part of the ongoing series, one has to wonder how far he can take the project.

Well, why not delve into the political arena? Just last week, Jason opened his second solo exhibition, "A Fresh Pack of Gum Blondes," at LE Gallery in Toronto.

The new show includes such icons as Hillary Clinton and Princess Diana, along with pop figures Madonna and the eternally doe-eyed Twiggy. (Click images for detail.)

By masticating gum (he has a team of chewers) into a pliable medium for expression, Kronenwald has found the perfect confluence of materials—low-brow candy and high-brow art—to speak to our saccharine era.

A Fresh Pack of Gum Blondes
Opening reception: 13 June 2008, 7-10pm
13-29 June 2008
LE Gallery
1183 Dundas Street W
Toronto, Ontario
M6J 1X3 map
tel. +1 416 532 8467

Get Well Soon Mask

by Tim Yu

A common courtesy when feeling under the weather in most Far East Asian countries, the ubiquitous protective face masks made famous during the SARS scare in 2002 have since served as a canvas for many a commentary. Departing from the sterile, white gauze variety, Samira Boon recreated the typical protective mask with clever, playful and at times beautiful ink-jet prints that transform the face.

One of our favorites has to be the image of the mouth of a Maiko—a young geisha apprentice. Currently available as a part of MoMA's Destination Japan, purchase the Maiko Get Well Soon Mask for $12. Also be sure to check out Boon's 14 other varieties including pig snouts and monkey faces.

via swissmiss

Various Projects: Obama Button Project

by Brian Fichtner

Brian Janusiak and Elizabeth Beer of Various Projects are up to their creative collaboration shenanigans once more, this time with a series of 1" pins in support of the Democratic presidential campaign. Called the Obama Button Project, it pairs a roster of the couple's many talented friends with the iconic apparel accessory of punk expression. "It started with Elizabeth looking for a good and simple button to wear and realizing that it was not so easy to come by," Janusiak said by email. "So we started making some ourselves and flew through the first two production runs."

After realizing there was a clear demand for the buttons, though a lack of variety in the supply, they took it a step further: "It made us think that in addition to making a bunch more of our initial design, perhaps we should invite some other designers to participate and produce them all... We will continue to invite new designers and produce new buttons throughout the campaign.

Participants include but are not limited to: Jeffrey Lai of JEFF, a design studio in NYC; Christian Marc Schmidt of Pentagram; Various Projects; Natasha Chandani (from left to right at top); Dexter Sinister, a small-print workshop in the Lower East Side (right); and graphic designer Danielle Aubert (far right).

The buttons sell for $1 each and can be purchased through Project No. 8. All proceeds will go to the Obama General Election Campaign.