Mannahatta/Manhattan: A Natural History of New York City

by Brian Fichtner

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Landscape ecologist Eric W. Sanderson's decade-long Mannahatta Project, an exhaustive study and recreation of the Manhattan ecosystem circa 1609 (the year of Henry Hudson's arrival in Mannahatta), finally culminated in a sumptuous book and equally stunning exhibition at the Museum of the City of New York.

A project in conjunction with the Wildlife Conservation Society, Pentagram's Abbott Miller designed both the book and exhibition, which feature Markley Boyer's stunning renderings of Manhattan's once verdant woodlands, broad meadows and crystalline wetlands.

Sanderson's meticulous approach informed these incredibly detailed renderings, a process which began through geolocating a 1782 British Headquarters Map to the island's modern street grid. Finding over 200 control points on the map to align to their current locations allowed Sanderson's group to create a virtual model with an error margin of only 40 meters.

Through a combination of historical record and scientific study, Sanderson's rich vision of Mannahatta offers stunning facts. Physically, the landscape featured over 570 hills (which accounts for the native Lenape's naming of the island—Mannahatta is thought to mean "island of many hills"), more than 60 miles of streams and over 20 ponds. Comprised of 24 species of mammals, 233 birds, 32 reptiles, 85 fish and 627 species of plants, the biological diversity was no less robust than the city's ethnic diversity today. In fact, Sanderson writes: "If Mannahatta existed today as it did then, it would be a national park—it would be the crowning glory of American national parks."

The exhibition offers visitors an immersive experience in this Edenic landscape, framing seven of Boyer's aerial visualizations within structures that call to mind a camera obscura. The luscious renderings, 6' x 6' in scale and backlit with fluorescent lights, gain a tantalizing depth that draw viewers back in time. A fascinating look into the natural history of one of the world's greatest cities, the exhibition and the book are both musts.

More images after the jump.

Purchase "Mannahatta: A Natural History of New York City" online at the MCNY Shop (all proceeds go to support the museum) or at Amazon.

Mannahatta/Manhattan: A Natural History of New York City
Through 12 October, 2009
Museum of the City of New York
1220 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10129 map
tel. +1 212 534 1672

No Mas x Silver Lining Sports Shades

by Nathan Suberi

NYC label No Mas knows that nothing says summer like vintage shades, prompting their recent collaboration with Silver Lining Opticians. The two styles, modeled after those worn by baseball star Reggie Jackson and tennis' sex-symbol Bjorn Borg, perfectly complement No Mas' unpretentious approach to sportswear.

Reggie's Italian logo-free aviators sport golden monel (a nickel alloy) frames—perfect for a day at the ballpark. The pair also come with a complementary No Mas vintage Reggie t-shirt (pictured after the jump).

Bjorn's signature shades feature injection molded plastics with a padded bridge for increased comfort. The full wrap around temple cables ensure a snug and stable fit even if you are running around on the court. An order of Bjorn's shades also comes with a pair of complementary BJ shorts (pictured after the jump).

Reggie's and Bjorn's vintage summer shades sell for $325 and $375 respectively through No Mas. Be sure to check back with them often because we've heard the sunglass series could turn into a monthly release.

More images after the jump.

No Longer Empty

by Wendy Dembo

No Longer Empty, a new non-profit group of artists and curators, finds unused (or should we say un-leased) storefronts in Manhattan and fills them with temporary art shows. The project revitalizes empty spaces by filling them with art, situates art in the public realm and supports work that touches on the theme of this current economic situation.

For an inaugural show, the old bait and tackle store on the ground floor of the Chelsea Hotel couldn't fit better. Curator and artist Michael Bevilacqua says that he used to do the same thing in L.A. about 20 years ago and decided to try it again in NYC. Participating artists include, Scott Campbell, Joseph Aloi, Tara de la Garza, Rita Barros, Kate Gilmore, and Raimundo Rubio, among others. With so many empty spaces around, they won't have a problem finding one for their next show.

More images after the jump.

No Longer Empty
Hotel Chelsea
Through July 18 2009
222 West 23rd Street
New York, NY 10011 map

Star Wars Uncut

by Mike Frank

Seeking help to remake the sci-fi classic "Star Wars: A New Hope," tech-geek Casey Pugh's project uses Vimeo as a crowd-sourcing tool to engage filmmakers in a "Be Kind Rewind"-style DIY production.

He divided up the entire movie into 15-second clips, tasking participants with download three sections for re-filming.

When all 472 clips are complete, Pugh will stitch them back together to create the feature-length movie. We suspect that the end result will be amazingly hilarious.

Sign up to be part of the experiment.

Wurst Clothing

by Karen Day

Switching his tune from record label entrepreneur to fashion designer, My Cousin Roy, aka Roy Dank's new clothing line Wurst perfectly channels the downtown-meets-uptown feel.

Inspired by Vivienne Westwood's brazen Anglomania line, the quality of craftsmanship found in vintage YSL and Dior and the downtown demeanor of Glenn O'Brien's TV Party, as well as brief respites in upstate New York, Dank's menswear line mixes as many influences, and will likely garner as much popularity, as his series of Wurst Edits parties.

The sign of any good designer, Dank's attention to detail and choosiness make the line top-notch. Along with design partners Josh Clancy and Travis Stearns—a duo Dank met while deejaying in Minneapolis—the trio focuses on sourcing premium European fabrics to create a tightly edited collection of Americana-influenced wovens and sweaters, trimmed with sharp details.

The still-under-construction Wurst site launch will include exclusive music, mixes, art, design and editorial pieces, on top of where to buy their killer threads.

Hitting stores spring 2010, have a look at A Continuous Lean's interview with Roy Dank for a sneak peak at the best of Wurst.

Mixed Greens Tenth Anniversary Exhibition: X

by Nathan Suberi

Celebrating a decade of art collective Mixed Greens' efforts in promoting struggling artists, their Tenth Anniversary Exhibition, X, brings together 84 members and alumni for a sensory overload experience.

The show draws on a roster of talent (over 100 different artists to date) that speaks to the organization's careful selection process, based on a novel use of materials or intriguing perspective on subjects. Currently championing 22 lucky artists, it's a program insuring that the gallery maintains an eccentric and eclectic vibe.

Art in the exhibit runs the gamut too, including psychedelic acrylic portraits from Zane Lewis (at right), to photographs of floating goldfish from Dirk Westphal (bottom left) to oversized wooden installations from Lee Stoetzel (bottom right).

X
Through 14 August 2009
Mixed Greens
531 West 26th Street
New York City, NY 10001map
tel. +1 212 331 8888