Panos Tsagaris

by Bailee Wolfson

Panos Tsagaris uses the projection of light and geometric angles to create mystical images and photographs. Hailing from Athens, Greece but working and residing New York, Tsagaris recently collaborated with Kimberley Norcott, creating works that play with the ideas of emerging light, the human perception of eternity and the symbolism of the sun. While the images speak to a sense of time and inspiration, Tsagaris states, his works intends to "selflessly capture and reflect the divine spark that exists in the soul of each one of us."

Currently, you can see Tsagaris' photographic installation with Norcott in a group show called "Down Below It's Chaos" at 50 Eldridge Space in NYC. In addition, Tsagaris will hold a solo exhibition at the State Museum of Contemporary Art in Thessaloniki, June 2010, followed by an exhibition at the Galerie Davide Gallo in Berlin in the fall of that year.

For more information visit Panos Tsagaris's blog In Search of Light. And for more images and an interview, visit Yatzer.

Copenhagen Bike Share Competition

by Karen Day

Challenging cyclists to create "an attractive and modern bike share system," Copenhagen pushes their standing as a forward-thinking, eco-friendly city with a competition open to designers around the globe.

Updating their 1995 bike sharing system (the first of its kind), the major goal is to create a transportation system effective in increasing the percentage of cyclists around Copenhagen while decreasing the number of injuries—geared towards commuters, tourists and city residents alike.

For more details regarding the criteria involved, visit the Bike Share Copenhagen website. The competition closes 18 November, 2009, with the first place winner not only seeing their design implemented but also taking home €33,000.

Interview with Photographer Horst A. Friedrichs

by CH Contributor

by Alison Zavos for Feature Shoot

Born in Frankfurt in 1966, Horst Friedrichs studied at the Munich Academy of Photography and has worked as freelance photo-journalist for numerous publications, The New York Times and The Independent among them. He has exhibited his photography globally and in 2008 received a prestigious Gold Lead award for documentary photography. This month saw the release of "I'm One: 21st Century Mods," a project that follows the contemporary British Mod scene. (It's also available from Amazon.) We checked in with Friedrichs to ask a few questions about the series and his other work.

You've been documenting The New Untouchables for twelve years. How did you first become interested in the mod scene?
In the '80s my friends in Germany were Mods so when I moved to London in 1997, I was curious about the Mod scene in the U.K. After a bit of research, I discovered The New Untouchables, sophisticated and stylish Mod people, who share a true love of quality vintage and '60s music. I started to go to their club nights and scooter runs to photograph them.

Your major work over the last decade has been a documentary film and a book in Venezuela called Dona Maria and her Dreams. How did this project on the London Mod scene and culture fit in with your day to day routine?
I work as a photojournalist and in advertising. It's my bread and butter. Four weeks ago I did a portrait of Bill Gates and my first job in London was with Robbie Williams. But to be honest, I prefer to take pictures of the real people. I am a very simple person.

What did you find most captivating about shooting this scene? And, what is the purpose of all those mirrors on the scooters?
Music! Beat, R & B, Psychedelia, Freakbeat, Rocksteady, Northern Soul…the music inspired me a lot. I think the over-accessorized scooters, with luggage racks, fog lights and mirrors, look cool.

Along with the book, you've also been filming interviews and events. Do you have plans for a documentary?
Yes, indeed. I have a lot of uncut material, but no time for editing at the moment as I am busy working on a new book project. Last week I had an radio interview at the BBC, and after the show, I had a couple of people contact me about the material. I would love to do a documentary and the material is good. I just need the right person to do the job.

View another image after the jump.

Ivory Skies T-Shirts

by Lost At E Minor

Offering a point of difference in the very overcrowded graphic tee market, Ivory Skies base all their shirts on rare ancient artwork. The London outfit prints the images on nicely fitting white tees, making for a line that co-founder and designer Carlo Salanitri describes as "a rare style representation of the mystical past blended with today’s indie street fashion." Making big inroads with the formula since its creation, Ivory Skies already has agents across Europe and a lot of interest from Australia and America.

Black Tattoo Art: Modern Expressions Of The Tribal

by Karen Day

Exploring the world of blackwork tattoos, a style dedicated to the singular use of black ink, the new book "Black Tattoo Art: Modern Expressions Of The Tribal" by tattoo zealot and expert Marisa Kakoulas traces the art's origins and scope.

Never before written about in English, blackwork tattoos have their roots in indigenous designs, but today include a broad spectrum of styles—from simple to ornate, the book makes for a fascinating study of the incredible imagination and talent that the form inspires.

"Black Tattoo Art" delves into a history of tribal tattooing with interviews and insight provided by the "Godfather of tribal tattooing" Leo Zulueta as well as Peter Schachner—aka Lard Yao—a master of hand-poked Thai tattooing who learned the technique (and got the name) from the Thai prison where he was an inmate. Following that, each chapter is devoted to a different style, covering Neotribal, Dotwork, Traditional Revival, Thai/Buddhist and Art Brut and including 35 artists.

Based on street art but designed to harmonize with the body, Art Brut is a style popular in France and Belgium, made famous by artists traditionally working outside of the fine art world. A wildly interesting style, Art Brut—or raw art—is curated for the first time since its emergence in Kakoulas' "Black Tattoo Art."

The book will be available 10 September 2009 from Edition Reuss and you can pre-order from Amazon, but CH is giving away one copy to a lucky reader. To enter simply go to the bottom of the page, click on Contact and select "Black Tattoo Art Book Giveaway" from the drop-down menu. Tell us your favorite tattoo artist and we'll pick at random from entries received before 11:59 pm EST on 11 September 2009.

For those in the NYC area, see details about the launch below.

Black Tattoo Art Launch
1o September 2009, 7-10:30pm
129 Roebling Street
Brooklyn, NY 11211 map
tel. +1 718 218 6532