Link About It: This Week’s Picks
GZA at MIT, Tweeting plants, North Korea architecture guides and more in our look at the web this week
1. Diego Gravinese
In a series of richly hued oil on canvas and acrylic paintings, Argentine artist Diego
Gravinese depicts people in an oft-bizarre setting with photo realistic detail. Among the intimate scenes is a girl mock-eating bait from a fishing line and a failed attempt to drink milk from the carton.
2. The Supernatural
On the day decided to have the best riding conditions between 3-8 February, 18 of the world’s best snowboarders will take to “The Supernatural”—Travis Rice‘s custom-built run at Baldface Lodge in British Columbia. The single-day competition will test the limits of big mountain free-riding with nearly 100 man-made jumps, platforms and catwalks that have been built into the mass of trees on the 45+ degree slope.
3. Pyongyang Architectural and Cultural Guide
DOM Publishers put Pyongyang, North Korea on the map with their 368-page, two-part architectural guide book. Volume 1 presents more than 100 buildings, without any further commentary beyond the information provided by the Pyongyang Foreign Languages Publishing House. Volume 2 dissects this material and puts it in the context of North Korean history and urban planning practices.
4. Moonrise Kingdom
Wes Anderson returns to the big screen with his new film “Moonrise Kingdom”—his first since the beloved “Fantastic Mr. Fox” in 2009. With Bill Murray, Bruce Willis, Frances McDormand, Tilda Swinton and Edward Norton playing out the “story of ardor for rebellious adventure” against scenes boasting Anderson’s distinct, highly styled aesthetic, it’s one to look out for come 25th May.
5. Art Thoughtz: Damien Hirst
In a direct-address video, Art Thoughtz personality Hennessey Youngman explains the “perfect storm of banality” that is Damien Hirst, and how money has served as his medium. But Youngman’s biggest beef with the artist, who is estimated to be worth £215 million, is the “asshole” way he presents himself in photographs—a style he can only liken to the “douchery” of Bono.
6. Tweeting Plant
Get botanical updates with this high-tech
DIY project, which allows your plant to send out Tweets reminding owners when water
levels drop. Stay-at-home botanists and social media mavens will have a hard time resisting this one.
7. One Laptop Per Child
In an effort to bring communicative technologies to children, Fuse Project is introducing XO-3, a low-cost tablet for use in educational settings. The follow-up to the original XO, which reached 2.4 million children, features a playfully rugged design and simple interface.
8. Cube
Exciting as the field of 3D printing may be, the price and dimensions of early models have kept the technology out of reach. Cube comes fully arranged at a consumer price point, ready to create and share renderings on the Cubify marketplace.
9. Wu-Tang and the Profs
Nicknamed “the genius,” GZA of Wu-Tang is one of the brighter stars of the rap scene. He recently took a tour of Harvard and MIT, getting to know the work of professorial researchers and engaging them in conversation on everything from lyricism to carboxysome.
10. Negro Leagues Posters
From the historical league come these inspirational posters. In the spirit of civil rights celebrated on MLK Day, the poignant depiction of the Negro League will touch lovers of the game with photographic relics of sports history.
11. WTF with Marc Maron: Russell Brand
Love him or hate him, comedian Russell Brand commands a certain presence—one recently taken on by WTF podcast personality Marc Maron. In this hour-long interview, Brand reminds listeners that he isn’t just a funny Brit with an odd haircut. Beneath the glam-goth exterior lies a lyrical intellectual side with a penchant for philosophy and for his cat Morrissey.
12. Date Stamp Paintings
In what could be seen as a smart nod to the problem of time in painting, Italian artist Federico Pietrella gives us this series of composed of thousands of date stamp impressions. The highly detailed street scenes make good use of careful layering and create a coded representation of our world.
