The world’s economical turmoil often leads to increasing rates of divorce everywhere. Basic cliche science, right?! Well, allegedly, divorce is slowly shedding off negative connotations, since people are finding ways to celebrate new beginnings. And where there’s a need, someone will supply :), so The London- based baker Fay Millar started creating and selling the cynical yet humorous cakes to meet the growing good riddance/freedom parties. According to the cake trendsetter, inquiries about her cakes come mostly from ex-wives who want to celebrate with friends. In other words, it sounds like the ex-wife club is gaining ground in London.
I might have found a new market to exploit in the Netherlands and maybe my favorite bakery around the corner will be willing to chip in and score some extra euros in 2010.
A few days ago, I read an article in the Dutch newspaper ‘Volkskrant’ on the ‘Niet Normaal (not Normal) exhibition at the Beurs of Berlage, which has been beyond well promoted in Amsterdam. Often this means the organization is either rich or kissed by the golden gloves of the art funds. Despite its PR machine, its the content or the intention of the exhibition, which I find intriguing, because it explores what is and isn’t normal through the work of ‘contemporary artists. I thought it was an excellent way of capturing the equilibrium of our societies global search for perfection. After all when perfection is a society’s norm, what happens when people divert or not live up to society’s expectations?
Sometime this week, I’ll get on my bike and head out to the land of artsy people to answer these questions :).
The past two weeks, I explored the worlds of www.todaysart.nl and I’m still processing all the inspiring conversations I’ve had with people. Here’s some stuff which inspired this digital girl.
http://www.vimeo.com/6832882
I’ve been thinking about how my generation is mostly a generation of culture collectors and samplers. We all travel to past decades to shop around for tools to (re) or (pro) create something ‘new’. Inventors are most definitely redefined by this generation of slash slashers. The video above is a great example of this.
http://www.vimeo.com/2806475
I heart Ebony Bones, and will write another time about her kick arse fashion and stage shows. But, here comes the butttttt…Maskomi, the ‘audiovisual’ agency, which created the video for Warrior, is reaching beyond what the eyes can see, and so far its pleasing to the eyes of the I&I.
36 glowing Freebord riders on the streets of North Beach, Donutland. I mean how cool would it be to play a game of neon head skaters live. Scratch that, this is much cooler by D. Kele.
http://www.vimeo.com/1976212
(please watch the video of the installation The Hallway by Miranda July first)
Me, You, and Everyone We Know writer/director/star Miranda July created a 125 foot hallway art installation for the 2008 International Triennale of Contemporary Art in Yokohama, Japan. The Hallway is a meditation, the expectations, hopes and realities of life. If you haven’t seen any of July’s prior art work or films, be warned, Miranda’s work is an acquired taste.
The installation; The Hallway is melancholy at it best. Some might consider it the visual soundtrack to their life, others will dismiss it as mindfuckery for the intellectual hipsters. I found it quite confrontational, awkward at a few moments. Yet, I was hypnotized and after five minutes and some, all I could murmur was…yes, she’s right. Perhaps, her next 300 ft installation should explore ‘how to free oneself out of the hallway’, maybe then I might not feel like it is time to visit a life coach :).
http://www.vimeo.com/5003279
Those early Saturday mornings, when the birds rhyme to you in their lingua franca and you stroll through empty Paris streets or Mogadishu back alleys (a dream)..those days are perfect for bumping into the great things in life, such as coming across great work or a cute shabby store. Great example is Steve’s Scott’s new video for the Birdy Nam Nam. The London based animator and illustrator knows how to captivate the hasty mind through the power of story telling.
According to him, Parachut Landing is a sci-fi adventure gone strangely wrong. Influenced by Planet Sauvage, 80s kids cartoons, Nausica and Prog rock album covers.
I’m a big fan of obscure sci-fi. Personally, I think Parachut Landing with its Fantastic Planet- style aesthetics & clever contemporary touches, could be the poor man’s Kraftwerk in a new pimp coat. What do you think?
Sometimes words speak louder than images and oxymorons run the world.
I love proverbs and sayings. A perfect example is this modern twist on traditional proverbs. Nikki Farquharson remixed 65 proverbs to ” capture” today’s western and digitalized mentality.
I mean let’s be honest. In today’s world, internet is god and the evangelism is currently based upon the proverb above :).