Category Archives: Pop Culture

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Rock Rock Rockaway Beach

New York City Rockaway BeachNew York City, Rockaway Beach, BoardwalkNew York City beaches, boardwalk, foodClick on images to enlarge

I’m a big fan of Rockaway. I’ve been going to the beaches there, off and on, for the past 20 years plus. I always felt that it was one of those New York City secrets that you only share with the closest of friends for fear that its greatness would be discovered by everyone and that would be the end of it. That said, it’s not the Hamptons or Montauk, and a few friends couldn’t get past the unpleasantness of the subway station or the environs on the 3- or 4-block walk to the beach. Oh, but the beach! White sand, clean water, nice waves and a boardwalk to boot, all within a 1-hour subway ride from Manhattan. I always knew that it was just a matter of time before the masses would see its value and appeal, and sure enough, first the surfers started coming several years back to the beach at 96th Street, and now the hipsters (I mean this in the best possible way) and their Brooklyn eateries have infiltrated the boardwalk and beyond. It seems that all it took was this video about Andrew Field and his Rockaway Taco venture that floated around the internet last winter, and one or two New York Times articles. So, just to be clear, I am happy to join in the Rockaway celebration, but I will also be honest and say (shown above) that it’s a funny place. Beautiful beach, but new and old architecture that leaves a lot to be desired, as well as a much needed (and currently underway) facelift for the subway stops. And, though all amenities from head to toe are at your fingertips – from the Keyfood to the Neurologist/Podiatrist office – it was definitely a nice surprise to show up last weekend at the 105th Street boardwalk burger stand and discover that it has been taken over by Caracas and Blue Bottle Coffee.

Top photo: Frameworks Group; Tacos photo below: PacificStandard.
Click on images to enlarge.

What was most suprising was to see the incredibly long line, wrapping around the corner at Rockaway Taco on 96th Street. The tacos are tasty but, personally, I’d rather spend that extra hour or two on the beach rather than on line. For relatively decent fare and definitely equally excellent drinks I suggest going to the less hip waterside restaurants on 92nd Street right on the bay side. If you can get past the exterior decor or the McDonald’s next door, both the new Thai Rock restaurant (previously the Lobster House) and the Bungalow Bar next door, have decks with seating right on the water and boats anchoring up the side. Definitely not a wait (for now, anyway) and there you get to eat waterside a hop, skip and a jump from the 90th Street subway stop. Shhh…let’s keep it between us.

Lastly, though I’m not sure how long a walk it would be over the Marine Pkwy Bridge, another nice option, is the Bay House in Rosedale. That might be best by bike or car.

One of the things I like most about NYC is that it is always changing and evolving, so I’m excited to see what the Rockaway of 5 years from now will be like, even if it means sharing the sand with more bodies.

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Ralf Kempken: Stencils to Screens

Art Stencils and Screens Ralf KempkenAustralian artist Ralf Kempken StencilsClick to enlarge

Australian artist Ralf Kempken hand cuts stencils and screens from paper, acetate, canvas, timber, and sometimes even steel. In some cases he layers multiple stencils and in others he spray paints as well.

From his artist statement:
…the stencil is used to spray images in countless variations. The underlying concept has always been that we filter all we see through past experiences and memories. Thus followed the evolution of the stencil, which up until now has been used as the tool to produce the painting, into the artwork itself. We all screen and frame our personal view of the world and with this in mind the stencils have turned into screens. Artwork that can be seen through and create optical illusions.The screens are intended as daily reminders that we have a conscious choice in how to look at the world around us.

You can see more of Ralf Kempken’s incredible X-actoing skills and other work on his site as well as here.

via Abbotsford Convent

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Needlework Trend in Product Design

Needlework Trend in DesignNeedlework Trend in Product DesignRecently I’ve noticed that there’s a lot of knitting, crocheting, needlepoint, and embroidery showing up in the most unlikely places.

Clockwise and spiraling in from top left corner:
Panier Percé needlepoint bowls; Lampy Cocoons; Goldilocks embroidery hoop stools by Groupa; Embroidery portraits by Daniel Kornrumpf; Action Men toilet paper cover by Sally Spinx; Jonathan Adler needlepoint pillows; Laine Blanche tea set with embroidery printed porcelain; Matt knitted lamps by llot llov; Laura Theiss innovative knit collection, summer 2011; Knitted Baskets; Granny Chair by Wadebe: Rose Trivet by Anouk Jansen; Knitted Poufs; Crocheted Bicycles by Olek
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e1000ink: Spanish Street Art

Street Art Graffiti in Spaine1000ink Street Art SpainThere’s something about e1000ink’s ability to convert existing street objects, including abstract shapes caused by peeling paint or crumbling cement, into art that really appeals to me. It takes a special eye and sense of humor which he clearly possesses. The bottom three are from a series he calls 3D without Glasses.

More e1000ink street art here, here and here.

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Rainbow City at the High Line

U P D A T E : See our post-visit post here for the latest on Rainbow City.

This looks like fun! Em just read about this upcoming event on the Friends With You  site (you may be familiar with their collaborations with KidRobot, among other things.) In celebration of the opening of the second section of the High Line, FriendsWithYou (sponsored by AOL) will be showcasing their forty piece installation Rainbow City.

FriendsWithYou presents a vibrant collection of mutable, air-filled sculptures. Inaugurating in the art district of Chelsea during the month of June, this will be FWY’s first large-scale installation in New York City. This happy city is made up of intensely colored balloon pieces, encouraging visitors to be active and explore the giant 16,000 square foot playground. Built for adults and children alike, the installation allows for interaction with each art object, making the experience unforgettable.

According to the article in the New York Times, the installation is part of a “pop-up plaza” at 30th Street and Tenth Avenue. There will be a 350-seat bar run by Colicchio & Sons, as well as a variety of fashionable food trucks offering a range of edibles from lobster rolls to ice cream.

The installation and festivities open on Wednesday, June 8th, 2011 and run through July 5th. Worth checking out for sure.

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Autone

Autone Polish Street ArtAutone is a Polish graffiti artist who paints very detailed murals that, to me, almost have a Northwest American Indian influence to them, but then, maybe that’s just me.

You can see his process in the video below. I like the way he stands back every once in a while to, understandably, look at what he’s done so far. It’s especially cute due to the sped-up quality of the video.

You can see more of Autone’s work here and here.

via outerspaces

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James Clar: Art Futures

I just came across James Clar’s work. After reading this Dubai-based American artist’s bio, it seems that I’m a bit late to the party with exhibits at The New Museum, Chelsea Museum, Chanel Mobile Art Exhibit in Tokyo, and many more under his belt. I found every piece showcased on Traffic’s site  interesting. There’s a lot of play with light and technology, but also very powerful statements with strong anti-war and political criticism undertones, well, maybe not so “under”, maybe more in-your-face, in a good way. This from the site:

While his early work dealt with analyzing how technology and media work, a move to the Middle East in 2007 has seen his focus shift to how technology and media affect. As an American living in Dubai, his art work has progressed towards deeper conceptual themes. These include nationalism, globalism, and popular culture in the age of mass information, and often analyses the discrepancy in information between Western media and Middle Eastern media along with its effects on people.

Briefly, a few captions from some of these works:

Friendly Fire (2nd row, right): A small soldier sits on a rotating platform in a mirror box. His motion is nervous as he constantly spins trying to find a target while only aiming at himself.
The Difference Between Me and You (3rd row, right): Two TV screens face each other, one playing Fox News and the other Al Jazeera. In between them is a diffused piece of acrylic that takes the light from the two screens and mixes them together.
Pop Culture (bottom left): a gun that James Clar, an American, and Rami Farook, an Emirati, took to the desert, fired, and then cast in candy.

There are many more works with interesting captions here. It’s worth a look if you like the small sampling in this post.

James Clar will be exhibiting as a part of Art Futures at the Art HK11 in Hong Kong from May 26-29, 2011.

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Junk Mail Art

Next time you’re at the mailbox on the verge of throwing out all that junk mail, think again. Sandhi Schimmel Gold definitely does. Having studied mosaics overseas, Gold applied her knowledge to these works. By joining her disciplines of painting and mosaic with her belief in “utilizing resources that would otherwise go to waste” she has created this series of collages since 2006 which have been exhibited in shows with titles such as “Manipulated Mail” and “Recycled Art”.

Click images for more detailed view. See more at her site.

via aol news and illusion scene 360

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Colored Vinyl Comeback

Colored Vinyl RecordsAfter a little googling, I discovered that colored records go back to some of the first records ever issued. In fact, the first wax records were yellow; I remember being fascinated by one that my mother owned when I was a child. Later, some 78s that were printed in multicolor swirls or splashes such as this one from 1923.

In the past ten years or so we’ve witnessed a resurgence of vinyl records, many of these seen as collectibles and possibly a good way for a small band to get visibility. Whatever the reason, I, for one, am enjoying their comeback from a design standpoint. Some of these artistically abstract colored vinyl records, from Brain Stowell’s flickr stream, are quite beautiful. More here.

via Graphic Exchange

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Tiritas Malditas (Damned Band-Aids)

Damned Band-aidsDamned BandaidsIf you happen to be in Madrid and waiting for the light to change at a street corner, you might want to look up and check the closest traffic light for a Tirita Maldita (Damned Band-Aid). Popping up periodically around the Spanish capital are these, sometimes humorous/sometimes political, typed messages on band-aids; one could call them “band-aid tweets.” I like the concept, almost like having someone whisper in your ear at the light. And the thought of the artist inserting band-aids in an old typewriter to create these, well, it makes me smile.

I’ve translated them into English (in white type on the photos) for those who don’t speak Spanish. Click on the images to see larger.

More Tiritas Malditas (in Spanish) here.

via escrito en la pared

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Andy Warhol-Themed Objects

In honor of the recent unveiling of the Andy Monument in Union Square, NYC, (and of Em’s return home later this week) here are a selection of fun Andy Warhol themed objects. Oh, and you can sing along to Stereo Total’s Andy Warhol, (soundtrack here to some Andy footage) while perusing the items.

Row by row, from left to right:
Andy Warhol dress with synthetic hair by Jean Charles de Castelbajac; Andy Warhol 1960s Flower Plates; Tin Box Banana Sweets; Campbell Soup Can Shoes; Warhol Soup Can Magnets; Marilyn Gold Box with Chocolate Pearls; The Souper Paper Dress; Campbell Soup Lights; Lips Appetizer Set; Cow Box with Hazelnut Chocolates; Marilyn Mousepad
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Cube Works

Cube Works PortraitsCube Works Studio is a Toronto-based collaboration of graphic artists who aim to repurpose common objects into complex pieces of functional art…and, obviously, they are a group of master Rubik’s Cubers to boot! Their large-scale works include images of celebrity icons as well as recreations of Pop Art pieces and classic works. Though they are most known for their Rubik’s Cube tableaux (which are created by twisting the cube to the desired configuration, not by taking them apart, in case you wondered,) Cube Works also features art created with dice (see two at bottom left) and spools of thread (see two at bottom right.)

via Illusion