Tea Diver, designed by AbelPartners Design Studio, was inspired by the traditional Korean diver, Meoguri, who relies on a cable attached to an oxygen tank for air. Fun twist on the usual tea infuser.
Available here.
Alexandre Arrechea
“Orange Tree is a 20 foot steel sculpture created by Cuban born artist Alexandre Arrechea, with multi-limbed basketball hoop “branches” surrounded by scattered basketballs to mimic fallen fruit. Orange Tree shifts familiar structures to engage viewers’ perceptions of form and function, while raising questions about the role of street sports in urban culture.”
Orange Tree is on exhibit at the Bronx Museum through June 6, one of several reasons I’m thinking of checking out the museum soon.
You can see more of Arrechea’s very interesting and varied work at his site.
Mauricio Miranda: Plusvalía
Last month at VoltaNY, one of the most unique (and possibly disturbing) exhibits was that of Costa Rican artist Mauricio Miranda. The exhibit, Plusvalía (which means “added value”) consisted of: a video showing the artist’s back being tattooed with a grid of ten boxes; a photo of the final tattooed back; and ten, empty plexiglass boxes. In the part-performance-part-conceptual piece, Miranda sells fragments of his skin (10 pieces total) to collectors who wish to acquire them. As a buyer, one receives an empty box along with a contract between the artist and buyer, which stipulates that the fragments will not be released to the purchaser until the time of Miranda’s death. This being a statement about the art market over the past years and the lack of resources for emerging artists.
Miranda, writing about the artwork, includes the following: “The piece arises from an insistence on being able to generate resources to produce my work. I see my work as a gesture of participation in an informal economy. In this piece I sell fragments of myself as an action of speculation about the acquisition of works of art…. The container will ultimately house the fragment of my body. The project becomes a process of waiting for what I may be worth.”
Represented by: Galería Bickar. Top and bottom photos: Allan Sprecher
Tiger Love: Gio Gio
Tiger Love is an indie UK band that plays some fun synth pop and, apparently, has a thing for eggs.
via bldgwlf
Notebook Furniture
The Notebook Furniture System is a modular system of aggregable desks and cabinets for home or office. The holes evoke the image of a notebook, and are used to combine the individual elements via red rope. The system consists of various sized desks, as well as a bench for sitting or supporting cabinets. The holes can also support many specifically designed accessories such as lamps, partitions and screens, and all elements are freely combinable. Designed by Con3 Studio in Italy.
Slap Watches
It may have become apparent by now that the three of us have a weakness for watches…or maybe time pieces in general. It’s not that we own that many of them, but we just tend to notice and appreciate them possibly more than most. Recently, Daniela spotted one of these Slap watches on someone’s wrist and was immediately smitten.
The Slap watch is a silicone watch that implements the mechanism of the spring coil bracelet popular in the 90s. It comes in nine, mostly bright, colors with interchangeable faces, creating 81 possible color combinations. Plus, at under $20, it seems very reasonably priced.
You can learn more about them and visit their online shop, here.
Rubber Table
This whimsical rubber table, inspired, from legs to color, by the traditional plunger, is a Thomas Schnur design, a German industrial designer. Very fun!
Jess Collett: Fabulous Hats
As a nod to today’s Royal Wedding, here are some fabulous hats by Jess Collett, the London milliner who was initially to design the mother-of-the-bride’s hat, until, apparently, there was a change of dress plans last week, when the hat was no longer necessary. Nevertheless, these wooden hats by Collett, likely to be a departure from the unveiled royal-ish design, are really spectacular. Sculptural works of art!
365 Knitting Clock: The Nature of Time
The 365 Knitting Clock was designed by Siren Elise Wilhelmsen, a Norwegian designer based in Germany. She just graduated with a degree in Industrial Design in 2010 and has already won several awards for her creative work. Her aim is to “make design with personality and humour…” as well as offer a new kind of interaction between man and his surroundings.
“The 365 Knitting Clock was made to measure and register time in a three-dimensional form to visualize the otherwise invisible time factor that connects us all. Instead of showing time in numbers…the knitting clock aims the philosophical point of the ongoing process of time….Every passing half hour is marked by the knitting of a mesh, a full day is registered as one round around the clock and a year results in a 2-meter long scarf…The year that has past is this year’s scarf. And the coming year is the thread still unknitted.”
Wilhelmsen‘s humor is evident in the labeling of the yarn: “More Time”.
via Yatzer
Billiard Ball Wooden Pendant Lights
FKDL
Two summers ago, on a trip to Barcelona and Paris, we noticed several of these collages around the streets of both cities. Being a lover of collage, these FKDL (aka Franck Duval, a Parisian street artist) postings immediately appealed to me. Following up now on his work, I notice that he’s been adding more color to his paper cut-outs (à la Matisse) and QR codes as well. His work also reminds me a bit of Al Hansen’s Hershey collages.
Studio Toogood: Spade Chair
The Spade Chair, by London-based Studio Toogood, is made by hand using English sycamore. Its minimal silhouette is inspired by the three-legged milking stool and the handle of a gardening tool. The structural metal support is detailed in brass and left exposed to add to the design.
Handysoap
Handysoap…the name says it all.
From Me to You: Cinemagraphs
Busy day in Manhattan… but there’s always time for the paper.
Look closely… these cinemagraphs, by NYC photographer Jamie Beck, are amazing! Check out the rest on her tumblr: From Me to You.
via Coudal
Nooka Wall Clock
Having a daughter who was generously gifted a Nooka wristwatch, we know what a conversation piece they can be…even if not the quickest way to tell time. Now Nooka has designed a series of wall clocks that look great…that red one in the top photo is just beautiful! Nooka is asking for support to make these a reality. You can read more about the project and contribute here.
via Yanko Design
Concrete
There seem to be an awful lot of things cropping up made of concrete, lately. I’ve always found the seemingly cold material rather warm. Maybe it’s the urbanite in me.
Clockwise from top left corner:
Kix-Berlin Concrete USB stick
Concrete Corbu Chair by Stefan Swicky
Corner Rings and Seven Rings by 22design studio
Loose Tea Container on Etsy
Pendant lamp Trabant 1 + Trabant 2 by Joachim Manz
Spice Rub Set on Etsy
Lavazza Coffee Machine by Shmuel Linski
Concrete Necklace by Bergnerschmidt
Shadow Alphabet
This is just my sort of thing…finding images of type where they are not intended. This Shadow Alphabet is from freelance designer Ammanda Choo (see previous post on Thumbprint Faces). Having attempted a similar project, I know how difficult it is to find a ‘G’ or a ‘Q’.
CollabCubed 