Horny Hounds Rejoice. A Sex Doll For Dogs Hits The Market.

In April of 2007 I blogged about the 'HotDoll', a concept design of a sex doll for dogs from a design studio named Feel Addicted. And though the Hotdoll was plenty written about, it remains a design concept and prototype that has yet to come to market.


above: the concept design for Feel Addicted's Hotdoll



Seems a Brazilian company has beat them to it. The Doggie Lover Doll by Pet Smiling is actually available for purchase now to placate your randy canine.

the press release:
You may know or have probably heard about these dolls for men that are very popular in Sex Shops around the world. There are inflatable ones, full-body, silicone, as well as other models. So now the first doll for dogs has been launched in Brazil. That’s right, a doll for dogs to practice safe sex. The majority of non-neutered dogs spend a good chunk of time looking for something to hump. They try pillows, furry creatures, people’s legs and even other animals.

To put an end to this nonsense and improve the little ones' lives, the enterprise PetSmiling, headquartered in Miami, United States, and in São Paulo, Brazil, is bringing to the market the DoggieLoverDoll: a female canine manufactured in soft rubber with a silicone vagina and an easy to clean reservoir. The product also comes with a tube of water-based intimate lubricant, to increase the useful life of the doll.



This doll comes in three sizes: small, medium and large, to satisfy all existing races. “I had the idea to make this doll when my Maltese started to grab everybody’s legs. I did some research and couldn’t find anything like it, anywhere in the world. I decided to make it!”, reveals Marco Giroto, owner of the PetSmiling company, responsible for this worldwide novelty. This product is exclusive and has been patented in the major countries of the world where it will be sold. Soon after it was launched, PetSmiling already got orders from several countries, including the United States, Germany and Japan.

During the doll’s test period with a few canines, including the Maltese Flock (responsible for the idea), the pets showed a better quality of life based on less anxiety, less barking, and less territorial demarcation. In other words, the dogs live a better life, satisfying their repressed sexuality, in some cases for many years.

When a dog tries to hump legs, stuffed animals and other objects, he cannot reach an ejaculation. With the DoggieLoverDoll he can. Human beings have their hands to masturbate themselves, now the domestic animals, which have practically no contact with females in heat, can alleviate themselves with a toy designed specifically for them. Dogs have a great sexual appetite and this novelty, surely will better their lives.

Wanna buy it?

You can purchase The Doggie Lover Doll by contacting Pet Smiling here.

Contact or inquiries for wholesale:
+1 (305) 728-6404 in USA or via the e-mail petsmiling@petsmiling.com.

The Beauty Of Wisdom. Literally & Figuratively Captured By Andrew Zuckerman.

Inspired by the idea that one of the greatest gifts one generation can pass to another is the wisdom it has gained from experience, the wisdom project, produced with cooperation from Archbishop Desmond Tutu, seeks to create a record of a multicultural group of people who have all made their mark on the world.



Award-winning photographer Andrew Zuckerman's beautiful book contains stunning portraits of artists, politicians, peacemakers, actors and other well known figures dispensing pearls of wisdom and an accompanying 60 minute film comprised of each and every interview.



below are a few of my favorite spreads from the book:












And the book's back cover:


the book contains portraits of the following people (click to enlarge):


See more of Andrew Zuckerman's work here.

The book makes a lovely and inspiring gift or just about anyone.

Artist Decorated Brain Buckets Raise Money For Charity

This post has all the images of the artist decorated motorcycle helmets, a special Suzuki Hayabusa motorcycle decorated by Barry McGee and limited edition apparel created for the Celeritas Show and Auction at SURU gallery to raise funds for Riders For Health. The Press release from Pirelli, with all the information, is at the end of this post after the images.

The Gallery:

above: Celeritas at Suru (photo by John Shearer/WireImage.com)

The Helmets

Audrey Kawasaki:


Jesse James:


Alex Pardee:

And Alex with his helmet:

Joe Hahn:

James Jean:

Jim Lee:

Mark Dean Veca:

Jeff McMillan:


Futura:

Mike Shinoda:


Stash:

Troy Lee:

Usugrow:



The Suzuki Hayabusa

Barry McGee (aka Twist) decorated a special Suzuki Hayabusa for the show:





Damien (aka DRx.) Romanelli's leather outfit for the show:
"I worked in conjunction with Alpinestars whom provided me with technical motorcycle apparel as a canvas for our contribution to the show. Using an Alpinestars racing suit, gloves , boots and Mad Max as inspiration, I deconstructed and reinterpreted the motorcycle suit. Long time collaborator and good buddy Nathan Cabrera flipped the mannequin and helped me bring the creation to life."- DRx. Romanelli






The Pirelli press release:

Suru Presents Celeritas on Sunday, July 12, at the SURU Gallery in Los Angeles, California.

A display of fine art, inspired by passion’s urgency, themed through the medium of motorcycling, and realized on the objects of road racing culture (a motorcycle, helmets and apparel), opened to the public noon, Sunday, July 12, at the SURU Gallery in Los Angeles, California.


above left: the invite. above right: Event Co-hosts John Hensley and Joe Hahn (photo by John Shearer/WireImage.com)

The show, entitled Celeritas (Latin for Speed, like in accelerate.), features helmets, apparel, and a 2009 Suzuki Hayabusa, each painted by one of 14 trend-setting fine artist, helmet artist Troy Lee, musician/artist Joe Hahn, and welder/biker-cum-risk-taker Jesse James.


above: Mike Shinoda's limited edition T-shirts for the show

Limited edition Ts and other items related to the show will also be available for purchase. All, 100%, of the proceeds from the show’s sales will benefit the official charity of Moto GP, Riders for Health, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to funding the purchase and servicing of motorcycles for transportation of medical personnel to remote communities in Africa, that would otherwise be without medical care.

This show is conceived and curated by motorcyclist/actor John Hensley, known primarily for his role on the FX Channel’s award-winning series Nip/Tuck, and Linkin Park band member Joe Hahn, owner of the SURU Gallery. Pirelli Tire North America is a proud sponsor of this exciting cross-over exhibit of motorcycling and fine art, in concert with American Suzuki Motors, Oakley, Troy Lee, and Alpinestars.

Scott Griffin, VP of Pirelli Motorcycle Tire North America, said, “This sponsorship is a natural fit for Pirelli, a company defined by passion. We have a proud and long history of working with artists, actors, and photographers to create Pirelli’s world-famous calendars, videos and other works art. Applying this passion for the benefit of Riders for Health doubles the importance of this creative exhibit and we applaud John and Joe for this incredible accomplishment.”

Listed in no particular order, the artists participating in this exhibit are: Alex Pardee, Jeff McMillan, Stash, Barry McGee (aka Twist and the artist painting the Hayabusa, who is also featured on the cover of the latest issue (#14) of Swindle magazine), Futura, Mark Dean Veca, Usugrow, Joe Hahn, Jim Lee, Jesse James, Troy Lee, James Jean, Audrey Kawasaki, Darren Romanelli, aka DRx, Nathan Cabrera, Mike Shinoda, Estevan Oriol.

Estevan Oriol has released an original exclusive giclee print for the show. It is a limited edition of 50 and all are numbered and signed by Estevan Oriol:


The show opened to the public Sunday, July 12, at noon, and will run through August 16. Pirelli Tire encourages those interested to be certain to plan an early visit to the show, because the window for viewing of these works of art in this venue closes after 30 days. Artwork, and limited-edition clothing designed for the show, will be available for purchase for the duration of the exhibit, or for as long as supplies last.

The SURU gallery is located at 7662 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles, California

Huge thanks to Elizabeth Kim for her flickr photos of the show. And thanks to Hypebeast, Motorcycle USA , DRx. Romanelli and of course, SURU gallery, Los Angeles.

See photos from the event and many artists with their helmets here

Riders For Health

Shu Uemura Lashes Out Again: The 2009 Tokyo Lash Bar

Last year I shared with you the beautiful collection of false eyelashes from Shu Uemura's 2008 Tokyo Lash Bar that included some very creative designs by Viktor & Rolf.


above: Viktor & Rolf lashes for Shu Uemura's 2008 Tokyo Lash Bar

Well, this year's 2009 Tokyo Lash bar has styles inspired by nature and designed by Shu Uemura's own atelier of world renowed international and national artistic directors and make up artists.

The dynamic meeting of minds, personalities, geographic locations and aesthetic approaches of Shu Uemura makeup masters Gina Brooke, Kakuyasu Uchiide, Yuji Asano and Mina Matsumura resulted in nine wearable (4 premium and 5 non premium) masterpieces.

Infused with inspiration from flowers, forests, oceans and the sky, all lashes are a perfect balance of nature, science and art. With a lash for every eye, Lashes in Nature offers bold, charming, delicate, dramatic and cheeky options in the forms extravagant premium, decorative statement and everyday accent lashes.



Below are the four styles in the 'Premium' collection:

GOLDGLAM LEAF

by KAKUYASU UCHIIDE, INTERNATIONAL ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

These glimmering lashes made from real skeleton leaves are drenched in glimmering gold. Transparent crystals sit atop this hand-crafted piece of art for a glistening, captivating look.


MARINE TIDE

by YUJI ASANO, INTERNATIONAL CHIEF MAKE-UP ARTIST

The unique curl design of this lash echoes the undulating roll of the ocean's tidal cycle. This striking lash also references Mr. Uemura's iconic "umbrella" eyelash. It is weaved with multiple shades of blue, from sea and sky blue to deep turquoise, accented with a sprinkling of white foam.


SNOW TWIST

by MINA MATSUMURA, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR, EUROPE

Each lash is made from thin, milky white wires. Frosted pink teardrop crystals enhance the lower lash.


FLEUR-EVER

by GINA BROOKE, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR, united states

This lash design emulates the tail of a bird whose exotic purple plumage is accented with white flecking. Petal-like forms hide inside the lashes, bringing to mind a bouquet of sweet peonies. Perfect for any extravagant or fanciful look.


The other five styles available are not considered "premium ", but they certainly are fun and cost approximately $29.00 USD each:

Buy any of Shu Uemura's new lash collection here.

all images courtesy of Shu Uemura

Hookahs, Diapers and Smart Cars; The Ed Hardy Empire Continues To Expand

above: hookahs, Smart Cars and Diapers are among the Ed Hardy branded products



Think you're sick of Ed Hardy? Well, you ain't seen nothin' yet.

First off, let me clarify a few things since some people seem to be confused as to who "Ed Hardy" actually is. Ed Hardy Vintage Tattoo Wear is not a who, but a company that was begun in 2004 when savvy businessman, international entrepreneur and designer Christian Audigier, who had previously been the head designer at Von Dutch Originals, licensed the work of artist Don Ed Hardy, known to some as The Godfather Of Tattoo.

With multiple stores in 11 states nationwide and 16 countries worldwide, Ed Hardy has become more than a brand, it's an empire. Hard to believe that Ed Hardy is only one of the many brands owned by Christian Audigier.


above left: Christian Audigier. above right: Tattoo artist Don Ed Hardy

Not that this collaboration has been without its problems; the Associated Press reported this past February that Don Ed Hardy had filed a $100 million lawsuit against Christian Audigier over the continued use of his name and artwork to endorse a line of products when Hardy had terminated the contract between them.

In May 2009, Iconix Brand Group, Inc. announced that the Company has acquired a 50% interest in Hardy Way, LLC, the owner of the Ed Hardy brand and trademarks. The Company paid $17 million for its interest in Hardy Way, consisting of $9 million in cash and $8 million in stock. In addition, the sellers could be entitled to receive an additional $1 million in stock pursuant to an earn-out based on 2009 royalties received by Hardy Way. Hardy Way estimates that 2009 royalty revenue will be approximately $10 million. (source: reuters)



Financial details aside, the brand most commonly referred to as Ed Hardy by Christian Audigier has continued to permeate, if not saturate, the market. How exactly has Audigier done that? By building a large celebrity customer base, capitalizing on a big trend early on (tattoos), having the good taste to purchase the right art (don ed hardy's), being a constant presence in the public spotlight, and licensing his images to and on just about anything and everything.


above: just a small sample of some of the Ed Hardy product collections

When it comes to marketing, there are no limits to his celebrity reach and he's entwined in all the timely drama. Mr. Audigier has asked Jon, of the controversial Jon and Kate debacle, to design more children's products for him. And it was Christian Audigier's hats and tees that were the official merchandise for what was to be Michael Jackson's This Is It 2009 concert tour, being that Michael and Christian were apparently dear friends for many years.


above: the Michael Jackson 2009 This is It Tour official trucker hat is an Ed Hardy design.

As a matter of fact, Mr. Audigier seems to have spared no efforts in making certain the public knows of his close relationship with the King Of Pop. On the Ed Hardy site's homepage at present is his interview on The Insider of which a screen grab is shown below.



The Ed Hardy Official Myspace page has a tribute to Michael and he's taken out a billboard in Los Angeles bearing his own likeness with Michael's bidding him a fond farewell:



But I digress.
If you are at all fashion savvy, you probably think you know most of the Ed Hardy products out there. Sure, you are aware of the fashions; the jackets, the trucker hats, the handbags, the jeans, the bathing suits, scarves, shoes, swimwear, knitwear, men's wear, cashmere, leathers, fragrances, candles, watches bling kits for mobile phones and computers and jewelry. Some of that is to be expected when you are a big fashion brand.


above: as any trendy brand should do, Ed Hardy offers bling kits for mobile phones, laptops and ipods

above: men's loungwear from Ed Hardy

above: underwear, eyeglasses, belts, briefs, bracelets, barware, bandanas, ties and more are among the 2009 items from Ed Hardy

You are probably not surprised that there are Ed Hardy branded mobile phone covers, cases, stickers and computer accessories like mice, flash drives, laptop skins and decals.


above: just a few of the Ed Hardy computer accessories

And if you read the blogs and design sites, you probably have been exposed to the Ed Hardy vodka, the wines, the coffee, the beer and the water. Perhaps even the guitar picks, the motorcycle helmets, beach towels, flip flops, the lighters, the air fresheners, and the bedding.


above: Ed Hardy has a large and expanding watch collection as well.

But I bet most of you don't know that there are Ed Hardy branded diapers, breathing strips, air mattresses, camping gear, baby bottles, car cleaning products, shower curtains, first aid kits, candy, snacks, barware, hookahs and nicotine patches! And yes, an Ed Hardy Smart Car.


above: Breathe Well nasal strips from Ed Hardy


above: Ed Hardy branded tanning lotions and sprays are available

I'm not going to show you the abundance of fashions, just less common or unexpected products. Some are directly available from the online Ed Hardy shop and others are either available for purchase elsewhere or to license.

So, fasten your Ed Hardy seatbelts (yes, they make them) and get a load of these which represent only about 1/4th of the available Ed Hardy branded products out there.
And no, the following products are not photo-shopped. All images courtesy of the Hardy Way, Hardy lives and Ed Hardy Vintage Tattoo Wear.

Ed Hardy Smart Cars: Smart by Christian Audigier and Project Tattoo is a limited number of specially outfitted hand built Smart Cars in either black or white.






Ed Hardy Smart Car order info here.

For Camping from sleeping bags and air matresses to coolers, flashlights and folding chairs:








The new line Ed Hardy Snow has both skiwear and snowboards




Ed Hardy Helmets and gear include helmets for scooters, roadsters, off road and cruisers:


For personal health, they even have nasal strips, nicotine patches, band aids and hand sanitizer!





Not for personal health are his hookahs and lighters:




For the home is everything from bed sheets to incense, air fresheners to shower curtains.






For Baby there are sippy cups and baby bottles, pacifiers and even diapers!





And yes, Toys:


Ed Hardy edibles include a line of candy, snacks to come soon and energy drinks.





Disposables such as plastic utensils, champagne glasses, airfresh bags and even sponges!




There are many more disposable items like tissues and tablecloths, too.

For the car is everything from cleaning products to seat covers, floor mats, cd organizers and more:






Like I said, I didn't include all of items because I simply don't have the room. But I assure you there are more. Many more.

Shop for many Ed Hardy products here

I know, I know, most of us are all Ed Hardy'd-out but let me tell you, Christian Audigier is laughing all the way to the bank, and it's probably an Ed Hardy branded Bank.

Meisel's McMenamy For Italia Vogue

A legend shoots a legend.
Photographer Steven Meisel, whose been shooting for Vogue Italia and American Vogue for decades, shot now 42 year old model Kristen McMenamy, who was an uber supermodel in the late 80s and early 90s, for an editorial in the 2009 July issue of Italia Vogue. The results are amazing.

First, take a look at Steven's photo of Kristen for the cover of Vogue Italia from her heyday in 1992:

and for the cover of this July's Italia Vogue:


Vogue even put together this nicely edited video (called a photostory) of the photos for their site with the help of Dodicitrena.



For some reason this online photostory did not include all the shots... I can only assume that's because some are NSFW (that means "not safe for work" for you non internet-literate folks). But following are ALL scanned images from the entire editorial, NSFW or not.

Please note that the following images are NOT in the actual order of the editorial because I used some close ups and needed to make them fit. (and yes, you can click on each to enlarge).


















About Steven Meisel (courtesy of art + commerce):


Steven Meisel is fashion's pre-eminent image-maker — prolific and innovative — visualizing the trends of every fashion season since the 1980s. Along with his ability to cast the faces and characters that come to represent the look of fashion, Meisel has a prodigious talent for scripting story lines that reference and reflect culture. For well over a decade, he has created every cover and lead editorial story for each issue of Italian Vogue. There may be no other photographer-magazine relationship in any other field of such long-lasting commitment and innovation.

Like all truly great image-makers in fashion's pantheon, Meisel not only depicts fashion, he defines it, and gives it cultural resonance. His influences and inspirations are varied, culled from design, architecture, art, cinema, and literature. Meisel has also portrayed our leading actresses and entertainers, defining the relationships between celebrity and fashion in the process. Most notably, Meisel collaborated with Madonna to create their notorious book Sex (1992).

As the primary photographer for American and Italian Vogue, Steven Meisel's continued interpretations lead and influence our understanding of contemporary fashion. Each season, he has also created some of fashion's most memorable campaigns for Prada, Dolce & Gabbana, Valentino, Mulberry, Lanvin, and Versace.
all images courtesy of Vogue Italia

You can buy Steven's most famous book, Sex, or other books to which he contributed by clicking on the button in the ad below:


Steven Meisel Photo Books


This is not the first time I've blogged about Steven's work for Italia Vogue, be sure to see the post on his Patterns editorial and the puzzle here.

Three Newly Released Krazy Kicks From Puma, Adidas and Lacoste

Kicks, sneakers, tennis shoes, athletic shoes, whatever you choose to call them, are becoming more like artist canvases than ever these days. These three new releases are good examples of the variation in styles, colors and materials that designers are using to create wearable but wild shoes.

Top: the limited edition Puma Mecha Shoe resembles a toy robot. Already sold out, they expect a second round soon.

Middle: The ADIDAS AZX ZX700Y is a result of a competition. This winning shoe features silhouettes of landmark architecture from across the globe against a pure white premium leather upper.

Bottom: the new Dot Fade Pack from Lacoste uses small dots of color to fade from one to another and comes in several variations, including a black and white one for those who prefer a bit of subtlety.

Wanna buy them? click on the shoes above for more information and where to purchase

Nike's Air Max 1, from Max to Maxim And Nalden's Nike IAM1 Journey

It has been over 20 years since Nike introduced the Air Max 1, a shoe that revolutionized the industry (at least according to Nike). And in celebration of the shoe and it's newest incarnation, The Air Maxim, there have been some interesting multi-media pieces chronicling the story and history of the shoe.

First off, here's the original Nike Air Max 1 in store ad poster, courtesy of Nike:



From Max to Maxim by Nike:


The Air Maxim by Nike:


The Nike IAM1 Journey is a documented series by blogger Nalden. The following text and videos are courtesy of the blogger.



In his own words:

We all can only look back and wonder how the Air Max 1 became bigger than life. To solve this question I went nitpicking in Nike’s history and jumped into the world of shoes, design and sophisticated media strategies to unveil the secret of the Air Max 1.

My journey starts back in 1987, when Tinker Hatfield’s mental product saw the light of day, and ends with the future of the new Air Maxim. Unraveling the secret of the Air Max 1, I got Nike’s full support.

For my research I got the chance to speak with several legends and designers.

#1:


#2


Any city can fire the imagination. Discover Europe's five most creative hotspots through the eyes of their native revolutionaries. Discover Amsterdam through the eyes of blogger/entrepreneur extraordinaire; NALDEN.

Visiting Amsterdam hotspots and related people of the MiNiBar, Momkai, La Melodia (who made the Soundtrack) and HOTEL who designed the Amsterdam map you can download at nike.com/sportswear

#3:

The above stop motion tilt shift video of Amsterdam was Directed by Sartoria for Nike Sportswear


Read more about The Air Max 1 journey on nalden.net

The new Nike Air Maxim.

above: The New Nike Air Maxim (image courtesy of SneakerFreaker)
Read more about it here.

Kid Kustoms' Tins For Tots : Artists Trick Out Fenders For The Roddler For Charity

above: some of the custom painted fenders for the Kid Kustom's Roddler (shown below)



You may have read, or seen, in some gadget and design blogs, Kid Kustoms' very hip Roddler, a trike stroller with fifties-style fenders and embellishments. Or their new Trike conversion kit, The Enzo Trike, available with optional detachable "Buddy Wagon". They are great looking, very pricey custom strollers for design-centric or uber fashionable parents.






But in addition to the already eye-stopping looks of the Roddler or their new conversion kit, they, along with PPG industries and Wheaty Wheat Studios , invited over 50 artists to custom paint the Roddler fenders for a charity auction called Tins For Tots.




They invited the world’s best hot rod pin stripers, street artists, illustrators, air brushers, graphic designers, and cartoonists to compete in one of 3 categories to generate awareness and resources for charitable organizations.

The auction has yet to take place but many of the submissions have already come in.

Here are some of the fenders thus far (please click on each image to enlarge).

Sean Barton:

April Edwards:

Cat:

Daze World:

Peskimo:

Mega & Romeo:

Kryot:

Danny Casroc:

Roger Andrews:

Brent Nolasco:


Frolab:


above images courtesy of Kid Kustoms and Vinyl Abuse



Participation was by invitation only. Each artist was provided a set of fenders. While interchangeable on any of the Kid Kustoms Roddler strollers, the finished products are to be displayed in prominent galleries worldwide, and auctioned off on a custom mounted frame with a signed letter of authenticity. The Auction date has yet to be determined.

Upon submission of their works, D.A.W.S (Dads Against Wack Strollers) subscribers and readers from the esteemed magazines providing event coverage vote to determine the favored artists in each category.

The proceeds from all sales are donated to the artists’ choice of one of the five participating charitable foundations; One is Greater than None, UNICEF, Sacred Circle, Action Against Hunger and Conservation International.


The only stipulation for the contest is fenders must be painted in the Kid Kustoms color palate, which consists of 9 offerings from the PPG Vibrance collection that are exclusive to the Roddler.

You can subscribe to D.A.W.S. by sending an e-mail to DAWS@KidKustoms.com
Contact jamie@kidkustoms.com to participate in next years event



"We are motivated by our desire to make inspired, inventive, and incredibly functional products. Our brand transcends the traditional bounds of the juvenile consumer market and has received critical acclaim by the most discerning figures in fashion, technology, and automotive industries. It is the essence of employing the art of science. Through stellar design, an innovative approach and the integrity of our product and demeanour; we are proud to be the face of the revolution in Juvenile Products. Long live tins and fins."
-Joe Iacono and Jamie Coblenz of Kid Kustoms

Joe Iacono, Kid Kustoms and Iacono Design
Jamie Coblentz, Kid Kustoms and Pinstripe Prep


See the Roddler and Enzo trike Conversion kit at Kid Kustoms.

Limited Edition Contemporary Artists' Work Upon Which To Rest Your Head. Or Butt.

Click for art is a site that carries works from contemporary artists that are available as limited edition floor cushions or throw pillows. They only print 250 of each design and each arrives with a certificate of authenticity.



The cushions are available as 40 cm x 40cm throw pillows or a 100cm x 100cm floor cushions. Their stock is always changing but at the moment they carry one of my favorite artists, Tara McPherson, whose 4 available designs are shown above.

In addition to her work, they carry art from artists like Jules, Mizzo, Poked Studio, Alberto Cerrentiño, Vault 49, sockmonkee, Candybird, Caramelaw, and several more. Below are a few of my favorites:





In addition to each of the above 40cm x40cm limited edition cushion, they carry many more. Plus you can get the same art as prints or as boxed canvases.



Shop their cushions and more here.

Tease Trailer Just Released! Tim Burton's Alice In Wonderland

Last week when I first posted this, Disney had removed this trailer from all possible video sites, including IGN and trailer addict, who first leaked it. But now it's back! A little shorter, but take a look before it's removed again:




And here are some screen grabs for you:




Plus new images (please click to enlarge)





From Walt Disney Pictures and visionary director Tim Burton comes an epic 3D fantasy adventure ALICE IN WONDERLAND, a magical and imaginative twist on some of the most beloved stories of all time. JOHNNY DEPP stars as the Mad Hatter and MIA WASIKOWSKA as 19-year-old Alice, who returns to the whimsical world she first encountered as a young girl, reuniting with her childhood friends: the White Rabbit, Tweedledee and Tweedledum, the Dormouse, the Caterpillar, the Cheshire Cat, and of course, the Mad Hatter. Alice embarks on a fantastical journey to find her true destiny and end the Red Queen’s reign of terror. The all-star cast also includes ANNE HATHAWAY, HELENA BONHAM CARTER and CRISPIN GLOVER.

ALICE IN WONDERLAND is an epic 3D fantasy adventure starring JOHNNY DEPP as the Mad Hatter and MIA WASIKOWSKA as 19-year-old Alice, who returns to the whimsical world she first encountered as a young girl, reuniting with her childhood friends: the White Rabbit, Tweedledee and Tweedledum, the Dormouse, the Caterpillar, the Cheshire Cat, and of course, the Mad Hatter.

Capturing the wonder of Lewis Carroll’s beloved “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” (1865) and “Through the Looking-Glass” (1871) with stunning, avant-garde visuals and the most charismatic characters in literary history, ALICE IN WONDERLAND comes to the big screen in Disney Digital 3D™ on March 5, 2010.

Stunning New Diagonal Sheet Water Faucet & Washbasin

Designers Bruno Sacco and Reinhard Zetsche have added yet another beautiful water fitting design to the Hansa product line.



The Latrava is a unique water faucet (or water fitting as it's known in some other countries) that expels the water in a diagonal sheet and is operated by a sleek small panel at the base which uses light emitting diodes to show you the water temperature.



the press release reads:
The asymmetry of HANSALATRAVA is no visual gimmick: it follows an internal logic which continues in the water jet. The mixer issues a strict command to the water to take a precisely constructed shape that has never been seen before: a diagonal sheet. This is welcomed by a washbasin which has been especially made for HANSALATRAVA.



Complementing its geometry, and made from innovative materials, the 90 cm wide MINACOR washbasin is the perfect counterpart to the mixer, both in its shape and its material.



HANSALATRAVA brings the Hansa philosophy of “Experiencing water” to a head: not only does the adapted form of the fitting represent a new archetype but also the design of the water which leaves the fitting in an innovative, precisely-designed diagonal laminar jet. The extremely fine and extensive water curtain is achieved with the aid of a specially-developed jet former and complex water guidance. It is not the water volume which achieves this spectacular effect so much as the route taken by the water, whereby consumption remains at a low level.

The HANSALATRAVA Faucet (fitting):



HANSALATRAVA is operated via a small panel, which is integrated into the form and shows the configured water temperature using coloured light-emitting diodes:



The new faucet is a perfect compliment to the Hansa Minacor washbasin:



The HANSALATRAVA MINACOR washbasin:





The designers:

Bruno Sacco is a legend in automobile design. He gained his experience with the great “Carrozzeris” Ghia and Pininfarina before commencing work with Daimler-Benz in Sindelfingen near Stuttgart in 1958. After several appointments in diverse positions with Daimler-Benz, he became their Head Designer in 1975 and ultimately, in 1987, the Director of the Design Department. Following his retirement in 1999 he rejected numerous offers from various car manufacturers, deciding never to design automobiles again. Good for Hansa because in 2001 the company was able to secure him as a design consultant. This led to a collaboration with Reinhard Zetsche and to the earlier design successes Hansamurano (2003) and Hansacanyon (2005).


Hansa

Make Your Modern Classic Chairs A Little More Comfy With Parkhaus Pads

As a project, Parkhaus of Germany, known for their wool products, created over 80 seat pads for 100 classic modern chair designs from Eames to Alto.



Whether it was as unusual a shape as the Sori Yanagi's 1954 Butterfly stool or as simple a chair as the Emeco Navy aluminum chair, they created upholstered 100% wool non-glide pads for them. They named the project SUIT FOR 100 CLASSICS.


above: the Sori Yanagi butterfly stool with Parkhaus pad.


above: Emeco's Navy chair by Philipe Starck with Parkhaus pad

During the last 12 months since the first launch of their SUIT FOR 100 CLASSICS, Parkhaus developed over 80 seat pads for classic chairs that you can purchase in either one of two versions—a 5 mm wool felt pad or a 16 mm layered pad (3 mm wool felt sandwiched around a 10 mm foam inlet) for extra cushioning.

Surprisingly, the pads don't detract too much for the lines of these beautiful chairs. It may seem as though it's a shame to alter some of these classic designs, but the Parkhaus pads stay true to the shape and form of the original chairs, maintaining their design appeal, while adding a bit of comfort. With one stand-out exception. The wool suit for Pastoe wire chair by Cees Braakmann is quite unusual and unlike the rest of the collection:


above: the anomaly; the woven wool suit for the Pastoe Wire chair

You can find a range of models in brand new designs as well as seat pads for timeless vintage chairs of the last century. In cooperation with different design offices they expect to have the entire collection from SUIT FOR 100 CLASSICS on the market within the next year.


above: Philippe Starck's Ghost chair with Parkhaus pad.

In addition to protecting the chairs from scratches and wear, they offer comfort for chairs that aren't always so cozy, like the Bertoia wire chairs or the sometimes slippery Arne Jacobsen 7 chair, shown below with Parkhaus pads:


All the Chair Suits available for order as of now:











Available colors for the wool suits and pads:



Contact & order information:
Parkhaus Showroom
Schroederstrasse 13
10115 Berlin - Germany
phone +49 30 44012460
fax +49 30 44012461
info@parkhausberlin.de


Be sure to see more Parkhaus products as well as other fabulous felt products from several designers like MP Industries and IlluStration here.

Cecil Beaton Sketches Become Fabrics (& Wallpaper)

Legendary photographer, costume designer and artist, Cecil Beaton has had some of his wonderful drawings immortalized in a new fabric and wallpaper collection from Beaudesert of London.



Launched at this year's upcoming London Design Festival in September will be a collection of silk, linen and cotton fabrics and wallpapers based on the sketches of Cecil Beaton; one from the Ascher Studio archives and the rest from The National Portrait Gallery printed by Beaudesert of London.


Combining 20 years experience in interiors at the highest level with a Cambridge art historical background, Beaudesert director Andrew Ginger has also acted as editor for the house collection of archive document hand prints for the last 10 years. It is his passion for the work of Sir Cecil Beaton which has driven this first collection from the unique Ascher Studio archive.



The ‘Sketchbook’ collection takes Beaton’s fashion drawings largely inspired by his 1954 book ‘The Glass of Fashion’ (shown above) and reinvents them as fabric and wallpaper. This award-winning* collection features his art deco women, sketches of 1929 beauties, fashionable hats, whimsical sailors, his cross check pattern and a surrealist interpretation of Garbo's Eye, with whom he had an affair. (*'Beaton Beauties' Winner, Best of the Best Awards, Best New Fabric Print 2008, Living Etc / Focus 2008)

As of right now, the fabric and wallpaper collection consists of the following patterns and colors.

BEATON BEAUTIES (in red, grey or pink silk):

detail:


BEATON 1929 (available as graphite, taupe, lavender and soft violet):



BEATON SAILORS (in blue or pink cotton):


CRISS CROSS CHECK (for which I only have a black linen example):


UPDATE: GARBO'S EYE & HATS FABRIC is now here!

GARBO'S EYES:


Below is Beaton's sketch of Greta Garbo's "eyes" :


HATS:


Below is one of Beaton's hat sketches for Vivien Leigh in Anna Karenina:


These wallpapers and fabrics are available exclusively in Los Angeles at the Suzan Fellman Showroom (yes, the same woman whose crystal animal horns I blogged about the other day).

Sir Cecil Beaton (1904-1980)

above: Sir Cecil Beaton with his costume sketch for Audrey Hepburn in My Fair Lady

Beaton launched his career as a ‘society’ photographer in 1926 with an exhibition in London which won him an immediate contract with Vogue, where he worked for the next thirty years. His style was inspired by figures such as E.O. Hoppe, Edward Steichen and Baron de Meyer, the most successful magazine photographers of the 1910's and 1920's. Beaton’s fascination with glamour and high society prevailed throughout his life and in 1937 he became court photographer to the British Royal Family. He also became a successful stage and costume designer, most notably for 'My Fair Lady' and 'Gigi'.

Some more examples of his costume designs and drawings:

above: costume sketch for Audrey Hepburn in My Fair Lady

above: Another costume sketch for Audrey Hepburn

above: An archival drawing of his

above: his costume sketch and the final result for Leslie Caron in Gigi

Some examples of his photography:

above: Cecil Beaton, silver gelatin print, Self portrait

above: Cecil Beaton, portrait of Miss Nancy Beaton as a Shooting Star, 1929

above: Vogue, June 1948, Women in Charles James Dresses, Photograph by Cecil Beaton (British, 1904-1980), Courtesy of the Cecil Beaton Studio Archive at Sotheby's


above: Audrey posing for Sir Cecil Beaton in 1943


or purchase the collection exclusively in Los Angeles at the Suzan Fellman Showroom

Buy Cecil Beaton Books, Photos and Movies From Amazon

Kobe Bryant & Nubeo's Luxury Watches Are A Slam Dunk.

The Black Mamba is a result of Swiss luxury watch manufacturer Nubeo's partnership with world renowned basketball marvel Kobe Bryant.(Kobe is honored with the nickname Black Mamba for his unmatched ability to conquer the opponent with a quick and deadly precision that is beautiful to behold).



The Black Mamba watch was unveiled this past March at BASELWORLD and there are three different models; the Black Mamba, The MVP (available with black or whisky colored genuine sapphires on the inner flange) and The Ultimate (available with black or whisky colored genuine sapphires on both the inner flange and outer bezel). There are photos of all of the models later in the post.


above: the highest price Black Mamba Ultimate with whisky colored sapphires sells for $285k

The prices start at $25,000.00 for the original model - which is limited to 810 pieces- and go up to $285,000.00 for the Ultimate with whisky colored sapphires.


The Black Mamba:


above: specs for $25k Black Mamba

above: the backside of The Black Mamba

Rubber, Grade 5 Titanium, and Ceramic are the primary materials used in manufacturing the Black Mamba, which claims to have the most complicated case ever built. One-hundred and thirty-one components were used to manufacture the case, excluding movement, dial and bracelet.



Below is the list of components used in manufacturing the Black Mamba.

* Ceramic Case - 2 Components
* The Bezel - 37 Components
* Titanium Inner case - 38 Components
* Crown - 14 Components
* Push Buttons - 24 Components
* Bracelet Fixation - 16 Components

The Models:


The Black Mamba (original):



The MVP Black Mamba
With an inner flange filled with both black and whisky colored sapphires:


With an inner flange filled with only black colored sapphires:



The Ultimate Black Mamba:
With a bezel and inner flange full of whisky colored sapphires:

Or black sapphires in the bezel and inner flange:



To learn more about Nubeo watches go here.

Lots of other watch posts!
I've written about many luxury and usual watches, please use the searchbox at the top of this blog to locate many other posts about watches and horology.

Typeface by Toyota. The iQ font Designed By A Moving Car.

Belgian ad agency, Happiness Brussels, wanted to come up with a unique promotion for the new compact Toyota for Europe, the iQ.


above: the Toyota iQ

They came up with the clever idea to have a car-created font.

The agency hired two typographers, Pierre & Damien from Please Let Me Design and a pro race pilot (Stef van Campenhoudt) to pull this undertaking off. The car movements were tracked using a custom software, designed by interactive artist Zachary Lieberman. ( openframeworks.cc )


above: Stef, Damien and Pierre

They created a program to track the motion of the car's skid; the designers told the driver exactly what sort of skids they would need to create strokes from which they could build an entire font.








The result:

Download the font here


See more shots from The Making Of The Toyota IQ Font set on flickr here.

Special thanks to Pleaseletmedesign and Happiness Brussels for the images and video.

Swarovski Encrusted Animal Skulls By 2 Different Artists; Peter Pracilio & Suzan Fellman

Note: I want to clarify that these amazing pieces are two completely different artists, working separately, because there has been some confusion due to the original title of the post.

Designer and artist Peter Pracilio (the same guy who designed the world's coolest dog crate, the eiCrate, which I love but cannot bring myself to pay for) has created a series of Swarovski crystal studded animal skulls for one of Brooklyn's hippest Art and Design shops, “The Future Perfect”



Given the present state of the economy, The Future Perfect arranged an art show filled with limited edition work, and named it fittingly, “F@$k the Economy”

For the show, Peter released three one of a kind pieces inspired by Swarovski Crystal and the bigger picture of the hunt we are all on (his words, not mine).

Below are the three pieces for that particular show. All have since been sold.

Work 1 (SOLD):


above: New Zealand Fallow Deer (Dama dama) encrusted in Crystal Clear Swarovski crystal
dimensions: 24" Overall Height 20" Antler Width, Wall Mounted

Work 2 (SOLD):



above: New Zealand Ram (Ovis aries) encrusted in Jet Black Swarovski Crystal
dimensions: 20” Wide 12” Tall, Tabletop

Work 3 (SOLD):


above: South African Kirk's Dik-dik (Madoqua kirkii) encrusted in Light Siam Swarovski Crystal
dimensions: 10" Tall 3.25" Wide, Wall Mount

In addition to the above three for The Future Perfect show, he has created a new work for a new client, Secret Society. This addition to his series " Swarovski Crystal Safari" is covered in over 13,000 crystals. Encrusted in Black Diamond and Jet Black flatback stones, this one of a kind African Blesbok made its debut in Oslo Norway in the Secret Society during Oslo's Fashion Week.




And below is his most recent addition to the Crystal Safari:



above: South African Duiker [2009]
Antelope skull and Dark Indigo Swarovski Crystals
dimensions: 11" L x 3.5" W

The South African Duiker is a medium-sized antelope from the subfamilt Cephalophinae native to Sub-Saharan Africa.

check out more of Peter's work at his site here.


Suzan Fellman:
Another artist who has used Swarovski Crystals to embellish animal skulls is Suzan Fellmen:



A former set designer , she chose to embellish the antlers in lieu of the skull with Swarovski crystals. Elegant removable custom iron mount included.




Because each piece is naturally one-of-a-kind, measurements are approximate: 24"-30" high and 16"-24" wide. Weight: 9-13 lbs. Available from her directly.

See Peter Pracilio's $11,000.00 gold-plated version of his modern dog crate here.

Nike X LIVESTRONG Stages & The Art Bikes by KAWS, Fairey, Newson, Scharf, Nara & Hirst

Now updated to include Damien Hirsts's bike!



Stages is a united effort between Lance Armstrong and Nike in which they asked over 20 global artists to help raise funds for cancer awareness by using their creativity to express the LIVESTRONG message.



The "Stages" exhbition will debut in Paris on July 17th during the Tour de France at Galerie Emmanuel Perrotin and run through August 8th.


above: one of the rooms of the Stages exhibit at Galerie Emmanuel Perrotin

The exhibition will then travel to New York City for an October showing before moving to Los Angeles.


(click on the above image to enlarge)

Participating artists : Richard Prince, Ed Ruscha, Andrea Gursky, Cai GuoQiang, Yoshitomo Nara, Christopher Wool, Jules de Balincourt, Tom Sachs, Shepard Fairey, Dzine, Eric White, Geoff McFetridge, Kaws, José Parla, Raymond Pettibon, Kenny Scharf, Rosson Crow, Aaron Young, Lari Pittman, Kenny Scharf, Catherine Opie

All profits from these sales will go directly to the Lance Armstrong Foundation to further their efforts to defeat cancer through research, outreach, and legislation.



You can see images of all the art pieces in the show here.


THE ART BIKES FOR LANCE ARMSTRONG


In addition to the pieces in the art show, several of today's hottest artists decorated Trek bikes for Lance to ride in several of his 2009 races, including in several legs of the Tour de France. The bikes made especially for this occasion that Lance will actually be riding were designed (well... more like decorated) by the following artists: Kaws, Shepard Fairey, Marc Newson, Kenny Scharf, Yoshitomo Nara and Damien Hirst.

Trek Madone Bike design by KAWS:




Trek Madone Bike Design by Shepard Fairey:




And of course a matching Shepard Fairey decorated Giro helmet:

Trek Speed Concept Bike design by Marc Newson:



Trek equinox TTX Bike Design by Kenny Scharf:



Trek Speed Concept Bike design by Yoshitomo Nara:



The text on the top tube of the Nara bike reads, "Never forget your beginner's spirit!"

above photo: Zack Vestal

Trek Madone bike design by Damien Hirst




above: the Hirst design for the final day of the 2009 Tour de France.

all photos courtesy of Trek bikes and LAMJC

As an added bonus all of Lance’s 2009 art bikes will be auctioned off by SOTHEBY’S on October 2nd at the VIP gala opening reception for “Stages” at the Park Avenue Armory with all proceeds going to benefit LIVESTRONG.

Another Round Of Look What I Found! Weird & Wonderful Web Finds.

A bunch of cool finds and links to buy or to learn more about each.

ARCHITECTURE
This very cool residence designed by Atelier LX received Japan's Good Design Award.


See more images of the home here.

ART
Arts Co collaborated with Phillips de Pury & Company in 2008 on an auction of over 45 designer prototypes of bird, bat and bee houses inspired by, and to raise funds for, Adventure Ecology. The houses were created using Phillips de Pury & Company's waste material including cardboard, crates, invitations, catalogues, plastics and wood discarded in the process of packing, moving and installing art works.


above: birdhouse by Sir Paul Smith from the Birds, Bats and Bees auction
See all 45 lots here.

FASHION
The Ript shirt is a shirt for men that sculpts their torso!

Get your own six-pack in a t-shirt here.

JEWELRY
Danish Designer Kim Buck's Golden Heart pendant:

see more of his unusual work here.

PETS
Kim Hyn Joo's Happily Ever After is a chair for humans and home for dogs!



See more of Kim Hyn Joo's work here.

TOYS
Remember the "Wonder Twins"?

Mattel's New Wonder Twin Action Figures!
Exclusively for Comic-Con, you can pre-order them here.

AUTOMOTIVE
If you think that new Jaguar JX sedan is something, get a load of the coupe which is supposedly in the works now:

above illustration from motoring.sky.com

BABY
Bloom baby Goes Glitzy with gold and silver additions to their line of modern baby high chairs and rockers:

shop for them here.

TABLEWARE
A ceramic food face plate that encourage you to play with your food.

buy it here.

Food
Obama Sushi Roll by Japanese sushi chef Ken Kawasumi :


Obama's skin is made of small shrimp, his hair is black sesame and chef Ken Kawasumi used fish paste for his teeth. (images from MSN japan)

In Tribute To Basquiat, Reebok Creates Some Cool Kicks.

The 2009 Reebok x Basquiat Collection
In honor of the late Jean-Michel Basquiat, the Neo-expressionist New York street painter who became successful in the 1980s, Reebok has released two new 'tribute' kicks for their Fall collection.




The Fall "Basquiat" 2009 Reebok Collection consists of two models, the Ex-O-Fit-Hi & Freestyle Hi and has the artists' imagery from two of his paintings; Untitled (sometimes called Crown or Beatbop), 1983 and Pegasus, 1987.


above: the late Jean-Michel Basquiat in his studio, 1985 (ironically shoeless).
Photograph © Lizzie Himmel

His paintings from which the patterns on the shoes were taken:

above: Jean-Michel Basquiat’s 1983 painting “Beat Bop”

above: Jean-Michel Basquiat, Pegasus, 1987

above: detail of Pegasus

The Kicks
Ex-O-Fit-Hi "Basquiat" Reebok (in black with white):






Price: $140.38 (VAT excl.) or $167.89 (VAT included)

Freestyle Hi "Basquiat" by Reebok (white with black or black with white):








price: $128.68 (VAT excl.) or $153.90 (VAT included)

Buy Them Here.


Purchase books or reference on Jean-Michel Basquiat
More About Jean Michel Basquiat

Wonderful Witty Wetsuits by Diddo

In April of 2008, I introduced you to Diddo Velema and his wonderful art project of Luxury Gas Masks. Now going by 'Diddo' only, the designer and art director has combined concept, art and functionality in a line of imaginative and amazing functional wetsuits. With custom inks and unique printing techniques, Diddo mapped textures onto the suits to create original designs that evoke the mysteries of the seas.

With four different designs (that will soon be available for purchase), he creates artful neoprene suits that have imagery alluding to everything from a steampunk-like Jules Verne rusted craft to an homage to the world's largest shark, the Whale shark.

The first edition contains four original designs: a rusted iron diving suit evoking the days of Jules Verne, the anatomic musculature suit as a homage to our inner strength, a wet suit which gives the illusion that the wearer has been attacked by a group of hungry sharks and finally a whale shark patterned suit that celebrates the brilliance and originality of our natural water world.


The Anatomic Musculature Wetsuit:



Henry Gray would be so flattered.

The Shark Bite Wetsuit :

This wetsuit gives the impression that one has been ravaged by a shark, but without the real blood so you don't become human chum.



Whale Shark Wetsuit:


The Whale shark wetsuit takes the recognizable and beautiful skin of the Whale Shark (shown above) and puts it on a full body wetsuit (below).


The Jules Verne Wetsuit:







about the artist:
Diddo (7-7-’77) has worked for over 13 years as a designer and art director for a diverse range of design and advertising clients. From creative hot shop LABORATORIVM to the independent advertising agency, Modernista!. He has taught at the School of Arts Utrecht, The Netherlands and contributed to various international projects such as Frank Gehry’s Sentosa, Bono’s Product (RED) and UNESCO’s ICAT project in Costa Rica. Diddo’s extensive cross media production and multi disciplinary experience includes creative and strategic direction for high-profile brands and campaigns, including: Tommy Hilfiger, Comedy Central, H.J. Heinz, Supperclub, Dommelsch beer, Beck’s beer, Russian Standard Vodka, Hearts on Fire, Bacardi, MTV, Frank Gehry Associates, Cadbury, Orange, Jupiler Beer, Levi’s Strauss, Burger King, amongst others.

Currently, by setting up his own studio, ‘… by diddo’ in Amsterdam, he’s creating a platform for developing branding and art ideas for both freelance and personal projects. It’s something he’s wanted to do for many years, and in doing so, he hopes to create opportunities for collaborating with an eclectic group of inspiring people all over the world.



Although the wet suits are not available for purchase quite yet, Diddo sells prints of some of his other wonderful projects like his Luxury Designer Gas Masks in his online store here.

B+N Iconic Furniture & Wall Panels

B+N Industries is an innovative designer and manufacturer of products and systems for the retail, architectural, and consumer industries (available to the trade only). With the launch of their Iconic Furniture in February, 2009 and new additions to their Iconic Panels (great looking modern carved wall panels), they have a huge selection of modern architectural accents that are both good for your decor and the environment.



Iconic™ Panels and Furniture are exclusive lines of product made from of elegant carved relief panels designed and manufactured by B+N Industries. Inspired by important and enduring people, places, and design movements, the decorative panels feature unique patterns and colors that can dramatically enhance interior environments.

Iconic Panels are created using an innovative process of formed laminate over a carved wood core. Incredibly durable, they can be sewn, nailed, screwed, glued, or simply mounted on walls with B&N’s special Panel Cleats. Iconic Panels are available in various colors as well as in eco-friendly reclaimed wood and can also be easily outfitted with any of their shelving and accessory hardware.



The Patterns: (click on the images to enlarge and see detail)





Available in either various over all colors or with the carvings only colored as shown in the examples below:






Reclaimed wood panels are available in the patterns as well:




Iconic Furniture are intelligently-designed, substantially-constructed pieces that feature Iconic Panels as the door and drawer fronts. They are currently available in three Iconic Panel Patterns: Helsinki, Albert, and Palm Springs. (shown above in the patterns).



With a variety of colors of panels, and the addition of Walnut cases and shelving, many combinations of bold color and warm wood are available. Because the fronts are made from the durable Iconic Panel process, they are easily cleaned, and can withstand repeated and prolonged use in public locations, such as hospitality and contract interior projects.

The Iconic Furniture collection consists of credenzas, armoires, wall mirrors, room divider (or screens) side tables, headboards, dressers and two chairs. Please click on the images below to enlarge.
















above: The Classy Chairs in Gloss Black and Gloss White, with the English Garden image and Roman Horse Image slipped into the acrylic backs.

Iconic Panels are also available with LEED-qualified, fire-rated, or water-resistant cores. At B&N they believe that the only way to survive is if they commit to the health of our planet. They continually search for new and inventive ways to support sustainability and promote environmentalism. For more information on their “Green” Policies, click here.

To visit the B+N Industries website, go here.

All images and info in this post are courtesy of B+N Industries Inc. All photos are © B+N Industries, Inc, and can not be used for resale purposes.

It's Karma Calling. Buddha Inspired & Actual Blessed Mobile Phones.

If you read the gadget, tech or mobile phone blogs, you may have noticed a lot of blogs and sites (like newlaunches slipperybrick and 2dayblog) writing about the release of cheap ($123.00 USD) compact Buddha flip phone, the C91.

What you may not know is that the phone is a cheap knock-off (actual copy) -of the more ornate and higher priced versions of the only actual Buddhist blessed mobile phones from a company named WellWishing. Yes, I will show you all the photos in this post, as well as the prices and places to purchase, so you can compare.



These phones come on the heels of two other Buddha inspired mobile phones sold only in China; the special gold-plated version of the Nokia 73 and the "pray on the go" Odin 99. Granted, the idea of a shelling out money for a gold plated phone seem to fly in the face of zen philosophy, but that aside, let me clearly share with you the products and options if this is your Nirvana.

To start with, the special Chinese version of the Nokia 73, was based on the Shaolin Buddha theme. It is 24k gold plated stainless steel, has diamond and jade accents, features a touchscreen, microSD support, a camera and comes complete with Buddha wallpapers. The Raw Feed says it's a Nokia N70, but Dvice says its's a Nokia 95 and yet on eprice in Hong Kong, where the photos came from, it seems to be a Nokia 73. It was only available in China and no longer seems to be sold.


Nokia Gold plated Shaolin Buddha Mobile:














Next, the Odin 99 phone allows Buddhists to pray to Buddha anywhere, anytime. By pressing the Lotus button, an animated Buddha emerges from the Lotus. There are built in Buddha chant ring tones and Buddha wallpapers. There’s also interactive lighting and animated incense sticks. The phone comes at an undisclosed price but it includes a Buddhist metal talisman and a spare battery.

What most other articles didn't mention is, that in addition to music and video playback, the phone has 2 cameras (one in front and one in the rear), and 2 sim cards. Odin is an electronics manufacturing company in China that usually sells to others.

The Odin 99 (images courtesy of CNET Japan:)












To see a video of the phone in use and hear the ringtones, go here.
The Odin 99 is only available in China.

The Real Thing
WellWishing seems to be the only REAL Buddhist phone in the sense that The Chinese characters of Wellwishing are autographed by Yi Cheng Master, president of the world’s renowned Buddhist Association of China and one of the Four Old Masters in modern China.


above: the zen blessing on WellWishing phones

Wellwishing’s first product——the Wellwishing · Zen Mobile, was co-developed and produced by what they claim to be the world’s renowned mobile phone solution company and the top design company- although they do not tell us the company. The name was given by Master Miao Hua, special researcher at the Research Center of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and former deputy director of the Department of the Senate of Buddhist Association of China.

In addition, the one hundred year old Master Ben Huan, one of the Four Old Masters (previously as the abbot of the third generation of Bi Mountain Temple, Nanhua Temple, Guangzhou Xiao Temple and Shenzhen Hongfa Temple) also gave valuable suggestions to the mobile, whose accessory the Bluetooth headset is given the name Clairaudient by Wu Sheng, abbot of Changsha Buddhist Temple.



The Buddhist culture of Wellwishing ·Zen Mobile is executively produced by Changsha Xixin Buddhist Temple.

The Zen Mobile comes in three different models; the Reserve, the Platinum and The Collector's editions. The product description is as follows:

Wellwishing·Zen, with the inspiration from water drop, has a sleek and round shape, every connection is a prey from your heart; it's a symbol of auspicious, harmony and peace.Giving you a noble, dignified, kind and joyful image and brought human craftwork and intelligence to an unprecedented altitude.

Glowing gold and sleek jade - which signify honor and virtue in Chinese culture have been unveiled as the two key elements in the design of Wellwishing·Zen:


Rhythm LED light --- Mystic breathing light endows it with breath of life, switching from flare red to gloomy blue ceaselessly:


And the flip design symbols opening the gate to wisdom and harmony:


The mysterious breath light of Wellwishing · Zen Mobile adds more liveliness to our products. When it is switched on, we can see the auspicious Buddha's halo in the interaction of fire red and blue, which carries a great will of happiness and peace and highlights the peaceful human elements:


The clamshell of the mobile is designed to carry the meaning of “Open the doors to spiritual beings”:


And the matching bluetooth earbud is beautiful:

above: The Bluetooth headset is given the name Clairaudient by Wu Sheng, abbot of Changsha Buddhist Temple.

WellWishing Zen Mobile phones and Accessories:


above from left to right; the Reserve, the Platinum and the Collector's Editions

The Reserve Edition on docking station:

detail:


The Platinum Edition detail:


The available matching charging dock also has an LED colored changing light ring:


Prices:
Reserve Edition: RMB 9600 ($1,404.80 USD)
Platinum Edition: RMB 6600 ($965.802 USD)
Collectors Edition: RMB 3600 ($526.801 USD)
You can buy any of the WellWishing zen mobiles phones here.

The Knock-Off
As for that cheap knock-off, the c91? It comes in a gold version and a silver version. Clearly the jade is not real and the presentation is hardly akin to that of Wellwishing, but it is only $123.00.

The c91 Compact Buddha Mobile phone:





C91 Dual SIM Card Phone With Bluetooth (Golden) - 1GB (also in silver and gold):
tech specs:
Dual SIM card dual standby phone.
2.0 inch display screen.
MP3 / MP4 multimedia player.
1.3MP camera.
FM radio.
GPRS.
Bluetooth function.


Buy it here.

And there you have the dogma on Buddha mobile phones.

Taliesin Students Build Prefab Mod Sustainable Home In The Desert

T A L I E S I N . M O D . F A B TM

The Taliesin Mod.FabTM is an example of simple, elegant, and sustainable living in the desert. The one-bedroom, 600-square-foot prototype residence relies on panelized construction to allow for speed and economy on site or in a factory.



It can be connected to utilities or be "unplugged," relying on low-consumption fixtures, rainwater harvesting, greywater re-use, natural ventilation, solar orientation, and photovoltaics to reduce energy and water use. The structure is dimensioned and engineered to be transportable via roadway.








above photos, copyright 2009 Bill Timmerman

The protoype:



The floorplan:

Construction in progress:







above images of the building in progress, courtesy of Nick Mancusi, Ada Rose Williams, Christian Butler, Jeff Graham and Ryan Hewson from the Prairie Mod Blog

The Taliesin Mod.FabTM was designed and built by graduate and undergraduate students at the Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture with the faculty guidance of Michael P. Johnson and Jennifer Siegal, project manager Christian Butler, recent M.Arch graduate, and assistant project manager Nick Mancusi, current BAS student.

Student participants in design and construction (alphabetical): Dakotah Apostolou, Ebbie Azimi, Thai Blackburn, Christian Butler, Jillian Brooks, Emil Crystal, Michael DesBarres, Daniel Dillow, Dave Frazee, Jeff Graham, Ryan Hewson, Erik Krautbauer, Nick Mancusi, Marietta Pagkalou, Lauren Rybinski, Andrea Tejada, Maya Ward-Karet, Hui Ee Wong, Todd Lehmenkuler, Russell Mahoney, Simon DeAguerro, Taryn Seymour

To see all the companies involved in this project, go to the bottom of the page here.

The structure can be visited on the student-led Taliesin West Desert Shelter Tour, Saturdays at 1:30, mid-November through mid-April.

Funky Find Of The Week: Christian Astuguevieille's Mini Soft Sculpture Chairs

French born artist and designer Christian Astuguevieille, owner of Paris' Populus Alba (which designs luxury goods and jewelry) is also a Creative Director for Comme des Garcons parfums and a designer for Holly Hunt. In addition, he makes unusual items for Couturelab, two of which I have chosen as my Funky Finds Of The Week.

Limited edition miniature soft sculpture chairs by Christian Astuguevieille for CoutureLab. These two playful miniature chairs are meant for budding collectors. Handcrafted from chestnut wood, the chairs are covered in bean-bag toys, painted for a tactile effect.

Created exclusively for CoutureLab, these decorative chairs are part of a limited series of four. Please note: these chairs should only be used for decorative purposes and is not suitable for children.

Manta Ray Mini Chair




above: Manta Ray Mini Chair by Christian Astuguevieille for CoutureLab
Limited edition miniature wooden chair covered in soft toys
Pricing: £605 €647 (approx) $847 (approx)
Size: Small 45 x 38 x 53 cm

The Crab & Lobster Mini Chair




above: Crabes-Langoustes Mini Chair by Christian Astuguevieille for CoutureLab
Limited edition miniature wooden chair covered in soft toys
Pricing: £643 €688 (approx) $900 (approx) Product: CL2095
Size: Medium 45 x 38 x 53 cm

The Christian Astuguevieille exclusive collection at CoutureLab includes a unique jewelry selection as well as a series of mirrors and miniature sculptures. See them all here.

4 Fun Finds To Funk Up Your Home

Four Fun Finds For The Home!

clockwise from upper left:
• Fabulous graphic eco-friendly throw pillows by Inhabit Living feature silhouettes of mid-century modern chairs.

•POD aluminum planters are like an updated version of the ol' bullet planters. Lots of colors, shapes and sizes.

• Kinardin Design's Angel wing chair is a leather chair with detachable (and washable) angel wings (made to order)

• Another piece from Kinardin Design is the Tree Shelves, a freestanding bookcase made to order

Just click upon each image for more information regarding purchasing and pricing.

Play, Learn and Laugh: The Fake For Real Memory Game

This fun boxed game is based on the same simple premise as other 'memory' games, only it's a clever, well-executed version for the 18+ crowd. Lie the 60 included cards out face down and flip them over two at a time in hopes of matching the pair. If the cards do not match, place them back down and continue until you've matched the pairs. Only in this case, the 30 pairs contrasts one 'real' photo and one 'fake' photo.



What do I mean by a clever, well-executed version? Take a look at some of the FAKE/REAL 'pairs' from the game:









designer: Hendrik-Jan Grievink.
About the editor: Koert van Mensvoort is a philosopher, scientist, researcher and artist. He is an assistent Professor at the Eindhoven University of Technology, the Netherlands and co-director of the All-Media foundation, an organisation that researches and visualizes current cultural issues. Among his works are the Datafountain, the TV documentary The Woods smell of Shampoo and the Fake for Real memory game.

Buy the Fake for Real Memory Game here



Other equally creative and well-executed memory games from the same publishers, BIS Publishers, are Twins, Visual Power, Amsterdam and soon to be released...Typefaces!


Buy the Twins Memory Game Here

Buy The Visual Power Memory Game Here


And the Typefaces Memory game is to be released this coming November.



Buy the Fake for Real Memory Game here

Like His Clothes, James Perse Furniture Is Cool, Comfy And Californian.

James Perse, a native Californian whose father is the man behind the enduring celeb-chic Los Angeles boutique, Maxfield, began his own fashion career designing T-shirts. His understanding of the blend of luxe and casual has made him into one of today's hottest clothing designers for men and women. He launched his first retail store in 2003 and has now has over 12 boutiques nationwide.


above: designer James Perse

What I didn't know is that he now has a furniture collection that looks as cozy and comfy as his clothes. The collection consists of 4 different lines- all blending that 'California Casual' look and feel with clean and elegant styling.

The text describing each collection below is taken directly from their site and the images are courtesy of James Perse.


above: the flagship store in Malibu, CA.


The James Perse Furniture collection is a seamless extension of the brand. It embodies the same philosophy as the clothing; classic, simple, and timeless, the essence of a casual way of living. The furniture appeals to a broad cross-section of homes from traditional to modern. The collection is not limited to only the indoors as it also extends to outdoor environments. Currently, four collections define the James Perse Furniture Line.

Malibu Collection

- Classic outdoor pieces that have been updated and refined. Included in the collection are the Director's chair, Colony Chair, Chaise and side tables. All of these pieces are made of top quality Teak, grown in an environmentally safe and friendly farm, and are upholstered with Sunbrella fabrics ensuring they're sustainable for lasting outdoor use.






Los Angeles Collection

- Inspired from true craftsmanship, this collection has a rustic feel while maintaining clean lines. These pieces are available in Yellow Balau for the outdoors and Rough Sawn White Oak for the indoors.






Nor Cal Collection

- These upholstered pieces embody the refined yet relaxed feeling of the James Perse aesthetic; modern yet timeless. Fabrics are a cotton and linen blend, made of fine Belgium linens and Italian basket weave. These pieces express a casual lived in and laundered look.






Brentwood Collection

- Includes a dining room table, desk and console. Different dimensions are available for a custom fit. The collection is sleek and sophisticated lending itself to limitless décors. It is classic yet mixes well with casual environments.




Cost? I don't know but given that a white men's cotton V-neck by James Perse retails for $50.00, I'm guessing the furniture is pretty pricey.


above: Short Sleeve V-Neck Tee by James Perse, $50.00
100% Cotton. Lightweight jersey v-neck., Style: MLJ3143

The James Perse Furniture Collection is made in the USA and is sold exclusively at James Perse Boutiques. For more information, please contact a boutique near you.

Also worth noting is his limited edition Custom Built Beach Style Cruiser, also cool and Californian. And available in 4 colors; matte back, khaki green, dark orange and antique white:


Features include: Hydroform steel frame, billet aluminum stem, hand-aged leather seat and grips, triple-clamp fork, extra large aluminum sprocket, extra wide 2" rims and 2.125" tires, 1 speed coaster brake hub and a limited edition serial number tag. Available exclusively at James Perse boutiques.

May The Force Help Us Find A Cure For Breast Cancer

While scanning through this years' Comic-Con exclusives, I came across this wonderful find.



A PINK Darth Vader bust created by Gentle Giant Studios, with permission from Lucasfilms, with 10% of each sale going to the Susan G.Komen organization in an effort to find a cure for breast cancer! Looks like Darth is leaving the Dark Side for a worthy cause.



The Pink Darth Vader bust, shown above, is limited to a production of 1,644, stands 8" tall and will ONLY be available at SDCC.

For every pink Darth Vader helmet sold from July 1 - July 26, 2009, Gentle Giant Ltd. will donate 10% of the retail sales price to Susan G. Komen for the Cure® with a minimum guaranteed donation of $5,000, in support of Komen's promise to save lives and end breast cancer forever. This donation will go towards research as well as education in hopes that a cure can be found.

This item is currently available for pre-order and pick up in person with valid ID, only at the San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC) 2009. In other words, if you're not going to Comic-Con July 23-26, you cannot order it. If you have any questions please contact customer service @ 818.504.3555 for assistance


For more information, or to find out more ways to help go to: www.komen.org

Audi Design Strikes A Chord With A Bosendorfer Concert Grand Piano

In the past, I wrote about the unusual and amazing pianos of Schimmel and Bosendorfer.


Now, Bosendorfer and Audi Design have collaborated to bring us a modern sleek and beautiful Concert Grand (this is not the first time the Austrian company has worked with a car design studio, they also teamed up with Porsche Design a few years ago). At a price of approximately 100,000 euros, ($139,027.90 USD), the piano will be unveiled July 16th at the celebration of Audi's centenary.

from the press release:

The Audi Design Studio team in Munich decided to tackle the task of housing a concert grand piano in an Audi "outer skin".

The question was: where to start? How could Audi’s design philosophy be interpreted for a grand piano – an instrument with a closely defined form and function? An active process began, during which the designers came up with a surprising number of design approaches.

The team from Design naturally cooperated closely with the specialists at Bösendorfer, since Audi itself is clearly not in a position to build grand pianos.

Bösendorfer, on the other hand, has stood for excellent quality and correspondingly good acoustics since 1828. For Audi, the top priority was not to exert any adverse influence on the instrument's sound.

In the end, the Audi designers walked this tightrope with success. Although various elements directly associated with the case of the piano were modified, the acoustics were unaffected. But the Audi Design grand piano is certainly "different", even at first glance. "Generous surface areas ensure formal clarity; there are no decorative applications, the edges and lines are sharply drawn, the joints logically positioned. All these are important aspects of the Audi design," says Designer Philip Schlesinger, who implemented the project at the Concept Design Studio in Munich. One of the most striking features is the lid, which extends without a break down to the base – an Audi innovation that yields a large, one-piece surface.

See for yourself:



From above, the lid is seen to be recessed into the main case. In the side view, the elegant curve of the treble side is not interrupted by a joint line. The underside of the case is allowed to rise moderately at the rear, away from the performer. This is an optical device: "It draws the observer's attention subtly to the pianist," Schlesinger explains. To reduce the sense of weight on the treble side, a slim aluminium-look leg is used. The same simple style with its hint of the technical world is applied to the pedal lyre.





The keyboard has no wings at the ends. In the same spirit of purist design, the designers have concealed the hinges in the lid above the keyboard. The lid itself can be opened at an unobtrusively integrated handle.




Another Audi idea is to be found directly beneath the keyboard – one that does away with the risk of bruised or scratched knees: "The lower front edge of the keyboard housing and the beam used to make it more rigid have been rounded off. This new outline is distinctly better from an ergonomic point of view: it protects the pianist's knees," says Schlesinger.



When the main lid has been raised and secured with the two-position metal prop, the interior catches the eye immediately.



Whereas the classic piano black finish predominates on the outside, the designers have chosen typical Audi colours for the interior. The cast frame is in grey instead of the usual bronze colour, and the felt damper strips in natural white instead of wine red.



The Audi Design signet has been greatly reduced in emphasis to harmonize with the instrument's overall appearance: it appears on the right front edge of the keyboard lid as a precisely formed, polished stainless steel inlay. As on all pianos from this Vienna manufacturer, the Bösendorfer name is displayed above the center of the keyboard.




The decision to design an Audi concert grand piano is a logical consequence of many years of cultural involvement by the brand with the four-ring emblem. This includes the high-quality jazz meetings at the Audi Forum in Ingolstadt where the Audi Design grand piano will in future be seen and heard.

The Audi Design grand piano will have its world premiere at a major ceremony held on July 16, 2009 in the Audi Forum Ingolstadt to celebrate Audi's centenary. The new instrument can be ordered via the Internet at audi@bosendorfer.com.

All images courtesy of Audi Design.

See more amazing pianos here.

1 Cup Sugar, 2 Cups Talent. Bake To Perfection. The Threadcakes Contest.

above top: Darkside of The Garden T-shirt at Threadless; bottom: A cake baked on the design

Everyone likes t-shirts. And cake. So what a great idea it was for Chris Cardinal to start Threadcakes in 2007, an online cake competition in conjunction with the user generated design t-shirt site, Threadless.com.

The contest turns art into edible art. The premise is straightforward, interpret (not replicate, per se) the image on any of the PRINTED t-shirts at Threadless into an actual baked and edible cake.

No contest was run in 2008, but they've brought it back with a vengeance this year. The contest began on June 15th and runs through August 3rd. It's not too late to enter. You can read more about the competition and the rules here.

The contest has two categories, 2D and 3D and there are already many drool-worthy entries into each. The contest runs for a few more weeks, so you cake bakers still have plenty of time to give it a try.

There are already so many incredible and impressive cakes entered, it was very hard to narrow it down to just a few to inspire you (or to light a flambé under your butt). But here are some incredible entries side by side with the t-shirt art that inspired the cakes.

T-shirt Art on the left, Cakes on the right:
(please click on the images to enlarge)


above: Children Under The Bed (3D) by Jessi Wilbanks

above: Catburger (3D) by Jessica Dell

above: A Banana Slipping on a Banana Peel (3D) by burton wills

above: Beauty before Death (3D) by Monique Presley

above: The Apple (3D) by Judy Steiner

above: Water, Just Water (3D) by Catherine Hofler

above: She Doesnt Even Realize (3D) by Nicole Jeans

above: True Love Will Find You In The End (2D) by Katie Eickhoff

above: Long Journey (3D) by Midori Sickel

above: Invasion (2D) by Amanda Noll


To learn more or to view all the entries thus far, go here.

Visit Threadless T-shirts here.

The MJ Memorial Photos You Really Want To See: The Coffin, The Brochure, The Kids, The Hearse & More

It's over. The funeral and the memorial service for the King Of The Pop have occurred and the Jackson family is now having their own private luncheon at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills.

It was beautiful, moving, well coordinated and produced. Wonderful performances and eloquent speeches echoed the sentiments of most of the world. Somber but still warm and loving, it was a respectable and fitting tribute.

You'll be able to see broadcasts and videos of Mariah, Trey, Usher, Smokey, Stevie, Lionel, John Mayer and the other performers and speakers, along with his daughter's heartbreaking comments, played over and over again online, on youtube, on tv, etc.

But let's face it, what you really want to see is that coffin, his kids, the brochure and other little incidentals. I've got those here for you, thanks to the AP and Getty images.

Please click on all the images below to enlarge.

The Tickets:


The Memorial Brochure Cover:

the back of the memorial brochure:


A somber Joe Jackson leaves his Encino home, heading for Forest Lawn Cemetery early this morning:


The Motorcade consisted of black Cadillac Escalades, black Ford Explorers and black Rolls Royces:



The Hearse:




The motorcade leaving Forest Lawn cemetery on their way to the Staples Center:

and on the freeway:


A good look at that gold-plated Casket (Coffin):



above and below: The Promethean velvet-lined model by the Batesville Casket Company. Supposedly, Michael Jackson ordered it for himself, after seeing that James Brown was buried in the same years ago. It's a $25,000, solid bronze, 14-karat gold-plated, custom casket.



The pallbearers each wore a single white glove:

above: His brothers each wore one white sequined glove. From left: Randy, Tito, Marlon, Jackie and Jermaine


above: a tender moment as brother Jermaine tosses a rose onto Michael's casket while singing "smile".

The Children; Paris, Prince and Blanket:

above: Michael Jackson's children, Paris Michael Katherine, Prince Michael II (aka Blanket) and Michael Joseph Jr. (aka Prince Michael) .


above: Janet (L) and La Toya (R) with Prince Michael Jackson II (Blanket) and Paris Jackson


above: the heartbreaking and unexpected speech from Paris Jackson

How skinny Al Sharpton is now (nice eulogy, by the way):


Yes, it's true, Corey Feldman donned his "Michael Jackson" costume:




above: A Michael Jackson mural with fan's signatures stands in front of the Staples Center.


above: A Michael Jackson impersonator poses outside at the public memorial service at the Staples Center.

See a video of the memorial in its entirety here.


More Michael Jackson Links:

• A gallery of the best, the worst and the weirdest artwork inspired by Michael, go here.



• His auction items from Neverland Ranch, go here


• See what items of Michael's, Marilyn's and Elvis' got the highest auction bids here.



• Buy Michael Jackson CDs and books here on Amazon

Nina Levy's Family Portraits Make Yours Look Less Frightening.

above: family resemblance, 30" x 24" EDITION OF 6 + A.P.

Artist Nina Levy has been living and working in Williamsburg, Brooklyn since 1996. A prolific photographer and sculptor, her work has been widely exhibited across the United States, including The National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C. where her life sized portraits of four artists' heads hung as part of the gallery reopening in 2007 (shown below):


above: a view of the installation in the National Portrait Gallery in the Smithsonian, 2007

above: life-sized self-portrait sculpture Spectator, 2002 (also used in the 2007 National Portrait Gallery installation)

An artist who has long worked with body parts made of oil-painted resin, gypsum or clay, fiberglass, cast polyurethane and other materials for over a decade to create large outdoor sculptures, indoor installations, portrait heads, and self-portraits in many forms, created her own series of family portraits or 'family resemblance' from 2006-2008.


above: Woman with huge fist (self-portrait) 2008

She has a very impressive education, graduating Phi Beta Kappa and Summa Cum Laude from Yale with a B.A. in English and Art in 1989 and she received a Masters in Fine Arts from The University of Chicago in 1993. She's also the mother of two young boys, whom are frequently the subjects of her recent photographs. But these aren't the kind of family photos you're used to seeing embellishing hallways and mantels.

To say that her portraits of herself and her family, consisting largely of her two sons, Archer, now 6 and Ansel, now 2, are bizarre is an understatement. Creepy and disturbing may be more appropriate descriptors for some viewers.


above: Nina's older son Archer with giant prosthetic baby head,2007

above: Nina's youngest son Ansel with giant prosthetic baby head, 2007

What's respectable, and certainly unexpected nowadays, is that there is no digital manipulation involved in her photographs. She actually sculpts the enlarged body parts or prostheses and then juxtaposes them with her subjects, so that the size relationships you see are actual real physical representations.



Babies eating babies, children cradling what look like lifeless bodies and small-framed, vulnerable boys sporting hulk-like hands and steroidal limbs are the subjects of some of her these recent photos. Here's a look at much of her family portraits and family resemblance photographs, 2006-2008:





Nina explains: "I have been interested in using fragmentation and shifts in scale to explore both discomfort with the human body and with other people"








"I started to make photographs, mostly featuring myself interacting with a series of sculptural props and prosthetics that I modeled and fabricated from clay or plaster and cast in resin," she says.



I am now the mother of two small boys, and the primary subject of my work has become my own dysfunctional parenting and the often overwhelming intensity of small children"






"Ansel, however, boycotted my last photo shoot," says Nina, "and is under-represented... but thanks to the promise of a highly desirable set of action figures, Archer was willing to assist me"







"The photographs were, and still remain, very low tech - there is no digital manipulation," says Nina. "All of the objects and people in the images exist exactly as they appear."



Special thanks to the UK's Telegraph for the quotes from the interview with Nina.

HER PORTRAIT COMMISSIONS:

Her commissioned portrait heads are available cast in resin, ultracal or gypsum painted with oils and in more traditional treatments and materials (bronze, plaster, cement). Please contact Nina Levy for more information.

See her website here.
To check out her work prior to 2002, go here.
all photos: NINA LEVY/REX FEATURES

Bonzini Scores With Their Fabulous Football Tables!

Bonzini of France has been manufacturing football tables (also known as foosball) for over 80 years now. They carry many sizes, many styles and make custom versions as well. Ornate, modern, branded, animal print, all wood... if you're a foosball fan, you'll find the football table for yourself here. Check out these tables...

American (Monument Valley):


New York (in white or black):


Tiger:

Zebra:

Rocaille:

Arabesque:

Funboard:

Ocean:


In addition to the fun colored and graphic tables, they also carry these:

White Lacquer:


Black Lacquer:

Grey lacquer with transparent legs:

Red Lacquer with grey legs:


Various woods

The Standard:

The Rustique:

The Ceruse:


Special sizes

the Demi-Giant (or mini-giant):


The Giant:



and extra small ones for small spaces:



Special editions

with drawers for storage , making it double as a functional piece of furniture. With either 2 drawers or 12:


And they make an edition that accommodates the handicapped:



Customized editions







They will even customize the football players:





Company History:


Since the company's foundation in 1927, Bonzini has been active in the leisure industry. Initially, its core businesses were precision engineering and furniture manufacturing. From the 1930s onwards, this expertise was channeled into the leisure industry.



It was in the early 1950s that Bonzini developed its range of football tables, bringing out the B53 model from its Bagnolet workshops in 1952. The first B60 came out in 1959; its styling and the use of what were then modern materials were to break new ground in the bar games sector.




•Over 115,000 B60 tables and 40,000 B90s have been manufactured and sold in nearly 60 countries to date.

•Today, Bonzini football tables are a recognised feature in such varied areas as the bar and leisure industry with the B60 model, community facilities, the home market and the communications sector, especially with the B90.


above: The B90 and the B60

•In the 4400 sq. m of buildings at their Bagnolet facility, they manufacture close to 5000 football tables a year, all models combined, for homes, community groups and public venues.

•Bonzini football tables account for 85% of the commercial tables equipping bars and hotels across France. We export over 30% of our output to more than 60 countries on every continent.

The factory now:




Another collection worth noting is Teckell, who makes high end clear and even 'green' football tables:


See the Teckell tables here.

Pit Bull Urban Wear by Dirtty Bones.

Due to much controversy and some very upset dog-lovers, this post has been removed. I sincerely regret the distress this post inadvertently caused.
Forgive me,
Laura