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A Different Kind of Valentine. Pop Culture Heart Art Collages by Paris Artist Eric Liot.




Paris based artist Éric Liot combines items archetypal of our consumer based society with objects and fragments from pop culture. Pieces of film, advertisements, toys, comics and anime are assembled or collaged to ultimately represent a colorful, decadent society, delusional in its mad self-celebration. These hearts are only a small portion of the artist's work.

Three Women and A Man, 2011:

































Catch Me, 2011:


Pink Lady, 2011:


Cupidon Is A Killer, 2010:


Le piège, 2010:



Liot initially mills out the forms he needs, like wooden puzzle pieces, then he pastes poster fragments onto them, creating from them actual objects in ready-made style or just painting them with acrylic colors. The results are Liot's characteristic collages, which, while somewhat critical of consumerism, first and foremost seduce the observer with their charm and amalgamation of interesting contemporary pictures. (source: Galerie Raphael 12)


A large heart-shaped piece for the December 2010 show at Laurent Strouk in progress:


Completed piece:


And as shown at Gallerie Laurent Strouk:




Artist's Bio :

above photo by Marie Laborde for Galerie Laurent Strouk

Éric Liot was born the 25th of April 1964 in Caen (France). After school, he begins to study architecture, first in the Normandy, then in Paris, at the "Université de la Villette". But he soon realizes that he feels no call at being an architect or even a student. He is weighed down by the narrowness of the academic education as well as by the cold and total anonymity of the Parisian big city jungle. He feels attracted by the faraway and undertakes important travels to Latin America, East and Central Africa as well as Asia. Each time when he comes back to Paris, the decision to be an artist seems clearer. He gives up university and works as a free lance designing posters and furniture. Little by little he realizes that his objects are more and more aesthetical and original, but less functional. The interiorization of this coincides with the real beginning of Liot?s artistic career. First exhibitions soon follow and so the public success. Many solo exhibitions, fair participations, catalogs and articles relate Liot's quick upcoming. Now he has won fame on the Parisian art scene and begins to make a name of himself also abroad, out of the French metropolis. (courtesy of Galerie Raphael 12)

Video of Liot in his studio by Director/ Cameraman Victor Lazaro



Buy Eric Liot Books and catalogues here

At present Liot is showing his work at the Fabien Castanier Gallery through March 4th, 2012 in Drill Baby Drill, a show with Michael Kalish.

Happy Valentine's Day

How The World's Best Selling Valentine's Day Candy, Conversation Hearts, Are Made.




Note: This is a partial reprint of a post from two years ago.

It's that time of year again. Valentine's Day. When happy shiny couples give one another cute warm fuzzies while the rest of the world either remains hopeful or bitterly dejected. Either way, one can't get away from the classic "Sweethearts" by Necco come mid-February. From the candy to Keds, iPhone apps to fragrances, talking hearts abound.

First, some Necco history of the candy:


Today's best-selling Valentine candy -- Sweethearts Conversation Hearts--the pastel sugar hearts with the quirky sayings, were as much a part of your childhood as they are for today's kids. New England Confectionery Company manufactures over 8 billion hearts each year to keep up with demand for this American icon.



Still it's hard to believe that the concept behind today's Conversation Hearts got its start when Abraham Lincoln was still President. Mottoes seemed to have come into prominence with cockles, a small crisp candy made of sugar and flour formed in the shape of a cockle or scallop shell. The early cockles contained mottoes, which were printed on thin colored paper and rolled up inside.

In the 1860's, when Daniel Chase, the brother of New England Confectionery Company's founder, Oliver Chase, began printing sayings on the candy. He experimented first with hand tools, and then devised a machine in which the cloth was replaced with a felt roller pad, moistened with vegetable coloring, usually red, which pressed against the die. The die printed the words on the lozenge paste and the double purpose machine cut the lozenges.

Below are images of the process today:





above: the making, baking and packaging process today

Grown-ups were entertained and passed the hearts around at parties. For weddings, there were wedding-day lozenges with humorously foreboding prophecies such as: "Married in satin, Love will not be lasting" "Married in Pink, He will take to drink" and "Married in white, You have chosen right."

The present day Sweethearts® Conversation Heart dates back to 1902. Back then, besides hearts, they also produced various shapes such as postcards, baseballs, horseshoes and watches.


above: Richard Krause, the President and CEO at the New England Confectionery Company, 2009 (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

In the early 1990's, New England Confectionery Company's Vice President Walter Marshall decided to update the sayings each year and retire some. His first --Fax Me--created a lot of attention from Sweetheart fans. As a result, each year we receive hundreds of suggestions from romantics, candy lovers and school kids for new sayings. From old tech, "Call Me" to new tech, "E-mail Me," Sweethearts® keep the pulse on the heartbeat of the nation.



Conversation Hearts have been used in various ingenious ways over the years-- to propose marriage, to teach children statistics and reading, to decorate cakes, and as borders for frames.


above: the anatomically correct human heart made of the candies by Lego brick artist Nathan Sawaya.

You can see many Conversation Heart inspired products, from iPhone covers to jewelry, at the following links.

Zazzle
Etsy
Red Bubble

Sweethearts and Conversation Hearts Candy and Items on Amazon

The Victorinox Tomo. New Sweet Swiss Army Knives by Kazuma Yamaguchi.





Victorinox, best known for their classic Swiss Army Knives, teamed up with Abitax founder Kazuma Yamaguchi in Tokyo to design an exclusive new pocket knife available in seven colors.







The Victorinox Swiss Army Tomo, meaning friend in Japanese, introduces a slimmer case and package. This small companion combines renowned design from Japan with Swiss precision and quality.






The packaging for Tomo is also different than that of their traditional pocket knives, it is made of 100% recycled and reusable paper pulp.




A specially designed leather case for TOMO is also available:


This small companion is earth friendly, fitting perfectly with Victorinox Swiss Army’s ecological philosophy.

$24 USD. Buy them here.

The design and packaging are the work of Japanese designer Kazuma Yamaguchi. His designs are just as useful as they are aesthetically appealing and are available for purchase from design shops under the design label ABITAX. Below is a video of Yamaguchi explaining the design process.



Victorinox Tomo

JBL OnBeat Xtreme. One Wild Looking Docking Station & Loudspeaker with a $500 Price Tag.





The JBL OnBeat Xtreme™ is among the most versatile, capable and powerful loudspeaker docks JBL engineering has ever produced. It’s a complete high performance audio system that docks with most Apple iOS devices – including iPad tablets – and pairs with virtually any Bluetooth®-enabled computer or smartphone for high-quality wireless playback of your music library, Internet radio streaming or speakerphone functionality.




An ingenious rotating connector firmly docks your iPad, iPod or iPhone device, and lets you position iPad, iPod and iPhone screens in portrait or landscape orientation for the best video display.




The JBL OnBeat Xtreme features JBL Ridge tweeters and JBL Atlas™ woofers with computer-optimized DSP equalization, which create a dynamic, lifelike 360-degree soundstage. An RF remote puts you in full control of system functions and music navigation from anywhere in even large rooms, and an AC power supply keeps your iOS devices charged when docked. With an optional composite cable, the JBL OnBeat Xtreme can even send video content on to your TV for the whole crowd to enjoy together. The JBL OnBeat Xtreme does it all, and does it with the industry-leading performance you expect of JBL products.





The JBL OnBeat Xtreme™ docking station frees you from wires – and its RF remote puts you in full control from anywhere nearby. The JBL OnBeat Xtreme dock is compatible with your computer and iPad, iPod and iPhone devices, guaranteeing spectacular wireless playback of your music library. And with an optional composite cable, it can send video to your TV for all your friends to enjoy.






Features
Docks with iPod, iPhone and iPad devices (Compatible iPhone/iPod models iPad Wi-Fi®+3G, iPad 2, iPad Wi-Fi, iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS,iPhone 3G, iPhone, iPod touch 2G, iPod touch, iPod 5G,iPod nano 5G, iPod nano 4G, iPod nano 3G, iPod nano 2G, iPod nano, iPod classic)

The JBL OnBeat Xtreme™ high-performance docking station was designed to accommodate an iPod, iPhone or iPad. All three devices can wirelessly play back your music library with professional sound no matter which device you own.

High-quality Bluetooth® wireless music streaming

With the JBL OnBeat Xtreme™ loudspeaker dock, you can stream wirelessly through your Bluetooth® device, allowing your audio sources to deliver high-performance studio sound.

Dock your iPod, iPhone or iPad device in portrait or landscape orientation.



You use the iPod, iPhone and iPad landscape mode for the highest-quality video display. The high-performance JBL OnBeat Xtreme™ loudspeaker dock has an ingenious rotating connector that lets you position the screen in landscape orientation.

JBL® Ridge tweeters and Atlas™ woofers offer computer-optimized DSP equalization

JBL® Ridge tweeters and Atlas™ woofers with computer-optimized DSP equalization deliver impressive frequency response (47Hz to 22kHz) and minimal distortion, even at high output levels. You’ll hear your favorite music with an accuracy and detail you wouldn’t have thought possible from a system this small.

High power output

The JBL OnBeat Xtreme™ loudspeaker dock delivers 30 watts of amplification to each of its four transducers for crystal-clear high-output sound.

Hands-free calling with Bluetooth® phones

The JBL OnBeat Xtreme™ loudspeaker dock has a built-in microphone so you can make or receive calls on any Bluetooth® phone. Your music will pause for the call and resume when you hang up.

Composite output to display video content on TV (cable not included)

With an optional composite cable, the JBL OnBeat Xtreme™ loudspeaker dock can send video to your TV for all your friends to enjoy.

RF remote control navigates from up to 30 feet (9 meters) in any direction

Using the included JBL OnBeat Xtreme™ RF remote control, you can navigate your iPad, iPod and iPhone menus, iTunes songs, playlists, photos and videos. You can easily change tracks, system settings and more, from up to 30 feet (9 meters) in any direction.

AC power supply charges iOS devices when they’re docked

When plugged into AC power, the JBL OnBeat Xtreme™ loudspeaker dock will charge your iOS devices without a computer connection, even when the system itself is off.

Lightweight and compact enough to fit virtually anywhere

The JBL OnBeat Xtreme™ loudspeaker dock is compact enough to fit just about anywhere you and your friends get together. If music matters to you, you need to hear it the way it was meant to be heard, whenever and wherever you listen. The JBL OnBeat Xtreme dock will make it happen.

Dynamic JBL® Weave design

With its exclusive JBL® Weave design, the JBL OnBeat Xtreme™ loudspeaker dock looks as good as it sounds. The dynamic, one-of-a-kind design makes the JBL OnBeat Xtreme dock a stylish addition to your listening space.

What's in the box:

• (1) JBL OnBeat Xtreme speaker dock
• (1) AC power cord
• (1) remote control
• (1) iPod/iPhone adapter clip
• (1) iPad adapter clip
• (1) Owner's Manual

$499.95
buy it here

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