Mounted Life. Stunning Taxidermy Photography By Danielle van Ark.

The Mounted Life is a series of photographs by Royal Academy of Arts graduate Danielle van Ark. She visited the storage and archives of museums around the world and found animals in surroundings and environments so far from their natural habitats she was struck by the inherent contrast and photographed them.

The series makes the most of the juxtaposition of wildlife and industrial imagery. The images are disturbing, funny, haunting, confrontational and even touching in their composition and subject matter.

























above images courtesy of Nowness, Danielle van Ark and Foam Editions

You can purchase some of the above prints at Foam Editions

Danielle van Ark graduated in 2005 from the Royal Academy of Arts in The Hague. Since then she has been living and working in New York and the Netherlands. The artist now wields backstage access to 33 museums across Europe and North America, and she aims to package the entire collection into a book.

See more of her work here.

Contact Info:
danielle@daniellevanark.com
NL +31 (0)6 28 25 45 78
US +1 917 374 2714
Studio:
Nieuw en Meer
Oude Haagseweg 131 achter
1066 BV Amsterdam

Luggage "Tag" - Tumi Collaborates With Graffiti Artist Crash For Limited Edition.

above: 4 pieces of Tumi luggage and an iPhone case by John "Crash" Matos

Tumi Tag is a limited edition series created in collaboration with renowned New York graffiti artist John "Crash" Matos. Crash's work has been featured in museums and galleries around the world and includes custom-painted guitars for Eric Clapton and John Mayer.





The Tumi Tag collection features four hardside cases—wheeled carry-ons and packing cases--and an iPhone case. Each wheeled case will showcase a different section of one of Crash's dynamic works of art. The interior of each case features one of four working drawings created by the artist and includes a unique number that authenticates the case as a distinct piece in this exclusive collection.







Only 1,000 of each Tumi Tag luggage style have been produced for this limited edition series. Tumi Tag, the collection name, refers to a graffiti artist's signature or tag. Enjoy hardside protection in a surprisingly lightweight, easy-to-maneuver design. This extra-large, four-wheel packing case is constructed from a super-light, triple-layer, high-performance alloy of ABS and polycarbonate. It sets the standard for strength, durability, mobility and aesthetics, and is ideal for extended business and leisure trips, or for two traveling together.






See the specs, pricing, details and shop for them here.

Putting A Fingerprint On Custom Wood Furniture. A Sterling Silver One.

Bespoke (or custom) furniture craftsman Edward Johnson makes beautiful original pieces of modern furniture from wood, with a very unique signature. A designer and cabinetmaker, he combines contemporary knowledge of ergonomics and design with the traditional craft of woodworking. Dining room tables, chairs, sideboards, nesting tables, and jewelry boxes made with exotic wood like rippled Sycamore and Zebrano, embody both luxury and functionality.




His signature is a sterling silver hallmarked impression of his biometric fingerprint embedded into the pieces, an equally beautiful and personal touch.



His Easy Chair is one of my favorites, combining modern ergonomics and sensibilities with laminated beech wood and walnut:



His "Volumptuous" sideboard (yes, that is purposely misspelled) :


Vacuum sideboard:


Firestarter Table:


Nesting tables; Ed, Edd and Eddy:



Perpetual Bloom Dining Table:


Sentinel side tables:


Jewelry box:




Every piece of his bespoke furniture is personally handmade at his workshop in Sussex. His attention to detail and refusal to compromise on quality is maintained from start to finish. He invites his clients to visit the workshop to discover the craftsmanship and expertise that Edward brings to his designs and pieces.




Edward Johnson Bespoke Furniture

Studio Address:
Old Bank House,
64 Barnham Road,
Barnham
West Sussex,
PO22 0ES,
United Kingdom

Workshop Address:
Scott Workshops,
37 South Street,
Portslade Village,
East Sussex,
BN41 2LE,
United Kingdom

Telephone: +44 (0)7793 082 011

Models As Sexy Greek Gods & Goddesses For The 2011 Pirelli Calendar

NOTE: This post has been altered since it was originally published to conform to Google Ad Sense's provisions.

Ordinarily I do an annual post on the most amazing and artful calendars for each new year, but this year snuck up on me so quickly, that other than the Lavazza 2011 calendar and recently, the 2011 Miss Tuning calendar, I didn't get a chance to share this wonderful example with you.

Finally, A Good Look At Yuri Milner's $100 Million Dollar Mansion.

above: the front facade of the most expensive home ever sold in the United States

It's been all over the news for the past few days. The most expensive single family home ever sold in the United States was recently purchased by Russian billionaire Yuri Milner for $100 million dollars.