Absolut Exposure Puts Model Lydia Hearst Shot by Johan Renck On 3 Bottles In A Unique Traveler’s Exclusive Limited Edition.

above: image of Lydia Hearst by Johan Renck, courtesy of her twitter feed

The press release:
A unique Traveler’s Exclusive limited edition flavor celebrating the arts of photography and illusion, in creative collaboration with visionary artist Johan Renck.

On the eve of 22 October it was introduced for the first time at a glamorous sneak preview cocktail at Restaurant New York New York in Cannes — ABSOLUT EXPOSURE, the new eagerly anticipated and sensational Traveler’s Exclusive limited edition flavor from the world’s leading premium vodka brand.



ABSOLUT has pioneered the market with its previous Traveler’s Exclusive limited edition launches. ABSOLUT EXPOSURE crosses new boundaries. A new-generation flavor crafted with honey melon and lemongrass, ABSOLUT EXPOSURE is presented in a bottle with an innovative and groundbreaking technique of incorporating photography — for the first time — in bottle printing, with stunning result.



”We’re thrilled about the ABSOLUT EXPOSURE launch,” says Anders Olsson, Director of The Absolut Company Global Travel Retail. ”Both the product itself, the packaging and the campaign represents some of our core brand values — premiumness, innovation and cutting edge creativity. For a frontline brand as ABSOLUT, it’s all about constantly pushing boundaries. This launch is also yet another tribute to the brand building qualities of our global duty free/travel retail market and a proud successor of our previous groundbreaking Traveler’s Exclusive launches.”

Visionary Swedish director, photographer and artist Johan Renck has photographed actress and supermodel Lydia Hearst guised in a number of different ”personas”. Three of these characters — called Carter, Trojan and Dimitty — were selected to illustrate the multifaceted nature of every individual, adding diversity to the product offer as well as an intriguing illusory effect to store displays. By purchasing all three bottles, the consumer acquires an instant ABSOLUT limited edition collection. In addition to the images of Lydia Hearst, the bottle décor also features a bowler hat (a trademark of Johan Renck) and hands ”holding” the image, symbolizing the dual role of the artist — powerful in presence yet invisible in the work of art itself.


above: Instagram image courtesy of Lydia Hearst (that's Johan Renck with the bowler on)

”That’s the complex and schizophrenic nature of the photographic medium — being the observer, a voyeur, yet ultimately commanding the position of deciding what reality or perception of reality to project,” says Johan Renck.

ABSOLUT EXPOSURE will be launched throughout the global duty free/travel retail market in January 2013. ABSOLUT EXPOSURE will be supported by a powerful and innovative marketing campaign in all available media, including unique in-store brand installations.

Wicked Wines For Halloween. Seventeen Of The Frightfully Finest Wines, Bottle and Label Designs.

A round-up of 17 beautifully designed (and highly rated) bottled wines with goulish names and wicked labels that will put the scare into your All Hallows'Eve.

While there are lots of fun novelty wines out there for Halloween (and those wonderful Halloween wine labels you can stick on your own bottles) there are also some lesser known and some highly rated wines from all over the world that will work wonderfully for Halloween.

Here's a selection of 17 frightfully fantastic options:

R Wines' (no longer in business) Skulls Red Wine with stunning label by Istvan Orosz (b.1951), a Hungarian graphic designer, poster artist and film director:



Klinkerbrick Winery's Old Ghost Zinfandel:


Killibinbin's Shiraz, The Blend and Scaredy Cat Wines:


Emh Vineyard's Black Cat Cabernet:


Twisted Oak's River of Skulls Varietal:


Four Vines Heretic, Paso Robles Petite Syrah:


Black Widow Winery's Phobia and other wines:


Bogle's Phantom:


Skeleton Wines' Argentinian Malbec, Austrian Gruner Veltliner and Blauer Zweigelt:


Schmitt Sohne's Superstition Riesling/Pinot Blanc:


Spellbound Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon:


Chateau Diana's Zombie Zinfandel:



Some of these wines are no longer being harvested and bottled but past vintages are still available either directly from the vineyards or found online at places like wine access, wine.com and wine-searcher

From Rustic To Radical. Updating An Upstate New York Residence.

Conscientious homeowners Don and Shirley wanted to expand their upstate New York residence without harming the existing trees. Madlab designed an addition that integrated with the old residence and preserved as much of the surrounding landscape as possible. The home more than doubled in size, and playfully juxtaposed new (corrugated metal, composite shingles and radiant floor heating) and old materials (original wood)  to achieve the most from a very constrained budget.

Front Entrance, before:

Front Entrance, after:

Front Entry (after):

Rear view of home, before:

Rear, after:

Livingroom (after):

Livingroom (after):

Interior panoramic:

Rear deck (after):

Rear Deck (after):


Outdoor shower (after):

Exterior detail (after):

Interior upstairs (after):

Westside view (after):


Client: Private Owners
Project Type: Single-Family
Size: 2,055 SF
Location: Kerhonkson, NY

Credits
Architects: MADLAB
Consultants: Robert Wolfson, PE
Builder: Matthew Flamhaft

Artists Design 16 Special Movie Posters You Can Tear-Off and Take- Away For Quentin Tarantino and RZA's Upcoming The Man With The Iron Fists.

In this unique promotion, fans get to have the opportunity to take home a piece of the upcoming new film presented by Quentin Tarantino and the first directed by RZA. Graphic artists from around the world have united to create a unique 16-piece tear-off and take-away outdoor poster series that promotes the new action-adventure movie, The Man With the Iron Fists. Details as to how you can get your hands on one are at the end of the post.


above: RZA directing Russell Crowe on the set of The Man With The Iron Fists

The mere mention of Tarantino's movie that puts the F-U in kung fu was enough to inspire this eclectic group of talented artists to offer their poster interpretations of the film.

The result is a revolutionary collection of beautiful, stylized, provocative art created by a group of designers as varied as the posters themselves. From a retired Japanese woodblock printer and an independent South African illustrator to a man from Detroit who makes band posters with Sharpies, each artist injected his or her unique sensibility into this innovative campaign that aims to break the mold of traditional advertising.

Below are all 16 posters and a bit about each artist.

YASUSHI ONO:


Yasushi Ono (Born 1947) of Susaki City, Kochi Prefecture, Japan, is a retired government worker who has been practicing Hanga (Japanese woodblock printing) for over 50 years. He is entirely self-taught and honed his woodblock carving skills designing a unique New Year’s card for his family every year. He is now considered a master of his field. Ono works out of his home.

SHAWN KNIGHT:

Shawn Knight is a graphic designer from Detroit, Michigan. His work is predominately collage or illustration based and often features hand painted typography. Shawn creates his drawings with Sharpie markers and cheap copy paper, just as he did when he started making flyers back in high school. His influences come from his favorite bands’ record covers: artists such as Raymond Pettibone, Winston Smith, Pushead, and H.R. Giger.

MARGARET BERG:

Margaret Berg (or Magrikie Berg in her native Afrikaans), was born and raised in South Africa. In 2000, she left her beloved country to pursue her creative passion and continue her studies in Los Angeles. Currently, she is an independent art director and illustrator with a flair for the quirky. Her hope and passion is to bring joy and love to everyday life with whatever she creates.

CHAD ROBERTSON:

Western Project artist Chad Robertson has gained critical acclaim for his technique of combining digital, video, and print photography into a multi-layered oil painting. He has shown nationally and internationally in Seattle, New York, London, Stockholm, and Munich. His work has been featured numerous times in The LA Times as well as in LA Weekly, Whitehot Magazine, The Huffington Post, and Anthem Magazine. Recent exhibitions include "Disparate Collectives" which opened at Western Project in 2011. Robertson treats his images equally, employing a similar layering and patterning to imply the interconnectedness of events occurring. It is a conceptual as well as philosophical view: no hierarchy equals all happening, all together.

JOSHUA ANDREW BELANGER:

Joshua Andrew Belanger lives and works out of his studio in Southern New Hampshire.
Collecting comics and conspiracy theories, he spends the night illustrating for bands, magazines, books, skate decks, gig posters and graphic novels, but the day walking his hound dog around the battle torn foothills of the White Mountains. Raised by Wolverine and Todd McFarlanes Spawn, his illustrations focus on high action and intensity with focus on the narrative. Joshua strives to hone his craft and achieve illustration transcendence, through alien abduction... or hard work, which ever comes first.

IAN KELTIE:


Illustrator Ian Keltie lives and works in Newcastle Upon Tyne in the UK. His urban industrial style takes many influences, the skylines and architecture that surround him as well as all things he finds cool: scuffed jeans, old sneakers, 1970's photographs, graffiti and the paintings of Egon Schiele. Music, fashion, graphics and street art all combine to help make him tick creatively. His life's desire and ambition is to please the eyes of as many strangers as possible with his graphic style.

ERIC NAKAMA:

Eric Nakama is an L.A. based artist and self-proclaimed baller. He cites SoCal skate culture, Mexican street art, and Japanese animation—particularly the oeuvre of Hiyao Miyazaki—as his primary influences. Much of his work boldly embodies his dual Japanese Mexican heritage. He dedicates this artistic contribution to his idol, Bruce Lee.

RAVI ROCHANAYON:

Ravi Rochanayon was born is New York and raised in Thailand, where he was spoonfed all the Japanese Anime he could handle. He returned to the States and soon began his career as an L.A. based artist specializing in minimalist graphic designs with an ecological message. When he is not working on his pen and ink collection of über-cute nature-loving superheroes, EEKO EEKO, Ravi enjoys dressing his identical twin sons exactly the same.

JEFF STEVENS:





Jeff Stevens was born and raised in Aspen, Colorado, where he naturally developed a love of fresh powder and fresh art. After an early career designing graphics for major apparel and snowboard brands, Jeff turned his aggressive aesthetic to entertainment advertising. He is a proud graduate of Woodbury University in Burbank, CA.

DAVID IKEDA:

L.A. based artist David Ikeda is thrilled to be a part of this collaborative, as Wu Tung Clan has been his jam of choice since the early 90’s. David’s versatile style stems from his eclectic interests: music, automotive design, fashion, commercial advertising, and street art. Even after many years in the world of design, David still loves to draw, doodle, and daydream.

The Outdoor series of exclusive tear-off collectible posters and take-away art for fans will be appearing in the following cities and locations. I'm sure they will disappear in minutes.

When: Monday, October 22, through Sunday, November 4
Where: Los Angeles, New York City, San Francisco, Chicago, Washington D.C., Atlanta, Houston, Miami, Detroit, Seattle, Philadelphia, Dallas and Phoenix

Los Angeles (5 locations)
·Highland & De Longpre
·Fairfax & Rosewood
·La Brea & Washington
·Venice & Lincoln
·Windward & Pacific

New York (9 locations)
·Smith Street & Union Street
·116th Street & 1st Avenue
·Varrick & VanDamm
·9th Avenue & 29th Street
·30th Avenue & 36th Street
·81st Street & Broadway
·1st Avenue & 11th Street
·2nd Avenue & 91st
·44th St (BTW) 8th & 9th Avenue

San Francisco (5 locations - includes 1 location in Berkeley on University Ave.)
·3rd & Gilman
·Mission & Persia Avenue
·Folsom Street & 24th Street
·3rd & Townsend
·University Avenue &Milvia Street (Berkley location)

Chicago (7 locations)
·641 N. Ashland
·Ashland & W 72nd Street
·W. Diversity Parkway & Southport
·Halsted & Fullerton Avenue
·W. Oak &N. Orleans
·W. Randolph Street & N. Sangamon Street
·N. Clark Street & W. Roscoe Street

About The Man With the Iron Fists

Quentin Tarantino presents The Man With the Iron Fists, an action-adventure inspired by kung fu classics as interpreted by his longtime collaborators RZA and Eli Roth. Making his feature-film debut as a director, co-writer and leading man, RZA—alongside an exciting international cast led by Russell Crowe as Jack Knife and Lucy Liu as Madam Blossom—tells the epic story of warriors, assassins and a lone outsider hero who all descend on one fabled village in China for a winner-takes-all battle for a fortune in gold.
The Official Movie site

Images courtesy of Universal Pictures and Ignition Print