If It's Hip, It's Here (Archives)

Re-Bound Designs: Handbags Made From Hardbacks For Fashionista Bookworms

Caitlin Phillips of Washington DC is promoting literacy. Okay, well.. the appearance of literacy. Rather than reading that text book or classic novel, she's suggesting you use it to hold some cash and perhaps a lipstick or two.

By taking vintage hardback books, removing the interior pages while keeping the cover intact, adding fabric, handles, hardware and a cute little label, she's made a handbag for Fashionista Bookworms.

Sizes vary as does the purse's capacity. The wider the spine of the book, the more the purse will hold. She pays distinct attention to the colors and rarely uses the fabric more than once, making each creation truly one-of-a-kind. Her collection includes everything from reference books, textbooks, classics and teen novellas to how-to books. She even makes an effort for the fabric interiors to play off the titles or content of the book as in the case of her Do-it-yourself Encylopedia purse and the Singer Sewing Book purse (shown later in this post).

Here are a few examples:

Janson's History of Art:

China: Lands And Peoples:

Nancy Drew. The Mystery Of The Fire Dragon:

Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire:

Ulysses:

War and Peace:

Jane Eyre:

Stories from Dickens:

Do-It-Yourself Encyclopedia:

The Singer Book Of Sewing:

Caitlin makes all the books herself by hand and has no guilt about cutting apart old books. She says that most of the ones she uses have been previously damaged in some way. She sells her books at her Etsy store as well as directly from her website. Prices vary.

See what stock Caitlin presently has for sale here.
Or shop her Etsy store here.

Bauhaus Mini-modernist Doll Houses Promote Karen Walker Paints For Resene

Resene, a New Zealand professional paint company, chose to showcase their latest range of Karen Walker color paints for the home, by using mini- modernist Bauhaus inspired architectural models of homes crafted by Auckland sculptor Gidon Bing and styled by Katie Lockhart.

Bing crafted the approximately 50 cm x 50 cm models of plywood. Their painstaking work took months before it was ready for to capture.

above: Auckland based painter and sculptor Gidon Bing in his workshop. Photo by Babiche Martens

Karen Walker’s new paint range for Resene follows the best-selling ranges she developed with the company in 2001 and 2004. This time, Walker wanted the range to have a different feel. “I was searching for a worn sort of mood,” she says. “I like colours that have a muted, burnished sort of quality, as if they were thoughtfully painted on walls decades ago and have faded to perfection in the following years.”

Here are various photos of the architectural models and the accompanying Karen Walker paint collections from the promotional brochure with photos by Matthew Williams:

The following photos of the same models from slightly different angles are from Gidon Bing's profile on the Saatchi Online Gallery:

Resene
karen walker
Katie Lockhart
Gidon Bing's Saatchi Gallery

I have a thing for mini modern architectural models.

If you do, too, be sure to see Peter Tucker's roomboxes and

Mark Turpin's Pine Island.

And Kathy Osborn's Bauhaus Dollhouse

I have also compiled a list of modern dollhouses available for purchase you can visit here.

Most Overhyped Art Project - Simple Things by Pharell Williams, Murakami and Jacob & Co.

Above: 'Simple Things' as displayed at Art Basel

I'd never have blogged about this collaborative 'art' project shown at this year's Art Basel except that it's receiving lots of blogger and news buzz.

While I'm a fan of much of the work of Pharell Williams, Takashi Murakami and Jacob & Co. (often referred to as Jacob the Jeweler and who was arrested last year for money laundering, found guilty and sentenced to 2.5 years in a federal prison), their combined project shown via the Galerie Emmanuel Perrotin at Art Basel titled "Simple Things" is not new or innovative.

We have seen many an artist glorify 'everyday items'. Both Tobais Wong and Big Game made a statement on commercialism with their gold editions of mundane items. Damien Hirsts' diamond encrusted skull and Koons' balloon dogs are also taking the simple and turning them into the magnificent. Even Jemal Wright's crystal encrusted toilet seats, albeit not with real diamonds, are more interesting.

This series of typical every day items (hence the name 'Simple Things'); a Pepsi can, a condom wrapper, a Heinz ketchup bottle, a bag of Doritos, a bottle of lotion, an athletic shoe and cupcake... all encrusted with diamonds and placed in a giant fiberglass, steel and acrylic psychedelic version of Murakami's Mr. DOB's head, is one of the most ridiculously overrated art projects I've ever seen.

The sculpture is based on Murakami’s signature “DOB” character and features an onyx fiberglass husk with a pearlescent glow to compliment the vibrant rainbow colors which Murakami is known for. In the mouth of sculpture are diamond emblazoned products mentioned earlier and shown in detailed photos further down in this post.

Apparently, this 'masterpiece collaboration' took over 2 years to complete and was subject of a furious bidding war at the preview and fetched a reported $2.8 Million. (there are many more pics of the piece later in this post).

above: music producer, clothing designer and entrepreneur Pharell Williams with a chair he designed

In this interview with Ute Thon (Art Magazin), Pharrell Williams talks about how collaboration with Takashi Murakami came about, the idea behind the sculpture, his interest in art and design, the artists and designers he admires, and his own design works.

With so much amazing art at Art Basel (both in Miami and Switzerland), it blows my mind that this is what many of the respected trend and art bloggers have opted to feature.

Now, of course you are thinking to yourself... "So, why feature it on your blog?"

Well, as the title of my blog suggests, I try to bring you what's 'hip' at the moment and not necessarily things that are always to my own liking. That said, take a look at the images and you can decide for yourself whether or not you feel it's an impressive art project.

Admittedly, I like the Murakami head much better than the objects within it. If you are a fan of Murakami's work, there will be an upcoming exhibit of his work from 12/09/2009 - Octobre 2009 at Galerie Emmanuel Perrotin, 76 rue de Turenne 75003 Paris.