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

Nibble, Nibble Little Mouse. Who's Nibbling On My Sugar Greenhouse? Caramel Solarium By William Lamson.

Commissioned by Storm King for their 2012 Light and Landscape show, a show in which fourteen artists used natural light as an essential artistic material, this isolated hillside greenhouse actually has 162 amber-tinted windows made of caramelized sugar.

William Lamson baked the caramelized sugar into the windows of Solarium, tinting each a unique amber shade.

All plants create sugars through photosynthesis; those inside Solarium use light that has been filtered through sugars, a circular process. Weather permitting, Solarium is designed to be viewed from afar, where it appears as a jewel-like object, and from within, for the experience of its unusual plays of light.

William describes the project as follows:
"Like a mountain chapel or Thoreau’s one-room cabin, Solarium references a tradition of isolated outposts designed for reflection. Each of the 162 panels is made of sugar cooked to different temperatures and then sealed between two panes of window glass. The space functions as both an experimental greenhouse, growing three species of miniature citrus trees, and a meditative environment. In warm months, a 5x8 ft panel on each side of the house opens up to allow viewers to enter and exit the house from all directions. In addition to creating a pavilion like environment, this design references the architecture of a plant leaf, where the stomata opens and closes to help regulate the plants temperature. Set within the open the landscape, the house functions as a hybrid sanctuary at once evoking a plant conservatory, a chapel, and zen garden."

Materials: Steel, glass, sugar and plants
Dimensions: 10' 10" x 8' 11" x 10' 3 3⁄8 in. (330.2 x 271.8 x 313 cm)

William Lamson discusses the creation of Solarium, on view in Storm King's South Fields. Film by Kate Barker-Froyland:

images courtesy of William Lamson, Storm King and This is Colossal
A special shout out to Laughing Squid who brought this cool project to my attention.

Fernando Costa Creates The Official Art Car for Le Mans 24 Hours (and a look at his art).

The OAK Racing Official Art Car for the 90th anniversary of the Le Mans 24 Hours has been unveiled. The colorful and radical design was created by French artist and sculptor Fernando Costa who created the car much like most of his own sculptural artwork. He soldered pieces of metal road and street signs atop the body of the Morgan-Nissan race car.

above: Artist Fernando Costa in his studio (photo by jm angles)

The Art Car will be seen on the team's No. 45 Morgan-Nissan, driven by Jean-Marc Merlin, Philippe Mondolot and team principal Jacques Nicolet.

Creating the car:

While there will be no fewer than three art cars in the race, including unique liveries from Aston Martin Racing and JMW Motorsport, OAK's design has been designated as the official art car by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest.

“In my meeting with Jacques Nicolet and the bringing to fruition of this project, the most important thing for me was the confidence entrusted in me and the challenge it represented," Costa said. "As I like challenges I accepted straight away! But what artist would pass up the creation of an Art Car for the Le Mans 24 Hours?

"And when, like me, one is a lover of this legendary event, this very popular motor sport party, you throw yourself into the adventure hoping to put a smile on people’s faces and give them a little happiness. I’m very honored that the Automobile Club de l’Ouest has made this Art Car the emblem of the 90th anniversary of the Le Mans 24 Hours.”

Here's a look at several pieces of artwork by Fernando Costa:

See more work by Fernando Costa here.

Le Mans 24 Hours site

Lakeshore View House With Suspended Pool In Sentosa, Singapore

The design concept behind this stunning modern home in Sentosa, Singapore is to explore the extension of space and the sight line and to redefine the hard edges of the suspended box structure through the suspended acrylic pool below. Using such elements like solids, voids, screens and walls helps to delineate the different zones and functions of the house.

STAR TREK, the wine, is a limited edition of varietals that features artwork designed by artist Juan Ortiz in celebration of Star Trek: The Original Series. Fans will recognize three of the wine labels as three of the most beloved episodes of all time: “The City on the Edge of Forever,” “The Trouble with Tribbles” and “Mirror, Mirror.”

The Collection
These first ever Star Trek wines are being released as a limited edition collection with limited production. Each wine commemorates one of Star Trek's most famous episode from The Original Series.

From the delicate Bajoran spring wine of Kendra province to the fruity bouquet of rare Tulaberry wine, Star Trek has a longstanding appreciation for wine and its many varietals and complex flavors. STAR TREK, the wine, sourced from Viansa Winery in Sonoma, California, is a medium bodied red blend of Merlot, Sangiovese, and Cabernet Franc. This beautifully developed blend shows its unique character for a balanced and complex wine that’s pleasurable from start to finish. A limited 1701 cases of wine have been produced, all of which are available for sale exclusively on Vinport.com.

Episode: The City on the Edge of Forever

Often voted by Trekkies as their all-time favorite episode from The Original Series, "The City on the Edge of Forever" first aired in April of 1967. In order not to disrupt and change the course of history, you should consider adding this wine to your collection. (The poster above which was used for the label is available for purchase here)

Episode: Mirror Mirror

One of the most iconic and memorable Star Trek episodes ever created, "Mirror Mirror" first aired in October of 1967. Be careful not to travel through any ion storms, as your savage counterpart will surely try to steal your wine!
(The poster above which was used for the label is available for purchase here)

Episode: The Trouble with Tribbles

One of the most beloved Star Trek episodes ever created, "The Trouble With Tribbles" first aired in December of 1967. While the Tribbles were quick to multiply, the wine will unforunately be quick to disappear.
(The poster above which was used for the label is available for purchase here)

The Labels
Each of the labels has been designed by famous artist, Juan Ortiz. Commissioned by CBS, Juan Ortiz has created a collection of 80 original prints to commemorate each episode of The Original Series (including the unaired pilot episode).

The book, Star Trek: The Art of Juan Ortiz is a new hardcover book available September 2013 and can be pre-ordered here.

The Wine

The wine used in this collection is produced from the award-winning Viansa Winery in Sonoma, California. It is a special blend of Merlot, Sangiovese, Cabernet Franc, Dolcetto, Tinta Cao, and Tempranillo. The blend comes together to create a medium-bodied, easy drinking red wine that is full of depth and character.

STAR TREK, the wine, is licensed by CBS Consumer Products and retails for $24.99 on Vinport and can be enjoyed with pizza, grilled meats or vegetables, or your favorite Romulan dish.