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

Comenius Roethlisberger's Sweetest Invitation. Cocaine and Sugar Luxury Brand Logos.

Above: Artist Comenius Roethlisberger, b. 1971

There seems to be no end to artists combining fashionista with drugs. In addition to Tobias Wong and Big Game's Commentary on society's obsession with wealth and debauchery, provocative Swiss artist Comenius Roethlisberger has recently been exhibiting his latest commentary on luxury and society, “Dearest constellation, sweetest invitation” at Colette in France as well as at the Saatchi Galleries. The installation merges famous luxury brand logos with sugar powder and cocaine, all presented in clear polyester resin boxes, lit from below.

“chanel” cocaine, sugar, polyster resin (45cm x 35cm x 12cm) edition 1 + 1AP

“dior” cocaine, sugar, polyster resin (45cm x 35cm x 12cm) edition 1 + 1AP

“D&G” cocaine, sugar, polyster resin (45cm x 35cm x 12cm) edition 1 + 1AP

“Gucci” cocaine, sugar, polyster resin (45cm x 35cm x 12cm) edition 1 + 1AP

“Versace” cocaine, sugar, polyster resin (45cm x 35cm x 12cm) edition 1 + 1AP

“YSL” cocaine, sugar, polyster resin (45cm x 35cm x 12cm) edition 1 + 1AP

“Lamborghini” cocaine, sugar, polyster resin (45cm x 35cm x 12cm) edition 1 + 1AP

“911 GT2″ cocaine, sugar, polyster resin (45cm x 35cm x 12cm) edition 1 + 1AP

Visit the artist's site.

A Modern Home: From Concept to Tour

Way back in Sept. of 2006, ultra hip MoCo Loco Meta:MoCo, posted a blurb about a redo/enlargement of a family home in Southern California by Neil Denari Architects of Los Angeles:

+ NMDA, Neil M. Denari Architects' Alan Family House renovation / extension project. “The family has asked that 1,000 sf be added to the site in addition to the existing 1,000 sf house. They have also asked that the architecture serve to articulate their identity as a ‘family brand’ that is unique to their unit.”. See Current Projects> Alan Family House.

Curbed, a fabulous online site about Los Angeles neighborhoods and surroundings, then shared these conceptual renderings with their readers:

The Alan Voo house was actually completed in 2007 and below are the actual photos below (you'll see they made a good call and toned down the 'bright' colors a bit) and even take a tour through the home at this year's CA Boom show.

ALAN-VOO HOUSE
The AlanVoo house by NEIL M. DENARI ARCHITECTS
LOS ANGELES, CA, COMPLETED in 2007
(the text and images below are from the architecture firm's site)

The clients for this house renovation / extension, a couple with three daughters, are a creative, democratic unit. The father directs film trailers, the mother is a graphic designer and illustrator, while the high school / middle school / elementary school aged daughters are all immersed in their own versions of their parents visual cultures. The family have asked that 1,000 sf be added to the site in addition to the existing 1,000 sf house.

The scheme leaves half of the house for the daughter’s bedrooms and incorporates the other half plus new extensions in front and back into a public zone and a private bedroom for the parents. This strategy amounts to a new 16 ft wide linear house being inserted into the existing house. Multi-toned, bright colors accentuate the new pieces which suggests a graphic expression representative of the family’s interests.

NMDA - Neil Denari Architects
12615 Washington Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90066
310 390 3033
http://www.nmda-inc.com

De Maria's Unique Lampshades: Art To Read By

de Maria's is made up of two dutch artists: photographer Roos Jooren and textile specialist Diana Maria. Roos and Diana merge their talents together to collaborate on various projects. The electric combination has inspired the artists to create objects outside their own area of expertise.

The two of them have studied at the The Royal Art Academy, The Hague, The Netherlands. The result of this collaboration formed de Maria's whom have created many fabulous unique lamps for commercial or personal lighting.

Above left: photographer Roos Jooren as a child, right: textile designer Diana Maria de Vroet as a child

With both a permanent collection and limited editions, they incorporate embroidery and unique materials as well tasteful, beautifully composed, sexy ethereal photographic imagery by Roos Jooren .

Looking great both off and illuminated, the lamps serve as art in addition to their obvious function.

Above: their latest addition to their line, the Amaranthe, with embroidery on the inside.

Below are more examples of their products:

Some examples of the shades off and on:

Maybe you have already spotted their work at the Bijenkorf? (For fans outside the Netherlands: this is the biggest Dutch department store.) They can be found in Amsterdam, Rotterdam and The Hague.

Above is one of two of their lamps available at Bijenkorf, the lamps are called "Bloom" (below left) and "Leaves" (below right).

The lampshades are a limited edition. Each lampshade comes with a certificate so you are sure it's handmade by Roos en Diana.
Would you like more information about de Maria's?
Or more information about their lampshades?

Roos Jooren & Diana Maria
Cartesiusstraat 137 J
2562 SE Den Haag
The Netherlands
info@demarias.nl

Imprint Culture Lab Handbag Design Contest Results

Above: Grand Prize Winner Scott Rench (Chicago, IL)

Well, the handbag design competition from Imprint Culture Lab is over and I'm proud to announce that one of the two grand prize winners is my talented friend and artist, Scott Rench.

Imprint Handbag Design Contest Results
After tallying the nearly 10,000 votes, we now have the pleasure of announcing the following winning designs.
Prizes for each winner are:
- Grand Prize: Louis Vuitton LV Murakami Neverfull Handbag
- Judges’ pick: Louis Vuitton LV Murakami Neverfull Folio
- Honorable mention: $20 Starbucks giftcard