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Morphik: Cool Cuffs With Original Lowbrow Art, Photography and Graffiti.





Morphik is an arts-focused design company founded with the vision that everyone should have the opportunity to experience and own art... and wear it.


above: artwork by Bob Dob on turquoise calf leather wristband and photo by Jerry Uelsmann on python textured leather bracelet

Designed as an art-to-wear accessory piece, Morphik's men's and women's cuffs -or bracelets-  feature limited edition artwork by many of today's hottest lowbrow artists, graffiti artists and illustrators and would make a very special gift for any contemporary art lover.  Reproduced in a square frame and clasp made of brushed stainless steel, the artwork has an acrylic face that is scratch resistant. The artwork can also be hung on the wall just like a favorite painting or photograph (as shown in the example below).


above: artwork by Ciou is shown mounted for display

above: the back of the stainless steel insert is etched with the artist's name

The stainless steel frame enclosing the artwork drops and locks magnetically into the leather wristband or cuff.


above: artwork by graffiti artist John "Crash" Mathos on Men's Black Calf leather wristband

above: artwork by Skount on Men's Cognac distressed leather wristband

The artworks are interchangeable and can be switched out by pushing through a small opening at the back of the bracelet. The combination of wristband and artwork presents a truly unique outlet for personal expression.

The same piece of artwork (DAIM's Cold Explosion) can take on different characteristics when you change the leather wristband:


The same wristband or cuff (distressed metallic gold) with different pieces of artwork by Kim Zu and Nathan Ota:


They have a huge selection of both artwork and leather cuffs for both men and women. You can choose from photography, illustration, paintings, graffiti and more. Below are a few examples from some of the artists:

Ciou:


Bob Dob:


Junko Mizuno:


Miso:


Maggie Taylor:


DOES and John "Crash" Mathos:


Jerry Uelsmann:


DUST:


Sayuka Bloodstone:


The leather wristbands are stitched and assembled in Los Angeles.

Men's Cuffs:
•available in six colors (Calf and Vintage leather),
•Size 7 1/4 - 9 inches or 18 1/2 - 23 cm.
• $170

Women's Cuffs:
•available in 24 beautiful colors (Calf, Vintage, Metallic and Python textured leather),  •Size 6 1/4 - 7 1/2 inches or 16 - 19 cm
•$170

THE IMAGE:

above: artwork by Maggie Taylor

Careful thought and care has been made to retain the artwork’s original attributes. Printed on genuine Moab fine art paper and placed under a scratch resistant cover, the artwork is set securely inside a stainless steel frame. The image is made using a highest standard for inkjet printing performance. This original process results in archival prints that deliver amazing color and an acutely clear, photographic appearance. This metal frame contains strong magnets that allow it to lock securely.

AS ARTWORK:

Maintaining the idea that our art-inspired goods are objects of value and meaning, we have designed unique boxes to ensure care and safekeeping. The artwork comes in a specially made box with a black, finely textured outer covering. The artwork magnetically locks into a metal pedestal at the center where it is firmly held in place. At the top of the box is a closed window to display the piece. There are features on the back that allow the box to be hung on the wall. In form and function, the box is very similar to the frame of an artwork.

THE BRACELET BOX:


We have given great thought and time to the design of our boxes to provide care, safekeeping, and aesthetic value. The band comes in a specially made box with a black, finely textured outer covering. A display window is located at the top. Magnets are built inside to securely hold the band in place. The box can be placed on a dresser or table for display.


THE ARTIST BOOKLET
Each artwork comes with a booklet with information about the artist and work. Like an exhibition catalogue, the booklets contain the artist’s biography along with descriptions about each of their artworks available at Morphik. The artists have provided their own descriptions, which include interesting background details about the creative process, inspiration, and ideas behind each image.

A guiding principal at Morphik is to make contemporary artists more accessible to a larger and more diverse audience. For this reason, support of the artist community is very important. Our artist network spans the globe including Japan, China, the United States, Brazil, Germany, and France. Each artist has his or her individual style. Working in genres such as painting, graffiti and photography, each artist creates an exciting and fresh visual language representing the diverse trends happening in contemporary art practice today.

Morphik works to generate sponsorship of arts organizations that bring awareness to the benefits and vitality the arts have to offer. By donating to the arts, we aim to build creative and supportive partnerships worldwide.



Shop for your Morphik Art and bracelets here

Happy Hannukah from if It's Hip, It's Here!




Metalmorphosis Moving Water Sculpture by David Černý.




Most recently you may have heard the name of Czech artist David Černý during the London Summer Olympics as he was the artist who created the London Double Decker "push-up" bus, Booster (shown below).



A piece of which I was not a fan, I thought I'd share with you something of his I do like. Metalmorphosis is an imposing kinetic installation of a giant head that spits water. Part sculpture, part fountain and wholly impossible to ignore, the piece is 30 feet tall and weighs 14 tons.







Video:


Metalmorphosis:
Stainless steel, motors, computer driven control centre, water, etc.
Installation on 3700 Arco Corporate Drive, Charlotte, North Carolina

Height: 30 feet
Weight 14 tons

David Černý

Air New Zealand Markets The Heck Out Of The Hobbit With Wrapped Planes, A New Website, An Air Safety Video, And Lots of Extras.






With the upcoming release of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (the latest of the J.R.R. Tolkien movies, all of which have been filmed in New Zealand), Air New Zealand has pulled out all the stops to market itself as 'The Airline of Middle Earth.'



above: their website design reflects the imagery from the movies.

With a fully wrapped plane in the movies' graphics, on board promotional items like hairy socks, sleeping masks and usb drives, a baggage carousel made to look like The Shire and a Hobbit-Inspired inflight safety video.

The Baggage Carousel:





The Socks:


The Sleeping Mask:


The USB Drive:


The Commemorative Pin:


The Safety vests worn by airport ground crew officials:


The Wrapped Plane:






In addition to all the above, Air New Zealand partnered with WETA Workshop on a brand new Hobbit-inspired Safety Video which actually has a cameo by Hobbit director and Oscar winner Sir Peter Jackson.



The film, titled An Unexpected Briefing in reference to a chapter from The Lord Of The Rings novel, shows an aircraft packed with hobbits, dwarves and orcs preparing to take flight.



Oscar winner Sir Peter makes a cameo appearance as a Gollum-inspired creature before disappearing after finding The One Ring on the floor and slipping it on:



Flight attendants are dressed as elves and wizards as they take their passengers through a list of safety instructions, all of which are inspired by the J.R.R. Tolkien novels.



Gollum is seen prowling the aisles as Tolkien's great-grandsons Mike and Royd Tolkien argue in the front row, and actor Dean O'Gorman, who plays Fili the Dwarf in the movie, demonstrates safety equipment.



behind the scenes:


The official trailer for the upcoming movie:


The movie The Hobbit: An Unexpected Adventure officially opens December 14th.
The Official Movie site.

all images courtesy of Air New Zealand

Mark Rothko Paintings Recreated In Colored Rice by Henry Hargreaves.




As an homage to legendary modern artist Mark Rothko, Henry Hargreaves has recreated six of Rothko's modern paintings using colored uncooked rice kernels and calling the series Mark Rice-Ko.







About The Artist:
Henry Hargreaves is a New Zealand still life, art and fashion photographer working out of his studio in Brooklyn, NYC.

His life long love of taking photos took an unexpected turn when he was spotted traveling through South East Asia and was whisked off to Europe to work as a high end fashion model. After 4 years on the other side of the camera and the catwalk he gave it up to pursue his own creative pursuits.

He has since established himself as a full time photographer known for fun, creative, provocative and memorable images. He has created a wide spectrum of work be it for commercial clients like Ralph Lauren, Sagmeister and Walsh, GQ, V, Esquire, New York Magazine or in personal projects like 3DD, a 3D Celebration of Breasts, The Death Row Last Meal series, Bacon Alphabet or the Edible Subway. What unites his work is his restless and curious mind, a fascination with the unusual or quirky and a desire to see how photography can illuminate the world and spark conversation.

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