ARCHICINE: Famous Movie Architecture As Modernist Illustrations.

Artist and illustrator Federico Babina, best known for his Archipix, a series of well-known architects and their buildings rendered as pixellated 8 bit graphics, has now turned architectural icons of cinema into ARCHICINE, a series of modernist posters.

Personally, I prefer these to any of his other work because they combine two of my favorite things, Architecture and Film, into aesthetically appealing artworks. And he did not disappoint, choosing several of my personal favorites to execute - from John Lautner's Chemosphere House in Body Double to the fictional home in Hitchcock's North by Northwest.

Most of the homes in these movies (and depicted on Babina's posters) are actual architectural structures while others are sets and a few are computer generated. Where possible I have attributed the architect or the history of the building.

A Single Man. Directed by Tom Ford. (1949 Glendale residence by architect John Lautner):


North by Northwest. Directed by Alfred Hitchcock (a fictional home created for the movie)


L.A. Confidential. Directed by Curtis Hanson.(Lovell Heath House in Los Feliz by architect Richard Neutra)


Zabriskie Point. Directed by Michelangelo Antonioni (House designed by architect Paolo Soleri)


The Big Lebowski. Directed by Joel Coen (Sheats-Goldstein House by architect John Lautner)


Rear Window. Directed by Alfred Hitchcock (a giant set built at Paramount Studios)


Le Mépris. Directed by Jean-Luc Godard (modernist home in Casa Malaparte, Capri, Italy by architect Adalberto Libera and has since fallen into disrepair)


The Million Dollar Hotel. Directed by Wim Wenders (The Rosslyn Hotel at 100 West Fifth St. in downtown Los Angeles was designed by John Parkinson and now serves as low-income housing)


Body Double. Directed by Brian De Palma (John Lautner's Chemosphere House)


The Fountainhead. Directed by King Vidor (image depicts the fictional Wyland Residence designed by the main character in the film, architect Howard Roark, played by Gary Cooper)


Star Wars. Directed by George Lucas  (set design and computer generated imagery)


The Incredibles. Directed by Brad Bird (the computer animated home was an inspired mash up of popular mid-century modern architecture by architects Eichler and Wexler)


Moonrise Kingdom. Directed by Wes Anderson (The Conanicut Island Light, also known as Conanicut Island Lighthouse, was built in 1886 in Rhode Island was used as the Bishop family home exterior in the movie)


Dogville. Directed by Lars von Trier. (filmed in three locations in Sweden, house unknown)


The Party. Directed by Blake Edwards (the 1968 movie was filmed at an unknown apartment building somewhere in Los Angeles and on the United Artists lot)


Mon Oncle. Directed Jacques Tati. (The home in the film, Villa Arpel, was a set entirely built from scratch by painter Jacques Lagrange.)


The Man Without a Past. Directed by Aki Kaurismäki. (the container house was constructed in Helsinki for the 2002 movie)


images courtesy of Federico Babina via Archdaily  Some location information courtesy of IMDB and movie-locations.com

A video of Babina's Archipix, if you are not familiar with these and wish to see them:


Babina's Archipix are available to purchase as posters here at Society 6

Steampunk Christmas Ornaments Are One Of A Kind Handmade Art For Your Tree.

Absolutely beautiful, one of a kind, handmade 'steampunk' style Christmas ornaments will turn your tree into a Victorian Wonderland that even Jules Verne, Tesla and The Doctor would envy.


above: detail of Christmas Poinsettia Ornament

These are crafted by Marianne from Montana's Dragon Tracks Studio using polymer clay over glass and look like real industrial metal. Beautifully painted with metallic paints and mica powders, they appear as bronze, brass, gold, copper and silver metal. And they are sealed with a protective finish so they are durable and can be used year after year.


above: detail of Airship ornament

Fine details such as ball chains, watch gears, grommets, faux rivets, tiny metal charms, metal beads, pieces of pipe, mini propellers and screw heads are added to the clay which has been imprinted or embossed with patterns that emulate everything from laces to gears.



These are truly pieces of art, stunning from every side. A few of them actually differ from front to back so it's like having two ornaments in one. The steampunk ornaments vary in price depending upon size and she's only made a few, so get them before they are long gone!

Steampunk Christmas Ornament/ Industrial Ornament - Red Poinsettia ($35.00 USD):




Steampunk Airship Ornament ($50.00 USD):




Steampunk Ornament/Industrial Style Ornament ($35.00 USD):




Steampunk Ornament/Industrial Style Ornament ($35.00 USD):




Steampunk Heart Ornament/Industrial Heart Ornament ($35.00 USD):




Steampunk Heart Ornament/Industrial Heart Ornament ($35.00 USD):






Shop for these here

11 Very Short Films, Each With One Line. Making A Scene Directed by Janusz Kaminski.

For the New York Times Magazine Movie Issue, 11 of the year’s best big-screen performers (Cate Blanchett, Bradley Cooper, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Adèle Exarchopoulos, Greta Gerwig, Oscar Isaac, Michael B. Jordan, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Robert Redford, Forest Whitaker and Oprah Winfrey) deliver one line in 11 original very short films directed by Oscar-winning cinematographer  Janusz Kaminski.

Making A Scene: Cate Blanchett:


Making A Scene: Oprah Winfrey:


Making A Scene: Robert Redford:


Only the three above were available via youtube. The remainder are shown below via the New York Times. My apologies for their small size.

Making A Scene: Bradley Cooper:

Making A Scene: Oscar Issac:

Making A Scene: Adèle Exarchopoulos:

Making A Scene: Greta Gerwig:

Making A Scene: Michael B. Jordan:

Making A Scene: Forest Whitaker:

Making A Scene: Chiwetel Ejiofor:


And lastly, Behind-the-Scenes Look: The Making of 'Making a Scene':

A $977,000 Mac Pro and The Other Top Selling Items At Jony & Marc's RED Auction.

On Saturday night, 44 special design items were auctioned at Sotheby's Jony and Marc's (RED) Auction to raise money to fight AIDS in Africa. Brought to you by Marc Newson, Bono & Jony Ive, the event raised an incredible $12,883,000 USD (more than double that when you add the Gates' Foundation donation) with many items going for far above the estimate.





The 44 items in the auction were a combination of specially designed items by Jony Ive and Marc Newson and their favorite vintage and new design items.

The hugely successful (RED) auction raised $26.2 million to fight against AIDS in Africa. The auction was 100% sold and three lots were sold for more than $1.5 million each. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation matched the auction total of just over $13 million.

From Steinway Grand to custom Airstream trailer, here's a look at the 10 (actually there are 11, since a few went for the same price) items that sold for the most money at the auction.

1. $1,925,000:




2. $1,805,000




3. $1,685,000



4. $977,000



5. $845,000



6. $485,000




7. $461,000 (tied with #8)




8. $461,000 (tied with #7)




9. $425,000




10. $365,000 (tied with #11)




11. $365,000 (tied with #10)



Other items worth noting, because I like them and hey, this is my blog, are the following:

George Lucas Signed Stormtrooper Helmet:

A Stormtrooper Helmet from the "Star Wars" Series Signed by George Lucas for the (RED) Auction 2013. ABS. In original cardboard "Star Wars" Stormtrooper box.
Estimate 10,000 - 15,000 USD
LOT SOLD. 245,000 USD

Cosmonaut Suit That Went Into Space:

A "Zvezda" Cosmonaut Suit Worn on a Soviet Space Agency Mission into Space
Fabric with rubber lining
1990, Produced by RD & PE Zvezda, Russia
Estimate 50,000 — 75,000 USD
LOT SOLD. 305,000 USD

Dom Perignon with Special Label and Case:

Dom Pérignon Œnothèque 1966 Magnum in Custom Red Cooler Designed by Jony Ive and Marc Newson. The red cooler is unique to, and created for, the (RED) Auction 2013. The cooler is edition 01/01. Dom Pérignon has created a unique red foil label for the Œnothèque Magnum.
Estimate 15,000 — 20,000 USD
LOT SOLD. 93,750 USD

Christian Louboutin's Custom Boots:

Unique to, and created for, the (RED) Auction 2013. Edition 01/01. The pair of boots will be made to size for the buyer.
Patent leather, 2013
Estimate 20,000 — 30,000 USD
LOT SOLD. 50,000 USD

Quadrophenia Lambretta Scooter Replica:

An Exact Replica of Jimmy's Lambretta from the film "Quadrophenia"
Signed by Pete Townsend and Roger Daltrey for the (RED) Auction 2013.
Estimate 30,000 — 50,000 USD
LOT SOLD. 209,000 USD

The star-studded crowd of more than 1,000 guests was treated to a number of surprises throughout the evening including an appearance by Coldplay’s Chris Martin, who took to the stage to sing ‘Perfect Day’ and ‘Beautiful Day’ with Bono.


above: Bono and Chris Martin from Coldplay performed at the event

The performance inspired more than a dozen bidders to compete for the Steinway & Sons unique “Red Pops for (RED)” Parlor Grand Piano, which was finally won by philanthropist Stewart Rahr for $1.9 million.

Later in the evening, the Azzedine Alaïa pink couture long ruffle dress was revealed in the salesroom worn by supermodel Christy Turlington before it sold to applause for $149,000. 


above: Christy Turlington models a custom Azzedine Alaïa dress onstage that was sold for $149,000. Next to her is a "Zvezda" Cosmonaut Suit which sold for $305,000.

After the sale, guests made their way to the 10th floor for a private concert with Bono, The Edge, Nile Rodgers, Chic, and Angelique Kidjo:


Jony and Marc's (RED) Auction highlights prior to the auction were shown in this 'teaser' video:

All information and images courtesy of Sotheby's