Graffiti as Art with Joachim Ixcalli

Barcelona is teeming with talent. The creative vibe is a recognizable one, as we’ve been receiving submissions over the past four years that collectively speak to a singular street-inspired tone. Today we’re adding updates to Joachim Ixcalli’s profile.

Originally from California, but currently living in Spain, Joachim, 29, incorporates a mixture of patterns and overlapping textures into his drawings and painted murals.

Combining icons, popular dialogue, Pacific-Mediterranean influences and illustrations to mirror relevant themes of our time, each work leads us through a maze of decadent illustration.

The upbeat nature of his work has commercial appeal, as Joachim’s palettes and playful layouts remind us of other Pattern Pulp favorites: Mike Perry, Geoff McFetridge, Emil Kozak, Nasa* and Flavio Melchorre.

February 11, 2013 | By: Shayna Kulik

Plastic Plaids with Megan Geckler

Lately I’ve had flagging tape on the mind. It’s uses are astounding for spatial design, especially if you’re patient and technically skilled. Megan Geckler‘s creative applications are some of the most inspiring examples I’ve seen to date.

Setting the bar rather high, Geckler’s woven plastis are reminiscent of plaid swatches. Using a saturated minimalist palette, each work tells a modern yet folksy story. For sweeping layouts, here’s some more of her impressive work.

January 29, 2013 | By: Shayna Kulik

Installations on a Budget

The title of this post reflects the current state of affairs in so many stores around town and abroad. After everything’s been spent on product, PR and marketing, the window budget is usually minuscule, unless maybe you’re LVMH, Anthropologie or Bergdorfs…

Talk to any artist or designer though, and they’ll be the first to tell you that limitations force creativity. The image above is one I love to reference- it’s a window display by Simon Doonan for Barneys when they filed for Chapter 11 in 1996. He scavenged the bathrooms for toilet paper, added lighting and created a monochromatic masterpiece.

Fast forward to today, and Turkish artist, Sakir Gökçebağ is wowing us with other innovative uses of this most common, everyday item.

There’s a elegant simplicity to his art that mimics computer infographics, particularly ones related to travel, wouldn’t you say?

January 14, 2013 | By: Shayna Kulik

Set Design using Cymatic Patterns

Here’s an example of life imitating art and vice versa, compliments of Meara O’Reilly. O’Reilly created these designs as a multimedia backdrop for Björk’s Biophilia world tour. By day, Meara works as a sound artist and educator, in residence at the Exploratorium in San Francisco. This is just one of many projects where she uses cymatic effects to reflect the texture in sound through vibration in matter.

December 3, 2012 | By: Shayna Kulik

Trend: Creativity Wrapped & Folded

Lately I’ve been following Daniel Arsham on Instagram. I enjoy watching his creative vision translated into sculpture. I also love his minimalist palette. For those unfamiliar with his work, Arsham is a 31 year old contemporary American artist from Florida living in New York. (The similarities between our lives begin and end there).

If you’ve been following H&M’s collaboration with Maison Martin Margiela (photos via Guest of a Guest), you’ve probably noticed that they brought in Arsham for the launch party. Merging art and commerce, the two creative forces partnered up, proving big budgets, celebrities, fashion and creative exclusivity are still sexy and highly coveted. This concept’s obviously not a new one and when done well, both sides win. Expect to see lots of it next week at Art Basel.

On the peripheral creative radar, There Will Be Cake, an artistic ballet by Robin Cantrell, which was recently funded on Kickstarter had it’s first performance in Williamsburg two weeks ago. From my second-hand account, via my friend Michael, the wedding cake-themed performance sounded beautiful. It seemed like an interpretive rendition of this wrapped, neutral trend that’s circulating our airwaves as of late.

http://vimeo.com/53770298

Watch the video if you have a moment, it’s captivating.

November 30, 2012 | By: Shayna Kulik

Visualizing Wind Patterns

This lyrical short just landed in my inbox, care of the talented Nina Solomon. While it’s been circulating the web for a while, it’s worth sharing for those who haven’t seen it. Capturing the wind’s graceful sweeps, 612 free-rotating directional arrows dance under directional force. Created by Charles Sowers, installed by Rocket Science and commissioned by the San Francisco Arts Commission, I’m assuming it’s a sight to behold. Check it out if you’re in the Bay area.

November 8, 2012 | By: Shayna Kulik