Trend: The Slow Movement

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We’re all about instant ease nowadays. Tech startups continue to tackle the middleman, delivering our hopes, desires and basics to our doorsteps- whether we’re trying to eat heathy, rent a car, buy art, answer a question, or share news for all to see. As technology progresses and life speeds up, the in-between noise is evaporating. Today’s feature is all about taking a step back.

Fascinated with modern day media-merging and appropriation, artist Gerard Richter manipulates his abstract paintings into prints, books, and other transformations. His latest works focus on the past, crafting time-consuming tapestries on a mechanical jacquard loom, translating paint into wool.

With a similar slow-movement intent to her work, Aurélie Mathigot creates embroidered photographs, representative of landscapes during each season. Also interested with the facets of reproduction, Mathigot uses crochet and embroidery, intrigued by slower methods of creation. Accordingly, we love the way she’s brought this concept to the commercial realm, making a linen alternative to the ubiquitous plastic bag, embroidering each one, creating unique works of art. They’re currently on display and for sale at Merci Merci in Paris.

June 13, 2013 | By: Shayna Kulik

Trend: Tangram Sculptures

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Every few weeks, we’re churning out tangram posts. It’s longevity mirrors that of the skull trend, as they’ve been around for years and aren’t disappearing anytime soon. Today’s feature highlights the 3D connectivity that occurs when you bring these triangles to life. I snapped the the top photo while at Anthropologie last week. The notebook’s a nice translation of the aesthetic and palette, by Papier Tigre, and the model’s wearing a rather intricate and impressive design by Sandra Backlund. Just below, we’re sharing a very special project by the folks at Pattern Makers. The art represents an info graphic about the frequency of blood groups in Singapore’s donor population. Amazing.

June 12, 2013 | By: Shayna Kulik

Around the Globe: Visiting Paris

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Hello from the road! If you follow along on Instagram, you’ll notice I’ve been traveling for the past few days. My husband and I joined forces with our friends Noah and Leila, on a work meets vacation trip to Paris and Tel Aviv. Paris for me is never-ending research. Every corner’s inspiring, as windows are filled with one-off pieces that represent the antithesis of mass market culture…similarly inspiring to Tokyo and Scandinavia for pattern, product and color forecasting.

Here are a few snaps from the Paris leg, most noteworthy are the clever quips, florescent accents and metallic/star-studded accessories (shoes, jewelry, bags…you name it). Perhaps on account of Memorial Day I was on alert for stars and stripes, but they were everywhere…in more of a French and less of an American kind of way, but nonetheless…

Thanks to the colliding worlds of social media, we ran into our friend Hillary and her boyfriend Max, an incredible treat to remind you how small the world can feel. We also tested the city bike-share program in antsy anticipation for New York’s recent release and ate copious amounts of bread and cheese between outings within St Germain and Le Marais.

As of yesterday we all arrived in Tel Aviv, and are settling into our Airbnb and absorbing the beach. Watch out for more to come…

May 29, 2013 | By: Shayna Kulik

Trend: Pointillist Burn Outs

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In January, I visited the Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires and discovered Oscar Munoz. Revealing the act of Pirography on paper- a rather impressive feat- he smoked and drew- with a cigarette in hand, creating a series of self portraits.

Using positive and negative light to tell pointillist stories, Katrine Hildebrandt-Hussey, a Boston-based artist, shares a similar (but smudgier) aesthetic. Using india ink, cut paper and watercolor, she expresses line through dot movement.

April 10, 2013 | By: Shayna Kulik

Trend: Expressive Storytelling

Expressive Storytelling

Portraiture represents more than a moment- it’s the culmination of a mood, an outfit, a setting and a style. When it’s journalistic, the meaning’s more obvious, but when posed, the message is abstract. Merging paint with portraiture, Boo Ritson, of London paints her subjects as sculptures, then photographs them as stills, capturing a surreal interpretation of reality. The beauty and fashion worlds have been doing the same to a lesser degree. These examples trace the evolution of painterly portraits, revealing a detached reality and imperfect narrative. It’s more interesting, isn’t it?

1. Gareth Cadwallader, Mudpac
2. LOVE Magazine
3. LOVE Magazine
4. Mario Testino & Kate Moss
5. Boo Ritson
6. Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott, LOVE Magazine

March 18, 2013 | By: Shayna Kulik

Trend: Pill Culture

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Let’s start by saying I’m not a pill taker. I take medication when it’s prescribed, but that’s about it. I like my vitamins in the form of vegetable smoothies and cringe when I watch my grandmother swallow five horse pills at once. That’s me, then there’s Western civilization. Our culture bows to medication- both legal and illegal forms. We’re so obsessed, that our products, our art, our logos and our fashion consciously and subconsciously reflect that.

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These items all reference an escape from reality. The pillows from Future Perfect and Bridid Berlin poke fun at the obvious, while this Rx logo is an honest representation of what’s hanging in my local Duane Reade. To me, it’s unfortunate, though impossible to ignore. Our obsession with happiness, stimulation and fulfillment has us distracted from life, it’s meaning and the effort required to achieve satisfaction.

March 11, 2013 | By: Shayna Kulik