Archive for March, 2011
The last time we checked in with our friend Shed Simove, he had just released a new book, “What Every Man Thinks About Apart From Sex.” As a quick refresher, Shed’s book is empty, existing partly as a novelty gift item and entirely as an experiment to see whether or not it was possible to get a blank book to the top of the Amazon charts. A deluge of press followed its release and “…Sex” peaked (amazingly) at #44 on the Amazon UK charts, selling out its first print run. Offers came in to “translate” the book from countries like China, Slovakia, Iceland and Canada, but Shed still hasn’t been able to find a publisher willing to take on its release here in the states. That’s certainly not for a lack of trying: The fearless Simove has been reaching out to everyone, including none other than Mr. Hugh Hefner, who sent him this short rejection letter, which Shed gleefully posted on his Facebook page with the note, “Oh My Goodness! Is this THE BEST REJECTION LETTER EVER?” Pick up a copy of “What Every Man Thinks About Apart From Sex” from Amazon now, and stay tuned for more tales about the mysterious Shed Simove. 
Mike Leavitt is on a role. Last week, we saw him add Jeff Koons, Takashi Murakami, Julian Schnabel and Matthew Barney to his Art Army. Today, Mike makes a claymate out of Cindy Sherman. The Cindy Sherman action figure is 11 inches tall and boasts 18 points of articulation. Look for her at Mike’s upcoming show at the Jonathan LeVine Gallery. Sorta NSFW Cindy after the jump. Read the rest of this entry »
Thanks to the Cold War and copious conspiracy theories, the moon landing has always been a hot topic. On April 12th, 1961, Russian cosmonaut, Yuri Gagarin, became the first human to journey into space, but eight years later, American astronaut Neil Armstrong took the first footsteps on the moon. Or was it a Disney-sponsored, Kubrick-directed film set? We may never know, but in the meantime, you can teach whatever version of the story you like best to your kids with Luno the Moon Rover. Full disclosure: Luno the Moon Rover was designed by my friend, Moscow-based toy designer, Sergey Safonov, and I helped him launch the Kickstarter project. It’s not lost on me that a Russian designer has created a cute, whimsical Moon Rover. Call me a hippie, but maybe it just takes cross-cultural toy art to heal decades of space race bragging rights? Luno the Moon Rover is a handmade limited edition resin toy you can reserve by pledging here. Your pledge dollars go directly to Crazy Label in Hong Kong, who will make the toys once the funding goal is achieved. You can also pledge $15-$35 for original art by Sergey or an adorable Mini Luno toy. See you on the Moon!
Who hasn’t been standing in an elevator and decided the fate of an oncoming passenger with the Open Door or Close Door buttons? You probably justify your behavior with a thought that it’s not personal; you’re just in a rush. Well, someone clever has called bullshit on your blissful rationalization by placing these universal icons of Like and Dislike upon the associated elevator buttons. That’s totally funny until you jam on the complete placebo [see also] of a closed door button and nothing at all happens, meanwhile the passenger (probably your coworker) gets on board and sees where your finger is pointing. May I recommend these Like and Dislike stamps instead? [via Superpunch]
While it would have been easier and less expensive to get his Desktop Dumpsters made from plastic at a factory in China, designer Ryan Christensen instead welds each one by hand from 25-35% recycled steel. The lids are even hand-made, a wood/plastic composite that’s made from a mixture of plastic bags and sawdust. Measuring in at 11.5″ x 9.25″ and weighing a substantial nine pounds empty, each miniaturized dumpster is one-of-one thanks to decoration by one or more artists. Christensen says he also has plans to release a blank, DIY version in the near future. I personally dig the idea of using it as a flowerpot, like in the image above, but spending $250 on a holder for my azaleas simply isn’t in the cards. Check out a few more pics after the jump.
Multimedia artist Hunter Jonakin has created a videogame that I would actually want to play. In his words:
Jonakin chose Koons for his ability to polarize viewers. I can already think of two stories that would prompt me to direct some animated ammo at Koons’ Balloon Dogs. In January, Koons’ lawyers took aim at San Francisco-based shop and gallery, Park Life, for selling balloon dog book-ends. Jeff Koons’ Balloon Dogs are valued at 20 million dollars each and are owned by billionaires, but the company that fabricated the large metal sculptures, Carlson and Co, filed for “something akin to bankrutpcy” last year.
Jeff Koons Must Die!!! is made up of a fabricated 80s style stand-up arcade cabinet and a simulated digital environment presented in a first-person perspective. There is no word as of yet on whether Koons is planning to appropriate this idea for his next retrospective or sue Jonakin into oblivion. Watch the video after the jump.
For his upcoming show at Thinkspace Gallery in LA, artist Dave MacDowell painted this fantastic (yet mildly befuddling) Jaws + The Big Lebowski mashup. Hi-Fructose has a behind-the-scenes look at the making of “Abide,” as well as some information on how one can be purchased as a print.
Our pal, Mike Leavitt, chief officer of The Art Army, has put the finishing horns on his effigy of Matthew Barney. (This version is more Cremaster Cycle than Mr. Bjork.) Along with new sculptures of Jeff Koons, Takashi Murakami and Julian Schnabel (after the jump), the Barney figure will be part of an upcoming show at Jonathan LeVine Gallery. We’ll keep you posted. Read the rest of this entry »  "Last Supper in South Park" by Ron English It’s hard to believe I was just 9 years old when “South Park” first came on the air. 15 years later I can’t think of another television show that defines my adolescence more than Matt Stone’s and Trey Parker’s crudely brilliant diorama of life in a tiny Colorado town. To celebrate the show’s 15th anniversary, artist Ron English has hand-picked 14 of his contemporaries to join him in interpreting “South Park” for a traveling art show, which will feature works by artists Tristan Eaton, Greg Simkins, Travis Louie and others. Quoth Comedy Central’s official press release:
The “South Park Art Gallery” will be on display at Opera Gallery in New York starting next Monday, March 28th (runs through April 10th). It will then travel to Comic-Con in San Diego for Comedy Central’s “Ultimate South Park Fan Experience.” Click here for information about submitting your artwork for inclusion at the Comic-Con stop of the show.
Most people probably look at this photo and are awed by the possibilities of designing furniture with sustainable rattan. I, on the other hand, see a dude wearing a Suicidal Tendencies T-shirt sitting on a yoga ball. That’s different, right? If you dig that juxtaposition, you’re done here. If you want to know more about the World Wildlife Fund program for the sustainable production and processing of rattan in Asia’s mekong region, go read the rest of the story on Designboom.
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