You can always count on Japanese ultra-technologists, Teamlab to deliver a mind-blowing experience. They’re experts in using technology with lights (or even flowers) in giving its users an immersive show. Who could forget Crystal Universe or Floating Flower Garden?
Soon they’ll be at Pace London to present Transcending Boundaries. Here’s what it’s all about:
“Without people this installation is a dark space. When people enter the room the flowers blossom on the people and before long the flowers spread out below their feet. When those flowers come close to another person they spread in that direction and connect.
“The flowers bud, grow, and blossom before their petals begin to wither, and eventually fade away. The cycle of growth and decay repeats itself in perpetuity. When the viewer is still, more flowers are born and simultaneously bloom. When the viewer moves the flowers begin to wither, die and fade away.
“This artwork is in continuous change, neither a pre-recorded animation nor on loop, the work is rendered in real time by a computer program. The interaction between the viewer and the installation causes continuous change in the artwork; previous visual states can never be replicated, and will never reoccur.”
This piece just speaks to me. It’s the perfect combination of strange and surreal. The painting is by Fuco Ueda. He’s currently showing at Thinkspace Gallery.
You know when you look at a piece of art and you just can’t help but smile? Yeah, this is one of them. From February 7 to July 31, 2017, you’ll find this adorable hippo ballerina sculpture at NYC’s Dante Park, right across from Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. Standing over 15 feet tall, weighing over 2 and a half tons, it’s cast in bronze and clad in a copper tutu. Created by Danish artist Bjørn Okholm Skaarup, the sculpture was inspired by Degas’ Little Dancer Aged Fourteen and the dancing hippos of Walt Disney’s Fantasia.
Visitors are welcome to take selfies with the Hippo Ballerina. Show off your favorite dance pose in front of Skaarup’s sculpture on your Instagram and then hashtag it #Dancewithhippoballerina. You’ll have the chance to win two tickets to a ballet performance at Lincoln Center. Fun!
What are you up to this weekend? I finally got the house decorated for Christmas but we’re still missing the tree! Sam and I plan to take the kids out tonight, to finally get it. Other than that, this weekend is looking nice and free.
Now, let’s dig into the fun links of the week.
Have you seen the new and improved My Modern Met? (Check it out on mobile, too.)
So far we got all the men and women in your life covered but what do you get that one friend that’s all into art or design? You know, the slightly eccentric one that’s the toughest to shop for? Today, I’ve rounded up some gifts I think would be perfect for him or her. Now let’s dig in.
Above: Mikkel Blanket by Røros Tweed
“The Mikkel blanket combines inspiration from the Bauhaus movement and Norwegian traditional weaving on one side with a contemporary and exploratory use of color on the other. While working with the blankets the designer, Kristine Five Melvær, combined her two disciplines of industrial design and graphic design.” Lufina Wovens $350
Eames Book
“Best known for their multifunctional modernist furniture and architectural designs, husband and wife team Charles and Ray Eames integrated craft and design as pioneers in their field. This book features their innovative plywood and plastic furniture, the Case Study Houses project they designed during the mid-1900s, as well as their other important contributions to textile design, photography, film, and beyond.” Poketo $14.99
LEGO Brick Cufflinks
“These cufflinks allow you to dress up and still maintain a spark of humor and individuality. Repurposed and recycled lost and forgotten pieces of memorabilia are converted into Lego cufflinks. Hand-crafted using real Legos, these tiles are epoxied to silver plated bezel cufflink posts.” Guggenheim Store $30
Color Wheel Blanket
“Whether you’re a print or digital designer, or simply a casual color appreciator, the Color Wheel Blanket brings a pop of color wherever it lands. Draped over your couch, chair, or baby crib, or used on the go for picnics and outdoor concerts, the 32×36” size is perfect for designer babes, or as a lap blanket for grownups.
“Knit in the United States from cozy, soft acrylic. Multiple layers of yarn make for a plush feel and extra warmth. Fabric-finished edges lend a polished look. Available in CMYK, with a white background (go team Print!) or RGB on a black background (go team Digital!)” Colossal Shop $84
Artist Wooden Dolls
“A modern take on Japanese Kokeshi dolls, which are customarily given as symbols of friendship, these cute wooden dolls caricature beloved and iconic artists. Made of schima superba wood.” MOMA $42
Paris Map Necklace
“The “Urban Collection” series is to tell stories of travel and nostalgia. Israeli designer Talia Sari Wiener created this intricate map pendant that is uniquely inspired by the street grid of Paris, France. Map pendant: 1.2″ square, Gold-filled bead chain with spring ring closure.” Cooper Hewitt $68
Color Wheel Pendant by Yellow Owl Workshop
“Presented in a unique glass vial packaging, this cloisonné pendant is gilded in 22 karat gold. Combine this with its 30″ long chain dipped in 18 karat gold, and you have a piece of jewelry with a charming sense of gold glamour.” Guggenheim Museum $40
Prism Cateye Glasses
“This user friendly version of the prism glasses from h0les offer see-thru views while maintaining the mesmerizing prism look. This groundbreaking style is available in gloss black or matte cream with iridescent faceting around a meticulously-cut flat crystal lens. High-quality crystalline lenses, molded plastic frames. Each comes with a case.” Whitney Shop $93
Barbara Kruger Vinyl Love Tote
“Barbara Kruger’s iconic montages juxtapose images culled from the mass media with provocative slogans and phrases. Here, one of Kruger’s vivid messages graces this vinyl tote. Measures 14 x 11 x 5 inch, with a six inch strap.” Whitney Shop $68
Meural
“The Meural Canvas is a Wi-Fi-enabled digital canvas built to showcase artwork. Each frame gives you instant access to 30,000+ works of art and photography, and it’s easy to upload your own.” Meural $595
Super-Modified Graphic Design & Lifestyle: The Behance Book of Creative Work
“Behance.com is the world’s largest network for showcasing and discovering creative work. In their first-ever book, Behance’s expert curators share an inside look at the trends driving today’s most exciting art and design creations.” Gestalten $55”
Monica Castiglioni Ring
“The daughter of Achille Castiglioni, a renowned Italian industrial designer, Monica is a jewelry artist, photographer, sculptor and graphic designer. Embracing an aesthetic that is both sculptural and organic, much of Castiglioni’s work is solid bronze and is cast in NY and Italy, using a lost-wax technique. Other materials include silver, felt, Pyrex and 3D printed nylon. Often the organic shapes that manifest in her work are representative of flower pistils, a source of inspiration for Castiglioni who is drawn to the juxtaposition of order and chaos represented in the flower’s biology. Fine craftsmanship and a deep understanding of proportion and materiality are evident in her broad range of work, which is collected by tastemakers across the globe.” Monica Castiglioni (Price undisclosed)
Are you in the Christmas spirit? I feel like we just finished our leftover Thanksgiving food, I’m just not ready for Christmas! I still have to buy the tree and decorate the house but I’m actually looking forward to it. Parker’s almost five now so he’s much more aware of all of the holidays, which is fun, but a bit nerve wracking.
In any case, what are you up to this weekend? My sister, Carol, is getting an award from the California Bar Association. She’ll be giving a short speech. I’ve already heard it and it’s hilarious. We bought new dresses and we’re getting our hair done. I’m so proud of her!
Now, let’s look back on the fun links of the week.
My whole life, I never wore eyeshadow but since my sister turned my on to this, I just can’t get enough. It’s shimmery and pretty. (Love Lottie-Plum.)
I found this incredibly talented digital artist named Loika via Tumblr. For all of his digital pieces, he paints using a Wacom Intuos 4 tablet (medium size) and Photoshop. You can check out his sketchblog here or order a book of his paintings or prints, here. What talent! (I’m tempted to buy the book.)
Let the festivities begin! The #1 museum I have yet to visit, Tate Britain, just unveiled its centerpiece to the holiday season. It asked Iranian-born artist Shirazeh Houshiary to hang her version of the Christmas Tree. A stunning pine tree was turned upside down and had its roots covered in bright gold leaf. It hangs from the glass ceiling in the Millbank entrance and is meant to be appreciated from different perspectives at three levels of the gallery, the tip of the tree from the lower floor, the floating body from the ground, and the glittering roots from the upper floor.
As for the artist, she said, “I would like us to contemplate that the pine tree is one of the oldest species and recognize the roots are the source of its continued stability, nourishment and longevity.
“As the roots remain hidden, it is best to seek what is hidden rather than what is apparent. As a Buddhist monk wrote, ‘An old pine tree preaches wisdom.'”
Houshiary’s tree will be displayed near works by prominent British artists such as Antony Gormley, Anish Kapoor and Alison Wilding, and marks the start of a new series of festive commissions for Tate Britain.
Last year, the 606, Chicago’s highly anticipated elevated park and public trail, opened to the public. Chicago-based art duo Luftwerk, comprised of Petra Bachmaier and Sean Galler, was commissioned by the Trust for Public Land to construct a light show for the bridge. Called TransLIT, it was inspired by fauna and flora and it was a display of “motion, color, and light.” As a person who’s fascinated by rainbows and patterns this display caught my eye.
Hey there! I can’t believe tomorrow is Thanksgiving. We’re spending it with Sam’s family and then Sam and I are hosting a party at our house on Friday, the day after. My side of the family and some friends are coming. I’m making seven dishes! (Ok, that includes a holiday drink and cranberry sauce.) I’ll see you back on Monday. Till then, have a great Thanksgiving!
President Obama presents the Presidential Medal of Freedom award to Ellen Degeneres. Love both of them, love his speech, love how they both got choked up.
Hello, I’m Alice Yoo! I’m founder and CEO of Skylar Yoo, a company dedicated to inspiring and empowering women to be bold. We sell apparel, art prints and accessories to the modern feminist.
In my former life, I was editor-in-chief of the art and culture blog My Modern Met, which I founded back in 2007. I curated and wrote about art, design and photography for more than seven years. (In fact, I published over 7,000 articles which were seen by millions of people worldwide.) I’m also co-author of a book called For Love: 25 Heartwarming Celebrations of Humanity, which is on Amazon and wherever books are sold.
I live in southern California along with my husband and my two toddler boys.
This blog is about what I love, the tough experiences that I’ve learned from, and my journey as a second time entrepreneur. Right now, I’m in the midst of a 365 day challenge, to read one book a day. If you share my passions or want to learn some cool new facts, come along for the ride. I hope to inspire, educate and entertain you!
