Alessi has been part of the Italian product design industry since the 1920’s and they have made some of the most iconic everyday kitchen utensil items as well as watches, tabletop products, clocks, etc.  They have collaborated with designers and architects such as Jean Nouvel, Zaha Hadid, Toyo Ito, Michael Graves, and Achille Casiglioni to name a few.

I was struck by the new design of the Alessi Daytimer Watch from the Alessi 22000 series watch line designed by Will Alsop.

“The Daytimer is formed of Alsop’s vision of objects in the world. We see it present in the landscape; it has landed in the universe of objects, naturally, effortlessly. It has a smart, adaptable, docile form, which encases it technological core while at the same time it is ironic and natural. Although apparently clumsy, Daytimer wraps complacently round the wearer’s wrist, presenting the owner with is 3D display; the OLED screen conveniently turning towards its owner and wanting to play. Daytimer wants to be owned by its wearer, although inevitably it will attract the attention of others. Daytimer polygonises a human wrist. It loves humans and it wants to be close to them. Or part of them.” by Alessi.com

The Alessi Museum also has a great new series any industrial design or product design enthusiast should collect.

http://www.alessi.com/promozioni/designinterviews/dvd.jsp

http://www.alsoparchitects.com/

http://www.alessi.com/en/

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I am coming with a double wammy this week and man I know that I am going to get so much shit for this.  Planet Patrol I know everyone is feeling, but All Night Passion…….I can feel the guido comments coming, but what can I do, I have a small part of my DNA that is predisposed to liking freestyle music.  Actually the Pureto Ricans are probably feeling me on this one.  At any rate these are my picks for the week and I am stickin to them, regardless how much shit I get for it.  Merry Christmas.

I have been going through True Blood withdrawal since the last season ended.  At least I can watch the creative True Blood Main Title and behind the scenes doc over and over by Digital Kitchen.

True Blood Main Titles from DIGITALKITCHEN on Vimeo.

True Blood Making of and Featurette from DIGITALKITCHEN on Vimeo.

http://www.d-kitchen.com/

Oh yeah, they also created the Main Titles for Six Feet Under which is my favorite tv show of all time as if anyone cares….

Six Feet Under Main Titles from DIGITALKITCHEN on Vimeo.

http://www.wk.com/wke/show/DIY/episode/3

Here’s a “best of” pick I can definitely get behind…

AP Magazine gave Taking Back Sunday’s “New Again” the top spot on its Best Albums of ‘09 list. Not only did “New Again,” debut in the top 10 on the Billboard Top 200 Album Chart this year (the third consecutive Taking Back Sunday release to do so) it’s an album that takes TBS back to its roots.

Taking Back Sunday is one of those bands that, despite the hardships and constant line-up changes, remains intact. Their music grows and evolves, but they never falter from what they are; a band that truly represents the duality of music. The ballads, the sing-along lyrics, the catchy mid-tempo rock and the dual-shreiking vocals, TBS masters it all.

While no TBS album will ever be as good as “Tell All Your Friends” was, “New Again” revitalizes my love for the band, especially after the mediocre album they released in ‘06.

Decode by Karsten Schmidt [Processing] from CreativeApplications.Net on Vimeo.

“Decode: Digital Design Sensations showcases the latest developments in digital and interactive design, from small, screen-based, graphics to large-scale interactive installations. The exhibition includes works by established international artists and designers such as Daniel Brown, Golan Levin, Daniel Rozin, Troika and Karsten Schmidt. The exhibition features both existing works and new commissions created especially for the exhibition.

Decode is a collaboration between the V&A and onedotzero, a contemporary arts organisation operating internationally with a remit to promote innovation across all forms of moving image and interactive arts.

The exhibition explores three themes: Code presents pieces that use computer code to create new works and looks at how code can be programmed to create constantly fluid and ever-changing works. Interactivity looks at works that are directly influenced by the viewer. Visitors will be invited to interact with and contribute to the development of the exhibits. Network focuses on works that comment on and utilise the digital traces left behind by everyday communications and looks at how advanced technologies and the internet have enabled new types of social interaction and mediums of self-expression.

Decode will be on display in The Porter Gallery. Exhibits can also be found on the V&A Exhibition Road façade, in the Grand Entrance, John Madejski Garden and South Kensington tunnel, at the bottom of the stairs to the National Art Library (Staircase L), as well as in the Science Museum.”

http://www.vam.ac.uk/microsites/decode/

Eb Hu creates great motion graphics.  Check out the work below and his website as well.

Lucky from EB Hu on Vimeo.

http://hybworks.co.uk/

Michael Appleton is a great photo journalist and here is an example of some of his work.  Go check his website out as well

http://michaelappleton.com/

New Orleans / Katrina

American Chain Gang

American Chain Gang

Haiti

Justin made a post yesterday about Radio Raheem from the movie Do the Right Thing.  After he did that post, I started watching other clips from that movie.  I came across this one clip where everyone in the movie is just ragging all these other races of people.  I was like “this reminds me of a scene from the movie The 25th hour”.  There is a scene where Ed Norton is looking in the mirror and just going to town on every race of people that live in the city.  I was thinking that whoever did this movie completely ripped Spike, only to find out that The 25th hour was directed by Spike Lee also.  Check out these two scenes…

Nine Inch Nails has been one of my favorite bands since I was in 8th grade, but I was always intriguedby the well produced art direction, package design, and video/film production that has been incorporated into the multi-media identity of NIN.

He has worked with such artists as http://www.billviola.com/, Russell Mills, David Carson, and Rob Sheridan.

Nine Inch Nails live shows have been filled with amazing video sequences and lighting displays.

Below are just some examples of the on going collaboration Trent Reznor has with influential artists.

The Fragile Album Artwork. by David Carson

Downward Spiral Album Artwork, by Russell Mills

The Fragile Tour, Video Installments by Bill Viola

NIN Ghost Packaging, by Rob Sheridan

Also check out Rob Sheridan’s travel photography on FLICKR. 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/demonbaby/collections/72157603383274059/

For a long time street artists have been used to spread propaganda and political messages. Recently I ran across a blog posting regarding Shepard Fairey and his support for the Obama Administration. You can check out the original article here Shepard Fairey Declared New Propaganda Czar

During a recent holiday party my co workers and I got a bit nostalgic. We were all chatting about the boom boxes that took 20 D energizer batteries. I’m relatively young compared to them. They are 70’s babies… myself an 80’s baby. Therefore, I never actually own the boom boxes with the 20D batteries, but I do have much respect for them. I was like how could you afford that? My co worker is from queens and explained how guys would post up on each corner with boom boxes plugged into the street lights. That was the thing to do back then. Chill and kick your tunes out on the corner, which reminded me of one of my favorite Spike Lee flicks, Do The Right Thing, but that’s a whole other post. It just boggled me that I’m sitting at work playing with my ipod touch and these guys had to lug around a boombox and some 20 D’s. What a difference 10 years will make. In the mean time check out my man Radio Raheem.

Every now and then I get into this Joy Division / New Order kick and listen to all the albums on repeat.  I was looking at the Joy Division artwork for Unknown Pleasures when I realized that most people will read liner notes and thank yous to see what bands that artist may be friends with or influences.  Instead, I was looking at the liner notes to reference who designed the album artwork that struck a chord with me.  I became a fan of Peter Saville in my early twenties, but what really hit me a couple of years ago was his interview for Adidas Adicolor Collaboration and his outlook on how “what matters to us at 20 is really different to what matters to us at 4o”  Since I am only 30 and have a child…”what matters to me at 20 is definitely different to what matters to me at 30″.

http://designmuseum.org/design/peter-saville

This will be going in my DVD collection as soon as it is available.  It has one of my favorites of all time George Louis who is most recognizable for his Esquire covers.  I saw his work at MoMA awhile back and it was great!  “It could be said that George Lois is one of the original “Mad Men.” This former activist and self-described fighting Greek from the Bronx is known for his in-your-face celebrity advertising. He was the mind behind the seminal covers for Esquire Magazine from 1962 to 1972 and captured the MTV generation with his “I Want My MTV” campaign. Lois’ long career also includes notable work for Tommy Hilfiger, USA Today, ESPN, and CBS. Interviewed in the Bronx and his Manhattan home, Lois describes how advertising can be revolutionary.” by Art & Copy

“ART & COPY is a powerful new film about advertising and inspiration. Directed by Doug Pray (SURFWISE, SCRATCH, HYPE!), it reveals the work and wisdom of some of the most influential advertising creatives of our time — people who’ve profoundly impacted our culture, yet are virtually unknown outside their industry. Exploding forth from advertising’s “creative revolution” of the 1960s, these artists and writers all brought a surprisingly rebellious spirit to their work in a business more often associated with mediocrity or manipulation: George Lois, Mary Wells, Dan Wieden, Lee Clow, Hal Riney and others featured in ART & COPY were responsible for “Just Do It,” “I Love NY,” “Where’s the Beef?,” “Got Milk,” “Think Different,” and brilliant campaigns for everything from cars to presidents. They managed to grab the attention of millions and truly move them. Visually interwoven with their stories, TV satellites are launched, billboards are erected, and the social and cultural impact of their ads are brought to light in this dynamic exploration of art, commerce, and human emotion.” by Art & Copy

Great Video showing how Burton fabricates a snowboard

Font Shop was created by Erik Spiekermann in 1989 with Neville Brody and in this fontcast he talks about the interesting parallels of using web fonts as a service and typesetting the old way.

FontCast #5 — Webfonts Week: Erik Spiekermann from FontShop on Vimeo.

If you desin websites or just interested in typography you should check out typekit.com.

“Typekit is the easiest way to use real fonts on the web. It’s a subscription-based service for linking to high-quality Open Type fonts from some of the worlds best type foundries. Our fonts are served from a global network on redundant servers, offering bulletproof service and incredible speed. And it couldn’t be easier to use. Want to know more about fonts on the web?” by Small Batch Inc.

www.typekit.com

I am addicted to the New York Times and also to their LENS Blog http://lens.blogs.nytimes.com/ and today I found another great photographer Damon Winter that shoots for the LA Times as well as the NY Times.  And if you read my last post here is an example of the snow we got in New York and the Tri-State Area.  Photo taken by Damon Winter for the New York Times / Central Park.

The East Coast got hit pretty hard with snow the last couple of days so I went out and picked up some Brooklyn Pre-Prohibition Lager and “The Hangover” to watch with my wife while my son went to bed.  After a while I started staring at the Brooklyn Lager Packaging design for the 6pix travel carton and labels.  I was appreciating the good design when I remembered it was designed by Milton Glaser!  Thus the inspiration for this post.  If you don’t know who Milton Glaser is then just check out this trailer for Milton Glaser: To Inform and Delight.  He is also the designer who created the iconic I LOVE NY ® identity.  This film was produced by Arthouse Films which also has a great collection of documentaries such as the “Beautiful Losers”, REM Koolhas “A Kind of Architect” (all time favorite), photographer Peter Beard, as well as many others.  http://arthousefilmsonline.com/

In 6th grade I begged my Mom for a skateboard, but she always said NO!  Since my parents were divorced since I was young my Dad had no clue that my Mom didn’t want me to skate.  For my birthday my Dad bought me a Powel Peralta Ray Barbee board with clear grip tape.  I was so bummed on the clear grip tape because I wanted black so bad to be bad ass.  Funny how you think when you are young.  The craziest thing is we walked into a Bodybuilding Muscle Shop in the town my Dad lived in (Sayreville, NJ) and had to walk to the back of the shop were they sold skateboarding products.  I have never seen an odder place to sell skateboard product….only in Jersey kids.  After I got that board I spent every day skating a kicker ramp with the only two other skaters in my town and always trying to see how many boards we could ollie.  I remember being made fun of in school for my Airwalk High Top Sneakers with the velcro to protect the laces and bones jacket, but I guess now I would be the coolest kid in school???  After each day of skateboarding I would run in my house to push my sister off the TV to watch this VHS Vision Sports tape that had BMX, Downhill Bikes, and Skateboarding.  I would watch the “Gonz Goes to NY” part over and over.  I would beg my dad to take me to NYC when he was teaching at the Fashion Institute of Technology to take me to the spots that Gonz skated!!  Well that never happened, but at least I found the video part on you tube.  Here it is for your viewing pleasure. And if anyone knows who sings this song please email me.

I totally forgot about this song. I remember this from when I was like 3 years old….this is one of the best finds in a long time. Enjoy

“TED is a small nonprofit devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. It started out (in 1984) as a conference bringing together people from three worlds: Technology, Entertainment, Design. Since then its scope has become ever broader. Along with the annual TED Conference in Long Beach, California, and the TEDGlobal conference in Oxford UK, TED includes the award-winning TEDTalks video site, the Open Translation Program, the new TEDx community program”, www.TED.com

Some of the talks on ethics, happiness, and design thinking has really made me think twice about how I come to form an opinion or take a stand on a certain subject.  Amazing video series with great guest speakers such as Tim Brown (IDEO), Stefan Sagmeister, and Dan Gilbert who demonstrates just how poor we humans are at predicting (or understanding) what will make us happy.  My favorite is from Jonathan Haidt on the moral roots of liberals and conservatives.

www.ted.com/talks/jonathan_haidt_on_the_moral_mind.html

If you’re in the mood for a good tear jerker, check out this short film by PhosPictures — it’s heartbreaking and speaks in volumes about the human condition. Even you cat-lovers will shed a tear.

Watch it here.

I was going through the daily blogs I review and came across that I.D. Magazine is over.  This was one of my favorite magazines to read again and again on the train to Manhattan.  Very sad to see this great magazine only on the web.  I will always have a very strong connection to printed tangible books and magazines instead of on the web.  R.I.P. International Design Magazine.

One of Luke Hayman’s favorite covers from his tenure as I.D.’s design director.

From www.pentagram.com: “Like the rest of the design community, we are saddened to hear of the closing of I.D. The magazine was required reading in our offices and served as the starting point of countless conversations and more than a few arguments about design. I.D. felt like part of our family: our partners occasionally contributed articles and essays, and we were always thrilled when our work made the cut in the I.D.Annual Design Review, the most critically daunting of the U.S. design competitions. (The Review will reportedly continue online.)

We also have a more personal connection to I.D. history: Luke Hayman was associate art director under Tony Arefin from 1993 to 1995 and later returned as design director from 1997 to 1999, during which the magazine received one of its five National Magazine Awards (General Excellence, 1999).”

Going on my Xmas list!

For the Fall/Winter Collection 2009 Carhartt is cooperating exclusively with Japanese company Vestax to bring a limited edition of the Handy Trax USB turntable into the shops – a portable record player for all-round use.

This vinyl player is the perfect pulse generator for picnics that turn into cosy open-air parties. It is also the perfect listening device for every dyed-in-the-wool vinyl enthusiast during extensive excavation trips at fl ea markets and record shops.

A tough plastic casing and the capability to operate at angles of up to 90 degrees make the Handy Trax player fit for universal use. On top of this, a stereo line-out makes hooking it up to your hi-fi system at home easy and a mini line-in jack also allows you to connect external devices such as MP3 players.

If you prefer to listen to your music digitally but own a large analogue collection, you can easily transform your vinyl into binary code via the newly integrated USB port. A transformation that results in loss of sound quality, of course…