Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Straight Tacheles

Increasingly, the benefits of urban gentrification are being hailed as hugely important to the cultural development of communities, and broadly, cities. By no means a new, positively received concept, it is certainly one that has powerfully come in vogue within, at least, the past two decades.

Specifically, the reversal of old industrial, or commercial, structures into modern, artistic and cultural hubs is a component of this trend that has proven extremely popular in many municipalities. Immediate examples can be seen in the project properties of Hamilton, Ontario's Imperial Cotton Centre for the Arts; the Cotton Factory and the recently opened Hamilton Hotel, as well as Toronto’s Wychwood Barns, overseen by ArtScape.

However, bucking this trend of renewal, with no less of a creative and cultural vengence, is East-Berlin's Tacheles. This aging commercial complex, has housed, at different points in its long history, an in-door market place, a new-technology showroom, a Nazi prison, a theatre, and low rent housing. During the 1960s and 70s, after decades of consistent and intense usage, Tacheles was evaluated by engineers and ultimately slated to be demolished, a process that was initiated in 1980 and to be completed by 1990.

Yet, in 1990, two months prior to the final detonation which would have leveled the remaining majority of the complex, the artists’ initiative group Kunstlerinitiative Tacheles occupied the building and had it designated a historical site. Upon initiating another engineering survey of the Tacheles, it was found that the complex was, in fact, still sound, despite its semi-demolished appearance.



Since this time, the complex has become officially known as Kunsthaus Tacheles, and has become an art center and nightclub that is a central destination to a number of Berlin’s arts, activist and cultural groups. What is particularly interesting about this is that, unlike the trend of targeted, cultural gentrification, Tacheles' emergence as an arts centre has been a wholly organic one, lead by a gradually developing grassroots arts community.

Moreover, the most interesting facet of the Tacheles is not even necessarily in the groups that it hosts, but rather its manifestation as a gigantic, and continuously evolving, mixed media work of art. Boasting an ever-changing, eclectic array of murals, sculptures and other pieces, the deceptively un-dilapidated Tacheles is less a gentrified example of old into new, than it is fateful study of cultural
(r)evolution.

Albeit, one with an uncertain future.

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

I, Telenoid



One sometimes wonders if the whole effort to create humanoid robots that will fulfill various household tasks is actually derived out of necessity, or some sort of Popular Science-Fiction/fantasy wish-list. Sure, various types of robotics and machines can, could, and do make our days more convenient, but making it into some sort of cyborg android seems more in line with frivolity than utility.

It is this thought that occurs to me as I look at the Telenoid R1, a nightmarish, android, alien baby with a body like a semi-formed tad-pole. Designed and constructed by roboticist Hiroshi Ishiguro, in collaboration with Osaka University and Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International, the Telenoid is intended to aid in long-distance communication. Functioning somewhat like a telephone, you speak to the Telenoid, and as the person on the other end of the line replies, the Telenoid program picks up their facial cues and physical language and mimics it.

Apparently, speaking to the alien from Cocoon, who has inexplicably assumed your friend’s voice, eases the pain of distance more than Skype does. And this is precisely the question, sure the Telenoid is terrifyingly neat, but is it (and would future ancestors of it) be truly more effective at personalizing long distance communication than future incarnations of a service such as Skype? I think, in the future, I would much rather speak to that ridiculous CNN hologram of Will-I-Am, than I would C-3PO with Will-I-Am’s voice.

That is, of course, until Apple gets a hold of it and creates an entirely new, hip, lifestyle changing, tech product, that they tell us we need, the iPerson.

Friday, September 3, 2010

Comedic References Across Time



Having finally caught up to the current season of Mad Men, I found myself struggling to understand, why, in its first episode, Peggy and her new creative department employee keep purring “John” and “Marsha” back and forth to eachother.

After conducting some thorough Googling, I found that what they were doing was carrying on with an inside joke/popular comic reference from the era. This, of course, is not so surprising, but what does make it interesting is that, on the one hand, it further represents the fine toothed comb which the Mad Men creators use to ensure period accuracies, and on the other, it represents a very well placed gimmick by the writing staff to not just portray an organic and realistic workplace, but one that the viewer can also associate with.

The whole “John and Marsha” thing was a skit that satirized soap operas, recorded in 1951 by comedian Stan Freberg. The skit consists of two characters continually repeating each other’s names, a narrative is made out of the overindulged intonation that the actors apply to the speaking of their names, playing on the hammy, melodramatic acting found in soap operas. Though recorded in 1951, the skit would have maintained popularity through Mad Men’s 1964, and even to modern day where it is still occasionally performed.

In regards to how this is clever writing, representing an organic and easily relatable workplace, simply consider, how frequently in a given day (especially in this time of viral videos that are instantaeneously spread through emails and links on Facebook and Twitter accounts) you might repeat fad-like jokes or phrases with co-workers for a comic cathartic release. How many times did you refer to “Charlie bit me,” the grape stomp lady, “I like turtles,” or perhaps deliberately interrupt someone with “I’m really happy for you and Imma let you finish but...”? How often do (did) you reference shows like Simpsons, Saturday Night Live, Seinfeld, Dave Chappelle, Family Guy or even How I Met Your Mother?

Though it was an obscure and out of the blue reference, kudos to the Mad Men writing staff on their insightful attention to detail, as well as effectively illustrating the cross-generational connection inherent in these sorts of workplace comedic quips.

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

The Wilderness Beyond Boundaries


A couple months ago, Radiohead lead Thom Yorke prophesized the music industry’s imminent and not-too-far-off downfall. The cause of this would be related to reasons that have been heard before, those being primarily the industry’s player’s unwillingness and inability to adapt to more innovative models of distribution, and lack of embracing the possibilities inherent in new technologies. Yorke encouraged young artists not to sign with the sinking ship labels, and instead, explore these new possibilities on their own.

In terms of embracing these new possibilities, artists need to look no further than Arcade Fire. Though still represented under label Merge Records, the band has not been shy about experimenting with everything from distribution to music videos in the lead up to the release of their new album, The Suburbs. Earlier in the summer, the band not only webcast their Madison Square Garden show on YouTube, but had auteur director Terry Gilliam (Brazil, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas) direct the project. As well, in terms of the album’s release, aside from traditional methods and among other things, the band also made the songs available to listen in full off their own website.

Now the band has launched one of the most fascinating projects associated with The Suburbs, The Wilderness Downtown, the interactive short-film/Google Chrome and street view project that blasts the boundaries of the traditional music video. Directed by Chris Milk, the video, for the song “We Used to Wait,” prompts the viewer to enter their home address and then proceeds to lead the viewer through an abstract narrative set in their own neighbourhood.

Nearly three months since Yorke’s declaration, the industry still remains standing, but at least bands that matter, like Arcade Fire, are continually testing new waters.

Monday, August 30, 2010

The Undead Book

Books currently "developing character" in my bag: A Confederacy of Dunces (John Kennedy Toole), Chief Culture Officer (Grant McCracken), Wikinomics (Don Tapscott and Anthony D. Williams).

“Death of” media predictions have persisted for some time and in reference to many different types, notes a recent New York Times article. For example, TV was supposed to kill the radio and the movies, and the internet was supposed to kill TV. However, as the article goes on to detail, none of these forms of media have ever truly died, but rather, have evolved to fulfill other roles or, particularly in the case of vinyl, re-emerged to fulfill new niches.

Yet, a question still remains as to how literature will evolve. Certainly we see obvious indications as to the future of non-fiction print, the increasing prevalence of online news sources, the decline of the literal newspaper, the popularity of topical blogs. Such media has well begun carving out its future existence as widely available, short-burst bites of information. Nevertheless, and at least for me, the future of long-form non-fiction and fictional literature remains less certain. I say at least for me because, though some may roll their eyes and say “obviously, they’ll be translated to ebook formats to be read on the iPad or Kindle,” I, honestly, want nothing to do with those formats or products.

Now, I am not saying that the iPad or Kindle are non-functional or pointless products that I would never use, but they are products that I would prefer not to use to engage myself with a book. A couple summers ago I went on a Cross-Canada train trip for roughly a month. Going from Toronto to Vancouver, back to Toronto and then to Halifax with a number of spots in between, takes a lot of days aboard a train, and unless there are Aussies aboard doing it too, reading material becomes your best friend for the long stretches between great views, destinations, arrivals, departures, and daylight.

The novel that most notably accompanied me on this trip was Michael Chabon’s The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay. As a piece of literature it provided an amazing escape from train induced boredom (which, despite the views, is bound to happen), but more importantly, as a solitary traveller, it became an appreciated companion. Physically, its appearance and development matched my own, the less I shaved, the more creased its covers became, the more thoughts I had while reading it, the more notes were jotted down inside its cover. It became less a book in my bag than it did a partner, accompanying me on my journey and developing its own character along the way.

It seems unrealistic to me that an iPad or Kindle could ever provide such appreciated (and durable) company. The sterile, glowing screen aside, even if I were to decide to bring one on any form of rugged adventure, I sincerely doubt that I would view a broken or chipped screen as proudly (or, at least, indifferently) as I would a ripped, coffee stained cover.

I guess the point to be made is that literary print, as it exists and has existed for centuries, remains a much more flexible format than those that are vying to be the next link in its evolution. Looking back at the aforementioned examples of TV and Radio, in their evolution their ease of use and application has been increased. Radio has gone from large, immobile, wooden units to personal devices that tune into digital signals (which can also be personalized). TV has gone through very similar transformations. Books, on the other hand, have always been a highly personalized experience (personalization being a decidedly central concern of all media evolution). If anything, those products trying to push the medium forward seem more like a step back. I’d rather lose a single, beat-up paperback worth $10.00, than my entire library contained on a pristine, plastic device worth $500.00 alone.

Of course, and as the article further points out, the real question in literature’s evolution is not necessarily “is the print format dead?” But rather, “is our attention-span?” Certainly, having all your social media available on the same medium as your book is not conducive to dedicated reading time.

So, books, what’s next?

Friday, August 27, 2010

March of the Bags




A new project, by Californian environmental group Heal the Bay, builds a bridge between humourous viral videos and environmental campaign awareness.

The Majestic Plastic Bag is a mockumentary, narrated by Oscar winner Jeremy Irons, that parodies various nature documentaries as it makes believe that plastic bags are an indigenious species of Californian wildlife. The short video details the epic journey of a plastic bag, from the grocery store to its final, migratory home in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, a clump of consumer waste, ranging in size estimates from the state of Texas to the whole of the contintental United States, and located in the North Pacific Ocean.

The film was made to function as a viral video, funny and easily shared, so that it might also raise awareness about the push to have Calfornia's congress pass bill AB 1998, a piece of legislation that would significantly reduce plastic waste (such as banning the use of plastic bags) in the state.

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Song of the Week

Great, just... great.

Broken Bells - High Road

Monday, August 23, 2010

Nerds on High

Miles Davis, as seen on Nerd Boyfriend.

A short and sweet post for this dull and dreary Monday.

Back in the spring, a friend had turned me on to a simple but fun, little, men's fashion blog called Nerd Boyfriend. The premise of this blog is beyond simple, it consists entirely of a single, iconic photo of a famous male figure (whether actor, musician, scientist writer, adventurer and so on), and then beneath that photo are thumbnail picture links to clothing websites where you can buy articles of clothing similar to those worn by the icon in the photo.

Similar to The Sartorialist, in its celebration of an individual's style, Nerd Boyfriend is differentiated both by this online retail association as well as its focus on legends rather than the stylistic recognition of the anonymous individual.

Aside from its name, there is little else to know about Nerd Boyfriend, seriously, the blog has no other sections or offers no other information about itself or who runs it. Even the name is an odd choice, upon searching on Google, the blog's description is listed as "shopping guide and style blog for the fashionably nerdy male," ok, clear enough, and true enough considering some of their past photographic selections (Woody Allen). Yet, if one were to visit today, they'd be greeted by a fantastic photo of Miles Davis, the man who defines the word "cool" and is anything but "nerdy."

Either way, it will shortly be an addition to my links at the side, as a site that I visit regularly.

Sunday, August 22, 2010

Among the Clutter

Thrift store on St. Laurent, Montreal, 2010.

Thursday, August 19, 2010

You've Got Mouse



Mice exist, deal with it.

Of course, that doesn’t mean we have to deal with it inhumanely, as we have been doing for the last however long time.

For those who’d rather avoid pinched fingers, mess, smells or murderous guilt, the new OneDown mousetrap design, entered into the 2010 International Design Excellence awards (and winner of the gold prize), on behalf of the DSK International School of Design, does precisely this. When set on its side, the bottle shaped trap allows the mouse to enter through its mouth. Once in, the mouse’s own weight causes the trap to roll upright, on its rounded bottom, indicating that it has made a catch. From here, one can simply empty its contents outside and away from the home.

Now, the comment may be posed that, by doing this, it just gives the mouse a chance to come back. This is true, but, with far more mice in the world than people, it is more than likely that another mouse will make a visit anyway. If you really want to keep mice away altogether, a cat is still tops in design and function.




This trap design was not quite functional... and was never as fun as the commercials made it look.

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Shades of Hell

Three versions of the same song (well, kind of, the third is a sampe of the first)... Which is your favourite?

Either way, enjoy!

1. (Original) The Clash - Straight to Hell


2. (Cover) Lily Allen - Straight to Hell


3. (Sample of Original) M.I.A. - Paper Planes

Monday, August 16, 2010

Tailored Back to the Future


Last week, at a local pub, I had a conversation with a fella about “old-world” professions, such as cobblers and tailors, and their (often diminishing) translation and presence in the modern world. The conversation, largely focused on the admirably persistent cobbler that still operated a shop a block away, was concerned with a question of whether we should, as a society, be dismayed over the loss of such practices, or recognize their greatly lessened necessity and be comfortable with their products more streamlined production.

Now, two things, first; though tailors were discussed, it would be wrong to put it, as a profession, anywhere near the modern status of cobblers. Despite the “mall-ification” of mainstream fashion, with designer brands and template “fitted” clothing, tailors are still a very essential, everyday profession. Second; New York based tailoring company Second Button has quite adequately addressed the above questions and taken an entirely novel approach to re-translating an old-world profession into the new world of fashion.

How Second Button works is a person would first custom order a shirt through the company’s website, selecting from five different styles (classic, alternative, western, military, utility), and then from a variety of details, buttons, fabrics, and colours. Upon checking-out online, you are prompted to enter your measurements, if you do not know them, visit a tailor or follow the site’s how-to videos. Shortly thereafter, the customer would receive their bespoke shirt for the relatively (considering the services involved and high degree of customization) inexpensive price of $70-$85.

Second Button takes its name from the issue its founder had taken up with the placement of the second button on most men’s shirts, and the difficulty in its look when the top button is left undone (either showing off too much chest, or running right up into the neck.). To this end, the company’s primary mission is to produce comfortable, customized shirts, with an impeccable male neckline when worn casually undone.

The one conceivable minus to Second Button, is that despite the innovative reinvigoration of the ancient craft of personalized clothing, under the site’s FAQs it is noted that all shirts are precisely tailored in Hong Kong. Issues regarding working conditions aside (as I cannot say whether or not there would be any here), the obvious issue to be legitimately concerned with is that this does little to revive this old, and necessary, profession on a “main street” near you. Very little can compare the face to face service of a locally dedicated (and talented tailor), so it is always recommended to find one in your own town and start building that relationship.

Now, how do we revive the art of cobbling?

Friday, August 13, 2010

Sterling-Cooper Lands Mattel


In a promotional tie-in, that kicked off the fourth season of the TV sensation MadMen (now in full-swing, having premiered Sunday, July 25), toy-maker Mattel teamed with the show’s production company, Lionsgate, to release four, very limited edition, MadMen Barbie dolls. Being translated into doll form, sharp suits, high retro fashion and all, are the characters Joan Holloway (Christina Hendricks), Roger Sterling (John Slattery), Don Draper (John Hamm), and, most appropriately, Betty Draper (January Jones).

Though every TV show, movie, video-game, and their aunts seem to have collector’s edition action figures/dolls tied into their promotional/product strategy, the MadMen partnership with Barbie stands alone in that it is a very well suited one, no pun intended. As Robert Thompson, professor of television and popular culture at Syracuse University put it in a New York Times article, “Mad Men’ represents so beautifully the universe that created Barbie.” This is particularly evident when considering that Barbie was introduced to the world in 1959, and the first episode of MadMen takes place in 1960.

Further bolstering this is simply taking into consideration the character of Betty Draper, the conflicted and seemingly soul-less, Barbie-resembling, ‘50s/60s housewife. Not to overly simplify the Betty character, but she does often come across strikingly doll-like, blonde outside, hollow plastic inside. One wonders if perhaps this partnership better serves MadMen and the themes it presents, rather than Barbie and the, continuously, under-fire image of females that it represents.

Nevertheless, this strategy continues to cement MadMen’s place as a modern, pop-cultural phenomenon, and though I would never fork over the $74USD to purchase any of the dolls anyway, I do find it unfortunate that the Betty Draper doll doesn’t come with an air-powered rifle and her neighbour’s doves to use as target practice (remember that? Wow! Craziest/funniest way to end an episode).


Thursday, August 12, 2010

Charge!


Photo of another work by Andrew Dunn Clarke, Function 13, Toronto, summer 2010.

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Design Advancement in Frog-Leaps and Bounds




How does someone in Shanghai reduce the power cord clutter in their workspace? Does someone in Seattle have an interesting way of organizing this chaos? And, what are the many ways in which bikes are used for work worldwide?

A new site, Frog Mob, aims to make an instant ethnographer out of all who visit it. Through crowdsourcing people’s creative solutions to common obstacles, a visitor can instantly research how these problems, circumstances, or obstacles may be addressed by various cultures.

Essentially, a topic is created on FrogMob, and then visitors are prompted to submit simplified pieces of media pertaining to the topic, primarily photographs and a brief note. In regards to submissions, FrogMob maintains the following rules:



"1. Keep it visual. A primary goal of this study is to get as many photos as
possible.
2. Be original. All photos must be your own: no stock photography
or published database images.
3. Make it conversational. Whenever possible,
talk to people. Save notes/quotes along with your pictures.
4. Keep it
simple. No reams of notes or audio/video recordings to help us streamline
analysis and synthesis.
5. Make it quick. All photos and insights due back
within one week.
6. Share your findings. Upload and tag your photos to the
active frogMob.
7. To see examples, please view the synthesized results of
past frogMobs"


Beyond the stated ethnographic intent, FrogMob also aims to provide inspiration to designers and manufacturers to aid them in the creation of products and services that are of greater benefit to the user/consumer, on this, FrogMob states that:



“At frog, design research is a tool we use to make sense of human behavior. It
helps us to find those nuggets of insight that lead us to create products and
services that make people’s lives better. With this in mind, we are opening up
our design research process. And we want you to join in.”

Despite the prospects that FrogMob holds for intellectual inspiration and design research potential, it is still in its infancy, with only three topics to date (the third, power solutions, is still open for submissions). Nevertheless, its functionality is still there for anyone looking for creative solutions for the existent topics, whether it be cluttered power cords or the ways in which people effectively take part in social contexts, despite differences in place and time. Moreover, the future potential for crowdsource-inspired easing of humanity’s daily experience, certainly makes it a website to watch and continually check in on.


Sunday, August 8, 2010

Horses Got Issues Too

Post-protest, Montpellier, France, Spring 2009.

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

An Inopportune Education

Monty Python's value of academia.

In a recent article in the Harvard Business Review, author, and research fellow at MIT’s Sloan School’s Centre for Digital Business, Michael Shrage extols the virtues of applicable skills over levels of higher-education in making oneself more attractively employable. Though stopping well short of stating that post-secondary levels of education are worthless, Schrage describes an ever widening gap between success in the classroom and success in the career path.


“...Education is a misleading-to-malignant proxy for economic productivity or
performance. Knowledge may be power, but "knowledge from college" is neither
predictor nor guarantor of success. Growing numbers of informed observers
increasingly describe a higher education "bubble" that makes a college
and/or
university education a subprime investment for too many attendees.”

Such an assertion, as that made by Schrage, is not wholly unbelievable. Up until even the mid-90s, job prospects for post-secondary grads were not bad by any stretch of the imagination. Now, however, it seems almost rare that a Canadian University grad will not complete an additional form of training or education beyond their initial undergrad. Furthermore, what it is particularly telling, and is entirely related to the notion of an education “bubble,” is that much of this additional training will be done in what are often more practical and applicable College programs, particularly those that are more closely tied to a field of choice. Within the education realm, Schrage posits that:

'...alumni networks may be more economically valuable than whatever one studied
in class. "Where you went" may prove professionally more helpful than "what
you
know."’
Of course, and not in disagreement with Schrage’s argument, perhaps it’s not the institution, but the student that is creating this unemployable “bubble.” Whereas the boomer generation, which found employable gold in the cultivation of a bachelor degree, may have been more prepared to apply their education to their existent skills and make their own way in the world, this (aka. my) generation maybe less independently trailblazing, and more expectant of things to come through simply following the same educational process as their parents. Heck, even the former President of my alma mater used to tell crowds of first years during Welcome Week that among the more important things they’d learn at school is what they learn outside of the classroom. Though these words may have been more in reference to important life lessons and relationships, they could also very easily apply to getting involved in extracurricular activities that hone your skills and give you something to talk about later.

Either way, this is something to seriously consider, especially for those of us looking towards our careers and especially for those of us looking towards our careers with a decent bachelor of the arts background and making our way through MBA programs (both of which are referred to somewhat gloomily in the second paragraph... doh!).

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Social Network's "Creep"



Scala and Kolacny Brothers - "Creep"

If you haven't yet seen the trailer for The Social Network directed by David Fincher, then you haven't yet heard this amazing cover of Radiohead's "Creep." reminiscent of the opening of the Rolling Stones' "You Can't Always Get What You Want" the use of the choir offers such a different sound perspective on the song (and creates an odd sense of discomfort when they drop the F-bomb in the chorus).

Check out a number of their other choral renditions of famous songs, such as Coldplay's "Yellow" and U2's "With or Without You."

Monday, August 2, 2010

Enjoy the Sorrow


At a four-movie, dusk ‘til dawn show at East Hamilton’s Starlite Drive-In, I once again, and quite happily, saw Get Him to the Greek. In what has been a very dismal cinematic summer (thank god for the arrival of Inception), the quasi-sequel/spin-off comedy Get Him to the Greek has been a hilarious saving grace.

Staring Russell Brand, reprising his role as Aldous Snow from Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008), and Jonah Hill, not reprising his role from Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Get Him to the Greek is about Hill’s character’s struggle to get “off the wagon” again Aldous Snow from London to a live show at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles (and convincing him to revive his washed-up career along the way).

For those who remember Forgetting Sarah Marshall, you may recall a number of faux-rock singles performed by Aldous Snow and his band Infant Sorrow, such as “We’ve Got to Do Something” and “Inside of You.” What is great about Get Him to the Greek is that not only did the makers continue with this idea, but the entire film soundtrack does, in fact, double as an Infant Sorrow – Live at the Greek album, enticing the audience to believe that Infant Sorrow, and front man Aldous Snow, do actually exist.

The album is comprised of a number of Infant Sorrow’s supposed classic hits, such as “Going Up,” “the Clap,” “F.O.H.,” and the ill-received “African Child.” And, to ensure the correct sound (90s inspired Brit-rock), the album is actually a collaboration of established contemporary British rockers such as Carl Barat of the Libertines and former Pulp front man Jarvis Cocker. As well as influences from Russell Brand, and Jason Segel - who wrote the songs that were featured in Forgetting Sarah Marshall and make appearances in this film.

Not unlike Flight of the Conchords, these quirky songs sound great while giving a sort of cheeky wink to the listener. Yet, what is particularly interesting with this album is that despite being, at face value, a fictional band with false singles made for the soundtrack of summer comedy and all tied into a clever marketing strategy, it’s actually a much more enjoyable listen than a good amount of what’s currently heard on mainstream radio.

Unfortunately the Infant Sorrow live-shows were a very limited engagement, however, to further suspend your disbelief (and gladly so), check out the Infant Sorrow website. Or simply buy the album here.



Infant Sorrow "Going Up."

Sunday, August 1, 2010

You Must be This Terrified to Ride

A bizarrely scary Inspector Gadget carnival ride, Nimes, France spring 2009.

Saturday, July 31, 2010

Mural on St. Laurent

As photo'd in Montreal, July 2010.

Friday, July 30, 2010

Super-Shorts


As I excitedly bought a Marvel Superheroes McDonalds Happy Meal toy yesterday, on a road trip home from Montreal, I was reminded of an item that I had wanted to post a couple weeks ago...

With the well of popular characters to make films out of beginning to run dry, Marvel Comics’ film studio (Marvel Studios) is rumoured to be exploring an interesting idea to both introduce audiences to less popular, or “B” list characters, and to gauge their potential success if translated into films.

For those who care, it goes without saying that Dr. Strange, Luke Cage, and Black Panther do not have the same draw as Spider-man, X-Men and Iron Man. Therefore, Marvel may produce short films, featuring these characters, that will be roughly 10 minutes in length. These films will appear before upcoming movies featuring their more famous characters (such as Thor – 2011, Captain America – 2011, The Avengers – 2012, and the Spider-man reboot – 2012). In doing this, Marvel expects to get an idea of what characters’ films might fly with audiences, without risking too much financially.

This approach would continue to set Marvel apart from its rival DC and their canon of heroes. Already their film approaches are distinctly different, with Marvel focused on making film adaptations of its stable of popular characters, where as DC (excluding the Batman, Superman and the upcoming Green Lantern film) has tended to focus on its more off-beat characters and graphic novels, such as The Watchmen and Constantine (from Hellblazer).

Of course, the successful testing of a character does not guarantee that its film would be a success, whether critically or financially. Particularly critically, for every Iron Man 1 & 2, Spider-man 2, and X-Men 2, that Marvel has had, there has been a Wolverine, Daredevil and Fantastic Four 1 & 2, and many other lukewarm, at best, films to name.


The lesser known Dr. Strange, Black Panther, and Ant-Man.

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Critter

Wheat paste poster, Macklin and Main Streets, Hamilton, ON. Summer 2010.

*Cusp Articles will return on Friday July 30th!

Sunday, July 25, 2010

Uber?

Kensington, July 2010.

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Souls of Mischief - Cab Fare



It has been in my head, plus it has got to be one of the best examples of an old sitcom opening theme being sampled... if (m)any others exist.

Also... July 24th is just about here, remember YouTube's Life in a Day experiment.

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Roar for the Afternoon


Every year around this time Governor’s Island in New York City hosts Jazz-Age themed, week-end afternoon park parties. The parties are $10 per ticket and include a jazz orchestra, dancing (with instruction), picnics, era attractions and games. Those attending are encouraged to wear period costumes, though, judging from the amazing photos that always appear on the Sartorialist blog this time of year, encouragement scarcely seems necessary. In the past the gatherings have also been held in June, one can scour the Sartorialist archives of previous years’ Junes to see older pictures from these parties. It would be amazing to see something like this coordinated locally, perhaps the old bandshell at Gage Park, or Dundas Driving Park, the lawn of Dundurn Castle, or at least somewhere in the GTA.

Pictures are courtesy of the Sartorialist.


Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Conductor

Kensington, Toronto, July 2010.

Monday, July 19, 2010

The Oxford


Not surprisingly, the much more style savvy and focused fellas at Street Etiquette already beat me to a post on this topic. A couple weeks ago, when the heat was not hell, it occurred to me how comfortable I was in an Oxford shirt, and how applicable the comfort was to all seasons, and thus, how it would make a simple, quick, and effective style post. And then it got hot and thoughts of any sleeve longer than 10 centimetres were wholly forgotten.

Well, with the weather in Southern Ontario at last mellowing out, I found myself able to comfortably wear an oxford once again, however, I also found that the well researched Street Etiquette gents had already written an extensive, and generally better article than I would have on the topic.

Suffice it to say that the Oxford (often the name given to dress shirts in general, but actually descriptive of the material that these specific shirts are made from –oxford cloth) is a mainstay, a classic of prep culture and style. Yet its more, the material, generally more rugged than a typical dress shirt, also tends to be more durably comfortable. As well, their appearance translates so well to both dress up and down requirements, easily adapting to either a casual suit or un-tucked on torn jeans. Finally, unlike many dress shirts, the more worn they are, the more character they develop. Proudly exhibiting frays on cuffs, collars and elbows (see photo below of one of mine) shows an entirely authentic lived-in quality, badges of life, unlike, say, store bought “distressed-jeans.”

Check out the Street Etiquette article here.
To find oxford shirts… go anywhere. To find cheap, lived-in ones, go thrift.

Sunday, July 18, 2010

Pile Up, Looking At


Same piece as yesterday, Andrew Dunn Clarke, photo'd at Function 13 in Toronto.

Saturday, July 17, 2010

Pile Up, Looking Up

Forgot to jot down the name of the piece, but it's by Andrew Dunn Clarke, photo'd at Function 13 in Toronto.

Thursday, July 15, 2010

One Day out of Life for a Lifetime


“...I saw a film today, Oh boy...”
- John Lennon (via The Beatles), A Day in the Life

On July 24th, 2010, life in a single day on earth will be documented and assembled into a feature film, brought to you by collaborators Google, YouTube and LG Electronics.

The project, entitled Life in a Day, encourages people all over the globe to upload video footage of any event happening to them throughout the 24 hours on July 24th, the experiences can and should range from the celebratory to the tragic, and from the traumatic to the comforting.

All video footage that is uploaded will be accessible on the Life in a Day YouTube Channel, however, select footage will be edited into a feature film by director Kevin MacDonald (The Last King of Scotland) and overseen by executive producer Ridley Scott (Gladiator). This Life in a Day film will then be entered into the 2011 Sundance Film Festival. All creators of selected footage will be credited as co-directors and an exclusive 20 spots will be available for co-directors to attend the film festival.

It could be said that video platforms such as YouTube already, likely, nearly, capture the entire gamut of global human experience and beyond. As of this year, there was an estimated 120 million videos on YouTube alone, with 200 000 uploaded daily, and an estimated timeframe of 600 years required for one individual to view them all. Yet, the Life in a Day project adds a unique angle, namely, how does a single, time capsuled day in the human experience look, when sent through the grinder of cinematic art.

It could almost be accepted that YouTube as it currently stands is more representative of life on earth in all its frenetic, random, and varying-in-quality glory. I certainly do not doubt MacDonald’s talent as a director, but it must be posited that having a director who ultimately over sees the project’s compilation, will naturally skew the vision of the world. Self efficacy is, of course, possible in film, but with an anicipated over 200 000 videos to be uploaded on July 24th, selection will be an unavoidable expression of preference and perception. Nevertheless, perhaps this will be part of the film’s attraction, viewing the world through foreign eyes for a single day.

Lastly, as an interesting little calculation, if the aforementioned video statistics are true and it would take 600 years to view YouTube's 120 million videos, then if July 24th sees the (at minimum) expected upload of 200 000 videos, it would take approximately one year to view one day's worth of life on earth.

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Happy Fella

A happy truck-trailer, Great Glebe Garage-Sale, Ottawa Marathon weekend, Spring 2009.

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Denim Futures


Now, I do not want to get into the habit of talking about the same topics/organizations within short time spans (see Urban Outfitters last week, and now Levi’s), but sometimes curiosity is peaked by interesting ideas worthy of being shared.

Braddock, Pennsylvania was once a thriving municipality with an economy built around the steel industry. Following the decline in the North American steel industry in the 1970s and 1980s, and an influx of drugs, Braddock saw such a fall from prosperity that by 1988 it was declared a financially distressed municipality. However, since 2005 Braddock has seen growth in its creative sector with the targeted attraction of artists, urbanists and other creative individuals, and it is because of this that the city has begun to see a grassroots driven reversal of fortune.

Enter Levi’s Jeans and their We Are All Workers campaign. Telling the tale of how work is in everything (and presumably, how such various workers enjoy Levi’s clothing), Levi’s has invested in Braddock, both physically, in providing urban infrastructure funding, and public relations wise, through its short film episodes detailing the story of Braddock and its citizens, (see We Are All Workers: Episode 1 –Seeds of Change).

Related to my previous post on Levi’s jeans, the marketing goal here seems to be in linking the story of Levi’s being a pioneer of cool to the grassroots pioneers of a reinvented community that are the current citizens of Braddock. Such investments in social causes are not rare for large corporations; Nike, for example, has in the past put much in the way of resources towards sponsoring inner-city athletic programs (among many other things). What is particularly interesting here is the promotion of the city, and results that the seemingly selfless short films could yield. As well as the inspiration that the activities of the citizens of Braddock, as documented in the film and its following episodes, could provide to likeminded individuals in similarly afflicted municipalities.

Many in Hamilton, Ontario could likely sympathize with the residents of Braddock, PA. Some may even feel that they could directly and understandably identify with them, though luckily, Hamilton’s fortunes did not reverse to the same tragic extent. Nevertheless, Hamilton, like Braddock, is a city of proud citizens, new and old, that are working to rebuild the city under a new image and with a vibrant creative sector.

As stated, an important component of Levi’s investment in Braddock is the public relations contribution made through the short film and its following episodes. In doing this, Levi’s has made less a public service announcement than it has a declaration that creative labour and gentrified communities are cool. As far as attraction and development are concerned, it is this partnering, of the work going on in Braddock and the iconic brand image of Levi’s, that may be the most resounding effect offered by the We Are All Workers film. Moreover, it is this identification of grassroots, sleeve-rolling, creative community development work as cool, that similarly afflicted municipalities may want to leverage (properly) as they look to push things forward.


Saturday, July 10, 2010

Drawn Up

Repurposed road posts into street art, Nimes, France, spring 2009.

Friday, July 9, 2010

Digital Incubation



Yesterday the Imperial Cotton Centre for the Arts’ Cossart Exchange ran an “e-Commerce for the Artistically Minded” workshop, located in their Jackson Square office in Hamilton, Ontario. The open event had guest, author, technophile, and Personal Computer Museum curator Syd Bolton, discussing the various means by which an artist or artisan can go about making a living (or at least generating some measure of monetary return) off their works/crafts.

Pointing out that, for many, e-commerce marketplace participation can be a full time job, Bolton illustrated how sites such as eBay, Etsy, iStockphoto, and Lulu can be important tools in the effort to both make a name for oneself, and make some coin off one’s passion. Additionally, that greater usage and participation in social media facets, such as facebook, twitter, digg and blogs, can bolster this awareness and transform the aforementioned marketplace sites into electronic check-out counters.

The commercial potential of digital media/marketplace platforms is increasingly recognized, yet, despite this, participation, particularly from those for whom independent success and low overhead costs would be of great benefit, is still not what it could be. Such participation is often still portrayed in popular media as a novelty. What is important to recognize is that, in an increasingly globalized culture, a creative-entrepreneur’s audience and prospective customer may be on the other side of the world. Therefore, participation on such electronic platforms enhances potential awareness and bridges that commercial gap.

The Cossart Exchange, overseen by program director Steph Seagram, functions as an incubator, specifically aiding creative industry entrepreneurs, artists and other innovators in transferring their ideas from theoretical interests/hobbies into creative sector careers. For more Cossart events click here.

Thursday, July 8, 2010

At the Market

In Kensington Market, summer 2009.

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Pools on the Edge


When you’re a kid, the real test of any road-stop or family vacation hotel was whether or not it had a pool. Rarely did the quality, design or accessories (slides, etc.) of the pool matter (barring sanitary concerns), the idea of playing in the water and reeking of chlorine was good enough.

In my mind, many of the hotel pools visited on various past trips blur together into a mash-up of tiles, slides, underwater bars, occasional palm trees or adjoining fitness rooms. However, with the newly opened Marina Bay Sands hotel in Singapore (the world’s most expensive), the buck for cool hotel pools has officially stopped.


Dubbed an infinity pool, this artificial paradise rests on the ocean-liner shaped roof of the hotel, is three times longer than a typical Olympic length pool (longer than the Eiffel tower laid down), and is not for the acrophobic, as it appears to spill over the edge, 55 storeys above ground. Designed, by architect Moshe Safdie, the pool is made to look as though it vanishes into the horizon, colliding with Singapore’s skyline. The water that does spill over the edge is caught in a catchment and re-filtered back into the pool.

Though not the first pool of its kind, given its size and perspective, it is certainly one of the most exceptional, and with its placement, also one of the most exciting.

Yet, infinity pools do exist in nature, and despite the grandeur of the Singapore pool, for sheer breathtaking thrills it is hard to top the Devils Pool. Maybe the most dangerous, naturally occurring infinity pool, located at the lip of Zimbabwe’s Victoria Falls, this small, peaceful basin, guarded by a slippery rock wall, is a stark contrast to the violent plunge that it precedes.

For travel options, neither are for the financially faint of heart, but for those who may not enjoy the sense of impending doom, the inspired design of the Singapore hotel pool provides an incredibly unique experience.


Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Shocked in Brussels

Street art as seen in Brussels, Belgium, summer 2008.

Monday, July 5, 2010

An Authentic Facade


Speaking of Urban Outfitters (see last Friday’s post), and the cyclical nature of styles, trends and looks of different sorts, the ironic-chic retailer has taken a unique approach to one of its new New York City storefronts. Finding its inspiration in NYC's streets of decades past, Urban Outfitter’s new store will stand out from traditional forms of street-side retail presentation and assume the identity of imaginary storefronts, mimicking the way the street would have once looked.

In keeping with the store’s strategy of ironic nostalgia, this new storefront will be comprised of a bodega, a hat store, a hardware store and a bar. Designed by creative advertising, design, and brand strategy firm Pompei A.D., who has had a 25 year working relationship with Urban Outfitters, the new storefront maintains current advertising trends by creating a story related to the brand. Creative Director Ron Pompei said this to PSFK in reference to the design:

“The whole idea was to do this kind of ironic statement of lining the building with storefronts that would be reminiscent of independent businesses. It’s the story about the streets of New York as they once were.”

Additionally, the following statement was found on Pompei A.D.’s website and refers to the firm’s design strategy for the retailer broadly:

“The selection of finishes and materials all reference the regional climate and aesthetic, and establish a foundation of authenticity for every project.”

Despite the inspired imagination behind this design, a challenge could be posed that the inherent irony runs a bit too negatively deep, even outside of the fact that authenticity in this instance is an impossible goal. Being a retailer of various goods, from clothing, to books, to furniture, housewares and other odds and ends, the design could be construed as Urban Outfitters thumbing its nose at the independent retailers of the aforementioned goods that could have otherwise existed in this space.

Sunday, July 4, 2010

Leaving a Mark

Footprint near a spilled paint road stain, Sete, France, spring 2009.

Saturday, July 3, 2010

Cash-In

Old cash register, from the auction at the old Dundas Deluxe Diner, summer 2009.

Friday, July 2, 2010

Cyclical Trends are So Mainstream


Today's post is short and sweet. A funny, yet telling, infographic detailing the cyclical nature of fashion (and other) trends, specifically from the perspective of that love to hate cultural icon, "the Hipster."
Created by designer Emily Miethner, and appearing on Flavourwire, this cycle accurately depicts what retailers, such as Urban Outfitters, have been implementing as a product strategy for years.
With a continuous resurgence in fashion and styles from as recently as the mid-1990s, there is an undeniable truth to this graphic. However, as Laura Feinstein of PSFK points out, not all things return, such as the hyper-wide rave jeans of the late 90s. These simply seem to exist outside the world of cyclical fashion. So far...

Monday, June 28, 2010

A Mile in Sebago's Shoes



Blogs are often heralded as a good way to get a name, idea, product or opinion “out there.” Yet, for a group of influential male style bloggers – Marcus Troy, William Yan, Joshua Kissi of Street Etiquette, and Greg Weinstein of Culture Shoq – blogging has presented them with the opportunity to leave a quite tangible mark in the world of men’s style and fashion.

Working with shoe designer Ronnie Fieg, and through “adventure” shoe manufacturer Sebago, the gents were engaged in the process of redesigning and reconstructing classic American footwear (such as lighthouse boots and docksides). The designs, to be infused with their own personal sense of style, were assembled at Sebago’s manufacturing facility in the Dominican Republic under the banner of “the Nexus Project.”

Collaborations are nothing new in fashion, so this does not imply a sweeping democratization of the world of men’s wear. It does, however, highlight an interesting experiment in the transformation of style savvy opinionators into empowered “prosumers” (in the Don Tapscott & Anthony Williams Wikinomics sense). Furthermore, as a marketing strategy, it could be ingenious in advancing awareness and interest in the Sebago brand through mobilizing the designer’s blog followers.

For more info see the video by Jake Davis, and keep tabs on this or their blogs to see the designs when they are finally unveiled.

Sunday, June 27, 2010

This Season's Hottest New Placards...


...Well, not really, but while watching the G20 demonstrations on TV I was reminded of this placard that I photographed in Montpellier, France during the daily protest. The inherent, and objectionable, violent connotation aside, a three-dimensional sign of Sarkozy filled with green blood is relatively inventive.