Fleet FoxesFleet Foxes 2011 Pitchfork Music Fest

http://pitchfork.com/news/43253-pitchfork-music-festival-2011-video-portraits/ –  So i’m a year late, and several dollars short but thought i’d share this for posterity.

The cavalcade of hipster magic that adorns most summer festivals now comes in animated .gif form.  Okay so yeah, this is partly a post about how photographers Sanchez and Kitahara (http://www.higgsandboson.com/) have gone forth and made animated .gifs into something i’d love to hang in a digital poster frame above my bed (tis the future after all).  Plus, if  i’m going to have a seizure i’d rather have it induced by something cool n’pretty.

My kingdom for a press pass and a trusty SLR.

Cut Copy Cut Copy avec Balloons

Twin ShadowTwin Shadow

Geeks of NatureA show by podgypanda

For all of you who couldn’t make it to the opening here is a preview of the Geeks of Nature show by Podgypanda complete with pricing.

For purchase inquires please email: info@thisisnation.com

Digital Prints each ed. of 50 (clockwise)

• Tea Party $60 cdn
• Godzilla Greg $60 cdn
• Whales $60 cdn
• Kristopher Kong $60 cdn
• The Last Sushi $60 cdn
• Boof $60 cdn

Note: All prints are 11.75″ by 16.5″ including a 1″ white matte.

Canvas Prints (clockwise)

• Kristopher Kong $300 cdn
• Whales $300 cdn
• Tea Party $400 cdn SOLD
• Boof $300 cdn
• The Last Sushi $300 cdn
• Godzilla Greg $300 cdn

A3 Original Paintings Framed (clockwise from top left)

• Kristopher Kong $185 cdn
• Nora Narwhal $185 cdn
• Betty Yeti $185 cdn
• Livi Unicorn $185 cdn
• Godzilla Greg $185 cdn
• Bigfoot Bryan $185 cdn
• Walk (A4 size) $250 cdn

Custom Sculptures (clockwise from top left)

• Livi $300 cdn
• Kris $300 cdn
• Snowpal $150 cdn
• Bryan $300 cdn
• Betty $300 cdn
• Greg $300 cdn SOLD

A4 Sketches (clockwise from top left)

• Main Wall
• Drool Puddle $80 cdn
• Dreamin $80 cdn SOLD
• Waterballon to the Face $80 cdn
• Raining Legless Catspuds $80 cdn SOLD
• Vandals $80 cdn SOLD

You know how we’ve all wanted to meet more people in our dream industry? Whether it be potential collaborators to expand our personal networks, or to just talk shop. If you’re into cinema, this event is for you. In support of an ambitious film being shot this summer, we’re promoting a ‘Scorsese’ titled event. Let’s face it, filmmaking is expensive and what better way to fund raise than by hosting a killer night out, plus it’s a good way to kick start to your summer.

DETAILS:

“The Colour of Money” Fundraiser
Friday, May 28th
Schank’s North
Doors at 6:30 PM
Tickets ~ $10

PURCHASE TICKETS @ http://thecolourofmoney.myevent.com/

Entrance to the event allows you to indulge in the appetizer buffet, compete for unique prizes, enter the bar-wide 50/50 draw – and the best part – a photo shoot with you and another person posing as Vince and Eddie from The Color of Money’s iconic shoot.

Get your tickets early as we’re hoping to sell out all one-hundred fifty!

WEAR WASH REPEATthe art of KOMBOH

Donning the walls of Nation Toys this November is the works of KOMBOH (aka Michael Mateyko & Hans Thiessen). With a very descriptive theme you can gather that the show will focus on wearable art. There is an assortment of incredible hand screened imaginative and simplistic graphic tees accompanied by some beautifully framed illustrated prints. I have a feeling that both the tees and prints wont be around long and their reasonable price *ahem $30* certainly makes them a great gift idea and hotter than the hottest of hotcakes… I guess if you could wear hotcakes the former would be true.

From my angle the work of KOMBOH epitomizes not only clean contemporary design (with a side of whimsy) but also the diversity to switch from amazing typeset documentation to cute and colourful vector illustration & animations.  I look forward to seeing whats next for this talented duo.  I’ll be sure to post photos of this month’s show.

The opening is tonight: 6pm – 9pm @ Nation Toys & Tees so if you are in Calgary we hope to see you there!

The work of Michael Mateyko & Hans Thiessen.

KOMBOH is comprised of two individuals who realized that working together solved more problems than it produced. Michael Mateyko and Hans Thiessen approach the visual world with the belief that creativity is a process, not a formula. A process that sometimes involves medium-fit, 100% cotton t-shirts.

Go to komboh.com for more form-fitting goodness.

Ahoy! We have a special treat this month in the Nation space. Mommy Still Likes Me: The art of Pete & Jo features wood. Art on wood, that is! If you’re in the Calgary area this month, make sure to stop by anytime. Even better yet, if you’re in the Calgary area tonight then we’re having a little shin-dig from 6pm to 9pm. Did I mention these are the two responsible for many fantastic projects such as custom artwork for Beatroute, illustration and branding for the Market Collective and album artwork for local band Günther’s Nuclear Stallions … to name a few.

Here’s a drop from the artists:

Peter and Joyelle Komierowski are illustrators living in Calgary, Canada. They are NOT brother and sister as some would believe. They draw things that are funny, weird, cute, scary, but mostly moronic. Their work is wrapped up in nostalgic memories of childhood and it is a sort of grown-up fairy-tale.

Also, make sure to check out more of Pete & Jo’s work on lovefrompeteandjo.com

555 KUBIK | facade projection | from urbanscreen

Just a quick tip for this lovely humpday set upon us. If you live in the Montréal area, and are not already pre-occupied by the Concordia Electro-acoustics festival you should check out Pop Montreal premiere of NOSAJ THING’s visual show (see above video).

Oh, oh yes.

In my younger years I would play a song or entire album on repeat. These days, it’s not usual for me to loop good content over and over for fear of ruining it, but I just can’t help it with this one. I believe my only recent regret is not knowing about Nova Scotia’s Amelia Curran before this month’s trip to Halifax. Anyhow, this tune seems like a suiting mood for the brisk fall Friday headed our way.

Amelia Curran – The Mistress – { Album: 2009’s Hunter Hunter }

GOTOCHINA is a trip-blog / primer for those interested in visiting Shanghai and Beijing. The background photography used on the site is what caught my eye (call me a sucker for the ocular). A few of the cityscape shots have been well-composed and processed in a manner I find quite spectacular. Also, from a web design perspective this site is using some really neat tricks to have the photos scale to your browser window. Go on, give it a try: visit the site and resize your Firefox/Safari/Chrome/what-have-you window. Lovely, eh?

I seem to be unable to find either contact information or photography credits on the site, so if anybody actually knows how to contact any of the 17 Norwegian students who put this together, don’t hesitate to drop us a line. Thanks!

This past weekend I was introduced to Imaginary Ordinary; which is both wonderfully imaginative and far from ordinary. The concept has been dubbed a social networking & community mapping project. I love this community mapping idea. I’ll let them explain in their own words:

Imaginary Ordinary is a social networking site [physical location] where different groups or individuals of all ages can meet and connect with one another. Imaginary Ordinary is a community centre—a place where everybody in the neighbourhood can come to participate in activities, share information, or simply to browse and hang out. Community centres can create a “map” of a community. They identify and connect the people who live, work, and play within a neighbourhood.

The project is curated and managed by the dynamic duo of Eric Moschopedis and Laura Leif.   I had the chance to speak with both during an event this past Saturday. I must admit I was inspired by their creativity and commitment to community building.  I will leave you to visit their website to learn more, but sadly their current location is a temporary installation.  So be sure to get down there and enjoy one of their numerous events before the closing party on Aug. 29th.  Psst, might I recommend Choose Yer Own (Aug. 13th – Aug. 16th).

Okay so it’s been a week since my return from SDCC. Typically I would have so much to immediately say… and it’s not that I don’t… it’s that there is an overwhelming amount to say.

Mindstyle had some incredible Stitch customs and some great new products including the Godfather by Michael Lau.

Kidrobot wasn’t so much a booth but more of a perpetual lineup.  I did get a sniff at their new releases from behind glass, but unless I waited in a 4 hour lineup the Huck Gee, Deph & Amanda Visell releases were a no go… apologies to all the collectors.

Strangeco was the most gracious of incredible toy making & distributing machines.  I managed to fenagle some exclusive Tokidoki platinum editions from them. Their Kaiju wrestling after party was incredibly weird… nah it was just incredible with a side of weird.  The venue was incredible too, we need more Wonderhaus style venues in Calgary (it was a well renovated old Wonderbread factory)

Tokidoki’s booth was just impossible! Too busy to even venture a walk by.

Rocketworld had some new tricks and products up their sleeves and we should be seeing more toys from them coming our way! These guys are also doing a fantastic job at providing socially conscious products which support the WWF and everyone on team Splash loves animals so hells yeah, Rocketworld.

Poketo’s team was overwhelming cool, great to meet and even greater to line up as a new vendor.  Plus anyone who carries DGPH is in like flynn in my books.

I thought a strategic visual approach would be to somehow categorize my experience via photos, using my own version of the dewey decimal system (more slideshow and less dewey). So here goes:

First the vinyl!

SDCC 2009 Part 2: Celebrity (on it’s way…)

Inauguration Day 1961
“The president’s father beamed with pride and the King of Pop listened intently that cold, windy day when JFK suggested they ask not what their country could do for them, but what they could do for their country.”

“Art too bad to be ignored”.

I can’t get over this concept. It’s entirely genius in itself, but oh how I wish it existed in Montréal instead of Massachusetts (mainly because it would be the ultimate First Date location). The Museum of Bad Art rivals other more “well-known” museums, with a concept that’s perfectly unique in it’s own way…

Eileen’s Uncle Phil by Anonymous
16″ x 20″
Oil on Canvas
Purchased by Mike Frank 5/19/07

He Was a Friend of Mine By Jack Owen
18″ x 24″
Watercolor
“Who else thinks it’s a good idea to eat from my bowl?”

Ronan the Pug by Erin Rothgeb
18″ x 24″
Acrylic on Canvas Board
“Ronan the Pug could hardly see straight after lapping up all the spilled egg-nog at the holiday party, but brought tears to everyone’s eyes with his clear tenor rendition of Danny Boy.”

Check out more examples on museumofbadart.org or buy something from their online shop

Casey Weldon
“The Reading”
acrylic on wood
30 x 20 inches
$1,350.00
(Various Cult Movie Directors, from left to right; Jim Jarmusch, John Waters, David Lynch, Wes Anderson, Quentin Tarantino, Kevin Smith, Tim Burton)
SOLD

Gallery 1988 Los Angeles opened round 3 of the the wildly popular / annual Crazy 4 Cult show last week.  There is a decadent amount of pop related artwork that is destined to become iconic perhaps solidify the fame of already established artists and/or propel lesser known artists into the low-brow lime-light.  Those lucky enough to be in the West Hollywood (Melrose) area should take the opportunity to see these pieces in the flesh as the show expires on August 8th.  Those less lucky (namely myself) will have to settle for the bloggED version to see fantastic, original and reasonably priced artwork get snapped up at an alarming rate.  At least I have SDCC to look forward to, to meet my pop culture needs…sigh.

N.C. Winters
“I Am Jack’s Broken Heart”
acrylic and resin on wood panel
16 x 20 inches
$1,200.00
(Fight Club)
SOLD

2cents
“Trap”
screenrpint on archival paper
16 x 20 inches
signed and numbered edition of 40
$25.00
(Ghostbusters)

Leanne Biank
“Walter”
linoleum print, one of a kind
14 x 17 inches each, framed
$200.00 each
(The Big Lebowski)
SOLD

Wade Schin
“Donnie”
4.75 inches tall
acrylic and spraypaint on acrylic plastic, one of a kind
$750.00
(Donnie Darko)
SOLD

Bob Dob
“I Don’t Tip”
oil on panel
6.5 x 9 inches, framed
$650.00
(Reservoir Dogs)
SOLD

I say with great certainty that one day I will own an original Josh Keyes painting.  His work is perfectly haunting and meticulous, to the point where you think it’s a digitally compiled piece. The shadows and dissections are seemingly both random and abstract, though somehow make sense alongside the visual juxtapositions of Wildlife v.s. Man-made Monuments/Artifacts.

There is something so calming about his work and I’m not sure if the post apocalyptic vibe is supposed to have that effect… but hey that’s just me. Anyway, if you’re lucky enough to be in the Oakland CA area this August you can head over to the Swarm Gallery to check out his latest creations up close and personal.

Also, be sure to head over to www.joshkeyes.net to see how beautifully talented this artist is.

The above print is available for purchase through David B Smith Gallery.  Only $175!

Calgary is now becoming home to more unique boutique stops. The latest boutique stop, espy, is situated in a character building on the main drive (9th ave.) of Inglewood, an eclectic suburb of the downtown Calgary area.

This boutique shop is all about class and fashion; bringing in designer names and fashions that are not typical to the Calgary fashion market. Espy has a so much to offer fashion hungry consumers and offers the latest in fashion and trendsetting.  This is a great destination to go and peruse on a weekly basis to check out the new stock. Take a look at the space which espy occupies… great design and fits so well within the character space. Perfect place to pick up a unique gift, outfit or that one piece to complete your ensemble.

Images are all taken by Alix Broadway and are from the espy website.

espy space during grand opening night.

James, Christy and I at the opening, having some very much appreciated beverages.

espy owners and employees, celebrating and enjoying the grand night.

Banksy is definitely one of my favourite artists. His artwork is usually satiracal pieces of art which surround controversial issues politics, culture and ethics. For those who don’t know much about Banksy, he operates himself as an anonymous artist so no one really has too much information on him as a person. This is also intriguing because you wonder about him as an artist, however, you focus more on the artwork than the mystery. I won’t write too much about him, as most of you probably know about his work. For those of you who don’t, I encourage you to do a lil’ google search on him, he has some really amazing work.

The video and the pictures I am posting are from his latest exhibit running from June 13th through to August 31st at the Bristol Museum in Bristol, England. Check out the video and images, or if you are lucky enough to be in the area of the exhibit, go check it out!

www.banksy.co.uk

Oh my its a double-duty post; Say hello to Giant 45 & Flying Lotus! Both of the aforementioned names deserve credit in their own right but tonight is a special night. The good people of Giant 45 have recently re-opened in their swanky their new location on 17th avenue and might I suggest you take the opportunity tonight to get re-acquainted. Why you ask? Well there’s the fact that Giant 45 has been supplying Calgary with some of the freshest threads, shoes, and vinyl listenings since 2003. For that you have to give some love (hooray for persevering and staying independent). However specifically this evening they’re hosting the man they call Flying Lotus, in store for an intimate session as part of the Red Bull Music Academy. Did I just hear your jaw drop?

Giant 45 hosts Flying Lotus
6PM – 8PM
329a 17th AVE SW
Calgary, AB
403-228-4536

I know you’re all hip savvy cats and are already on top of this but for those who haven’t heard Flying Lotus yet let me provide a brief introduction. Steven Ellison is a California based producer of truly inspired beats. To call it experimental or hip-hop just doesn’t quite do the job. His sound is unmistakably his own which explains why he was signed by WARP Records in 2007. His Los Angeles release certainly holds a certain special place in my collection. Remember our post on photographer Timothy Saccenti? Yup he’s in there too. Okay I don’t want to fawn too much so I’ll let the music do the talking. I will however suggest you wander to Giant 45 and then on to the Hi-Fi Club tonight for the full show.

Flying Lotus – Roberta Flack - { Los Angeles, Released: 2008 }

Radiohead – Reckoner (Flying Lotus Remix) - { Released: 2009 }

Keeping the 8-bit alive: this concept comes from designer Ashley Buerkett, who has quite the collection of past works on her website.

I’m actually quite surprised we haven’t seen something like this from Nintendo in the past, although I just realized there is a Nintendo Monopoly. Unlike the current monopoly they have on motion gaming (go Wii).

Take ALEWHIF

I like to inhale chocolate as much as the next person, but to actually “inhale” (quotes & suggested air quotes) is an entirely different story. Taking this literal approach to inhaling food is a new product from Le Lelaboratoire called LeWhif.

Le Whif is a new way of eating chocolate – by breathing it! Imagine, chocolate without the calories. Be the first to try inhaled chocolate in one of four flavors: mint chocolate, raspberry chocolate, mango chocolate, and plain chocolate.

Le Whif seems to cover the spectrum of great design, from beautiful packaging to almost extreme product innovation.  Obviously the right choice of food was an important choice in experimenting with the way people consume, and I’m sure that  chocolate trumped a variety of delicious ideas….such as steak perhaps.  Though this all sounds a little outrageous and even seemingly pretentious (see it’s debut at Cannes on the Le Whif world tour), I am curious enough to order and try this product… if it does transpire, I’ll let you know how it goes.

Dems Da BreaksChris Brett

Sometimes I just can’t help but feel compelled to share with you some of the amazing artists we have the opportunity to showcase in the NATION gallery. For the month of June we’ve been fortunate to showcase the artwork of Chris Brett. His work has just the right mix of comic surrealism and delightfully dark, whimsical humour. Oh and lest we forget the use of bright colours, mixed media and screen printing techniques that we just can’t get enough of.

I’ll let the pictures do the talking but be sure to peek you’re head into our space this weekend as Saturday’s the end! Pict-cha’s after the jump.

This is an installation that artist Leo Villareal created for the National Gallery of Art. Multiverse, the name of the installation, spans a 200 foot walkway running from the east to west concourse of the buildings. This installation consists of 41,000 programmed LED lights. This installation by Villareal started in September of 2008 and will run up until November of 2009 at the NGA.

However, if you don’t get to catch a glimpse of this in person, maybe you could check out one of his many pieces of work that exist all over the US and the globe for that matter.

Images from the NGA website of the installation in action

Images by Min Batstone

The video below is just some background into the logistics of how Villareal gets these installations to work. I definitely encourage you to check out his personal website too, tons of projects featured there, even a proposed project for an installation to scale the Lotte Super Tower building in Seoul, Korea.

Check out the high res video Pattern Recognition, where Leo talks about his work.