Randomness

Danxia Landform, Gansu, China

Jul 17

When I first ran across the Danxia landforms a couple of years ago, I did a double take. What appeared to be accomplished pastels were actually the revelations of the forces of soil and rock erosion. This petrographic geomorphology apparently consists of red coloured sandstones and conglomerates of the ‘Cretaceous age’. On that geological note, take a look.

Homo Shopus: The Buyological Urge

Jul 06

Vancouver, Canada based Adbusters have been culture jamming for quite some time now, and they describe themselves thus – “We are a global network of culture jammers and creatives working to change the way information flows, the way corporations wield power, and the way meaning is produced in our society.” No mean challenge to take on, especially with late capitalist manifestations of corporate power excesses and top down flows of information. I have been an Adbusters follower for many years now, and what drew me first to them was their more than unconventional approach to magazine layout and design (everything that the ‘Time’ is not, if you know what I mean), and of course with convincing content that I find resonances in, it did become a regular fix. Here is a sampling of Adbusters posters dubbed ‘Homo Shopus: The Buyological Urge.’ Take a look.

Lewis Hine (Sociologist & Photographer): Child Labour 1908-1924

Jul 01

I encountered sociologist Lewis Hine’s hard hitting body of photographic work (from the early 20th C) quite a few years back, and the images stayed on. Like Eugene Smith much later, Hine’s camera was a camera with a conscience, powerful enough to be a catalyst for social reform. Documenting the end of innocence of children employed in factories, cotton mills, coal mines and households across the USA. 1908-1924.

Royal College of Art: Design Products: Foldboat

Jun 26

Design students Max Frommeld and Arno Mathies were both studying for their Masters degrees in the Design Products programme at the Royal College of Art when they conceived the Foldboat. In a paper furniture workshop they started to understand origami techniques and they wanted to use these techniques to create a functional product. The boat is folded from a 8ft by 5ft piece of plastic and can be transformed from a flat sheet to a rowing boat by a single person in under three minutes using only three components. ‘You just fold it, clip it together then push it out into the water.’ If this was made affordable, the Foldboat could be of considerable use in flood prone areas.

America Revealed: Incredible Satellite Imagery

Jun 19

Incredible satellite images reveal what the USA looks like from the skies, and how its transport and communication infrastructures work to power the nation on a daily basis. (Pizza delivery included) :-)

1. These lines show the unpublicised transportation of dead bodies, some clearly being repatriated to their home states from America’s retirement mecca state of Florida.

Du Pont Cellophane: Advertisements 1930-1950

Jun 17

Cellophane was a novelty once, and Du Pont pushed very hard to propagate the ‘cellophane’ idea, and were convinced that the way to reach households is through housewives, and the way to reach housewives is through baby imagery. Babies, condom analogies and appeals to clothesline snatchers. A lesson in why it may not be such a good idea to push too hard. Take a look. 1930-1950. “Better Things for Better Living…Through Chemistry”.

On Being Creative – Ira Glass

Jun 15

On Being Creative

Watch this video on YouTube

American Radio personality speaks volumes on what it is to be creative.

Massive Design: The Blue Marlin

Jun 13

This is the Blue Marlin – The largest cargo transport ship in the world. I always marveled marine architecture and maritime engineering, and the Blue Marlin is truly a wonder – carrier of ships, oil rigs and submarines across international waters.Take a look at the scale of things here.