A Whole New World*

Just before Christmas, I had the chance to visit the Victoria & Albert Museum in London. I went on a bit of a museum binge during that trip, and after a while all the artifacts started to grow kind of...well, old. But the cool thing about museums is that there's always a chance that, amidst the pot fragments and paintings of barely-clothed maidens in mid-gasp, you might come across something completely new.

So after I got over the giant red Christmas tree in the foyer, I entered V&A's Jameel Gallery for Islamic art and was pretty much blown away by everything in there. First of all, a lot of Islamic art plays with calligraphy and the Arabic language, which is right up my alley. Each piece was like, "hey, what if..." and my brain would explode, and then I'd do the Museum Two-Step to the next piece, and it'd be like, "hey what if..." Basically, the artists were unafraid to question and transform centuries-old traditions into something fresh. 

I finally came across one of the exhibits online, so I can now stop referring to it as the "weird rug exhibit." 

Artist Faig Ahmed models his carpets after traditional Azerbaijan carpets, but distorts them in a way that doesn't so much break from tradition as pull it in new directions. In person they are even more impressive, as you can see the point where the warps begin, the exact thread where tradition turns left instead of right. It's pretty cool. 

*And yes, I am just saying this because it's carpets and vaguely Arabian. 

A Whole New World*

0 comments

Giant Hyperrealistic Lincoln Head Terrifies Los Angeles (Okay Just Me)

I knew there was a reason I left Los Angeles.

It wasn't because of school or wanderlust. It was because I knew, inside, that Lincoln was coming and my worst nightmare was that much closer to coming true.

Hollywood makeup artist Kazuhiro Tsuji created this hyperrealistic bust of Abraham Lincoln that's on display at the Eden Head Art Festival in Los Angeles. The portrait was sculpted from clay, then scanned and replicated in foam with a CNC machine. From this, several molds were created until the final silicone sculpture was cast and refined by hand.

When I saw this earlier, I willed myself to gather the courage to click on it. Imagine my horror as each photo on the page was more and more detailed, the bust getting closer and closer, as though Lincoln himself were approaching me it's night and I'm alone in a foreign country there's a thunderstorm just pretend you empathize yes I have been told it's an irrational fear.

All phobias aside though, it's really impressive work.

His veiny eyes are staring into your soul.

Sweet dreams.

via My Modern Metropolis

Giant Hyperrealistic Lincoln Head Terrifies Los Angeles (Okay Just Me)

1 comments

Japanese Straw Monsters

Growing up, we'd go to the beach every year to see the sand sculpture competitions.  How did it never occur to me that people would do the same thing with straw?

Every year, farming communities in Japan's Kagawa and Niigata prefectures hold a Straw Art Festival, where artists create sculptures out straw left over from the rice harvest.

Now, we've all heard the "3 Little Pigs" enough to ask the important questions. How do the sculptures withstand the elements, let alone babies and dogs climbing all over the place? All the wolf had to do was huff...and puff...and he blew the house down.

Well let me tell you a thing. These sculptures aren't just piles of straw, but wooden frames upon which the hay is laid. (Arguably the little pig also did the same thing but this analogy is spiraling way out of control so we'll lay it to rest like dried grass on an arrangement of dead tree.) Just look at the pretty pictures - that's what the Internet is for, right?

via My Modern Metropolis

Japanese Straw Monsters

0 comments

Sine Jensen Illustrates Everything My Nine-year-old Self Could Have Wanted

Sometime last year, I was walking home from class with a friend when she asked me what kind of stuff I used to think about as a kid.

Aside from imagining myself as a tiny person (à la The Borrowers, The Littles, or even Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh), I was and continue to be fascinated by animals dressed as humans. Luckily for my dog, this hasn't translated into real life just yet.

So when I saw these illustrations by Sine Jensen, yeah, I'll admit my brain released some dopamine.

He (or she? Reptile sex indicators are slightly different from human ones...I mean it's not biologically relevant for me to know that) reminds me of a more sophisticated Lyle the Crocodile. I'm going to choose to believe Lyle finally got his life together enough to afford a cardigan and bow tie. 

Yes, Polly does want a cracker. But only if it's vegan and gluten-free. 

I am highly disturbed by the fact that the color of this gorilla's hands doesn't match the tone of his face. His headphones also remind me of an episode of "Arthur" I saw recently in which a bear was listening to headphones but they didn't cover her ears...I mean, if we're already suspending disbelief...

Sine Jensen is an illustrator based in Copenhagen who works primarily with pen and pencil. You can see more of her work here.

Sine Jensen Illustrates Everything My Nine-year-old Self Could Have Wanted

0 comments

Doodle Doodle Doodle

Midnight scribblings in my notebook from last month. Sometimes, words are too much and I escape instead to the land of images. Messy and uninspired images, but wonderfully unfiltered. And each time that I flip through my notebook to get to the freshest page, my fingers always catch on this one. And it makes me smile. 

Doodle Doodle Doodle

0 comments