Wednesday's Muse, and Gucci's Muse for 08 Martha Streck.

Matthew Barney, New Sun

Hologram World", a music video for The Tiny Masters Of Today. Directed by Kids With Canes, aka Karen O + Barnaby Clay, it features cameos from members of The Beastie Boys, Services, Blues Explosion, and The Butthole Surfers. Unleash The Beast and YYY.

Lucky Italy. Opening at Marella Gallery in Milan this Thursday the 21st is Something Old, Something New, something Borrowed, Something Blue. Curated by Aaron Rose the show features a line-up of Heavy Hitters with the likes of Barry McGee, Ryan McGinley, Ed Templeton, Clare Rojas, Mike Mills, Phil Frost, Matt Leines, Raymond Pettibon, Deanna Templeton, and Ari Marcopoulos. We need more shows like this stateside.

Swoon came off on two sides of the World over the weekend. First, there was her solo show at New Image Art in Los Angeles. On the same day, 8 hours ahead, she was included in Black Rat Press' Print Show, where it could be said that they were printing money. From that show is where this gorgeous two-plate etching and screenprint, Argentina, came from. Retailing at £600 in a signed edition of 95, the print is a must have for any SWOON collector.
Buy the print here

See photos from SWOON's solo show here

And a couple videos of the Black Rat Press event and New Image Art show after the jump.

A couple interesting articles for your perusal today.
If Ebay is an indicator, Obama will win presidential race.

And, Shepard isn't the first artist to dabble in presidential campaign design. A brief history.

On a random tip, a question. If Obama was to be elected, would Shepard Fairey be called upon for the presidential portrait?

Checkout apples exploration in the use of advanced multitouch gestures under Mac OS X. Via Macrumors

Your local hardware store is offering a little more than just nuts and bolts. You probably spend most of your time at Crest buying what you need to make the art. Now you will be able to show what you made. Back in the late 90's the Store became the home to a few art exhibits and, it was also featured on a PBS special. This summer Crest will host its first in a series of art exhibits. Stay tuned, we will bring you all the details.

View Larger Map

Rejoice. For this weeks NY Mag, Lindsay Lohan is photographed by Bert Stern, recreating Marylin Monroe's "Last Sitting." Monroe is still hotter, but a taste of the Lohan flesh is enough to get this shortened week started.

See more here

Celebrate 20 years of televised law enforcement. Sit back, drink some beer and laugh at crackhead shenanigans with Cops: 20th Anniversary Edition ($20). The two-disc set includes tons of highlights, behind-the-scenes secrets, bloopers, car chases and domestic disturbances. Over five hours of new content is included. Filmed on location with the men and women of law enforcement since March 11, 1989.

We are closed today so enjoy the holiday and all the presidents day sales!


More photo's after the jump.

In a galaxy far far away... We know Lucas likes merch. here are a few rejects that never made it to production, I so want the fridge. Check out geekologi for more concepts.

Ostuni, Italy

Dead Sid by Paul Insect

Gridskipper has put together an informative death map, pinpointing the spots where celebrities have died.

Opening up tomorrow is Michel Gondry's installation for his upcoming movie Be Kind Rewind. Luckily, the installation is in the bigger Deitch space on Wooster, which means the creator's imagination has more room to run free.

So while some of you were out romancing and others were getting black out drunk, the upper crust was spending money on art and laughing at the plebeian recession. Thankfully they spent their money well, bidding up Banksy well over his estimates. RUINED LANDSCAPE (above) sold with a hammer price of $385,000 briskly passing the high estimate of $300,000. That was the smallest margin between estimate and hammer price. The outstanding VANDALISED PHONE BOX more than doubled its estimate of $300,000, selling with hammer for $605,000. The star of the show however was Banksy's defaced Damien Hirst painting, KEEP IT SPOTLESS, which set an auction record for the artist weighing in at $1,870,000, well over the $350,000 estimate it was given. Now watch the secondary market prices rise once again.

We saw this one on Search and Destroy and we were immediately inspired. A simple idea with a big message. As the kid from AI or was it I.A. said in that other movie Pay it forward.

Our version.

This morning under the suggestion of a reader I went with 'plastic'.

Jeff Wall

Over on the Art Market Blog, Nicholas Forrest describes to readers how he doubled his money overnight. Nice one guy!

What more can be said about this epic group of artists? Not much, except that they will only get better and their work, more unattainable. The movie/documentary about them slated for release this Spring should solidify any doubts you may have had. So why not take the easy way out, and get pieces of their work together in one bundle? The easiest and most affordable way to do this is by purchasing The Beautiful Losers Catalog (Boxed Edition). Available in an edition of 100 and costing $1500, the "Custom slipcased First Edition / First Printing catalog is packaged in custom military grade wood box with limited editions and original works of art by the Beautiful Losers artists." For a full rundown of the goodies inside check the site. Here are some of my faves, Cynthia Connolly - Page, Arizona [from the portfolio Ice Machines featured in the Beautiful Losers exhibition], silver gelatin print, 4 x 6 inches, printed and signed by the artist, edition of 100, Barry McGee - Untitled, marker on various sticker papers, dimensions variable, signed by the artist, James Jarvis - The Thin Blue Line, action figure, approx. 6 x 3.5 inches, signed edition of 100.

Check out Gareth Pugh Fall Ready to Wear Collection on Style.com. I am not going to lie there is a bit of a fantasy going on here.

A big happy VDay from YoPeace, check out their holiday contribution.

Check out the new trailer for Indy. "If you like adventure, nostalgia, explosions, soundstages as exteriors, long inexplicable pauses in action for joke delivery, or any combination thereof, you're going to be excited as shit." I second that! Via I watch Stuff

Flats. Again and again.

State of America Part VII: In Bruges

I know I’m awake, but it feels as if I’m in a dream.

The double sidedness of a statement is a thing of undeniable beauty. To be awake, but to feel as if you’re in a dream. There is an enchantment to it, the idea that the dreamlike qualities of what is real are idyllic, wonderful, fantastic. It is too good to be true. It is the thing we have been waiting for our entire lives. It is the post-orgasm tranquility of life.

Before today, I hadn't a clue who Leslie Minnis was. Truthfully, I still don't, but what I do know is that her paintings are sick. Available now for purchase through Andenken Gallery is a print on canvas of what I believe to be her strongest work to date. Signed in an edition of 10 and measuring 20" x 30" the print costs $400. If interested, contact the andenken shop.

The Saint Valentine's Day massacre is the name given to the shooting of seven people as part of a Prohibition Era conflict between two powerful criminal gangs in Chicago, Illinois, in the winter of 1929: the South Side Italian gang led by Al Capone and the North Side Irish/German gang led by Bugs Moran. Former members of the Egan's Rats gang were also suspected to have played a large role in the St. Valentine's Day massacre, assisting Capone.

On the morning of Thursday, February 14, 1929 St. Valentine's Day, five members of George 'Bugs' Moran's gang, a gang "follower", and a mechanic who happened to be at the scene were lined up against the rear inside wall of the garage of the SMC Cartage Company in the Lincoln Park neighborhood of Chicago's North Side. They were then shot and killed by four members of Capone's gang (two of them dressed as police officers). When one of the dying men, Frank Gusenberg, was asked who shot him, he replied, "I'm not gonna talk - nobody shot me."[1] Capone himself had arranged to be on vacation in Florida at the time. For more info check out wika p

Kate Moss, Valentines Special, sorta.

You know what day it is.

It's so ghetto but it is really one of the best video's out there. Via Internet Famous.

Artist Golan Levin created Opto-Isolator a artwork that's realistic-looking eyeball actually responds to an onlooker's gaze with a bunch of human-like movements, including coy side-glances and blinks. For more images and background check out gizmodo.

First it was Gocco, now Polaroid. Polaroid announced this past week that they are shutting down the last of their film producing factories in the United States. They have also announced they will close their factories abroad in Mexico and the Netherlands before the year’s end. It was seemingly inevitable and soon coming after they stopped producing film cameras a year ago. In their press release they’ve stated there will be stock on shelves at least in to 2009 so I suppose if you are the hording type you have time to stock up. Via The WashingtonPost.

They have also stated they are looking for someone to license the technology to so enthusiasts can hope Fuji or another company can find something profitable there to work with.

Thanks to Search and Destroy for pointing this out. Now I will have to stock up on film for the land camera.

More than excited about this opening on Saturday at New Image Art Gallery in Los Angeles. SWOON baby!

New Image Art is pleased to announce the first Los Angeles solo exhibition by SWOON, "Drown Your Boats." Partially inspired by Angela Carter's "Burning Your Boats," this show, and much of SWOON's work is not only a momentary glimpse in contemporary life; her work speaks of tales, legends, and variations on mythic themes, sparked by great vitality, inventiveness, and a deeply macabre imagination. Having recently participated in an armada of sorts SWOON along with other fellow Pittsburgh "boat punks" constructed their own flotilla and sailed down the Hudson and Mississippi Rivers. For this new exhibition SWOON will be executing a canoe as her central installation piece that will later become part of a Deitch Projects show this Fall.

SWOON's worlds are often populated by realistically rendered-- and evocatively cutout street people, often her friends and family. Riding bikes, talking on a stoop, going grocery shopping-- these people traverse a cityscape of her own unique invention. Bridges, fire escapes, water towers and street signs create crisscrossing shadows and spaces through which her figures move. Inspired by both art historical and folk sources, ranging from German Expressionist wood block prints to Indonesian shadow puppets, SWOON is a master of using cut paper to play with positive and negative space in a conceptually driven exploration of the experience of the streets.

On the brink of Valentine's Day, Men.Style.Com has put together a nice feature where you can read about and vote on various sex positions.

Here is the direct link to the voting

Wednesday's muse, Rosie Huntington Whiteley and Ellen von Unwerth(left).

Sebach Potties, take a shit in a masterpiece.

Via, eternallycool

Sapporo Snow Festival, Japan. Via Pink Tentacle.

You might have missed Esao Andrews, Jonathan Levine show, if so check out his work here.

BYN gets down to the nitty gritty with Faile in an in depth Question & Answer.

Opening this Saturday night at Giant Robot in the East Village is William 'RotGut' Buzzell's Class Action.
From the press release...

"Working almost entirely with found wood or metal and common latex house paint, Buzzell's pieces are characterized by a surface of intricate brushwork and often feature three-dimensional elements. William Buzzell dips into the mundane, the practical world and a deep well of popular culture, often using maps, logos, charts, text, and familiar cartoon characters or TV icons to fill every inch of his paintings. A native of Providence, RI, much of Buzzell's early work was installed on the streets of his hometown and New York under the alias Rotgut."

If you fall under the spell of hallmark and m&m's, then we have something for you. You probably forgot to get your "loved" or "liked" ones something for valentines day so...tomorrow evening IN GOD WE TRUST will be hosting a custom engraving event at:

IN GOD WE TRUST
SOHO location.
265 lafayette St.
between prince and spring St.
check out the flyer for details,

Free on site engraving, with purchase of engrave-able jewelry or objects.
They are also having a sale. They carry their own men's and women's lines, so there's something for everyone!

Tell them the The World's Best sent you!

French Designers, Normal Studio's latest collection is an experiment in material applications. The monochromatic collection, includes dressers, shelves stools and lights. The unique finishes explores the values of black and gray. Ansel Adams would be proud!
Check out the rest of the line at normalstudio.fr.

For his first collection, fashion Designer Derek Lam, has collaborated with Modo, to create a line of ready-to-wear frames. Eight optical and nine sunglass styles.

image from thegiant.org

This Friday, after a busy four years, Jason Filipow, Shepard Fairey's primary assistant/man behind the scenes will set down his Andre stencils and leave the operation and artist behind to pursue his own work. We at The World's Best Ever wish him much fortune, success, and longevity in his future ventures.

From his Blog.

"I am very proud of all that I have accomplished while employed by my long time friend and mentor, Shepard Fairey. His sustained ambition, motivation and work ethic is nearly unmatched and I hope I have been able to absorb some of that in the 4 years working with him. He has provided me with amazing opportunities and introduced me to countless pop culture heroes and I am forever grateful.

2008 will see me branching out on my own as a creative free agent and I will continue to live and work here in LA. I will be devoting much more of my time to personal work as well as developing some long-simmering projects. I will be launching my own website as well as a detailed and frequently-updated blog. I will be exhibiting my work in galleries, doing some short film projects, commissions, commercial work/design, etc...I am very excited to start this new chapter in my life."

Skateboarding in Uganda. Thank You Boardmaster! How awesome is this organization? To learn more about the Uganda Skateboard Union and donate to the cause, visit their website.

From the mid-90's featuring interviews with Futura, Blade, Espo, and Reas

"Chord #9" by Anders Krisar Via the Staley Wise Gallery.

Check out the time wasting video.

AT&T is popping Wi-Fi hotspots at over 7,000 Starbucks stores, AT&T is offering the true Starbucks killer app: Two hours of free Wi-Fi a day to Starbucks Card holders (like the gift cards, so just pre-pay for your fix) and unlimited internets to AT&T's broadband customers and Starbucks slaves. Via Gizmodo.

Check out artist Miel-Margarita Paredes. Feature work from 2005 "Dachshund Stilts". Her work has this "soft" disturbance, where its not too uncomfortable but there is something there that is dark.

Here's to all the graff writers doing time occupying the Middle East. Read more here.

via, c-monster

Coming soon to an H&M near your. H&M Divided (black label) is set to release a series of art t-shirts and tanks to satisfy your needs, amongst the range are two recognizable faces: Kate Moss (above) Lindsay Lohan (click here). It seems the graphic T keeps on going. Via Nitrolicious.

Retrojunk is a website that brings me back to my childhood days of the 80's. Which by the way was the best time to grow up, ever.

Roy Scheider, gave us lines such as..."We're gonna need a bigger boat..." and " If I die, I'm sorry for all the bad things I did to you. And if I live, I'm sorry for all the bad things I'm gonna do to you. ..."-All That Jazz, died last night. He may only have trully been known for his Jaws days, but he has had a long career.

Does anyone remember "Blue Thunder".

The new issue of Swindle is out now. Number 15 features Cheryl Dunn, Painters in the Congo, and more.

A great three part video with Harry Reasoner, written and directed by Andy Rooney.

A frequent subject of posts on this site, Banksy has updated his own website with a nice Q & A session plus some new pictures and words from the outdoors. Enjoy!

Ron Reagan explores the early nineties tag banger era. I used to have this recorded and would watch it at least once a day as a kid. The Oiler throw-ups were my favorites and I'll never forget the phrase "caught slipping" or the quote " you better step up run up or shut up." Those were the days.

via, what you write

Santiago Mostyn

Get tipsy in a museum with Cannonball Press and Space 1026. PopRally coming through for the single set.

Tall Jim deals out the wisdom. Quote of the day "when your in a hole, stop digging!"

Arkitip likes us, they really, really do. So much in fact, that they have "Friday Kate." We are so flattered to be followed like this. See last weeks post.

It's the end of fashion week here in NYC, so we decided to dedicate the RYTS, to "models falling". enjoy!

Fashion imitates art. Or lets say pays tribute. Photographer Paco Peregrín, photographed the editorial spreed titled" The Blood Show" for Ae Magazine. For more images from this spread check it out here.

design duo James Design UK created this clean and Scandinavian inspired form, Hardwood Wingback. The lounge chair is available in oak hardwood, and the customers can customise the fabric finish to suit their individual needs and tastes. Here is another piece we posted about, from the Duo.

GAME OVER is one of the art projects developed by the Swiss artist Guillaume Reymond. It consists of a series of collaborative animation movies which revive some of the very first video games. The project started with video performance of Pong. The second video was Space Invaders on June 24th 2006, followed by Pole Position on February 11th 2007, and Tetris on November 24th 2007].
Check out Poll Position and Space Invaders after the jump.

Photographer Brad Troemel, from "Nudes a Poppin".

Vandal Squad Douchehead Peter Vallone Jr. held a press conference to plea for bodegas to stop stocking Arizona's All City energy drink. Because you know the energy in the can will enable you to catch that many more tags.

image and story via Razor Apple

In the words of the man himself, "GET SPRUNG THIS SPRING!" Look slick in a slicker with a fashionable price tag.

Buy it here

With Mila Kunis, all is forgotten

Check out a special Juergen Teller show tonight. The show will also feature some fashion-week-appropriate snaps like his Victoria Beckham-starring ad work for Marc Jacobs and candid, previously unseen portraits of MJ with Teller's kids. For one night only, hot dog cart legend Rolf Babiel (a fellow Teuton) will be dishing up sausages on the street outside the gallery.
Juergen Teller: Ukraine, tonight through March 15, Lehmann-Maupin Gallery, 540 W. 26th Street, NYC, (212) 255-2923, lehmannmaupin.com

Via Material Interest

Falling Times"... is an everlasting and growing real-time news translation machine representing permanently appearing and disappearing information about our times and, simultaneously, the fall of our western decadent civilization.

Falling Times refers to the heavy InfoPollution we live in. The InfoSociety has created a new kind of consumer – the InfoConsumer! The most consumed information is the news today. The news has been turning more and more into an entertainment – the Infotainment. The news producers are the biggest info polluters of our time and thus are the biggest contributors to the infoEcological disaster."

Falling Times is a visually interesting idea and imagery. I am not sure how often you would return to the site. Check it out and let us know.

Would you like to go to China in under 4 hours? The BBC reports a British team has unveiled a concept hypersonic passenger jet that could potentially take customers from New York to Hong Kong in less than four hours.

The A2 airplane, designed by Reaction Engines, would carry 300 passengers at around 4,000 miles per hour -- all for the insanely high price of $7,000 a ticket.

The new jet runs -- or could run -- on liquid hydrogen, meaning the plane would emit drastically reduced levels of carbon dioxide.

But don't book your ticket just yet: The company says the aircraft, which is still in the early design stages, will not be in service for another 25 years -- if at all.

I thought since the the design is just concept I would offer my solution. It, "made the Kessel Run in less than twelve parsecs".

Have you ever wondered what Springfield looks like?. I think the same person who created this also plays Warcraft.

" The mapping of Springfield began in the Spring of 2001 when we realized that no adequate map of Springfield existed either online or in print. Initially the content was collected from the City Profile and Springfield Vacation pages at The Simpsons Archive, but it has since been expanded by numerous viewings of most episodes of The Simpsons.

While the placement of most locations is arbitrary, many are placed according to where they appear in relationship to each other in specific episodes of The Simpsons. In some cases 'one-time references' to specific locations have been disregarded in favor of others more often repeated. Due to the many inconsistencies among episodes, the map will never be completely accurate."

Kate Moss, July 2000 from Nova magazine.

Susanna Majuri

For his Fall 2008 lookbook, designer Adam Kimmel enlisted the help of his downtown friends to show off the the new duds. Included in the lookbook are Ryan Mcginley (above), Ear Snot, Dan Colen, and Telly from that movie Kids. More at Men.Style.Com

In the spirit of all the politics in the air, rising art star Brandon Friend sent me over an image of his newly finished work.

Pledge of Allegiance
36" x 54"
Acrylic / Mixed media
2008

A great video by incredible artists, Cern and Space, accompanied by a dope soundtrack. YMI crew

AMC Best Picture Showcase all-day showing of the 2008 Best Picture Oscar nominees. On Saturday, Feb. 23, the AMC Best Picture Showcase ($30) will let you waste your entire day watching all five nominees,

Michael Clayton
There Will Be Blood
Atonement
Juno
No Country for Old Men

They will shocase the films back-to-back at 81 select AMC theaters. The admission also includes a free large popcorn with unlimited refills all day.

Now I wonder what the order will be.

Move over suzie, another obsession of mine is chapstick, or maybe the need for it. Anyway this little tube for Clarks Botanicals looks cool and it works. And they have a really great logo.

And if thats not enough here's the tear-jerker story behind the product...
"Clark's Botanicals was born out of tragedy when company founder Francesco Clark, who then worked at Harper's Bazaar, suffered a crippling spinal cord injury in a swimming pool diving accident on June 1, 2002.

With his central nervous system impaired, Francesco lost the ability not only to walk, but even to sweat. This led to clogged pores and chronic breakouts. When neither over-the-counter nor prescriptive remedies worked, he turned to his father, Dr. Harold Clark, a physician trained in both traditional Western medicine and homeopathy.

Together they developed botanically-based formulas that effectively rebalanced Francesco's skin, clearing it up entirely. Through word-of-mouth, other people discovered and fell in love with these products, and in 2005, Francesco began selling Clark's Botanicals on his website: www.clarksbotanicals.com"

Wednesday's Muse, Model Jil Bauwens.

The four-century-old ceramics company Royal Tichelaar Makkum, collaborated with dutch industrial design designer Dick van Hoff. He has created a series of beautiful "functional" pieces. Each piece combines ceramics with oak. the Ceramic clock with oak, pen tray with oak, vace with oak, and the lamp.(with oak).

The Work collection is now extended with two new colours in limited editions. Colour platinum 25 pieces and colour orange 100 pieces. The price of the complete set as shown is € 3533,00.

The works is also sold separately.

One of the most amazing young female artists of our time. Swoon speaking at MoMa. Watch these with your morning coffee.

I used to have a board game similar to this called Trafficking in college. Needless to say, it was never played because it was way too difficult and we were pretty lazy.
I definitely dig the write up:

Leave Doobietown, USA and journey to an intriguing port of call, score caches of dope and return home anxious to sell. Sounds simple, and it is -- as long as karma, skill, and the roll of the dice are on your side, and you don't get hassled at any borders, ripped off by your partner, or busted. Yeh, busted. Lots of dealers go to jail. Yes, dealing is a high risk/high gain situation. Remember, all dealers play hard, but they don't all play fair. When in doubt, ask yourself what McDope would do if he were there.

Available at Last Gasp

I found a bunch of pictures today from when I first moved to NY. Here is one.

I caught this little blurb in Page Six yesterday "44-year-old supermodel Elle Macpherson is dating Vito Schnabel, the sexy 21-year-old art dealer son of acclaimed director Julian Schnabel." Fuck. Seriously, good for this kid. See the opportunities you are given when you are born into some type of celebrity household.

via, page six

Apple has increased the size of the iphone(16 gig) and the ipod touch(32 gig). Now you have another reason to upgrade.

"Greatest Fast Food Invention Yet: Col-Pop Holds Your Soda and Your Chicken Nuggets". I do not eat the fast food, but I have to say this is the best product design idea ever! Via Gizmodo

The new issue of The Journal is out on newsstands now. Issue 21 features Helmut Lang, Miranda July, Juergen Teller, Tomoo Gokita, Mark Borthwick, Beirut, Kenneth Cappello, Kon Trubkovitch, Kazumi Asamura, Julia Burlingham, Andrew Kuo, Tim Barber, Kathy Lo and others. As always it is an entertaining read.

John Varvatos, probably one of the only designers that designs "wearable" clothes right off the rack. Check out his fall line at men.style.com. These are my two new favorite jackets.

I may just make this a sticky so you are forced to watch it every single day.

Kehinde Wiley. Modern master and all around nice guy. Al Gore Tv brings him into focus.

No matter who it is, demigod, republicanator, Vote today! Speak for yourself, do not let others decide your fate.

The sites:
John Mccain
Mitt Romney
Hillary Clinton
Barack Obama

Play USAToday's MatchGame to see which candidate you are aligned with.

Just as the Enablist did weeks ago, Shepard now advises you to buy a print by Cleon Peterson. Listen up, the man is that good and maybe if we are lucky he'll produce 5 more prints to mimic his installations.
Back to Shepard. Today is Super Tuesday, and for those who vote it is an important day. What will be interesting to gauge is how Obama will fair in California, the state where Shepard unleashed his poster campaign in support of the candidate. If only there was an exit poll asking if their vote was influenced by Shepard's poster. The tally would be something like, 18 - 42 year olds stated yes, while the geezers were still color blind. Whatever will be, will be.

Moss and Williams, forever chills on this one.

Why didn't you become a professional athlete? High School video will help you remember.

Boogie

DR2 THEATRE
(UNION SQUARE / 103 EAST 15TH STREET)
Following its sold-out limited run at Theater for the New City, Michael Domitrovich’s shockingly topical and seductive new play Artfuckers, directed by Eduardo Machado, will begin previews at the DR2 Theatre (103 East 15th Street) on Friday, February 8, with an Official Opening night set for Tuesday, February 19 @ 7:00pm.

Artfuckers, a new play about the second generation artistic elite of Downtown Manhattan – the privileged children of the money-art scenesters of the 1980's – follows a group of hot, creative twentysomethings who are collaborating on their friend's debut showing at New York Fashion week. Using sex, status and New York City street smarts, the characters live in a world where everything is allowed and nothing is questioned… as long as it’s in the name of art. Artfuckers reveals a dramatic slice of today’s Celebrity Art Scene, where the question on everyone’s mind is: Are these people successful because of what they do or who they are?

Lot 29 Adam Neate (British, born 1988) 'The Apprentice', 2007 Estimate: £25,000 - 30,000

To critics this may seem like a glorified ebay auction, all familiar faces and names, works that we have seen before. The difference is that this auction is not taking place on the World Wide Web, but in physical space on February 5th, at Bonham's in London. Of the 75 lots up for sale, almost one-third (22) are attributed to Banksy. While the artist is represented by a couple stellar pieces, most have made their rounds in one form or another. But do not let the volume of work available by the living legend throw you off. There are also those other artists who have been unwillingly cast into cold reality of the Auction House. The most interesting lot in the auction at Bonham's may be no. 29 featuring Adam Neate (b. 1988), who still a teenager, is commanding a high estimate of £30,000 for his painting 'The Apprentice'. He is still a kid, and a highly regarded one at that.
What is missing from this auction are the Americans. Sure, Faile is here and there are a couple Harings thrown in for authenticity, but for the most part a lack of Americans. The place where this form of art was born, represented poorly. While this Auction is tagged The World's First Urban Art Auction, there is not much of the world here. And how does Murakami feel about being lumped into 'Urban Art'?

A couple highlights after the jump.

Will Ferrell is the best.

It may be inside, but it is still tight.

I remember seeing Emit's work alongside Gaze and sometimes Cycle down at AUP in Washington, D.C.. I always liked the IMOK (If Mother Only Knew) and SPORTS (Sick People Out Rockin' The Streets) crews and this was only reinforced the more I saw their work. Now I come to find out that Emit is no longer on the East Coast, residing presently in mile-high Denver. Over on Format's Blogs, Scribe does a nice little 3 question interview the man.

image via DF

When I used to want to be an ad guy, I would watch these things non-stop. Now I can barely pay attention to anything longer than 5 seconds. From the superbowl, here were my favorites.

If this is real, then the voice of Banksy is close to what I would expect. If this is not real, it was a good try indeed. Watch the video here

Eli Manning sacked it up and connected with Plaxico Burress to give the Giants the win in a close and stressful Superbowl 42.
Giants 14 Patriots 10
Eli Manning. Two-minute drill. Success.
Tom Brady. Not the picture of excellence.

If you still don't have your Superbowl plans locked up yet, consider heading over to Kelly's in the East Village of Manhattan. Think of Kelly's as a living room that conveniently has a bar in it. There is not a bad seat in the house and no music, so you will be sure to hear every play call and commercial. As far as food goes, there is a wide assortment of menus to choose from and Nicky's Vietnamese is right around the corner. Just bring it in or dial it up and Enjoy.

Kelly's of New York City, 12 Avenue A, New York, NY 10009

Banksy must have decided to leave the grey winter of London for a little vacation in Los Angeles. Over the past couple days some new pieces have popped up in the LA area. Only time will tell if the buff is as nice to him here as it is in England. a couple more after the jump.

Photos via Dog Byte Design

James Cooper

Child from blu on Vimeo.

When is Blu going to team up with Michel Gondry? That would be something else.

fantoche from blu on Vimeo.

Flats is writing again after a momentary hiatus.

State of America Part 6: Rambo

Sylvester Stallone is The Man. He is the master of the Tough Guy, he is the battle worn, beaten down dog of our day. He takes his knocks and comes back swinging. ‘Stallone, a 60-year-old Rambo? You can’t do that…’ we all say. ‘No?’ he asks, his voice guttural, pissed, seething in an internal anger and obvious genius that immediately makes you reconsider. ‘Watch me.’

No, thankfully not Obama, that would be weird. Banksy has agreed to donate an artwork to the Bid for Ken auction, supporting London Mayor Ken Livingston's bid for re-election.

read more at the Guardian

photo

Went with the term 'eagle' this afternoon.

I bought last years edition of All Gone and it is a nice book to keep on the bookshelf. It is "a tribute to the limited edition" during this limited edition culture that we live in. Featuring 200 collectors products launched during 2007, hobbies have never looked so dope.
Available at WeSoldOut in a silver edition of 500 and a purple edition of 1000.

I think that is the best headline I have seen regarding Microsoft's bid for Yahoo. How long will this merger buy out what ever it is take. I am still waiting for xm sirus merger. Will this mean Razorfish owns yahoo?

"Microsoft Corp has made an unsolicited offer to buy Yahoo Inc for $44.6 billion in cash and stock, seeking to join forces against Google Inc in what would be the biggest Internet deal since the Time Warner-AOL merger."

Will this force Google to buy up everything else!

In theory this is a cool mug. I would have to see one in person to give you an actual opinion. I am just trying to imagine if it would be comfortable or not to hold? The knuckle duster mug is made by a british design tandem, Thabto (two heads are better than one), and also comes in a girly version. Predictably, because your girl doesn't have man hands.