Under any of his pseudonyms (Mœbius, Gir), Jean Giraud’s lifework, line work and imaginative signature style have left a definite, altering impression on the creative landscape. I can clearly recall the distinct shift my 12 year old understanding of what art could be and do underwent at first look.

His work in Heavy Metal changed me more than heavy metal.

Everything else seemed like candy. Mœbius brought an organic, writhing mass of otherworld/familiarity to the table and set a fork next to it — inviting us to dig in and taste the wonder.

Moebius.fr / The Airtight Garage / but does it float /

Thankful for this rich and challenging distraction, released a couple weeks ago for the macintosh computing platform (finally).

Limbo

The process is simple in theory: each film frame = 1 pixel, elongated and compressed into semi-unrecognizability. The results are less simple, combining both abstract aesthetic with the overarching palette of each barcoded movie. While some communicate the tone and treatment of the content more immediately than others (THX-1138, Fire Walk With Me, + Debbie Does Dallas for example), the compressed sequences all convey a complexity and movement born of a similar but unique heredity.

via: MOVIEBARCODE/ era404 @QBN

The setup is simple. Motors, wire, cardboard, cottonballs. Modest ingredients that produce an immersive environment of sound and motion. But it’s the simplicity of the arrangement and materials that give power to the piece. It’s not about the motor or the cardboard. It’s about the carefully defined space.

There’s a playfulness to the work. Obviously he’s toying with the notions of chaos versus control, artificial versus organic. I think the chains at 8:45 are a great example of this. One could push it as far as religion. Hasn’t God been likened to a watchmaker who winds up the clock and then lets it be? But I’m not going to push it that far.

What I enjoy most about the work is ambience, the playfulness and the craftsmanship that allows you to focus on the previous two.

—Kat Sampson

Note: Kat Sampson is a graphic designer, friend and colleague residing in Portland, Oregon. I’ve been thinking about opening things up to other perspectives for a while now, so when she sent the Zimoun video my way I asked her if she’d like to write something up. She agreed and the above is the first of hopefully many guest editorials—from Kat and others.

via: @katsamps / katsampson.com / zimon(ch)

This video clip owns.

I’ve had this video file in my possession for an indeterminable length of time. I want to say 10yrs+. It has moved with me across country and media; from Zip Disk to Jaz Drive to CDR and a multitude of backup drives.

During a weekend plastic-thinning foray through several boxes in my workroom, it surfaced again.

I have no idea where it came from.

Seems like something iDN might have included on a companion disc. Then again, I wouldn’t be surprised if I found it while digging for mp3s and fonts on Hotline circa many moons ago.

Plenty of guesses to hazard. But none feel spot on.

If anyone happens to know the source of this awesomeness, please comment.

Thanks —R

I’ve seen a few of these posted in the usual places by the usual suspects over the years, but this batch is in near-compendium form — including nearly empty shots of missing monuments.

These structures were commissioned by former Yugoslavian president Josip Broz Tito in the 1960s and 70s to commemorate sites where WWII battles took place (like Tjentište, Kozara and Kadinjača), or where concentration camps stood (like Jasenovac and Niš). They were designed by different sculptors (Dušan Džamonja, Vojin Bakić, Miodrag Živković, Jordan and Iskra Grabul, to name a few) and architects (Bogdan Bogdanović, Gradimir Medaković…), conveying powerful visual impact to show the confidence and strength of the Socialist Republic. In the 1980s, these monuments attracted millions of visitors per year, especially young pioneers for their “patriotic education.” After the Republic dissolved in early 1990s, they were completely abandoned, and their symbolic meanings were forever lost.

From 2006 to 2009, Kempenaers toured around the ex-Yugoslavia region (now Croatia, Serbia, Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, etc.) with the help of a 1975 map of memorials, bringing before our eyes a series of melancholy yet striking images. His photos raise a question: can these former monuments continue to exist as pure sculptures? On one hand, their physical dilapidated condition and institutional neglect reflect a more general social historical fracturing. And on the other hand, they are still of stunning beauty without any symbolic significances.

Added to the list of places to directly experience before mortal coil shedding.

Post title intentionally referencing the Fumito Ueda PS2 masterpiece for very obvious, aesthetic reasons.

via: cracktwo

Almost lost this: Tao Lin reading from Richard Yates at Reading Frenzy last year, September 28, 2010. Shot with an unscathed iPhone4™ (past tense).

via: Tao Lin / Reading Frenzy

BEBE ZEVA (TRAILER 1)

BEBE ZEVA (TRAILER 2)

Results keep trickling in… ‘The kids’ don’t even need drugs anymore.

“…you can either kill yourself or you can donate your existence to like, social commentary…”

!! updated 1:04am (very possible correction): pupil check. Also belatedly noted: MDMA films.

Glad to see the drive still exists to graph the ineffable with special thanks to the ontogeny continuing to recapitulate the phylogeny.

(10 hours ago): @tao_lin: some ‘maybe on the floor’ seats are available re @bebezeva/@mdmafilms premier, email binky.tabby [at] gmail to rsvp: http://bit.ly/h9iVfj

via: Tao Lin / Bebe Zeva / MDMA films

No words. Just this.

And James White’s poster. 6G’s at the time of this post and (hopefully) climbing.

via: twofourtysixpm / @jpdevries: signalnoise / the people of japan

Audience Calibration Procedure from Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery on Vimeo.

Around the vernal equinox.

Can’t.
Fkn.
Wait.

via: SuperBrothers / s&s ep Twitter / s&s ep fb