Wash away the dust of everyday life

Wolseley 24/60 badge

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 07:50:00 +0000

My amazing wife Kirsty Brooks bought me a beautiful car badge from a second-hand shop. It’s from a Wolseley 24/80 which was an Australian-only 6-cylinder version of the 1960s Wolseley 16/60 model.

It’s an evocative piece of type for a fairly staid British car and I especially love the shape of the W, which has a touch of the William Morris about it.

Guggenheim collection: 1940s to now

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 07:59:00 +0000

While I was visiting Melbourne in September, I took in the National Gallery of Victoria’s exhibition of 68 artworks from the Guggenheim Collection.

Much of the exhibition featured the ‘big hits’ of modern art by Pollock, Lichtenstein, Warhol, Giacometti and Judd. Although familiar, it was still a rare experience to see such iconic pieces in Australia.

But the highlight for me was Matthew Barney’s extraordinary Cremaster Cycle films, played simultaneously on five screens suspended from the ceiling arranged in a circle. Wandering from film to film draws you into a glossy, fantasy world of surrealist eye-candy.

Visit Guggenheim Collection: 1940s to Now and The Cremaster Cycle

British Pan editions of Bond novels

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 01:29:00 +0000

A colleague, Peter Bainbrigge, who is a passionate James Bond fan has been kindly lending me his 1960s British Pan editions of Ian Fleming’s novels.

While the sexism and racism are from a different age, other aspects of the books are surprisingly contemporary, especially the obsession with luxury brands. They’re great reads and the cover designs from the early 1960s are superb.

Visit MI6

Graphic design masters on Flickr

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 06:14:00 +0000

Alki1, a member of the photo-sharing website Flickr, has assembled a rich depository of twentieth century typography and graphic design.

This extensive collection comprises about 40 photos sets containing examples from the Bauhaus, De Stijl, Futurism, Russian and Dutch design and much more.

Visit Alk1 on Flickr

Grant Hamilton’s Polaroid photography

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 08:01:00 +0000

With a sharp eye for detail, Grant Hamilton’s photography creates art from the colours and contrasts of everyday life.

Compositions vary from abstract close-ups of signage and advertising – mini homages to Mark Rothko, Elsworth Kelly and Jeffrey Smart – to more figurative pieces. And the Polaroid format provides a pleasing uniformity that avoids being contrived.

Visit Mark Hamilton Via Boredom is Your Fault

The royal magazine

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 02:24:00 +0000

The diverse talents of the Keystone Design Union’s members are dramatically presented in The Royal magazine.

The KDU is a worldwide creative collective with more than 500 members working in all design disciplines. The network holds some of the top creative talents in their respective fields from digital art to fashion to industrial design.

Distribution of The Royal is carefully controlled but PDFs of these stunning magazines can be downloaded from its website.

Visit The Royal and the KDU

Rundle convergence

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 03:24:00 +0000

Fusion’s spectacular concept for a permanent architectural light installation on the corner of Rundle and Pulteney Streets has won a design competition held by the Adelaide City Council.

The concept, which aims to help revitalise the east end of Rundle Street, involves the installation of aluminium panels that by day create an interesting architectural form, and at dusk and night transform into a giant lantern that displays motion graphics using LEDs controlled by a media player.

Fusion has successfully tested a prototype and the project is now being budgeted. Subject to final approval by the council, it’s expected to be live by mid 2008.

Visit Fusion and Sensational Adelaide

Words fail me

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 08 Dec 2006 07:05:00 +0000

Adelaide graphic designer Sue Dyer sent me a wonderful Christmas present. It’s a beautiful book called Words Fail Me that’s written and designed by Teresa Monachino and published by employer-of-my-dreams Phaidon.

Teresa uses simple, clever typography to illustrate the contradictory and inconsistent nature of the English language, from our homonyms and heteronyms to what she calls ‘antigrams’ like the word ‘believe’ which contains the word ‘lie’.

While the book covers similar ground as the popular grammar books that appeared in the wake of Lynne Truss’s Eats, Shoots and Leaves, there is something about the feel and packaging that is immensely satisfying. It’s also a homage to one of the world’s most popular typefaces, Gill Sans and it appeals to me in the same way as Paul Arden’s books. Thank you Sue.