Category: magazine

John Dillwyn Llewelyn

For now go and see this
first flowering, the most magical and varied collection of photographs and
cameras and explanations of photographic processes. This exhibition traces the evolution of photography, as a scientific process, as a social record and a medium for artistic expression.

The photographic material on display dates from the mid-19th to mid-20th century .My favourites show  the beaches I love; Caswell Bay, Tenby, Three
Cliffs looking just like they do today but dotted with little ladies in full blown Victorian
and Edwardian garb, extraordinary.
The exhibition continues until 19th April

Helle Mardahl makes glass pieces – tableware, lighting, and art objects – that look sweet enough to eat, a fact referenced by food-centric product names like Bonbonniere and color names like Milky Rose, Blueberry Ice Cream, and Olive Punch. A Helle Mardahl cake stand is one part functional tableware, another part light-filled sculpture, Alice in Wonderland meets Versailles. A Bonbonniere vessel looks like a child’s candy: light and bright and decidedly organic. It’s no mistake that her new exhibition, The Sensory Society, takes inspiration from Wes Anderson’s The Grand Budapest Hotel, a pastel-colored confection in its own right. It’s easy to imagine Saoirse Ronan’s baker stepping into the space, which is filled with pieces from Mardahl’s Candy Collection: hand-blown pendant lamps in robin’s egg blue and Pepto pink, plus rows of bulbous baubles that recall exquisite pastries.

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3EkpkE0rC0[/embed]

In this week’s Milkshake, Mardahl joins us from Copenhagen to talk us through her collection, which was born when she admired a certain glass lamp but had some notes: a different, more organic shape, brighter colors: “I thought, ‘Oh, it’s such a shame – what if it was a pink color, a purple color, a green color that I liked?’” she says. “Then the idea would just be absolutely amazing. So I made a different lamp, but with an organic shape, and that was the beginning of it. Suddenly, it became a bonbon, a candy world, right here, right now, in front of me.”

Now, she says, her aim is to engage all the senses with her pieces: “I see glass as full of senses: You have the taste, [which here] means that all colors are named after something you can eat. We have Milky Rose, we have Lavender, we’ve got Caramel, we’ve got a Blueberry Ice Cream. You can suck it, you can lick it, you can hold it. It’s cold, it’s organically shaped. It’s weird – it’s all that. Basically I think the more you can get of that, the more fun you can have, there’s so many layers to it. I’ve always thought like that: The more, the merrier.” For (even) more, tune in!

Diana Ostrom, who has written for Wallpaper, Interior Design, ID, The Wall Street Journal, and other outlets, is also the author of Faraway Places, a newsletter about travel.

Milkshake, DMTV (Design Milk TV)’s first regular series, shakes up the traditional interview format by asking designers, creatives, educators and industry professionals to select interview questions at random from their favorite bowl or vessel. During their candid discussions, you’ll not only gain a peek into their personal homeware collections, but also valuable insights into their work, life and passions.

“Oppenheimer” director Christopher Nolan told the audience at the film’s London premiere Thursday night that stars of the film had left the premiere to “write their picket signs” as part of their involvement with the Screen Actors Guild strike.

In a video shared by Deadline, Nolan made the comments shortly before the strike was officially announced.

The BBC confirmed that actors Emily Blunt and Cillian Murphy were among those who walked out.

Earlier, Blunt told Deadline at the premiere’s red carpet that they were prepared to walk off.

“I think right now we are just sorting of … I hope everyone makes a fair deal, and we are here to celebrate this movie. And if they call it, we’ll be leaving together as cast in unity with everyone … We are gonna have to. We are gonna have to. We will see what happens. Right now, it’s the joy to be together,” she said.

They are among some 160,000 performers joining the picket line after negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers fell apart Thursday. SAG members have been seeking new terms on minimum pay, residuals for shows on streaming services, pensions and the use of artificial intelligence, among several other issues.

“The companies have refused to meaningfully engage on some topics and on others completely stonewalled us,” Fran Drescher, SAG-AFTRA president and iconic star of the ’90s sitcom “The Nanny,” said in a statement. “Until they do negotiate in good faith, we cannot begin to reach a deal.”

This is the first SAG strike since 2000 and the first time in about 60 years that both the actors’ union and the Writers Guild of America members have been on strike at the same time. The latter has been picketing for more than two months.

image: Institute of Making: silica aerogel, a glass foam whose nano-structure contains up to 99.8% air :  the world's lightest solid

They run  programme of symposia, masterclasses and public events to explore the links between academic research and hands-on experience, and to celebrate the sheer joy of stuff.

Its mission is to provide all makers with a creative home in which to innovate, contemplate and understand all aspects of materials and an inspiring place to explore their relationship to making.

At the heart of the Institute of Making is the Materials Library – a growing repository of some of the most extraordinary materials on earth, gathered together for their ability to fire the imagination and advance conceptualisation. A place in which makers from all disciplines can see, touch, research and discuss, so that they can apply the knowledge and experience gained to their own practice.

Alongside the collection is the MakeSpace – a workshop where members and guests can make, break, design and combine both advanced and traditional tools, techniques and materials.

taken from their website

thank you Ingrid for the introduction!

Two must-visit sculptures have just debuted in New York City in equally incredible outdoor locations. Whether you’re visiting the city or a resident looking for a new reason to love where you live, plan your weekend around these epic free experiences.

Nicholas Galanin at Brooklyn Bridge Park

Nicholas Galanin’s 30-foot steel sculpture In every language there is Land / En cada lengua hay una Tierra is an engaging site-specific work at Brooklyn Bridge Park in Brooklyn, framed by two famous bridges and set against the full Manhattan skyline. Presented by Public Art Fund, four giant letters spell out “LAND” in an arrangement and font that references Robert Indiana’s famous “LOVE” design. Using the same material and height as the US-Mexico border wall, it’s an intense mix of emotions that ultimately finds openness and connection.

Nicholas Galanin, In every language there is Land / En cada lengua hay una Tierra, 2023 Photo: Nicholas Knight

Opening Event for Nicholas Galanin: In every language there is Land / En cada lengua hay una Tierra Photo: Asya Gorovits

This metal is not a “copy” of the border wall – it’s the actual material that would otherwise be in route to the wall’s construction right now. Given that provocative fact, the biggest surprise on my visit was that it felt significantly more joyous than dividing, more hopeful than polarizing. It’s about borders in general, and the demonstration of an optimistic alternative to how we view the land.

Nicholas Galanin, born in 1979, is a Lingít and Unangax̂ contemporary artist and member of the Sitka Tribe of Alaska. His work often speaks unapologetically to indigenous issues, but always with a certain whimsy and wonder that draws visitors to the work. Whether in a museum or within a park, art that aims to challenge our current beliefs must first draw you closer and tempt you to stay longer. Galanin is a master at using fun, beauty, joy, play, and curiosity in concert with heavier ideas.

Nicholas Galanin, In every language there is Land / En cada lengua hay una Tierra, 2023 Photo: Nicholas Knight

Nicholas Galanin, In every language there is Land / En cada lengua hay una Tierra, 2023

There’s a rush of exhilaration in first seeing this work against the backdrop of the Brooklyn Bridge (a pairing that somehow makes both landmarks feel even larger), and is a great conceptual pairing of “wall” and “bridge.”  Walking closer, it tempts you to walk around it and invites you to walk inside. Do it. The letters explode into a network of abstraction and shadow. On my recent visit, a young child gleefully discovered that they could walk through the middle of the “D” (after they left, I did it too). In other words, this material has been transformed to achieve the polar opposite of its original intention. Galanin isn’t asking you to pick a side, he’s inviting you to reconsider how we all divide ourselves through borders.

Nicholas Galanin, In every language there is Land / En cada lengua hay una Tierra, 2023 Photo: Nicholas Knight

Nicholas Galanin, In every language there is Land / En cada lengua hay una Tierra, 2023 Photo: Nicholas Knight

The title In every language there is Land / En cada lengua hay una Tierra is in two languages – neither of which are native to North America. The idea reminds us that these lines we’ve drawn aren’t natural or original or permanent as they cut across rivers, migratory routes of animals, and indigenous lands.

Nicholas Galanin, In every language there is Land / En cada lengua hay una Tierra, 2023 Photo: Nicholas Knight

Packed with complexity, emotion, and intelligence, the work is ultimately about connection.

I highly recommend this 2-minute video produced by Public Art Fund featuring a literal walk-through with Nicholas Galanin.

What: Nicholas Galanin’s In every language there is Land / En cada lengua hay una Tierra
Where: Brooklyn Bridge Park, Empire Fulton Ferry Lawn, presented by Public Art Fund
When: May 16,2023 – March 10, 2024

Pamela Rosenkranz on the High Line

Pamela Rosenkranz, Old Tree, 2023. A High Line Plinth commission

Meanwhile in Manhattan, a strange pink aura will catch your attention from 15 blocks away. Created by Swiss artist Pamela Rosenkranz, the sculpture Old Tree is the 3^rd High Line Plinth commission, located directly over 10^th Avenue at 30^th Street.

The 25-foot-tall sculpture is composed of foam and resin over a steel armature, painted in bright pink and red that achieves an unbelievable level of florescence.

Pamela Rosenkranz, Old Tree, 2023. A High Line Plinth commission

Though its form resembles a tree from a distance, closer inspection reveals branches that have more in common with blood vessels in the human circulatory system. Even the “roots” grasp the pedestal like an animal more than a plant.

Pamela Rosenkranz, Old Tree, 2023. A High Line Plinth commission

Pamela Rosenkranz, Old Tree, 2023. A High Line Plinth commission

This bizarre hybrid between human, plant, and object speaks to that same strange combination within the High Line itself – a crumbling elevated railroad track that has been transformed into a popular park, landscaped with native plants to Manhattan. It’s unnatural and natural, built and grown.  Like Nicholas Galanin’s work, the enduring resonance of the work comes from its challenge to reconsider our own viewpoints, combined with the creation of a joyous social spot and exciting visual appeal.

Pamela Rosenkranz, Old Tree, 2023. A High Line Plinth commission

Pamela Rosenkranz, Old Tree, 2023. A High Line Plinth commission

The video below, produced by High Line Art, includes some great clips of the sculpture’s fabrication at NatureMaker.

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=If7ntcbVjng[/embed]

What: Pamela Rosenkranz’s “Old Tree”
Where: The High Line – at 10^th Avenue & 30^th Street
When: May 2023 – Fall 2024

I’ve been a fan of both artists for years, and to see both of their work at this massive scale in a single weekend is a moment that cannot be missed. Both works are as beautiful as they are emotionally complex. They ignite conversation and re-consideration of the relationship of humans and nature that only lead to a greater appreciation of our environment – whether built or grown.

Best of all, both artworks are on view for several months and across multiple seasons. So when I revisit in the winter, will Nicholas Galanin’s In every language there is Land / En cada lengua hay una Tierra feel more brutal without the green of summer and laughter of nearby picnickers, or will the work feel even more open and transparent in the quiet? Will the bright pink of Pamela Rosenkranz’s Old Tree buzz EVEN louder against a fresh blanket of white snow?

The bottom line is – if you’re visiting New York, add these to your priority list. If you live in New York, see them this weekend and schedule a re-visit in winter. Though they’re both on view for a while, the time is too limited to delay, and too incredible to miss.

All images for Nicholas Galanin’s “In every language there is Land / En cada lengua hay una Tierra” are courtesy of the artist and Public Art Fund, NY. Photographed by Nicholas Knight or Asya Gorovits (noted in captions).

All images for Pamela Rosenkranz’s “Old Tree” 2023 were photographed by Timothy Scheneck. Courtesy of the High Line.

David Behringer visits over 200 galleries every month to uncover and share the most exciting contemporary art in New York today. Subscribe to his exclusive weekly newsletter at www.thetwopercent.com and learn about his private gallery tours. And be sure to check out his YouTube.

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ChatGPT, Stable Diffusion, Midjourney, AI-enhanced smart home device, and numerous systems sometimes completely invisible to us are already altering how we work, play, and interact with the world. But few would conceive the burgeoning transformative technology taking on the form of something as humble as the Narratron, a small projector with a hand crank conceived to capture hand shadow puppetry and transform the poses into fairy tales narrated by artificial intelligence.

Designed by Aria Xiying Bao and Yubo Zhao at the MIT’s School of Architecture and Planning, the Narratron seems almost an anachronism at first glance, a camera/projector realized with toy-like simplicity. The Narratron’s minimalist industrial design is intentionally uncomplicated to invite an unobtrusively tactile experience not dissimilar to those earliest days in the company of our toys. Except this toy is capable of turning shadow poses created with your hand into wondrously detailed stories revealed one hand crank at a time.

The spinning of the knob is a nostalgic detail adding an intuitive tactile method to further the story, with each rotation of the knob revealing a new chapter of the narrative.

The Narratron is powered by ChatGPT’s language model, an AI system already known to fabricate fanciful tales on its own, or in machine learning parlance, “hallucinate.” Bao and Zhao’s contraption uses AI’s propensity to fabricate stories as a feature rather than a bug, churning out AI-generated stories complete with detailed plot lines, dialogue, and descriptive elements made up to entertain rather than steer users away from the facts. It does all this using Stable Diffusion for the imagery and the React Speech Kit to conjure a convincing AI narrator to tell the made up tale.

The process of using the Narratron is also a bit of a throwback in itself. First the user snaps poses and snaps a hand shadow pose like an old camera. Each snapshot is then analyzed by an algorithm trained to translate the hand poses into an animal keyword, an animal that then becomes the foundation of an original frame-by-frame immersive yarn embellished with voice acting, sound effects, and music revealed with every turn of the Narratron’s crank dial.

The designers included the vintage movie projector-inspired detail as an aesthetic touch and homage to classic movie film cameras, a clean and uncluttered design intended to connect user with device without distractions, and help plunge viewers into the immersive stories summoned by artificial intelligence.

It’s no Barbie or Oppenheimer, but in some ways what the Narratron does in its elementary form may prove prescient of a future where algorithms operate not merely as recommendation mediums, but become capable of actively synthesizing unique entertainment in realtime and in reaction across various modalities of the visual, auditory, tactile, and using textual I/O, essentially turning you into an active participant in the movie making process. Fascinating or horrifying, we’ve yet to determine.

Gregory Han is a Senior Editor at Design Milk. A Los Angeles native with a profound love and curiosity for design, hiking, tide pools, and road trips, a selection of his adventures and musings can be found at gregoryhan.com.