I'm A Realist (II)

I'm currently in Brisbane for the summer and came across an article of relatively new artist exhibiting and being managed by Phillip Bacon Gallery. Michael Zavros' work has taken me by surprise. It is fresh, innovative and captivating. He shows amazing talent and is definitely someone who's career will continue to grow rapidly. Ive taken a shining to quite a few of his pieces from his 2010 exhibition 'Savage' that I've insert below, but this video detailing his preparation in the lead up to his 2009 exhibition 'The Good Son' is definitely worth watching.

Michael Zavros - The Good Son

I'm A Realist

"Art is a lie that makes us realize truth."
- Pablo Picasso

The first piece of art that I bought was a Kill Pixie print some 6 year ago. I found these street artists to be accessible and affordable and I admit that I have since gone overboard. I own a couple of prints, a painting on a series of wallets (?), and a 10ft wide mural by the designers of insight and ksubi. For sometime these pictures have been occupying less and less wallspace. I guess as I have matured from surf brands to more quality lasting clothes my tastes have refined from what is easy and accesible to something a little more specific and skillful. Ultra-realism is something that has only in the past six months caught my attention. It started with a friend of a friend who painted a portrait of another friend of mine for an artistic competition. She painted with such realism I was shocked at how talented someone of my age could be in such a fine artistic style. The next realistic painter I was exposed to was the artist Richard Phillips. His work can most famously be seen on Gossip Girl. His painting 'Scout' hangs above the characters Chucks bed and 'Spectrum' in the Humphrey/Van Der Woodsen-Bass apartment. Although stunning to look at they are not all to my taste. I love the cropped scout picture (below) but would most likely not exhibit his other works on my wall.

An Industrial Revolution

"rev·o·lu·tion"

   /ˌrɛvəˈluʃən/ Show Spelled[rev-uh-loo-shuhn]

–noun3.

a sudden, complete or marked change in something: the present revolution in church architecture.

eBay can be pretty addictive. Once I find something that I want I find the price I'm willing to pay for it becomes somewhat blurred. I was watching my favourite TV show (Grand Designs) and I'd noticed a trend in recycling of industrial furniture and buildings into residential and commercial settings. Not only the reuse of industrial materials but the implementation of industrial building techniques into modern buildings. I've been looking for some time for a multi-draw industrial storage system to have in my lounge but my search was fruitless this time but I did manage to find a dilapidated smaller version that will function as my new bedside table once some wheels are attached.

I find a great charm in these old, discarded items that can be re-purposed for a much greater use.

My Two Favourites

"Choose your corner, pick away at it carefully, intensely and to the best of your ability and that way you might change the world."

— Charles Eames

Two of my absolute favourites!!! Ahhhhh how much I want both of these I can not even describe in words. Whoever had the inspiration to put these two together please call me, because I love you.

Breitling

"The Future is something which everyone reaches at the rate of sixty minutes an hour, whatever he does, whoever he is."

— C.S. Lewis

I have finally decided to make the investment to buy a watch. I have never in my life worn a watch or any form of jewelery, but decided that now is the time (excuse the pun). Last year I bought a fake Mont Blanc watch of a not so reputable website that sold such things and while the watch looked beautiful and matched the original it stopped working three days after I started wearing it. This was my first attempt at watch wearing and it left me a little disheartened. So I've built up enough courage to have a second attempt but this time I want to make it an investment that will last longer than three days. Mont Blanc was something that I had always fancied. They are sleek and stylish but also cost a fortune. I really did not have a hope of purchasing a 'Timewalker' at my age. Breitling was a close second to Mont Blanc. I have liked the way Breitling have constructed their watches and a Breitling is something often past down through generations so it would be something that would last lifetimes. While I don't like the aesthetics of the new Breitling watches I do quite like the vintage pieces that are quite a bit cheaper and are more my style.

This is one that im chasing at the moment. Would love to hear what you think of it before I take the plunge.

Coco Avant Cubano

I just wanted to share a little insight into my days at work. Coco is our most regular customer at Coco Cubano. She lives very close. In the roof in fact. She visits about five or six times a day looking for food and brings a lot of excitement with her. I love you Coco.

UPDATE! 31/10/10

Pale

"Animation is not the art of drawings that move but the art of movements that are drawn."
- Norman McLaren

Doing an extra semester of university over your holidays is no easy feat. Initially I chose animation because it was the only subject availably and I naively thought it to be easy. It was not. Here's the finished product that I have painfully put together over the past three weeks.



With thanks to Chloe Damon, Matilda Ruby Moylan-Blaikie, Donald Chung and Natalina Casten for their atistic input and mad Flash skills.

That was me flashing you.

Trash to Treasure

'The smallest job well done, brings in a moment more satisfaction than failure knows in a lifetime.'
- Eileen Gray

Something that iv always loved to do and a passion I share with my sister is turning ugly, neglected things into something beautiful. I was lucky enough to purchase an Eileen Gray side table in very very bad condition for .99c. And I loving restored until it was gleaming new.

This chairs are something I'd love to do for my next project, but alas, I just do not have the space but they are amazing so if you happen to have a spare $900 go down to Junktique in Glebe and pick up this pair of chairs.

Compromise

'Design is where science and art break even.'
- Robin Mathew

I feel like a scientist and an artist just might make the perfect match. Whatcha think?

Photo courtesy of MMB and her holga.

Design

"Everything is designed. Few things are designed well."

— Brian Reed

I was asked yesterday while taking notes in a lecture whether i had always been interested in nice clothes. I guess it took me by surprise but I didn't really have an answer. The best i could come up with is that "I just like beautiful things." But I guess I've always thought that everyone does, but we just have our own interpretation of what is beautiful. As much as i may think that my opinion is the be-all and end-all, there is a lot of variation in taste. I havn't posted in a while so I thought I might give my whole three readers something new to glaze over. Just a few 'things' i find beautiful.

This hanging heater is something I've admired for a while now. It's by 'Otero Designs' and while it's not something that I yearn to own it's definitely something that makes me smile.





This on the other hand is something iv desperately wanted for about three years. I first saw it in the Top3 by design store that my cousin Sonia cottoned me onto. The come in a few colours but the red has always caught my eye. A friend of my mine recently received the smallest one as a gift and it took all my self control to stop myself from exploding with excitement to be able to touch one without a overbearing shop assistant breathing down my neck.





Lastly is something that I havn't always lusted over. It's something relatively new to me. I travelled to Japan for the first time in september and had read that Rei Kawakubo's 'Comme Des Garcons' (French for 'Like Boys') flagship store in Omotesandō was a pretty interesting site, so I went along and came accross these. While I didn't have the courage or cash to buy them while I was there I was pleased to see that they are now available at Incu.

Prorsum

"Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society."
- Mark Twain


The man could make wearing a white-suit look acceptable, so its probably best to heed these words.




Burberry A/W '09

Real Men Dont Blog

damn.

Stuff White People Like

'Stuff White People Like: A Guide to the Unique Taste of Millions

They love nothing better than sipping free-trade gourmet coffee, leafing through the Sunday New York Times, and listening to David Sedaris on NPR (ideally all at the same time). Apple products, indie music, food co-ops, and vintage T-shirts make them weak in the knees.

They pretend to be unique, yet somehow they’re all exactly the same, talking abut how they “get” Sarah Silverman’s “subversive” comedy and Wes Anderson’s “droll” films. They are also down with diversity and up on all the best microbrews, breakfast spots, foreign cinema, and authentic sushi. They’re organic, ironic, and do not own TVs.

You know who they are: They’re white people. And they’re here, and you’re gonna have to deal. Fortunately, here’s a book that investigates, explains, and offers advice for finding social success with the Caucasian persuasion. So lose yourself in the ultimate guide (featuring brand-new entries and extras!) to the unbearable whiteness of being.'

This book is hilarious. #124 Hating People Who Wear Ed Hardy

The full list can be found here

delphic

i highly advise you listen to these guys. there third (and best) single 'doubt' is out now and its getting some pretty heavy rotation on my itunes. i saw these guys with my bestie alex last sunday at OAF and they definitely lived up to my expectations. i love their music video its pretty unique.

atwood

someone please buy me these! margaret atwood is brilliant and i advise anyone that stumbles upon this to pick up a copy of one of her books and give it a go. my first atwood was the edible woman which is still my favourite. i love the layout of the covers. when a very good friend of mine had to design a series of book covers they were just as beautiful. hers along with these are something i would be proud to have to my shelf.

http://www.bloomsbury.com/Authors/books.aspx?tpid=447

academy for men

http://academyformen.blogspot.com/

best australian publication iv ever seen, showcasing some great untapped talent.
its only online and its 100% free.

i wanna be your blog

iggy knew how to say it best. so whats this blogging business? i see so many people doing it these days thought i might as well jump on the band wagon. i figure i may as well have an online collection of the things i like even if no one pays attention to it. i definitely dont want to refer to myself in the third person or start spelling every word instead of condensing them (do not/don't) because i just havnt reached that level of wank yet.
'til next time
douglas