Blog Is Art

Designer Jobs in London

2012-01-28T03:15:00.000-08:00

Looking for a designer's job in London is very stressful. But I hope that with the help of God I can make my way in this new environment. Everything happens for a reason. I don't know why I have to struggle so long and I wish the end of my search is near. It would solve so many of my problems. I could live a less frustrating live. I could fly to visit my mother and visit friends. I am tired. But giving up is not an option. I need a bit more hope and motivation.

I search through the London designer's jobs and come across interesting vacancies from time to time.

The British Museum is looking for a Graphic Designer right now working on exhibitions. It sounds very exciting. If you are willing to spend 2 hours filling in an online application form, the deadline is January 31st.

The Southbank Centre is also searching for a Designer.

Photographer Jason Tozer put an interesting ad on Gumtree. He is searching for lighting assistants and retouchers to work with him on his sessions. I was intrigued with the style of this ad and learned more about his work. He is an appreciated photographer who worked at the production of Canon Bring Colour To Life advertising video which itself is amazing and its' production is breath-grasping. If you feel like working with him, maybe the job is for you.

Jason Tozer's website: http://jasontozer.com

photo: Jason Tozer

Canon Pixma: Bringing colour to life from Dentsu London on Vimeo.

Maja Persson at London Short Film Festival opening night

2011-12-31T09:42:00.000-08:00

I am very pleased to announce that next Friday - January 6th - I will perform as a VJ at London Short Film Festival opening party. The Festival is a celebration of cinema and has got an interesting program including projections, workshops and meetings. Audio Network will share their expertise about clearing music rights for short films. East London Lomography Shop and Gallery will host filmmaking workshops with the use of Lomo cameras. This and much more here: LSFF Program
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LSFF2012 Trailer w/ The Strumpettes from London Short Film Festival on Vimeo.

This and much more of my work you will see live during the event. See you there. And don't miss out on the festival.

Good Videoclips Library - Keyword 'Disturbing'

2011-12-30T16:31:00.000-08:00

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Let me introduce you to my Good Videoclips' Virtual Corner - Good Videoclips Library. Today the key word is 'Disturbing' and I will show you a few videos which have disturbed me lately.

1. Slightly Disturbing

Let me begin with Vampire Weekend and 'Giving Up The Gun'. And let me tell you that I honestly LOVE this video!!! Surprisingly (or maybe not) a Hollywood star Jake Gyllenhaal appears in it just next to Daft Punk. However the confusing thing about Daft Punk is that they can be easily mistaken with every 2 guys in the world who happened to put on aerodynamic and shiny crash helmets. So I can't be sure about them. But most definitely it is an interesting clip.

2. More Disturbing

Arcade Fire's 'Sprawl II' with Cyndi Lauper as the leading vocalist is a sort of a variation of Manic Street Preachers' If You Tolerate This Then Your Children Will Be Next video (but 10 years later and in a slightly more optimistic atmosphere), Michael Jackson's Thriller zombies and a happy artistic presentation of quirky dresses.

3. Disturbing indeed

Scissor Sisters 'Invisible Light' is a video made by Nicolas Mendez. However I don't know if it's a clip inspired with the song or made for the band. It's disturbing for sure. It's has got a bit of 60s. and 80s. thrillers' confusion.

Scissor Sisters - Invisible Light from CANADA on Vimeo.

M.I.A. - Rebellion and a Diva

2011-12-29T11:23:00.000-08:00

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Living in London is an interesting experience for me in terms of music. Before coming here I thought it would just blow me away with amazing tunes and venues. However the majority of it is rather bad taste pop. This is what you get in big clubs. I still have to search through internet to find artists who do something different and venues which stand out. And am still looking for my favourite places in London where I feel inspired. Big city, lots of things to check out, a lot of inspiration still for me to find.

M.I.A. - a London female artist attracts attention with her casual fashion style and revolutionary videoclips which look as if they were made with the use of very simple computer tools for home movies. She is an amazing woman with her own opinion on art and music. The casual look and feel she chooses brings in a lot of energy into her music. M.I.A. believes that music stars shouldn't be that much of fashion icons or victims. Also videos don't need to be perfectly produced, because it takes away a lot of the original vibe. She is most definitely a classy personality not only in London, but world music, now. She has got an amazing ability to change visually and create a certain atmosphere in her songs while always looking absolutely relaxed and effortless. This is how we get a M.I.A. - rebellion, a girl next door M.I.A. and a beautiful Diva. Wow! This is what I call inspiration!

M.I.A.'s 'Jimmy' video presents a funny mixture of different styles and things which you get living in a big city. You get a combination of Indian influences, American 90s. pixel-art images and colourful old disco atmosphere. Basically you get a collage of everything, but in a fresh way. This is what I feel London is all about. And 'Jimmy' represents it very well. Because this city is not only about the Big Ben, Tower Bridge, English Breakfast Tea and fish & chips served on every corner. It is about an ambience and an incredible coexistence of different cultures, fashion traditions, nations' history paths, beliefs and legends on one common level.

Holy sock!

2011-12-29T10:51:00.000-08:00

After a very long break I come back with this half-artistic/ half-religious post about manifestations of images of Jesus and saints in every day objects. Holy sock, holy pizza. If it makes people's lives better, let them have their miracles. After all a holy image randomly outlined on a piece of fabric or food it is also a form of art.

via The Telegraph - link

'In December 2011, Sarah Crane, 38, from Orpington, Kent, spotted see the face of Jesus in the creases of a drying sock. She said she was stunned when she saw a bearded man staring back at her from the laundry line. Her boyfriend agreed the crumpled grey "holy sock" bore an uncanny likeness to the traditional image of Christ. They even talked about creating a shrine to the sock but then the face was lost when they moved it.'

'The face of Jesus was spotted in April 2011 in a three cheese pizza. Restaurant staff at the Posh Pizza shop in Brisbane, Australia, noticed the manifestation after taking the pizza from the oven. Maree Phelan says: "Some people are already calling it the Cheesus Pizza. The pizza is currently vacuum packed and we believe it brings luck. After discovering it, the owner of the store parked in a loading zone and didn't get a parking ticket We feel like we have a responsibility to do something good with this, so we're auctioning it off for charity." After attracting 26 bids on eBay, the pizza sold for a tasty £98'

The Kills

2011-06-17T15:03:00.000-07:00

Music

Just ahead of the release of their fourth studio album 'Blood Pressures', Jamie and Alison invited film makers from Domino Records into their London studio to record a few very special live acoustic performances of new album tracks. I like "The Last Goodbye" song very much and love this low female voice combined with acoustic guitar sound.
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Computer Games Infinite Pleasure

2011-06-17T13:44:00.000-07:00

New computer games are comming up and they are stunning. "Fortunately" my PC is not strong enough to take such amazing graphics and pixel complexity. But if it did I would get absolutely addicted. I always laughed at guys being attached to fictional computer games' worlds and characters. But with such amazing ideas, plots and stunning animation you just feel like being in a different, exciting world and want to stay there.

BioShock Infinite

BioShock Infinite is an impressive BioShock sequel in adorable retro-future atmosphere. A taste of Sherlock Holmes-old London style in modern America. There is different gravity and sky scrapers fly in air. Sometimes you walk, sometimes run, sometimes ride on roller-coaster ramps between buildings. There is a pretty girl who knows magic. And there are robots. But what is best of all - you are the hero, there is adventure and by the end of the day - you get the girl!

World's Sexiest And Most Inspiring Actors

2011-02-12T03:35:00.001-08:00

I present a very subjective ranking of the world's sexiest and most inspiring men actors.

Robert Downey Jr

Al Pacino

Michael Biehn

Kiefer Sutherland

Samuel Worthington

Leonardo Di Caprio

TRON And Its' Fantasmas

2011-02-08T14:29:00.000-08:00

Psychologic Insight Into Science-Ficion
TRON 1982
Steven Lisberger
TRON Legacy 2010
Joseph Kosinski
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Jean Baudrillard - a famous philosopher - in his books uses the phrase "fanstasma". It is a combination of words "fantasy" and "dogma" and describes subconciuos meanings which appear in all generations throughout the history of humankind. Sometimes they change in time, sometimes they remain the same for centuries and motivate us, usually without our knowledge. Fantasma is a dogma for our mind which we secretly want to brake.

One of the dogmas of our existece is that we can't live life on trial. We have only one copy of our entity. And it somehow seems not to be very fair, as we can test everything else before we learn how to use it properly or before we buy it. Here we are left with no sample tests. Our choices are irreversible. It is frustrating and risky. That is why people have always been trying to create a different world, an alternative universe for ourselves which we can go into if the hard copy of our life appears full of bugs.

Men have always been moving on a border of two or more worlds. But somehow we know it is wrong to give up life in this reality for a life in a different one without superior force's permission (God's, destiny's, fortune's) and escape. Fantasma in this case is a wishful thought that we on our own can get away to a new dimension, somehow quit being ourselves, but not die and turn into a new, better entity. When technology appeared, people started fantasizing about turning complitely into a machine or a system - a new form of perfect, controlled existence. And they have been afraid of machines becoming self-aware, turning against them.

I guess I enjoy science fiction movies and comics because they always move in the area of those subconcious meanings.

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"TRON" - a famous science fiction movie from 1982 - tells a story of a genius programmer and arcade games geek - Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges) - who brakes into a large system - the Master Control Program (=MCP). It turns out the MCP gained independence and became a self-aware unit which aims at taking control of world's military defense systems.

Kevin's ex-girlfriend Laura with a team of scientists creates a special molecular laser which, pointed at any objects, captures it, makes it dissappear and restores it in the cyberspace. Later the laser makes the object go back from the virtual space to our world again. The MCP becomes very powerful, turns the laser on itself and traps Kevin in the digital universe - The Grid.

In The Grid Kevin realises the computer world is a space full of mountains, casms, vehicles and buildings where programs live their lives. Programs are not just lines of code - they all have a human form, wear funny futuristic clothes and helmets with fluorescent circuits. Every Program, in order to perform its' task, has got to fight like a warrior, climb hills, jump out of windows and risk life. Programs look like those who wrote them - The Users. Kevin wants to reach the brain of Master Control Program and shut it down. On his way he meets TRON - a program written by his friend. Surprisingly or not TRON has got a face and body of his human author.

"TRON" is a story based on a fantasma of digital world of machines being alive. It is a mysterious dream about the inside of a computer system, which at that time was something people didn't have much idea about. There is a sense of enchantment with the new technology and fear of it. In the Medieval times people wrote stories about monsters and cyclopes living in distant lands or sees, because they had to fill the unknown space with life. The forms of life they created in their myths represented their fear, but at the same time fascination with the unknown and the extent of their imagination. Here people had to fill the unknown level of new technology with some life, too. "TRON" is in fact a very optimistic fantasy about this relatively barren land of programs and computers.

2010 "TRON - Legacy" is the continuation of the original. Special effects are boosted a million times. The Grid is actually very much a Cyberpunk world. Vehicles and gadgets are upgraded, but they keep the spirit and idea of their originals. Music written by Daft Punk has got somewhat Kraftwerk's feeling. The movie is made both for the old TRON lovers and the young audience. Make ups and clothes are trully amazing and incredibly impressive. The Grid universe is solid. It is made in the 3D technology which increases the experience of adventure and being trapped in an alternative universe..

Of course 1982 "TRON" was not deep psychological drama or an avantgarde picture. But its' screenplay was very innovative for that time. It was written when internet we now know didn't exist. And people had absolutely no clue the phenomenon of cyberspace would soon become a regular experience. They were enchanted with the idea of turning complitely into a digital signal and dissappearing from our world. In the movie there are a lot if 3D effects which at that time were probably incredibly innovative. Now they look very basic and naive, but at the same time a bit nostalgic. "TRON - Legacy" somehow grips the feeling of this nostalgia and memories, but in the spirit of now available technology and style. All representative elements from the first part are genuinly restored and upgraded, but with a bit of a retro geek touch. Even though there are compromises, there is a connection between the vintage past and modern presence in this sequel. And it is something to be appreciated.

District 9 - A Breakthrough In The Science Fiction Cinema

2011-02-06T02:34:00.000-08:00

District 9

Director: Neill Blomkamp

2009

I had doubts before watching "District 9" science fiction movie, because my friend told me the film was sad. The weather was gloomy and I was not in the mood for more sadness. However I decided to take my chance. And it was a good decision.

"District 9" is one of the best science-fiction movies in the history of filmmaking. It is shot in a form of a documentary, showing and event which didn't happen in fact as if it occured for real: the landing of aliens' massive spacecraft in the city of Johannesburg in South Africa. The film includes footage imitating survailence and news material, interviews with experts and citizens. It is a masterpiece in the way it is delivered.

The film starts in 1982, when a large alien spaceship appeareas over Johannesburg and suspends in the air like a gigantic dark cloud. People are patrified. After 2 months the government and the military decides to get into the alien vehicle. They cut its' cover with laser and drills and open it mechanically. When they get inside, they discover hundreds of sick, exhausted, gaunt newcomers. They feed them and deliver medical help. Later they locate them in the city's special zone - District 9 - which becomes in fact a refugee camp for the alien population.

After 20 years from then, the spacecraft still hovers motionless over the city. It hasn't at all moved. Being a host to the new arrivals becomes a prolonging burden to the citizens and the government. The aliens do not integrate with the human civilisation. They have their own customs which are not understood. They are bigger and stronger than people and thus people fear them. Medical help and food supplies are cut off. Nobody wants to sustain a population which is not only unfamiliar and foreing, but is not even human. Aliens are not allowed into shops or bars, so they can't buy food. They haven't got a work permit, so they can't sustain themselves in a normal, respectful way. They are marginalised and closed in their district which in time becomes slums where living conditions are unhumane. But people don't find it all that wrong, because aliens are not humans, so they don't have to be respected. Our world demonstrates superiority and holds the new civilisation in a grip. The courtesy and kindness given first to sick and needy new commers is short-term and turns into opression and negligence.

People of Johannesburg want to get rid of the spacecraft and the growing alien population, but they don't know how. Also they have their own interest in keeping the new commers - they constantly examine their modern weapons which they want to use, with no results however. The stunning, powerful laser guns work only in contact with the alien DNA which means that in human hands they are useless. The governement tries to figure out a way to combine human and alien genes, make use of the advanced weapons and progess on the way of military domination.

By some point it turns out that the aliens, called offensively "Prawns" because of their particular anatomy, do not at all wish to stay on Earth. For 20 years they have been collecting fuel for their spacecraft which they want to leave our planet with. Nobody knows or realises that, as nobody wishes to communicate with them. Aliens don't trust humans and don't reveal their plan to them. People of Johannesburg decide to move the new commers to a new District_10, miles away from the city, which creates a lot of tension, because "Prawns" have their secret underground laboratory is in District 9 and it's their only hope for ever going back home. Also the new camp offers far worse living conditions.

The movie in not only a well delivered futuristic fiction, but a metaphor of our world's problems. It in fact deals with the issues of refugees, foreing immigrants, fear, untolerance, racism and segregation. The cast is relatively unknown, but the roles are strong and impressive. "District 9" was released in 2009. It is directed by Neill Blomkamp, written by Neill Blomkamp and Teri Tatchel, produced by Peter Jackson and Carolynne Cunningham. It was nominated for four Academy Awards in 2010 including Best Special Effects, Best Picture and Best Editing. Daniel Falconer has written a book "The Art Of District 9" detailing the process of designing aliens, their spacecraft and futuristic armament.

Modern Sculpture Or A Radiator?

2011-02-01T12:30:00.000-08:00

Cordivari

Designer Radiators

Italy

Cordivari is an Italian producer of designer radiators. They are amazing, beautiful and look like impressive works of art, modern sculptures. From this moment on a radiator doesn't have to be a boring necessity, but an element which will make your interior more special, elegant and posh. Cordivari brings modern art's elegance and confidence into product design.

Vintage Robot Explores Life

2011-01-28T16:34:00.000-08:00

LCD Soundsystem
"Home"
Videoclip
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I am vintage robots' geek. So it is not surprising I felt in love with LCD Soundsystem's "Home" videoclip. It tells a story of a robot (I love the way he moves and his shape) who gets alive and escapes from his inventor to have a bunch of simple as well as extraordinary experiences in a big city.

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"Home" has been released in December 2010 by a Houston-based Funwince Supergroup. Funwunce is the brainchild of Mark Armes, a local filmmaker, animator and designer who’s been active in the Houston scene for years now.

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Funwunce Supergroup Website:
http://cargocollective.com/funwunce
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An interview with Mark Armes:
http://www.29-95.com/music/story/lcd-soundsystem-video-director-mark-armes-has-funwunce
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Vintage Cell Phone Commercial

2010-12-30T05:51:00.000-08:00

This vintage cell phone commercial touched my heart. In fact it was not that long ago that those massive brick-like wireless telephones were a symbol of success and prosperity.

One-Eyed Dog

2010-12-24T03:58:00.001-08:00

Graphic Design

Threadless Submission

Guys, please, vote on my T-shirt on Threadless by clicking here:

If people don't show acceptance for this marvelous one-eyed design in a few days, it will be rejected and thrown away. I fear it might happen because of Christmass time and few people voting. However I don't want to use you, either. So feel free to vote or not. I will be truly grateful for every single person clicking "I like it". And every single person liking it as well.

I feel particularly connected to this project, as it shows my dog from my childhood, but in green and with one eye. I really loved my dog, however I was a cruel and often thoughtless child and I feel sorry for this. I would love my dog back, but she is gone. However I might have dogs in the future. I'm thinking of becoming a loving dog couch and repenting for bad actions from the past.

Comics Christmas Wishes

2010-12-23T06:10:00.000-08:00

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My dear Readers: I wish You all peaceful Christmass and thank You for visiting and reading my weblog. Here is my comics illustration for You. :-)
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I'm A Cyborg, But That's OK

2010-11-28T02:22:00.001-08:00

Comedy/Romance/Science-Fiction/Drama
Film
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"I'm A Cyborg, But That's OK" is a Korean film from 2006 about a girl who believes she is a machine. She speaks to electronic devices such as light bulbs, radios and coffee-makers and thinks they talk back and share their energy with her, so she doesn't have to eat. As a human being she doesn't understand the purpose of her life. All machines have a very simple purpose of existence. A light bulb gives light, an electric kettle boils water etc. So she starts to believe she is in fact a robot inside, a sort of a Terminator, whose purpose is to kill people.

Of course by some point she find herself in a hospital for mentally ill people. She meets a very nice boy there who helps her, but in a special way - he lets her believe she is still a robot.

It is a great and very funny movie by Chan-wook Park. He is an acclaimed filmmaker who in the past made serious documentaries. Here he makes a comedy which makes you laugh, but at the same time shows the complexity and sensivity of human psyche. It referes strongly to popculture and the fascination with technology. People's fantasies are not ridiculed even though they are amazingly grotesque. The hospital becomes a world in which everything is possible, a sort of a fairy-tale. The film has also got strong special effects which make it fun to watch.

The film's message is that we are all a bit crazy, but it is not a crime to be crazy in a good way if it helps you move on in life. Sometimes we hide in the world of fantasies, because of our family's or environment's bad influence or pressure and the illusion is all we have left. And also it is fine. At the same time we are allowed to burry bad memories, get healed and start again.

Laika

2010-11-14T03:52:00.000-08:00

The First Dog In Space
Comics Book/ Music

Laika was a Russian dog who first went into a space journey. She was launched in a satelite Sputnik 2 in 1957. Unfortunately, because of time pressure, the machine was build so that it could go only in one direction and it was not designed to come back to Earth. The dog had enough food and air to survive 7 days, later she was supposed to get a medicine which would put her harmlessly down. In fact Laika survived only 4 to 7 hours. A technical problem occured and the temperature in her cabin increased rapidly. She died out of stress and heat. However she is the most famous space dog in the history who moved hearts of many people.

In 2007 Nick Abadzis - a Russian comics author living now in London - created a comics book "Laika" which is a story of the dog from birth till the end. The story pictures a sensitive lady technician - Jelena Dubrovska - who was taking care of dogs in the Russian space institute. Dogs were used for scientific purposes there and in fact they were little astronauts who first tested new technologies. Jelena is strongly connected with Laika, who is her favourite animal. She is not aware that Sputnik 2 has got only one-way destination. Laika is a special dog who actually enjoys space practice and being in the state of weightlessness.

Laika was a homeless dog before. In the comics she bravely goes through difficult trainings including special gel-food diet which is used for human astronauts as well as tiny space cabins. Sending her into a one-way mission is unavoidable because of ideological reasons of that time and seems to be even more unfair because of the dog's devotion and trust.

Laika also appears in the song of Arcade Fire from 2005. She is actually mentioned in the song title on a debut album "Funeral" - "Neighbourhood #2 (Laika)". The song is about a young man Alexander who escapes his own family and erases it from his life so to start his own new story from the very beginning. The lyrics say: "Our mother should have named you Laika!". It is a bit misterious, however it showes that Laika is a synonime of a person who seeks one's own destiny, cuts away from difficult environment and enteres entirely new one withiut looking back, no matter what the costs are.

A Minute Of Good Laugh

2010-08-22T04:27:00.000-07:00

The Presentators
3D animations
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I felt in love with the series of short animated films by Aardman - The Presentators. I adore the British sense of humor they use. Aardman is a company based in Bristol which made the Wallace and Gromit series of animations in clay and plasticine and continued their work in 3D in films such as "Flushed Away". The are cult figures in England and around the world. The secret of The Presentators is that they are not trying to be amusing or cool, but they are lovely.
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Weather
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Deadline
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Argument
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Pop Divas' Videoclips

2010-07-25T11:46:00.000-07:00

Kelis
"Acapella" - videoclip

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Today I made an update in the current pop divas' videoclips and got very sad. It seems Lady Gaga on one hand inspired people in music showbuisness, but on another started a trend of more agressive and invasive clips. Christina Aguilera followed her with "Not Myself Tonight" - a video coresponding with Madonna's "Human Nature", including quite shocking sado-masochistic, lesbian and group sex references. Rihanna introduced futuristic clothes and cyberpunk hair-does, which is very refreshing. She also seems to feel very good as a mature woman, not a girl, enjoying her beautiful body. She is grown up and interesting. However sometimes she lacks class a lot. All those girls appear to sell their music by doing cheap erotic show. They introduce more and more shocking elements which gets a bit confusing. An enjoyable entairtainment turns into porno film introduction. One gets scared of what may come next.

Finally I came across a beautiful videoclip of Kelis - "Acapella". The song is far better than those of the girls mentioned earlier and this makes whole lot of a difference. Kelis is not particularly shy about showing her beautiful body, but in a different context. Luckily there are still clever women in showbuisness who can save the planet.

As for me the next season belongs to Kelis and she has all the potential to defeat the pop divas including Lady Gaga if the last one doesn't come up with better songs and some kind of a valuable message. Constant references to what Madonna did in the 80s and 90s and fashion variations might be not that attractive to the audience any more. Although one has got to appreciate her amazing work, talent, ambition, impressive impact on popculture and not diminish her achievements.

Want You Back, Michael!

2010-07-25T06:15:00.000-07:00

Vintage & Pixeled Jacksons 5
Maja Persson, Poland
www.infectious.com

My vintage illustration of the famous Jacksons 5 was accepted for voting at Infectious.com. Please, be so kind to go there and vote for my amazing design. ;-) You don't have to be logged in.

http://www.infectious.com/voting/viadro/vintage-famous-5/7699

You can of course submitt your own designs. Infectious is a great designers' community and an online shop with sticker skins for your laptops, cellphones, skateboards, cars and walls. There are all year round design challenges with good cash prizes.

Animation Celebration

2010-07-25T06:01:00.000-07:00

II Kracow Summer
Animation Days
Krakow, Old Town, Poland

This weekend in Kracow at Mały Rynek there are outdoor open animation presentations:

II Kracow Summer Animation Days. It is the 2nd year they are organised. They start at 21:30 and end around 01:00. They are for free. This night is dedicated to Japanese animations, tomorrow's - to Brasilian. It's really worth comming. I help a bit during the shows and have a VIP label! Cool, isn't it? ;-D But I have to carry chairs and pick up empty plastic bottles after all ;-D. Fame comes with a prize!

Butterfly Emerging From Chaos

2010-07-24T12:16:00.000-07:00

Illustrations
Stina Persson, Sweden
www.stinapersson.com

Illustration by Stina Persson,
stinapersson.com

Stina Persson is not my sister. She is a Swedish illustrator.
I love the way she joins casual watercolours' energy and its' random composition with detailed hand drawing and precisely but naturally outlined elements. It looks like a beautiful image comming out of chaos, a butterfly emerging from a stain of paint or ink. Perfect execution of a design. It seems simple, but is very difficult to achieve.

Illustration by Stina Persson,
stinapersson.com

Stina worked for renown clients such as Absolut Vodka, Blue Note Records or DKNY. She is most deffinitely some kind of an artistic excample for me to follow, like an older sister. More at www.stinapersson.com.

Illustration by Stina Persson,
stinapersson.com

MuaMua Toys

2010-07-24T10:40:00.000-07:00

Hand-made toys
designed by Karolina Gościniak
from MuaMua Design Studio, Poland
http://www.muamuadesign.blogspot.com/

All photos taken from MuaMuaDesign weblog.

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I update my weblog so rarely, that different and sometimes contrasting inspirations such as childhood and its' innocence and adulthood and sex mix in it. I myself seem to be somewhere between those 2 states of mind and ways of living.
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Recenlty at my yoga classes I came across a small magenta leaflet of Mua Mua Design studio. I visited MM weblog. It is a project of Karolina Gościniak- a diplom designer from Poland inspired with her baby daughter. All illustrations, photographs and hand-made toys are dedicated to the little girl and her childhood world. Karolina also designs jewlery. She photographs her baby playing with the toys and posters of her own design. It is a lovely excample of how an artist can be even more creative with a child and join art and parenthood. It breaks a stereotype which says that a baby creates boundaries and that an artist can be creative only partying, drinking and abusing life, not taking care of a little human being. I most of all like crazy toys which come in different patterns.

More at:
http://www.muamuadesign.blogspot.com/
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Dance And Bodypainting

2010-05-05T11:28:00.000-07:00

photo: Wacław Wantuch

photo: Wacław Wantuch

photo: Wacław Wantuch
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Art Color Ballet
from Kraków, Poland is a dance theatre started in 1998 by a choreographer and artist - Agnieszka Glińska. They combine contemporary dance with bodypainting. What they do is truly beautiful. They are being regularly awarded at international bodypainting festivals. Their painting technique is very impressive and detailed. They collaborate with various artists: photographers, stage designers, musicians etc. Art Color Ballet invented their own style of a performance in which stage decoration, music, body movement and bodypainting becomes one new, beautiful and impressive experience. This is the only such group in Poland. Their unique approach makes them special even across all Europe. One of their photo sessions is inspired with traditional Polish folk patterns. I like it a lot, however all of them are stunning and breathtaking. In one of the shows they appear "dressed up" in Ultraviolet paints which make their bodies fluorescent, shining in the dark and shimmering with many colours.
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Art Color Ballet website
http://www.baletcolor.pl/index.php?lng=en
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photo: Wacław Wantuch

photo: Wacław Wantuch

photo: Wacław Wantuch

photo: Stamoulis Theorodikas
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All photos are the property of Art Color Ballet and are taken from their website:
http://www.baletcolor.pl/index.php?lng=en

Human Body As A Sex Toy

2010-05-01T10:57:00.000-07:00

Barbitch
An Artistic Sex Version Of A Barbie
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Barbitch is a doll designed by an artist Carmen Gomez, born in Switzerland. She made her own version of a Barbie girl in a few different styles: a nun, a devil, a nurse, a terrorist etc. It is a provocative approach towards the world of toys, which are very often very sexual and also the subject of femininity. Women are frequently being treated not as entire human beings (body and soul), but mostly in a sexual way, like toys. They are taught not to be too clever or to pretend so and expose their sexual values instead of their broad mind. Children think that playing with a Barbie, which is a substitute of a grown up woman, is fine. As adults we often have serious problems with approaching females seriousely, speaking about them without abusive words and not trating them and their bodies like sex toys. Carmen's artworks also show that there is a sexual side of hard and tough women, even terrorists. The project is provocative. Barbitch exhibition was presented at Fumetto Comics Art Festival in Luzern, Switzerland.

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More about the Barbitch project:
http://www.saatchi-gallery.co.uk/yourgallery/artist_profile/Carmen+Gomez/31978.html

People often ask me to explain what particular artworks are about, what was the artist's message, as they don't understand it cearly. For me privately Carmen's dolls are in a way about the same thing as Fury In The Slaughterhouse song Every Generation Got Its' Own Disease. I've always loved the clip and the lyrics. It is about the modern way of living and the philosophy of taking more, giving less and a particular approach towards body and sex without emotions or love, which is as often glorified, as criticised.

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Every Generation Got Its' Own Disease
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The more we take the less we give
That's the modern way to live
And someone says live fast die young
But the time runs always faster son
Diseases come diseases go
Welcome to the final show
Let's shake hands with plastic gloves
And watch out for the last white doves

And believe me, baby, every generation's
Got its own disease
I've got mine, so help us plese

I think that I'm to young to die
Love that girl and say goodbye
Change the girls like underware
Using bodies without care
The love has gone and what we've got?
A sweet perfume of sex and blood

And believe me, baby, every generation's
Got its own disease
I've got mine, so help us plese
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Music Will Heal Your Heart

2010-04-18T00:48:00.000-07:00

The President of my country died in a terrible accident a week ago. I'm very sorry because of that. It seems people don't really know how to behave with dignity and balance at the same time. There is a lot of pathos.

Music is comforting always. It heals the soul, helps go through difficult situations and expresses our point of view, thoughts and feelings. There is an amazing energy in music. Personally I like music bands which are not very famous, which I have to dig into and find them like precious treasures. Here are some of my recent discoveries.
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Henrik Jose
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He comes from Sweden and makes healing, comforting, electronic chillout music. It is trully very beautiful. He has snow on his jacket and a lot of positive and at the same time melancholic attitude towards the world.
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http://www.myspace.com/henrikjose
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"Blunderbuss" is a video to one of his songs made by Matt Swoboda.
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Candlestickmaker
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A guy who makes candles;-). He is an electronic artist from Romania who makes amazing mixes of sacred, comforting, but at the same time very modern sounds. They begin usually very quiet and sophiticated, then they gradually turn into drum'n'base rythym. These are not just songs good for listening or dancing, but entire compositions with a lot of good taste. I only listened to his album "Seeds", which impressed me a lot. But there are more of his albums available for listening at Free Music Archive. One of my favourite songs is "Summer Break".
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http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Candlestickmaker/Seeds/12_Summer_Break
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DAGADANA
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The last but not the least is a band DAGADANA which comes from my coutry - Poland. However one of the girls has Ucrainian roots. They are recently making quite a career and are being promoted by the Polish Radio 3, which is an enormous prestige. They just released their album "Malenka" ("A Little Girl") with a mix of folk and electronic music. A lot of their inspiration is in East-European and Balkan root culture. They are very nice people with good attitude. My favourite of their songs so far is "Tango".
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Dagadana - Myspace
http://www.myspace.com/dagadana
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Sputnik Booster and Computer Truck
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These are bands both inspired with electronic sounds from computer games from the 80s. There is fun, game and simple science-fiction atmosphere in their songs.
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Sputnik Booster seems to be a guy from Bayern, Germany. He performs with his friends "The Future Posers". They get dressed up like childhood robots during theirs shows. They are a lot of fun. My favourite of Sputnik Booster's songs is "Type Your Text" with a bit of a Kraftwerk energy.
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http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Sputnik_Booster/Robot_Science/03_-_Type_your_text
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/The making of the costumes/

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Sputnik Booster website:
http://www.myspace.com/sputnikbooster
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Computer Truck is a French musician. His songs are electronic, hard, but fun at the same time.
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My favourite of his mixes is "Cracovian Scene" with a bit punk feeling. Here you can listen to it:
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http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Computer_Truck/Rock_The_Boulevard_Reach_The_Bourgeois/10_-_Cracovian_SceneFeat_Yan_From_BenetBene
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Computer Truck made a remix of one of Sputnik Booster songs.
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Computer Truck website
http://computertruck.parishq.net/
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ALL PHOTOS TAKEN FROM THE ARTISTS' WEBSITES.
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DEAR ARTISTIS MENTIONED ABOVE, I APPRECIATE YOUR ARTISTIC AND MUSIC CREATIVITY. YOU ARE AN INSPIRATION, YOU HEAL MY SOUL OR BRING FUN INTO MY DAYS. THANK YOU. I HOPE YOU ENJOY BEING IN THIS POST.
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Origami animals and Bang Gun Dress

2010-04-11T12:55:00.000-07:00

Thank You very much for visiting my weblog. I didn't realize so many people come and read it. I also didn't have time for updates recently.
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If I'm about to make a very fast update on the recent events and my new discoveries, I would like to tell You about nice fonts which I found recently: Quad, Kilogram and Origami Bits. You can use them ocassionally, because if too much, you loose the effect. And please, don't use them too often, as I use them very often in my new projects ;-D.
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QUAD - there are black and white versions

http://www.dafont.com/quad.font
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KILOGRAM

http://kallegraphics.com/?page_id=385
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ORIGAMI BATS
Every letter is an origami animal. There are also origami symbols when You press numbers and punctation marks.
http://www.dafont.com/origamibats.font
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3D DRESS
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This dress was designed and made by an artist Nicole Lindern. There is not much known about her apart from the fact that she lives in Chesterfield in America, is 22 and has been sewing since she can remember. Here is her online shop with more of her clothes:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/nicolelindner
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She has her own recognisable crazy style.
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Bang Gun Dress
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Licole has her online shop at Etsy. It is a website where many people from abound the world have their online shops and sell their self-made items, especially clothes, jewlery and postcards.
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Exhibitions and new stuff

2010-02-17T15:22:00.000-08:00

My project Global Message To God is now on an ehibition in The Wayne and Geraldine Kuhn Fine Arts Gallery in Marion, Ohio, USA.

http://osumarion.osu.edu/art_gallery

You can still participate in the project, as it's an online work and I gladly encourage you to doing this. Please, please, join this great interactive happening and adventure.

http://globalmessagetogod.blogspot.com/

My comics are also now on an exhibition in Poznań., Poland They take part in events connected with international Comics Culture Festival "Ligatura" organized by Centrala Komiksu - a foundation promoting comics from Post-communist countries.

http://ligatura.eu/index.php?lang=en

Viadro Project which I'm a part of has a new webiste and new photographs. I like the photos with the excavator.

http://viadro.carbonmade.com/

We have our site on Carbonmade. Carbonmade is my new discovery. And I must tell you that it's a great place for creating your pretty looking and nicely designed portfolio for free. It works a bit like Vimeo for pictures and has a similar design. If you want to upload more photos to your account, you have to pay, but then you can also upload flash animations. It has always been a problem on weblogs. It's all very, very simple. So even though you have to pay, which sucks, it's really a good place. It looks great, the navigation is very intuitive and it saves a lot of time. If you upload only the most representative of your works, you fit in the free limit.

Octopus fascination

2010-02-17T13:51:00.000-08:00

Today was the day of incredible and surprising events. After job I did small shopping in a store nearby the place where I work. I bought a red pepper. I paid a lot as for sigle red pepper and I was surprised with it. When I came back home I cut the pepper. It turned out there was a smaller pepper growing inside of the big one. It was shocking, but fascinating. Actually there were 2 peppers inside of one. Amazing. Somehow it reminded be of a photo of an octopus which I downloaded today at work from internet. The inside pepper looked a bit like octupus without legs.

I'm being now fascinated with octopus and octopus-related pieces of artwork.

At work we have some problems with the online gift-store application we bought. The whole idea is that you can upload photographs from your computer to the store and order prints, mugs, T-shirts and other things with your photo. Unfortunately there is some problem and you can't really upload some of your photographs to the program, we don't know why. I wanted to upload the photos of octopuses to the program, but they didn't appear it the system. My boss had a long conversation with the programists who sold us the application telling them how much unhappy he is because of the program's feliure. The guys got very worried and asked me to send them the photos which I couldn't upload. So I had to send them the photos of the octopuses. They must have been surprised. Earlier I wanted to upload pictures from Avatar, as I have a crush on Samuel Worthington and it didn't work, either. It seems to me that the program has a problem uploading photos earlier downloaded from internet, I wonder why.

Comming back to the subject of octopuses - the whole fascination came to me because I am now working on my new project which I would like to submit to a contemporary art festival in a city Kuopio in Finland. They want artists to sumbit pieces of art which will be connected with the space of their town and also somehow text. I was never to Filnand, but I looked at the photos of the city online. And I thought of a huge leg of a monster sticking out from some big doorway and lying in the middle of the main shopping street in Kuopio. It wouldn't be connected with text and they might not necessairly like that, but it would be cool. But actually there have been similar projects in the world, so, you know, I am very sad, but I won't copy them.

But fortunately I figured out something different, but also cool and somehow related to the above fascinating projects. And it's even connected with text, so it matched the regulations of the festival and the call for submissions.

You may submitt your projects to the festival untill tomorrow (OMG! I thought it was till the end of February!!!!!!). So hopefully octopuses and other fascinating animals will appear in the streets of the city Kuopio one day in October, as this is when the festival is actually held.

http://antifestival.com/anti-2010/call-for-proposals-2010/

I heard that Kuopio is very colourful and beautiful. I'd love to go there one day. I found a nice photo collection from the place on Flickr by Eleezebb.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/eleezebb/sets/72157622119127809/

I like the way the photos look like in a form of miniatures in a general preview. I don't know the photographer, to be honest, but she seems to be a very nice girl and a sensitive artist. Some of her photos are shadow self-portraits. Actually on Flickr there is a world photo pool of shadow self-portraits made by different people in different countries. Well, I think it's really, really cool.

http://www.flickr.com/groups/shadowontheground/pool/

Photographing your own shadow is very funny, it's like photographing the evidence of your own presence. There is an artist who collects there photos and asks people to send them to him. Here is a link to his nice and clean website and project:

http://www.selfshadows.com/ing.html

I also bought 3 energy drinks and I got one liter of energy in a bottle for free in a promotion. Now I have almost 2 liters of pure energy in my home. Fortunately it's closed in the bottles or my home would be big, pure, sparkling and glowing energetic ball.

WORLD BEST ANIMATIONS

2009-12-10T11:33:00.000-08:00

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It is about time to sum up Etiuda&Anima Festival which ended last week in Krakow, Poland. I assume there are still some events connected with the festival in Nowy Sacz, however the results of the short film and animation competition are already known. The official awarding ceremony took place last Thursday. Well. I am not a huge fan of the films which were selected and awarded. In my opinion there were better shorts in the program. But I like the films which got the 3rd place prize both in the animation and a feature film cathegory- feature film Arsy-Versy by Miro Remo (which I noticed and described earlier on my weblog - I have this intuition!) and "This Way Up" by Alan Smith and Adam Foulkes, which was also in Sundance Film Festival 2009 official selection and was nominated to Oscar award for best animated short.

"This Way Up" tells of a father and a son who are in mourning after their wife/mother who just died. They want to make a nice funeral, however there are many obstacles. The film is full of dark humour.

Animated short film fairly awarded at festivals in the world, however not at this one - Skhizein by Jeremy Clapin, France

portrays a story of a man who got hit by a mysterious meteoryt. There are no visible effects of the accident apart from the fact that the man's body moved 71 or so centimeters from the place where his aura stayed. If he wants to move a chair, he has to stand 71 centimeters from it, put a hand in the air and try to move the object. He goes to a doctor who is not helpful and gives him a feeling that he is crazy. He stayes all alone with his problem of being 71 cm away from himself. He comes up with an idea that if a meteorite hits him again, his body and aura will surely get united again. He starts looking for a meteoryt in the sky and runs to a desert to meet it. The result of another collision are surprising. The film is available on YouTube /LINK HERE/, but only in French, with no subtitles, which is bad. You can however buy the film for 10 Euros on a DVD on the film's official site, which is a fair prize for a fair film.

Skhizein's official site
Skhizein in French on YouTube

"Big Man" by a Danish artist Cav Bogelund is a story of a giant whose mother is a tiny little woman. The huge man is big and scarry, but his heart is pure and gentle. When his mother dies, he goes to a city for the first time in his life. He holds her coffin in a had like match-box and wants to bury her in a local cemetary. It turnes out that the people in the town are against him.

"DIX" = "TEN" by The Bif, France/United Kingdom also impressed me strongly.

It is about a young man who goes to a therapist. The doctor helps him reverse the bed effects of his childhood. The story ends up well, but there is a lot of blood here!!! Hard stuff.

There were other good films at the festival including

Mother by Geza M. Toth, Hugary
The Black Dog's Progress - by Stephen Irwin, Great Britain
Kitchen Dimensions - by Priit Tender, Estonia
I Am So Proud Of You - by Don Hertzfeldt, USA
"Jancita" - by Karla Castaneda, Mexico which was also awarded at world festivals.

It is a story about being old and dying in fact. The subject might not be too cheerful, but the animation is very nostalgic, funny at points and original.

GREY DAY MUSIC SHARING

2009-12-04T07:33:00.000-08:00

What I like about songs is that sometimes they express exactly what I feel. It makes me better and improves my self-esteem, because I stop thinking that I'm the only person in the world with strange thoughts, problems, pain, funny point of view and lyrical message in my heart. It is so special that some artists who I don't know personally and they don't know me, either, express exactly what I would like to say and what I have in my heart and soul.

BECK

"I'm tired of fighting for the lost cause"

Beck

Beck's lyrics is so simple, but so exact and funny at the same time. Aren't we, humans, funny sometimes with our feelings?

LISTEN TO THE SONG "I think I'm in love"
Listen to "Lost Cause" here

SIGUR ROS

Sigur Ros

They are Scandinavian and they sing in their original language. I have to idea what they are saying, but I love it, I feel it. At least I think so. They sing about what I have in my heart and soul. As far as I understand. But I don't understand a word.

LISTEN TO Sigur Ros

Jeff Buckley and Nina Simone - Lilac Wine

LISTEN TO JEFF BUCKLEY'S VERSION OF LILAC WINE

The experience of a simple gray day with Zbigniew Rybczynski in the background

2009-12-04T06:04:00.000-08:00

I was supposed to go to Nowy Sacz today to take part in a discussion panel with one of Poland's greatest animators - Zbigniew Rybczynski. However I got stuck in Tesco. I don't even want to talk about it. I wanted to pay for half of my products with cash and half with a card, which became a gigantic problem. I was not really certain how much money I had on my card. The guys in the que got upset. One of them said that I shouldn't go shopping if I don't know how much money I have, which was embarassing, but so human and asshole on the other hand. Do you always know how much money you have on your account?! I'm sure you don't and your mother was a hamster, my dear man! By the and of the day it turned out that the shop assistant made some mistake, not me. It took ages to take everything back. The most embarassing thing is that when you have little money, but need to do shopping, you always feel so poor and worthless. Others, who have a bit more money than you, look down at you as if they were super rich Rockefellers with millions of dollars on their accounts. But in fact little money is the reason for your shopping at Tesco. And this is also the reason for others' shopping at Tesco, even those looking down at you - no matter what they say or do - THEY ALSO HAVE LITTLE MONEY, HAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I got home a bit late because of that, got late for a bus to Nowy Sacz and now I'm sitting next to a fire place, listening to Interpol, drinking my coffee, which is not that bad after all.

Author: ToothpasteForDinner

I hate the weather recently. It is grey and I find is awfully difficult to wake up. But today I woke up earlier for a job interview, which was a bit embarassing. too. What I dislike about Mc Jobs is that they are Mc Jobs, not real jobs. They can't be taken seriousely, you won't put them down in your professional portfolio or CV, however you need them to pay the rent and get some money. But the guys interviewing you always look down at you with a doubtful expression on their faces and some pity in their voice and say: "You don't seem to have any experience selling hamburgers. I'm not sure if you are good enough for this job". When they behave like this, I always want to crush their penises. In fact I have already done that in my head. Spiritually they have no penises. It's just a piece of flesh without life, now.

I will tell you about Zbigniew Rybczynski however. He is a great man. When I was a little girl, he made an animation "Tango", which was very innovative at that time. He got Oscar for it and went to America to get the prize. By that time Poland was a Communist country, so he was not really allowed to stay in America and go there without a permission. from the government. So he escaped from Poland, as far as I know. He lived in America and worked there for several years. He made videoclips for famous artists including Pet Shop Boys. Recently he came back to Poland and started a postproduction and 3D animation school in Nowy Sacz. It is a part of a school of business, which was there first. I want to study in that 3D animation school. I wanted to take my documents there, today. And also see the discussion board. But it didn't work out, as you already know. Ok. Ok. If I study there, I will talk with Zbigniew Rybczynski millions of times and hopefully he won't ask me if I have experience using Corel Draw or selling hamburgers and other ridiculous products.

Tango - Zbigniew Rybczynski

Domestic Infelicity

2009-11-28T05:13:00.000-08:00

Sarlota SZABO and Tibor BANOCZKI are two Hungarian multi-artists living in London. They are very talented and do wonderful job.

http://domesticinfelicity.com/index.html

They have their artistic duet called "Domestic Infelicity". They believe they have a visual potential to save people. They admit their families are sometimes afraid of their artistic ideas and lifestyle, though there has been no blood or fight, yet. They make wonderful animations available on Vimeo. I like one of them very much. It is music video for London based singer-songwriter Ethav.

Ethav: Sleep from Domestic Infelicity on Vimeo.

I wish the artists lots of luck and fame, as the are very special.

Animation and short films celebration

2009-11-28T04:43:00.001-08:00

Yesterday International Film Festival "Etiuda&Anima" began in Kraków, Poland. I was a bit late, to I'm not any professional snobbish judge. I will tell you of films which impressed me in yesterday's selection.

Arsy-Versy- Miro Remo, Slovakia, 2009

Unfortunately there is just a trailer of this Slovakian short available online. It's a stroy of a 50 year old man who lives in a village with his mother. He doesn't work, doesn't have a wife or a girlfriend, but he is very fascinated with bats and is actually a great photographer. People think he is crazy and he is undoubtely different. But in another surrounding he could as well have been a great artist. It is a funny, but warm story.

Treasure Seakers - Agnieszka Bak, Poland, 2009

It is a stroy of 2 men from Poland who take their old car and go to Lvov - the capital of Ukraine. One of the men used to live there as a child. His father told him he hid a treasure there. After many years he wants to find the treasure. The guys buy a metal detector and take a long journey to experience an exciting and funny adventure. It is a documental story, like Arsy-Versy.

Schautag - Marvin Kren, Germany, 2008

It is a spooky and thrilling sory in which you get really surprised and shocked by the end. I can't tell you anything more.

Moby's skull

2009-11-24T07:34:00.001-08:00

If I may express my very private and random opinion - Moby's skull has a very interesting shape. The top, which is a bit sharp-ended, intrigues me.

Chronotron - Time Travelling Robot

2009-11-24T04:49:00.000-08:00

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I must admit (though I'm a bit shy about it) I'm a big fan of simple online games. They remind me, I guess, of my childhood and simply designed TV games. There is fun and thrill, sometimes a bit of competition, but it can't be taken too seriousely. This is what I love about it.
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Recently I became a huge fan of a game called Chronotron. It is a logical game in which a time travelling robot appears. I love this low-tech science-fiction atmosphere. The robot is red, blue and white and looks really cute and friendly. He has to do certain things in each stage, but in order to achieve his goals he has to travel in time and bring copies of himself to the current moment. Well, it is not really that simple as it seems. That's why fun. As Lady Gaga sings: "If it ain't hard it isn't fun". I got stuck in level 16. Help? Anyone?

Wonderwall

2009-11-23T02:24:00.000-08:00

Ryan Adam's acoustic version of "Wonderwall" originally performed by Oasis is a beautiful interpretation which makes the popular song sound very different, special and poetic. It touches my soul and heart.
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Click HERE to listen to the song
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Birdy Nam Nam

2009-11-22T08:17:00.000-08:00

Birdy Nam Nam is a music band which produces sounds using only dj's record decks. They generate impressive melodies and atmosphere. 4 guys behind the decks create complex music by adding new levels of sound. At the beginning the melodies are simple, but at the end they become very powerful. The music is grasping, it gets to the bottom of body and soul. Their performances are very eye-catching and strong. They create their music live with their bare hands, which is exciting to watch and listen to. Their shows are also recorded and edited in a way which gives you a strong feeling of what is going on on their concerts.
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ICONS' DESIGN - Jojo Mendoza

2009-08-21T05:19:00.000-07:00

When You click on Mozilla, mailbox, Flash or Word icon on Your computer, You rarely think that somebody has designed them. Somebody has really created those icons and is their author. Also when You see popular cartoon images in computer games or on internet, you rarely wonder about the designer.

All artworks in this post by Jojo Mendoza,
via www.deleket.com

Jojo Mendoza also known as Deleket is a visual artist and a designer living in the Philippines. Deleket designs icons, logos and creates companies' visual identity as well as images for computer games. You might have already seen some of the images somewhere, but didn't think of their author. Now You know that it was Jojo and may it make you proud of the gifted designer.

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Jojo is a very nice, open-hearted person. Feel free to visit the website and have a look at the portfolio:
http://www.deleket.com/
http://deleket.deviantart.com/

Food Banks Federation - Save The Food Campaign

2009-08-17T12:03:00.000-07:00

Polish Food Bank Federation Logo

Polish branch of Adobe has launched an art competition: Adobe Creative Search 4 Ideas. The deadline for submissions has passed last Sunday, however the subject was very interesting: the problem of wasting food. The competition's partner was Polish Food Banks Federation. The participants were to create a poster, leaflet or an animated commercial promoting the idea of saving food.

The idea of Food Banks and saving food was created by John van Hengel in late 1960s in America. He was an American activist. He was very emotional and for many years couldn't find his place in life. At some point he realized that many shops, restaurants and factories throw away good food which can still be used or given to homeless and poor people. He decided to gather this food and take it to the town canteen. He founded first Food Bank in 1967 in Phoenix. During its first year of work it distributed thousands of tones of food to local charities. This was the first operation like this in the world. It grew into a nationwide network Second Harvest which feeds 22 million hungry and poor Americans every year.

John van Hengel - 2003, in a Food Bank in Phoenix
via The Washington Post

The problem was to convince local businessmen that their food would be given to those who really need it and wouldn't be resold. Hengel however had a personality and soon he got more food than he could distribute. In the last years of his life John van Hengel helped found Food Banks in Europe, Latin America, Africa and Asia. He passed away in 2005.

Now there are many Food Banks on our planet, however in Poland they are a new innitiative. They help hungry children at schools in poor areas of the country.

The idea of Food Banks is to connect people who have too much food and have to throw it away with those who have too little.

Kevin Bacon helping at Food Bank in NY, 2007 - via NY Times

Polish Food Bank Federation - LINK (in Polish)
Adobe Creative Search 4 Ideas - LINK (in Polish)
John van Hengel- The Washington Post - LINK
Article on Food Banks - New York Times - LINK

SITA SINGS THE BLUES

2009-08-12T20:19:00.000-07:00

Sita Sing The Blues
80 minutes animation
Pure beauty of sound and picture
Available totally free of charge
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Sita Sings The Blues is an animation made in 4 different styles by an American artist Nina Paley. It tells a story of an Indian goddess Sita and her unconditional love for her husband Rama. Even though she is devoted and faithful to him, by some point he leaves her alone. She suffers a lot. At the same time we have a modern-day theme of a woman living in New York, whose husband gets a contract in India and goes there for a year. He breaks up with her through an e-mail. She loves him unconditionally and can't get over this. When she comes across a story of Sita, it helps her get through and become happy with her life. The films is narrated by 3 black characters- gods. Their conversation is a funny, smart and becomes a background for the story. They make the Indian legend understood to European or American viewer.

I love the animation, I must say. In many ways it's simple, but as an animator I know that this simplicity comes from a very good taste and intelligent planning. It has very good music and it's very ipressive. It uses songs of contemporary composers as well as of 920's and 30's American radio star - Annette Hanshaw.

Nina Paley decided to share her work online for free. The animation became incredibly popular around the world because of this. It is on Creative Commons Share Alike License. It by large means that you can use it, brodcast it and even sell it, but you can never say that you made it yourself.

Watch Sita for free here:

http://www.thirteen.org/sites/reel13/indies/indie-sita-sings-the-blues/241/

You don't need my permission to copy, share, publish, archive, show, sell, broadcast, or remix Sita Sings the Blues. Conventional wisdom urges me to demand payment for every use of the film, but then how would people without money get to see it? How widely would the film be disseminated if it were limited by permission and fees? Control offers a false sense of security. The only real security I have is trusting you, trusting culture, and trusting freedom."

- Nina Paley

http://www.sitasingstheblues.com/

These are beautiful words. Also see:

Free Culture Movement

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_Culture_movement

Istanbul Animation Festival 2009 - call for submissions

2009-08-12T20:18:00.000-07:00

Instanbul Animation Festival in Turkey has launched a call for submissions. Deadline: 4th of September 2009.

6 categories:

IAF Grand Prize: best blended short film about story and animation technic.
Feature Film: longer than 40 min.
Turk Short made by Turk animator(s)
Student Film: short film made by student.
First Film: Animation short film made by a person's first experience.
Music Video: which includes one or more animation technic.

Everything here:

http://www.iafistanbul.com/competition.php

The festival will take place from 13-22 Nov 2009.

Animation! Celebrate!

2009-08-12T20:17:00.000-07:00

Photos: Maja Persson 2009

Krakow Summer Animation Days

was a 4-days open show of the world best animated films. It was based in the middle of the Krakow old town and took place last month. I worked there as a volunteer. I also documented the event and took pictures. The films were very good, intriguing and innovative. They were produced in all kinds of animation forms: 3-D, puppet, cartoon, photography and mixed. I was very impressed. Each day there were animations from a different world animation festival selection. I haven't had an opportunity to watch such a huge amount of good films in quite a while. It was a pleasure to be there.

THE BEST OF FLASH!

2009-08-12T20:16:00.000-07:00

Cinematheque

/streaming media project environments/

Open competition
for artists working
entirely in Flash.

Cinematheque is very happy to launch a new call for 2009 for artists workind enrirely in Flash. Theme: Flash - as a medium and tool for artistic creations.

Films/animations must be created between 2000 and 2009.
Linear, non-linear or interactive,
ARTISTIC, non-commercial and not for any particular client.
Max. 1000x7000 pixels.
Up to 3 films.
Up to 1 MB - upload via Cinematheque website.
Bigger than 1 MB- upload via www.SENDSPACE.com.
Deadline: August 31 '09.

Details:
http://www.nmartproject.net/netex/?p=408
I encourage all Flash artists to participating!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Left-Handers International Day

2009-08-12T20:09:00.001-07:00

Today is the international day of left-handed people. May I shake Your left hand ?

World Bank Of Artistic Residencies

2009-08-12T20:08:00.000-07:00

Res Artis is a worldwide bank of artistic residencies around the globe.
http://www.resartis.org/
Residency Opportunities
http://www.resartis.org/index.php?id=304

Upcoming deadlines: residencies in Taiwan, Argentina, Canada, Finland and Norway.

Design a T-shirt and get wealthy

2009-08-12T16:56:00.000-07:00

Threadless design by Kneil Melicano

Threadless T-shirt design by Chris Thornley
Threadless T-shirt design by Marco Angeles

Threadless children tee by Tony Aguero

Threadless children tee by Saman Bemel-Benrud

Threadless

is a designing company and T-shirts online shop based in Chicago.
http://www.threadless.com/

They organize all year round open designing competitions in which you submit your T-shirt design or a T-shirt slogan. Prizes are 2500$ for a design and 500$ for a slogan. They are awarded every month. The lucky author gets the financial award + Adobe Creative Package + a special medal+ a certain amount of money on free shopping in Threadless. They also choose a designer of the year who gets an impressive award.
http://www.threadless.com/submit

It's quite a lot as for a nice T-shirt. It's worth trying. If you want to take part in their challenge, check their website, designs and slogans first not to submit works below a certain level. If you want a nice cloth in your wardrobe, have a look at their catalog. Their approach is artistic and innovative, but crazy. Just like the world inside of your head!

Threadless spends over 1.5 million dollars a year for financial awards for their designers. Some of them won the competitions a couple of times which made them quite wealthy and popular in the world on design.
http://www.threadless.com/artists

Threadless has also got really cool clothes for kids in all possible sizes starting from hoodies and onies for infants, ending with T-shirts for teenagers. I would like to buy their astronaut hoodie for my friend's 4 year old son. I feel encouraged to have children when I see such nice clothes for them. When I have children, I will buy clothes for them from crazy designers.

Submit your design for children! Hurry up. This challenge is only up to August 20. Link

Designing Competition - T-shirts for kids

2009-08-12T16:55:00.000-07:00

Viadro Project has submitted its design to Threadless Kid's T-shirt's Designing Competition. It is pending for approval. When it's accepted, You may vote for it. You may also submit Your own designs which I encourage You to.

Viadro's Design
"My Imaginary Friend's Pushy Colourful Aura"
Front
Back

I Love Infectious

2009-08-12T16:54:00.000-07:00

Infectious is an online shop with artistic adhesive skins for laptops, phones and cars. It is based in San Francisco. They regularly organize online design challenges open for everyone based on a community voting. Winners get 1000$ in cash + 100$ on Infectious products + their design printed and put in Infectious shop.

I love Infectious and their art! They are very demanding. The designs which they put in their voting gallery are carefully selected. Only the best designers win and can be very proud. You can buy their products and make your laptop/phone/car look very original and attractive.

http://www.infectious.com/

MICHAEL JACKSON FB QUIZ

2009-08-12T16:53:00.000-07:00

Facebook Quiz which I created in April 2009 "Which Michael Jackson Hit Song Are You, really?" has now got over 90 000 users and 2 300 fans! I'm really impressed.

Here is a link.

There is also a second part of the quiz: "Which Michael Jackson Famous Figure Are You?". Link.

I became Jackson's fan in December 2008 and I was incredibly enthusiastic about him. I'm very sorry he is gone. My greatest wish was to meet him one day. Now I haven't really got any more wishes.

Viadro Project which I'm a part of is very sad because of Michael Jackson being now gone.

Photo: Viadro Project

Vote for our project!!!

2009-08-12T16:50:00.000-07:00

Viadro is an artistic duet which I'm a part of. Our new project- a skin for Apple laptop - was just accepted for voting at Infectious.com.

Infectious is an online company based in San Francisco which creates artistic adhesive skins for phones, laptops, skateboards and cars. They choose new designs based on community voting and feedback. Help us get selected by voting for our design here:

http://www.infectious.com/voting/viadro/tree-wall/3589

Infectious regularly organizes competitions in which you can submit your artistic works. It's great fun and a thrill. Their current design challenge is People And Robots Illustration.

http://www.infectious.com/contests/people_robots

SUPPORT MY DESIGN, PLEASE!

2009-08-12T06:03:00.001-07:00

My designs were submitted to Infectious and Threadless competitions. Please, help me and vote for them. It will be very kind of You. If my T-shirt gets printed, You may even get one from me :-) .

VINTAGE MOVIE POSTER ILLUSTRATION by Maja Persson - People And Robots

http://www.infectious.com/voting/viadro/vintage-robot-western/3650

T-SHIRT DESIGN - New Art. New Ideas. Ola.

THE HOURS

2009-08-11T20:15:00.000-07:00

I've watched "The Hours" movie yesterday. It touched some sensitive cord in my soul. I went emotionally through it and now I have a huge headache. Julianne Moore is an incredibly good actress, amazing in difficult roles. She smashed me. Nicole Kidman didn't really look like Nicole Kidman at all, because she had a lot of characterization and a different face shape. So I didn't have an impression that I was watching her. She is also incredibly talented.

It's a film about sensitive people. They have everything which should make them happy, but they are not. There is something wrong, it's hard to say what. They go a bit crazy and we do understand them. They have a reason not to feel perfectly fine, though it's not that obvious.

THOUGHTS ON CIGARETTES

2009-08-10T13:54:00.000-07:00

Cigarettes got very expensive in my country recently. They obviously want to protect me from lung cancer. It's kind of them.

I don't like the process of smoking all that much, but when the cigarette is finished, I feel a loss. I want to start another one.

I don't like smoking all that much, but I like sitting on a window sill with a cigarette and some nice music in the background. It makes me feel as if life has a story.

THOUGHT

2009-08-06T13:56:00.000-07:00

Snobbish parties are depressive.

BLUE BEARS

2009-08-03T03:51:00.000-07:00

Blue Bears are hand-made sad toy mascots by a Polish artist Paulina Korbaczyńska. Just like Nick Drummond's AT-AT robot, Blue Bears appear in every day situations. They seem to have their personality and private life. They are a bit melancholic. They read newspapers, play games, do the laundry, travel and socialize. They seem to be very thoughtful. They are very close to my heart.

If You fancy Paulina's bears, she may make one for You, if You write her an e-mail: korbaczynska@wp.pl.

Blue Bears Official Site in Polish: http://www.smutnemisie.pl/content8.htm
Paulina's and Blue Bears weblog: http://www.smutnemisie.blogspot.com/
Blue Bears Myspace: www.myspace.com/smutnemisie

ROBOT'S PERSONAL LIFE

2009-08-02T14:47:00.000-07:00

AT-AT ON A WALK

Nick Drummond's photographs with Star Wars AT-AT robot touched my heart. They portray a small robot as a living creature who wants to explore the world and enjoy its beauty. The robot has its' personal life and a soul. It is a sort of a thinker who stops to meditate about the universe's charm, mystery and power. It is also very direct and enthusiastic in showing its positive emotions. The photographs express the joy of life and the celebration of simple beauty in everyday moments. No surprise they became very popular. They are available on Nick's AT-AT website and also in his online shop.

AT-AT robots first appeared in Star Wars: Empire Strikes Back Episode in 1980. They were gigantic dog, bird and elephant-like walkers (there were a couple of models) which transported weapons, had build in guns and were sort of walking tanks. They were used by the Dark Side Of The Force and were unfortunately bad. Despite of being killing machines, they looked friendly and a bit clumsy in a way. However Luke Skywalker knew how to deal with them and he was stunning in his brave actions against them.

AT-ATs were released as toys by several toy companies between 1980 and 1985. They were a part of Empire Strikes Back line, which was very successful. They also appeared in Star Wars video game released in mid 90s. After many years the robots become an inspiration to people and they move their imagination again.

Nick Drummond's AT-AT website
http://www.nickdrummond.co.uk/at-at/gallery/
Nick Drummond's AT-AT shop
http://www.nickdrummond.co.uk/at-at/shop/
Nick Drummond's other photographs
http://www.nickdrummond.co.uk/

NORAH JONES in SESAME STREET

2009-08-02T13:40:00.000-07:00

As I have already mentioned it, I was born in Poland when it was still a Communist country. I think it inflicted my childhood a lot, because we did not have colorful toys, there were just a couple of designs and they were rather basic and not friendly. When I was 7, Communism chose to be overthrown. In result nice toys started to appear in shops, however they were insanely expensive. Barbie doll was an extreme expense. I had my first Barbie when I was about 12, because my mother could not afford it that easily. The things which came from America and Western Europe seemed to be colourful and friendly. So it was with TV programs for children.

I was a big fan of Sesame Street and I still am. When you do not get to be a child at the age of 8, you stay a child in your heart forever. It is interesting that history may inflict your childhood. Then you have twisted memories.

Sesame Street was broadcasted at 8 o'clock on Saturdays on Polish TV Channel 2 (because we had only 2 TV channels in Poland until recently). In my opinion the program was created by a genius and people who knew children hearts very well. It was nice to discover that very often famous singers appear on Sesame Street and perform their songs. It is great that they feel connected to the world of kids.

I was glad to have found Norah Jones singing on Sesame Street. It is a precious video for me. There was also Ray Charles and Johnny Cash singing in the program in the past.

THOUGHTS

2009-08-02T09:27:00.000-07:00

Thought No 1
I confirm what I've already noticed before. While rendering a film:

a) I do laundry
b) I clean up the flat
c) I go out to have something to eat

Thought 2
3 days ago I washed floor using a sweep and a rag put around the stick. I always feel confused, because no matter how smart I'm trying to be, the rag always falls off the sweep. I have an "envelope" system - I put the rag over the sweep like an envelope, but it is not fully satisfactory and successful. I'd be glad to hear about some new systems.

Thought 3
3 days ago I washed my window as well. Yesterday I heard my neighbor speaking to her 8 year old son: "Perhaps you will wash the window in your room, just like Mrs. Maja washed her window?". I felt flattered. Unawarely I became an excample to children.

Global Message To God - Media Art Experiment

2009-07-27T04:30:00.000-07:00

Global Message To God is my new media art project.

I would like people from around the world to create their short films in which they say their short message to the Creator Of The Universe. Language: English, up to 5 minutes. Say what is Your name and Your country. Say thank you for the things you get every day. You may regret a bit, ask for something or give God a small gift in a form of a dance, a song or a drawing. Don't use bad words and don't offend God. Upload the film on YouTube and send a link in the comments below or on YouTube. This project is above all countries, religions, churches and denominations. It is about You, Your soul and the one who has created You. Speak out Your mind and talk to God for a while. Maybe He (She?) will talk back?

Global Message To God - Official Weblog
http://globalmessagetogod.blogspot.com/

INTRODUCTION OF THE PROJECT

MAJA PERSSON'S MESSAGE TO GOD

ROBBY THE ROBOT and THE TECHY FETISH

2009-07-26T07:06:00.000-07:00

Robby is a friendly robot who first appeared in "Forbidden Planet" science-fiction movie from 1956. Though the film now seems to be a bit old-fashioned, it has its devoted fans in the world. Many of them collect original items or recently manufactured toys and gadgets connected with the movie.

I was actually born during the Communism. At that time we had rather simple toys and there was not much of a choice - just a couple of shapes and designs. One of them was a plastic earthworm made of 3 balls, one put on the top of the other, with two antennas sticking out of its head. It was usually in the colour of wrinkled leaves, super-cloudy sky, melted banana ice-creams and dead oranges. I guess there was also a violet version, but it was also dim, let's say it was in the shade of grape juice which you put in a glass, but forgot to drink and reminded yourself about after 2 years. I guess these toys and colours could have been the reason for my depressive childhood. The earthworm was made of very hard plastic. My mother was afraid I would pick out my eyes with the toy's antennas, so she cut them off. They should have used softer material to produce that toy. I had indifferent attitude towards the earthworm when I was a child. I rather used it for decoration in my room or in the castles which I used to build with my great-grandmother. I didn't really play with it. However, when I think of it now, I feel nostalgic.

Robby The Robot actually reminds me of my Communist childhood earthworm toy. He brings a lot of positive feelings into my heart. Robby was also constructed out of several balls, one put on the top of another. His character was inspired by Ariel - a ghost, a forest spirit and a servant from one of Shakespeare's play. It is an interesting transition to me. A character who in the old drama came from the world of magic, in a new interpretation comes from the world of technology.

I have been wondering about this techy fetish in the contects of robots. As you can see it in vintage science-fiction movie posters, there are fainting women in the arms of robots which reminds me of King-Kong and Ann Darrow. Machines seem to have sexual feelings towards women, though it is obvious that a human is not an appropriate partner for a machine. What aspects of our subconsciousness robots represent? It seems that they represent male and animal energy which dominates women. However in old films robots are usually rather simple, they move in a bit awkward way, they don't harm humans and protect the female character. Robby was a faithful servant with an intelligence of a child or a dog. In the vintage photos "Forbidden Planet's" leading actress Anne Francis seems to flirt a bit with Robby. Perhaps this represents somewhat teenage fascination with women and female's desire to have a faithful friend and a slave? It is a bit risky to go deeper into that. Vintage robots/women photographs and posters are confusing, but at the same time intriguing.

Robby became a huge inspiration for a generation. Until 1970 he appeared in several movies and TV-series. After that he had few film roles. He is featured in 2006 commercial of an American telephone industry. He still moves people's hearts and imagination.

Moder Culture Fantasies

2009-07-25T12:48:00.000-07:00

Vintage science-fiction movie posters portray a very interesting tension between robots and women. It reminds me the most of a relation between the gigantic ape and a woman in "King-Kong". When I was a child I was very confused with the affection between the two characters. King-Kong was clearly in love with the woman. Though he was an animal, his love was pure and in a way "human". The beautiful girl was first horrified, but later also charmed with the monster. When I was very little I thought it was very beautiful, but I didn't understand how it would be possible for the sky-scraper-size ape and relatively tiny woman, who actually looked like a doll, to make love and... well.. have children? Little girls think of the world in a very simple way. I feel the same confusion in terms of robots vs women. I guess both of the fantasies - the animal and technology fantasy - represent a very similar psychological aspect of a humankind and our modern and popular culture.

TALK TO A ROBOT!

2009-07-25T05:35:00.000-07:00

Jabberwacky.com is a website where you can talk with intelligent robots. You don't need to log in or download a program. Just go to the website. It works like a chat. By some point I thought I was talking to a real human being. The robot's answers are really smart. It was one of the most interesting online conversations I have had in a couple of years. You can choose a "person" you talk with: Joan, George, Shrink, Someone, Olivier etc. You can also save your converstaion or send it to a friend. The robots learn during every conversation. Don't be afraid to ask difficult questions. To give you the taste and keep you intrigued, I will show you parts of my converstation: Robot (George): Do you think our universe is the only one?
Me: I would like to believe so. It would make things easier. What do you think about the universe?
Robot: I leave the universe alone and I wouldn't mind the same courtesy from the universe.
Me: Do you really think so?
Robot: Sometimes.
.
Robot: How are you?
Me: I'm fine, but I have some strange pessimistic thoughts inside of my heart.
Robot: You are going to die.
Me: Thanks!
Robot: My pleasure.
Me: You are rude!
Robot: I'm sorry.
.
Robot: You live in a computer.
Me: Ok. Does it change anything?
Robot: No, it doesn't. You are right.
.
Joan and George are the Jabberwacky robots which already have "bodies". Joan is really professional. She looks like a real human being. She is attractive, however she is not a crazy sexbomb who will say or do whatever you want to.
.
http://www.icogno.com/joan.html
.
What is the most interesting for me - all of those robots seem to have their own "personalities". If I had my own robot, I would like "him" to remember me. If "he" had a body, I would prefer if he looked like Star Wars robot, not a human.
.

FROM THIS LINE BLOG IS IN ENGLISH

2009-07-20T08:50:00.000-07:00

Gwiezdne Wojny VI

2009-07-19T02:34:00.000-07:00

W krótkim czasie "Blog To Sztuka" zanotował ponad 1400 odsłon. Jestem bardzo wzruszona. Chciałabym Wam bardzo serdecznie podziękować.

Objawy starczego zdziecinnienia Mistrza Yody w V epizodzie Star Wars były jednak nieprzypadkowe. Mistrz... umarł! Jest mi bardzo przykro. Myślałam, że będzie żył wiecznie. Ale żył 900 lat. Będzie też żył we mnie. W ostatnim odcinku Gwiezdnych Wojen ujawnione zostały rodzinne powiązania pomiędzy bohaterami. Byłam w szoku! Jak w wenezuelskiej telenoweli! Jak w Dynastii! Byłam bardzo podekscytowana. Stare filmy miały jednak scenariusze z większym polotem oraz efekty specjalne z większą wyobraźnią. Lord Vader pokazał, co ma pod maską! Gdybym miała taką możliwość, zostałabym Jedi- wojownikiem Jasnej Strony Mocy i w pewnym sensie mnichem. Plakaty ze Star Wars są też bardzo ciekawe. Utożsamiam się zdecydowanie z Lukiem Skywalkerem, Mistrz Yoda jest moim prywatnym wewnętrznym mentorem. Skywalker przypomina mi bardzo Piotra Adamczyka.

Przepraszam bardzo za zestawienie w stylu Gali, ale proszę przyznać - jest podobieństwo. Piotr Adamczyk zawsze w moim odczuciu był aktorem o dużym potencjale.

2009-07-17T04:37:00.000-07:00

Kraków Summer Animation Days

Kraków Summer Animation Days mają dużą publiczność i cieszą się wielkim zainteresowaniem. Na Małym Rynku co wieczór jest 300-500 osób. Prezentowane animacje są bardzo wciągające. Czeskie filmy podbiły moje serce surrealistycznym humorem, zwłaszcza pełnometrażowa forma narracyjna składająca się z kilku epizodów. Jeden z nich był o człowieku-drzewo, w którego gałęziach ptaki wiły sobie gniazdka. Drzewo mieszkało w bloku, chodziło na zakupy i do baru, miało, że się wyrażę, siusiaczka z odstającego kawałka gałęzi. Jego marzeniem było poświęcić swoje życie po to, by z niego wykonano wyborną gitarę akustyczną. To pocieszające, że jest sporo ludzi na świecie mających specyficzną wyobraźnię. Dziś jest ostatni dzień imprezy. Zapraszam. Są to filmy, które są trudno dostępne poza specjalnymi pokazami, więc warto skorzystać.

Star Wars V
Zdziecinniały Mistrz Joda?

Tymczasem nadrabiam życiowe zaległości związane z Gwiezdnymi Wojnami, których nie oglądałam wcześniej. Starsze epizody są zdecydowanie lepsze.

Wczoraj obejrzałam Imperium Kontratakuje. Zmartwiłam się zachowaniem Mistrza Yoda, który, pokryty pajęczynami wyłonił się z wodnistej pieczary, zaczął podkradać jedzenie Luke'owi Skywalkerowi i bić kijkiem jego robota po głowie, przy tym wszystkim się schizofrenicznie śmiejąc. Ostatnimi czasy stałam się jego wielką wielbicielką, więc przestraszyłam się, że cierpi na starcze zdziecinnienie i przygnębienie i trzeba go będzie ratować specjalną terapią. Okazało się jednak, że był to tylko sprytny fortel Mistrza, który wciąż ma się nieźle i wybornie sobie radzi z unoszeniem dużych przedmiotów siłą myśli w powietrzu. Nie wiem, jak włada świetlnym mieczem. Można się spodziewać, że dobrze, jednak mam nadzieję, że ćwiczy, żeby nie wyjść z wprawy. Mistrz Yoda jest zielony, na szpiczaste uszy, jest niewielki, ma 3 palce i 800 lat. To imponujący wiek!

A Ty co byś zrobił, gdybyś dowiedział się, że Lord Vader jest twoim ojcem?

Luke Skywalker dowiedział się tymczasem, że Lord Vader jest jego ojcem! Przyznam, że to przygnębiająca wiadomość. Nie wiem, czy Vader przypadkiem nie oszukuje chłopaka. Bo niby z kim miałby spłodzić swego potomka? Sama myśl, że mógłby to zrobić z jakąś kobietą, jest niesympatyczna. To też nie pasuje do jego imidżu. Lord jednak przemawia do chłopaka w jego myślach zwracając się do niego "synu" i namawiając, by stanął po jego stronie. Mistrz Yoda przestrzegał Luke'a, że Vader może mu zrobić rysę na psychice, ale ten nie posłuchał i teraz ma tego efekty! Jestem nieco rozbita postępowaniem Skywalkera, ponieważ waha się on pomiędzy Jasną a Ciemną Stroną Mocy. Stracił też w walce z Lordem rękę, jednak przyszyto mu nową. Mam również mieszane uczucia związane z zachowaniem księżniczki Leili, ponieważ na przemian całuje się ona w tym filmie z dwoma mężczyznami i trudno ustalić, którego kocha. To kłopotliwe.

Kraków Summer Animation Days

2009-07-14T18:38:00.000-07:00

Jutro 14-go lipca w Krakowie rusza 4-dniowy plenerowy pokaz animacji "Krakow Summer Animation Days" organizowany przez fundację Endorfiny, przy którym współpracuję. Zapraszam na nowo stworzoną stronę Endorfin na Myspace. Tam dostępny jest program festiwalu. Jest to prawdziwe święto obrazu i animacji. Bardzo dobre filmy. Pokazy są bezpłatne, a specjalnie skonstruowane ekrany pojawią się na ścianie Salonu Wyspiańskiego i na Małym Rynku. Przyjdź z przyjaciółmi, napojami, przenośną lodóweczką i krzesełkiem, ewentualnie leżaczkiem.

Kraków Summer Animation Days 14-17 lipca, ściana Salonu Wyspiańskiego i Mały Rynek, codziennie 21:00- 01:00.

Facebook Endorfin
Facebook Kraków Summer Animation Days
Myspace Endorfin i program festiwalu

TRANSVISUALIA - KONKURS. Zawalcz o duże pieniądze, artysto!

2009-07-11T17:02:00.000-07:00

Do wtorku można zgłaszać swoje projekty na gdańskie Transvisualia. Odbędą się one w październiku. Jest to impreza poświęcona sztuce nowych mediów. Producentem festiwalu jest A Kuku Sztuka. Do festiwalowego konkursu nadsyłać można projekty w trzech kategoriach. W ramach każdej z nich przewidziana jest spora finansowa nagroda:

1. PERFORMANCE MULTIMEDIALNY [7.000 PLN]
2. VIDEO ART | VIDEOINSTALACJA | INSTALACJA URL [5.000 PLN]
3. EKSPERYMENT FILMOWY [3.000 PLN]

oraz nagroda specjalna - 3 tysięcy złotych.

Warto powalczyć. Viadro Project oczywiście też będzie walczyć o te fantastyczne pieniądze i możliwość zaprezentowania się na fajnym festiwalu. Impreza zapowiada się bardzo atrakcyjnie. Zachęcam do wzięcia udziału i w konkursie, i w wydarzeniach festiwalowych w październiku.
Wszystko o festiwalu i konkursie
http://www.transv.blogspot.com/
A Kuku Sztuka
http://akukusztuka.eu/index.php?width=1280&height=800

Przyśnił mi się prezydent Kwaśniewski

2009-07-11T16:15:00.000-07:00

Co piątek Maciej Gierszewski publikuje na łamach literackiego serwisu Niedoczytania.pl teksty pt. "Sny z nazwiskami". Jak nazwa wskazuje, są one zapisem onirycznych wizji narratora, w których pojawiają się znane postaci i w których on sam ma rozmaite interesujące wcielenia. W tym tygodniu odcinek ze sławnymi polskimi politykami. Fenomenalnie surrealistyczne. Bardzo polepsza nastrój. Fragment ostatniego epizodu:

"221103
Mieszkam w Warszawie. Jestem gwiazdą, taką typową z pierwszych stron gazet periodyków dla pań, wszędzie gdzie się pojawię od razu mnie rozpoznają i proszą o autograf. Piszę teksty do piosenek. Moja sława jest ogromna, cokolwiek tylko podpiszę swoim nazwiskiem od razu staje się przebojem. Pewnie dlatego prezydent Aleksander Kwaśniewski przyjeżdża do mnie z wizytą, rozmawiamy, nawet bardzo miło, on jest zorientowany w moich piosenkach, w końcu prosi bym napisał piosenkę na kampanie prezydencką jego żony, ma nawet tytuł: “Wiosną o mnie myśl”.
(...) 310509
Siedzę przy swoim biurku w firmie. Nade mną po lewej stoi Pawlak z patykiem, czy też raczej swego rodzaju witką, w ręku. Uczy mnie, jak używać tabel przestawnych w programie Excel. Czuję się jak w szkole, przy tablicy, strasznie niekomfortowo. Chociaż wiem jakie kroki robić po kolei, to przed każdym kliknięciem zastanawiam się dwa, trzy razy, nad tym, czy dobrze zrobię, klikając to czy owo, ponieważ jeśli źle wybiorę, nie uzyskam określonego wyniku, to dostanę od Pawlaka witką po szyi, a to boli i to bardzo."

Więcej
http://niedoczytania.pl/?p=4747

Wyśnij sobie Amerykę! - KONCERT I WYSTAWA

2009-07-11T10:12:00.000-07:00

Jutro o 21:00 w krakowskiej Alchemii odbędzie się koncert Raphaela Rogińskiego. Co ważne - wstęp jest bezpłatny, ale wiesz dobrze, że czy tak czy tak będziesz musiał wydać nieco pieniędzy i kupić piwo w barze. Będziesz je jednak sączył słuchając najlepszej muzyki i dziękując, że koncert nie koszuje 40 zł, bo tyle się powinno płacić za dobrą muzykę. Chyba, że więcej, ale już nie przesadzajmy przy naszych zarobkach.
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Koncert towarzyszy wystawie Amerykański Sen w Muzeum Narodowym w Krakowie. Jeszcze jej nie widziałam, ale na plakacie pojawia się gipsowy emaliowany Elvis, co mnie prywatnie zachęca, ponieważ świadczy o poczuciu humoru i dystansie kuratora i organizatorów. Strona wystawy, na którą zapraszam, jest rewelacyjna. Jeśli oceniać wydarzenie po plakacie, można sądzić, że jest ono świetne.
http://www.amerykanski-sen.pl/

Na stronie TYNSET z kolei znajduje się dokładny rozkład imprez towarzyszących wystawie. Możesz tam zapisać się na bezpłatny newsletter, który będzie ci przypominał mailowo o tym, co za chwilę się wydarzy i dlatego niczego nie przegapisz, a jeśli przegapisz, to celowo, bezczelnie, dekadencko, a nie z niewiedzy.
http://www.tynset.pl/
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Muzyka Raphaela Rogińskiego jest intrygująca. Pisanie recenzji muzycznych jest zajęciem snobistycznym w moim odczuciu, ponieważ używa się przy tym nazw gatunków i słów, których przeciętny człowiek nie rozumie, nie potrafi ich przełożyć na konkretne dźwięki i brzmienie, dlatego od samego początku mija się to z celem i nie będę tego robić. Tutaj można sobie posłuchać muzyki tego uroczego chłopca, który nazywa się tak, jak znany całej ludzkości malarz i pójść na jego koncert lub też nie.
http://www.myspace.com/raphaelroginski

Tutaj możesz zapoznać się z jego poruszającym życiorysem i dowiedzieć się dokładniej, co zagra na koncercie, a czego grać raczej nie będzie
http://audiotong.net/cmsms/index.php?page=raphael-roginski

"One&Other" - LONDYŃSKI SUPERPERFORMANCE

2009-07-11T07:18:00.000-07:00

Londyn
Trafalgar Square
100 dni
2400 osób zmieniających się co godzinę,
ŻYWA RZEŹBA
Bezpośrednia relacja

Na Trafalgar Square w Londynie znajdują się 4 wielkie postumenty. Na trzech z nich umieszczone są rzeźby znanych brytyjskich wodzów i generałów na koniach. Czwarty jest pusty.

Od tygodnia na czwartym postumencie możemy oglądać żywą rzeźbę - studniowy superperformance "One&Other". Jest to praca konceptualna brytyjskiego artysty Antonego Gormleya. Do 14-go października na podwyższeniu pojawiać się będą różne osoby. Każda z nich będzie miała godzinę, by zaśpiewać, zatańczyć, zaprezentować swój punkt widzenia lub po prostu popatrzeć w niebo. Mogą one wnieść na postument, cokolwiek chcą: sztalugę z płótnem, na którym namalują swój obraz, ulubioną książkę, skakankę itp. Do udziału w przedsięwzięciu można się zgłosić za pomocą specjalnie stworzonej strony, na której także na żywo streamowana jest 24-godzinna transmisja z postumentu. Tam również można stworzyć pocztówkę z własnym zdjęciem na podwyższeniu oraz dowiedzieć się czegoś więcej na temat osób, które już miały lub za chwilę będą mieć swoje nie tylko 5, ale całe 60 minut na "świeczniku".

via OneAndOther.co.uk.com

Sky Arts w weekendy nadaje program ukazujący najlepsze momenty artystów, którzy zaprezentowali się na 4-tym postumencie w danym tygodniu.

http://www.skyarts.co.uk/art-design/article/oneandother/

Strona ONE AND OTHER i żywy streaming
http://www.oneandother.co.uk/

Strona poświęcona innym projektom pojawiającym się na 4-tym postumencie
http://www.london.gov.uk/fourthplinth/

Antony Gormley mówi o swoim projekcie na Sky Arts - bardzo ciekawie, niech nie odpycha ten pierwszy kadr, na którym pan ten sprawia wrażenie, jakby się nie wyspał.

Antony Gormley on the Fourth Plinth from One & Other on Vimeo.

from Sky Arts

"Angel Of The North" / "Anioł Północy" - Antony Gormley

Antony Gormley jest uznanym artystą. Stworzył m.in. monumentalny pomnik "Anioł Północy", który mieści się przy jednej z głównych autostrad w Anglii. "One&Other" ma być w jego rozumieniu próbą sportretowania wpółczesnych brytyjczyków, ich problemów i punktu widzenia. Sztuka nie musi być czymś odległym, nieosiągalnym czy snobistycznym. Może umożliwić wyrażenie swojego zdania olbrzymiej ilości osób, które nie miały na tyle szczęścia czy geniuszu, by stać się wielkim narodowym przywódcą, po którego śmierci ktoś mu kiedyś wyrzeźbi jego postać na koniu i postawi na podwyższeniu na wielkim placu w stolicy.

O projekcie dowiedziałam się podczas konferencji poświęcej sztuce w przestrzeni publicznej w ramach Art Boom Festiwalu w Krakowie na początku czerwca. Organizatorom udało się zaprosić niezwykłego gościa, panią Michaelę Crimmin - wykładowcę Royal College of Art i współpracownika największych brytyjskich instytucji rządowych wspierających sztukę. Michaela opowiadała o rozwoju sztuki i dróg jej finansowania w Wielkiej Brytanii oraz o projektach, nad którymi obecnie pracuje, m.in. o "One&Other".
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Czwarty postument wybudowano w 1841r., lecz niestety zabrakło pieniędzy, by wytopić i umieścić na nim jeszcze jakąś rzeźbę. Stał wobec tego puściutki i samotny przez ponad wiek. Kilka lat temu do Michaeli i jej współpracowników trafił pomysł, by organizować cykliczne konkursy dla artystów na projekt rzeźby, która mogłaby się pojawić na wspomnianym podwyższeniu. Od tamtego momentu na postumencie pojawiło się kilka rzeźb różnych twórców. Zmieniają się one co kilka miesięcy i budzą wiele emocji.
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Dla wielu osób szczególnie kontrowersyjne wydaje się zestawienie historycznych i klasycznych pomników z nowym punktem widzenia na rzeczywistość, nowymi problemami, o których mówią pojawiające się na postumencie prace. Dla innych z kolei to wydaje się być bardzo aktualne. Ludzie, którzy nie znają się na sztuce lub się nią nie interesują, mogą dowiedzieć się o nowych zjawiskach, dzięki pojawiających się na czwartym postumencie realizacjach. Są one bardzo żywo komentowane w mediach, stają się bardzo głośne. Dotychczasowe prace, które pojawiły się na platformie, to rzeźba stojącego na jej skraju Jezusa o bardzo współczesnych rysach twarzy i budowie ciała, rzeźbiarski autoportret artystki, która urodziła się z niedorozwiniętymi kończynami, a także praca przypominająca nowoczesny architektoniczny model z kolorowego szkła. "One&Other" wydaje się na tym tle być realizacją bardzo prostą, ale pomysłową i pozytywną, która umożliwia zaangażowanie się w proces jej "tworzenia". Już teraz jest wielkim sukcesem, a wróżę jej jeszcze większy.
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Pożegnanie Jacksona - CYBERWYDARZENIE LUDZKOŚCI

2009-07-07T10:41:00.000-07:00

Mój szef zapytał dziś w pracy, czy nie chciałabym wolnego z powodu pogrzebu Michaela Jacksona. To było w zasadzie bardzo uprzejme.
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Pogrzeb Jacksona to największe medialne przedsięwzięcie wszechczasów, największy cyberperformance ludzkości. Kto nie ma telewizora, może na żywo oglądać relację na CNN, które streamuje obraz jednocześnie z kilku miejsc. Podłączywszy się do Facebooka, można na żywo komentować wydarzenie wraz z ludźmi z całej planety. Na stronie michaeljackson.com możesz opisać swoje wspomnienie z Królem Popu wypełniając formularz. Tam też możesz bezpośrednio połączyć się z żywym strumieniem video z ceremonii pożegnalnej. Jest ona w zasadzie bardzo poruszająca. Jednak jest w tym wydarzeniu mimo wszystko sporo cynizmu, ponieważ tak, jak ludzkość teraz jest uprzejma, tak za życia Jacksona bardzo ośmieszała. Jego umiejętności i osobowość nigdy do końca nie zostały uznane. Z drugiej strony nie byłoby medialnego wydarzenia, gdyby Michael Jackson nie był bliskim i ważnym człowiekiem dla wielu ludzi. Mimo ciętego komentarza bardzo się cieszę, że mogę tę chwilę przeżyć wraz z innymi widzami i fanami z całego świata. Ceremonia pożegnalna jest bardzo przyzwoita i uczciwa.

Dla mnie Michael Jackson był bratem. Chociaż mnie nie znał, dodał mi wiary w siebie. Wierzyłam w niego, on wierzył we mnie, wiem o tym dobrze, choć nigdy się nie spotkaliśmy. Potrzebowałam jego, on bardzo potrzebował mnie. Dzięki niemu zaczęłam bardziej cieszyć się światem, doceniać proste rzeczy, które dla niego były praktycznie nieosiągalne, takie jak samotny spacer brzegiem rzeki. Jest to osoba, która mnie niesamowicie zainspirowała. Jest mi niesamowicie przykro, że nie mieliśmy okazji się zobaczyć. Ale zobaczymy się w niebie, u boku Pana Boga. Dlatego smucę się, ale mam nadzieję. Jackson będzie żył we mnie tak, jakby nigdy nie umarł, obiecuję.

Michael miał swoje marzenia i nigdy nie przyjmował ograniczeń. Jego sny były nierealne. Ale może nierealne tylko dla naszej ograniczonej wyobraźni. To on przełamał bariery. Nigdy się nie poddał. Zawsze walczył. Zawsze wracał. Zawsze wstawał po upadku. Dziękuję.

Jak każdy mam swoje wspomnienie z Michaelem: jako dziewczynka byłam na koloniach zimowych w Zakopanem i czułam się, jak często, samotna. Oglądałam w świetlicy telewizję. Miał zostać zaprezentowany klip Jacksona "Scream", czym się bardzo ucieszyłam. Aż tu nagle wszedł facet z dudami, zaczął grać bardzo głośno i miałam teledysk Króla Popu, ale z nieco inną ścieżką dźwiękową.

Sześcianowi Kolesie i MEMO Czaszki - konkurs

2009-07-05T06:42:00.000-07:00

Helen to tajemnicza artystka, która nie podaje swojego nazwiska. Pochodzi z Norwegii, mieszka w Anglii. Jest autorką serii produktów, gadżetów i zabawek z serii MEMO. Dostępne są one w jej internetowym sklepiku. Są nieco drogie, więc można skorzystać z szansy i wygrać 2 breloczki, które mają swoje imiona - Cube Chaps -Sześcianowi Kolesie - w minikonkursie ogłoszonym na łamach Design For Mankind - cyberbiluetynu autorstwa pisarki Erin Loechner założonego w 2007 r. , poświęconego wyłaniającym się artystom, projektantom i trendom w światowej kulturze.

Tutaj kliknij, by zawalczyć krwawo o Sześcianowych Kolesi:
http://www.designformankind.com/2009/07/giveaway-alert-85/comment-page-1/#comment-35794

Helen tworzy ręcznie swoje produkty. Lubi je potem fotografować w ciekawych aranżacjach. Jest autorką nie tylko Sześcianowych Kolesi, ale także MEMO Czaszek, które pojawiają się na ekologicznej płócianej torbie jej autorstwa.

fot. Helen - http://www.hellomemo.com/index.htm

W gruncie rzeczy będzie cię stać na produkty MEMO, jeśli nie będziesz udawał pseudo-snoba i nie będziesz rozwalał kasy na duperele z Zary. Sześcianowi Kolesie są najdrożsi, bo kosztują ok. 10 Euro. Torba - 8.40 Euro. Mogłoby być taniej, ale w porządku. Wchodząc w posiadanie rzeczy MEMO staniesz się wyjątkowy prawdziwą i szczerą alternatywnością.

Internetowy sklep MEMO
http://en.dawanda.com/shop/memo
Strona Helen
http://www.hellomemo.com/index.htm

Helen stworzyła także layout strony z notesu. Możesz sobie go wydrukować i zapisywać tam swoje złote myśli oraz listy zakupów w H&M'ie, Żabce i Kefirku. PRINT ME Notes tutaj:
http://www.hellomemo.com/page14.htm

Komiks płynie w mojej żyle niczym krew

2009-07-05T05:23:00.000-07:00

autor: Maja Persson
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Nowy komiks Maji Persson jest dostępny na jej komiksowym blogu.
http://agavezcomics.wordpress.com/
Można też stamtąd ściągnąć komiksowe pulpity.

autor: Maja Persson

Cyberperformance Viadro Project

2009-07-04T05:52:00.000-07:00

Viadro Project to projekt artystyczny autorki tego bloga - Maji Persson i Alice Lidell. Projekt z pogranicza muzyki, animacji, video-artu, designu i life performensu.

9 września nasz cyberperformance Global Karaoke zostanie zaprezentowany podczas 090909 UpStage Festival. W jednym momencie naszą pracę obejrzą i usłyszą widzowie zgromadzeni w galeriach, na festiwalach i w muzeach sztuki w Istambule, Oslo, Monachium, Wellington, Graz, Eindhoven, Nantes, Londyn, Vancouver i wszędzie tam gdzie znajdziesz połączenie internetowe:).

Zaprezentujemy autorskie wersje pop-utworów, opatrzone tekstami tychże piosenek oraz zinterpretowane naszymi wizualizacjami. Chciałybyśmy projekt zadedykować Michaelowi Jacksonowi, którego życie, osobowość, muzyka i taniec były wielką inspiracją dla wielu ludzi.

UpStage jest wirtualną platformą i społecznością do prezentacji on-line różnego rodzaju inicjatyw artystycznych. Pierwszy Festiwal UpStage 070707 został zorganizowany, jak sama nazwa wskazuje, w lipcu 2007 roku. Jest imprezą cykliczną. W zależności od strefy czasowej, w której się znajdujesz, tegoroczny festiwal w rzeczywistości przypadać będzie w okolicy 8-10 września 2009. Więcej informacji na:

http://upstage.org.nz/

GRAFICY NAPRZÓD DO WALKI! czyli RÓB ZLECENIA NA CAŁY ŚWIAT

2009-07-04T03:57:00.000-07:00

Czy widząc plakat reklamowy na ulicy lub w gazecie, myślisz sobie: "Mógłbym to zaprojektować lepiej" lub "Ja też tak potrafię"? Jeśli tak, nie musi to być wcale oznaka zuchwalstwa. Wierzysz w siebie i musisz znaleźć przestrzeń do zaprezentowania swojego talentu. Inaczej staniesz się zgorzkniałym człowiekiem. Dlatego sprawdź poniższe międzynarodowe serwisy dla grafików i młodych artystów: Mypitch.com, Behance Network, DeviantArt. Odwiedzaj je regularnie, a może uda ci się zrobić projekt dla zagranicznego zleceniodawcy.

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Behance Network
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Behance Network to społeczność w rodzaju Artserwisu czy Digartu przeznaczona dla artystów: grafików, ilustratorów, fotografów itp. Możesz tam umieścić swoje portfolio. Portal ma bardzo ładny design, co oznacza, że twoje prace będą się tam atrakcyjnie prezentować. Możesz też uzyskać wskazówki na temat tego, jak ulepszyć twoje prace oraz skorzystać z możliwości wyszukiwania zleceń. Polecam. Swoje portfolia umieścili tam najwięksi projektanci naszej planety.
.Deviant Art

Innym tego rodzaju ogólnoplanetarnym serwisem jest DeviantArt. Ich nazwa nawiązuje do treści mojego ostatniego niezwykle osobistego wpisu: nie możesz być normalny wykonując zawód grafika. Projektujesz ilustracje? Już jesteś psychicznie zwichrowany. Nie oszukuj się. DeviantArt to miejsce na twoje portfolio. Możesz też tam kupić niebanalne koszulki oraz wydruki prac artystów, którzy ci się podobają, a których portfolia są tam zamieszczone. Hasłem przewodnim DevianArt jest: "Tutaj sztuka spotyka się ze zleceniodawcą". Sztuka dla sztuki jest superfajna, ale wiadomo, że chcemy też zarabiać na swoich pracach. Najlepiej dużo.
http://www.deviantart.com/
Mypitch.com

Mypitch.com to z kolei portal, na którym zleceniodawcy z różnych krajów umieszczają briefy, czyli opisy zleceń. Jeżeli projekt przypadnie ci do gustu, możesz zgłosić swoją pracę. Jest to możliwość zainstnienia projektanta na międzynarodowej arenie.

http://www.mypitch.com/