Hasta La Ideas

Portable kitchen system.In collaboration with Sarah Fung, Maxine Kim, Paul Methot, Jessie Kim & Xavier Yee

Considering that Brett Swope‘s “Oblique” was Kickstarted in less than 24 hours, there’s no need to sell the product here… but let’s just consider it an addendum to our Ultimate Gift Guide (a companion to Cristalino, perhaps) in the interest of sharing a brilliant modern update on a classic design object.

Oblique is a wine bottle holder that is precision machined from 6061 Aluminum that holds the bottle horizontally such that the center of mass is roughly above the middle of the footprint of the holder. Thus, the bottle and holder are co-dependent on one another. The design is a result of the ‘balance’ between the CNC milling machine process considerations, efficient material use, shipping constraints, aesthetics, and cost. Oblique is designed in California and manufactured in Minnesota.

It’s more practical than, say, William Lee & et al collective’s “Lean”, perhaps even more so than Beverly Moon’s ultraminimal contact case, yet the form remains remarkably pure, a monolith in miniature, perfectly calibrated for its purpose… all without electromagnets.

True to his background in engineering, San Francisco-based Swope offers a ton of manufacturing details and specs, courtesy of his friend and business partner Greg Suski, on this Kickstarter page. Fun fact: the “Oblique” is made from the same type of aircraft-grade aluminum that Aaron Panone uses for his 144#47 track chainring.

There’s no video, so you’ll just have to believe the hype pictures until the “Oblique” ships (just in time for Christmas)… you’ve got 12 days to pull the trigger.

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Consumerist society’s refuge becomes art in the artist’s second solo show at NYC’s Susan Inglett Gallery

As one of the most unique artists to emerge from the anti-establishment movement of the 1960s, George Herms creates unconventional assemblages from a range of refuse materials. By rescuing civilization’s discards to make art, Herms creates two- and three-dimensional works that prove the point of cause and effect—and, more light-heartedly, that old adage about trash and treasure. Back in NYC for his second solo show at the Susan Inglett Gallery, opening 1 December 2011, Herms offers a selection of work spanning sculpture and collage with the familiar foundation of found objects.

For this series of sculptures, Herms has enlisted society’s more dejected physical objects. Although not necessarily imposing in stature, the powerful sculptures do encourage one to consider the economic and environmental impact of a modern “throw-away” mentality.

The accompanying collages—sourced from his recent exhibition “Xenophilia (Love of the Unknown)” at Los Angeles’ MoCA—are constructed entirely of shredded pieces of Madison Avenue “consumerist propaganda.” These seemingly chaotic layered pieces include everything from a “perfect” set of legs to sports cars, referencing society’s classification of wants against needs.

George Herms’ solo show will be run from 1 December 2011 through 21 January 2012, closing for the holidays between 19 December-3 January. For more information on the exhibition and the artist visit the Susan Inglett Gallery online.

All images courtesy of the Susan Inglett Gallery

Voici cette séquence d’ouverture du film de Guy Moshe intitulée “Bunraku” et qui a été réalisé par Guilherme Marcondes. Permettant d’introduire ce film d’action dans lequel Josh Hartnett tient le premier rôle, cette vidéo en animation très réussie se dévoile dans la suite.

Previously on Fubiz

• The Loner
• Little Printer
• Jonathan Leijonhufvud

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A freelance programmer using DIY technology as a tool to teach with Machine Project

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Catering to “overambitious amateur enthusiasts,” Machine Project conjures up an idiosyncratic fusion of classes and workshops that masterfully craft pedagogy out of the infinite realm of possibility. Hosting a range of workshops from psychic communion with plants to the typography of ransom notes, Machine Project is a non-profit arts organization that operates as an “informal educational institution” from its unassuming storefront in the Echo Park district of Los Angeles. Founder Mark Allen explains the cult appeal of the classes, stating, “We found that an engineer and a poet talking about noise music was even more interesting than a group of poets talking about poetry or a group of scientists discussing science.”

Born in Vermont, Allen received his MFA at the California Institute of the Arts and began honing his curatorial leanings towards the obscure through a series of trial and error. In Houston, Allen ran a gallery called Revolution Summer that adopted the Marxist theme of time as currency for the purchase of art works. Shortly after moving to LA, Allen became involved with the subversive art collective, C-Level (currently reincarnated as Betalevel), a group that was known for such sardonic situationist commentary as virtual cockfighting—contestants donned rooster suits with sensors—and the shock-inducing video game, Tekken Torture Tournament.

While at C-Level Allen started to combine his love for technology with a flourishing aptitude for teaching, which laid the groundwork for his philosophical approach to Machine Project. “My interest in teaching unexpected, creative and unsanctioned uses of technology in the production of art is in direct support to the idea that technology is a tool which can be used by any motivated individual,” he says. As a freelance programmer and a faculty member of the Digital Art Related Program Activities (DARPA) initiative at Pomona College, Allen relies heavily on the gestalt of technology factors in creating new courses at Machine Project, but at the same time invites a naturalistic study of the world around us.

In 2008, Machine Project took over the Los Angeles County Museum of Art for a day, and turned it inside out as a metaphorical nature center of activity, comprised of more than 60 projects that included “ambient haircuts,” musical elevators and a murder mystery entitled “A Machine Project Field Guide to the LA County Museum of Art.” Inspired by the artistry of set designers Christy McCaffrey and Sara Newey who designed the ornate gate created for the event, Allen asked the team to imagine a transformative environment for Machine Project’s own storefront. The result was an immersive forest installation that housed woodland-themed events involving banjo plucking, elf lore and “a presentation by some very dedicated Bigfoot enthusiasts.”

The inquisitive wit and spirited atmosphere at Machine Project is reflected in both the class subjects—a selection based on chance meetings with talented individuals—and the “hide-and-seek” mechanisms throughout the space. Whether it’s teaching a parent-child course on How to Steal Cars—”Our belief is that children who learn to steal cars with their parents are more likely to steal cars responsibly when they grow up,” Allen quips—or the storefront’s tree stump dumb waiter that delivers beer, Machine Project transforms the everyday into something simultaneously extraordinary and achievable.

Allen explains, “If you look around wherever you’re sitting there’s a large percentage of things whose workings are totally mysterious: cellphone, tape dispenser, refrigerator, computer. We are surrounded by a material culture where most people remain unaware of how everything that surrounds them is made. Machine Project exists to provide an opportunity for people to understand their built environment, to create a space in which accessibility to knowledge and hands-on, DIY learning experiences can happen right in our own neighborhood.”

This story is part of an editorial series sponsored and inspired by Le Meridien.
New Perspectives explores fresh ideas and distinct points of view in global art and culture.