Hasta La Ideas

British artist Robert Montgomery lights up Berlin with his haunting statement pieces

If designer James Victore is right and advertisers do think you’re stupid, artist Robert Montgomery shows where they’re missing out. His poetic text-based works—which he typically plasters across existing billboards—are hardly dumbed down or subliminal. Instead, Montgomery challenges the general public with eloquent statements on relevant topics spanning world politics to modern hipster aesthetic. This summer Montgomery is taking over Berlin with a new range of works at the unused Tempelhof Airport and beyond, in a citywide exhibition dubbed “Echoes Of Voices In High Towers.”

Working in what he calls “melancholic post-situationist tradition,” Montgomery creates his own black-and-white signs that tap into the collective conscious and shake it up with extensive thought-provoking assertions, which include sound bites like “Here comes the cabriolet edition of capitalism and the end of an empire you were too conceited to even protect.” His prose-like style feels like a Missed Connections ad addressed to the world passing by, reminding us of our potential while letting us know of opportunities lost.

Montgomery seemingly has a small fascination with light and the effect it can have on a person. Several of his works make mention of this in a series dubbed “Recycled Sunlight Pieces.” Still as potent as his socio-political works, these lyrical pieces—done in both billboard style and as neon installations—speak to the universal truth that we’re all human and no matter our religious beliefs or other differences, everyone has dreams, everybody hurts sometimes and essentially we’re all in this together.

Curated by Neue Berliner Räume, Montgomery’s first solo exhibition in Germany currently includes ten billboard poems around Berlin, five at the Tempelhof Airport (including two neon Light Poems) and more to come this September. “Echoes Of Voices In High Towers” runs through October 2012.

See more images in the slideshow below.

The latest issue of Dezeen Mail leads with “breathtaking” mountain lookouts (above) and includes interviews with Steven Holl and Jaime Hayon, plus new jobs, competitions and music.

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Digital manufacturing maven Michiel Cornelissen is at it again. At first blush his latest design, Zesch, appears to be the world’s worst ninja throwing star; in fact it’s a cool set of coasters that interlock, allowing you to use them as trivets for hot things larger than a highball.

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Retro-styled skateboards inspired by sidewalk surfing

As always, what’s old is new again. Conjuring up memories of butt-bombing hills and weaving cones like in the days of Dog Town, many companies are remaking retro-styled banana boards that combine the concept of yesteryear with the superior materials of today. The low-tech, high-performance cruisers are quick, stout and a hell of a lot more fun than that monstrous longboard you don’t ride anyway. Plus they come in a bevy of bright colors and who doesn’t love that?

Globe

Best known for making skateboard shoes, Globe has recently ventured into the hardgoods market with the highlight being the Bantam Cruiser. This wicked little board grips and rips due to a shortened wheel base and big, soft 62mm wheels. Plus the slolam-inspired shape tapers toward the tail for a zippy feel bound to make you ride like you’re surfing. Like its 1970s forefathers, the Bantam Cruiser is available in multiple color combinations. Find it directly from Globe for $100.

Penny Skateboards

Dedicated solely to reproducing traditional plastic banana boards, Australia’s Penny Skateboards makes the ideal knock-around cruiser in heaps of different colorways. Essentially a hunk of plastic, the 22″ long 6″ wide deck doesn’t differ much from that which Penny founder Ben Mackay learned to skate on at age five. The wheels, trucks and hardware, on the other hand, are all made with high-performance materials up to date with modern tech. If you’re in Oz, pick one up directly from Penny, otherwise Tactics has an assortment of colors available from around $100.

Girl + Crailtap

While this cruiser may not officially be a banana board, it firmly adheres to the less-is-more mantra, and has one painted on the bottom. Made by Girl skateboards for Crailtap, one of the industry’s most entertaining blogs, this pared-down skateboard features slight concave, real grip tape and a more elongated shape, meaning it can be shredded like a real skateboard or kept for a cruiser like a traditional banana. Available only in limited numbers in one colorway, the Crailboard can be found on Skate Warehouse online for $100.