Hasta La Ideas

We check in with one of the U.K. artists tapped by Wagamama to serve its customers some culture

Step into a Wagamama restaurant and you expect friendly service served alongside contemporary Asian dishes. U.K. visitors to the chain will now get a taste of nine emerging English artists too. Working with Moniker Projects, the new program goes by the name Art and Eat.

With Moniker, Wagamama started placing installations in their restaurants last month, also splashing the art on placemats and bookmarks that come with your check. The upshot is an initiative that both supports U.K. artists, while giving customers an engaging cultural moment as part of their meal.

When I sat down with one of the featured artists, British abstractionist Remi/Rough, he explained his position on the extensive history of corporate commissions like Wagamama’s. When brands approach artists, “sometimes there is artistic freedom,” he explains, “but other times they’ll ask you to work around their logo, to which I often say no.”

For his mural in Wagamama’s Royal Theatre Hall restaurant on London’s Southbank, “they didn’t ask to see my design,” he confirmed, pointing out the company’s generous creative license with the artists. “I chose colors that do not appear anywhere in Wagamama—except black—and I played with the idea of making stairs, as though they’re steps into the Hayward gallery on the other side of the wall.”

Pictured here are works from Mark Lykin, Malarky, Matt Sewell and Pam Glew. Other participating artists include Inkie, Patricia Ellis and Holly Thoburn.

Moniker has a short release of about 25 prints for sale and, as in Remi/Rough’s case, hand-painted pieces from each artist (£109 in the U.K., or £119 to ship elsewhere) as well. All proceeds go to the artists.

Wagamama will also give away prizes to people who include the hashtag #artandeat in their tweets during the span of the program, which runs through October 2011.

Bringing together contemporary art and an iconic beer vessel

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As part of a new competition, Duvel invited graphic artists from around the world to customize beer goblets with their work. The winning entry will become part of the Duvel Collection and will be available through their shop for enthusiasts. Building on more than a century of brewing experience, the collaboration with contemporary graphic artists puts a modern veneer on a classic object.

Duvel, a long-time supporter of contemporary art museums, started the collection in an effort to bring the company’s interest in design to the forefront. The first came from Belgian artist Arne Quinze in 2007, after which the company enlisted artists Denis Meyers, Parra, and Eley Kishimoto. The next installment once again featured Quinze, along with Daan Stuyven and Stefan Glerum. Released this year, the current series sells from the Duvel shop.

Past designs have included a futurist-inspired banner complete with Dutch orange from Netherlands native Stefan Glerum, while Daan Stuyven opted for a selection of mug shot-style self-portraits around the glass, and Quinze, a conceptual artist known for massive linear structures, kept his design simple and abstract.

This year’s competition is open to artists from Belgium, The Netherlands, England and France. Interested parties can enter through The Studio and check out the Duvel Collection site to view past work. The winner’s glass will be added to the collection, and three people from each country will be chosen for the second-place prize, which includes a trip to Paris and 50 glasses of their own design. Third-place winners (10 per country) will receive six glasses with their design. Find out more by watching the video.

Illustrated song lyric posters celebrate the music publishing giant’s anniversary

With an impressive two centuries in business, Warner/Chappell is celebrating the spirit of their enterprise by doing what they do best—spreading the beauty of music. But in this case, rather than act as a publisher of songs, they instead tasked ten visual artists to dream up interpretations of their favorite lyrics. The result is a collection of images which reflect the emotions of the original work while bringing it into a completely new context.

Warner/Chappell is donating its share of the income to charity, just another reason to purchase one of these striking posters, available from £90 through Stolen Space.

Two action sport leaders thank you for being you with a new collaborative snowboard boot and skate shoe

The latest project from two of action sports’ most influential companies, the Holden and Vans collaboration snowboard boot and sk8-hi shoe are sure to pique the interest of any style-conscious boarder. Unlike most collaborations, the two pieces take a subdued design approach with an all-black upper and minimal branding. But their values are there, in both Holden’s allegiance to contemporary style and progressive materialization, along with Vans’ timeless look.

Known for leading the snowboard industry in fashion and fit, Holden has inspired countless trends—from Scotty Wittlake’s pioneering tight-pants-and-hoodie combo to the clean and fitted outerwear stylings of Northwest pretty boy Darrell Mathes. Their new-school approach fits well with the classic surf and skate style of Vans, which remains relatively unchanged and just as relevant since ’66.

The Sk8-Hi is essentially an upgraded version of its usual self. A combination of premium leather and waxed canvas make for a much sturdier shoe than the average Vans. The sleek blacked-out look is subtly accented with stitching just above the standard vulcanized sole in a cream color that matches the leather interior.

Sharing low-profile appeal with the Sk8-Hi, the Holden snowboard boot sports a slim sole for more board feel and a skate-style silhouette. The boot features premium leather and the same 59% recycled nylon found in Holden’s outerwear line. Inside the Quadfit x Thermal liner, you’ll find a gel toe box—branded with iconic Vans checkers—for heavy impacts and additional pressure cuff ankle padding to help prevent foot fatigue. All of this along with a soft, traditional lace-up boot and an old-school look make the boot perfect for lapping the park and all-mountain cruising.

Head to Vans or watch Holden’s video explanation for more information on the collaborative snowboard boot and Sk8-Hi shoe, which are available online now for $230 and $80 respectively.

A skate industry vet teams up with a legendary NYC boutique for a collaborative shop with street culture appeal

The most talked about collaboration between skateboarding and street fashion of late, Vans’ first brick-and-mortar store champions NYC sneaker institution DQM. Opening today in the heart of SoHo, the Vans DQM General brings boutique founder Chris Keeffe’s well-edited contemporary skate style to a broader shopping audience. From custom-made tables to the handpicked photographs that adorn the walls, the historic space’s lofted ceilings and worn hardwood floors all add to the rustic general store aesthetic.

Patrons can look forward to a full line of co-branded apparel spanning button-downs, tees and hoodies, as well as three shoe styles set to drop mid-October 2011. The shop will also function as Vans’ first and only store in NYC selling all the classics that made the company what it is today, plus some exclusive specialized goods.

Staying true to both companies’ deep roots in skateboarding, the shop sells decks, wheels and trucks from all the same core accounts you’ll find in DQM’s East Village location. By the brushed steel stairs at the rear of the spacious shop you’ll find a selection of youth apparel and shoes, along with an inviting lounge and custom bar area that will presumably host an array of forthcoming skate-enthused events.

Located at 93 Grand street in NYC, the Vans DQM General is open seven days a week from here on out. For more information check DQM online or visit the soon-to-launch official VansDQM site.