Form over function

Santiago Calavatra's 2004 unveiling of his architectural design for gound zero, according to the New York Time's Nicolai Ouroussof, displays the American preference for the aesthetically pleasing over functionality.

Ouroussof explains that the much delayed project has many flaws. Besides the constant changes in funding and the fact that public was left out of the decision making process, the most noteworthy flaws lies in its uselessness. The functionality of this structure was sacrificed for bragging rights for Mr. Calavatra.

"The striking incongruity between the extravagance of the architecture and the limited purpose it serves," says Ourossof.

Van Gogh Tug-a-war

Yale University is suing for the rights to ownership of Van Gogh's "Night Cafe."

The painting was donated to the school in 1961 by alumnus Stephen Carlton Clark and has been housed in the Yale University Art Gallery ever since. However, now the University's ownership of the 1888 painting has been challenged by a man who says he's a descendant of a previous owner.

Leonardo unbound

Finally, after 400 years of being bound into book form, Leonardo da Vinci's tome is being unbound by a group of Benedictine nuns.

Beginning their task in March, the pages will be available for public viewing in September. However, as with all great strides, there is criticism. According to many critics the Ambrosiana Library, which has owned da Vinci's Codex Atlanticus since 1637, is more concerned with profits than the conservation of the piece.

Library official assure however that unbinding the pages is the best way to preserve the Codex as well as give the public to a chance to experience this polymath's work.

Abracadabra!

"Joy throughout the land!" Seth Godin blogged after telling of a story of an almost delayed flight that was quickly returned to schedule.

The story was brought up to show the dazzling effect of a rescued situation, of one that looks difficult but is then remedied or as Godin calls it "The Houdini technique."

"Houdini never said, 'check out these trick handcuffs and watch how easy it is for me to take them off.' "

Godin's advice for selling an idea/product is a "rapid change in expectations."

Make easy things look difficult.

Make difficult things look easy.

Just their luck...

Thanks to New York philanthropists, Julian and Josie Robertson, the Auckland Art Gallery has attained "international-quality exhibition."

The Robertsons apparently donated between $120 million to $150 million in art according to the National Business Review of New Zealand. The collection consisted of artists such as Mondrian, Cezanne, Picasso, Matisse and Gauguin.

With "12 paintings and 3 works on paper, including portraits by Picasso from 1938 and 1951, a landscape by Gauguin from 1884 and an abstract geometric painting by Mondrian from around 1920," the gift is the largest collection given to any museum in the Australasian region.

Minority Report...not just a movie

Thanks to Oblong Industries' G speak the interaction between people and data is possible.

“The g-speak platform is a complete application development and execution environment that redresses the dire constriction of human intent imposed by traditional GUIs. Its idiom of spatial immediacy and information responsive to real-world geometry enables a necessary new kind of work: data-intensive, embodied, real-time, predicated on universal human expertise.”

NewScientist reported on a new amazing discovery: mind reading.

“[...] has used an image of brain activity taken in a functional MRI scanner to recreate a black-and-white image from scratch. “By analysing the brain signals when someone is seeing an image, we can reconstruct that image,” says Kamitani. This means that the mind reading isn’t limited to a selection of existing images, but could potentially be used to “read off” anything that someone was thinking of, without prior knowledge of what that might be.”

Imagine the possibilities. The dangers...

Alaskan Ice = Art

It seems like anything can be called art these days...

Bahamian artist Tavares Strachan has retrieved a block of ice from Alaska and in an exhibition named, “The Distance Between What We Have and What We Want" he has used a solar powered refigerator to keep it frozen.

The exhibit has been around the world, showcased in Mr. Strachan native Bahamas to Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

Every artist is more popular when they're dead...

...even Hitler! On April 23, $143,000 of Hitler's art was sold at an auction in Shropshire, Britain. Mullock's, a British auction house, told Reuters that, "people do not want to acquire these for their artistic merit; they just want to have something that belonged to someone famous from history," even though historical document specialist, Richard Westwood-Brookes told said the you could never be sure of the true artist.

Arts, included an oil painting of an Alpine landscape (which sold for about $19,700) and a possible self-portrait (which sold for about $14,600) all signed "A. Hitler" or "A.H."

Apparently, time does not heal all

Designers, the first and most important rule of decision making, according to Seth Godin, is to never ask for more time.

Time, some may say makes for an informed decision, however, it doesn't. It usually just decreases the quality of the final decision.

"More information may help. More time without more information just creates anxiety, not insight," Seth Godin argues.

In addition, the time you would take mulling over the decision, could be spent starting the project or another.

Going green for the kids

By 2013, Prince George's County Maryland will be home to the eco-friendly National Children's Museum.

Commissioning the Pelli Clarke Pelli architectural firm, the musem will be a 150,000 square foot space and will include "a wind turbine that will supply the building with energy, a sun reflector on the roof to reduce the use of artificial light and a roof system that will absorb rainwater and improve insulation."

The institution will boast works from Roto Studio, Amaze Design and AldrichPears that highlight the importance of the environment and healthy play.

New and Improved Clothing

"Imagine a world in which garments change appearance, function, in which textiles change characteristics, in response to the person wearing them or the environment in which he or she moves."

Cutting edge designer and artist Hussein Chalayan, showcased a line of robotically enhanced/animatronic clothing in Spring 2007. This may be the beginning of great things, as clothes may start to function as only forms of self expression without the hassle.

Instead of washing machines, ultrasonic waves or even bacteria would clean your garments. No more ironing, dry-cleaning or wrinkles...the possibilities would be endless!

Sorry, no dressing rooms available

What thrills us so much about shopping for clothig?

Is it the discovery of new possibilities? The exchange of money for our chosen pieces? Or simply the rifling through racks? Well, If its the latter of the three, then there's a great possibility that Philips will ruin the shopping experience for you.

The company is looking to bring to fruition its ideas on a technological device that would have shoppers' measurements connected to store inventory. In addition it would also allow shoppers to see how an article of clothing would look on them. Overall, the invention would allow for a quicker, more convenient and more efficient shopping experience.

"Philips envisions demo clothing with “alloy fibers” interwoven, which will essentially allow electricity to extend, mold, and shape the threads to fit one’s body. Basically, Philips is hoping its auto-conforming system will allow shoppers to figure out the precise size they need without all the subsequent guesswork, …”

A presentation is a privilege

Don't waste it, Seth Godin warns. And follows by suggesting four ways to make the execution of this privilege even more captivating and valued.

1. No presentation, is a good presentation. If you can send a memo instead, it would be better. Your audience can read faster than you can present and they can then look forward to your presentations since they may become rare.

2. One on one presentations are the second best kinds of presentations. A face to face pitch is much more rewarding and effective.

3. Third most important....INTERACTIVE PRESENTATIONS!!

4. Lastly, ease up on the bullet points and stick to thought provoking stories and pictures.

Pantsuits for women are back!!

Thanks to high brow designers like Stell McCartney and Hannah McGibbon of Chloe, pantsuits for women are now back under the guise of seductively dubbed "Boyfriend Suit."

It has however, been modified. Instead of a tapered ankle length trouser, the suit includes a slim trouser and a taut boyfriend jacket.

Beat it!!

The scheduled auction of Michael Jackson memorabilia and contents of his Neverland Valley Ranch was called off due to Julien's Auction House trying to block sales and its subsequent lawsuit from Mr. Jackson.

Finally reaching a settlement, to the left is one of the items up for auction.

Marriage?? Why?

These days, its seems like marriage is slowly becoming a choice rather than an expectation. The world has now becoming more accepting of the 45-year old successful unmarried female lawyer and the 50-year old bachelor.

More than accepting, they've even become accommodating. At Venice Architecture Biennale in 2008 the Dutch design studio Droog Design & KesselsKramer showcased an exhibition called S1ngletown.

"S1NGLETOWN focuses on the world of contemporary singles. Its relevance is broad, as all of us are likely to belong to this group at some stage in our lives — and likely more than once. In fact, some sources predict that a third of people in developed countries will be living alone by 2026.
S1NGLETOWN is an exhibition that’s also a town, an abstract interpretation of a new kind of urban space. Visitors will be able to walk its streets and interact with its products and citizens, and view their homes."

Fashion Forward

With all other areas of our lives becoming computerized, its no surprise that eventually our clothing would become "robotically enhanced."

Designer Hussein Chalayah has had the world toying with the possibility futuristic, unbelievably convenient clothing.

"Imagine a world in which garments change appearance, function, in which textiles change characteristics, in response to the person wearing them or the environment in which he or she moves."

Creations pondered: garments sensitive to light, body-heat and even bacteria.

Paul Rand- "The Greatest living Graphic Designer"

On August 15, 1914 in Brooklyn NY, Peretz Rosenbaum was born. For 82 years Rosenbaum continuously impressed his skill and creativity upon the world. From his contribution in stock images to his work on corporate identities Rosenbaum left a lasting and daunting impression on designers. Of course, instead of Peretz Rosenbaum, Paul Rand was the name we all knew him by as he established himself as an iconic American graphic designer.

Growing up as an Orthodox Jew, where it is forbidden to create graven images that can be idolized, Rand defied his heritage by not only pursuing his passion as a designer, but by becoming a master at his craft.

Rand began humbly, painting signs for his father's grocery and his school P.S. 109. His father, however, did not take to Rand's artistic interests and required Paul to enter the Manhattan Harren High School as well as take night classes at the Pratt Institute. Neither of these engagements sufficiently satisfied him and Paul began sharpening his skills on his own. For a year, from 1932, Rand studied at the Parsons School of Design and the Art Students League from 1933 to 1934.

His career began with part-time positions, creating stock images for a syndicate that provided images for magazines and newspapers. From his class work and jobs while influenced by the German advertising style of Sachplakat (ornamental style) and Gustav Jensen, Rand developed a large portfolio. Totally consumed by design, this was the point where "Peretz Rosenbaum" became Paul Rand. Shortening his first name to 'Paul' and borrowing his uncle's name to create his surname, Rand thought that the four letters of each of his names created a charming symbol.
By his early twenties, Rand had already started making an impression in his field. Rand received the unique opportunity to design the cover of Direction magazine. For no fee he designed several covers in exchange for complete artistic freedom. His work on the magazine garnered him international fame and it only increased through the years. His design for the December 1940 issue used barbed wire to present the magazine as a crucifix as well as a war-torn gift. He notes that it “is significant that the crucifix, aside from its religious implications, is a demonstration of pure plastic form as well . . . a perfect union of the aggressive vertical (male) and the passive horizontal (female).” Such designs were among Rand’s efforts to bridge the gap between his work and Europe’s modernist masters.

Moholy-Nagy, Hungarian painter and photographer wrote "Among these young Americans it seems to be that Paul Rand is one of the best and most capable [. . .] He is a painter, lecturer, industrial designer, [and] advertising artist who draws his knowledge and creativeness from the resources of this country. He is an idealist and a realist, using the language of the poet and business man. He thinks in terms of need and function. He is able to analyze his problems but his fantasy is boundless."

Paul Rand was best known for his corporate logos, however he did not forget his roots in page design. By the age of twenty-three, Rand had designed covers and layouts for Direction, Apparel Arts, and most notably Esquire-Coronet magazines. Rand’s ability to transform “mundane photographs into dynamic compositions” earned him an offer at Esquire-Coronet as art director. Initially rejecting the offer fearing he wasn’t good enough, Rand finally took up the position a year later at the tender age of twenty-three.

His most notable contribution to graphic design is his provision of corporate identities through his logos. Westinghouse, ABC, UPS and IBM are just a few who owe their graphical popularity to him.

The logo designed for IBM in 1956 was Rand’s defining corporate identity. Mark Favermann noted that the logo “was not just an identity but a basic design philosophy that permeated corporate consciousness and public awareness.” From the early 1970’s to the 1980’s Rand designed the packaging and marketing materials for IBM, including the famed Eye-Bee-M poster. In the 1960s Ford also employed Rand to redesign their corporate logo, but decided against using his modernized design.

To address those who thought his designs were too simplistic, (for example, the ABC logo) Rand said, “ideas do not need to be esoteric to be original or exciting.” He believed that in order for design to have a lasting more commanding effect simplicity was key. Holding fast to this belief he helped to develop the Swiss Style of graphic design in the 1950’s, which emphasized cleanliness and readability.

Designers owe the success and necessity of their work to Paul Rand’s pitching abilities. Paul Rand whole-heartedly believed that design could bring a business to life and convinced corporations of this. Graphic designer Louis Danziger said of him:

"He almost single-handedly convinced business that design was an effective tool. [. . .] Anyone designing in the 1950s and 1960s owed much to Rand, who largely made it possible for us to work. He, more than anyone else, made the profession reputable. We went from being commercial artists to being graphic designers largely on his merits."

In 1972 Paul Rand published his cutting edge book Thoughts on Design. The entire process was influenced by Maholy-Nagy. Once, when asked by Nagy if he reads art criticism, Rand replied no prompting Nagy to reply, “Pity.” From that moment on Rand began reading books from revered art philosophers including Alfred North Whitehead, Roger Fry and John Dewey. They all had a lasting effect on Paul, however Dewey was especially influential. In an interview with Michael Kroeger in 1995 Paul Rand said of Dewey’s Art as Experience:

“[. . . Art as Experience] deals with everything—there is no subject he does not deal with. That is why it will take you one hundred years to read this book. Even today’s philosophers talk about it[.] [E]very time you open this book you find good things. I mean the philosophers say this, not just me. You read this, then when you open this up next year, that you read something new.”

Rand continued to draw from Dewey, pulling lines from Dewey’s philosophy to his own theory of “functional-aesthetic perfection,” a theory that called for designs to remain recognizable despite image manipulation or blurring. Rand always performed this test on his corporate identities.
It is said that the force that drove Rand was his reverence of modernist philosophy. He always attempted to draw connections between such artists like Paul Cezanne and Jon Tschichold and applications in graphic design. In A Designer’s Art Rand’s appreciation for the connection between the two is evident with this quote:

"From Impressionism to Pop Art, the commonplace and even the comic strip have become ingredients for the artist’s caldron. What Cezanne did with apples, Picasso with guitars, Leger with machines, Schwitters with rubbish, and Duchamp with urinals makes it clear that revelation does not depend upon grandiose concepts. The problem of the artist is to defamiliarize the ordinary."

Rand’s idea of defamiliarizng the ordinary goes back to his idea of creating simple but extraordinary designs.

Rand died in November 26, 1996 from cancer but not before being inducted into the New York Art Directiors Club Hall of Fame in 1972. He also taught design at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut from 1956 to 1969, and again in 1974. He continued to produce work well into his eighties and nineties for a rumored price of $100,000 per solution. In collaboration with Steve Jobs, Rand created the corporate identity for NeXT Computer. Just before his death Jobs dubbed him, “the greatest living graphic designer.” In 2007 Rand was also inducted into the One Club Hall of Fame.

Ubiquitous Robotic Assistants

Necessity is the mother of invention, Japan is finding out and getting quite familiar with the concept.

In an effort to combat its rapidly aging population Japan has made significant investment into robotics and cyberkinetics in an effort to "amplify and expand its shrinking ‘human’ workforce as well as help to cater for the needs of elderly."

While most nations invest heavily in healthcare and other medicinal issues, Japan has broadened its budget horizons to include these preventive treatments.

“Life Machines engages with the question of how an ageing population’s needs can be met through technology. It investigates a possible future society in which humans and robots coexist in domestic spaces and asks what issues arise in a symbiotic relationship between humans and technology. Questions about what kind of compromises and adjustments will have to be made are explored through scenarios of everyday routines in the relationship of an ageing individual and a robot. The design of domestic objects that reflect the needs of both machines and humans becomes a tool for exploring the human condition and our fascination with using technology to recreate ourselves.”

Who needs a phone when...

.....you can communicate with you thoughts. KKDI's Design Studio has showcased a new intra-body communication technology that allows data to flow from the body to gadgets.

No more sharing business cards or swapping emails, information will soon be exchanged through a simple handshake.

Bye bye devices....hello intimacy

No smoking sign for devices

Tired of always hearing people's conversations on cell phones? Wish that people realized that headphones were made so you didn't have to hear their music?

Microsoft is moving to promote and enhance good manners. How? It hasn't been released however we will hope it'll improve subway and bus rides.

"Will your cell phone whisper to you “don’t shout”? or increase the volume on the other end so you don’t start screaming in the first place? Context awareness of technology is one of the - if not the - primary prerequisite for smart behaviour. Linking social values to the concept of smart is one way to enhance user experience not merely for the user but also his/her surroundings.

Food for thought

In years to come, many have often contemplated the future of food.

Will a tiny pill be able to hit the spot the same way a whole plate of soul food does? Or will our sustenance simply be acquired intravenously?

Philip Design details a possible future for us in three ways.

Diagnostic Kitchen: by using a nutrition monitor nestled in a wand you will be informed of your nutritional requirements and 'how much you should eat to match your digestive health.'

Food Creation: this invention would allow a user to input available ingredients into a system that would essentially combine the items into the preferred form and consistency.

Home farming: this would include people hosting interdependent ecosystems in their homes, for example fish and edible plants.

To notice, or not to notice

Before designing a web page for a company, one must first ask themselves one question: do you want your design to be noticed?

Seth Godin proposes this important question. The thing is if you want the information on your site to be noticed then your design has to be lackluster, however if it is a design website, in an effort to reveal your talent, it is best to be eyecatching.

Do hospitals have to be so depressing?

In one of her blogs in "By Design" Allison Arieff details her experience concerning frequent hospital visits after her mother was diagnosed with cancer.

"...the waiting room window was lined with plants — all dead. In the exam room of another medical practice, I picked up a copy of Sunset magazine — from 1996 (it was 2003). In the waiting area for her radiation treatments, my mother joined the ranks of weary women sitting in uncomfortable chairs, awkwardly clutching hospital gowns that didn’t close."

Hospitals are the epicenters of ultlimate physical recovery, however, why can't they aid in mental rehabilitation as well? The lackluster, depressing look of waiting rooms and offices often add to patients' mental stress and fear of the impending.

Arieff sums up this proposition with "What if bureaucratic processes seemed a little less, well, bureaucratic, and the architecture of healthcare spaces a little less demoralizing? Might it somehow promote a sense of calm rather than apprehension? Design may seem frivolous to consider when lives are at stake, but proactive change in the realm of healthcare could help to make that context about wellness more than illness."

Heinz ketchup glass bottle- preferred yet faulty

"The one thing design must do is fulfill its function efficiently" proclaims Alice Rawsthorn of New York Times.

However, sometimes the familiarity of a design it often outweighs the a customers preference for efficiency. Heinz's classic glass bottle has become and icon and an indispensable part of the American household even though the plastic version allows users to easily acquire the contents.

The reputation, comfort and classic effortless look that accompanies the glass bottle even allows for expensive restaurants to carry the condiment without repackaging. It's eco-friendly packaging is also another notch along its belt.

Oldest photograph of New York City?

The Sotheby's is being offered the latest claim to the oldest photograph of New York City. The 4-by 5 1/4 inch daguerreotype image depicts a lawn planted by evergreens with a road in the foreground and a house in the background.

The photograph is believed to be have taken around October 1848 or earlier and since it is a rare find, considering that most daguerreotype images only date back to the 1950's, Sotheby's is auctioning off the photo on March 30.

"No one ever leaves a presentating saying, "I wish it was longer."

"Plan for the end," urges Seth Godin.

From speeches to assignments, time management is always key. In an effort to secure one's reputation and exit gracefully one must always be aware of time.

A presenter who charges through his presentation or a caller who keeps asking for one more minute to finish his rant on the radio either steal time from others or rush through an otherwise wise thought.

"Expect that the time you've got is going to be the amount of time you've got. And then use less"- Seth Godin

"Do you know where I can find...?"

One Chase Manhattan Plaza and the Consolidated Edison Building are now landmarks according to the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission.

Constructed mainly of aluminum and glass, the Plaza was designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill and was the sixth-tallest building in the world at the time of its completion in 1961.

The Con-Ed building began construction in 1911 and was designed by Henry J. Hardenbergh.

Excuse me Prime Minister, how much is your painting

On January 17th, Russian Prime Minister officially added another title to his resume: painter.  

Vladimir Putin's painting of a frost-covered window framed by curtains sold for $1.1 million at a charity auction in St. Petersburg on Saturday.

Sorry China, mob mentality wins again

The bronze sculptures of a rat and a rabbit once owned by fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent are being asked to be returned to the Chinese Government.

According to them, the sculptures were taken by British and French troops in an 1860 raid. Jiang Yu, a spokeswoman for the Chinese foreign ministry, said, "These relics were stolen, robbed and taken away by invaders."

However, the sculptures were slated to be auctioned off in February and given "the public nature of an auction, the return of these works to China is not guaranteed."

Sign o' the times

From layoffs in the Indianapolis Museum to the Walter's Art Museum to the Detroit Institute of Art, it seems like not one aspect of society is impervious to this volatile economy.

Usually during hard times, one would expect many to turn to the arts to bring some pleasure, however, in the panic of the unknown frugality has become prevalent and indulgence eradicated.

Guernica in London

A tapestry version of Picasso's Guernica that was once hung outside the U.N. Security Council Chamber is on its way to London.

The 1937 22-foot long anti-war mural is being lent to the White Chapel Art Gallery for an exhibition that centers around this controversial painting.

Our future...according to Microsoft

From healthcare to retail, Microsoft has mapped out our futures. Microsoft Office Labs have glimpsed ahead and proposed a way of life for consumers.

By 2019, according to Microsoft "your health team can share data seamlessly." The company imagines a future where individuals can monitor their own health with the assistance of "smart, connected devices."

Secondly, the Microsoft believes that through predictive measures, banks will be able to provide individuals with their finances seamlessly and efficiently.

Next, manufacturing would be faster and more productive, with workers collaborating across time zones.

Lastly, and probably most anticipated, is a greater and more efficient retail process. With this, stores and merchandise will be easily accessible and retailers can anticipate and provide shoppers' needs.

Could you please fill out this survey? No, thanks!

It seems like everyday we run across tedious online surveys. Though the better part of us would love to help a fledgling business out, the length and monotony of online surveys often discourage participation. Seth Godin lists five ways to compile an effective survey.

1.) Avoid length surveys. To keep the participants' attention and ensure that they answer your survey honestly, the survey should contain no more than 10 questions. After this, surveys get exhausting.

2.) Avoid loaded questions. In Seth Godin's words, "If you ask, 'which did you hate more...' then you've planted a seed."

3.) Try to make some of your questions interesting. The more engaging the survey is, the better the answers will be. Boring question beget boring answers.

4.) Every question counts, so in as few questions as possible try to ask what you truly want to know.

5.) Along with interesting questions, try a unique format. Different is always captivating.

It's a sign of the times...

Even the wealthy cannot escape this whirlpool of an economy that the world is not harboring. 

They may not be losing jobs or standing in welfare lines, but they are struggling to maintain lives that this volatile economy no longer permits. Artists and the affluent, alike, have resorted to pawning off wildly underestimated assets: art.

Companies such as Art Capital and ArtLoan are now thriving. They issue loans of 500,000 or more at interest rates ranging from 6 percent to 16 percent to the wealthy who are willing to part with their Rubens in order to maintain three town houses and daily lunches. 

It may be headquartered on Madison Avenue, but it doesn't help to divert minds and eyes from what this company really is: a pawnshop. It also brings to light the dire position our economy is really in if famed photographer Annie Leibovitz and rich collectors like Veronica Hearst  are among such companies' clientele.

Fashion = Escape

Fashion may be another aspect of society vulnerable to the state of the times, but according to Versace, Galliano and their counterparts, consumers don't care to know that. Galliano expressed this notion well when he proclaimed "we are in a credit crisis, not a creative crisis."

Shoppers and fashion savvy amy be willing to cut down on their spending, but not on their style. For now, fashion is the world's escape.

Good News for the Undomesticated

A Swedish brand, Eton Shirts, has developed a cotton-fiber that no longer requires ironing After washing, the fiber returns to its original shape simply through body heat. While this invention reduces energy use and is another step on the eco-friendly front, it poses a major question:

With the banishment of several step in the manufacturing and the invention of many environmentally beneficial products, will unemployment rise as the world's population becomes more "green?"

Success...five steps away!

According to Seth Godin in order to successfully when spreading ideas and earn one only needs to follow five simple rules.

1.) Set your sights on what is REALLY possible.
2.) Make wise decisions!
3.) Know your goals
4.) Understand how to get things down and change minds
5.) Earn the respect and turst of your peers.

"The only pink on their horizon is the color of a dismissal slip"

An unpredictable and immortal portion of society, fashion was always thought to be impenetrable to the solemn effects of the economy. After all, we all have an underlying and inexplicable need to separate ourselves through clothing.

However, this recession is proving itself more potent that its predecessors. Once proclaimed "seers" of the fashion industry, fashion directors are slowly becoming obsolete. With two of the six fashion directors currently featured in Harper's Bazaar laid off, Ruth la Ferla of the New York Time proclaims that, "these days visionaries need no longer apply."

With the advent of blogs, style websites and shows like "Project Runway" the fashion conscious are slowly becoming their own style prophets, making fashion directors dispensable. And proving that no one is impervious to the pink slip.

Desperate times call for different measures

"Thomas Sully was considered the cream of the crop," reports Dorothy Spears of the New York Times, but that was before the 19th century Philadelphia painter forsook his original pursuit as a portraiture.
Following the Panic of 1837, Sully received fewer patrons and therefore, less money therefore, Sully had to abandon his revered art to accommodate a more commercial and popular style. "He became more entrenpreneurial, racking up profits by subordinating his style to market tastes."

Though many may see Sully's actions as "selling out" it is quite understandable. When America, or any nation at all, hits hard times it is the artists who suffer and therefore have to change their methods of earning income; many times changing their entire style to make a living and "giving people what they want," according to William Rudolph, the curator of American Art at the Worcester Art Museum in Massachusetts.

Thomas Moran also "gave the people what the want[ed]" after the Crash of 1873. Moran painted scenes of the Rockies and Grand Canyons, entertaining and satisfying Americans who had never seen these landscapes (at the time Western states were just beginning to be included in the union.

Like many artists existing in difficult times, Moran and Sully know that "art could not exist without commercial enterprise."

(Image: Thomas Sully's Portrait of Thomas Jefferson, 1821) 

"Impenetrable to Inviting"

Once feeling like an outcast while walking down Madison Avenue, Eric Wilson of The New York Times, now fits right in.

Due to the recession many businesses are clamoring for business, including those located on upscale shopping areas like Madison Avenue. Employees of MaxMara, Gucci, Chanel and other high-brow houses, who once sized up shoppers by their hand adornments and shoes before helping, are now indiscriminately performing their jobs. "Salesclerks, haunted by the papered-over windows of stores next door, are being trained to exude a level of customer service rivaling that of Disney," reports Eric Wilson.

On an experimental journey through the area, Wilson dressed poorly and wandered into several stores on the avenue, including Prada and Ralph Lauren, presumptuously trying on clothes he couldn't afford and making false requests.

Nevertheless, customer service was always outstanding and never wavering no matter the clientele.

Marketing MoMA with Picasso

The image of five naked women are being plastered all over New York City's subway station.

It's not by graffiti artists or random vandals, but by the marketing team of the Museum of Modern Art hoping to capture the attention of New Yorkers. Located on 53rd street between fifth and sixth avenue in Manhattan, the museum is making an effort to transform its image as only a tourist fixture. MoMA employees, in conjunction with the MTA, is displaying Picasso's "Les Demoiselles d'Avignon" (1907) as well as works as many other contemporary artists like Cindy Sherman, Marlene Dumas, Hopper, O'Keefe and Matisse.

By the end of this six week art campaign, beginning in the Atlantic Avenue and Pacific Street subway stations in Brooklyn, Moma officials are hoping that New Yorkers will be more interested in frequenting the museum and buying museum memberships. Kim Mitchell, the museum's chief communications officer tells, "The whole city is important to MoMA, and this station just seemed to be a good to start the experiment."

Here we go again...

Once again as the economy suffers, arts are the first to go. With little funds to simply allocate to basic education The Arts are not even considered salvageable. From the Great Depression to the near bankruptcy of the nation caused by The Vietnam War, Art has fought to remain an appreciable segment of society. Nevertheless, it has always resurrected.

Again however, due to the economic state of the nation artists find themselves struggling to make ends meet and frankly, the New York Times' Holland Cotter is fed up. "Students who entered art school a few years ago will probably have to emerge with drastically altered expectations. They will have to consider themselves lucky to get career breaks now taken for granted: the out-of-the-gate solo show, the early sales, the possibility of being able to live on their art."

However, instead of perpetuating this seesaw of success, Cotter recommends devising a plan or "carving out a place in the larger culture" where the shakiness of the economy does not affect the arts.

No more leopard print

Media mogul, Nduka Obaigbena is sponsoring a African fashion show aimed at countering the prevalent idea of this realm of fashion only containing the "Big Five and leopard prints."

This effort has been one of many African designers, who intend change the perception of African fashion. Since its emergence, African fashion's growth has been hindered by an underlying sense of "romanticized colonialist, stuck in amber, image of bracelets and long necks," curator of "This is Not a Fashion Photograph," Vince Aletti says.

Many designers, like Malian designer Lamine Kouyate, have exceptional and original ideas to display however, besides the glass ceiling of preset notions to break through, designers also have to deal with the other elephant in the room. "One problem for us is that we don't have media talking about this African energy, this sophistication. All anyone is obsessed about is disease and what's going wrong," Kouyate laments.

Nevertheless, designers like Kouyate and his contemporary Nkhensani Nkosi, founder of South African label Stoned Cherrie have been significantly successful at getting their head above water and staying there.

Hello J.Lo, goodbye emaciated

Forget the Gisele Bunchens and Miranda Kerrs and welcome the Kate Winslets and Beyonces. A growing movement to debunk the unhealthy, skeletal look off the runway and replace them voluptuous, "real" women has received support from several Fashion Week shows over the weekend.

Several designers have traded in the paisley, innocent look for "black biker shorts, bodysuits and motorcycle jackets with foxtail fringe." Finally realizing that its sex that sells, designers like Vena Cava are "bored with the sweet, dusky vintage looks that first brought them attention."

The Obama Effect

President Obama's sensational campaign and subsequent win has done more for than lift the spirits of under-privileged and insecure African Americans, it has allowed for greater job opportunities for black models.

Inadvertently, Barack Obama's election to presidency has awarded a greater diversity to the fashion industry. The New York Times calls it "The Obama Effect."

Guy Trebay reports that while it was once not uncommon to see such signs as "No Blacks" at casting calls, there is now a greater tolerance and demand for black models. At Duckie Brown's show during 2008 Fashion Week, Trebay interviewed several black models who told of their experiences.

One of them, Marcus Lloyd, explains, "I remember my agent was like, 'If Obama does become president, there's going to be a lot more work for you guys.'"

Another model, Shawn Sutton says, "Fashion shows have basically been Caucasian for a while. I'm not really a black model, I'm a model. I just love putting on the clothes and jumping into the character."

Inside Pages

Space between letter- kerning
Space between lines- leading

Justified- even on both sides
Ragged right- uneven on right

1.) Copy text from word
2.) Draw a text box into quark (2.125 W)
3.) Item--->content--->text
4.) Link
5.) Select all (command A)

Add noise to help pixelation

House of Rockwell

Thankfully, the All-American and heartwarming illustrations of Norman Rockwellhave been revamped, invigorating public interest in this American artist once again. Hoping to turn The Norman Rockwell Museum into "nexus for the study of American illustration art," what some may dub, a lost field, the museum has announced plans to establish the Rockwell Center.

“Rockwell is very accessible, but when you understand more broadly and deeply how much influence his work wielded on an entire nation, you have a much richer experience,”said Laurie Norton Moffatt, the director of the museum.

Having his first illustration printed for the Evening post at age 22, Rockwell's photos are charged with emotion that keep his prints forever relevant.

(Image: Rockwell's "New Kids in the Neighborhood" 1967 )

Rome via Google Earth

Google Earth has now built a 3-D representation of the ancient city of Rome, circa A.D 320. Viewers will be able to tour the city in a matter of minutes thanks to the software. Elisabetta Povoledo reports:

"First Google Earth turned millions of Internet users into virtual travelers who could fly to any spot on the globe. Then its Sky feature took them to other galaxies. Now Google Earth has embraced a frontier dating back 17 centuries: ancient Rome under Constantine the Great.

Soaring above a virtual reconstruction of the Forum and the Palatine Hill, or zooming into the Colosseum to get a lion’s eye view of the stands, Google Earth’s 400 million users will be able to explore the ancient capital as easily “as any city can be explored today,’’ Michael T. Jones, chief technology officer of Google Earth, said at a news conference in Rome’s city hall on Wednesday."

Reincarnation

From syringes to combs, the exhibition at the Museum of Arts and Design, located in Columbus Circle are made of once discarded materials transformed into memerizing works of art. In an effort to perpetuate a new image and encourage "hippier" artists, the museum, once called the American Craft Museum, hosted "Second Lives: Remixing the Ordinary." On display were works from around 50 artists or artist teams.

(Top: "Metal Jacket" (2008) Doh Ho Suh's Middle: "Sound Wave "(2007) Jean Shin, Bottom: chandelier made out eyeglasses (2008) Stuart Haygarth)

Think like a designer, write like a journalist

According to William Bostwick of the website Core77, not because you're designer doesn't mean you can't successfully present yourself in writing as well. Using one's creativity and unique style and following Bostwick's five basic tips, this can be accomplished.

Firstly, using your abilities as a designer contour work to fit your audience and the task at hand. To know what interests the public is an inherent trait of any designer. Therefore, use it to rearrange sentences, select the proper words and "putting complex ideas into simple boxes."

Secondly, avoid pretentious, useless words or as Bostwick calls them "verbal SUVs -- big pointless words that look fancy but don't do anything." Because many people are unfamiliar with design, use words that are comprehensible and relatable.

People respond to stories. Therefore, tell a story when writing about your projects. Concentrate more on how something came to be rather than what came to be.

Next, use the first person. Personalizing your writing makes it more interesting, more relatable and less formal. According to Bostwick, "A little informality goes a long way."

Finally, "Cut ten percent of all the words you write," Bostwick advises. If it isn't necessary or true don't say it. It's always best to be honest.

"Architecture to make you smile"

Can a building really make you happy?

Japanese architect Kazuo Shinohara, believes that his building designs may have psychological effects on people. Undoubtedly the the form and fashion of many objects, architecture included, have an effect on our moods and the members of the Royal Institute of British Architects are capitalizing on that.

“Led by Ed Blake, “Building Happiness” was a project that aimed to use the best research and anecdotal evidence from across a wide range of disciplines to identify and analyse the most important drivers in the field. How do we construct happiness? What components make for a happy building or space? How do we measure and quantify this response? is it possible? Who is responsible for it? can it be built in?”- Jane Wernick, Building Futures.

(Image: cover of the recently published novel by The Royal Institute of British Architects, "Building happiness: architecture to make you smile.")

Introducing the new Soda Can

The development of a new environmentally friendly soda can makes advertising even more ubiquitous. Conceived by Ukrainian Johan De Broyer and developed and designed by Robert Davis the "Soda Seal" has many benefits, it's primary one being its ability to be resealed. These are some of the benefits:

1.) Storage and shipping methods are easy because the form of this revolutionary can is the identical to that of the standard can.

2.) There will be no cost for the can's production, because the inside seal of the can will include advertising that will be copious enough to cover this cost.

3.) There are no new recycling concerns, because the components of this new can are all aluminum.

4.)The can provides a water-tight and gas tight seal retaining carbonation and enabling consumers to use drink beverages during outdoor activity without spilling.

Powerpoint Magic according to Seth Godin

According to Seth Godin's "Nine Steps to Powerpoint Magic" here are a few ways to give a successful presentation.

1.) Only use powerpoint if necessary. While some powerpoint presentations are helpful, others can be distracting. Godin's advice: "Do it in your own words, without artifice and with clarity."

2.) Powerpoint presentations are visual aids, they are not meant to be read. So use as few words as possible. Never more than three words per bullet.

3.) Don't give presentations for small ideas. According to Godin, that's what memos are for, so always make sure, "you brought your big idea with you."

4.) To give a bit of edge to your presentation, get your own font. You can visit Smashing Magazine and buy your own font.

5.) Tell the truth. This concept goes far beyond the given idea of not telling a lie, instead it urges presenters to NOT HIDE anything.

6.) Be as brief as possible. If your presentation can be 20 minutes don't prolong it for an hour. After all today's television broadcasts have conditioned us to have very short attention spans.

7.) Captivate your audience. "Your actions should demand their attention." Ensure that your presentation is all that it can be.

8.) Get a remote because it allows you to maintain eye contact and interact with your audience.

9.) If you're presenting to a large group of people, get a microphone. It may increase the cost of a presentation but it heightens the impact of your presentation and improves your posture. In Seth Godin's words, "If 400 people are willing to spend an hour listening to you, someone ought to be willing to spend a few dollars to make the presentation work properly."

"God is in the details"

The great German architect, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe once said, "God is in the details." As artists, we are often compelled to shock and awe with peculiar and unconventional creations. However, it's best to sometimes keep it simple and graceful. We frequently get so caught up in the grandeur of our projects that we forget to focus on the details. Many can learn from this artist who strived for simplicity and often referred to his creations as "skin and bones" architecture. Sometimes the simplest productions can be the most surprising and satisfying.

(Photograph of the Mies van der Rohe's "Barcelona Pavilion" in southwest Barcelona built in 1929 and reconstructed in 1983)

Too much?

The Morgan Library & Museum have plans to digitize the Gutenbery Bibles. In its possession are three copies printed in Mainz, Germany circa 1455.

Dubbed the "first significant printed book in the West," images of the Bibles will be on the library's website in an effort to broaden it audience demographic.

KAISER KARL

Born to a wealthy family in 1938, Karl Lagerfeld is one of the most unique and acclaimed designers to have ever to picked up needle and thread. With his trademark powdered white hair and dark sunglasses, Lagerfeld is as easy to identify as his contributions to the dynamic industry of fashion.

To speak of ambition one must speak of Karl Lagerfeld. In 1955, at the age of 17, the German native had already move to Paris and won first prize at a competition hosted by The International Wool Association, for a wool coat he had created, catapulting him into the offices of Pierre Balmain, a renowned French designer. There he worked as an assistant to the designer for three years, before freelancing for Jean Patou and the Houses of Krizia and Fendi.

Karl Lagerfeld, a man of "immense energy and creative ideas," simultaneously launched his own perfume company, Parfums Lagerfeld in 1975. By 1998, he had already launched four fragrances, "CHLOE" in 1975, "LAGERFELD" in 1978, "PHOTO" in 1991 and "JAKO" in 1998. Convinced that his greatest strength is "to bring things that others have started to a better conclusion," Lagerfeld began working for the House of Chanel in 1983, after the death of its creator, Coco Chanel.

There Lagerfeld rejuvenated Chanel's image so significantly that he reaped the best emotions that any aspiring designer could ask for: shock and awe. With the help of another designer, Gilles du Foir, Lagerfeld produced ready-to-wear garments for Chanel as well as single-handedly transform the traditional Chanel suit into a "jeans" look by 1991.

An accomplished photographer, Karl Lagerfeld often produces his own press photos, earning him the titles, "Jack of all Trades," "Kaiser Karl" and "Karl the Uninhibited." In 1984 he finally, ventured into his own design business and by 1994 his signature line was marked by dramatic black and white women's wear that featured the "Wunderbra" and the "Wundercorset."

Introductions

Illustrator- logos; vector-based drawings (sharp resolutions)

Photoshop- manipulated images

Layout- Quark; In-design

SEO (search engine optimization)- making your website viewable through text

Cloud computing (open invitations; communal building of websites).
Examples:
- blogs
- wikis (wikipedia)

Vetting- Endorsing; accrediting

Resolution- apparent/ technical clarity
screen: 72 pixels
print: 300 pixels
(for magazines)

Real People

Similar to MoMA's attempt to acquire more visitors, the Metropolitan Museum of Art is launching a campaign that includes pictures of real visitors.

The pictures, which are usually uploaded on the photo-sharing Website Flickr.com, will be placed around the city like on a Time Square billboard or a New York City bus and will bear the tag line, "It's Time We Met."