Raise Your Glass...To The Unbuilt

Here's to the real starchitects, the visionaries of the unbuildable (and unbelievable) masterpieces from another world that were simply too grandiose for those pesky villains we call politics, economics and gravity. 

Damian Nenow's "Paths of Hate"

It's always refreshing to see artists like Damian Nenow come along to wake up our collective CGI boredom with a little hand-crafted blood and guts. And the latest trailer for his upcoming film Paths of Hate doesn't appear to be letting up on the throttle anytime soon. The magic of Nenow is that his work surpasses the world of "cartoon" to create an art piece where you can feel the lace of bullets and smell the ribbons of smoke with gritty lines, shaky cinematography and one hell of a dogfight. Go ahead and watch this on the biggest screen you have at your disposal.



[via Fox is Black]

The Lobby-ist

Being the season, I'll let you in on the first of many resolutions for the coming year: the Eames Time Life Lobby Chair. You see, there are chairs. There are great chairs. And then there's the Eames Lobby Chair. A chair so great that chess wizard Bobby Fischer recognized its comfort and requested it as his seating choice for the 1972 World Chess Championship. Even better might be the fact that when his opponent Boris Spaasky saw the chair, he refused to castle a single piece until he received one as well. Now while most in my circle know my passion for the Eames Lounge - the penultimate throne of all things mid-century - I must admit that I do have a soft spot for the Lobby Chair. It's a perfect example of the simple yet precise approach to furniture that leads most of us to a place of near-obsessive want and desire, haplessly fumbling for Nagouchi quotes and Nelson references to comfort our addiction. Timeless, historic, comfortable. Check, mate.

[via Daily Icon]

Mick Rock: Exposed

The truth of the matter is that Mick Rock defined rock n' roll photography. To be more precise, he refined the art and branded our favorite musicians into our psyche with an in-your-face bravado and raw, unrelenting sex appeal. What makes Rock's work so special is that they are just as relevant today (see Daft Punk) as they were when he first shot a relatively unknown Bowie back in '72. Warhol, Reed, Harry, Mercury...the list goes on. And yet each image is as engulfing as the next, balancing a punch-to-the-face energy with a delicate (and occasionally black) eye. I'm lucky (and proud) to say I've hung with Rock on more than a few occasions and when you're around the guy it's almost as if you can feel the raw stardust pumping through your veins. A few of our friends from Mick's compound were kind enough to send over some of the legendary images that will be on display this weekend at Confederacy in Los Angeles, celebrating the launch of his new book, Exposed: the Faces of Rock n' Roll. Go ahead, put on some Iggy, take a pull of whiskey and enjoy the show.

[images via Feralcat]

Miller and Monroe

Can these two get any more impossibly cool?

[via rommy]

Ryu Itadani "Flowers In The Window"

Go ahead and just add Ryu Itadani into your notebook of all things cool. Like, now. If you're lucky enough to have seen his work in person, you can probably understand my urgency. Hell, even if you haven't seen it in person, you can't deny how amazing his work would look on any wall. The Japanese artist has recently generated a strong community of followers, and I'll happily admit to recently becoming a disciple as well. There's just something so unexplainably appealing about his work. Maybe it's the hand-drawn perspectives that somehow (if not magically) take the neon urgency out of the city. I mean, how cool would it be to live in one of these images, parading on crooked streets, standing on the infinite abyss of an intersection, and staring out warped windows as the dots of cars scroll by. 

Two-Wheel Tuesday

Glasgow Bike Shed from Precious_Productions on Vimeo.

I was recently gifted the Bike Snob NYC book and I must admit that it's more than a guilty pleasure to read. However, in between the ruthless banter on two-wheeled social class and "righteous cycling," I found the following videos that come juiced with inspirational stories, breathtaking cinematography and, of course, gratuitous amounts of facial hair. The first (above) is a short film about the Glasgow Bike Shed, a volunteer organization that recycles some of Glasgow's saddest bikes, reintroducing them to new owners and promoting some much-needed bicycle safety - and not a single kilt or Braveheart reference in sight. The second (below) is from the ultra stylish Rig Out magazine crew over in Manchester. Titled 30 Century Man, the film features Mr. James Bowthorpe, a man who decided to ride around the world on his bike and grow a killer beard while twisting and shifting through some rather epic landscapes. (He lives a rough life.) In the words of my Bike Snob friend, if these videos don't get you excited to get out there and ride...well...you're stupid.


30 Century Man from Antony Crook on Vimeo.


[videos via Boneshaker and McFaul on Bikes ]

Monday Inspiration

Cadence Denim

I'm not sure who spiked the cycling punch up in San Francisco, but it's great to see brands like Cadence coming along to literally save the asses of our collective denim. You can spit all the rhymes you want about your Japanese and selvedge, but none stand a chance against the public enemy #1 we call the saddle. Enter the Cadence Reinforced Cycling Denim, a U.S. Cone Denim that comes equipped with a slim cut, a touch of lycra and dual-layered back pockets - perfect for the everyday rider who needs flex, function and a little style. The best part is these jeans appear to perfectly play both roles of street fashion and much-needed utility. And yes, it gives us all yet another reason to keep drinking the bicycle Kool-Aid.

[via Selectism]

Feast Read: Dapper Dan Magazine

And just when we thought all our Movembering was coming to critical mass, Greece-based Dapper Dan Magazine comes along to spike the punch, furthering our celebration of gentlemanly fashion, photography and all the cultural genii that comes from a well-groomed upper lip. I must admit that the content and imagery look quite impressive - I mean, it's hard to say "no" to any publication with a retrospective on the cult magazine Kitsch. They've even thrown in a studio visit to Martino Gamper and interviews with the likes Dries Van Noten and Rick Owens for good measure. Looks like DD will be something worthy of repeated visits (unlike some of your mustaches). And yes, of course, it's available at Colette.

For Your Consideration: Wes Lang

Do yourself a favor and get to know the work of Wes Lang. He's the kind of artist who makes you want to get inked for all the right reasons (and a few rebellious ones for good measure). And even if you're not fireside in the tattoo camp, you can still appreciate the artistry and skill of a steady hand and a tasty dose of vintage macabre. Some of his most recent work is on display at Partners & Spade in NYC until December 5, and let me say it all looks very choice. My personal favorite is "Castles in The Sky" (above), 38x50 inches of jaw-dropping cool.

[images via Wes Lang / Partners & Spade]