Link About It: This Week’s Picks
Beef jerky underwear, gun-controlled lamps, Frank Lloyd Wright’s doghouse and more in our look at the web this week
1. Trash Beetle
Indian artist Haribaabu Naatesan promotes VW’s eco-awareness campaign by reconstructing the iconic Beetle entirely from salvaged refuse. The “Think Blue Beetle” is created from 2,805 bits of detritus collected by VW in various cleanup drives.
2. DIY Beef Jerky Underwear
Throw those gag edible undies aside and prepare yourself for some unmentionables that will really satisfy your hunger. A great project for any intrepid foodie or those looking for another unconventional addition to the bedroom, these beefy panties are sure to raise some eyebrows.
3. Chris Johanson Words of Advice
In a video by Aaron Rose for The Generic Man, the talented street artist Chris Johanson drops some wisdom as he playfully paints the backdrop. From “we are ant people on an ant planet” to “this is your trip, do whatever you wanna do”, Johanson’s casual outlook on “the circular energy” of life puts a shining spot on going with the flow.
4. Made Fashion App
As Fashion Week gets underway, runway-flanking reporters and others on the list can keep track of what saunters down the catwalk with this new Shazam-like fashion app. When someone says the future of fashion is now, they’re right—harnessing special soundwave and geo-tracking technology, Made is able to sync your phone to the show you’re attending, providing hi-res photos with designer stats in real-time. No more blurry, ghost-like snaps junking up your photo stream from now on.
5. Ed Ruscha for Band of Outsiders
Scott Sternberg’s label continues its Polaroid campaign with a handsome turn by artist Ed Ruscha for the Band line. Toying with a Rubiks Cube and “Acrylic Painting for Dummies” in a series of serenely bleached shots, the man proves his expertise well beyond cold beer and beautiful girls.
6. BANG! Lamp
Replacing the antiquated notions of switches and clapping is Taiwan-based Bitplay’s playful gun-controlled lamp, which debuted at the New York International Gift Fair. Those who grew up shooting ducks on their Nintendo will delight in the lampshade knocking off kilter when you pull the trigger.
7. Anrealage
Popping up on Cool Hunting last September for his pixelated Fall/Winter ’11 collection, Kunihiko Morinaga reveals the motivation behind his forward-thinking label Anrealage in a comprehensive interview with Vice. The Japanese designer offers insight on his “Wideshortslimlong” collection, the “air bodies” comprising his Spring/Summer ’11 collection and how he relates to the philosophy behind Spanish architect Antoni Gaudí.
8. Needing/Getting
By far the best car commercial to come out of the Super Bowl, Chevy set indie rock band OK Go and the new Sonic loose on a rally course ringed with musical instruments. The ensuing song is created from recording the car’s contact with barrels, guitars, hanging glass and pianos to name a few.
9. The Sole
In a great showing of ingenuity and consideration, recently Nike unveiled the Sole, a shoe designed specifically for prosthetic legs. Working with Össur, the leading brand for prosthetic running blades, Nike developed an attachable tread that will allow triathletes like Sarah Reinertsen to compete at a higher level.
10. Superbowl 2012 Adverts
Every year millions of people tune in to the Superbowl to watch two of America’s greatest football teams battle it out on the field. But the biggest competition is likely the vote for best commercial, and at around $3.5 million for 30 seconds of airtime the creative stakes are high. Check out 9 of the most entertaining spots from this year’s game in a round-up from It’s Nice That.
11. Transparency Grenade
In an attempt to make a statement about corporate transparency, engineer and artist Julian Oliver created the Transparency Grenade. By pulling the pin the device activates and anonymously records network traffic and audio from any location, and then wirelessly sends an encrypted stream offsite where it can be mined for data. This is the perfect addition to your conference room espionage kit.
12. The History of Radio
A game-changing development in 1892, radio is still a tool for innovation in the digital era. As one of sound’s biggest proponents, Sonos put together an intriguing infographic that tracks the advancement of radio from the “Tesla to the social radio phenomenon Turntable.FM.”
13. Condo at the End of the World
The clandestine subterranean network of billionaire bunkers is endlessly fascinating, and the latest discovery spanning the border of Ohio and Indiana is no exception. The decommissioned missile site now lives as a $1.5 million underground pleasure palace with all the requisite amenities like jacuzzi and gym, plus an automobile lift and, of course, the security against world disaster up above.
14. Biennial of Design
Submissions are currently being accepted for BIO 23, the annual design competition held in Slovenia. This year’s theme, “Design Relations”, centers around the interplay between design and technology, digitization and globalization.
15. iPhone Dashboard Car Stereo
Auxiliary ports and built-in USB plugs are becoming a standard feature among cars today, extending well beyond the multi-disc changer and FM radio. This dashboard iPhone dock promises to take it to the next level, eliminating the need for extraneous accessories and cables to connect your car to your sweetest tunes.
16. Canis Domus
Frank Lloyd Wright may have had a reputation for being difficult, but that didn’t stop him from consenting to build a doghouse for a young boy’s dog “Eddie”. Initially declining, Wright later supplied the plans, which the boy’s father John Berger—who had earlier constructed “The Berger House” from Wright’s design—would realize over the course of 20 years.
