Link About It: This Week’s Picks
Space shuttle gardening, Ikea beer, superhero tech and more in our look at the web this week
1. Stanley Kubrick in Naples
Before making some of modern cinema’s most important films, Stanley Kubrick spent four years as staff photographer at Look Magazine from the time he was 17. A new exhibition at Pan in Naples looks at his work as a young photojournalist, filling the gallery with 168 images of everyone from boxer Roy Graziano to vintage portraits of Hollywood starlets. Kubrick’s work will be on view from 13 July through 9 September 2012.
2. Space Shuttle Gardening
Taking cues from NASA’s space research, DesignLibero created the “Green Wheel,” a rotary plant grower designed to maximize space efficiency. The central light source eliminates the need for natural light, and the company is currently working on developing an app to remotely control water and lighting levels.
3. Meet the Superhumans
Channel 4 steals the spotlight from the official Olympic Games with a highly motivating advertisement for the Paralympic Games. Simultaneously broadcast across 78 channels this week, the inspirational commercial shows war footage, physical therapy sessions and striking competition shots.
4. Untamed
Live Fast Magazine’s Vivianne LaPointe debuts her curatorial skills with an exciting group show, put on in collaboration with Venice’s LUX / EROS gallery. “Untamed” will feature 32 pieces from artists like Chad Muska, Jason Lee Parry, Arto Saari, Abby Wilcox and more. The show runs from 21 July through 10 August 2012.
5. eBay Motors Video Series
eBay Motors has teamed up with four garages to create a 10-epsiode web video series. Viewers can vote for the winners online, choosing between contenders Mackey’s Hot Rods, Duran’s Quality Painting, GSR Autosport and Off Road Evolution, who will compete to build four different vehicles all with parts from eBay.
6. Woody At 100
Woody Guthrie turns 100 and Smithsonian Folkways is celebrating with a commemorative large-format book that comes with three CDs featuring 21previously unreleased performances and never-before-heard songs. Fans and aficionados are sure to fall in love with this unparalleled tribute to the beloved folk star.
7. Ikea Beer
While Ikea’s release of the cardboard camera and pre-fab home seems like a hard act to follow, the Swedish megastore now introduces beer. That’s right. The “dark lager beer” will be exclusively available in the UK and promises to make getting lost in the labyrinth of showrooms that much easier.
8. How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love LCD Soundsystem
On the heels of LCD Soundsystem’s newly released documentary, journalist Smith Galtney lauds the graceful denouement of this iconic band with a nostalgic reminiscence that details how he went from loathing to loving LCD Soundsystem—all during an era when the face of New York was changing just as rapidly as its coolest “in crowd.”
9. Superhero Tech
With “The Dark Knight Rises” now upon us, Time looks back at decades of story lines to pinpoint the nine most improbable pieces of superhero technology. From Captain America’s all-absorbing shield to Batman’s Bat-Diamond-driven Batcomputer and hilariously effective shark repellant spray, these mock inventions are often as unbelievable as no one recognizing Clark Kent as Superman.
10. Font Faces
“Baskerville,” “Myriad Pro,” “Times New Roman”—every font has a face. Thanks to Tiago Pinto and the “Type Faces Project,” font families now have dedicated portraits made out of meticulously arranged characters. Pinto effectively anthropomorphizes type, representing “Bodoni” as a moustachioed Italian and giving “Futura” the mien of a stylish male.
11. Vyclone Video
By using your iPhone’s GPS, Vyclone syncs with nearby app users to allow video sharing across devices. The iPhone app then allows users to edit videos using multiple angles shot on multiple devices, offering a creative option for collaboration and making your shaky concert footage a tad more compelling.
12. Build A Speaker Workshop
After bringing his sound installation “Center of Attention” to the recently opened Sonos Studio, Luke Fischbeck continues to enthrall crowds at the LA outpost with a project showing the city’s young creative minds how to make their own speakers out of everyday recyclable materials. Check out the video for tips on how to make your own.
