Link About It: This Week’s Picks
The Simpsons IRL, Delta’s photon shower, the history behind 4/20 and more in our weekly look at the web
1. In Memoriam: Graphic Artist Storm Thorgerson
Undoubtedly the man who made album covers a veritable artistic force, Storm Thorgerson sadly passed away Thursday, 18 April, at just 69-years-old after a battle with cancer. Sweet, introspective and energetic, Thorgerson left an indelible impression on the entire world through his “contrary” album covers, to which he has created over 300 works for bands like Ween, Biffy Clyro, Led Zepplin, Phish and most famously, Pink Floyd. In our interview he told us, “The thing that I do, it’s a performance in some strange place that nobody can get to. So if I didn’t take a picture of it, you would never see it and the band would never see it. And if the band never saw it they may wonder where their cover is, you see. So I have to take the picture.” And we’re so very glad he did.
2. Delta’s Photon Shower
Once back on the ground after a lengthy flight, fight jet lag with a little
light therapy. Designed by Wieden + Kennedy
New York, the device showers users in blue light streams which mimic
bright sunshine in an effort to trigger a reset in the body’s internal
clock. Although no official plans have been laid for airport
deployment, rumors are Delta may be first to jump on board.
3. Celebrate: The Journey
Over 40 internationally-renowned designers have taken on the task of exploring the limits of art and technology in
the realm of TSA-approved carry on baggage. From Karim Rashid’s
amoeba-shaped backpack of carry dinnerware, to Venice Beach architect
David Hertz’s Suit=Case design, which, believe it or not is a suit
that becomes a suitcase. Each unique piece will be featured in a “runway” show and auction at LA’s Architecture and Design Museum on 11 May 2013 to mark the institution’s 12th anniversary.
4. Do Not Touch
Like social experiments and don’t mind a slight invasion of
privacy? Try Do Not Touch, a crowd-sourced music
video for the band Light Light. By recording your curser—and those
that have come before yours—the video sheds light on group think and the
collective ability to follow instructions, all the while celebrating
the “nearing end of the humble computer curser.”
5. Jailhouse Tattoo Guns
Inspired by DIY tattoo machines made in prisons
the world over, Amsterdam-based production designer and art director
Goof Vermeulen has recreated these rebellious gems and is peddling them on Etsy. Although in working order, the decorative sculptures are suggested
for display purposes only—but we ask ourselves, what would an inmate do?
6. A Giant Worm Made Of 10,000 Interlocking Balloons
Unveiled at the recent Edinburgh International Science Festival at the National Museum of Scotland, “Pisces” is a spiraling installation made from over 10,000 balloons. The colorful helix is the brainchild of NYC-based artist Jason Hackenwerth, who resurrected the sculpture along with his assistant and three museum employees nearly six days to fully inflate.
7. The Simpsons, IRL
Celebrating one of the most memorable title sequences in television
history, London-based creative agency Devilfish recreated The Simpsons’ intro,
using real people. While enchanting and all-around awesome, the
reenactment gives an eerie feeling as even though you’ve never
seen it before, despite simultaneously being able to predict the very next frame.
8. 20 Things You Didn’t Know About 4/20
For many, this Saturday, April 20th, will go by like any other day—albeit the uninitiated may still notice a rather skunky smell infiltrating the air—but for much of the US and beyond, 4/20 is a highly anticipated holiday celebrating one of Mother Nature’s most beloved offerings. Glean a little insight on the celebration’s weed-inspired origins, which stem back to 1971, with a look at 4/20 in all its glory. Happy holidaze!
