Seal Chen’s Mixed Media Art

Found materials become creative and often creepy worlds of intricate sculpture

Mixing medias and construction methods with varying themes of religious, historical and moral matter, the work of Shanghai’s self-made artist Seal Chen conjures up images of Hieronymus Bosch’s darkest symbolic creatures with a wave of steam-punk and a touch of irony. Metal hardware parts, antiques, toys, animal bones and all sorts of unexpected objects are part of the creative process, some sourced from Taobao (China’s …

A Mercantile Meal

Portland restaurateurs Jason French and Michelle Battista join together a community of makers for an evening of inspiring exchange

Portland, Oregon is a city of craft-focused entrepreneurs where many of the ideas for successful small businesses start from chance conversations among friends. Recognizing this, Jason French and Michelle Battista of Ned Ludd—an intimate Portland restaurant known to source artisanal, local ingredients, all cooked in a small, wood-fired oven—gathered together the founders of several local companies: Rejuvenation, a lighting and hardware company; Colorhouse, a Portland-based …

Cool Hunting Video: 21 Icons

Photographs of 21 iconic South African figures currently on view in Johannesburg

Returning to Africa for the second Cool Hunting Safari in Zambia, we made a stop in Johannesburg to scope out the up-and-coming design scene. A few of our guests have strong ties to the city, one being wildlife and portrait photographer Adrian Steirn, whose renowned exhibit “21 Icons” was being featured at Johannesburg’s Museum of African Design (MOAD) before beginning its world tour. Adrian gave …