Pairing Artists + Musicians, “Pressing Matters” Project Raises Funds for Music Support
London-based Pavement Licker (a creative duo consisting of James-Lee Duffy and Josh Jones) has launched “Pressing Matters,” a project that joins the art and music industries to raise money for mental health charity Music Support. The initiative sees artists and designers paired with musicians and bands for cover art that’s currently on show at the Matches Fashion gallery space in Mayfair, and available to bid on in Helium London’s online auction. The dream duos include David Shrigley and Chic, Joy Yamusangie and Underworld, Jean Jullien and Idles, and more. Read more at It’s Nice That, and register to bid on the auction at Helium London.
Image courtesy of Pressing Matters + Jean Julien
NASA Backs Three RISD Space Design Club Projects
Imagined by the Space Design Club at Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), a space-dust repeller, a wearable rock sample container and an augmented reality headset for use in astronaut helmets are three proposals selected by NASA, from their BIG Idea Challenge, to receive further development. Each project is in a different stage of development, with many scientists (and students) working virtually. RISD’s Space Design Club will continue to collaborate and support NASA as the space organization makes advancements with these ideas. Read more about all three inventions at Dezeen.
Image courtesy of RISD
Instagram’s New Pronoun Option
Social media is inherently flawed, but Instagram’s new move to give users the option to display their preferred pronouns will hopefully expand people’s understanding of gender and normalize terms beyond the binary. Right now, Instagram users in the UK, Australia, USA and Canada can visit the “edit profile” section and enter their pronouns—with options ranging from the commonly seen they/their, he/him and she/her to lesser seen ze, zie, per, xe fae, ve, vi and e/ey. As Roisin Lanigan writes for i-D, “It’s an important step in pushing the conversation around preferred pronouns, identity and the elimination of archaic notions of the gender binary forward.” Read more at i-D.
Image courtesy of Instagram
Toshiko Mori’s Brooklyn Public Library Central Branch Renovation
The National Register of Historic Places-listed art deco Central Branch of the Brooklyn Public Library (BPL) underwent a two-year interior renovation by architect Toshiko Mori. As part of a phased reopening of NYC libraries, visitors will be able to access Mori’s refresh, which includes a bright and spacious “New and Noteworthy” book gallery of topical works (right up front) and a community space called the Civic Commons, which will be a resource for “services and organizations that facilitate participation in public life,” according to the BPL. This includes hosting civic events, “in partnership with organizations like with Brooklyn Voters Alliance, Immigrant Justice Corps, and the NYC Department of Health,” according to The Architect’s Newspaper. Read more about Mori’s refresh, and see more images, there.
Image courtesy of Gregg Richards
Mesmerizing Imagery That Captures The Beauty of Chemistry
Within the new book The Beauty of Chemistry, Wenting Zhu and Yan Liang present 300 astounding images of elements up close. The duo used “infrared thermal imaging techniques, along with high-speed and time-lapse micro photography” in order to capture molecules and molecular reactions, according to Wired. Science writer and chemist Philip Ball penned the text, which deftly explains the principles behind the abstract, swirling and crystalline images. Altogether, it does indeed convey with clarity the beauty of chemistry. Read more and see more of the hypnotic photos at Wired.
Image courtesy of Wenting Zhu and Yan Liang
Iconic Gensler Architecture + Design Projects
To honor the achievements of global architecture and design firm Gensler’s co-founder Art Gensler, who recently died at the age of 85, Dezeen selected eight key projects that highlight the diversity of their work. From one studio in San Francisco circa 1965 to 50 offices worldwide today, Gensler has influenced everything from the Shanghai skyline (with the 120-story Shanghai Municipal Government building, the city’s second tallest structure) to the Apple store experience (Gensler designer the first 100 Apple stores). Read more about the firm’s staggering accomplishments—be it the vision for the second-ever Gap clothing store or the renovation and expansion of the San Francisco International Airport—at Dezeen.
Image courtesy of Gensler
Link About It is our filtered look at the web, shared daily in Link and on social media, and rounded up every Saturday morning. Hero image courtesy of courtesy of Wenting Zhu and Yan Liang