“Fusion of Helios”—Andrew McCarthy and Jason Guenzel’s breathtaking composite of approximately 90,000 images—offers a rare glimpse at the sun’s outermost atmosphere, which is usually concealed by solar glare. To capture the corona, the astrophotographers tapped into NASA’s SOHO data to “geometrically transform Jason’s 2017 eclipse photo to match the features,” McCarthy says in a statement. “The result is a blend of science and art, and …
The Standard Hotel has teamed up with NYC-based design studio Jumbo for a collection of absurd pool toys shaped like pasta. Fully functional and ridiculous, the floats come in various iterations: rigatoni, tortellini, macaroni, ravioli and lasagna. Each inflatable toy even comes in packaging inspired by pasta boxes.
Pakistan’s first woman architect, Yasmeen Lari may have begun her acclaimed career with grand and gilded modernist structures and brutalist homes, but it’s the pioneering architect’s work after her retirement in 2000 that sets her apart. Since 2005, after the fatal Kashmir earthquake hit Pakistan, Lari built what is now the world’s largest zero-carbon DIY design movement for climate refugees. Relying on local materials (like …
For the first time, scientists have manipulated quantum light by identifying and effecting single photons (aka light particles) in an experiment that draws from Albert Einstein’s 1916 theory of stimulated emission. The theory explains how photo emissions are triggered by excited electrons or molecules, creating an energy conversion process. The researchers, from the University of Sydney and the University of Basel, directed a single photon …
On 62 acres in Marfa, Texas, design firm BIG, 3D-printing startup Icon and veteran hotelier Liz Lambert are building the first 3D-printed hotel in the US. Situated alongside Lambert’s “nomadic hotel” and campground (called El Cosmico), the new extension will further transform the site—an innovative desert oasis featuring a sprawling infinity pool, cabanas and mesmerizing views. To build the hotel, Icon will use their signature …
According to a draft document (which is under review) released by the Pentagon, intelligent extraterrestrial beings might have already visited Earth and even be monitoring life here via research devices—or probes. Written by Sean Kirkpatrick (director of the Pentagon’s All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office) and Avi Loeb (chairman of Harvard’s astronomy department and founder of the Galileo Project), the research paper says, “Since most stars formed more than …
From Brooklyn-based Hayom, an organization blending the values of contemporary art and Judaica, comes a limited edition seder plate designed by acclaimed Irish artist and illustrator Oliver Jeffers. A seder plate is central to the feast at the start of the Passover, a celebration of freedom, family and shared stories. For Hayom’s version, Jeffers looked to an old Irish joke (“Are you a Catholic Jew …
Cult-favorite Dutch brand Patta (founded in 2004 by Edson Sabajo and Guillaume “Gee” Schmidt) teamed up with Amsterdam-based graphic design studio Experimental Jetset for this bold umbrella. The black and white design—which has been silkscreened onto pongee fabric—was inspired by metropolitan maps and signage. With an easy-to-use push extension, the eight-spoke umbrella is eye-catching and utilitarian. Price is in Euros.
The cheekily named 101 Fornications Shirt from playful Paris-based Carne Bollente (helmed by Hijiri Endo, Théodore Famery and Agoston Palinko) continues the brand’s sex-positive manifesto. The green garment has been embroidered with figures reminiscent of Renaissance sculptures, lining up in somewhat provocative poses. Playful without being pornographic, it’s a lighthearted, eye-catching design. Made in Portugal from 97% cotton and 3% elastane, this garment is intended …
Containing an exfoliating powder and turmeric, this two-in-one treatment from KORA is both a scrub and a mask that softens and brightens skin. The refreshing formulation includes aspen bark (a natural BHA), rosehip seeds (which is rich in antioxidants and helps to polish skin) and peppermint, together yielding a subtle aroma. Made with certified organic ingredients, the gentle formula feels luxurious to use and leaves skin feeling supple …
From the upcoming Sun Ra tribute album Nuclear War (set for release 26 May) comes Georgia Anne Muldrow’s “Nuke’s Blues,” featuring trumpet player Josef Leimberg. It’s just as beautifully chaotic and avant-garde as one would expect from a track created to reimagine and reinterpret music from Sun Ra’s “Nuclear War“—a song from 1982 that Ra wrote in response to the 1979 Three Mile Island accident, …
Montreal-based singer-songwriter N NAO (aka Naomie de Lorimier) recently released the new album L’eau et les rêves, a dreamy, synth-inflected experimental pop record inspired by eco-feminism, the subconscious, rituals and nature. The lush opener, “Saison des orages,” is a nearly five-minute track whose shimmering and swelling acoustic strings captivate against elements that are more sparse. The song’s organic and moving soundscape perfectly sets up the …
Gift Guides
Organized for the holiday season and special occasions all year long
Osaka-born artist Shunsuke Kawasaki’s upcoming show The Shape of Frequency at Somewhere Tokyo (on 14-30 April) will showcase his industrial, metal sculptures and functional speakers. Using aluminum, plastic, acrylic and wood, Kawasaki creates these striking pieces—some of which are retro-tinged, while others look like futuristic robots or have been inspired by ninja throwing stars—in editions of five. Bluetooth compatible and wired, these creations are beguiling …
In rural South India, the Chuzhi house from Wallmakers (an architectural firm founded by Vinu Daniel) twists and turns between rocky outcrops and trees, intricately maneuvering through its challenging terrain. The residence’s structure takes after a snake coiling under a rock and not only works with the landscape in a visual sense but is respectful of it. Made up of almost 4,000 plastic bottles that littered the …
A slow-moving ballad by London-based recording artist Lucinda Chua featuring Singaporean producer Yeule (aka Nat Ćmiel), “Something Other Than Years” is gentle yet entirely arresting. Chua tapped Yeule for the enchanting track, which appears on the upcoming album YIAN (燕) (which means swallow in Chinese and pays homage to the singer-songwriter’s Chinese heritage).
A recent story in the New York Times points out that the hottest gadgets originate in Japan and take many months to make it over to the States, if at all. Duh. The most useful parts of this article, however, are the links to www.dynamism.com and www.japan-direct.com. Both sites specialize in distributing the latest and greatest from Japan.
