Interview: Joseph Ari Aloi aka JK5

The artist reveals his secret for creating a great tattoo, his new book and more

by Hugh Hart Joseph Ari Aloi graduated from Rhode Island School of Design in 1994 armed with dozens of sketchbooks, self-described ADD, a set of tattoo implements and a headful of eye-popping mythologies inspired variously by Star Wars, Sanskrit calligraphy, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Jackson Pollock and Viking iconography. Working as a tattoo artist, Aloi (aka JK5) propagated his ornate letterforms by word of mouth, forearm, back …

Charged: inFORM, a Revolutionary Design Tool

New technology from MIT’s Media Lab presents a game-changer for designers and architects

Virtual reality has made huge strides over the past few years, but for pioneers like the scientists at the MIT Media Lab, digital simulations have begun taking actual, material shape. Formally known as the Tangible Bits project (which was presented by the lab all the way back in 1997), MIT’s Radical Atoms initiative is an ongoing program that seeks to give digital information a physical …

Cool Hunting Video: Christopher O’Riley

Transforming pop music hits into classical piano masterpieces

In a private residence on NYC’s Upper West Side, we recently had the pleasure of attending a thrilling performance organized by Culture Shock featuring pianist Christopher O’Riley. Renowned for his flawless renderings of classical masterpieces, O’Riley (host of NPR’s From The Top and composer of original work) explains how, during intimate performances for artists and members of high society’s creative class during the early days …