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Archive: Culture jamming
July 17, 2008
Onomatopoeia street art
Brooklyn artist D. Billy makes impermanent onomatopoeia interventions to his surroundings, helping to bring comic book joy to our surroundings. He writes:
Using colorful media such as twisting balloons, party streamers, and artist tape, I have begun to add visual representations of sound effects to public spaces as a sort of dimensional graffiti. After embellishing the found scenes and photographing the results, I leave my additions in place to engage passers-by for as long as the materials hold up. For me, this process encourages a reexamination of surroundings and objects that are usually taken for granted, and injects a hint of the fantastical surreality that I have established in my other work.
Or, at the very least, I hope someone thinks these things are kind of funny.
Via Laughing Squid. (Thanks, Matt!)
Posted by Becky Stern |
Jul 17, 2008 07:00 PM
Arts, Culture jamming |
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July 13, 2008
Banksy was "unmasked" 9 months ago on YouTube...
The Daily Mail in the UK is reporting they may have "unmasked" Banksy, the popular graffiti artist whose work has appeared here on MAKE amongst many many other places. One thing that the story doesn't mention is that a commenter on YouTube over 9 months ago also said Banksy is the same person they're implying.
You can see the comments on a Banksy video from YouTube commenter Steve (username robingunningham) / view comments here (search for "robin"). It's interesting to note that the commenter on this giant comment thread doesn't like Banksy at all and "outs him". Maybe it's an old roommate or friend, or Banksy himself messing around, it wouldn't surprise anyone I think.
Part of Banksy's art is that no one knows who he is, I like it that way and hope it stays a mystery as long as possible or if there is an "unmasking" it's dozens of people as opposed to just one. You can make your own works with Banksy's art here "Everything in the shop is free, simply download the file and process the artwork."
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
Jul 13, 2008 12:06 PM
Arts, Culture jamming |
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July 11, 2008
Robotic duck that defecates photos
The 'Charlie. Camerautomata' is a new project by Taeyoon Choi , Recipient of the 2008 Commission for Resident Artist at the Eyebeam Art and Technology Center in NYC. The 'Camerautomata' ('Camera'+'Automata') is a 'Magical Image Digesting Robotic Duck'. Charlie, the duck, is a participatory 'Image- Technology' for photographic intervention in public spaces. The project explores the system in which digital images are produced and consumed in urban space as well as information space. Where as the conventional image technology (ex:cameras) isolate people(ex.tourists) from their immediate environment, 'Camerautomata' brings strangers together by the act of photographing. The duck digests and defecates the photograph and also posts on his flickr site via WIFI. The duck is a eclectic collage of hacking automatic electronics (digital camera/ portable printer/ motorized decoy/ roomba/ etc) and controlled by a microprocessor, in order for the digital camera to take pictures on its own without human interruption. It is partly inspired by 'Defecating Duck' by Jacque de Vaucanson. This website includes postings from Choi and project interns. The project stages various public events from May to July, in New York City.
Camerautomata.org [Thanks, Victoria!]
Posted by Gareth Branwyn |
Jul 11, 2008 02:00 PM
Arts, Culture jamming, Robotics |
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July 10, 2008
Fantastic Contraption show and book
Device is a new art gallery in La Jolla, California created by sculptor Greg Brotherton and his wife Amy. Their next show, Fantastic Contraption, opens July 19 (and runs through Sept. 2). The 18-artist show explores the leaky margins between humans and their machinery and includes some of my favorites: Stephane Halleux, Nemo Gould, Theo Kamecke, and Mike Libby (all of whom have appeared here on Make: Blog).
IDW Publishing has produced Device Volume 1: Fantastic Contraption, a gorgeous art book, to accompany the show. I was thrilled and honored to be asked to write the introduction for it.
The book is 140 full-color pages, sells for $20 ($13.60 on Amazon), and is available for pre-order now.
More:
- Robots and curios from Stephane Halleux
- The kinetic, robotic sculptures of Nemo Gould
- Theo Kamecke - Circuitry sculpture
- Mike Libby's Insect Lab
Posted by Gareth Branwyn |
Jul 10, 2008 11:10 AM
Arts, Culture jamming, Makers |
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July 3, 2008
The brains behind "The Image Fulgurator"
Here's a follow up to our first post about "The Image Fulgurator" from Wired, more details, history and discussion of this project...
Julius von Bismarck's 'Image Fulgurator' projects stealth images into the photographs of strangers, while keeping those images invisible to human eyes. Depending on whom you ask, it's either a clever hack or an obnoxious intrusion. Naturally, we had to find out more.Yesterday, von Bismarck's device made its premature debut on the internet. Today we met him in his hometown, Berlin, to talk about the device, the thinking behind it and the inevitable deluge of e-mails from viral marketers wanting use it to smash their way further into our brains.
But first, about that name: According to von Bismarck, 'Image Fulgurator' comes from the Latin for 'lightning' (fulgur) and means 'Flash Thrower'.
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
Jul 3, 2008 10:00 AM
Arts, Culture jamming |
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Guerilla gardening - seed bombs (of love)
I'm a big fan of guerilla gardening - neglected or abandoned urban spaces can be pretty bleak, it's neat when people take the time to brighten things up. Heavy Petal Gardening has an easy recipe for Seed bombs - make sure you use seeds that are native to your area. (I especially like the way these look - people will think there have been dung beetles around.)
Posted by Patti Schiendelman |
Jul 3, 2008 07:00 AM
Culture jamming, Green, Kids |
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July 2, 2008
Swirling electronics installation mimics Las Vegas chaos
This project, entitled "Viva Las Vegas" by Danish artist Alexander Laner is a kinetic light installation built from recycled hardware, neon lights, extension cables, and is all perched on a motorized stand that sends the electronics heap into a nifty POV output device. The play on words is pretty dead on, and it will definitely give you the after-drinking Vegas effect.
Alexander Laner: Viva Las Vegas
Posted by Jonah Brucker-Cohen |
Jul 2, 2008 04:00 AM
Arts, Culture jamming |
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July 1, 2008
8-bit Post-It art
Here's a collection of 8-bit art made with colored Post-It Notes. This is an art form I'm sure Staples and OfficeMax really hope catches on...
Post-it Note Art: 8-bit Edition [via Hack n Mod]
Posted by Gareth Branwyn |
Jul 1, 2008 12:00 PM
Arts, Culture jamming, Toys and Games |
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June 30, 2008
LightCoder will help you survive urban chaos
The Lightcoder by artist Geraldine Juarez is an analog urban communication device in the form of a bag made from reflective mylar that uses a light source to encode messages into morse code. The bag itself comes with the Morse code alphabet guide, a map of Manhattan, a broken digital compass, lantern, aspirin, rad-block, dust mask, utility knife, hand made shape-lock cups, and fire starters. The result, says the artist, is a symbolic object that explores the possibility of survival in urban environments by bringing out the vulnerability of modern digital technologies and communications devices.
Posted by Jonah Brucker-Cohen |
Jun 30, 2008 06:00 AM
Arts, Culture jamming |
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The Highest Popping Toaster In The World
Freddie Yauner has another fun project that he has just posted on his website. This time it's his "Highest Popping Toaster in the World". You may remember his other piece "The Fastest Clock in the World" which started a little controversy in the comments. Hopefully this time no one will dispute his claim of the highest popping toaster.
Everyone loves it when a toaster has a good pop to it, so I thought this was the logical next step, to create a new space in the market.
And now, what appears to be a very official measuring of he aforementioned "popping toast" via YouTube.
More about The Highest Popping Toaster In The World
Related:
More about The Fastest Clock in the World
Posted by Marc de Vinck |
Jun 30, 2008 03:00 AM
Culture jamming |
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June 18, 2008
The umbrella house
Kengo Kuma used modified umbrellas to create this unique building. The umbrellas have zippers along the perimeter that, when connected, form a geodesic dome. There are even some extra "flaps" allowing for several different variations of the dome structure.
Via - UniqueDaily - The Umbrella House
Related:
iBrella - Umbrella controlled iPod
Posted by Marc de Vinck |
Jun 18, 2008 02:00 AM
Arts, Culture jamming |
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June 17, 2008
Stained glass video subway ad covers
Stainedglass
by posterchild
Posterchild built four stained-glass effect covers for the HD advertisement screens at some subway entrances in New York. Steve Lambert of the Anti-Advertising Agency writes:
Building on the Pixelator, Posterchild goes a more devout route with a stained glass effect. “Hold Fast Sell Out” was built with 1/2 inch melamine, screwed together and coated with diffusion material - rather impressive construction.
What a way to make something ugly beautiful; I can't stop staring at the swirling backlit colors.
Related:
Posted by Becky Stern |
Jun 17, 2008 09:00 PM
Arts, Culture jamming |
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June 15, 2008
Artwork made with money
Stunning and intricate artwork made with money via Land-o-links (anyone know who the artist is?).
Related:
Business cards made from dollar bills, cut with a laser...
HOW TO - Fold a Shamrock from a Dollar Bill.
Refacing government tender.
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
Jun 15, 2008 12:00 AM
Arts, Culture jamming |
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June 11, 2008
Build your own studio apartment
The furniture giant from Sweden is going viral with this giant box seen on Brooklyn streets promoting a new store in the NYC Borough. Build your own studio apartment with all the wooden pegs and tiny steel Allen wrenches you can shake a Lingonberry soda at!
[via]
Posted by Jonah Brucker-Cohen |
Jun 11, 2008 05:00 AM
Culture jamming, DIY Projects, Furniture |
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June 10, 2008
More songs about (and by) buildings...
David Byrne turned a New York City building into a musical instrument and gave BBtv a tour. Byrne explains the set-up:
Devices [have been] attached to the building's structure -- to the metal beams and pillars, the heating pipes, the water pipes -- and are used to make these things produce sound. The activations are of three types: wind, vibration, striking. The devices cause the building elements to vibrate, resonate and oscillate so that the building itself becomes a very large musical instrument.
David Byrne: Playing the Building
Posted by Gareth Branwyn |
Jun 10, 2008 11:00 AM
Arts, Culture jamming, Music |
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June 7, 2008
Wii Spray can
The WWii Spray can Wii-Controller turned Spraycan prototype by Martin Lihs at Bauhaus-University in Weimar, Germany via PSFK. Freaking rad!
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
Jun 7, 2008 01:00 AM
Arts, Culture jamming, Electronics |
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June 6, 2008
Lego wall augmentation graffiti
Jan Vormann fills cracks in walls with Legos in Italy. I think the visual effect is really stunning. Via Wooster Collective.
Posted by Becky Stern |
Jun 6, 2008 12:00 PM
Arts, Culture jamming, LEGO |
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Bicycle that blows bubbles as you pedal
Lovely bicycle that blows bubbles as you pedal via Guy.
The Bloom device is meant to be a subversive and inspirational tool for our concrete jungles. Similar to the tuft of a dandelion as the wind carries the seedling, we propose a way of dispersing seedlings with bubbles and bicycling. Seeds are co-mingled with a bubble mixture and upon pedaling to your destination , you release the floating seeds which land in cracks and crevices throughout the city streets. Over time, the seeds grow into flowers and plants to create a green "fringe" to our sidewalks and streets.
Using natural ingredients; vegetable based soap and seeds, combine together to make a dissolving "nugget". The resulting mixture resides in a reservoir inside Blooms aluminum housing. The housing is attached to the lower frame near the rear tire, similar to a exhaust pipe. Upon pedalling, air enters the front of Bloom and spins a pinwheel inside which picks up a small drop of the seed/bubble mixture and blows a bubble carrying a seed out the back as "exhaust".
Our inspiration comes from the tale of Johnny Appleseed, where he would spread seeds everywhere he went planting apple trees for future generations.
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
Jun 6, 2008 02:00 AM
Arts, Bicycles, Culture jamming |
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June 4, 2008
Graffiti Research Lab Exhibition in San Jose
Emperors of DIY in the Graffiti Research Lab write:
The United States of America is going out of business! But here at the U.S. Department of Homeland Graffiti, we want to turn this moment of national embarrassment and hard times into real savings for you and your family. From June 4th through the 28th, the U.S.D.H.G and the Graffiti Research Lab are liquidating all confiscated, high-tech graffiti artifacts and tools, expunged evidence, court exhibits, anti-graffiti technology and office furnishings, priced to sell. So grab a handful of Euros or Mao Bucks and head on down to Anno Domini located between U.S. Routes 101 and 280 in Silicon Valley, California. Don't miss out on these sub-prime deals, because just like our empire, bargains of this nature won't last forever!
Projects on display will include Terrorites, 2-layer USDHG Shield Prints, Homeland Security Advisory Canvas, and USDHG Control Shield. Check out the show announcement and photos.
Artist's Reception: First Friday, June 6th 2008
8pm until late
free and open to the public
exhibition runs from June 4th - June 28th
Related:
Posted by Becky Stern |
Jun 4, 2008 07:00 PM
Arts, Culture jamming, Electronics, Events |
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May 30, 2008
Use CCTV cameras to make your music video
Clever, use CCTV cameras to make your music video...
UUnable to afford a proper camera crew and equipment, The Get Out Clause, an unsigned band from the city, decided to make use of the cameras seen all over British streets. With an estimated 13 million CCTV cameras in Britain, suitable locations were not hard to come by. They set up their equipment, drum kit and all, in eighty locations around Manchester – including on a bus – and proceeded to play to the cameras.Afterwards they wrote to the companies or organisations involved and asked for the footage under the Freedom of Information Act.
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
May 30, 2008 06:00 PM
Arts, Culture jamming |
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Phillip Torrone
Senior Editor
Tel: 707-827-7311
Gareth Branwyn
Robot Maker
Kip Kay
Video Maker
Jonah Brucker-Cohen
Artist / Researcher
Natalie Zee Drieu
Senior Editor
CRAFT
Becky Stern
Culture jammer
Collin Cunningham
Sound Maker
Marc de Vinck
CNC Maker
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