Remember the virulent spread of Magic Eye Posters in the 90’s? People stood transfixed in shopping centers, awaiting a sense of smug satisfaction as images materialized right before their unfocused eyes.
I was reminded of those posters when I saw this vintage image on the wonderful Agence Eureka:
Can you see the birdies?
The other night, I caught the 3rd installment of the Found Footage Festival. By the time I left, my face hurt from laughing.
In short: Joe Pickett and Nick Prueher began collecting found videotapes in 1991 after stumbling across a training video entitled, “Inside and Outside Custodial Duties” in a McDonald’s break room. Since then, they have compiled an impressive collection of strange, outrageous and profoundly stupid videos.
They introduce each segment and add commentary throughout the presentation (sure to appeal to my fellow Mystery Science Theater 3000 fans). It was pure genius.
Selections included public service announcements, kiddie programs, instructional videos, job training videos, fitness tapes, musical montages, and many other cinematic embarrassments.
I left the theater completely inspired to host my own Found Footage Festival!
It’s going to happen. Oh yes. So feel free to send me your ideas!
More info and tour schedule for the FFF here.
I apologize in advance for the following image, and further apologize for the terrifying truth that Jar Jar is made of POTATOES. Yes, this monstrosity was served as a meal.
I generally love innovative food creations, but this has simply gone too far.
I love Horrible Sweet designs. They are exactly the kind of good-natured misfits I enjoy collecting.
Cute? Not exactly. Lovable? Not to most. But as an eternal fan of contradiction, these sweetly horrible beings appeal to me.
I want to tell them all it’s going to be okay.
Have a look at some truly unique toy creations.
I had a sneak peak of the NY Chocolate Show a few years back…it was almost too much joy for one human being to handle.
Part of this festival involves a chocolate fashion show, displaying various sartorial confections (I hope they are eaten afterward!). You can view a bit about the process of here:
One of the models actually fainted before the show and shattered her costume. A chocolate show is arguably not the best place for emaciated, sugar-deprived fashion elite. I’d enjoy the irony, if the whole thing weren’t so tragic.
The positive/negative photography process, first invented by William Henry Fox Talbot is a rarity in the modern art world. But it is a personal favorite technique.
Images are created by placing an object on a piece of sensitized paper and exposing it to sunlight. Details can be stunning…
And sometimes haunting hints of familiar shapes emerge from the shadows…
This series of shadow pictures is quite lovely.
Check your notions of time, space and reality at the door, and give yourself over to the world of Sergei Aparin.
His paintings are magical, dark, chaotic, beautiful surrealism at its best.
I could study these endlessly and still find new stories…
Go get lost in the galleries.
Well I’m back in NY and preparing for a very busy few weeks, but I plan to keep up my regular minimum of two posts per day.
My lovely friend Skye recently informed me of designer Nadine Jarvis’s unique use of the deceased. You can now write with your loved ones…literally.
This is a 240 pencil set made from the carbon of a cremated human. Each pencil is foil stamped with the name of the deceased. You sharpen the pencil by putting it back in the box, and the shavings then occupy the space of the used pencils. Over time the pencil box fills with sharpenings — turning the box into a new urn.
I almost wanted to save this link, because…believe it or not…I’ve gathered enough sites over the years for a Bizarre After-Death Novelties theme week. Maybe next month.
Trust me when I tell you that you’ve never seen face painting like that of hawhawjames in your life. It manipulates the mind’s eye, skews perception and is simply all-around amazing.
I never bothered to get my face painted at carnivals (a little flower or peace sign begged the question “Why bother?”). But if I could have come home looking like this, you better believe I’d have been first in line!
There are hundreds of photos in his outstanding Flickr sets. You don’t want to miss them!
Here is a remarkably non-threatening series of vintage illustrations designed to instruct children about the dangers of the seven deadly sins.
Pornography makes angels cry:
Angels also weep for the slothful:
I’m not sure why the girl in the patchwork dress appears *stunned* at Little Ms. Pride. At any rate, the squirrel is amused.
For the remaining sins, go to Rev Guzman’s flickr set.
SheWalksSoftly 