update re: biggest drawing in the world

I felt it best to add a retraction regarding my largest drawing in the world entry. Apparently it was a fictional project. Would have been nice if they had been upfront about it, but none the less it has, yet to be realized.

There is a similar project called "the world is my canvas," which is lead by position artist Stavros. He calls it "the greatest work of art ever" and if nothing else the video on his site is quite entertaining. So check out: http://www.theworldismycanvas.com/ to get your super large work of art fix. In the meantime enjoy his footsteps across Rome below.

bar codes

So as most of my friends know I'm a bit obsessed with collections. More specifically the juxtaposition of like and unlike objects because the very essence of a collection completely eliminates the possibility of individuality. An object on its own does not demand the attention a collection of objects does, unless set upon a pedestal and displayed a single object on its own can go completely without notice.

I've been quietly examining this for the last 5 years with my polaroid project. I've taken hundreds of polaroids each representing something or someone that has made an impression on my life. They each have their own story. I have selected to group them into a giant collage which gives them another level of meaning. They themselves begin to form a composition. Each retains its individual story, yet one must look more carefully to uncover it.

I suppose the question I am trying to answer is what is more important. The individual story or the groups story? OR are they equally important? OR maybe it doesn't matter.

But I digress. I was recently shown the artwork of American artist Scott Blake (thanks MKL). He specializes in portraits, but uses bar codes to create pixelated collages. His subjects include the typical candidates such as Elvis, Marilyn Monroe, and Madonna, but also include Schwarzenegger, Bill Gates, and Ozzy Osbourne.

Now he doesn't just use any old bar code. He collects bar codes that are from materials relating to the celebrity subject. He's even experimenting with interactive pieces such as the Bruce Lee portrait where each bar code plays a scene from one of his movies.

To read more about Scott check out the following article from the Daily Mail UK: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1021947/Pictured-The-amazing-portraits-Elvis-Madonna-entirely-bar-codes.html

Below is Scott's portrait of the Queen of Day time Talk Oprah in bar codes. (at the top are Elvis and Madonna)

flood insurance

Last week NPR's Maryland Morning had a story interviewing Ralph Tyler the Maryland Insurance Commissioner. He was discussing the resent decision by Allstate to no longer offer flood insurance on the Eastern Shore of Maryland.

vs

As an advocate of NOT building within the 100 year flood plain to begin I think this is progress. Amazing that the insurance companies may be the ones to put a stop to over building in our coastal regions giving wetlands a chance to re-establish themselves. Who would have thought! I guess in the end it all comes down to money.

Of course the battle isn't over as there is a federal flood insurance program. Leave it to the Feds.

You can listen to the entire interview at the following site, under Wednesday, May 15, 2008. Flood Insurance: Is it Worth Sinking the Money?: http://www.wypr.org/MD_MORNING.html

biggest drawing in the world

Artist Erik Nordenankar has created the Biggest Drawing in the World. The description of the project from his website is as follows:

"With the help of a GPS device and DHL I have drawn a self portrait on our planet. My pen was a briefcase containing the GPS device being sent around the world. The paths the briefcase took around the globe became the strokes of the drawing."

The project began on March 17th 2008 and the briefcase took 55 days to complete its journey. It passed through 6 continents and 62 countries on it's 110,664 km trip following detailed directions.

Simple idea with a big outcome. It also reminds us that there is art happening out there without us even knowing it. Perhaps someone is creating the galaxy's largest drawing and we are merely a brush stroke...Cause it's a big universe!

check out the official website for the project: http://biggestdrawingintheworld.com/

poptart

I'm not someone who watches/ enjoys American Idol, however when I heard that their summer national tour was sponsored by POPTARTS I couldn't resist posting it. Classic.

zippers

While researching CurtainWall Systems made by YKK AP for my current project I accidentally went to their main website and was pleasantly surprised to find that YKK not only makes CurtainWall, but are also the zipper monopoly of the world. I'm sure you've looked down at your coat zipper or the zipper on your jeans and noticed the emblazoned YKK letters.

Wanting to know more I checked out the Wikipedia entry for the YKK Group and this is what I found out:

The initials YKK stands for Yoshida Kōgyō Kabushiki-kaisha (吉田工業株式会社) and the original company was established in 1934.

It's made up of a group of Japanese manufacturing companies. They are best known for zippers (they are the world's largest producers) but they also make fasteners, architectural products, and machinery.

Zippers!

toilet paper

While listening to NPR this afternoon I heard this interesting story on Marketplace. Amazon is now offering subscription delivery for common household goods such as toilet paper, laundry detergent, etc...PLUS they offer a discount for subscriptions of around 15%! How amazing would it be for that stuff to just show up instead of having to drag it home from the store or stockpiling.

Here are the new ordering options:

h3 scratch off

My Subaru newsletter popped up in my gmail inbox this morning and I was for once delight to come across a really interesting story. (normally it's just accessories and gas saving advice)

Lauren Was and Adam Eckstrom a husband and wife duo who've always dreamt of owning a Hummer H3 have created their own "special edition H3" out of $35,000 worth of losing lottery tickets. The project is called "Ghost of a Dream" and represents the dream of buying an expensive car upon winning the lottery. A dream that rarely comes true.

What I love about this project is they've taken what many would seem as a negative into a positive and a one of a kind piece of art!

For specifics....the body of a car is made from a plastic mold and is lined with lottery tickets. There are coins decorating the rims to represent the principal tool used to scratch the tickets and the rest is all tickets. Here are some detail views:

wow a lot of work went into this!

check out the original article:

http://subaruowingsmills.mileone.com/E-Newsletter.aspx

1980

what happened on this day in 1980? i know!

Besides being the 124th day of the year (125th in leap years) in the gregorian calendar there are a variety of other random events that have taken place, most of which are rather depressing.

1886 - haymarket roit
1904 - construction of panama canal began
1953 - Hemingway receives pulitzer for Old Man and the Sea
1970 - Kent State Shooting

Other items associated with May 4th:

astrological sun sign - Taurus

gem - emerald (the only precious gem in which the flaws are considered "assets")

food association - garlic, some people can't live with May 4s and some can't live without them, strong, spicy, provocative, and cheerfully aggressive, they are virtually incapable of toning down their personality. And why would they want to? Those who love May 4s find them utterly engaging and indispensable; and those that don't will never know what they are missing. It's their loss!

associated color - sky blue, May 4s then to be dreamers, drifting off into deep interior space at the slightest provocation. All those hours spent in the "blue beyond" are not for naught, however. When they touch down, the deliver - on time and on the mark. Sure, 4s are dreamers, but they can be more than that 0 they can be dream makers too!

animal affinity - zebra, nothing in life is black and white...except the zebra! It's crazy strips perfectly epitomize the union of opposites. It blends the forces of mystery and enlightenment, the known and the unknown, into a sleek, beautiful image with room enough for both. May 4s also posses this unique ability. They allow all "strips" to coexist without compromising the integrity of any!

so all this might be a load of b.s. but it's entertaining.