PHOTOGRAPHY: DREAMING IN BERLIN Dreaming, both literally and figuratively, is as universal to humans as eating; it is one of the most fundamental yet fragile human functions. Justin Tellian is an artist who, working with TRUST ART, has selected five cities to each make a collective statement to the world: WE DREAM. On November 14, it will be Berlin's turn to show the world its inner visions by staging a photoshoot with the dreamers of Berlin. The photoshoots specifically gather people who dare to call themselves dreamers, and then try to realize their imagination. Musicians, designers, writers and artists of all creeds are encouraged to participate. The East Side Gallery of Berlin is the chosen backdrop for the prodigious project. The first DREAM photoshoot occured in Brooklyn, NY, in April of 2008, followed by the second in Mexico City in August of 2009. Berlin is to be the third city, and after all five cities have been photographed, the final DREAM photos will be shown to the world.  For information on how to participate and attend the wrap party in Berlin click here.  

FASHION: Ellen Allien Ellen Allien is one of the most sought after and respected DJs in the world, but she proves her talents go way beyond minimal beats with her fashion line. Allien became interested in design long before she was the queen of nightclub turntables, and began studying to be a designer at the age of 18. She found the technical work of making clothing tedious and stifling for her creative disposition, and soon moved on to music - luckily for techno lovers. After her astonishing global success with electronic music, she found herself in a position to once again return to one of her earliest passions -- fashion -- this time without being forced to labor over the more mundane tasks. Allien designs Winter and Summer collections, which she cuts to her own measurements and also models herself. She doesn't bother trying to stick to existing fashion rules, instead using her collections as a platform for autonomous self-expression. As she says on her website: 'clothing is as much culturally encoded as language. You create a certain grammar that enables you to express yourself playfully.'  

DESIGN: Public Spaces by BMW DesignworksUSA The future of global urban landscape settings is looking pretty sleek thanks to Metro40 Street Furniture. Furniture, lighting and other outdoor accessories have all taken on a futuristic and stylish twist with DesignworksUSA's latest collaboration with Landscape Forms, the top creator of seating amenities for communal sites in North America. The multidisciplinary work of BMW Group DesignworksUSA in all types of transportational fields, plus their ability to unite insightful engineers, the best sustainable equipment, and a broad-spectrum imagination leads to the dual benefits of environmentally friendly inventions and the enhancement of metropolitan culture. DesignworksUSA is a company dedicated to design across all genres, they even offer their employees the opportunity to take a figure-drawing classes on company time. Landscape Forms says their motto is to "Enrich Outdoor Spaces," while using recycled materials that are in turn themselves recyclable. A cooperation between these two companies results in an adapted and accessible design asthetic that turns urban space into a sculptural museum. 

BOOKS: David Byrne's Bicycle Diaries The world looks different from the perspective of a cyclist, used to discerning a panorama of cars and people as they flash by in the blink of an eye, or traffic light. David Byrne's new book Bicycle Diaries chronicles the experiences, observations and impressions of traversing different cities around the globe by bike. Since the 1980's, Byrne's foldable bike has been a constant travel companion - accompanying him on his music tours from Sydney to Istanbul to San Fransisco and back again to his main residence, New York City. Byrne shares powerful and scattered experiences from his unique journey: what he encounters, what he feels, what he thinks.  These impressions outline the adventurous life of a very interesting personality. Byrne shares his thoughts on topics like the political history of Berlin in the Stasi Museum, urban planning and landscape in NYC and Detroit, and the nuances of society in Buenos Aires. The former Talking Heads member branches out into a different kind of art with this book, inviting readers to grab a helmet and join him on his ruminative journey. Look to catch David touring North America next month along with a civic leader, an urban theorist, and a bicycle advocate to experience his adventure firsthand.

DESIGN: Introducing Hanging Gardens The world hasn't been turned upside down, only some members of the vegetable kingdom are now inverted. Certainly plants hanging from the ceiling are nothing new, but have you ever heard of plants hanging upside down from the ceiling? Well now you have. Leaky plants dripping water onto your furniture are no longer a concern with Boskke's Sky Planter, which even purifies your air. Designed by New Zealander Patrick Morris of Boskke, the Sky Planters use as much as 80% less water than normal plants, and only need to be watered once or twice per month. Great if you are often forgetful of your green buddies. A disc inside the pot ensures that your plants stay securely fastened upside down, so you don't have to fear the catastrophe of falling dirt clumps. An internal reservoir streams water to the soil and roots and ensures the water doesn't evaporate. A clever innovation like the Sky Planter never goes unnoticed - it won the elite UK New Designers ceramic design award. Although the Sky Planter doesn't come cheap - it will put you out between $75 and $195 - it certainly saves a lot of hassle and water, not to mention floor space. 

Spread the word. Share the article with your people, too.

 

 

seperate multiple email addresses with a comma

 

Optional Message

 

Send