Trend Report Vol. VIII- December 2009

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Trend Report Vol. VIII- December 2009 December 09, 2009

What is digital graffiti? How can people live inside a shipping crate? Is it possible to play the guitar sideways? Why does everyone love owls all of a sudden? All your questions answered in Trend Report 8.

PAINTED VIDEO: SWEATSHOPPE

Just as technology metamorphosizes daily before our very eyes into things once thought unthinkable, so too has artwork that uses technology as one of its components reinvented itself into a stupefying new form: digital graffiti. For proof, look no farther than the multimedia project SWEATSHOPPE, the joint effort of Bruno Levy and Blake Shaw.

It combines guerrilla artwork with electronic music and technology in urban settings throughout NYC. Audiences can witness groundbreaking forms of art appear, or 'digitalize,' before their eyes on building walls as a masked man paints on moving screens that show vibrant and rhythmic colors and scenes. However don't just listen to our description - check out the videos for yourselves.

MUSIC: Ben Howard's percussive guitar

The first thing you will probably notice about singer/songwriter Ben Howard is his peculiar style of guitar playing. It's hard to miss: resting the instrument in his lap, his fingers flutter over the strings, sometimes plucking, sometimes slapping the wood like a drum. Add his fresh voice, and the result is a sound that's cool and deep like the ocean he loves to surf. He cites Joni Mitchell, Damien Rice and Jeff Buckley as influences, to give you a rough idea of where he's coming from.

Ben has been playing guitar and writing songs since he was just a kid in South Devon, England. Now, at 22, he's toured with Xavier Rudd, and was most recently seen with Brett Dennen, opening for the European dates of his current tour. For Ben Howard's tour dates and to hear some of his soulful tunes, hit up his MySpace.

Animal of the Week: Owl

In case you've been living in a hole in a tree, here's some news that might surprise you: owls are cool. So cool. Yes, we admit the owl jewelry fad may have peaked and descended into cheap knockoffs, tacky tchotchkes and bitter lawsuits (although this little guy is still pretty amazing)...but we predict the owl as icon will only fly on to new heights of coolness.

Because it's truly hard to imagine an animal more deserving of a little fifteen minutes in the spotlight than these stoic feathery oracles. Because their powerful talons and silent midnight glide make them the most elegant of hunters, all the while wearing a big round stare that pierces you to the core and makes you feel like they know your darkest secrets. Because their huge glowing eyes are completely stuck in their heads, and they have to actually turn their heads to look around them - ALL the way around! Owls can rotate their heads to look straight behind their own shoulders, with a total field of view of 270 degrees. Bang!

VACATION: Shipping crate vacation homes

The overabundance of shipping crates in North America, due to a disparate number of crates shipped from East to West and vice versa, has led to some visionary creations, like the Ecopod. When the congestion of urban life grows tiresome, it means it's time to take your Ecopod and head out into nature. Less of a hassle than camping, it allows you to bring all the modern city-dweller conveniences with you into Mother Nature's realm. It's like having a custom designed eco-friendly cabin at your disposal.

Ecopods are built from recycled materials and designed to leave only tiny 'ecological footprints.' An 80 watt solar panel makes power lines and cables superfluous. The Ecopod is so secure that it can be left alone in a choice location for months. Since it's made from steel, it is 100 % recyclable. The platform, shell and outer body of the Ecopod are made from 8'x20' steel from unused shipping crate containers. Post-consumer tire rubber composes the flooring, while the walls are insulated by a soy-based product.

RELATED LINKS:

SWEATSHOPPE

Ben Howard on MySpace

Brett Dennen

Ecopods