The Uniform Project

While checking up on the progress of The Uniform Project – a year-long fundraiser for the Akanksha Foundation that is 80 days underway – I was impressed by the range of styles Sheena Matheiken is pulling off. With only one dress for 365 days, she's demonstrating how to get more mileage out of your clothing by styling it with layers, accessories, and a range of accoutrements.

There has been a lot of talk during the recent economic upheaval about how to refashion an old wardrobe, but the aim of this project is to raise funds for the education of children living in the slums of India. It also fits nicely within a framework  that promotes a more sustainable consciousness of the fabric and materials used in clothing today. Prolonging the lifespan of clothing is explored in depth in a great report by the University of Cambridge entitled Well Dressed. The report recommends a consumer change in mindset, some of which are reflected in The Uniform Project:

• Buy second-hand clothing and textiles where possible
• Buy fewer and more durable clothes
• Choose clothes and textile products made with the lowest energy and toxic emissions, and based on good information on labour standards
• Lease clothing that wouldn't otherwise reach the end of its natural life
• Wash clothes less often, at lower temperatures, use eco-detergents, hang-dry clothes and avoid ironing where possible
• Repair clothes where possible to extend their natural lives
• Dispose of garments through recycling businesses

Machine Dreams

Attended an awesome Crystal Castles concert last night at Melkweg, on day 4 of 5 Days Off. A brisk performance that ended too soon, but opened the night up for some great DJs. Halfway through the night, I wandered over to the Oude Zaal where I was introduced to the music of the Gent duo Nid and Sancy. Wonderfully vacuous lyrics and addictively danceable beats.

Keep Moving

(via Rebel Without a Cause)

Welcome to Advertising! Now Get Lost

This book by Omkar Sane is a satirical take on the advertising world, specifically the studio. Sane drifted through the industry in many different positions, from designer to copywriter, which enabled him to get a first-hand view of its idiosyncrasies, but not get entangled. I'll pretend none of his insights apply to any place I have ever worked!

"The Client Pledge: My brand is my livelihood. All Servicing are my slaves and all Creative just think they are over smart. I Love my Brand. I am proud of its rich and varied ambiguity. I shall always strive to be worthy of it and make everyone working on it feel like shit. I shall loathe and insult all those working on my account. Yes, the CD included. To my brand, my profession, and my Agency professionals I pledge my devotion."

"The Studio is the busiest, most efficient place in any Agency with hard working, simple men, working away meticulously, guided by a bored, lethargic or dead Art Director sitting behind them, 'directing' art."

"Winning a Client is like wooing a girl – you spend on her, impress her with flashy things she doesn’t understand, pamper her, meet her unreasonable demands, be on your toes at all times of the day (and night), and massage her ego before she becomes yours. And the process of winning a Client is called a Pitch."

The Client Pledge : My brand is my livelihood. All Servicing are my slaves and all Creative just think they are over smart. I Love my Brand. I am proud of its rich and varied ambiguity. I shall always strive to be worthy of it and make everyone working on it feel like shit. I shall loathe and insult all those working on my account. Yes, the CD included. To my brand, my profession, and my Agency professionals I pledge my devotion.

Books in Insadong

A few years ago, while living in Seoul, I spent many Sunday afternoons in Insadong, an artsy Korean neighborhood filled with teahouses, art boutiques, a green tea ice cream shop, and several book shops. This one was my favorite, filled to the brim with books stacked in every free space. Today, a rainy Sunday in Amsterdam, I'd like to be in Insadong and stroll the streets. I'd get a cup of plum tea then go to this book shop and run my fingers over the books to disturb the inevitable layer of fine dust.

Zoen Balloon

Yea! I received my Zoen Balloon shirt in the mail yesterday. I was happy to find this nice design as I wait for my Pedro Panda shirt to arrive from Bogota. It was the first sunny day in a while, so I wore it to the park to play badminton. Thanks to Sue Doeksen (and Miss Bierbaum for the tip)!

I Love You Too

Just watched Coffee and Cigarettes last night - finally! And enjoyed seeing this nice photo this morning as I drank my cup (via Something Changed, tiphereth, Rhys Isterix, dutyfreesins).

Not Such a Bad Kid

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35Y7tr3mBtQ&hl=en&fs=1&](via Kitsune Noir)

If you're the type that will shy away when you see a kid coming your way, especially on a YouTube video, fear not! This little girl is not what she appears to be.

Gegessen Wird Immer

Mistakenly stacked in my To Be Recycled pile was the May issue of Brand Eins, which had a captivating cover made by the Berlin-based artist Sarah Illenberger. Her work is fascinating and in a category far beyond detailed. The squirt of ketchup, the frays on the carrot stems, and the erratic curves of the chili pepper. Wonderful! She has done a lot of work related to food, but also much else. And always with the same meticulous approach.

Maya Deren in the Evening

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPi9i3gfSAM&hl=en&fs=1&] A relaxing evening with experimental film. While studying film history in my undergraduate days, one of the works that most impressed me was the short film 'Meshes of the Afternoon' by Maya Deren and Alexander Hammid. Created in 1943, it explores a repetitive, fractured narrative filled with symbolic images that invite a psychoanalytic reading. I love returning to it every so often, and thinking each time how the music by Teiji Ito is the perfect complement.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wiNyxt71RZs&hl=en&fs=1&]

The Book Seer

The London-based consultancy Apt created a lovely web app called The Book Seer, which recommends further reading based on a recently-completed book. It's simple really, pulling content from Amazon and LibraryThing to make recommendations. But it has that cozy feeling, like good old-fashioned word of mouth recommendations from a friend. In a time when targeted advertising makes consumers cringe and even personalized services are now greeted skeptically, these no-strings attached services are really attractive.

The Seer himself welcomes visitors with a few greetings, including 'Hail fellow', ' O Great Magician', 'Internets!' and 'Ambassador'. When I typed in 'The Elegance of the Hedgehog' (which I have not actually finished reading), it recommended the books listed in the above image. Interesting to see what they have in common (or not). For instance, both lists recommend books by Stieg Larsson, but none of the same titles. And only LibraryThing recommends another book by Barbery. Perhaps, without an accessible algorithm that has determined my behavior, preferences, and known languages, Amazon is hesitant to recommend a book in French. Ce n'est pas une surprise.

This Is Where We Live

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S12PaC3X0Gs&hl=en&fs=1&] Hmm, I don't think I can imagine a better world than a world of books. I'm quite enjoying the work by Apt Studio. This video was produced by them for the 25th anniversary of 4th Estate Publishers.

The Simon Façade

A building in Portland stopped me in my tracks last month and gave me a nice moment to think about my wonderful Dutch colleague, Simon, who was probably sleeping soundly on the other side of the world when I took that picture. Unlike this façade, he is more than just a pretty face.

Shiv Shiv Shake

Adam Gnade, lover of fine narrative and still lyricism, was a favorite early on. I was introduced to him back in the day when I was writing album reviews for San Diego Punk. Shiv Shiv Shake, his 2002 EP, was well worn by the time I lost it. From my journal of quotes (may not be completely accurate):

"And that was then and still they tell me I am not who I am. That I channel, that I lie, that I fake. But the cards are on the table, brothers. Castles are a pretty neurosis all in rows. Panic images killing words. A raw wire, a nerve, a pulse, a death rattle, then nothing. Life of love is a bullfight dear. 'Cheers!' jeers the crowd on Friday afternoon hot under the siesta via wood paneling. Santa Cruz, California. 'Ole!' or 'Madrid!' Tossing green watermelon rinds like Hemingway, failed broken matadors. But it's your destiny, now dance with it son. Sway with the blows. Take the arrows, dodge the slings, everyday can't be a Valentine's Day card."

-- Adam Gnade, Shiv Shiv Shake

Old Jewish Cemetery

Last week, a colleague lost all of the data on his phone, including a journal from his holiday in Curaçao, and it made me want to feel my non-digital journals in my hands. As I was flipping through, I came across this drawing, done on the train to Krakow, thinking of the Old Jewish Cemetery in Prague. Two girls, one camera, and over 12,000 tombstones.

Camera Japan

In anticipation of the Camera Japan festival, I was scanning the website for news of the upcoming program. Alas, no news yet, but there was an (admittedly old) announcement that their 2008 poster won a prize at the AdPrint Festival. Congratulations!

Cardigan Chic

I was so pleased to hear Bill Cunningham's recent On the Street audio slide show featuring the latest It item: the cardigan. As a staple in my wardrobe, it's great to hear I've been ahead of the fashion curve. Cunningham, the New York Time's candid photographer of street fashion, provides commentary that describes the evolution of the trend and its numerous manifestations. "It's right back to where Chanel started. She took women out of the Edwardian, overdressed like hothouse orchids, and put them into everyday weeds, as you might say...It's the modern woman stepping out of the decorative bondage of fashion and yet still looking attractive." Oh, and there's a nice jazzy intro for each of his reports.

Sand in the Eye

A friend I met while taking a stroll with my mom on the Oregon beach.

To Write a Letter

A recent New York Times article by Penelope Green looked at the continuing art of letter writing. On customized stationery, to be precise. The effort of writing a sincere letter of gratitude and sending it punctually conjures a bit of nostalgia. Like any one-sided act, this could be quite demoralizing when unrequited. Nevertheless, the beauty of the gesture remains.

"...what are still called 'social papers' are thriving, in spite of, or perhaps because of, the prevailing digital culture...Stationery aficionados say the cost is worth it: for the feel of the artisan's hand — cutting the die, sliding the tissue into the envelope, feeding the printing press — married to the effort of one's own hand"

Color Spectrum

The Munsell Hue Test post on Lost At E Minor piqued my interest, and I suspect many people in this era of self-diagnosis would be drawn to it as well. The test essentially rates your ability to distinguish fine differences in hue by giving you a sequence of squares to arrange in order of gradation from one color to another. After I completed the test, I thought my arrangement looked quite nice:

With a score of zero indicating perfection, I was back at 11 (!) flailing to discriminate between hues in the middle region. I needed some perspective.

So, I read the analysis. Apparently, there are people who have perfect hue detection, scoring zero. But then, what's this? Someone scored 1520?! Perhaps they moved one block then quit. An average score would be helpful, but I'm guess I'm happy with where I'm situated on the percentage (?) scale.