Sujata's Blog

Jen Stark

2008-10-30T12:35:00.000-07:00

I was speechless when I came across Jen Stark's hand-cut paper sculptures -- truly exceptional and very inspiring! I read that Stark draws her inspiration from fractals, wormholes, and MRI scans. Oh, and dead bodes. How bizarre.

I can't even imagine the patience and dedication that goes into her works. Mass Overflow (above) is simply created using felt-tip pen on paper. I really like her choice of vibrant colours to complete the organic shape.

http://www.jenstark.com/

Mesmerizing...

BBC Connect

2008-10-26T03:27:00.000-07:00

BBDO New York's very innovative campaign for BBC; "Connect with the World" using scenes from current news stories with actual cables. Who would generally look up and notice this advertising on buildings though?

Not just an ordinary tree...

2008-10-23T04:54:00.000-07:00

This is a tree in Africa at the Limpopo River. Have a closer look at the art - amazingly crafted.

Sleeping sucks

2008-10-20T04:59:00.001-07:00

This is a campaign for a nightlife guide. Innovative concept with a tagline that fits perfectly. The execution is amazing, with close attention to the tiniest details.

OM

2008-10-20T04:09:00.000-07:00

I found the intricacy of this piece of illustration amazing. A closer look:

Illustrated simply with ballpoint pens on paper..

http://www.86era.org/86.html

Let It Out

2008-10-19T04:38:00.000-07:00

I was doing some research on the YCN Kleenex brief, and came across their 'Let it Out' campaign which I thought was great. It allows customers to fully interact with the product whether they're happy or sad or simply just want to blow their nose.

Have a look and let it out:

http://www.kleenex.com/Let-It-Out/Experience-The-Release.aspx

Designers are Wankers

2008-10-18T09:33:00.001-07:00

I'm currently reading the book Designers are Wankers by Lee McCormack. He states:

"Don't be a wanker! Embrace what it means to be a professional designer. Making the transition from design student to successful creative often involves a lot of reassessment, adaptation and resignation -- just when you thought you'd cracked it and got that qualification, you realise that your actual education starts here..."

I completely agree. Who needs that qualification anyway? Surely, you learn more from experience/ on the job. Do you necessarily need 'that piece of paper' to get the job though? This brings me to my dissertation topic debate..

"One doesn't necessarily need a degree in design to be a successful graphic designer."

Agree or Disagree?

Steve Pavlina

2008-10-18T03:12:00.001-07:00

While researching for the Elmwood 'brand a family member' brief, I came across Steve Pavlina's blog where he talks about branding. He asked visitors to his website to jot down three adjectives they thought described him. After 2 days, he collected more than 3,000 adjectives from 1,101 responses!

I agree when he states that "branding is something that exists only in other people's minds." How can one brand themselves? Although they do say that the closet person to you, is you..

http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2008/02/steve-pavlina-branding/

Tracy Emin

2008-10-17T05:17:00.000-07:00

During our first seminar with Jim today, we were talking about artists with great names: Andy Warhol, David Hockey, Picasso, Tracy Emin. It was hard for us to think of artists with 'boring' names.

Although Tracy Emin is a well known English artist, I've never really studied her work or know much about her. Well, it's never too late..

Everyone I Have Ever Slept With 1963–1995

This is probably one of Emin's most iconic works. It is a tent with the names of literally everyone she had ever slept with. (Not necessarily in the sexual sense.) Owned by Charles Saatchi, it was destroyed in the 2004 Momart London warehouse fire. Emin has refused to recreate it.

My Bed

Another striking piece, this is an installation of Tracy Emin's own bed: unmade and ditry with used condoms and blood-stained underwear.

I find it amazing how a person becomes so well known after the most bizarre things. I guess it's all originality...

Melting Ice Cream Truck!

2008-10-16T14:43:00.000-07:00

Hot With A Chance Of A Late Storm is an artwork created by The Glue Society in 2006 for Sculpture By The Sea, an annual public art event featuring work from international artists that takes place on the walk between Bondi and Tamarama in Sydney. The Glue Society's sculpture won both the public and children's prize as well as international news coverage.

At my first glance of this, while flipping through Creative Review, I thought it was a copy of Dali's melting clocks...!

Bocage - Illustration

2008-10-14T09:44:00.000-07:00

This beautiful illustration advertises French Bocage shoes. Although the concept might suggest that the shoes are not durable enough to wear in the rain, it is overcome by the ad's layout and great art direction. It's all about keeping the small treasures from being damaged.

Graffiti, you've been framed

2008-10-10T04:20:00.000-07:00

I chose to explore graffiti as a topic for my one week brief - turn something negative into positive.

At your first glance of this, you would immediately think it's destruction of property:

...wouldn't you?

Well, what if the same thing was framed in a gallery and looked like this:

Alison Carmichael

2008-10-08T05:58:00.000-07:00

While researching for our one week brief, I came across Alison Carmichael: well known for her typography.

I thought this was a good example of negative to positive:

Although "The Great Stink" would be categorized as something negative, Carmichael's typography shows it off in a positive manner.

I also liked the way her typography interacts with the environment it's in:

http://www.alisoncarmichael.com/

Pizza or Pasta Hut?

2008-10-06T06:39:00.000-07:00

We had lunch at a 'Pizza Hut' over the weekend, and were confused with the whole 'Pasta Hut' scenario. I refused to believe that my favorite pizza restaurant was changing it's name, so I did what anyone in search for information would do: I googled it. There it read:

LONDON - Fifty-year-old restaurant chain Pizza Hut is temporarily changing its name to Pasta Hut in a radical £100m relaunch.

With the introduction of 8 new pasta dishes (but the same number of pizzas on the menu), Pizza Hut signs are currently being taken down in attempts to promote a new "healthy eating" image.

Pasta is not any healthier than pizza though, is it? It's all made of carbs. Although change is sometimes good, I think it will confuse the public. They will definitely have to do more than just a name change. It will be interesting to see how it all works out.

When you think of pizza, you immediately think of Pizza Hut..or maybe that's just me.

What if they just called it "The Hut"?

Paddington Bear tries Marmite

2008-10-03T10:16:00.000-07:00

I thought this television advertising campaign was cute when I first saw it, but I didn't really understand the relation between the famous Paddington Bear and Marmite until now; Paddington and Marmite are two great British institutions. Paddington, who for 49 years has kept an emergency marmalade sandwich in his little lunch box, decides he needs to try something different and swaps his trademark sandwich for a Marmite one!

I personally hate Marmite (it's true, you either love it or hate it..), but I thought it was very clever of DDB London to illustrate the concept in an innovative way, especially by breaking habits of the bear. Paddington is the most famous sandwich-eater around and has eaten marmalade sandwiches forever. If he can change his habit, so can anyone.

Michael Bond, creator of Paddington, disagrees however: "I have to report that although Paddington found the sandwich interesting, bears are creatures of habit. It would require a good deal more than the combined current withdrawals from Northern Rock to wean him off marmalade, if then."

Not only is the advert targeting children, but also encourage mums to buy Marmite for the family's sandwiches. I believe that anything that introduces a new audience to old classic should be supported. A marmalade loving, but Marmite hating individual would probably disagree.

David Carson

2008-10-02T13:09:00.000-07:00

During my dissertation research, I stumbled across David Carson, a successful graphic designer who graduated with a degree in sociology, NOT design. He was also a former professional surfer, ranking #9 in the world during his college days.

A tribute to other self-taught designers, Carson broke most of the rules of design and typography, as you can somewhat 'illegibly' read 'legibility' above. He experimented with overlapping and distorted fonts and intermixed these with striking photographic images.

WWF Campaign

2008-10-02T12:12:00.000-07:00

I have mixed feelings about this WWF campaign. I grasp the concept with the trees being the 'marks' of each animal (snake, leopard, and giraffe), but hasn't it been done before? I think the giraffe strips are a bit too forced as tree shadows don't extend that long. Similarly, tree settings like the one in the snake campaign just don't exist. The 'accidental' layout is just too 'perfect.' The leopard one is the most natural looking. What do you think?

The Times

2008-09-30T12:32:00.000-07:00

I've seen these Times ads around the underground several times, but I couldn't understand what they were trying to convey. The top one is of Barack Obama while the bottom one is a boy in swimming trunks.

Apparently this new campaign for The Times has been quite successful. The Times said:

"The purpose of the campaign has been to encourage readers to question and challenge, to think again about our times and to think again about The Times. The same rationale was behind the decision to drop the end line, Join The Debate. The paper wants its readers to make up their own minds about what the paper means to them."

The same day this campaign was revealed however, so were ads by The Times competitor: The Independent.

Using exactly the same layout to counteract The Times' campaign, "Ahead Of The Times" was The Independent's tag line. The Independent said:

"The Independent has always had a reputation for innovation and quick thinking and these adverts are another example of that."

The fight for better/ quicker advertising..!

Art on the Underground

2008-09-22T04:25:00.000-07:00

I spent the weekend in London, and every time I traveled by tube, I noticed one of these striking and thought- provoking messages. What are they all about??

Apparently artist, Anna Barriball, has selected a number of evocative phrases taken from the back of found photographs and printed them in London Underground’s classic New Johnston font as six black and white posters.

"The texts are designed to adopt the distinct identity of the network, presenting domestic messages that work in an interesting contrast to the operational environment of the Tube."

Vote for Obama!

2008-09-14T16:57:00.000-07:00

I was recently invited to attend the presidential inauguration in Washington D.C. in January 2009 as part of my participation with the Global Young Leader's Conference since high school. As a result of this, I've been religiously following the presidential elections and am greatly in favor for Democratic Barrack Obama - change is essential.

I thought these pins were a lighthearted, humorous way of showing loyal unity within the different people of America.

October 23rd, 2008:

Although change is what America needs, I don't believe they are ready for a 'black' leader, as disgraceful as that may sound.

I'm not sure whether I'll be able to attend the inauguration in January, but it'll be history in the making if Obama wins!

Reach

2008-09-02T04:46:00.000-07:00

I think this concept is great. Everyone gets chicken, beef, and pork stuck in their teeth after a meal (unless they're a vegetarian..) -- reach for it! Notice how the animals (made out of clay material?) form teeth.

Trash

2008-09-01T16:49:00.000-07:00

Grey Amsterdam's use of media here is so viable.

Advertising for the Keep Holland Clean Foundation, the tag line reads:

Don't turn the bus into a garbage truck.
It's just as easy to throw your trash in the waste bin.

So true. We always take garbage men for granted, when sometimes it just doesn't hurt to pick up after yourself. I wonder if there is any work to support this idea on the inside of the bus?

Intricacy

2008-08-21T17:12:00.000-07:00

Boredom over the summer which, although incomplete, is actually turning out to be an interesting piece of art. The things that flow through your mind from pen to paper...

Harvey Nichols Sale

2008-08-15T11:07:00.000-07:00

Browsing through the August issue of Creative Review, I came across these Harvey Nichols Sale ads, which I thought were great. DDB London always seems to create unique campaigns for this sale. These posters feature vultures pouncing on the hot sale items. This is further emphasized by the dominant black and red colour contrast.

2008 Olympics

2008-08-12T15:39:00.000-07:00

These photographs of the Opening Ceremony for the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics are incredible. Notice how in sync all the performers are; symmetrical/ geometrical pieces of art. It was nearly a 4-hour performance.

Percussionists hit their Fou drums at the start of the opening ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games in Beijing on August 8, 2008. (AFP PHOTO / Joe Klamar)

Drummers perform during the Opening Ceremony.

(Adam Pretty/Getty Images)

Artists perform during the Opening Ceremony for the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics. (Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)

Havaiana Mat

2008-08-02T11:49:00.000-07:00

BBDO New York strikes again! Another very clever piece of ambient media: a mat. The perfect welcome home piece with a fun touch.

Get some nuts!

2008-07-29T08:02:00.000-07:00

I just came across this ad on youtube and I love it!

"You're a disgrace to the Man race! It’s time to run like a real man!"

Apparently this AMVBBDO ad was taken off air after accusations that it is ‘homophobic.' I think it's absolutely hilarious.

The Basilica of the Sacré Cœur vs. The Taj Mahal

2008-07-21T09:20:00.000-07:00

I was in Paris this weekend and spent the afternoon at Montmartre. The Basilica of the Sacré Cœur immediately reminded me of the Taj Mahal; perhaps a French version? Notice the overall resemblance: white marble, domes, symmetry. The Taj Mahal was constructed in the 17th century while the Basilica of the Sacré Cœur was built two centuries later. I'm sure there wasn't any sort of historical/ architectural influence between the two, but I found it rather interesting how the two monuments look so alike.

Eiffel Tower

2008-07-21T06:43:00.000-07:00

We also visited the Eiffel Tower - France's global icon. Lit blue in the evening with yellow stars (representing the European Union) - It was spectacular! The symmetric like shape amazed me the most. Apparently the tower's shape was determined by mathematical calculation involving wind resistance.

Psycho Buildings Made by Artists Gone Wild

2008-07-21T05:35:00.000-07:00

Over the summer I visited the Psycho Buildings exhibition at the Hayward Gallery in London. Ten artists from around the world designed architectural environments to transform Hayward’s exterior and interior in celebration of the gallery’s 40th anniversary. Truly fascinating. Three of my favorites:

Normally, Proceeding and Unrestricted With Without Title

Installation by Austrian art collective Gelitin. You can go rowing on Hayward’s roof in an odd wooden boats floating in 4 feet of water. The water is the same level as the existing wall so it looks as though you can paddle right off the edge (although you won’t!) while viewing London’s beautiful view.

Village

Installation by Rachel Whiteread. Made up of 250 eerie doll houses, each illuminated by a single light bulb, shown in Britain for the first time. Feels like you’re in some sort of spooky fantasyland.

Fallen Star

Installation by Do Ho Suh. Inspired by The Wizard of Oz, this is a house crash of the artist’s Korean childhood traditional home in Seoul into the 4-storey New York apartment building. The interior is unreal, with over 2,000 miniaturized components! The attention to detail is incredibly lifelike – from furniture to cereal boxes, clothes and novels, FedEx boxes on the hall table and scattered dollar bills on the floor.

Doritos Tribe

2008-06-21T16:55:00.000-07:00

Doritos is my favorite snack. This commercial is priceless.

V&A logo

2008-06-18T04:12:00.000-07:00

V&A logo: simple, yet powerful. I really like the way how the serif of the '&' completes the A.

China Design Now

2008-06-18T03:30:00.000-07:00

While interning with Ink Publishing, we took the afternoon off last Friday to visit the China Design Now exhibition at the V&A. I've never been to the V&A before - it was massive and filled with such enriching pieces of art. The exhibition we visited was interesting as well. It presents "a critical survey of the development of design culture in post-reform China" and explores it throughout various forms of media: graphic design, youth cultures, architecture and urban planning, designing for sustainability, and much more. China Design Now was divided into three areas: Shenzhen, 'Frontier City', Shanghai, 'Dream City', and Beijing, 'Future City.' A few striking pieces:

Han Jiaying, Mei (Beauty) , poster for Frontier magazine, 1997

Maleonn, Days on the Cotton Candy #4, photography series, 2006

Herzog & de Meuron, National Stadium – the Main Stadium for the 2008 Olympic Games Beijing, China, completion 2008. (Photograph by Iwan Baan, May 2007)

It was fascinating to get a glimpse of how China's new design culture began, how it's developing, and above all, where it is going.

Havaiana Flowerbed

2008-06-16T16:32:00.000-07:00

This is wicked. I think BBDO New York has not only done a fantastic job in making this a memorable piece of ambient media, but it also implies that you won't have smelly feet wearing Havaianas :)

FOOD

2008-04-16T15:24:00.000-07:00

How fantastic are these food reference photographs?

The ocean made out of salmon;

Soup bowls made of tomatoes; lasagna curtains.

Mountainous loafs of bread!

Can't miss the broccoli trees; fruity hot air balloons;

Or pepper trees and shades.

We came across this while looking for inspiration for the Videocon refrigerators pitch. (see April: Advertising or Personal Work)

How was this photographed? Some of the proportions are not right, so maybe it was photographed in sections and put together? Nevertheless, amazing art direction.

Longer Lasting Freshness

2008-04-14T17:18:00.000-07:00

A project I began working on during my last month at O&M. It wasn't a brief, but something we could have possibly pitched to Videocon to advertise their refrigerators. The concept: pick famous, long-lasting monuments and re-create them out of fresh things kept in the fridge.

These prints were put together from hundreds of fruit and cheese stock images. I think the fruit Leaning Tower of Pisa works better than the Stone Hedge. I say this simply because not all the cheese used to make up the Stone Hedge needs to necessarily be put in the fridge, and not all cheese is necessarily fresh.

I know I need to work on the tag line because it sounds very similar to that of Juicy Fruit chewing gum, or perhaps even is? I also need to think of other monuments and fridge items. Any ideas?

It would be an interesting challenge to attempt to shoot this by cutting the fruits and cheeses in the exact shapes/ placement/ lighting...

Sunlight Pitch

2008-04-10T13:19:00.000-07:00

A pitch I came up with for Sunlight - an Indian washing detergent. Visualized in less than 24 hours (hence the stock images and pixals.)

The concept: "fighting" over the bright coloured piece of clothing because now, Everyone will want to wear color.

Problem: Sunlight is quite a happy brand..so if the pitch is approved, people will have to be quarreling in positive way:)

ezi logo

2008-04-03T09:40:00.000-07:00

Work at O&M, Mumbai. One of our briefs was to design logos for our client, Videocon. The task was to basically re-brand product categories such as microwaves, televisions, refrigerators, and air-conditioning. 'eZi' was one of the words we were asked to design logos for.

Both 'ezi' logos have a simple, clean form, reflective of the simplicity of Videocon's appliances. The red in 'cook' stands for heat and purity, the central feature of Videocon's range of microwave ovens. The blue of 'chill' brings to mind cool, calm comfort, the ideal descriptors of Videocon's air conditioners. Lastly, the green in 'fresh' is reconized the worldover as the color of freshness and nature in Videocon's refrigerators.

The same colour representations go for the other logo on the right as well, but the concept is different and perhaps, stronger. The logo is made up of building blocks that say so much about the appliance; building blocks are the simplest visual element representative of learning the basics.

Run Free

2008-04-01T17:48:00.000-07:00

One of my co-workers at O&M showed me these Nike 'Run Free' ads today after noticing my interest in vectors and particular attention to detail and form. Created by JWT, Shanghai, even though the idea might be considered weak, I think the art direction is fantastic. The depth and freedom of the 'Run Free' idea is greatly portrayed. I like the style of the black and white design in particular.

A flower's backbone

2008-03-15T13:20:00.000-07:00

Additions to my collection of experimenting with vectors on Illustrator. It might even work for wrapping paper or wall paper. I plan to work with snowflakes next..

BBC three

2008-03-05T13:38:00.000-08:00

I agree with Bruno Maag in stating that BBC's three logo does not match it's identity and that of the other BBC channels. I'm not sure if pink is the right colour, immediately portraying a 'girly' tone of voice? Quite similar to the Barbie logo, in fact. What about a unisex colour like orange, perhaps? Although the channel's target market is that of a younger audience, the typeface seems to 'bubbley' for that of a BBC identity. Although this is the case, I do credit BBC for experimenting and being difference, I suppose.

(Creative Review, March 2008)

Spring!

2008-03-05T03:23:00.000-08:00

Although the concept of these Timex advertisments is not very strong, I really liked the intricate design patterns and use of space. They simply seem to be advertising their Spring Collection with butterfies and flower shapes. Spring is usually a cheerful time of year, but these colours don't seem to portray that (although they do blend quite nicely.) Maybe the use of brighter colour would make the ads more appealing.

These ads inspired 'A Flower's Backbone.' (see Personal Work, Intricacy)

Playing with Illustrator

2008-02-26T04:33:00.000-08:00

Just experimenting with vectors on Illustrator. Reminded me of the Australian Aboriginal art -- well, a black and white version. What should I do with it when it's complete (if I ever complete it..) ?

Gaudí

2008-02-23T05:15:00.000-08:00

Barcelona - one of my favorite cities. Mosaic work - my favorite type of craft, Gaudí's work in particular.

My own mosaic table inspired by Gaudí, created during IB Art:

Mac Book Air

2008-02-22T03:26:00.000-08:00

Although the execution of this ambient media piece is not of the highest standards, the concept is great and works well as an airplane tray table. Passengers will obviously take precaution, with their immediate reaction thinking it's the fragile MacBook Air.

The Art of Looking Sideways

2008-01-30T16:40:00.000-08:00

I love this book! I never get bored when I flip through it as I always come across something new that makes me ponder. It's the perfect guide to visual awareness and inspiration filled with bizarre quotes, facts, and visuals. Definitely a must buy!

One of my favorite quotes:

"I like work -
it fascinates me -
I can sit and look
at it for hours.'

- Jerome K. Jerome

Ogilvy & Mather - Mumbai, India

2008-01-23T17:01:00.000-08:00

I have just started my internship at Ogilvy & Mather and have the privilege of working under Sumanto Chattopadhyay, the group creative director of O&M Mumbai and creative director of the company's Kolkata unit. Infamous Sumo and his team have won many award winning advertisements, and I look forward to being a part of such a successful group.

Annie Phillips

2007-10-16T13:51:00.000-07:00

Annie Phillips presented her work at MCM over lunch break the other day. She is a Batik Artist. What is Batik, you ask? Well, "Batik is a wax and dye process on fabric that originated in Asia and Africa: it works on the principle that wax resists colour."

Phillips' images are composed of a range of colours - from dull to bright and funky! I love how they are all so unique and versatile. They can be used as wall hangings and even as rugs! She caters to individual clients as well as designers and architects, for both domestic and commercial projects. Her pieces of art show particularly well in bright, light, contemporary spaces, she says. Locations like clubs, offices, hotels, restaurants, and even your bedroom could make use of this Batik art. I guess it depends on the interior of the room.

"Durex, it's all in the positioning"

2007-10-10T14:25:00.000-07:00

Elmwood has re-designed Durex's condom packs. Durex is the world brand all consumers trust. The new design attempts to move Durex to a brand focused on sexual wellbeing in addition to safe sex. The packaging no longer only promotes that 'masculine' feel, but more of a softer tone of voice, promoting a friendly brand identity.

Newspaper Hat

2007-09-09T08:56:00.000-07:00

While touring around London, we also went to visit the Buckingham Palace where we witnessed the famous changing of the guards event. I couldn’t exactly see much because of the massive crowds of people (and because I’m short) but I did spot this newspaper hat, which I thought was quite creative and cute  It was an extremely hot day, and I’m sure that newspaper designed hat protected that man’s head.

D&AD New Blood

2007-09-09T08:38:00.000-07:00

I forgot to mention my visit to the D&AD Blood Exhibition! I went to visit it around the beginning of summer (the last week of June, if I remember correctly) at Old Billingsgate in London; was quite inspiring browsing around everything from advertising to illustration to packaging, etc. Looking around graduates’ work gave me a taste of what I would be doing/ what like to do in a couple of years, after my year out in industry.

I was a bit taken aback by this particular piece of work above (the top 3 images) because it closely resembled my own work (the bottom 3 images). I can’t remember the name of the student or which university he or she was from, but the brief was a D&AD one advertising Puma and its performance fashion. It seems like our concepts/ thinking were quite similar in terms of incorporating the vibrant Puma figures in the surrounding environment. While the other students’ figures were more stylish and placed around Leicister Square in London, I designed mine in such a way that they actively interacted with glass features of key buildings around the city.

It’s interesting how people have similar concepts, but portray them differently...

Namesake

2007-09-01T22:37:00.000-07:00

I’ve just completed reading the novel Namesake by author Jhumpa Lahiri; what a great book. (I watched the movie on the plane as well, but as they all say…movies are nothing compared to their books.) Although the story is primary about the struggles between first-generation Bengali immigrants to America, and their children, I would like to focus particularly on Gogol’s identity.

When their first son is born, Ashoke and Ashima decide to name him Gogol, a name of a person that was dear and life changing for Ashoke (hence the title Namesake.) Gogol would be his temporary name because his parents wanted to wait for a letter from their son’s grandmother in which she would reveal the official birth name she had chosen for her first grandchild. When Ashoke and Ashima discover that Gogol’s grandmother had passed away a few weeks later, and that the letter was probably lost in the post, they decide to change his official birth name name to Nikhil and keep Gogol as a pet name at home.

Gogol refuses to be called Nikhil at school and outside the house, as he was used to being called his nickname of Gogol while growing up. At a legal age, Gogol then decides to officially chance his name to Nikhil, a name he thought would probably work better in the society he lived in. This identity uncertainty shaped many aspects of Gogol’s life.

Indirectly related, this whole identity confusion made me think of the comprehension of identity in design. As we’ve learned, the design of a product should represent its identity and its values (both core and tonal.) The design should confidently live up to its essence and ‘name.’ This is then portrayed at the end of the novel, Namesake.

Dalí

2007-08-26T08:23:00.000-07:00

As I continued walking down, I came across this peculiar elephant- giraffe looking structure created by none other than the master himself, Salvador Dalí. I must say that out of all the artists I’ve studied, Dalí’s wild and twisted artwork seems to amaze me the most. He is, after all, the greatest surrealist of the twentieth century.

Street Entertainers

2007-08-26T08:16:00.000-07:00

Walking down the street, I was also entertained by, well..the street entertainers :) Similar to the entertainers at Convent Garden, I’ve always wondered how someone has the patience/ stamina to stand like a statue all day. Like this grey man for example; he stood so still that the pigeon must of thought he was actually a statue and stood on his head. I guess it’s an easy way of making money off gullible tourists, like myself, who want to see what happens when they move.

Southbank

2007-08-26T08:13:00.000-07:00

On the same day, I also walked down Southbank. I thought the way in which this billboard advertised the Thames was neat in terms of the concept and its typography (although relatively hard to read.) It reads (from left to rightish) – London Aquarium, Vinopolis, Tate Modern, Royal National Theatre, Mayor’s Thames Festival, British Airways London Eye, Skylon at the South Bank Centre, Tamesa Restaurant, and BRI South Bank – all the attractions around the area.

Global Cities

2007-08-26T08:07:00.000-07:00

The below post relates to an exhibition I went to visit at the Tate Modern back in London. The exhibition, entitled Global Cities, was displayed and raised the question: Can Cities Be Improved By Design?

“More than 50% of us now live in cities and, according to the United Nations, this number is set to rise to 75% by 2050. A century ago only 10% of the planet’s population lived in cities.”

It is vital that we understand the impact of this urban growth on people and the environment, as the links between architecture and society become both more complex and more fragile. How we – as architects and citizens, artists and policy- makers – choose to shape our cities, buildings and public spaces will determine how we respond to a range of problems. These include environmental challenges such as the escalating effects of climate change, as well as addressing the human rights, justice and dignity of the billions of people who are moving to cities in search of work and opportunity.

Global Cities encourages us to take account of the scale and pace of this change and consider its consequences on the way we live and the decisions we take. It examines the social and spatial conditions in ten large, dynamic cities spread across the globe: Cairo, Istanbul, Johannesburg, London, Los Angeles, Mexico City, Mumbai, San Paulo, Shanghai, and Tokyo. The exhibition explores these cities through five thematic lenses: size, speed, form, density, and diversity. In addition, it aims to raise awareness of issues such as sustainability, public space, and social inclusion, at the global and human scale. By exploring the resonances between our individual experiences of everyday life and our physical environment, Global Cities challenges us to think again about the connections between art, architecture and society at the heart of the contemporary city. The shape of our cities will determine the future of the planet.*

The three diagrams above show the partial layout of the cities of London, Mumbai, and Shanghai. The black spaces show the amount of area used in the city, while the white represents unoccupied space. Notice the stark different between the three cities; Mumbai very crowded, Shanghai the opposite, and London in between. If Venice were to be added to the above diagrams, I think it would compete with Mumbai, by the looks of the image from the previous post.

*introduction from the exhibition’s pamphlet.

View of Venice

2007-08-26T08:00:00.000-07:00

The view of the city of Venice from St. Mark’s Campanile: A collection of crowded orange roof tops with what seems like no sense of organization.

St. Mark’s Campanile

2007-08-26T07:52:00.000-07:00

While standing in the queue to go up to St. Mark’s Campanile (the famous bell tower of St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice), this unique image hanging on the wall caught my eye. It’s black and white colours and sense of loneliness was most intriguing. The double arch reflections in the puddles of water seem to be slightly unrealistic until one realizes that that the building has two sets of arches, one above the other.

Streets

2007-08-24T08:18:00.000-07:00

While holidaying in Austria, we drove down to Venice for the today – what a remarkable city. Walking down the streets of Salzburg in Austria compared to those of Venice were two unique paths…obviously because they’re both different cities, but comparing the architecture (cracked walls of the buildings in Venice; brightly painted walls of those in Salzburg), the ambiance (Venice seemed to be a hot tourist spot while Salzburg seemed quite quiet), and just the weather in general was an interesting contrast being two European cities.

Ceilings of Salzburg Cathedral

2007-08-24T08:14:00.000-07:00

I immediately noticed the symmetry in these ceilings of the Salzburg Cathedral in Austria. The intricacy and powerful structures of the ceiling on the left amazed me. Similarly, the depth of ceiling on the right was quite mesmerizing as well. This cathedral dates back to centuries ago and because this is so, it made me conclude that most of the designing is done by hand…or am I wrong?

Mountains of Austria

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Art = nature’s beauty; nature’s beauty = art. Austria’s mountain range; a beautiful site. The colours faded with distance, but their depth was just as intoxicating.

Floor Pattern

2007-08-24T08:03:00.000-07:00

This floor pattern walked upon in Cairns, Australia reminded me of Escher’s style of art – patterns of colour and repetition.

Australian Art

2007-08-20T06:16:00.000-07:00

While in Australia, we also came across the indigenous Australian art produced by Aboriginal Australians. Their contemporary style is based on traditional culture with the use of vibrant colours, abstract regional animals, and a central motif surrounded by intricate patterns (mainly using dots).

Shadows

2007-08-16T10:54:00.000-07:00

So I know I was meant to start this GLOG a few months ago, and I know I’m off on a bad start, and I know my excuses don’t matter, but I’ve captured the design moments of my summer journeys so far which I’d like to share from this day onwards…

Shadows have always fascinated me. Their shapes and sizes in relation to what one would think to be the focal part of an image, actually capture the viewer’s attention first. Well, me being the viewer in these two cases at least…

I went to Australia in June 2007 to attend a Global Young Leader’s Summit (GYLS), in which students around the globe are invited to participate and voice their opinion on world issues as young leaders of today’s world. The photograph on the left was taken on the steps leading up to Sydney’s Opera House (one of the spots we visited during our free time). I thought it was quite interesting how our silhouette figures were put together, yet broken apart while we climbed down the stairs.

Notice the relation between the direction/ blockage of the light and the shadow distortions in the picture on the right as well. While holidaying in Austria the following month, my siblings and I are seen playing with our shadows on the pavement.