Monthly Archives: January 2014

Post
Archive

Animation Music

Plastic Infinite: A 7″ Psychedelic Zoetropic Vinyl Record by Sculpture

Plastic Infinite is a 7″ animated picture disc by UK-based duo Sculpture made to accompany a new track by the same name. Created like a zoetrope, the disc animates when played under a strobe light or filmed at 25fps. Pick one up here. (via Vimeo Staff Picks)

Photography

Record Temperatures Freeze a Path to the Spectacular Lake Superior Ice Caves

Photo © Kelly Marquardt

For the first time since 2009 Lake Superior has frozen thick enough to safely permit access to the ice caves at the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore in northern Wisconsin. An estimated 1,000 people are arriving daily to trek out to the islands for a glimpse of frozen caves which are covered in a cascade of icicles formed from water runoff and waves that splashed against the caves before the surface solidified. If the weather holds out, officials estimate the caves could remain open for another month. A huge thanks to Kelly Marquardt, Andy Rathbun and the Wisconsin Department of National Resources for sharing photos of the caves. (thnx, Amy!)

Update: Journalist Andy Rathbun who provided many of the photos above, now has his own article about the ice caves over on the St. Paul Pioneer Press.

Photo © Kelly Marquardt

Photo © Andy Rathbun

Photo © Andy Rathbun

Photo © Andy Rathbun

Photo © Andy Rathbun

Photo © Andy Rathbun

Photo © Andy Rathbun

Photo © Barbara Alwes

Photo © Kelly Marquardt

Art Photography Science

Artistic Arrangements of Microscopic Algae Viewed Through a Microscope

Photograph of diatoms collected in Russia and arranged on a microscope slide in 1952 by A.L. Brigger.

Photograph of fossil diatoms collected in Pt. Reyes National Seashore in Marin County, California, and arranged on a microscope slide in 1968 by A.L. Brigger.

Black and white photograph of fossil radiolaria arranged on a slide by R.F. Behan. The slide label reads “Prize Medal Paris 1867 Polycystina; Springfield, Barbados.” The arrangement is approximately 3 millimeters in diameter.

Photograph of diatoms arranged on a microscope slide by W.M. Grant.

Photograph of diatoms arranged on a microscope slide by W.M. Grant.

Photograph of diatoms arranged in October 1974 on a microscope slide by R.I. Firth. The slide label reads “Selected species from Californian fossil marine localities. To Mrs. G Dallas Hanna with compliments.”

Photograph of Arachnoidiscus diatoms collected in the Bolinas Lagoon in Marin County, California and arranged on a microscope slide by R.F. Behan.

In a fascinating blend of art and science the California Academy of Sciences possesses a rare collection of microscopic diatom arrangements. Diatoms are a major group of algae that are among the smallest organisms on Earth, of which nearly 100,000 different species are estimated to exist. While there are numerous examples of diatoms that have been photographed for scientific study, these particular scientists hobbyists seem to have gone a different direction, instead turning these tiny unicellular lifeforms into mandala-like artworks. The tiny designs are all the more amazing when you consider most of them would fit on the head of a nail. You can see more examples right here. Photos by Sara Mansfield. (via Synaptic Stimuli)

Update: The California Academy of Sciences clarifies that these arrangements, despite being produced with scientific tools, are purely aesthetic, and were produced by hobbyists, not scientists.

Art

New Geometric Tape Art from Aakash Nihalani

Working with bold isometric forms created from bright neon tape, New York artist Aakash Nihalani (previously here and here) transforms outdoor spaces into playful installations. Of his work Nihalani shares:

For however briefly, I am trying to offer people a chance to step into a different New York than they are used to seeing, and in turn, momentarily escape from routine schedules and lives. We all need the opportunity to see the city more playfully, as a world dominated by the interplay of very basic color and shape. I try to create a new space within the existing space of our everyday world for people to enter freely , and unexpectedly ‘disconnect’ from their reality.

Seen here is a collection of his work from the last year or so. If you happen to be in Rome in April you can catch a solo show of new work at the Wunderkammern. (via Unurth)

Art

A Kinetic Sculpture Creates the Illusion of a Rotating Head

I’m digging this kinetic sculpture by Swiss artist Markus Raetz (previously) that creates the illusion of a rotating head using a series of silhouettes cut from metal panels. Most of Raetz’s work involves aspects of perception and illusion, more of which you can see here. (via Sploid)

Design

The Gap: A New Typographic Interpretation of Ira Glass’s Iconic Quote About the Creative Process

This beautiful visual accompaniment to Ira Glass’ iconic quote about the creative process was created by Daniel Sax after encountering a similar video by David Shiyang Liu that was shared extensively back in 2012. Great to see such a wonderful sound bite still inspiring people to make new stuff. (via Quipsologies)