Art

Realistic Stacks of Old Newspapers, Cash, and Comic Books Carved from a Single Piece of Wood by Randall Rosenthal

The subject of Randall Rosenthal’s artwork at times seem inconsequential. Stacks of old newspapers and magazines, a comic book collection in a cardboard box, envelopes stuffed with various stacks of currency. And then you discover that you’re really looking at only two things: a single piece of Vermont white pine and skillfully applied acrylic paint. These are the only materials Rosenthal requires to mimic the look and feel of flimsy newsprint, worn trading cards, translucent pieces of tape and deteriorating cardboard boxes. What’s all the more amazing is that he doesn’t work from a photograph or model, but instead creates each object as he goes, using only an image in his mind as a guide.

After graduating from the Carnegie Institute of Technology in the late 1960s Rosenthal opened his first exhibition of surrealist paintings, a direction he pursued until the late 80s. His focus then shifted to architectural design and next into the realist sculptures he creates today. You can read more about his process and inspiration in this recent interview in rh+artmagazine.

See much more of Rosenthal’s work over at Bernarducci.Meisel.Gallery, and he’s been updating this message board thread at Sawmill Creek since 2011 to show some of his ongoing progress with different projects.

History

London in 1927 & 2013: A Shot-By-Shot Video Comparison of London, 86 Years Apart

In the mid-1920s cinema technician, filmmaker, and cinematographer Claude Friese-Greene traveled across the UK with a new color film camera to create his famous collection of films, The Open Road. The filmmaker’s trip culminated in London with scenes that captured the daily life of Londoners as well as several iconic cityscapes. The films were restored in 2005 by the BFI and circulated widely online.

Fast forward 86 years later. Starting early last year filmmaker Simon Smith, armed with his own camera, traversed the footsteps of Friese-Greene to make his own film. The result is uncanny. Smith matched the original films shot by shot, mimicking the timing and angle almost perfectly for nearly 6 minutes of footage. While the differences between London of 1926 and 2013 are easy to spot when viewing the films side-by-side, what’s more amazing are the similarities. While clothing styles and car designs changed a bit, it’s almost impossible to tell some of these shots apart if it weren’t for the quality of the film. Watch it and see. (via Stellar)

Art

Vintage Textiles Transformed Into Flora and Fauna by Self-Taught Artist Mr. Finch

The self-taught artist Mr. Finch is part hunter, part gatherer and fully genius. Obsessed with the rolling hills and mossy woods near his home in Yorkshire, Finch goes gathering for inspiration. “Flowers, insects and birds really fascinate me with their amazing life cycles and extraordinary nests and behaviour,” says the artist. He then goes hunting for vintage textiles—velvet curtains from an old hotel, a threadbare wedding dress or a vintage apron—and transforms them into all sorts of beasts and toadstools. The aged feel creates a sense of authenticity, or mystery; as if each piece has an incredible story to tell.

Mr. Finch works alone so all his work is limited. You can see all his creations and keep up with him on Facebook. (thnx, Kirsty!)

Food

The Sound of Taste: Slow-Motion Spice Bag Explosions Synchronized with Music

Just a few weeks ago we shared Sarah Schoenfeld’s visual interpretation of recreational drugs, and today we have a cinematic interpretation of taste courtesy of filmmaker Chris Cairns titled the Sound of Taste. Created as a commercial for Schwartz Flavour Shots, the slow-motion video pairs musician MJ Cole and pyrotechnician Paul Mann in a carefully orchestrated firework show of exploding spices, what they describe as a “sonic flavorscape.” You can learn more about how it came together and watch a behind-the-scenes clip over on PetaPixel.

Art Craft

Ceramic Sculptures by Brett Kern Look Like Inflatable Toys

Artist Brett Kern creates detailed ceramic objects that at first appear almost indistinguishable from inexpensive inflatable toys. Kern mimics the tell-tale wrinkles and forms of air-filled toys like dinosaurs, astronauts, balloons, and even whoopie cushions—all made from clay. You can see more work in his gallery.

 

Art Photography

Absurd Animated Portraits by Romain Laurent

As a way to temporarily break free from a routine of personal and commercial projects, photographer Romain Laurent (previously) challenged himself to create a looped animated portrait each week since last September. He says the bizarre and often laugh-out-loud experiments are a low-pressure way to experiment and be creative without expectations. “As far as the intention of the series, it’s a way for me to explore a hybrid medium, experiment and being spontaneous while still sticking to a short weekly deadline. There isn’t a common concept between each loop, I just ‘go with the flow’ and see what comes to my mind each week.” You can see many more loops from the series over on his Tumblr. (via Lustik)