This week Things makes you look dapper, schools you in geography and shows of some grads
This week our studio was reveling in the intense heat of London’s week of summer – at last! – stocking up on Mars ice-cream bars by the dozen and sunning ourselves wherever possible. And yes, also giving out yards (Irish expression!) about transport disruptions that sunshine that the holiday smell of sunscreen made only mildly more bearable. We also had our Grads 2012 event, which was very exciting and filled with brilliant work and a fantastic mix of all sorts of talented people. In the meantime, we’ve received a massive variety of tremendous Things – five of which we showcase here in all their vibrant, fun-loving, map-addled glory. Enjoy!
It’s Nice That/INT Works: Graduate Publication
It’s Nice That/INT Works: Graduate Publication
It’s Nice That/INT Works: Graduate Publication
It’s Nice That/INT Works: Graduate Publication
Yes yes, we know that’s us. But look – it’s so full of such wonderful and varied work from our Graduates 2012 that we just couldn’t resist! From the beautifully vibrant pastel shades of Ellie Andrews and the colour block aesthetic of Joshua Checkley to the whip-smart microscopic airline food images of Signe Emma and the three-dimensional printing of Nick Blakeman, there’s definitely something for everyone. It’s also beautifully printed with images that pop out from the page with all the vim and vigour of their makers.
Zelt (Phil Seddon and David Adams): 28° 8’ N 86° 51 E
Zelt (Phil Seddon and David Adams): 28° 8’ N 86° 51 E
Zelt (Phil Seddon and David Adams): 28° 8’ N 86° 51 E
Zelt (Phil Seddon and David Adams): 28° 8’ N 86° 51 E
This little publication is the limited edition, handprinted artwork for the newest music release from Zelt, 28° 8’ N 86° 51 E. Silkscreen printed in cyan and white on GF Smith Colourplan board and newsprint, it unfolds to reveal a beautiful mountainous landscape, full of distant peaks and icy summits. The title of the piece in fact refers to Mount Everest, and both artwork and the recording – the result of many years of improvisation and layering on home equipment – deals with the variously successful and ill-fated attempts to reach the highest point on the planet. Zelt consists of collaborative duo Phil Seddon and David Adams, and they officially released the tracks – which can also be streamed from their website – last week.
Duval Timothy: Bow Tie
Duval Timothy: Bow Tie
Duval Timothy: Bow Tie
Duval Timothy: Bow Tie
I had to wear a tie all through school, but never a bow-tie. But I have always thought they were great. And Duval Timothy’s Bow Tie is super-great, because it’s handmade out of wool, is accompanied by beautiful “how-to-wear” illustrations, and comes in a bright red drawer-box that’s perfect for storage and also looks amazing – it’s like a staple bookshelf volume explaining how to be dapper in seconds.
Grilli Type Foundry: Postcards
Grilli Type Foundry: Postcards
Grilli Type Foundry: Postcards
Grilli Type Foundry: Postcards
Using old Swiss tourism imagery as inspiration, Grilli Type Foundry has produced a set of postcards, each with a letter integrated into the picture, that, together form the alphabet. “A” is the wiring of a cable car, “S” is swathed within a section of a ham hock, and “Z” emerges in the swirling smoke of a cigarette. Printed in oranges and blues, it’s very sophisticated with a wide-ranging selection of imagery, and finding the letters themselves is good fun. Very nice indeed.
Melissa Price: Topographic London
Melissa Price: Topographic London
Melissa Price: Topographic London
Melissa Price: Topographic London
As soon as I unfurled these works, I was instantly reminded of fifth-class geography, where we’d learn the mountains, coves, rivers, tributaries, bays, inlets, peninsulas, and various other Irish topographical features off by heart, assisted with the gusto of my enthusiastic teacher and her occasionally blanked out, test-your-knowledge maps. The mysterious histories of these names was imagination-sparking, and seemed to hark to a world where your awareness of the surrounding physical environment, along with its whims and natural resources, was much more important than whether or not a particular town had a Tesco.
Anyway, Melissa Price’s set of Topographic London posters are arresting, not just for their beauty and clarity of design, but because they reveal London as we don’t usually see it. As anyone who lives in London for any length of time will attest, maps are a must – at least in the first few weeks of getting used to how the city operates. But we’re talking tube maps and bus routes – sure, we notice hills and slopes if cycling or running, but we rarely give any thought at all to hidden streams or the physical roots of place-names like Maida Vale or Muswell Hill. Well, a look at these maps demonstrates an interesting take on things, and lends itself to imaginings of lost worlds of brooks, creeks, hills, vales and dales that are in fact very present. Screenprinted in metallic silver and blues (rivers) and greens (hills and valleys), these two posters bring you back to earth with a graphic bang.