Random: New Art

'Times of Need' - Ruben Ireland

I was immediately drawn to this art print by London based graphic artist, Ruben Ireland.  I have this memory from when I was very young, about 3 or 4 years old, when my family lived in a fairly small apartment building.  I remember the building looking dim, worn down, and old.  (In reality, the apartment building was situated in a charming middle-income neighborhood and the building was fairly new.)  As a child walking up the dimly lit stairs to our third floor apartment in the evening, I have this stark memory of feeling as if a large bear was following behind me, his shadow growing larger as I kept walking ahead.  Of course, you realize obviously, that this was merely my own shadow that I saw in front of me, with the light source coming from behind me.  But in the imaginatively abundant mind of a 4 year old, the shadow might as well have been an 8-ft. tall grizzly bear.  

Seeing this art print brought this memory back to me, so keenly yet subtly.

Another print I also really liked from Ruben Ireland's prints: 

'Times of Weakness' - Ruben Ireland

I like especially how her eyes are veiled by a dark sheet, but it's not totally obvious what the 'veil' is actually.

On the Side

I adore women's fashion, and a beautifully designed dress will make my knees weak.  Menswear however, is an art that has more precision and structure, which I actually find very comforting.  For many women, I think it's fair to say that she would prefer and enjoy the company of a well-dressed man.  (Putting aside well-dressed women for the moment), a man wearing a shirt tailored to his body, a pair of sturdy leather lace-up dress shoes, and throw in every attention to detail from cufflinks to the perfect tie -- the well-dressed man makes a great statement at first glance, even before he opens his mouth or shakes your hand.

As I'm sure future posts will pursue this topic further, allow me to introduce it with a series of short films:  Commissioned for The Sunday Times Style Online,  Chris Floyd presents well-dressed men and their approach to the daily ritual of dressing.  

This one is my personal favorite -- 

Hurts: How I Get Dressed from Chris Floyd on Vimeo.

A different look -- 

Patrick Grant: How I Get Dressed from Chris Floyd on Vimeo.

Go get em' tiger. 

Get Away

So you want to get away from it all.  I know I do.  From daily chores, to larger personal problems, we all can use a break from our busy modern lives.  As a kid, I remember wanting a tree house so badly--I never got one. But to this day, it seems like a great idea even as an adult!  There's a surrealism about one: virtually living in mid-air, and two: being surrounded by open air and trees instead of buildings and cars.

I stumbled upon Finca Bellavista, a sustainable tree house community in Costa Rica which includes rental and sale properties.  For about $200USD a night (double occupancy! Bring a friend to split the tab if needed), you can stay at one of these rental tree houses!  Hassle-free, pollution-free, and away from it all.

Such a refreshing idea, and conveniently executed.  

All good things must come to an end, as we must resume our urban lives. As much as some may complain about the constraints and downfalls of urban living, I confess there are more than enough things to enjoy in our urban centers.  Case in point:  magnificent architecture and design.  Uzbekistan -- an unlikely city to enter the minds of social icons when they need an event space!  But the newly constructed Palace of International Forums in Uzbekistan definitely makes a statement.  It was a collaborative project, involving for than 500 designers and architects.  The expansive architectural beauty will accommodate political, cultural, and various other high profile functions.  

From Central Asia to South America -- happy travels.