TURNTABLE LAB

5 Films About Christo & Jeanne-Claude 3DVD Box Set

Remember a few years back when everyone was freaking out over the artists that constructed thousands of fabric-covered "gates" in Central Park? Those artists were Christo & Jeanne-Claude, and this exhaustive 3DVD box set from Plexifilm documents the first 20 years of the married couple's career (1974-1995), featuring even more impressive exploits, all seen through the keen lens of the Maysles Brothers (Gimme Shelter, Grey Gardens). The pair are "environmental artists" who take on massive scale art projects (almost always involving nature and fabric) which they finance themselves and leave standing for only a short time - you've really got to see these things to get the full impact of what these people do. Disc 1 starts with Christo's 1974 draping of a massive orange curtain between two mountains in Colorado ("Christo's Valley Curtain"), as well as their 1978 effort to build a 24 mile long / 18 foot high fence of white fabric across the hills of Northern California ("Running Fence"). Disc 2 features Christo & Jeanne-Claude's 1986 attempt to surround eleven islands in Biscayne Bay with 6.5 million square feet of bright pink fabric ("Islands") as well as "Christo In Paris," where, in 1990, they wrapped the Pont Neuf bridge over the Seine in Paris. Disc 3 features "Umbrellas" - you've just gotta see that one for yourself. Not only are the couple's stunts impressive, but these films are extremely well made and Plexifilm has put a great package together here with bonus interviews, audio commentaries, a full-color slipcase and (best of all) an 82-page booklet with amazing exclusive photos, essays and project histories. Recommended.
reviewed by Larri Byrd

file under:
dvds - art + comedy + other

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Also Known As, Vol.1.5

Y'all know the deal with Also Known As by now, 12oz. Prophet crew's top notch graf zine of the moment. Volume 1.5 is like a miniature version (6" x 6.5") of the original edition, complete with the super-deluxe printing techniques, high-quality photography and all the extras (this time for a fraction of the price). Expect only the best shots from the biggest names in the game - Futura, Kaws, Reas, Barry McGee plus some of NYC's lesser-known bombers on the rise. If you've never seen out the first volume, you must check this out, if anything just to see the insane print techniques used on every page. Comes packaged in a sealed silver baggy with bonus stickers. 100 pages deep.

reviewed by the mgmnt

file under:
graf books

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Barry McGee
Things Are Getting Better Book

Great collection of work from SF grafitti legend turned gallery star Barry McGee. This book was published for his Things Are Getting Better Exhibit at the Museum Het Domein Sittard in the Netherlands and features plenty of his paintings, drawings, and photos. Not a lot of his early graf work as TWIST in here, but more of his later gallery work like his infamous hobo characters, Q-bert style cube patterns, collabos with friends (Paper Rad's dog drawings are awesome and Os Gemeos graf letters are just sick) plus plenty of interesting (and random!) personal photos. I actually got a chance to catch his huge show over at Deitch Projects a few years ago and was lucky enough to see the fine details of his work in person, but for those who can't catch a show, the bright color photos in this book are pretty damn good too. Softcover edition.
reviewed by snackmaster

file under:
all / art + design books

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BNN
Free Style Scraps: Frame/Line Book/CD

These BNN Scrap books from Japan are an excellent resource for both professional and amateur designers. Compared to other vector art collections, this series is generally of much higher quality, showcasing a clean, modern, very useful style. Each book displays the included art in a well-designed, organized manner (the books themselves could be design objects) and includes a CD with both EPS and JPEG formats. This volume focuses on frames and lines and covers over a 155 pages of different styles that range from extremely detailed to simple and everything in between. The possibilities are truly endless. Recommended.
reviewed by C'mish

file under:
lab recommended / designer resources / all

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BNN
Petit Patterns: Simple & Natural Book/CD

These BNN Petit Pattern books from Japan are an essential resource for graphic designers, pattern makers, anyone else visually obsessive. Each book is filled with high quality prints of each pattern, a cd with EPS(Illustrator) and JPEG(Photoshop) files that can be manipulated, and instructions for use in the field. This book focuses on simple, natural patterns and covers over a 155 pages of different styles that range from subtle to brilliant, and everything in between. The possibilities are truly endless. Recommended.
reviewed by Cmish

file under:
lab recommended / designer resources / all

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Field Notes
Graph Paper Memo Book (3 Pack)

old school pocket-sized notebooks

These could be straight out of a Wes Anderson flick. The perfect pocket notebook for jotting down ideas, memories, plots etc.

- 3 pack
- 48 pages of graph paper
- 3.5" x 5.5"
- staple bound
reviewed by the mgmnt

file under:
various objects

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Geoff McFetridge
Monster (Nieves) Dice

Monster Dice combines e15's typical European oak heartwood with the artwork by Geoff McFetridge using laser etching. McFetridge's drawing is an extract from the story of a boy who draws monsters that come to life and begin to draw themselves, created by the artist and his four year old daughter. Each of the six sides link interchangeably with one another, offering a multitude of interpretations of the story.

The shape and dimensions of Monster Dice come from the solid oak heartwood legs of the famous e15 stool -Backenzahn, understanding and dealing with the irretrievable problem of production waste disposal from a precious material like wood, a theme very close to McFetridge's own thinking. The manufacturing process preserves the distinctiveness of the wood with its individual grain, knotholes and cracks.

- Laser Etched Solid European Oak Heartwood
- 13.5 x 13.5 x 13.5 cm
- Edition of 200, 2007
reviewed by C'mish

file under:
various objects / all

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Idiom
Continuum 2.5L Jacket

Idiom's 2.5L is a light weather jacket, great as a rain jacket or windbreaker. As always, this one features super quality construction and materials. The outside kinda looks like graph paper too. Quoth John from customer service: "Maybe later you could draw some parabolas on it."

Fit: Standard
Fabric: Shell - 100% Recycled Polyester, Lining - 100% Polyurethane
reviewed by Hires

file under:
all / page 04

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Josef Muller-Brockmann
The Graphic Artist and His Problems Book

If chapter titles like "Sans Serif as the expression of our age" interest you, this book is for you (Zoltan!). No, for real, this is another phenomenal Josef Muller Brockmann book. Penned and compiled by Brockmann himself, it is a cross between his History of Visual Communication book and the monograph Pioneer of Swiss Graphic design. He organizes his work and notable works of others into categories, and then writes short design theories (ie Uniformity in Advertising), based on the groupings. He'll break for indepth analysis on certain categories including the very informative chapter entitled "Science and Visual Communication." The last chapter is an actual lesson from the master himself entitled "A Training System for the Graphic Designer." This book does double duty also as a classic Swiss visual look book with hundreds of images, layouts, logo examples, and more, all placed in Brockmann's impeccable grid design. 200 pages, 1 chapter in color. Recommended.
reviewed by mgmnt

file under:
all / graphic design books

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Mike Mills
Fireworks (Nieves) Zine

Mike Mills is huge in our world, but when we're gray-haired, him and all his crew will be Julian Schnabel huge. Better reason to pick up this Nieves zine of his fireworks drawings, a series which coincided with his use of anti-depressant drugs. 16 pages, full color with glossy cover.
reviewed by the mgmnt

file under:
art + design books / all mags / zines /

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Rhodia
Clic Bloc Mouse Pad

This Rhodia design marries the pencil and computer as it serves the dual purpose of office notepad and mousepad.

About Rhodia pads: The Rhodia graph pad is design perfection. The iconic orange pad has become the choice of designers, architects, and creative types because of its simplicity, functionality, and affordable price. Although its features will not jump out at you, users will profess their love for the perfect shade grid print (pale violet if you're keeping track) and its deceptive durability.

- 7.5" x 9"

reviewed by the mgmnt

file under:
rhodia graph pads

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Solitary Arts
Big Red Skateboard by Geoff McFetridge

Custom vintage-style skateboard designed by Geoff McFetridge. This thing is designed for cruising (or collecting) and features all 70s inspired parts: almond shaped deck, footprint griptape, big ole wheels, original Tracker Dart trucks, etc. Hidden bonus feature: the risers have a have a switch to shoot out a red light. Comes completely set up. Limited to 100 pieces, with only 50 available for retail.

deck measures: 27 3/4" x 7 3/4" (at the widest point)
Tracker Dart trucks
Drifters wheels (58mm, 87A)

reviewed by the mgmnt

file under:
all / skate hardware

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Willi Kunz
Typrography: Macro + Micro Book

This won numerous book design awards and even grabbed the honor as one of the "most beautiful Swiss books of 1998." Of course the content is just as crucial, as the master designer Kunz breaks down micro-aesthetic quality of letters, numbers, and punctuation; and the macro-aesthetics of typography and design elements working as a whole. Kunz provides examples from his own impressive body of work including the famous architectural posters he designed for Columbia. Visually, this book serves as a supreme piece of modern swiss design. 171 pages.
reviewed by the mgmnt

file under:
all / graphic design books

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