I find this photo of Joey Ramone very moving. Joey was a misfit from Queens whose family wondered if he would ever lead a normal, productive life due to intense social maladjustment and a crippling case of OCD that he suffered with for most of his life. Of course, punk rock transformed him into a rock and roll superhero who used his social anxieties and comic book daydreams as fuel for some of the most exuberant, cathartic songs of his generation. This photo seems to capture that essence of the goofy misfit who achieves greatness. This photo is the most lovable thing since kittens.

Found this floating around the Intercheese. Artist(s) unknown.

Left: a ‘stela’ (stone slab bearing an inscription or design, often serving as a gravestone) near Stockholm, dated to the late Viking period (second half of A.D. 1000). This image depicts Thor, in a boat, wielding his magic hammer in battle against the cosmic serpent Midgard. Right: chalk drawing by Keith Haring, 1983.

These two images, made roughly a millennium apart, are almost identical in style. The simple line drawing (or engraving on the stela) and outlined figures are deceptively simple; the linework captures a great movement and vitality. Human figures are portrayed in a basic form that is iconic to our human language (think of the male/female icons on bathroom doors). However the style is distinctive; a friendly, expressive personality is expressed with a single line. In both cases, the bold, gyrating lines just seem to dance.

The first image was made by a badass Viking designer who was likely commemorating a fallen comrade with a gravestone depicting a God of thunder vanquishing a gruesome foe. The second was made by an eccentric New York City artist and Devo fan whose joyful subway drawings made him a pioneer in an 80′s street art movement. As much as those two people seem to differ in time, location, and lifestyle, their markmaking is remarkably similar. This reveals the common language of art and design, a shared heritage of visual storytelling. These two people both inherited a form of communication and expression which unites their work over a vast gulf of time and space.

I decided that I want to become the Joseph Campbell of graphic design. Campbell was a scholar of mythology who compared world cultures to reveal basic truths about human life. He was the man. But I also want to be the Jay-Z of design, so yeah. I’ll keep you posted.

Rap star Gucci Mane and his 'Odie Chain'

Whether he knows it or not, rapper Gucci Mane is the most amusing thing to happen to pop art since Jeff Koons. Gucci’s iced-out, outrageously expensive Odie chain (based on Garlfield’s sidekick) and Bart Simpson chain reveal the rapper’s talent for merging lowbrow pop-culture imagery with diamond-studded luxury. Coming from a dude who’s got a fashion brand name in his stage name, these ostentatious-yet-childish status symbols are pure Pop.

On a technical note, Marcin’s technique for coding the PAC-MAN game is clever and intelligent “next level shit” (as Ryan likes to say). The lightweight code (all HTML, CSS, and Javascript) allows the game to be rendered entirely in-browser. This comes as no surprise because Google is designing the future of the web to include in-browser applications and programs (here’s a the New York Times report on Google’s web-centric future). Imagine using Photoshop (or an equivalent) within your browser by simply visiting a domain. Marcin’s PAC-MAN code is lightweight and sleek. To save browser load time, the game utilizes one single image (which includes the game boards and the variation images of PAC-MAN and the different ghosts within it). Then, the game uses CSS sprites that use tiny DIVs to call for select areas of that image. The images are then distributed for Javascript use throughout the game. Next level shit indeed.

Ryan is a great friend, former classmate, and interview subject of mine. Many congrats to both of these talented guys on their successes! It’s exciting to see friends knock a project out of the park like that.

Related links:

Marcin’s PAC-MAN blog post at the Google blog

Geek Gestalt: Google Gets PAC-MAN Fever

Original CBS News Article

We had a great time working on this project. After Boots and I discussed the theme of mannequins, I called around to a variety of mannequin factories and warehouses and got ignored or turned down by most of them. Finally, I found a gracious factory manager who allowed us to conduct a shoot in a cavernous warehouse located way out in the sphincter of Brooklyn. We rescheduled after the factory closed for an early February blizzard, but finally made it there shortly thereafter. I think the location exceeded all of our expectations; the space was loaded with boxes of hands, aisles of mannequins, and all kinds of interesting environments. Thanks to Boots and Sean. Listen to Part or Execution at iTunes. Here are some alternate shots from our photography shoot.

The Mission is best known for its murals, which adorn nearly every block and transform alleyways like Balmy Alley into public art galleries (Balmy is lined with over 30 murals). Those murals have been well documented elsewhere, particularly by the Precita Eyes muralists, who are central to the community and have published a book on the subject. However, the neighborhood’s unsung hero is its hand-painted street signage: colorful restaurant façades, elaborate store windows, and charming, handmade business marquees all possess the welcoming tone of a handwritten note from a friend.

I interviewed a local mural artist and mural tour guide. I was kind of surprised by some of her statements; when I asked if there was a shared heritage between the murals and the painted storefronts, she seemed quizzical about the insinuation that there was any connection at all. Furthermore, when I asked about the use of typography in the Mission District, she seemed unfamiliar with the word ‘typography.’

What I gathered from that conversation was that she considered the murals to be ‘art’ but the public signage (like the text above and the painted watch on a jeweler’s window below) were considered mere informational graphics. Personally, I believe that both art forms come from the same artistic impulse: to use the neighborhood as a canvas on which to express cultural identity. Sure, mural art and graphic design are two different visual languages, but they both express the social voice of the local population. Besides, to say that the lines are blurred between the two would be an understatement; graffiti, signage, and murals appear side by side on dozens of walls, storefronts, and alleyways.

Regardless, it’s refreshing to spend time in an environment where art in the public space is a beloved extension of cultural identity. The Mission District proves that when public art is encouraged and fostered, it can be a beautiful sight for residents young and old. Even the exterior of a local McDonald’s has been decorated with images of butterflies and smiling faces painted by children (a charming sight at first, but surely that beautification has the adverse effect of endearing McDonald’s to potential fast food customers).

I’m always going on about the merits of DIY (do it yourself) artistic techniques, and the Mission District is the ultimate DIY neighborhood. The shoe repair sign on the left is one of my favorite images here. Walk down the street in almost any American neighborhood and nearly %100 of the graphics you see will have been mechanically produced. There’s something so friendly and disarming about the personal touch that these images endow the neighborhood with.

I was hoping to surf while I was in Bolinas but the water temperature was too frigid to enter without a wetsuit. The winding cliffs of the coastal drive and the intoxicating aroma of the Eucalyptus trees made for an ultra-relaxing environment and Ryan’s birthday party was a smash hit (the sheriff himself shut down the late-night dance party, but I’m pretty sure he’s the only employee of that tiny town’s police department anyway, so who else would they send?).

I took a billion pictures in San Francisco. More to come soon.