2009/09/09

Aubrey Beardsley: The Abbé

The Abbé, Pen and ink, over faint traces of pencil, 1896
Aubrey Beardsley (1872–1898)

2009/09/01

Allison Schulnik: Oil on canvas

Big Monkey Head, oil on canvas, 60" x 60", 2008


Bear, oil on canvas, 68" x 84", 2008

2009/08/25

Yellena James: Pen & Ink


"Allusion" 8" x 10" Pen & Ink on paper


"Thistle" 7.5" x 7.5" Pen & Ink on paper


"Arise" 7.5" x 7.5" Pen & Ink on paper

Never underestimate the power of line quality. Check out more of Yellena James amazing work here.

2009/07/25

Yusaku Kamekura: Mikron Binoculars

Mikron Binoculars poster c. 1995, Nippon Kogaku K.K. Tokyo Japan. 105.5 x 76 cm, Japan
Yusaku Kamekura (Japan, Yoshida 1915–Tokyo 1997)

2009/07/04

Hans Hillmann: Sturm Über Asien


Sturm Über Asien poster. 1961, 84 x 61 cm, Germany
Hans Hillmann (Germany 1925–)

Cheki: Hammer Museum


(1st, 2nd, and 3rd from left) Nic Hess, Automatic Crash Response. Mixed-media tape drawing installation, 2009
(4th from left) Environmental design outside Billy Wilder Theater
(5th from left) View of an adjacent building from the courtyard of the Hammer


Swiss artist Nic Hess is known for his inventive wall works composed almost entirely of masking tape. Mixing drawing, bright colors and icons from a variety of sources, Hess makes us reevaluate our understanding of familiar signs in consumer culture. In his elaborate compositions he draws new connections and weaves a loose narrative of worlds colliding and visions exploding. (Read more from Robert Summers essay here)

2009/06/29

Jan Tschichold: Die Kameliendame


Die Kameliendame poster 1927, 118.5 x 84 cm
Jan Tschichold (Germany, 1902–1974)

2009/06/20

Bart Anthony van der Leck: Delft Salad Oil Factories


Delft Salad Oil Factories poster. 89 x 59.5 cm, The Netherlands
Bart Anthony van der Leck (The Netherlands, 1876–1958)

2009/06/13

André Kertész


Paris vu par André Kertész 1934


L'Art vivant vol. 5, 15.11.1929
André Kertész (Budapest 1894–1985)

2009/06/11

Cheki: from TASCHEN



Various photos taken at the TASCHEN office.

2009/06/10

Squatters Benefit Bop


Squatters Benefit Bop poster, c. 1978. 91 x 49 cm, United Kingdom

2009/06/09

Erik Nitsche: Subway Posters


Say it fast...often...in color poster, 1947. 155 x 74.5 cm, USA 
Erik Nitsche (Switzerland,1908–USA 1998)

Nitsche was a pioneer in the design of books, annual reports, and other printed material that relied on meticulous attention to the details of page composition, the elegance of simple type presentation, and the juxtaposition of elements on a page. His hallmarks were impeccably clear design, brilliant colors, smart typography, and an adherence to particular geometric foundations. He moved to the United States at the age of 26, where he had a successful career as graphic designer and art director. After 1960's he worked mainly on children's books.

2009/05/29

Roman Cieślewicz: Zawrót Głowy


Zawrót Głowy (Vertigo Poster), 83 x 59 cm, Poland
Roman Cieślewicz (Poland 1930–France 1996)

To me a picture could never be separated from the content. I always go for the maximum picture and the maximum information. You need to stimulate imagination to the maximum. Roman Cieślewicz

Cieslewicz earned huge international recognition, exhibiting his works throughout the world. He was one of the key founders of the Polish poster school which promoted simplicity and clarity of artistic statement, use of the synthetic sign and poetic metaphor, and abundance of means of expression. His artistic interests included posters, press and publishing prints, typography, photography, photomontage and exhibiting.

2009/05/28

Emily Amanda Searle: Various Photography







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2009/05/24

Amy Bennett: "Neighbors"

On Thin Ice, oil on panel, 12 x 16 inches 

Coincidence, oil on panel, 20 x 20 inches 


Cold Compress, oil on panel, 12 x 16 inches 

Amy Bennett: "At the Lake"

Escape, oil on panel, 14 x 18 inches, 2008 

Taking Arms, oil on panel, 18 x 24 inches, 2008

The paintings are glimpses of a scene or fragments of a narrative. I am interested in storytelling over time through repeated depictions of the same house or car or person, seasonal changes, and shifting vantage points. Like the disturbing difficulty of trying to put rolls of film in order several years after the pictures have been taken, I hope the collective images suggest a known past that is just beyond reach. —Amy Bennett

2009/05/22

Nippon: Issue 18

Nippon: Issue 18 (1938)
Designers: Kono Takashi, Yamana Ayao, and Kamekura Yusaku

Yônosuke Natori (1910-62) was a professional photographer, founder of “Nippon Studio” and publisher of the international, multilanguage magazine “Nippon” (Japan). With his studio and the magazine Yonosuke Natori introduced to Japan cutting-edge photographic techniques and design that he studied in Germany. The magazine was designed to promote Japanese culture to the West and was published in English, French, German and Spanish until 1944. Utilizing designs and techniques from German magazines “Nippon” was much higher in quality than other magazines of the same kind in prewar Japan, but became a very rare item soon, since most of its copies were distributed overseas.“Nippon” magazine is very hard to find in Japan, even in specialized libraries.

Cheki: School Bus, Crossroads...

←Los Angeles County school bus, 09.05.21

Two images taken during a walk through Hollywood, CA.

2009/05/18

William H. Bradley: The Chap‐Book


The Chap‐Book poster. 1895, 52.5 x 35.5 cm, USA
William H. Bradley (USA 1868–1962)

The name "Chap-Book" came from the earliest days of printing. In the sixteenth century chapbooks — or "cheap" books — were short pamphlets, often illustrated, that contained folk stories, remedies, and other popular literature.

2009/05/17

Cheki: Orange Tree


Orange Tree, 09.05.17

I took this picture on a hike through the Silverlake hills as I passed by a home with an orange tree in the front yard. 

Cheki: Santa Monica Pier


Ferris Wheel, 09.05.16

I took this photo on a trip to the Santa Monica pier. The sun was barely out that day and there was a lot fog in the air, which is why image is so underexposed. Apparently this film does best on very bright days. I still like the picture. 

2009/05/14

Cheki: Numero Uno

1635 Sunnyside Up, 09.05.14

I just received my Cheki Instax Mini camera and this is the first photo, roughly the size of a standard business card. It is most likely going to be my new obsession and drive me into debt considering the film price per image works out to be about $1.70. I guess I better make them count. This image is the flower bed in front of my apartment; the one to the upper left looks like a fried egg.

2009/05/11

Hans & Grete Leistikow: Das Neue Frankfurt

 Das Neue Frankfurtvol. 4, 1 (January 1930)

Nas Neue Frankfurt vol. 4, 8 (August 1930)
 Hans and Grete Leistikow (Germany, 1892–1962 / 1893–?)

2009/05/10

Paul Schuitema: De 8 en Opbouw

De 8 en Opbouw vol. 5. 26 (1934.12.31) Back cover, design by Paul Schuitema   

De 8 en Opbouw vol. 5. 26 (1934.12.31) 
Double advertising page, design by Paul Schuitema  

 De 8 en Opbouw vol. 10. 20 (1939.09.30) Cover, design by Paul Schuitema
 De 8 en Opbouw vol. 08. 21 (1935.10.12) Cover, design by Paul Schuitema

Employing the design principles of De Stijl, Schuitema created simplified visual compositions with rectangular forms and asymmetry, utilizing only primary colors with black and white.

Gustav Klucis: The Development of Transportation, The Five-Year Plan


The Development of Transportation, The Five-Year Plan. 1929.
Gravure. 28 7/8 x 19 7/8" (73.3 x 50.5 cm)
Gustav Klucis (Latvian, 1895–1938)


Klucis is best known for his photomontages, claiming to having invented the sub-genre of political photomontage in 1918. He created energetic compositions, manipulating the scale and space of his subject matter while skewing perspectives; it is clear why his work holds a timeless modern appeal. My personal favorite image within the composition is the woman on camel-back waving, seen in the bottom right.

2009/05/09

Celestino Piatti: Bell


Bell poster. Photo: Siegfried, 1962, VSK, Basel. 127.5 x 90 cm, Switzerland
Celestino Piatti (Switzerland, Wangen 1922–)

I tried to find information as to what type of brand Bell was. I only found one sentence suggesting it was a large chain of stores that sold meat, poultry, and fish. There doesn't seem to be much else available online.

Lance Wyman


Mexico City, Mexico 1968 Olympics Poster
Lance Wyman (U.S. 1937–)

Words are an effective method of communicating complicated interrelated ideas. It is symbols however that can communicate across the language barriers created by words. —Lance Wyman

2009/05/08

Gustav Klucis: Postcards


Spartaklada Moskva 1928. Nine postcard photomontages.
Gustav Klucis (Latvia, 1895–1938)

2009/05/06

Hendrik Petrus Berlage


Phot. Roelotzen & Hübner Amsterdam, 1893. 98 x 60 cm, The Netherlands.
Hendrik Petrus Berlage (Dutch, 1856–1934) 

Postcards: Spain

Avenue José Antonio. Madrid, Spain

Puerta del Sol (Sun Gate). Madrid, Spain

2009/05/04

Witold Janowski


Troje i Las movie poster, c. 1961. 84 x 57.5 cm, Poland.
Witold Janowski (Poland 1926–) 

Herbert Matter


1950, Litho, in U.S.A. 116 x 73.5, USA. National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis poster
Herbert Matter (Switzerland, Engelberg 1907-USA, Springs 1984) 

Postcards: China pt. 2

Jardine House, Hong Kong formerly known as the Connaught Centre
Ching Chung Koon Temple, Castle Peak N.T.
Hong Kong Live Guard Club, Repulse Bay

Bird's-eye view of Aberdeen, Hong Kong