Shakespeare in the Park

Shakespeare in the Park is one of those New York traditions I'm so happy I was finally able to experience. Thanks to my persistent roomie for waking up before 5am to get in line for 8+ hours! I saw the Merchant of Venice, and while Al Pacino's performance was fantastic, the story was definitely unsettling (read synopsis here if you don't know what I'm talking about).

Anyway, every year I look forward to the new poster campaign that will be plastered all over the subway system. For the past 14 years, they have been designed by Paula Scher at Pentagram. She has developed a typographically driven branding system that always manages to make classic Shakespeare work seem fresh and exciting. Below are two from recent seasons...

Here is the original poster from 1994...

And some more from past years...

Do you have a favorite?

Warm Up (or cool off) at P.S. 1

 

I spent a sweaty Saturday at P.S. 1, MoMA's hip little sister. Every weekend the museum hosts an outdoor dance party called Warm Up, featuring a rotating lineup of DJ's and live music. The event was truly multi-sensory... thumping beats, while bouncing on colorful exercise balls, basking in the overhead water misters or dipping your feet in a web-enclosed "kiddy pool." The setting was created by the winner of MoMA's Young Architects Program, "Pole Dance," an interconnected system of 25 foot high poles and bungees whose elasticity causes the poles to sway. The installation also includes an audio device, measuring the motion of the poles and converting it to sound. Pretty rad, eh?

Stay tuned for some of what I saw inside the museum...

(photos by me)

Drawing with Thread

I'm really loving these embroidered pieces by Japanese artist, Takashi Iwasaki: abstract, but vaguely representational, organic + geometric forms, structured pattern mixed with free-form arrangements --not to mention those colors!

PS-Sorry for my internet absence as of late. A hot apartment + a hot laptop = not an inviting combo... but I finally got an AC, so things are looking up. Though while avoiding my apartment, I've been up to lots of fun and interesting things around the city...  detailed posts coming soon. xo

Driftwood Happiness

One of the coolest things I've seen in awhile: painted driftwood by Ginette Lapalme

via commas and clauses

Favela Painting

 

Have you all heard about this? Two Dutch artists, Jeroen Koolhaas and Dre Urhahn, have fostered a community art initiative and transformed a bleak Brazilian favela into an explosion of color. What an amazing jolt of optimism!

Sail Bags

Happy July 4th! Did everyone have a great weekend? I spent mine at a lakehouse in North Jersey, where there was swimming, canoeing, rafting, sail boating, grilling, and watermelon eating.

These bags by Angela Adams + Sea Bags (for J. Crew) are constructed in Maine from recycled sails--the perfect weekend carryall!  woohoo summer!