Nicholas Hlobo.

works by south african artist nicholas hlobo.

wake up.

was chatting with a friend a few minutes ago. and we got to talking about all the bullshit in society today. societal "standards." global issues. religious wars. racism. violence. perpetual behaviours. delusions of grandeur. homogeneity. les fausses personnes. contentedness. laziness. small-mindedness. i could go on for ages. suffice it to say, look around you. take a long hard look. life is too short to deal with bullshit. wake up [peep the clip].

italian.

italian design is it.

the rain.

it really does something to me...

lovely.

ear candy [trois].

must. go.

shown above is the blue lagoon geothermal spa in iceland. the seawater is renown for its healing powers and beneficial effects on the skin. "the blue lagoon geothermal seawater is a part of an ecocycle where nature and science work in harmony. the seawater originates 2000 meter/6562 ft beneath the ground where it is heated by earth’s natural forces. at this depth the temperature is 240°C/464°F and the pressure is 36 times the pressure on the earth’s surface. the geothermal seawater comes into contact with cooling magmatic intrusions and captures the earth’s minerals, resulting in this unique natural source known for its healing power and actives." seems like a fantastic experience. i'm putting this down on the list of places i've gotta visit in the next couple of years. get more information here.

curious to see this.

story of what happens when a modern young man loses his computer.

state of mind.

i don't know what it is about this summer-- or perhaps this phase of my life-- but i've been in a musical mood. not in the sense where i'm playing musical instruments or singing until my heart's content... but i've been collecting music like a fiend. listening to everything i can get my hands on. across genres. and it's really been an experience for me. my mind has been blown by a few recent discoveries... some gems, or diamonds in the rough, per se. and i've really began to cultivate a greater appreciation for music, its healing powers and everything else it offers. i hadn't expected be engulfed in a phase of such magnitude, especially insofar as music is concerned, because, well, in recent days i'd been in a cinema frame of mind so i didn't see the music state of mind approaching. what's more, although i've always loved music, it's kind of always served as a backdrop of sorts: playing whilst i hung out, partied, mellowed, read, wallowed in my thoughts, worked on my writing, etc. but now, it's so much more than that. i'm actively engaging with the music and lyrics, listening intently, and properly vibing off it all. i'm loving it... and my itunes library is fantastic!

new place.

graphic artist anthony burrill is showing his latest work, in a new place, at kemistry, a gallery in london. i love what i've seen of these works. they are fresh and vibrant, with a hint of mid-century modern (as far as the geometric shapes and lines are concerned). read about and see more of his works here.

immersion: porn.

pure comedy. just watch the first 3 minutes.

ear candy [deux].

black in america.

last night, as i signed on to the internet, i was bombarded with commentary on both twitter and facebook regarding cnn's special 'black in america 2.' i was quite surprised, as i hadn't a clue it was scheduled to air, and so i quickly turned to channel 202 to tune in to watch. i have to say, i was pleased to see the segments shown in the special, as they went into some things I hadn't expected them to touch upon. granted, they did not discuss what's really plaguing the black community and its inability to tear down social constructs by shaking racial stereotypes and the effects of post traumatic enslavement syndrome-- but i won't even go there, as even though it needs to be discussed, i'm not too sure that will ever happen-- but i was pleased with what cnn did show. i enjoyed the bit about the intelligent as well as the privileged blacks, as it should be noted: not all blacks are destitute. not all blacks speak in ebonics. and not all blacks rely on affirmative action. i also enjoyed the debate about exclusion on the part of old-guard, upper-crust black families, albeit brief-- the debate could have gone on a bit longer, and some real concerns could have been raised... again, i don't think it was cnn's intention to be controversial... instead, i think its purpose is, simply, to mollify black america... to skim over the issues so as to sweep these issues of race under the rug. but back to the program...

i was proud of the work of malaak compton-rock, wife of actor and comedian, chris rock. what she is accomplishing with her foundation is what i've wanted to do and have planned for my future for ages, and i commend her for a job well done. teaching kids [with a seemingly bleak future] that there's more to life than what is in your surroundings is an amazing way to open their eyes to life. taking them to africa to do charity work for families in worse situations... brilliant. show them that there's more to life than their own troubles. show them that the world is so much bigger than they know. life is short. grow. learn. see. succeed. that is the way to change. having a black president in itself doesn't change things. having people like malaak and other community-based leaders who are active... having students and educators alike who don't settle for mediocracy... having television programs that showcase blacks in a positive light that can overshadow the connery and buffoonery of certain programming today-- that is the way to change. we're not there yet... but we're well on our way.

reminisce.

mario bros. 2



play it.

transformer.

the transformer, by prada, is a temporary, futuristic, shape-altering structure in seoul, south korea, built by architect rem koolhaas. what's amazing about the structure is that it has the capabilities to change its appearance, and will do so for the last time in september. the inside of the transformer, naturally (as it was commissioned by miuccia prada herself), has been used as a place where art meets fashion. it opened with a fashion exhibition, transformed into a cinema house, and in september will embark upon its final transformation as a gallery for contemporary art. how amazing. it is prada's hope that this construction may one day end up in milan. i really want to see this wondrous and artful piece of architecture before it sees its demise in october. i think once i'm in tokyo, i might have to make the short trip to seoul to check it out. to see/read more, check out this feature.

almost.

i've been living a secluded life of sorts as of late. not for any particular reason except for the fact that i've not felt much like going out [except for the occasional trek to d.c. to visit my partner in crime to drink wine + smoke cigs + talk life + discuss literature + the like]. at any rate, i almost forgot how it felt to sit outside and chill and enjoy. almost... i remembered how. the past couple of days have seen me recapturing that feeling of summer. sitting out in the warm breeze with a chilled bottle of water. shielding food from hungry birds nearby. friends by my side. laptops handy [of course]. sharing thoughts. challenging minds. sharing music. sharing experiences. it was a throwback to previous times. happy.

menswear.

costume national spring 2010.

click photo for entire collection.

must see.

where the wild things are. whoa. they've made my favourite childhood book (which i still own, by the way) into a film, and i must say... it looks smashing! the acting looks amazing, the score sounds brilliant, and the overall appearance of the film looks to be aesthetically pleasing. i'm really excited about this, as it brings back memories of time spent with incredible people when i was a tot. watch trailer below:



for more info, take a walk where the wild things are

ear candy [un].

alternate reality charlie's angels.

it's like one of charlie's angels met two of the pointer sisters and took a photo! how brilliant! I was looking through photos on NYmag.com and came across this gem. something about this photo excites me. perhaps it is the different types of beauty represented? i don't know. it's hot though!

Backstage at Marc Jacobs. February 2009.

In this photo: Models Sessilee Lopez, Eniko Mihalik and Chanel Iman

conversations with myself.

i grew up with dangerously willful, extremely strong women and boisterous, overly confident [at times overcompensating] men, both of whom i found intimidating when i was young, but find ridiculous now that i'm grown. these are the people who tried to shape my future. ironically, these are the people i now try to avoid.

i ran into an old friend. the look in his eyes when he saw me, as well as the way he looked me up and down whilst fidgeting with his clothing made him seem ill eat ease and ashamed of himself. oddly, this made me feel better about myself.

props.

new face on the new york art scene.

taken from: http://www.interviewmagazine.com/art/the-new-new-york-art-scene/7/

handheld ecosystem.

i was browsing the net only moments ago, and came across a self-contained aquatic ecosystem. it's a brilliant piece to own, as it satisfies a number of needs: the need for art, the need to learn, and the need for a small, low-to-no-maintenance pet.

enclosed in glass, this miniature ecosystem, which consists of algae, shrimp and micro-organisms in natural seawater, is self sustaining with the perfect balance of animal and plant life. they have an average life expectancy of 2+ years and require no feeding or cleaning.

how interesting. i want one.

yes they do.

from A Magazine

brilliant.

regarder ce film court, s'il vous plaît.