All posts in: Colossal

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20 Jan 2021

Hot Pink Teeter-Totters at the US-Mexico Border Win Beazley Design of the Year

As we end today, I am glad I never have to hear about “building the wall.” For years, this topic brought us both sadness and pain. As a country that has strong values in building bridges and bringing people together, the wall couldn’t have been more divisive.

Two Oakland based artists, [Ronald Rael and Virginia San Fratello] came together to bring their playful idea to the border. In July 2019 at the border of El Paso, Texas and Ciudad Juárez, three pink teeter-totters were installed to connect both sides. While the installation seemed timely given the tension brought on by the administration, the project itself had been a decade in the making. Though the teeter-totters were used for only an hour, it left a lasting impression. Known for being used by children, you can see in the photo that it is being used by both children and adults. The message that this symbolizes is the unity between children and adults and that both countries can work together to physically lift each other up.

When asked about the administration separating families at the border, Rael shared this re: the proejct:

The teeter-totters represented the kind of balance necessary for any two people, two nations, to achieve equality, with the understanding that the actions on one side have direct consequences on the other. The teeter-totter is the physical manifestation of the Golden Rule—treat others as you would like others to treat you—a maxim that is shared by all cultures and religions. To experience joy on a teeter-totter, you must allow the other person to experience joy as well.

This highly prestigious award was given to the two artists from London’s Design Museum.

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Design
27 Dec 2020

Iran’s Hormuz Island

If you’ve grown up in a big city all your life, you often times forget about how different living spaces can look across the world. This [post] on Iran’s Hormuz Island stopped me dead in my tracks because of how unique and colorful this communal living community was. Designed as a multi-purpose project called “Presence in Hormuz” the vibrant bulb structures sit along the Persian Gulf.

Each structure serves to be used for a different purpose whether it is communal dining, laundry or for prayer. When asked about the intentions for this project, [ZAV Architects] answered:

In a country where the state struggles with political disputes outside its borders, every architectural project becomes a proposal for internal governing alternatives, asking basic questions: What are the limits of architecture and how can it suggest a political alternative for communal life? How can it attain social agency?

In our current climate, this type of living doesn’t seem possible. However, once we’re past COVID-19 it will be interesting to see whether or not ideas like this could be executed upon. And through the pandemic if other types of living are more accommodating.

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Style
11 Dec 2020

A Fully Stocked Felt Pharmacy

We were first [introduced] to Lucy Sparrow’s work a couple years ago when she created an entirely felt made supermarket. Since that time, I wondered if I’d ever come across her work again and here we are. Her latest creation takes us to The Bourdon Street Chemist, a fully stocked woolen pharmacy. In addition to being a drugstore, we also get a glimpse for a surgical unit that has been built out.

To be honest, it gives me some creepy vibes, but the attention to detail here is astounding. Every single piece that has been included was hand stitched by Sparrow herself.

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Design
08 Nov 2020

Relatable Embarrassing Moments

When you’re caught in an awkward embarrassing moment, what is your go-to move? Mine is immediately pulling out my phone like that was what I was doing the entire time or looking away and staring off into the distance. It’s unavoidable. This is a part of our lives, but we can laugh about it sometimes right? Nate Metlukh’s “Awkward,” is a new animation that collects all of these moments in one compilation. Earlier this year, the animation also won for Best Short Film at Promofest held in Spain.

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Design
04 Nov 2020

Sand Dunes on a Montreal Street

The desire for more outdoor spaces is at an all time high. Alongside the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, a massive mural made to look like uneven sand dunes is an eye catching piece. Designed by Canadian architecture firm, NÓS, “Moving Dunes” borders a walkway and features neutral toned lines. It’s clearly a hit with the kids, but adds for a more creative way to your daily walks if you so choose.

I love this view from above, which shows just how massive this piece is.

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Design
09 Sep 2020

“Selfish”

Waking up to an overwhelmingly red sky had me thinking today about our climate, pollution and the environment we live in. To continue living in the world that we enjoy, we need to take better care of it. Anyone that thinks it isn’t a priority or isn’t real is being foolish. Created by animator, PoChien Chen, “Selfish” is a short animation that shows us what we think we’re getting at a sushi restaurant. It’s quickly followed by a juxtaposition of what we could be served and the results aren’t great. The animation finishes with facts that we need to be reminded of. In a way, it’s a call to action. We all can do much better. Often times, our environment is so easily neglected, but there isn’t anything stopping us from being more proactive to protect our Earth.

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Design
11 Aug 2020

New York City’s Floral Burst

It hasn’t been an easy year for anyone, but especially for New York City dwellers who were hit with COVID-19 the worst. As cases start to dwindle and normalcy returns, it’s clear that the city could use a little bit of brightness. Garbage cans and random parts of the neighborhoods have been hit with a floral bomb courtesy of [Lewis Miller Design]. We love a good floral installation so a part of me hopes that they could stay up forever! Apparently, this isn’t the first time they’ve done this within the city, but it’s as timely as ever. For more photos, click to view their [Instagram].

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Design
06 Aug 2020

Mini Outdoor Adventures in COVID times

It’s tough to feel like our summer is slipping away from us by the day, but in the grand scheme of things, are we missing out when our behaviors are in the interest of saving lives? Through COVID-19, we’ve seen many new projects that artists have been working on during this time and this one is a favorite. Artist [Tatsuya Tanaka] creates miniature outdoor summer scenarios with current COVID-19 staples that we’re all familiar with. For example, the unfolded mask above resembles a pool with perfect swim lanes.

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Style
01 Aug 2020

Wansho Laundry’s Owners

A Taiwanese couple is making headlines this week after finding a creative way to recycle the clothes left behind at their laundromat. The owners, Chang Wan-Ji and Hsu Sho-er have collected the belongings that people accidentally leave and turn them into wearable outfits. Last month, their grandson Chang Reef started sharing their photos on the internet modeling these outfits and they’ve become a new sensation. With only 23 posts so far, their [Instagram] is quickly becoming a hit. Honestly, are these not the coolest grandparents you’ve ever seen?

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Design
28 Jul 2020

Paintings of South Korea’s Small Convenience Stores

Seeing this post on Colossal is timely as I’ve been watching many Korean dramas in quarantine and these types of convenience stores appear often. In the most recent drama I finished, “Encounter,” the main character’s family owns a fruit shop very similar to the one above. Artist Lee Me Kyeoung captures the delicate portrayals in her paintings. By no means did this project come all of a sudden though. Kyeoung has been speaking with shop owners for decades and these painting are all part of her ongoing series, [A Small Store.]

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