Open Art

Pop over to Artists Wanted to help them answer the question: "What shapes our world more, art or design?" You'll be presented with a series images, the work of an artist on the left, and that of a designer on the right, and asked to select the one you find more moving.

The real goal of the competition, and Artist Wanted at large, is to to make the process of breaking in to the professional art world "more welcoming, dynamic and open-ended" by helping to build "new lasting opportunities for emerging talent".

Here are some of the artists and designers I had the fortune of coming across thanks to the project:

1. Melissa Furness
"Throughout my life I have been very aware of myself in relation to environment ... how the places where I have resided have formed my identity, and how human presence forms a place as well. There is an internal sense of feeling either connected or disconnected to the places in which we reside that effects all of our interactions ... The concept of a hybrid reality can be seen throughout my work in painting through a complex layering of space."

Pre-figured
2006
24in x 24in



Outlying Positions
2006
24in x 24in



For more of Melissa's work, visit: http://www.melissafurness.com/


2. Olga Nazarkina
"I searched the way to express the feeling of the infinite space being limited by the size of canvas" and to "create a sense of the abstract concept of endlessness."

The Tree of Wisdom
2007, Color Paper
2X8"
"This is the first art piece in my series of applique' works in colored paper. The thin branches are interlaced with one another, resembling A neuron pattern in the brain. Being dark and light they are life stories that comprise the tree of wisdom."



"Storm"
Sangina/ Paper, 2006
30X40"



"Dandelions"
Oil/Canvas, 2006
30X40"



Rain

Color Paper, 2007
11X8"

"The composition is created from thin strokes of colored paper. 3D quality helps to establish the mood of a poignant rain."



See more of Olga's work at: http://www.painting-olga.com


3. Mays Mayhew
"In recent work, I am exploring two concepts; one the concept of memory and two the concept of love. Memory intrigues me because it is intangible and fleeting. Existentially recalling a memory is interesting because the more one actively concentrates on a past event, the more that is uncovered. In the brain, the memories look like tiny dendrites."

No Umbrella 1
Oil/Wax Gems/Nylon Thread, (2007)
14 x 11 x 1 in.



Free Fall 2
Oil, cheesecloth, (2009)
50 x 20 x 1.5 in.



SoulMate
Oil, gems, glitter, (2009)
18 x 28 x 3 in.




For more of Mayhew's work, visit: http://www.maysmayhew.com


4. Graham Slick
"I take pleasure in the physical process of image making, be it the discovery of a more precise way to apply wiggle eyes or a new way to drip ink. No matter how complex the construction of my images, my goal is to maintain a spirit of playfulness in my work that resonates with the viewer. "

"A new idea must not be judged by its immediate results." - Nikola Tesla
2009, mixed media on wood
12 x 12 inches


The Lonely Sasquatch
2008, mixed media on found book
12 x 8 inches


See more of Graham's work at: http://www.grahamslick.com



5. Ania Baran
Young, polish, new to photography

Theatre of Dreams
Nikon D40
2009



Cracow
Nikon D40
2009



The Morfeusz gifts
Nikon D40



For more of Ania's work, visit: http://www.usefilm.com/photographer.asp?ID=375473

Layers of a City

“Most people experience their life in the city in a two-dimensional way ... You know, they go from Point A to Point B along streets and don’t realize there are these multiple layers to the city. By going 20 feet below or 20 feet above, you can go to a place that is practically unvisited, that maybe 100 people get to see a year.” (NYTimes: "Children of Darkness")

Upper Level
Any time I'm on a rooftop in the city, I'm struck by the feeling that I'm on another plain. There's a whole other world going on up there. There are "rooftop neighbors", not just next door, but across the street, and way down the block ... From my roof, I can see how people create their own little havens on their slice of metropolitan rooftop real estate. My neighbors are so comfortable that they frequently come out on their porch in their underwear. When I peer down to the street below, sometimes it almost seems wrong to be looking down over the pedestrians as they pass by, completely oblivious to my gaze or anything beyond their more immediate surroundings.

Truth is, most of us don't even consider some of the things that are actually going on up on those rooftops: there are amazing views, secret gardens, yoga classes, parties, film screenings .... eh, beekeeping? But we just shuffle by, unaware, on the sidewalk many stories below.



Lower Level
But it's not just what's above our heads that we often fail to notice, it's what's under our feet as well.

"New Yorkers go about unaware of what is happening just beneath their feet: Power pulses, information flies, and steam flows. The city’s infrastructure starts just below street level, but it doesn’t stop there. " (National Geographic: NY Underground)



Go to the National Geographic "NY Underground" site where you can actually interact with the layers in the image above and get more information and (photo, text, and audio) tours.

Also check out NYC24's feature on Exploring NYC's Underground.




See stunning visuals captured by a "Guerrila Historian in Gotham" at Undercity.



Want to see some of this stuff in person?
In a post-9/11 world, much of what was once somewhat accessible is off-limits, so it can be challenging.

• For a more legal route, join in on the annual openhousenewyork weekend: "America's largest architect and design event ... discover new neighborhoods, explore with friends and family, and experience NYC's architecture and design in all five boroughs through special talks, tours, performances and family-friendly workshops – all free of charge...". This next one will be October 10 & 11, 2009.

• For the other route, check out what the LTVsquad us up to.

Gaming Imitates Life

The first time I saw this teaser for the game Mirror's Edge, I'm not entirely ashamed to admit it brought tears to my eyes. It was a first-person shooter with so many of my favorite things wrapped into one game: simulated parkour (as you maneuver through urban obstacles with gravity-defying fluidity, grace, and ease), combat, and keeping under the radar. And it didn't hurt that it touches on themes such as information as a commodity, the right to privacy / freedom from surveillance, self-empowerment, and fighting back to reclaim what's rightfully yours.

Oh … AND it is purdy to look at.

With such stunning visuals, I had to wonder about the real life inspiration for the various settings.

Another thing attractive about the game and parkour in general is the practice of infiltration or “urban exploration” - examining the normally unseen or off-limits parts of urban areas or industrial facilities.

My curiosity in urban exploration across the world led me to discover what undoubtedly has to be the real life inspiration for the storm drains level in Mirror’s Edge: Japan’s “Underground Temple for People” (the G-Cans Project, AKA Metropolitan Area Outer Underground Discharge Channel).

Check out these comparisons: