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Seven Deadly Sin Snowdomes By Ligorano And Reese



Only a select few know that I've got a ridiculously enormous collection of snowdomes ( also called snowglobes, shakies or waterglobes). Most of the over 300 that I own are packed away in boxes with the exception of a few of the more artsy and unusual ones. By that I mean limited editions, signed and numbered and sold either in museums, galleries or directly from the artist.

Hans van Bentem's Custom Chandeliers For Rock And Royal Get Even Hipper




A few years ago I did a post on the chandelier designs by Dutch sculptor Hans van Bentem for Rock and Royal, a Rotterdam based company that handcrafts giant beautiful ceiling-suspended custom crystal chandeliers for a select clientele and museums (15 of the chandeliers were commissioned for the Netherlands Escher Museum).

It's time for an update on these one-of-a-kind works. Hans van Bentem's hip chandeliers continue to defy the traditional ornate crystal monstrosities that we are used to seeing, now with even edgier designs.



Made from high quality Bohemian crystal, each is a hand crafted, custom-made work of art, tailored to the customer's personal taste and specifications.

The taste of their customers has grown trendier since my last post, given that their impressive works now include more weapons, a diamond, a dick and even a 'virus':

Gun:

M-16:


Bomb:

Diamond:

Dick:

Virus:


The creations also include a Human form, a Buddha, and a pipe that seems to be inspired by surrealist Magritte's famous "This Is Not A Pipe" painting:

Human:

Buddha:

Pipe:


Of course there's the requisite Skull and Crossbones:

and a Spider:

and a Shark:


In addition to these unusual, but really beautifully crafted pieces, they do have some kinder, gentler creations.

Bird:

Seahorse:

Lion:

Bottle:

Airplane:

and some very random ones like the Hammer and Sickle:

and a Wheelbarrow:

Some really incredible installations:







Rock and Royal also creates custom mosaics by artist Arno Coenen, you can see those here.

Rock and Royal
P.O. Box 21046
3001 AA Rotterdam
The Netherlands
tel. 0031 (0) 10 - 280 71 71
fax 0031 (0) 10 - 280 70 71

About Hans van Bentem:


Born in The Hague, he now lives and works in Rotterdam, the Czech Republic and China. A multi-talented artist, he works in ceramic as well as glass and creates many installations and sculptures beyond the chandeliers, like his wonderful glass aliens, a few of which are shown below:


see his own website here.

Lucky Dog! Moxie, The Dachshund Of Fallingwater



Moxie, The Dachshund of Fallingwater was written by Cara Armstrong, Curator of Education at Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater.

Product Description (from Amazon):
Children experience the renowned Frank Lloyd Wright house that boldly cantilevers over a waterfall in the western Pennsylvania mountains through the eyes of the Kaufmann family’s most beloved dog in residence.



Beginning with the initial site survey, the loveable dachshund reflects on the myriad details that make the “Big House” so special. Moxie and her siblings’ preferred picnic site, the rock, becomes the foundation that supports the residence’s dramatic design, and the grand fireplace built around the big rock provides a warm stone where the dogs nap whenever they want.



A table that can be stretched out so that as many as 18 of their friends, such as artist Peter Blume and his German shepherd Manfred, can sit down with the K’s to eat dinner is so portable it can be moved to wherever they'd like. The dachshund's long, straight backs are reflected in the horizontal lines of the house—long, low tables; shelves; bands of glass in the windows—and built-in desks hang out from the walls like a diving board just as Moxie’s tail extends from her body.




Fallingwater's steep, cascading staircase mimics the waterfall and parallels the house’s dramatic descent down the hillside, and the plunge pool built into the stream is just right for a brisk, refreshing swim. A handy glossary features both images and text to explain key architectural terms.

About the Author

Cara Armstrong is the curator of education at Fallingwater, the one-time vacation residence of the Edgar J. Kaufmann family of Pittsburgh that was donated to the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy. She lives in Ligonier, Pennsylvania.

special thanks to Inside Laurel Highlands for additional images.

Pre- Order The book here

Damn, I'd Be Happy With The Guesthouse! Tahoe's Osprey Estate For $34 Million


above: the 7,100 sq. foot main home built in 1995

above: The 1000 sq. foot guest house added in 2006

You may have seen the guesthouse featured in the October 2009 issue of Architectural Digest or on some architecture blogs. But what most people have not seen is the luxury estate that goes with it.

Art That Moves You. Literally. New York Taxis to Display Art.




In January 2010, 480 New York City taxicabs will be doing more than just shuttling people around. They'll be displaying three different artists' works in lieu of their usual rooftop advertising.

Show Media, the company that places the advertising signs atop of cabs (often referred to as taxi decks) and the Art Production Fund, a non-profit organization that represents art around the city (and also makes those wonderful artist beach towels) have collaborated to replace 480 New York taxicabs' rooftop signage with works of fine art by contemporary artists Shirin Neshat, Alex Katz and Yoko Ono.



above images are simulations of the proposed art. Comprised photo illustrations by Show Media and the Art Production Fund, courtesy of the NY Times

The project, called "Art Adds" will place each of the three artists' works atop 160 cabs a piece throughout the city.

Alex Katz:



Artist Alex Katz will combine two of his graphic figurative portraits for which he is best known (a forward facing female and a backward facing male) and place them together a top a black background- not unlike his Pas De Deux series of paintings and prints. This will be repeated on both sides of the deck:


Alex Katz, Pas De Deux, 1983:

Alex Katz at work:

above image courtesy of Smithsonian, Pas De Deux, courtesy of the artist

Shirin Neshat:


Shirin Neshat, a multimedia Iranian born artist, will decorate the two sides differently. One will feature her photo of illustrated hands clasped in a handshake, the artist’s symbol of unity and solidarity:




The other, shows her photo of an eye, on which the poem titled “I Feel Sorry for the Garden,” by Forough Farokhzad, a celebrated female Iranian poet is written:



The filmmaker, photographer and artist has often integrated written poetry into her photography and films.

Yoko Ono:


Yoko Ono is employing the theme “War Is Over,” a slogan she and John Lennon used when they took their message of peace around the world in 1969-70. It will appear in english on one side and sign language on the other, like Yoko and John's original posters and artwork shown below.




Perhaps this will open the eyes of busy New Yorkers to art, perhaps not. But it certainly is an effort worth noting. You can read more about the project here.

Other New York Taxi Cab related posts:

•It's Official. Everyone HATES the re-designed NYC TAXI logo.

• NYC Taxi Logo Redesign Submissions

•Hope Flowers In New York: Garden In Transit

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