Lost AT E Minor

FOR WEEKLY INSPIRATION Why

November 21, 2008 | Illustration | by Zolton |

We asked New York illustrator Christopher Neal about the inspirations behind his work: ‘Each job is different. Sometimes looking through old books and artist monographs will spark something. Other times, its just putting pen to paper until I get an idea. Things like music videos, movies, trips to the museum all seep in and resurface later in my work. For my personal work, a lot of it comes from my sketchbooks’. Read more

November 21, 2008 | Places | by Kira Heuer |

Cornwall, England is considered a great weekend getaway for the over-worked under-played Londonite. So much to do! Hiking, horseback riding, castle touring, country pubbing, garden tours and my favourite, surfing! For those of you who find these past-times a bit prosaic and cliched, this little Cornish beach town is also home to the Museum of Witchcraft where the Richel Collection is on exhibit, the world’s best collection of ritual and sex magic artifacts. Dutch collector Bob Richel inherited the collection from his father-in-law, Mr Eldermans, who had been a Magister of the Ars Amatoria, a group using sex magic. Now, there is a dowry I’ve yet to hear of! It gives a whole new meaning to the The Red Hot Chili Peppers song Blood, Sugar, Sex, Magic.

November 21, 2008 | Trends | by Francis Andrews |

Obama’s election campaign was something of a celebrity fanfare not seen since Reagan took up the seat back in the 1980s. While we’re yet to see whether the hype that surrounds his name is followed though, there is no question that his calls for ‘Change’ have already injected a new sense of political zest both into the US and much of the rest of the world. Politics has suddenly become exciting, and his unprecedented tactics for private fundraising have made his supporters believe that they have a personal stake in the government. So how appealing is political participation now? Read more

November 20, 2008 | Products | by Zac |

I’ve always been a fan of functional minimalism, especially with personal items you use every day like wallets. So kudos to the guys at Dosh who’ve created a beautiful, paired back but stylish billfold wallet. It’s perfect for nights out when only a few credit cards, some ID and cash are needed. Read more

November 20, 2008 | Video | by Gerry Mak |

Culture-jammer StSanders strikes again with his re-interpretation of Kiss. This is perhaps his best ’shred’ video yet, and honestly, I’d probably like Gene Simmons and crew more if they actually sounded like this.

November 20, 2008 | Music | by Francis Andrews |

The first album released by the Malian duo Amadou & Mariam, Dimanche a Bamako, bordered on exceptional, if not for its songwriting then for its sheer diversity. You’d be forgiven for approaching cautiously an album that draws its influences from Syria, Cuba, Egypt, India, and Colombia, as well as its own country – much like a restaurant that offers every cuisine on the planet: choose one and do it well, you’d argue. But the album is fantastic: so full of life, so catchy and so accessible. The simple riff on Beau Dimanche is irresistible, as is the rhythm of the vocals on Senegal Fast Food. They’ve just released a new one, and teamed up with Damon Albarn on opening track, Sabali. Whether it can pip the first album is an ambitious goal, but so far the reception has been good.

November 20, 2008 | Websites | by Zolton |

Is it that wrong for a man to have more than one wife? How about a woman with more than one husband then? Enter Francine Fleiss — the woman with five husbands! Sultry Francine has been flitting around the continent over the past decade, and has collected five husbands from five of Europe’s coolest cities! If you’re an aspiring husband collector then you can check out her tips to get your collection going. Cool Capitals is a fresh new alternative to the usual travel agents and sites. It specializes in travel to the less trodden European cities of Vienna, Valencia, Amsterdam, Antwerp and Zurich. They all possess a cool mixture of old and new culture that is a breath of fresh air against the typical touristy European destinations. Check out the site.

November 20, 2008 | Art | by Ilana Kohn |

As I was admiring the lovely painting of Dutch artist Helen Verhoeven, I began to notice some strange things popping up. As I continued to look, the bizarre overall nature of her work really began to dawn on me. Looking at these early in the morning while waiting for that first pot of coffee to brew, Verhoeven’s paintings leave me wondering if I’ve really woken up from my dreams yet. They are like stepping into some uncanny dream world with all their loose, colorful brushstrokes and vague figures standing about. Read more

November 20, 2008 | Film | by Zolton |

The idea is simple: ‘The One80Project is a national competition inviting anyone with a good idea for an hour long drama to submit a 180 second pilot and an accompanying treatment. This is then judged by an expert panel of industry specialists to ultimately be produced and aired on MTV in Australia, online and on mobile’. Entries are now closed and they’ve narrowed the field to ten finalists. Our choice is Staying, a funny drama about people dealing with life after the death of a loved one, in which an unusual support group is formed by an odd assortment of people. A Breakfast Club for our time? Voting closes in 71 days and fifteen hours, though who’s counting. So show your support for these young aspiring Australian filmmakers.

November 20, 2008 | Events | by Andy |

Our online store has been kicking along nicely for a while now, featuring prints by Andy Smith [pictured], tees by Das Monk and jewellery by This Charming Man to name a few. We have visitors from all across the globe and some of our pieces have been racing out the virtual door faster than we imagined possible. Aw, shucks! Now it’s your turn. If you design, create, or distribute products and artwork that fits with our style, and you’d like to see your goodies stocked on our shelves in time for Christmas, drop us a note introducing yourself and we’ll take it from there. Psst … we’re planning some Christmas gift ideas and subscriber offers too. We reckon you’ll like them.

November 20, 2008 | Architecture | by Snell |

Dutch uber-firm OMA, headed by Rem Koolhaas, has created this concept in Mexico City to symbolize the coming two hundred years of Mexico’s independence. There are many layers of symbolism in this building, from Mayan pyramids to which part of the building controls the park and which part controls the city, to the fact that the bulge of the building is below the centre height, and that it all happens on a relatively small footprint. Most of all, in this building there is a barely contained energy that seems near to release and it may be that this is what Torre Bicentenario represents.

November 20, 2008 | Eco | by Julia Hennock |

Fancy a fern in the face? The Sky Planter will fulfill your greenest fantasies. It is designed to conserve water, save floor space and puzzle visitors. An internal reservoir system to feeds water directly to the roots, so no water evaporates or drips. And somehow the soil is ‘locked in’. Woo!

November 19, 2008 | Photography | by Gerry Mak |

Marton Schoeller’s new book of portraits aims to highlight the contrast between the extreme physiques of female bodybuilders and the vulnerability expressed through their eyes and nuanced facial expressions. Read more

November 18, 2008 | Fashion | by Kate Barnett |

Created in 2003 as a skateboard footwear brand in Los Angeles, Cipher is now an international urban lifestyle brand offering designer products for an emerging group of global hipsters. Now based in Hong Kong, where metropolitan living manifests the dynamic fusion of East and West culture, Cipher is an expression of life in the brave new world. Cipher shoes launched with three different styles, in a range of colours, each with its own story and attitude: Seditionary, Subterranean and Libertine.

November 18, 2008 | Design | by Snell |

The Danes are renowned for their considered and subtle design. However, in these times of change, they must feel they need something with this selection of a bridge building as the winner of a recent architectural competition in Denmark. The American architect Steven Holl designed this building with a pedestrian bridge that links two sides of the harbour in the distinctly low-rise Copenhagen. Read more

 

As if this season’s dresses weren’t delightful enough, here’s another reason to liquidate some stock and ruin your credit rating. First Prada and James Jean, now the top end retailer, Nordstrom: the exploration of art by fashion is long overdue, but well worth the wait. The Nordstrom campaign brings together three great things: the Cuban illustrator Ruben Toledo, the fashion photographer Ruven Afanador and the elvin Jenny Sweeny. Just looking at it makes me want to wrap myself in Cavalli and paint my walls bone shell white.

We’ve been following the young French singer/songwriter Orouni for some time now. His last album got a big thumbs up on here and the new release, Jump Out The Window, has laid waste to the grumblings of the ‘difficult second album’. Read more

Winnipeg Illustrator Kenneth Lavalee makes some lovely work. His delicate linework, muted colors and twisted tongue in cheek, drama-esque themes (all blood, obesity and creepy little lump people) are certainly worth a good look.


ADVERTISEMENT

DJ Spooky — That Subliminal Kid — is just about the deepest crate digger around, trawling the barrels of long-lost record stores for choice vinyl to spin in his wickedly dubby sets. He gave us the inside word last week on his eight favourite songs right now via our sister website, My Secret Playlist. This is what he had to say about Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry’s Panic in Babylon: ‘If there’s anything that the twenty-first century has told us, it’s that dub is the real original hip-hop. Lee Scratch even had to make it clear in 1965 by adding “Scratch” to his middle name. Take that, Grandmaster Flash!’ Read the rest of DJ Spooky’s Secret Playlist.

Oh man! If I was twenty again, a jumble of nerves and a well of electric energy, I’d be in the front row for every damn MGMT gig. Read more

Ian Brown has never been a man to look back. Formerly the lead singer of the Stones Roses - an eclectically talented group that never quite reached full potential - he has since carved out a successful solo career, moving well beyond the poppy melodrama of Fools Gold and into a more left-field sonic terrain. Read more

One of the things that hotels, and international hotel brands in particular, are often criticised for is a lack of identity, the feeling of being somewhere but nowhere simultaneously. However, this doesn’t have to be the case. One of the emerging trends in the industry is the personalization of hotels around a style or a theme, so feast your eye on 7 of the coolest and most individual themed hotels from around the world! Read more


ADVERTISEMENT

WE'RE RESPECTING

WE'RE POSTING / SOME OF THE BEST

Thumb

Pictures taken at just the right time

You don’t have to be a skilled photographer to take the best snaps: some just appear out of absolutely nowhere. This site has collected together some of the funniest, cruelest, most alarming — yet completely spontaneous — photos circulating the web. Thank god for other people’s suffering! Read more

Thumb

Two Americas

There are two Americas: one which strives to create its own culture, music, and art with a strong sense of ethics in mind, and another that drinks 32-ounce energy drinks before waiting on line to get into a club packed with women trying to get back at their overbearing fathers, and homophobic men with a fondness for Axe body spray. How do we bridge the divide?

Thumb

Andy Espinoza

Florida-based artist, Andy Espinoza, studies at the Ringling College of Art and Design, majoring in Illustration. His paintings are beautifully conceptualised, rich in narrative and technically impressive. Of his work, he says: ‘I see each human figure as a unique challenge. I am coaxed to find the unique relationship between the shapes and tones that give the particular subject its subtle appeal and unrepeatable vitality. My paintings are not photographic representations of my subjects, but rather are my elaboration of what I find to be of value in them’. Read more

Thumb

Download the new Michna album, Magic Monday

The media world is firmly embedded in the twenty-first century digital revolution, so we thought we better keep up with the times. Read more

Thumb

Adult Hotel opens in Nanning, China

State-controlled news outlet Xinhua reports that a new ‘adult hotel‘ is opening in Nanning, the capital of Guangxi Province in southern China. Apparently state censors think homosexuals and tattoo parlors sully their nation’s image, but not establishments aimed at facilitating heterosexual unions. The owner is apparently worried his business will be perceived as a brothel. Hmmm. In any case, the photos of a staff member demonstrating the, uh, equipment is caption-worthy for sure.

This beautiful ultrachrome print on Hahnemuhle rag paper, measuring nine by twelve inches and in a limited edition of just 100, is available for purchase through the Lost At E Minor store. Read more

the faint

WIN

Woohoo! We have five copies of the new Faint album, Fascination [Inertia], to give away to randomly selected Australian-based Lost At E Minor subscribers who leave a message under this post telling us about the last time they, ummm, Fainted.

WHAT YOU'RE DOING

What are you doing?

CAPTCHA


[Advertise here]


DISCOVER MORE

SO...


IS IT GOOD FOR YOU TOO?

We hope you're enjoying your time on Lost At E Minor, but it’s not over yet. Got something to share? Tell us about it and we'll look to publish it. If you want to have your work featured on the site, we'd love to hear from you. Or if you’d just like to talk amongst yourselves, that’s cool too. Pssst, we also have an online store stocking some of the goodies we feature on the site.

If you're a media agency and want to use this platform to connect with our readership, then drop us a line and tell us about it. Oh yeah, and we do digital consulting for cool brands that want to reach the sort of demographic that visits this site.