A storm in a teacup

WE'RE SUPPORTING

Afghanistan has always been famous for rugs. The impact of several decades of political turmoil has left its mark on this national art. However, Turkmen weavers have been weaving what are known as ‘war rugs‘ that depict weapons, military vehicles, and even the 9/11 World Trade Center attacks. Notice the dove in the center, indicating that the rug’s maker isn’t celebrating the attacks.

WE'RE TRAVELLING TO

Aesop’s signature space in Fitzroy, Melbourne, looks amazing, we’ve got the word on how and why. Why was Gabriel Garcia Marquez chosen as the featured author? ‘There are literary giants and then there are writers like Gabriel Garcia Marquez, whose talents redefine not only the genres they choose to work within but what’s possible in literature as a whole. The fact that his work has transcended his own language and culture has also prompted our decision to pay homage’. Read more

WE'RE WEARING

Goodone is a UK-based sustainable fashion label who design and produce innovative, one-off clothing made from hand-picked, locally-sourced, recycled fabrics.

WE'RE THINKING

There is something almost apocalyptic about the intense black and white decimated, chaotic landscapes that French artist Didier Blondeau lovingly depicts.

WE'RE READING

I’ve been reading Julia Wertz’s web comic, The Fart Party, which is simply a first person account of her every day life. The artwork is pretty rudimentary, but that works to the comic’s advantage, making it rather accessible and earnest seeming. Updated every few days, it’s not hard to keep up, and you never have to wait long to get your next fix.

I spent the formative first six years of my life in Wellington, New Zealand, a beautiful windswept city framed by a magnificent harbour in one direction and a stunning collection of green, rolling hills in the other. It was here, on a return visit many years later and deep amongst the clipped accents and ruddy faces of the weather-beaten locals, that I stumbled upon the vast catalogue of the then Dunedin based record label Flying Nun. And what a roster of acts they housed — The Chills, The Bats, The Clean, Tall Dwarfs, The Verlaines, and my favourite guitar-pop band, Straitjacket Fits. Read more

WE'RE LISTENING TO

These very sweet folks from Seattle supported Broken Social Scene on our last American dates of the Spirit IF tour. Although they haven’t quite hit their stride as a live outfit, the tunes from songwriter Grant Olsen have some very lovely moments that fall somewhere between Velvet Underground and The Everly Brothers. I think Arthur and Yu could take over from where Grandaddy left off, though with better songs. No offense to Grandaddy.