New Art / Jean-Philippe Rajotte

January 5, 2008 | New Art | by Zolton |

Montreal-based artist, Jean-Philippe Rajotte, has been working in the gaming industry for the past seven years doing 3D modeling, texturing, lighting, UI Design, and now as an Art Director. Of his work, he says: ‘I am trying to achieve a strong visual result with my 2D and photography work; my 3D work is more quiet and subtle. Most of all, I try not to take myself too seriously!’ Read more

Cool Travel / Lost in translation

January 5, 2008 | Cool Travel | by Gerry Mak |

Chinglish — poorly translated English — is rampant in China. It’s so prevalent that the government has dispatched teams of bloggers and linguists to clean up signs all over Beijing in the lead-up to the 2008 Olympic Games. The f-word has mysteriously cropped up in many signs, and until now, government officials have been baffled and expats amused. Sinologist, Victor Mair, however, recently announced that he may have found the culprit: a translation program that translates the Chinese ‘gan’, meaning ‘dry’ or ‘to do’ as the most notorious word in the English language. Read more

New Music / It’s Alright

January 5, 2008 | New Music | by Zolton |

When I first heard Bang Gang’s It’s Alright I didn’t know whether I loved it or hated it. Loved it because it stuck in my head for a good hour and twelve minutes afterwards (not that I was counting); hated it because … well, that’s an awful long time to have one tune spinning around your inner ear iPod. In the end, I gave myself over to it completely; to its organic beauty; its sense of imperfect pleading; it’s purity and sentimental hopelessness. It’s a major chord lament with minor chord persuasions. Listen to it under the warm sway of a glass of red and it’ll sit inside your heart like every childhood dream you ever had.

Listen to Bang Gang’s It’s Alright.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

New Fashion / Final Home

January 5, 2008 | New Fashion | by Zolton |

If only we could swap out every ubiquitous North Face jacket that sits tight on the weather-beaten frames of far too many Manhattanites for one of these wonderful creations by Japanese artist, Kosuke Tsumura. The city would be that much more of an interesting place. Called Final Home, this parka has 44 zippered pockets and is part of Tsumura’s collection of ‘post-apocalyptic streetwear’, designed as a respite — and insulation — from the stresses of modern urban living.

New Art / Mad.Elephant

January 5, 2008 | New Art | by Zolton |

We love the ingenuity of Mad.Elephant’s jewelery designs, which includes items as disparate as ‘chicken bone knucklering, a 22 caliber bullet shell bracelet and a dove’s foot bracelet’. Of her work she says: ‘Art is the filter in my brain that sorts through and deals with all the thoughts in my head which are numerous and sometimes hard to deal with. I heal myself through my art. I found that when I deal with personal issues and painful subject matter, my art is much stronger as well as my concepts. Strife inspires me. Maybe I seek it out in some ways because this is so. Although the healing process is difficult and exhausting, I come out stronger in the end. My jewelry is a perfect manifestation of this process’.