
Masataka Nakano’s ‘My Lost America’
Masataka Nakano’s ‘My Lost America’ photography book ran past my eyes at one of my favourite photography bookstores in Berlin. It’s a very nostalgic look at the lost years of America in the 80s, the centrepiece of which is a startlingly eerie picture of the twin towers hovering over New York before they were attacked in 2001. It seems that in the 80s people were happier, things were hotter, and people were far more subdued. But then again, maybe it was because of the huge cocaine boom? Who would have thought that a Japanese photographer by the name of Masataka Nakano would have undertaken such a project: ‘The colour photographs that fill every page of this book are then a slice of America that has slowly disappeared, yet draw on iconic and timeless images of people captured on the street, empty spaces, billboards and signage, streetscapes, parks and Cadillac’s and Chevrolets’. Simply dazzling!
Tagged: 1980s, Japanese photographers
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1985 Summer/Spring Argos Catalogue on Flickr
I must have seen hundreds of photo sets on Flickr, and even though this one doesn’t contain the original work, I’d struggle to find one that evokes such nostalgia. Many an hour was spent searching the Argos catalogue for the latest toys, walkmans, hi-fis and the like. Now we can do it all again. Read more
Crazy funny 1987 aerobic dance competition
1980s, why did you fade away. I miss you and your rampant kitschiness. Life is just too damn serious these days. I could do with a sprinkle of fun back on our TV screens. Did I say fun? Oh boy! Watch on and be amazed. Sorry, amused.

Knight Rider KITT Super Pursuit Mode Minimates Vehicle
Like many other kids who grew up in the 80s, I loved Knight Rider. I wish this Minimates toy version of KITT in super pursuit mode was available back then.
Also by ARI STEIN

Ten years of German photographer Jürgen Teller’s candid, glamorous photo campaigns for Marc Jacobs’ men’s and women’s collections have been collated into one cohesive 576-page fashion bible. This book does an excellent job of detailing just how significant this collaboration has been for fashion, featuring appearances from the likes of Sofia Coppola, Charlotte Rampling, Meg White, Thurston Moore, Rufus Wainwright, William Eggleston, and Winona Ryder. Read more

One of the most intriguing stories I’ve come across this year is about a young artist called Yonlu, born Vinicius Gageiro Marques in the town of Porto Alegre, in Brazil. His story is short but fascinating. As it goes, this sixteen year old songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and virtual artist locked himself in his bathroom, signed on to one of the various suicide forums he belonged to on the Internet, and took his own life, remaining online until the very end. After his death, his father went through his computer and found numerous musical creations, including the songs that make up his debut album through Luaka Bop. It’s an amazing listen and very ahead of its time.
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Edgar Muller’s three-dimensional street art
Some people are talented, others are just truly remarkable. German artist Edgar Muller makes these three-dimensional apocalyptic fantasy street art in cities across the world. His work is reminiscent of that of English artist, Julian Beever. Read more
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So what if you don’t really have a snazzy sports car sitting in your suburban garage? Who cares if a giant puppy doesn’t really call it home? Now you can live out your ultimate fantasy and decorate your sliding door at the same time with Style Your Garage, a billboard that ‘comes with a separate, self-adhesive Velcro fastener, can be attached immediately, and is fitted in the same sort of way as a fly screen at the window’. Read more
I’m in love with Pakayla Biehn’s Double Exposure painting series. Her blending of hazy images makes me feel like I’m going in and out of a dream: like I’m half awake, half asleep. Read more
Artist David Shrigley’s animated music video for Blur is so simple, so sweet, so perfect. I don’t know how many times I’ve watched it, yet it still makes me cry every time.
Ben Thomas applies the skills he learned at the International Design and Animation School in Adelaide to make large, wide-angle photos of massive urban landscapes look as if they are tiny dioramas. Read more
Ever tried to imagine what an artist looks like based on their artwork? I was asked to be involved in this Australia-based project by Anna Brown, where she photographs comic artists and then presents the work next to a portrait of the artist in their own comic form. Read more
Canada seems to be the land of amazing ambient metal duos. Montreal has Menace Ruine, and Toronto has Nadja, a formidable couple that churns out huge-sounding, bass and electronics-driven doom that draws your gaze up towards the stars just as old cathedral ceilings humble the faithful and make them think of the Almighty.
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Art jeweler and continuing education teacher at Rhode Island School of Design Islay Taylor made these awesome brass knuckles bejeweled with acrylic nails.
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Nerd-attack! Man, this TARDIS zipper robe is so much cooler than any Star Wars crap people are hawking this days. This is for the true gangsta nerd.

Pitched as ‘Ulterior Motives in Contemporary Art’, Disorder Disorder is running until November 14 at Penrith Regional Gallery. It’ll be well worth the trip out west of Sydney: the Australian, Japanese, American and European cast reads like a warriors of street art roundup and includes Mike Giant, Ed Templeton, Anthony Lister [artwork above], Ozzie Wright, and Jonathan Zawada. Read more

It’s refreshing to see artists like Joe Kievitt who are contented to explore the beauty in simple forms and asymmetrical patterns. Read more

Matthew Dear’s Black City album totem
Our friends at Ghostly International are releasing Matthew Dear’s Black City album as a limited edition ‘totem’. A what? A totem – a limited edition metal bar used to access a private music chamber. Cool! Read more

Baltimore Mural by Josh Van Horne
My friend Josh Van Horne, a local Baltimore artist, did this amazing mural in our neighborhood that depicts the history of this warehouse-laden area.
Inspired by the aesthetics of architecture and graphic design, FAQ Clothing has a post-modern approach to design. Each collection is based on a conceptual theme: ranging from vintage comics to lunar phases. FAQ works with no boundaries, nor rules, which makes for a compelling line. Check out more FAQ products in the Lost At E Minor store.
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