November 13, 2007 | New Events | by Is Not Magazine |
Ed Janssen is famed in Melbourne for his jewellery designs, sold through cult Morrissey-friendly label This Charming Man. ‘The Knuckle Sandwich’ charm necklace (two pieces of bread on either side of a tiny set of brass knuckles, as pictured above) exudes an oddly amusing menace. More recently ‘The Bear Trap’ has been dangling from every second neck, wiping out hope for Melbourne’s unsuspecting tiny forest animals. Janssen is about to launch a new range inspired by the iconography of various secret societies. Melburnians can check out their old and new favourites at the first This Charming Man exhibition launching this week at Alice Euphemia’s new store. Flex those tiny knuckles and watch those tiny feet. Read more
April 23, 2007 | New Illustration | by Is Not Magazine |
Melbourne illustrators, designers and men-about-town Tin&Ed are known and loved for many things. Their lost-in-a-forest illustrations, their science-meets-whimsy line-based art, their collages, their photographs, their escapades and their generally unexpected solutions to design problems. Tin&Ed’s work is great, probably because they strive to find the best answer to each design challenge rather than aiming for a distinct studio style. Their recent work for Crumpler is not only awesome to behold, but has applications way beyond the commercial. Check out the animated alphabet and behold your ticket to the best graphic email signature ever. Spend a few minutes on the site and you’ll work out what we mean.
March 13, 2007 | New Fashion | by Is Not Magazine |
With one foot in Melbourne and the other in New York City, Ed Janssen has found such a big fan base for his hand-made jewellery that he has had to cut back on his other great love in life – making the best espresso you’re ever likely to sip from a cardboard cup. But Ed’s charm necklaces are still inspired by his experiences in the cafes of Melbourne and Manhattan. Under the label This Charming Man, his cult item is known as ‘the knuckle sandwich’. Fashioned from sterling silver, it’s a set of three charms – two pieces of bread to hang on either side of a tiny knuckle duster. Other pieces include ‘the knuckle bagel’, as well as steaks, burger patties and single slices of cheese. We don’t know about New York, but every man in Melbourne worth his winklepickers is wearing these right now. [see also Lynda Holt]
February 18, 2007 | New Photography | by Is Not Magazine |
Amanda de Simone is a Melbourne photographer who has a fine fine haircut. We also think she is the most exciting photographic artist in the city right now. Her portraits combine emotions like rage and grief with questions about masculinity, femininity, desire and … well … the spirit of rock ‘n’ roll. Her new exhibition at McCulloch gallery is called ‘Cock Fight’ Playing with the idea of the men’s club, ‘Amanda explores men’s lust for undying fame, their internal prowess in battle, their sensitivity to insults’. We think the idea is to pit the portraits against one another in a kind of imaginary Battle Royale. Then maybe pick some fights with some jocks, which we do quite frequently anyway, or at least whenever we walk past The Prince. Those who saw ‘Crying Boy Fanclub’ last year will know this exhibition is going to be hot.
January 18, 2007 | New Products | by Is Not Magazine |
The mysterious Melbourne-based Litmus Journal has been in bookstores for a while now – from Australia to London – starting with Litmus Minus Three and building momentum through Minus Two, Minus One and Zero to the inevitable Issue One, currently on sale. Each issue is themed and publishes work by an expanding community of emerging writers, artists, illustrators and photographers. Recently the founders launched Litmusphere, an ‘online magazine fashioned by the faithful’ released in weekly installments online and with a limited print run. According to editor Chris Flynn they are totally into new contributors. We started by bolstering their worthy ‘zombie haiku‘ campaign: ‘I thought I shot him; The thing is to kill the brain; We got a twitcher’. [illustrations by Pat Dalton]
This beautiful archival pigment print by New York-based illustrator, Fernanda Cohen, is called Fashion Ruined My Life. And it speaks for itself. Just look at her face! We have it for sale for just $75 in the Lost At E Minor online store.
Since I heard about Carl Krull, I’ve followed him closely and have always been fascinated by his drawings and paintings. On his website he has several videos where you can watch him work. Read more
Heavy metal and hip-hop are perhaps the most popular forms of rebellion for kids the world over. In Malaysia, metal — particularly black metal — has taken such a strong hold that the Fatwa Council there banned it, fearing that the music would compel listeners to rebel against religion. Contrary to the council’s intentions, black metal is as popular as ever in Malaysia, and is a recognizable cultural touchstone there, as indicated by the above clip from the 2005 film Filem Rock.
Mexican architecture firm Senosiain Arquitectos recently designed a shell-shaped dwelling for a Mexico City couple. The owners are already living in their new abode with their two very happy children. The structure is maintenance-free and earthquake proof, and is full of soothing greenery and smooth, rounded surfaces. Read more
The uber-hip French producer M83 has compiled a Secret Playlist for us in which he props Brian Eno, Julee Cruise, and Tears For Fears’ Head Over Heels: ‘This song was the biggest influence for my new album. Our track, Kim and Jesse, takes a lot of inspiration from 80s bands like Tears for Fears. This is one of my favourites’. Read the rest of M83′s Secret Playlist.
Ianva are a fantastically seductive group from Genova, sounding like the house band in an underground cabaret during Mussolini’s rule — at once nostalgic and subversive. Read more
Paulina Bojór mixes a timeless earthiness with sculptor. She grew up in the Polish Peoples Republic and there she began by embellishing old clothes, experimenting with bright colours and the avant-garde. She’s now based in London and continues to build her label BOYOR, inspired by graphic patterns and much more. Read more
WE'RE POSTING / SOME OF THE BEST

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.

Michelle Blade’s psychedelic artwork
Michelle Blade’s washed out paintings are deceptively simple, her washy acrylics creating psychedelic textures and conjuring ghostly figures from the past. Read more

A little infectious lollipop rock anyone? Feel free to embarrass yourself singing along at the stoplight. If the other drivers give you that look, roll down the windows and spread the love.
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Communication prosthesis by Sascha Nordmeyer
This ‘communication prosthesis’ by designer Sascha Nordmeyer is hilarious and awesome. I want to wear one to a job interview.

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
Each one of these Bracelaces by Itunube is turned into an elegant drawing on the skin using different kinds of lace combined with leather, metal components and glass beads. They are just US$25 in the Lost At E Minor store. Read more
If you have a Twitter feed that focuses on cool pop cultural things and you’d like to swap Tweets with Lost At E Minor and other like-minded Twitterers, drop us a note (with Tweet Swap in the title). We have a system in place and we’d like to have you in on it! [illustration by Brad Fitzpatrick]
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