WE'RE SUPPORTING

Artist Taylor McKimens does paintings you want to poke with a stick, and maybe even sniff, if your friends dared you. With grotesque images of diseased bodies, rotting piles of vomit, intestine-looking tubes, and all manner of scatological subjects rendered in muted pastels, McKimens’ paintings look as if pop culture has been left out of the fridge too long and is sprouting some pretty funky stuff. Read more

WE'RE TRAVELLING TO

The Suit Up exhibition comprises a number of artworks from various Australian street, comic, and illustration artists, each of whom has applied their unique style to that ubiquitous — yet, rarely tapped — canvas, the playing card. The designs have been produced as giclee prints, signed and numbered by the artists, and are limited to 10 prints of each design. Real-size decks of cards have also been produced for sale. The Suit Up crew is a close-knit group of predominantly Melbourne-based artists who are passionate about Australia’s ‘low-brow’ art scene, which is more collaborative and less ego-driven than much of the the high-brow art world. The exhibition runs between February 13 and 25.

WE'RE WEARING

New York-based eco-line Loomstate create the coolest tees made of organic cotton. Each printed t-shirt not only celebrates nature but is stylishly crafted, with contrasting stitching coupled with signature twisted side seams for a sleek fit. My favourite is the Seabra design [pictured below]. And, boys, don’t fret because Loomstate cater for males, too. Read more

WE'RE THINKING

Now here’s a serious treat. The digital work of illustrator Aleks Senvald possess all the handmade charm of an actual painting, brimming with a giddy charm and sweetness, played out through her wonderfully rich narrative. Read more

WE'RE READING

In this post-everything mash-up culture, it’s still sometimes disarming to see how a small tweak can completely change the meaning of iconic images. Read more

Damn, ten years of playing guitar in loud rock bands, and not once did we have a slamming moshpit like this. Banging heads is so, so fun.

WE'RE LISTENING TO

Beijing-based band Hanggai write original songs in the traditional folk styles of their Mongolian ancestors — throat-singing, horsehair fiddles, lutes — spearheading an Asian version of the old-time revival. Though it’s only through the digital age that the rest of the world can access this beautiful music, it makes you want to slow down and reflect on what we’ve lost as a species. This stuff makes every flavor of the month indie band seem vapid and meaningless.