A love story that transcends time – add new text

The Time Traveler’s Wife, published in 2003, is the debut novel of American author Audrey Niffenegger. It is a love story about Clare and Henry, a man with a genetic disorder that causes him to time travel unpredictably.

On the surface, Henry and Clare Detamble are a normal couple living in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood. Henry works at the Newberry Library and Clare creates abstract paper art, but the cruel reality is that Henry is a prisoner of time. It sweeps him back and forth at its leisure, from the present to the past, with no regard for where he is or what he is doing. Despite the fact that Henry’s travel force them apart with no warning, Clare desparately tries to build a life with her one true love.

Brooklyn Fare shows how one font, four colours and a unique voice is what makes this store stand out.

Brooklyn Fare is a small neighbourhood store that positions itself against the national grocery giants.

Created for Brooklyn Fare by Mucca Design is a full-on identity, a unique voice that garners attention and setting it apart from the competition.

The unique strategy is basically a conconction of one typeface + four colous + a lot of copy. From packaging design, custom typeface, copywriting to interior signage and t-shirts , everything “talks” to the consumer using a witty tone, playing on tired cliches. One of our favourite is the coffee cup sleeves as it teases Starbucks, saying, “It’s a medium not a grande” and “It’s a small not a tall.” Even the napkins are custom with some snappy copy.

Great work!

Designers Chi Bui and Yael Aflalo have collaborated on two new lines for Urban Outfitters

As part of Urban Outfitters’s designer limited edition collection are two new lines, Reformed and Nom de Plume Yaya. The two collections are a combination of the 2 designers’ style. The result is a mix of quirky, whimsical, feminine look yet forward, sexy, with harder lines.

Here are some of my favourite from the collection. More after the Urban Outfitters.

5 minutes with photographer Jason Eric Hardwick
We get into the mindset of this young fashion photographer to hear how he work and gain inspiration.

K: Tell us more about the work you do
JEH: I’m a young fashion photographer based in New York City. Right now my concentration is laying out a proper foundation for my career to grow on, building something that will last. I’m on it every day, keeping contacts fresh, brainstorming, accumulating equipment, etc. Like any artist doing what they do, my work goes in the direction of my interests and state of mind. I think once more people/clients discover who I am, what I do, and what I’m about…it’s going to be a lot of fun.

K: What inspired you to be a photographer?
JEH: I love the medium, I love the process, I love the possibilities. Before photography, I was more involved with drawing & painting. In my experience, having this background is a great advantage. It fits how I think and work, I like to create the photo on paper first, then work out all of the details. Details such as what is happening with hair/makeup/ styling and lighting, in relationship with the direction I want to take the project. On the day of the shoot, I know exactly where I’m going with each shot. As far as what inspired me to be a photographer, down to the principle…my family always encouraged me to do what makes me happy… the best and most meaningful advice anyone can give. It always makes since. The greatest things are usually the most simple.

K: Where or what do you do to get inspiration?
JEH: My inspiration comes more from the ‘what’ rather than the ‘where.’ If there is an inspiring location, all it takes is a recollection for me to relocate. Talent inspires me, I love hearing great music created be dedicated musicians. When music becomes a creative medium, something very special happens. Also, being involved every day in the business is something that keeps me motivated. Furthermore, good friends that are equally as passionate and interested about what they do are a very positive influence to my workflow. Another great inspirational source is natural elements I experience in present time that remind me of experiences and thoughts from my childhood. When this happens it is never a subtle moment, it always insists my attention and rolls out rich ideas for projects. By natural elements, I mean something as simple as a gust of wind or a drop of cold water. All it takes is hint of suggestion for us to remember. Inspiration is everywhere. Opposites are very attractive to me. Whether it be straight forward or obscure. Something dark in a warm environment, antique ideas with new function. I like to apply this mindset of opposites into my work.

K: So have you managed to meet lots of famous people?
JEH: There have been many, and they have all been good experiences. My greatest encounter by far with someone famous was meeting Robert Longo at his “The Outward and Visible Signs of an Inward and Invisible Grace” show opening. Robert is someone whose work I greatly admire. Even better, he was very kind.

K: Which project has been the strangest to you?
JEH: It takes a lot for something to be strange to me. I love things that aren’t perfect. Flaws within ourselves are meant to be recognized and acknowledged, and often at times embraced. So things that are strange and may come off as odd and unfavorable, are things I tend to gravitate towards.

K: Do you think you have the chance of changing things in the world as a photographer?
JEH: As daunting the task may seem, I do believe there are things each of us can do. Single handled, no, let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Voice is a powerful thing, but voice is meant to be heard by others. It takes a collaboration of great people. In my time I would love to be part of many projects that are out to change things for the better, be it humanities, environmental, or something as seemingly easy as peace.

K: Where do you hope to see yourself in five years time?
JEH: There’s a really amazing overhead mirror in NYC on 15th street between 8th & 9th Avenue on the north side of the street closer to 8th Ave. The mirror itself isn’t amazing, but the fact that you can view yourself at a bird’s eye view walking through the streets is quite amazing. Hahaha, on a serious note, in five years time, I hope to be working on projects I love, and work with clients that believe in me and my ideas. There’s nothing I want more from my career than having creative flexibility and resources to work on my most extravagant ideas. That is where I want to be.

Krftd would like to thank Jason Eric Hardwick for this interview. All work featured in this interview is copyrighted by Jason Eric Hardwick. Krftd has written permission from Jason Eric Hardwick to use the selected pieces for this interview.

You may NOT copy or redistribute any of images within this interview without the written permission from Jason Eric Hardwick . For more information please contact: Jason Eric Hardwick

There’s something ultimate about London’s The Big Pink.

It’s as though they’ve compressed everything that’s great about post-war music into their sound. The Big Pink is as accessible as a pop group, with almost folkishly warm melodies, the spiritual quality of soul and gospel, the rhythmic propulsion of rave, the white noise of punk, the glitchy textures of electronica, and the heavy drones of your favourite New York rock bands past and present.

A book of art, photography, and writing by rock musicians reflecting life on the road

The nice folks over at Yeti have brought a beautiful 156-page tome that includes a DVD of live footage, from over 50 contributors including: Devendra Banhart, Carla Bozulich, Jem Cohen, Electrelane, Erase Errata, The Ex, Explosions in the Skyand Le Tigre.

Editors Mia Clarke (Electrelane) and Sara Jaffe (Erase Errata) invited musicians to submit work for The Art of Touring that moved beyond the traditional tour diary form to explore the manifold ways musicians use other art forms to explore and make sense of touring life. Some of the contributions were produced on the road, while others are reflective and after-the-fact. Some explicitly relate to travel and geography, while others capture a mood, a moment, or a state of mind. There are also shots of post-show floors, a story about getting tear-gassed in Siberia, comic strips, and much more, including a DVD of live performances, video travelogues, and on-the-road antics.

About the Author
Mia Clark played guitar in Electrelane until their breakup in 2007 and is now in the band Follows. She also writes fiction and music journalism for the Chicago Reader, The Wire, and The Guardian. Originally from Brighton, England, she now lives in Chicago. Sara Jaffe is a writer and musician who spent the better part of 2000 to 2004 touring as guitarist for Erase Errata. Her music and fiction writing has appeared in the San Francisco Bay Guardian, The Fader, Encyclopedia, Tantalum, and Instant City. She recently completed her MFA in fiction writing, and lives in Brooklyn.

Passarella Death Squad a/w 09 collection is a tale inspired by sexuality of their cult rock sound.

UK based label Passarella Death Squad have been making some of the best t-shirts on the market since 2004.

Importing top-quality fabric from Japan, Passarella Death Squad manufactures and hand screens each garment in London. Passarella Death Squad Autumn/Winter 2009 collection gets inspired from the covers of leading magazines. The result is great design that mixes black and white comic art and photography.

What better way to encourage children to read than a bookstall that is delightfully cheerful?

Designed by Japanese Sako Architect, the Kid’s Republic picture bookstore in Beijing, China is ‘wrapped’ with colorful ribbons that twist and morphs. There are more than 4,000 titles in Chinese, Japanese and English, to create and cultivate the curiosity of children.

As explained on the architect’s website:
There is an activity room on the first floor and a children’s bookstore on the second floor. The activity room on the first floor is a rainbow-like space created with 12 colorful ribbons of different perimeters. Activities like story-telling and animation shows are periodically held here. The section gaps in the wall and ceiling are used for illumination or displaying items, while those in the floor are also used as a stage and an auditorium. Carpets are laid in the room for children to freely sit and lie down on the floor.

The stairs leads the children to the bookstore on the second floor. The rainbow-like ribbon starts from the hall and goes up along the stairs till the bookstore. The 100-meter-long colorful ribbon, which serves various functions at various places, whirls and twists in the store; it finally ends in the room and goes back to the armrest of the staircase baluster on the first floor where it had started.

The front covers of children’s picture books have rich and bright colors. In comparison to those bookstores selling professional books, the collection of such picture books can produce a cheerful space. No orderly bookshelves can be found here, and children can sit in places that appeal to them and read the picture books at their own pleasure. The colorful ribbon starting from the stairs twists and whirls in the store, and it comes in contact with the bookshelves, tables, gate, checkout counter, and ceiling, and finally, the armrest of the stairs.

Holes of different sizes are designed on the bookshelves against the wall, serving as not only windows to pass internal and external information but also as reading spaces for children. The scenery of children sitting and reading not only decorates the elevation of the store but also gives the appearance of a delightful store to people on the outside.

Interior design generally classifies the floor, wall, ceiling, and furniture into different components. This is an easy way to sort out articles and establish a certain order in the adult world. The design in this case does not consider any of these since the sensibilities of children do not tend toward the abovementioned components. There is no separation for the children to read and play. I tried to make the space more intuitive and free by the design.