David Keith – Vinyl Art-Wear

Mar 7, 2013

I saw David’s glasses in a small art exhibit at Home in Encinitas. At first glance, I noticed the incredible use of classic and modern designs twisted together to create a unique artistic interpretation. There was also something very unique about the materials the frames were made from, but I couldn’t figure out what it was until I noticed a perfect cut out of them in an old vinyl record beneath. The raw look and intricate details of the frames immediately drew me in and made me want a pair.

With 10 years experience as a licensed optician David started up Spexwax, something he describes as ”a new reality functional art you can wear; AKA Art-Wear.” All his glasses are made from damaged vinyl records, and high quality lenses (They also come in prescriptions). Everything down to the case (made from the actual record cover) is a one-of-a-kind creation that makes these glasses a privilege and a pleasure to wear. If you are interested in getting set up with a pair, you can contact David by email or visit his website at spexwax.com.

spexwax.com

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By Reyjay In Art, Style

Tags: glasses, handmade

The Real Collective

Mar 5, 2013

The Real Collective is based out of Venice Beach California, and was started by Xavier Sotomayor and Paul Elliot.

They say: “The Real Collective brand is about reviving authenticity. We celebrate freedom, self expression, and those bold Americans of the past who were daring enough to take the road less traveled. We are currently developing new product lines with some tank styles coming out in the next week or so for the spring!”

We say: Simple and to the point, great blanks and perfect patterns. The textiles they use here are fresh and add that perfect bit of detail to stand out, but not too much. Easy to wear and a great price point for custom tees like this.

therealcollective.com

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By Dersu In Style

Tags: fashion, style, tees, venice beach

Alexandra Vacaroiu

Mar 4, 2013

I came across Alexandra Vacaroiu’s work last week and was immediately enamored. She hales from Romania and is currently studying photography and film at the National University of Arts in Bucharest. When we asked her about her work, she told us, “I’m more interested in recreating scenes from dreams or photographs with a dream-like atmosphere. The aim is to transcend the limit between reality and imagination.”

“Usually, people experiment dreams in an unconscious estate, alone. A dream cannot be dreamed in two or more people. This is a very personal travel, an escape from mundane that can become collective if expressed through art. I am interested in this realm because , since childhood, I had very intense dreams, colorful, and they always left me with a strong sensation of experiencing another reality, even for short term. Dreams are nothing more than manifestations of subconscious, but even bearing this in mind, my fascination continued for years. I have expressed my soft spot for this theme in writings and most of all photography. My series , “ Constellations”, exhibited at National Peasant Museum, in Bucharest, is comprising my theory with a universe within and interconnection, all expressed in a dream-like atmosphere.”

Alexandra’s projects have been selected by United Creativity organization and resulted in an exhibition in Krakow and London, with the aid of Warsaw Cultural Institute. Make sure you visit her site for more breathtaking work.

misspaperplanes.tumblr.com

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By Dersu In Darkroom

Tags: abstract, europe, inspiration, lifestyle, photography, romania, travel, youth

Efterklang

Mar 1, 2013

Hailing from Copenhagen, Efterklang has landed. Formed in 2000, the group has received critical acclaim on their first 3 albums and has toured worldwide playing in massive concert halls yet the band still flies largely under the radar here in North America.

Their 4th album and first of a trio, Piramida is the product of 1000 field recordings inspired by a trip taken to a deserted ghost town on an island in the North Pole. It’s easy to transport yourself to a desolate and lonely setting through Piramida’s complex arrangements – this album better enjoyed as an accompaniment to an activity taking place in your own life: The creation of a concept, an afternoon stroll through a barren landscape or even an evening spent reading next to the fireplace.

Personal favorite, ‘Dreams Today’ moves with the recording of beating of footsteps transcending into something eery and euphoric yet almost too quickly it blends naturally into ‘Black Summer’-a 6-minute epic ode to a protest as if originating from some scene from a dark and twisted Broadway musical.

Piramida is a new-age soundtrack to Fantasia, it’s Kings of Convenience meets Arcade Fire and Sting. Slow builds and orchestral hymns, Casper Clausen’s lead vocals are massive yet tender and strong.

Although Efterklang is made up of only 3 core members, they’ve been known to appear on stage and tour with a number of other musicians and even created their own concert series for the album, playing at concert halls worldwide including The Sydney Opera House and NYC’s Metropolitan Museum of Art. Their North American tour is now underway and they hit the West coast starting with LA next week before making their way up North. How can one not be fascinated by a band often accompanied by a 70-piece Danish girls choir? This one is not to be missed.

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By Nissa In Darkroom, Sound

Tags: album, Copenhagen, Efterklang, music, new, Piramida, sound

Casey Neistat

Feb 28, 2013

Words and interview by Casey Anderson

Casey Neistat doesn’t make videos, he makes movies. More specifically, he makes YouTube movies. He takes moving documentations of his real life, cuts them down into a few short minutes and puts them on the internet for the whole world to judge. It’s a brave thing to do, especially when your YouTube channel has passed 27 million views.

So what makes this guy’s movies so special? Well, I’m pretty sure it has something to do with their simplicity and the fact that they’re made with the integrity so many other YouTube movie makers seemed to have forgotten. They’re well scripted, easy to follow and cover topics I get. Sure, he’s a badass editor, chooses great music, and likes to stick it to the man every once in awhile, but it’s the unpretentious, intellectual storytelling that draws me to Casey’s work.

All of Casey’s movies tell stories. Stories which are totally subjective and unapologetic. Yet, Casey isn’t pushing an agenda, he’s pointing shit out; shit most of us take for granted. He makes movies about bike lane hypocrisy, Instagram etiquette or other random events an ordinary person would never think to capture because, lets face it, most of us don’t have our video cameras running all day. He manages to show us what we miss.

He’s almost always the protagonist. So whether it’s a self-imposed PSA he made “for the fuck of it” or a well funded branding campaign he made to pay the bills, his face and his voice are always there. It’s his style, something he’s developed over time that connects us to his personality and the way he sees the world. Somehow this fine balance between blatantly egoistic and refreshingly modest makes his creations relatable and addicting to watch. He’s able to give instruction without condescending and get personal without alienating.

It could have been his background in the art world- or his tendency to challenge authority- that gave him the balls to install a rowdy living room exhibition in the midst of the Pulse Miami art fair, but somehow it seems obvious that banging hip-hop and grilled cheese service would keep people around to watch some good movies… it’s just the way Casey does it.

Casey Neistat answered some questions for Witness This about his work, creative drive and what it means to share.

How would you describe your style of storytelling?

I try to tell stories at a 5th grade reading level. Explaining things simply is a way to show that the complexity of the idea is understood.

You’re a self- proclaimed trouble-maker. How much trouble are willing to get into to make a movie?

Trouble maker is a funny thing. I’ve never set out to cause trouble, not now and not when I was getting detention in 7th grade, I just always believe in doing things the right way. Sometimes the right way, my way, is not universally accepted and some view it as the wrong way… hence detention. I’ve never subscribed to doing things a certain way because others have determined that’s the way it should be.

What are some of the biggest changes you’ve noticed in your productions since you first started making movies?

Malcolm Gladwell says it takes 10,000 hours of doing any one thing before you become good at it. I think I’m close to 10,000 hours of making movies in my tenure and with that comes confidence in what I’m doing. The biggest change is not feeling like I’m shooting in darkness. I almost sort of feel like I nearly know what I’m doing almost.

Your installation at Pulse Miami caused quite a stir. What reaction did you expect? What surprised you most about presenting there?

I used to work a lot more in the fine art world. It’s a fun place to be because, in theory anyway, you can do whatever you want. Art fairs can be a little uptight so I wanted to create a fun space to show my movies. That’s all.

How is your creative approach different when you work on commissioned projects?

When I am working for someone else my goal is to give them something that exceeds their expectations, something that represents what they wanted even more so than they could’ve imagined when hiring me. When it’s one of my movies, one I make just for the fuck of it, it’s just about making something I believe in. There are no expectations.

Did you know that people in Germany can’t watch your movie, “The Weekend in California”, on YouTube because of copyrights to the music in the video? In fact, we can’t watch a lot of stuff on YouTube because of the big copyright protection agency here. What are your thoughts on those kinds of restrictions?

I don’t understand the intricacies of GEMA, but what I do understand seems really fucking dumb. I use a lot of music that is not mine and in doing so I forego a lot of the ownership and control of the work (YouTube can put adverts over my movies for example) this seems fair. YouTube should exploit my work on behalf of the artist who’s music I used. But to block it
altogether is to punish me, the artist who created the music, and the viewer. It’s a lose lose lose situation.

People love sharing their lives through social media, yet we’ve all second guessed the stuff we put out there. You tend to share a lot of private/personal moments in your movies, do you ever feel like you’ve shared too much?

I try to look forward.

What are your do’s and don’ts for distributing content on the internet?

No rules. The internet is a meritocracy. Put whatever shit you want out there, but if it is just shit don’t expect anyone to notice it. Adversely if you have something great don’t covet it, the internet is a great place to share with an audience that covers most of the planet.

Check out Casey’s movies:
caseyneistat.com or vimeo.com/caseyneistat (if you’re in a country with ridiculous copyright policies)

Words and interview by Casey Anderson

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By Dersu In Genius, Motion

Tags: casey neistat, goals, inspiration, lifestyle, motion, nike, travel, video, vimeo, youtube

The One Moto Show

Feb 26, 2013

The One Motorcycle Show was born from the idea that every bike was built, restored, or preserved for a reason. The One Motorcycle Show is not about rules or pre-conceived notions because there is no right or wrong way to build a bike. It’s about motorcycles with a purpose and a story. It’s the opportunity to get rare, weird, old, new, and all-around amazing bikes together in one spot.

We are proud to say that the show has always been for motorcyclists, by motorcyclists. We believe the only way this will keep going is from the hard work of all the people who are involved, and this is the main reason it will always remain FREE to exhibit and to attend.

Back in 2010 we decided to host a grassroots motorcycle show to replicate all the days and nights spent kicking tires in the garage, talking with pals about bikes and the endless hours obsessing over what the “One” bike would be if you could build it. We hoped it would inspire builders to bring in bikes that weren’t just show bikes — the bike had a unique story and a reason to exist. The shows brought a whole bunch of rare, weird, old, new, and all around amazing bikes together in one place.

-One Moto Show