Crystallography

3D objects by Lydiaka Shirreff

Minerals and crystals are so common in contemporary culture I decided to make a second post on crystals. The distinction is sometimes a bit arbitrary, as many minerals are crystals, but today's post is about art and things which celebrate the wondrous shapes of crystals, and remind you (if mathematically inclined) of group theory. Often, you see crystalline forms growing out of everything from fashion:

Iris van Herpen, Capriole collection

Pastel Stud Vest by Mallory Weston, strangefeelings on Etsy

Eva Soto Conde dress, 2013, photo by Tomy Pelluz for Vogue Italia

Pankaj and Nidhi's glowing geometric dress, SS12 show at Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week 

 

to architecture, like the Michael Lee-Chin Crystal, an addition to the Royal Ontario Museum, created by architect Daniel Libeskind, here in Toronto,

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or the watercolour drawings of the Los Carpinteros collective (Marco Antonio Castillo Valdés and Dagoberto Rodriguez Sanchez)

Los Carpinteros, 2011, watercolour / paper, 80 x 114 cm.
Courtesy: Sean Kelly Gallery, NY.

 

Los Carpinteros, 2011, watercolour / paper,

Los Carpinteros, 2011, watercolour / paper,

Los Carpinteros, 2011, watercolour / paper,

 To ceramics, like Michelle Summers' whimsical illustrations:

Michelle Summers

Michelle Summers

Michelle Summers

 
And, of course, crystals themselves abound in art.

Crystals by Carin Vaughn

Installation by Gemma Smith

Acryllic sculpture and painting by Gemma Smith

...amongst many others. Do you have a favorite interpretation of crystals?

Cartographic Music

A three-dimensional city plan as rotating cylindrical pianola drum in Akko Goldenbeld's 'Stadsmuziek' turns map into music. Building height maps unto note intensity with this scale model of Eindhoven, Netherlands, where model buildings strike hammers which hit piano keys. You can 'hear' the urban plan, the density, distribution and size of buildings make unmelodic, but fascinating music.




(via le territoire des sens)

Dancing about Architecture

Or painting and printmaking in fact. Is it like writing about music? O, delightful metaphor of dubious pedigree...

I keep seeing art about architecture. Much of it seems to be about the concept of "home". There is a lot of popular illustration that has a cozy, homey vibe these days. Perhaps, I'm contrary. I was moved by these dystopian images by Dutch artist Rob Voerman. Perhaps it is simply the genius of combining block printing, screenprinting and water colour as in Epicenter:

2007 Linoleumprint, silkscreen and watercolour on paper 201 x 180cm
Edition of 5 + 1AP

This one, Annex #3 could be Toronto, but isn't.

Annex # 3
2006 Etching on paper 40 x 30cm
Edition of 15 + 1AP


Untitled 2000
2000 Linoleum print and soot on paper 74 x 74cm
Edition of 20 + 1AP


Junction
2008 Watercolour and pencil on paper 193 x 116cm

The work of American Erin Curtis, is much less dystopian, but it does have a certain haunting quality, despite the colour. {via happy mundane}


Ford Foundation
Acrylic on Canvas, 2008, 84 x 72 in.


Pool Shot
Mixed Media on Paper, 2008, 24 x 36 in.


For Sale
Acrylic on Canvas, 2008, 84 x 108 in.

I'm going to use this as an excuse to highlight Scottish illustrator Lizzy Stewart, simply because she rocks. If you aren't familiar with her work, do yourself a favour and go check out her portfolio and the about today etsy shop.


Nikolai Sutyagin's House
Image for FormFiftyFive's first publication 6x10
Also used as the basis for a customised screenprint.


One of the Broken House Triptych: Three drawings for an exhibition at Lower Haters, Haight St, San Francisco.


Built In Illustration inspired by a poem by Claire Askew as part of a collaboration between Edinburgh College of Art and Edinburgh Univeristy Creative Writers.


Giant Bear in Tiny Village Two colour screenprint

Which brings us back to bears, because really, can there be too many bears in this blog? No, I didn't think so.

Also, if the concept intrigues you, go check out dear ada where there is an entire "art about architecture" section.