Artist Mathieu Tremblin brilliantly fuses real world tagged walls with online tag clouds. From what I gather, Mathieu takes a photo, reinterprets the tags via stencils, paints over the initial wall and repaints the original tags in a typeset “tag cloud” formation. I’m a bit taken with this project. It requires all the balls of graf writing mixed with an awesome case of art-nerdism. Make sure you check out his site. He is loaded with peculiar fusions and juxtopositional projects. Well done.

photo ©NYT

I could write all day about the king level work that graffiti writer Espo has put in over the years. From the work I would see on the train home from school, the old school Philly walls, the books, the Gulianni fiasco, the Street Market installation, his extensive handstyles, the Love Letters to Philly, his Fulbright scholarship to my favorite project – The Espo Gates.

If you grew up in a city, you were well aware of a few things while trying to cool off during a sweltering summer.

The Nano needed a makeover to keep up with the iPad and iPhone. With a touch screen, FM radio and sleek, slimmed-down design it looks like Apple delivers once again.

The Motown Sound organized and incorporated into the Motown Record Corporation 40 years ago exporting the work of incredible artists such as Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross, Smokey Robinson, Stevie Wonder (check the drum solo) and Michael Jackson. This sound shaped the audible aesthetic for an entire generation and gave the world an intimate look at life in the American City. It was also critical in the racial integration of our American musical culture. It was the first label owned by an African American (Barry Gordy, Jr.) to push African-American …

I have recently noticed a steady stream of minimalist recreations of pop culture media. Namely, minimalist design remixes of poster art for classic movies and music videos. Comfortably contemporary, no doubt.

A few months ago I wrote about the work of Dave DeVries who took childrens drawings and recreated them with a photo-realistic approach. The results are stunning. So stunning that I feel they have inspired a campaign created by Ogilvy for Pictionary. It isn’t quite obvious enough for a “You Thought We Wouldn’t Notice” post, but close.You be the judge.

In a find nothing short of miraculous, the classic 1851 oil painting by German-American artist Emanuel Gottlieb Leutze pre-emptively predicted the arrival of a collection of timeline-displaced influential Jazz musicians. It smells like the workings of  a jazz-nerd version of Bill S. Preston Esq & Ted Theodore Logan.

If you are even the slightest bit familiar with jazz music you are probably already familiar with the work of Reid Miles with Blue Note Records. His soulfully iconic imagery painted the visual for what was to debatably be Americas only original artform. It seems impossible to capture the flow, feeling and freeform of jazz music in a single image and yet, Mr. Miles hooked it up hundreds of times.

The incredibly talented video production group, Everynone regularly outputs quality. As we sit on the lip of the approaching weekend I thought it was fitting to share my favorite video they hooked up, “Stoop Sitting”. Watch closely and use it as a reminder when your ass is getting too busy this weekend.

For the amount of love that I have for my eyes, I have a disproportionate understanding of what they actually look like. Thanks to the macro-enhanced photographic work of Susan Manvelya, we can get a closer look, literally.

Youthful pop-cultural re-interpreter,  James Hance has layered our favorite intergalactic, inter-species bromance over a few of our beloved youthful kinships. Namely, Winnie the Pooh & Christopher Robin and Calvin & Hobbes. A very straight forward yet loveable juxtapostion no doubt.

Nine out of ten times it seems that marketing campaigns that attempt to connect on a relevant plane fall flat on their face and roll clumsily back down the hill. Levi jeans partnered up with director John Hillcoat, the IFC and the Sundance Channel to present an incredibly intimate and authentic portrait of the town of Braddock, PA entitled “We Are All Workers”. The project is broken up into a handful of textured stories that leaves you feeling deeply for the broken town of Braddock. As many of you know, …

Artists Valentin Beinroth and Florian Jenett successfully bridges the gap between the sensual aesthetic of eating an icepop and the jarring aesthetic of watching someone attempt suicide. A juxtapositional marriage at its most uncomfortably finest.

European graf writers, Insa and Inkie connects an old school paint to wall technique and the old school internet animated gif technique to drop something truly unique.  Pretty damn fresh.

Illustrator Scott Derby’s work always kicks ass always. These Sailor Jerry inspired tattoo illustrations depicting our favorite 80’s pop culture elements particular kicks ass. I think I need a Ghostbuster back piece now.

I believe that places hold the energy of the past and if you are sensitive to it, you can feel it a bit. You know what I’m talking about. I am sure you have walked into a room and felt that shiver and you knew something bad had happened there.

Artist Dalton Ghetti flips the technique and uses the pencil lead as the foundation for art in itself turning the mark-maker into the mark.

Our hands are highly underrated. Check out the stunning work by artist Guido Daniele that illustrates the agility, strength and elegant form of the human hand by the human hand.

Laura Keeble drops a bomb with this one. Venti dead mermaid, sugar-free, non-fat, vanilla soy, double shot, decaf, no foam, extra hot, Peppermint White Chocolate Mocha with light whip and extra syrup.

“Faster, faster, faster, until the thrill of speed overcomes the fear of death.” ~Hunter Thompson

A grip of gorgeously gloved, gang sign tossing hands created by Slick will be available at the San Diego Comic Con next week. A very limited 50 pieces will be available in the US and another 50 will be shipped to Japan. The all black variant will be released on July 24th. I want to buy one, flip it around and send it to my Uncle Al.

Incredible trailer for a game from Shaun White showcasing a city collapsing and contorting to accomodate the needs of a few skaters.

Sometimes words aren’t necessary to communicate something brilliant. The stage itself can become the star of the show if it can smile wide enough.

Photographer Julia Fullerton-Batten kills this project. From what I was able to gather, there are no digital manipulations in this series. Her ability to play with size and setting utilizing such a delicate touch pays off in spades.

Artist Dave DeVries has brought a variety of childrens drawings to life in what he calls, “The Monster Engine Project“. This idea kicks ass all over the place. Incredibly well executed, it reveals in great detail the twisted world that exists in a childs drawing. Often there is a disconnect with kids artwork and our ability to appreciate its value. The depth of creativity and the lack of boundaries illuminates a world that is only accessible to adults in our dreams… or nightmares.

I have a special place in my heart for well executed animated videos set over good music. It’s my sweet spot. This piece by Elise Garcette and Olivier Barre with music by Pilot named “Cors Toujours” (“Run Always“) is based around a fantastically minimalistic chase scene that kicks as from the ears to the eyes. Well done.

To be honest, I’m not really sure what the back story here is… although I know life is a buzzing beehive… and I know this is can be strikingly beautiful…. . That’s enough for me.

A young kid sits in a room in East Detroit. His face flickers from the static on a glowing television. The only light in the room is provided by a pixelated representation of a South American adventurer swinging over unexplained sinkholes in the jungle deep. An obsession is being fed meanwhile an art form is unexpectedly being born. Pixel art.

This 5 minute trailer for an video game (to be released in 2011) is better than the last three movies combined. Mr. Lucas take notes.

In honor of the ridiculously kick-ass movie, “Exit Through the Gift Shop” (which is presently playing at the Colony in Raleigh – locals, there is no excuse. You need to see this movie.), I wanted to share my present favorite street art conglomerate “TrustoCorp”. These guys caught fame from making custom street signs and proficiently attaching them along with other city-official signs in major cities. However, most recently they have been manufacturing custom product packaging and stocking the shelves of grocery stores and bodegas with clever (and possibly delicious) food …

Color. Bright, energetic and full of life. Color is our silent partner actively involved in all aspects of this business called life. Incredibly underrated while embarrassingly abused. Color is awesome.

When art is leveraged properly, it is not only enjoyable to look at but it can also be a catalyst for social change. This sounds fruity, I know, but true.