becca—One One Nine

It’s been a lifelong dream to produce a little ‘zine’, but until I get off my ass and do it, I’m left admiring peoples who have. I ordered a copy of One One Nine on an impulse. I saw that Up North curated it and decided to give it a go.

I must admit I was disappointed. The whole thing feels disjointed. At first glance I thought there was a theme that linked the illustrations, but when I received my (pretty beat-up) copy in the mail I was disheartened that there was no common thread. It acts primarily as a showcase for illustrators, some of which are quite good but most feel rather contrived.

I’m left wondering what’s the point.

I respect the fact that they were able to get some names together and ultimately produce something and I understand that they were “curating”. However, I wish more thought would have been put into the final outcome. There isn’t even an upfront piece to explain why they wanted to do this.

Anyway, it was good for a few quick flip-throughs, but this will probably float around my apartment for a while before getting filed into a magazine racks to possibly never be seen again.

becca—faux-realism

Simen Johan first caught my eye with a series of shockingly eerie images that depicts children in (seemingly real) concerning situations. He has since released a series called “Until the Kingdom Comes” which is equally as impressive, and included some sculpture pieces that took me by surprise.

His images are captivating and puzzling. They leave one wondering how this is possible, questioning the situation; and when the realization comes that the work is indeed fantasy, pondering the origin and
intent of the imagery.

Beyond content, Johan’s technique is amazing. One of my favorite things about him is that he works with film. The images are scanned and then manipulated digitally, giving a richer and more honest appearance to the faux-realism.

Check out lifelounges’s interview with him, he describes his subject matter and the motivation behind the imagery far better than I have.

with a K—Gin & Tonic, Please.

This last May a friend mentioned that Philip Johnson’s Glass House was opening to the public. The only work I knew of Johnson was the Glass House. My impression of the house was based on photography that captured this beautiful glass structure surrounded by a perfectly mowed lawn and artistically trimmed trees. Not wanting to feel left out, I joined 9 other friends for a tour that was not happening for another 5 months. Along comes October 30th, we head to New Canaan to visit the Glass House. The van slowly rolls onto the property through a gate made up of two colossal sized columns. For two hours we walked around the 47-acre estate. Every direction you look presented a perfect balance of object, nature and space. There are certain pivotal moments in your life when an experience changes you. I have marked this day as one of them.

with a K—I like layovers.

Thanks to Munich airport, I am a believer in the casual layover.
To validate my new optimism here are photos of my German layover experience.

Here is my 5 step guide to killing 6 hours before your flight.

(1) Camera opportunity
Floor to ceiling windows make for scenic panoramic of the tarmak.
(2) Time trials
Want to feel like an airport athlete? Clock yourself with these
hanging clocks featured every 50 feet throughout the entire terminal.
(3) Furniture design
Modern and comfortable, that’s how these Germans roll.
Take a break on one of these (note: try laying down
they welcome long naps)
(4) Typography
In case you did not know “M” is for Munich.
(5) Customer Service
After the 4 prior tasks are completed. Go crazy and sweet talk
a Lufthansa representative into giving you an exit row seat for
more leg room.

For more info on the following:
Munich Airport

Haben Sie einen sicheren Flug,
With a K