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Coming Soon

In recent years, outsized billboards have spread the commercial hubs of New York City. Most are replaced after several weeks by others. Like background actors, participants stroll around in front of this super billboards. »Coming Soon« by Natan Dvir is an exploration of our visual relationship with the branded city centers and the commercial environment we live in. Great theater with a fancy backdrop.

Zara #01, 2008 A hotdog vendor looks at a woman next to a Zara billboard on 5th Avenue.
Zara #01, 2008 A hotdog vendor looks at a woman next to a Zara billboard on 5th Avenue.
Juicy Couture #01, 2008 New Yorkers by a Juicy Couture billboard on 5th Avenue.
Juicy Couture #01, 2008 New Yorkers by a Juicy Couture billboard on 5th Avenue.
Juicy Couture #02, 2012 A man looks at a Juicy Couture billboard while passing it on 52nd street close to 5th Avenue.
Juicy Couture #02, 2012 A man looks at a Juicy Couture billboard while passing it on 52nd street close to 5th Avenue.
Tommy Bahama #02, 2012 Two men sit on a bench next to a Tommy Bahama billboard on 5th Avenue.
Tommy Bahama #02, 2012 Two men sit on a bench next to a Tommy Bahama billboard on 5th Avenue.

Current Exhibition: Anastasia Photo gallery in New York. All images copyright © Natan Dvir.

Zwischen Programm und Offenheit

Zustimmung: »Keine Stadt wird gut, wenn die Aufgabe, die sie zu erfüllen hat, nicht klar und klug formuliert ist, mit anderen Worten: wenn ihr Programm nicht stimmt. Ein Programm, das nur oder überwiegend Wohnungen vorsieht, erzeugt Schlafghettos, die tagsüber fast immer trostlos daliegen. Ein Programm, das nur oder überwiegend Büros vorschreibt, erzeugt Arbeitsstädte, die nach Feierabend aussterben.«

In den vergangenen Jahren ist viel in Frankfurt gebaut worden, schön und auf anständigem Niveau, mit HQ aus der Baustoffsammlung, kreativer Architektur, teuer natürlich und für Wohlhabende gemacht, und immer habe ich mich gefragt: Wo bleibt hier eigentlich das Leben, die Gemeinschaft, die Gemütlichkeit? In diesen beeindruckend trostlosen Schluchten, wie sie exemplarisch auf der Sonnemannstraße oder im Europaviertel entstanden sind.

Prof. Dr. Vittorio Magnago Lampugnani hat in seinem Artikel »Kritische Gedanken zur Stadtplanung – Zwischen Programm und Offenheit« für die Neue Zürcher Zeitung ein paar sehr wichtige Gedanken zusammengetragen. Für den Städtebau im Allgemeinen. Auf Frankfurt übertragen heißt das: Das Programm stimmt nicht.

Washington DC

An Atlanta native, Alex Brewer (better known as HENSE) has been working as a visual artist for almost two decades. His free-form paintings and public mural installations are exploding. One of his latest murals, a church in Washington DC, is described as follows: »Hense has recently been painting beautiful abstract non representational paintings for some time, large scale colorful compositions involving texture and intense gestural elements. With a graffiti background and a new contemporary aesthetic Hense is able to effectively transition in scale without losing any of his works potency. Hense completely transforms the church with latex paint creating a monumental installation. Again we see an example of art vs. architecture, where today’s artists are transforming neighborhoods and skylines with murals and paint.« Discover more of it in his News section.

Friendship Baptist Church

Washington DC

Washington DC

Washington DC

Washington DC

Washington DC

Photo Credit Miguel »M.i.G« Martinez

Portable River

Madrid-based art collective Luzinterruptus has once again taken to the streets, this time in Caracas, Venezuela, to create an installation called Portable River. Choosing water is one of their recurring themes. To achieve their urban river, they created their own flow of crystal clear water packaged in 2.000 transparent bags, inside of which, in addition to light, they included samples of the life that dwells in it. Each bag was a small, ephemeral aquarium, a container of fish and plants, which, thanks to the light acquired an unsuspected value. Now, looking at the photos of this installation and seeing the water inside the bags, as if it were sacks of money, you cannot stop thinking about how some governments traffic in this basic need of human life, offering it to the highest bidder.

Portable River by Luzinterruptus’

Portable River by Luzinterruptus

Portable River by Luzinterruptus

Portable River by Luzinterruptus

Portable River by Luzinterruptus

All images © Gustavo Sanabria

Get Lucky

Wow, running around the globe, Daft Punk’s »Get Lucky« is probably the best song since ages, an enormous global consensus. Awesome. Powerful. Wonderful. At least the catchiest pop song of this year!