Irony anyone? This sums up the distribution of wealth in a nutshell. This is a great shot, but I do not know the photographer, if anyone does please let us know.

Check this out! From this summer's agnés B show.

Wallpaper seems to have gotten their act together this month and has delivered a nice little mag with some really amazing photos. They must have read our earlier posts.

Malin at Marylin

With NY Fashion week ready to kick-off, it is always interesting to see a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to put on a show. Enter COACD, which is a glimpse into the world of a model casting director. Hot chicks and some male models thrown in for balance.

Well we thought she would get back with Pete.... but according to The Daily Telegraph, "Kate Moss set to wed Jamie Hince after 12-hour sex romp". read on....

It's one o'clock and no Kate Moss? Solved.
Kate Moss photographed by Chuck Close

Today I went for 'Angel Dust', thinking it could produce some interesting results.

The new issue of arkitip (no. 44) was produced on the occasion of the HIGHMATH exhibit which opens in Berlin at Pool Gallery tonight. The exhibit is a collaboration between the fellows at Arkitip and those at Wood Wood and has a stellar roster of artists featuring
Andrew Schoultz, Chris Lindig, Ed Templeton, Evan Hecox, Cody Hudson, CR Stecyk III, Eric Elms, Gary Benzel, Geoff McFetridge, Jo Jackson, José Parlá, Josh Petherick, Kaws, Killpixie, Michael Leon, Kevin Lyons, Michael Perry, Parra, Phil Frost, Perks, Peter Beste, Peter Sutherland, Richard Colman, Ryan Waller, Shepard Fairey, Todd St. John & Steven Harrington.

Flier after the jump

Opening tonight and running through February 23rd at Deitch Projects.
"The exhibition will include works that have a life of their own, transforming throughout the exhibition as viewers engage with them. Things I Have Learned In My Life So Far is timed to coincide with the release of a new book of the same title, which surveys Sagmeister’s illustrious career."

Sam Flores and Upper Playground come correct with a new version of Fatima, in both a purple dress and a blue dress. Limited to 300 pieces each, give it to your girl for her desk at work.

This is an old story, but none the less, the images are amazing and the story, true?

"An astonishing love story."Arnold Pointer a professional fisherman from south of Australia set free from a certain death a big female White Shark that was caught in his fishing nets. Now the fisherman has a problem: He says: “It’s been 2 years and she doesn’t leave me alone. She follows me everywhere I go and her presence scares all the fishes. I don’t know what to do anymore.” According to hoax-slayer (who knew there was such a site) the story is fake. You can decide, or you can just look at the cool photo's of sharks.

Tracy Morgan parody of Jackass, "Blackass".

Pose

I have to say this is the best online way to buy a girl underwear. Knicker Picker has launched an online store that lets you shop for your next piece of lingerie in an interactive way. The models are real human beings and will “turn around” and “come closer” as you desire. Offering a large variety of lingerie to choose from. The site is quick and fast, I am impressed how quick the models load and spin.

Bar Veloce, returning to its original location after a two-year hiatus, this low-lit sleeve of an Italian wine bar's pouring 60 bottles (30 by the glass) while plating up bruschette, panini, and dolci. Via The Thrillist.

17 Cleveland Pl, between Kenmare and Spring 212.966.7334

LOS ANGELES – It’s another public relations debacle for the nation’s museum industry, already tarred by reports that top institutions knowingly dealt in looted Italian artifacts.

Federal agents raided several Southern California museums on Thursday, mostly in search of artifacts allegedly taken from Thailand’s Ban Chiang archeological site, one of the most important prehistoric settlements ever discovered in Southeast Asia. Authorities believe they were smuggled into the U.S. and donated at inflated prices so collectors could claim fraudulent tax deductions.

Court documents say a 79-year-old smuggler involved in the scheme boasted to an undercover agent that he had more items from Ban Chiang than Thailand itself did. He said he was being sent the items as they were being dug up, in violation of Thai and international law.

Read More from artbistro.

Kid Robot, upcoming release, Mad Barbarians, creators of an evil empire of toys, set forth Capee: an amorphous character with a lot of swing in his step.

Limited Edition, Coming soon! $39.95

Wednesday's Muse, Australian model Catherine McNeil.

Opening its doors this evening on the Lower East Side of Manhattan is Sloan Fine Art. The first of two parts, the opening exhibition features the works of the Clayton Brothers, Vince Contarino, Nicholas Cope, Elizabeth McGrath, Kristen Schiele, Aaron Smith and Eric White. The reception takes place from 6 to 9 pm. See you there.

Photographer , Alex Brown from the Portrait 1 series.

Released today, The Life of Brian,The Immaculate Edition (1979). A motion picture destined to offend nearly two thirds of the civilized world. And severely annoy the other third.

Just in case you missed this one, it goes to eleven.
The hotel industry is constantly inventing new marketing tricks to attract guests. Now some people are accusing Belgrade hotelier Dusan Zabunovic of going too far with his latest gimmick.

With the help of some of the best designers in the country, Zabunovic renovated a property opposite Belgrade's central train station. He named the hotel Mr. President and had each room designed around a current or past world leader.

And you guessed it, the Hitler or room 501 (occupied mainly by German, Croat and Slovenian guests) sees the highest demand, according to Zabunovic.

But the former Nazi dictator's popularity hasn't gone down well with everyone. The leader of the Jewish community in Belgrade has condemned Zabunovic's marketing ploy as a dangerous "banalization" of the German dictator. Read More...

I think I would stay in the Castro room......

It has been a while since I checked up on David Choe's blog, and it shows. The blog has been re-skinned and updated like mad. Busy times for the busy artist who has a UK solo show opening up at Lazarides in mid to late February.

What's the old saying give me .... something and I will make a golden egg...? You know what I mean and so do these Brazilian graffiti artists who take advantage of the crumbling buildings around them to create amazing images that comment on their surroundings. For more images check out Fun Forever.

Chewing-gum (also known in Italian also as “American gum“), was introduced by American soldiers at the end of World War 2 together with jeans, nylon, stocking and boggie-woogie. Its association with a state of euphoria, change and carefree youthfulness somehow carried on in the following decades. Also for those born in the sixties as Maurizio Savini, chewing-gum is a tie with childhood and adolescence.

I tried to find out some more information on Maurizo, and the funny thing about the internet is that everything is the same,..."american gum....childhood...adolescence...". His work is amazingly time consuming, and eerie. For more pics of his sculptures check out Kanye West's Blog. BTW if you did not know, Kanye has a pretty nice collection of art.

A presidency by design.

"I believe with great conviction that Barack Obama should be the next President. I have been paying close attention to him since the Democratic convention in 2004. I feel that he is more a statesman than a politician. He was against the war when it was an unpopular position (and Hillary was for the war at that time), Obama is for energy and environmental conservation. He is for healthcare reform. Check him out for yourself www.barackobama.com. Proceeds from this print go to produce prints for a large statewide poster campaign."
Thanks.
-Shepard

Big Boy, 2007, 12" x 9", Pencil and Gouache on Bristol board

If there is one artist to watch from now through the rest of your life, consider Josh Keyes. In the spring of 2007, Oakland-based Keyes had a break out showing in a group exhibition, Stranger Than Fiction, at his San Francisco gallery, Hang Art. Since then his shows have sold out instantaneously. His most recent, a two man show with John Casey at Tag Art Gallery in Nashville, Tennessee is no exception. Funny thing, it has not even opened yet. February 2nd is the date listed when the public can legally and physically enter the gallery. Success has not come quick for Keyes, who has been showing since 1993, but now it is safe to say that he has arrived and will continue to amaze. After the jump, some highlights from his two man show.

Apparently during his last visit to Perth, Australia, Heath sat for this portrait (above) painted by Vincent Fantauzzo. More at The Daily Telegraph.

via, Juxtapoz

A new friend to the twbe, and a old friend in general, Photographer Gregg Greenwood. Check out his work!

Well get ready to feel old. Homeboy is now 17 years old and a senior in high school. The success in finding this guy can be credited to Jason Lazurus, who has started something called The Nirvana Project. The project relates to peoples first experience with the group. You can read more about the project here, and see a picture of the grown up baby after the jump.

via, land salmon

Check your frequent flier miles, then head over Glasgow for first show of Klingatron at The Arches. The show opens March 07, 2008.

I usually won't get behind most of the new special edition footwear that comes out, strictly because there is just too much. However these Nike's paying homage to one of my favorite games, Skate or Die, pass the test. It is not that I like how they look, just that the game was so damn cool. Now I will wait for the Skate or Die 2 shoes, or Adidas Skateboardings 720 tribute kicks.

via, hypebeast

In a time where it has become apparent that governmentally, things need to change, comes a competition that takes the idea to another level. The White House Redux is an "international call for ideas" to ask a simple question, "What if the White House, the ultimate architectural symbol of political power, were to be designed today?" What would it look like? More info on this project/competition here

Do you really want to know how the record business works? Do you care? It's kind of like the "the wizard of oz" effect, what's behind the curtain stays behind the curtain. Well if you're in for an interesting read, check out this piece in the guardian by Simon Napier.

"The life and crimes of the music biz,...EMI, like Decca, manufactured hi-tech equipment for the government, mainly for hospitals - brain scanners and the like. None of these companies had been set up first and foremost for music; they made records for extra profit. It was a wonderful trick they'd learnt. They bought vinyl cheaply; added a label, a song and a sleeve and sold it expensively."

We stumbled across this on NIN.

Announced last week, open for business today, medical marijuana Vending machines. Two medical marijuana dispensaries in Los Angeles have installed pot vending machines. They're accessible 24 hours a day and monitored by security guards. From Thrillist:

Images Maps 2048After cinching up your doctor's consultation, hit an AVM location to get your prescription approved, fingerprint taken, and a prepaid credit card loaded with your profile: dosage (3.5 or 7 grams, up to 1oz a week) and strain preference (choice of five, including OG Cush and Granddaddy Purple, the mildly hallucinogenic forebear to Prince). Then day or night, all you do is hit a machine and walk away with enough vacuum-sealed, plastic-encapsulated cheeba to adequately treat your illness.

Via The Thrillist.

Taryn Simon photographs some of the most top-secret, highly restricted areas in the world. Her latest book, An American Index of the Hidden and Unfamiliar, took four years to assemble as the photographer gained access to research facilities and government offices hidden from the public. "I felt like I was discovering a new landscape in America, a new terrain, morally and politically," she said.

The book dives under the surface of society with images of decomposing bodies and radioactive waste, deadly viruses and an outdoor recreation area for death-row inmates. The result is an all-access pass into America's best-kept secrets.

Transatlantic Submarine Cables Reaching Land(pictured above).
These submarine telecommunication cables extend thousands of miles across the Atlantic Ocean before reaching this endpoint in Avon, New Jersey. They transmit as many as 60 million simultaneous conversations. "There's a humor because the cables are so important, yet they look so unguarded and unimportant," Simon said.

Photo: Taryn Simon, courtesy of Gagosian Gallery
Via Wired.com

Photography by Bryan Derballa. Click this link for a great slideshow.