Good Weekend: Summer Fiction issue
It was an honour to be asked to create the cover for Good Weekend’s Summer Fiction issue that hit news stands across NSW and VIC this weekend.
Simple, graphic and clean was the order of the day. A big thank you to the Good Weekend crew.
What a great way to kick off 2012!
Art Direction: Marylouise Brammer / Photography: Geoff Boccalatte
Vitrines de Noël pour Martine
*UPDATE* Our window received an ‘Honourable Mention’ in the Paddington 2011 Christmas window competition >> next year we are going for gold!!
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My wonderful French teacher Martine asked me to make her a simple Christmas window to celebrate the new year for her school and her students.
I have been attending her classes for over a year now – she really is the best! Her school is on Glenmore Rd in Paddington and you can find information about lessons HERE.
Below >> Martine and I out the front looking chuffed.
Below >> I enlisted the help of Louis to finish off the stars.
Below >> It makes me so happy to spread a bit of Chrissy cheer. The pink star is Martine’s favorite shot – I think I look like I’m up to no good! You can practice your French verbs too, si vous voulez.
Above >> Up a ladder. Below >> The wreath in my studio prior to installation – you can see the brightness of the colours better here.
Ill get some better shots of the window when I have time – till then >> Bonne année!!
The Paper Attic > final edit
I finally found some time to upload some shots of my recent solo exhibition at Object Gallery.
Follow the image below for the full post. Enjoy!
Paris + Paperform = Petit h
So I’m writing this post from Paris.
I have the honour of being the first Australian invited to partake in the Petit h program that runs out of the Hermès atelier.
Petit h was born from a modern desire to “up-cycle” left over and blemished materials from the Hermès creation process. Artists are invited to come and collaborate with the talented craftsmen/women here – who bring to the mix their highly specialised savoir-faire – and produce limited edition objects.
It’s a very exciting challenge, and perhaps a little daunting, but this city has a depth of art and design that I find so inspirational. The atelier is like an Aladdin’s cave of wonders where any dream seems possible – and everyone has been so very welcoming. Can’t wait to see what we come up with.
More news soon >> à bientôt!
For Boomi via Art&About
I made an artwork in memory of my friend Boomi as part of Art&About this year.
Over the time I knew him, Boomi often asked me to create something for his FAB ArtBox – really happy I finally got there.
I wanted to make something site-specific and I like the texture of the recycled timber cladding that surrounds the artbox. Taking structure and place as my reference point, I engineered a facsimile in white card, sinking design into that.
Below >> To give you an idea of the charismatic person Boomi was – the Forbes & Burton Christmas decorations back in 2009? Glam-Rock Santa spreadeagle on a boogie board being towed by Rudolph the great white shark of course! Hilarious! So Aussie. He had a strong vision of sustainability and giving back to community through food, art and laughter; hence the creation of a public place to display public art on his building.
Above >> studio WIP at the final dimensions, it was bloody huge! Below >> the install – snapped a kool pic of this foxy local strutting past. Thank you BOOMI! It was an honour. Thank you to Zoe too.
desktop
So I can finally share with you guys the cover I have recently created for desktop.
It hit the news stands yesterday.
Its the first cover I’ve ever created so I’m rather chuffed. When I was studying design at Enmore College, desktop was one of the coolest design mags around but it lost its relevance in the ensuing years. Editor, Brendan McKnight, has since made the magazine a modern voice in the #AUS design conversation.
As a side venture, my next door studio mate – the talented photgrapher Trevor King – put together this ‘making of’ video that is soon to be uploaded to the Desktop website. We’ve been looking for a project to work on together for a while – I think he produced a little wonder. Thanks Trev!
And below are some WIP shots >>
The handles, which took ages – curves always do >> Below the model from behind via photo shoot - these things are never sleek from the back.
Below >> photographer Tong from Tong and Danny at work. He really pushed me to get everything right so no Photoshop was needed. I appreciate his ethos of “get the camera to do as much of the work as possible”.
Semi-Permanent Melbourne
*UPDATE* The guys at Semi-Perm created this fantastic little video of the event down in Melbourne.
I had the most rewarding experience down there – so many wonderful people >> see if you can see the huge en masse paper plane launch at the end of my speech… AMAZING!!
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I’m presenting a speech at Semi-Permanent down in Melbourne over the weekend.
Such a priviledge to be asked >> Hello Melbourne!
I’m really looking forward to sharing my work with the design savvy audience down there. I’ll be bringing some of my pop-up books along as well >> it’s always better to see them in the real.
There is a pretty impressive list of speakers and more about what is in store HERE.
Please come say hello if you are attending! Enjoy your weekend.
ICDYAP
The annual event that is I Can Draw You A Picture, opens this Wednesday at First Draft Gallery, Sydney.
I was disappointed not to be part of the festivities last year so I was sure to be included this time round. The project is the brainchild of the clever trio Esther, Simone and Mikey (my studio comrade) and holds audience participation at the core of its artistic discovery.
Yes that’s right >> you get to make stuff people!!
I’m collaborating with my brother and we have conceived two works for the show (here he is gettin’ jiggy with the spirit level next to the grid that took me 5 hours to rule up). All the artworks are games that you guys get to play. I’m impressed with the whole notion this year – can’t say too much other than if you feel like some international travel be sure and come along. If the outcome of last year is anything to go by this one is not to be missed. See you at the show!
Offcut
Im going to make a concerted effort to do more posts and update my site over the next few weeks. I have SO much completed work that I have not put up here and I want to share it with you lot. The hardest thing about being a freelance creative is finding the time for interweb admin.
At any rate, thought I would start by posting a snap of my new Offcut Stool by Tom Dixon in fluro. I want to be Tom Dixon’s grasshopper. Beautiful design.
It fits well in my studio but it is so bright it doesn’t look real!
The Paper Attic
*UPDATE* Lisa has kindly done a post about the show HERE, on The Paper Convention Blog.
My own shots after Thursday. Plus dont forget I’ll be in the gallery from 6pm.
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It is time for my first solo show to be installed and Sydney Design Week is also upon us.
The exhibition, entitled ‘The Paper Attic’ and held upstairs in The Project Space at Object Gallery, runs for 2 months from this Saturday and will contain a cabinet of curiosities of forgotten relics and dusty treasure from the attic.
With my exhibition forming a small part of Sydney Design Week, I will be present in the gallery for two nights to meet and greet design savvy punters on Thurs 4th August and Thurs 11th of August from 6pm. Please come along!
Also, following on from the success of last years kids pop-up book workshops at the Powerhouse Museum, I will be host two more classes. Look HERE for more information about dates and bookings.
See you around the traps during Design Week and enjoy!
Benja
Kylie: The Goddess herself
Adam, Beth (from Warner Music) and I flew to HK last week to present the first few copies of The Goddess Edition pop-up book to Ms. Minogue in person just before her concert that night. It was so exciting to finally get our hands on the final prototypes! It felt like we had climbed a mountain.
We met Kylie backstage at the Hong Kong Exhibition Centre. The crew and all her backup dancers were casually wandering around and having dinner.
Kylie really loved the book I’m pleased to report (*phew*) and gave us her feedback about the design and a few elements that she would like modified.
There are a few tweaks to be made to some of the graphics and one or two knife lines and then book will be finished and shipped to all the hungry fans out there!!
Her Aphrodite record has gone platinum in Australia, so we also presented her with a plaque which had one of my lotus pop-ups incorporated. What an honour!
She’s tiny! But what a little hottie she is – and so friendly – she really put as at ease with her grace.
As you can tell, I was pretty bloody thrilled to finally see her show! The concert was a scaled back version of the one that travelled to most other cities on the tour. I guess I’ll have to buy the DVD. The long weeks and high pressure all melt away when you get to live a moment like this.
Finally, a big thank you to Kylie and her management team for supplying these images to us and to Warner Music Australia for their support and generosity.
More soon, including the final shots of the book – Benj
Goddess Edition Update
Just wanted to share some updated images of where the Kylie ‘Goddess Edition’ pop-up book is at. After 4 weeks of solid work we have almost climbed the mountain!! I leave for China in the morning to oversee production *phew* – There are still some tweaks to do before I leave. This is the order the pop-ups appear in the book. There is also an additional 40 pages of content in addition to my designs. Enjoy!
‘The Goddess and her dress’
‘The Chariot’ (which is a bit blurry)
‘The Lotus’
‘Pegasus’
‘The Stage’
Adam at Katana with the blank ‘Chariot’ and others all lined up
Gro_Magnon sculpture
My sculpture for The Paper Convention. A huge thank you to Lisa for inviting me to take part.
Gro_Magnon – Limitless possibilities in the mind of modern man
Comprising 108 angled pillars
Stock: Doggetts ‘Curious Metallics’ 25gsm Chocolate/Super gold
Taken just after the morning install
Yoshinobu-san’s geometric creations can be glimpsed in the background
Better shots when I get time
Kylie Minogue ‘Goddess Edition’
I have been commissioned to create a deluxe limited edition pop-up book for Kylie Minogue. What an honour! The Goddess Edition, based around Kylie’s current world tour and will feature 5 paper constructions as well as submissions from other international artists and never before seen images of the concert preparations. I’m currently working away.
The gang at Katana Productions who I am collaborating with have been blogging the whole process HERE. For you guys: below are some images of my progress so far. Check back in the next few days, as I will be adding more images as I make progress.
The Lotus CD casket. Kylie’s album is nestled within the petals.
Kylie’s stage below
And some studio paper chaos. Paper engineering is a messy game!!
The Paper Convention
Paper nerds of Sydney rejoice! The Paper Convention is almost upon us. Lisa of Lox+Savvy has been working tirelessly to bring together a host of paper artists from around the world to showcase a mass of bespoke paper installations to be held (befittingly) at The Paper Mill in Angel Place, Sydney for the A4 Paper Festival.
The opening night is on Tuesday the 31st of May. Please come along!
Below is the sculpture I’m currently working for the show. This is a scale macquette. Ive really given myself a challenge with this one! Its going to be huge!
