Some really awesome photography art direction at Roost

It is funny how hype up the elections in Singapore has been lately. First we saw the power of the social media during the General Elections earlier in the year. Now with the Presidential Elections, the social media is once again heated up, with all candidates wanting a piece of the pie. We see candidate’s personal websites being set up to explain about the candidate’s motives and the president’s responsibilities. Just take a look at Tony Tan’s site. It’s been campaign-branded and such (although it is weird and same time refreshing to see purple being used for presidential branding. Suits Tony Tan’s image somehow.). They might have been inspired the success of the wonderfully branded Obama campaign that has infiltrated into people’s mind to ‘Vote for Change’. I would say it’s good to see this sort of marketing campaign approach being adopted by the usually otherwise bored-to-shit Singapore government related matters, improvements can be made, but at least the society is taking baby steps towards better design awareness, and using better design onto such political avenues. Politics and design now do not stand too far apart.

To end it all, here’s another presidential candidate Tan Chin Bock’s dedication video to Singapore’s 46th birthday, on youtube:

i wished i had taken a longer sabbatical.
now i’m back in the rat race.

I should screenshoot it everytime it happens..

It is finally arriving in less than 1 month’s time.
ADM SHOW 2011
Exhibition happening on 13th May 2011, Friday onwards at Old School.

Am proud to be part of the committee pulling through the branding, publicity, publication, website, exhibition and all other relevant collaterals. An event run and designed by the motivated graduating batch of 2011. A congregation of great works and talents across the six majors.

Drop by at our show. Be part of One collective, infinite outcomes.

deutscheundjapaner did it with O You My Wonderful Utopia.
Fascinating, I’d say.

Awesome motion graphics by Silke Sieler.

I know this might be premature, but it is still very interesting reads. At least it unemotised me of the long meetings in the day, and made me rethink about my design/ad experiences and also the manner i’m treating my team. Thanks Roger for recommending.

And the heart-racing moments when I entered Magnation, a 3-storey store selling nothing but magazines, commercial to independent, music to design to lifestyle. Drooling like a child in the candy store. Grabbed my catch, both aussie published ‘boogazines’ or some might call them ‘mooks’, a hybrid between ‘books’ and ‘magazines’. Check out Wooden Toy Quarterly and Process Journal.

At the same time, managed to grab some trippy newspaper catalog on aussie homegrown fashion label Trimapee, started by ex-graphic designers in their twenties (made me second-guessed what am I doing now). Not only did they do fashion, their series of clothes were inspired from a film they directed (newspaper on left).

More photos of Melbourne on facebook.
Now, I’ve left my heart in Melbourne.

The first show I see the designers go onstage during the catwalk to customize every outfit on the models, before the models strut the runway. Sure hell loads of pressure and umpteenth rehearsals. Viktor & Rolf always surprises.

As written on Banksyfilm web, “This is the inside story of Street Art – a brutal and revealing account of what happens when fame, money and vandalism collide. Exit Through the Gift Shop follows an eccentric shop-keeper turned amateur film-maker as he attempts to capture many of the world’s most infamous vandals on camera, only to have a British stencil artist named Banksy turn the camcorder back on its owner with wildly unexpected results.

One of the most provocative films about art ever made, Exit Through the Gift Shop is a fascinating study of low-level criminality, comradeship and incompetence. By turns shocking, hilarious and absurd, this is an enthralling modern-day fairytale… with bolt cutters.”

The film has totally made a fool out of today’s Art scene. The person autographing the works need not be the one executing the artworks. He/she can just merely art direct and be the artist face in public. After lesson I had a small discussion with mintio and ben slater, only to learn that Damien Hurst had done it, Andy Warhol had practised this with his Factory, and even Rembrandt during the Renaissance.

Point to learn: start as an Art-director who can control your factory of designers, fame and money will roll in next.

Ink Blot Collection by Sandra Backlund

i just wrote a brief for my Creative team for FYP Show, labeling the keyword for Art Direction to be ‘experimental’. i guess it is the easiest for coordination with a bunch of designers, because ‘experimental’ leaves room for the illogical, for rough and unfinished look and hence saving us the agony of explaining ourselves.

When in doubt, use ‘experimental’.
Such post-modernist syndrome.

Viscom + Uniform Project
We launched our spin-off of Sheena’s Uniform Project at ADM, running for a cause to raise donations to provide educational needs for the less-previleged children in Singapore society, which NGO Breadline is supporting. We pledge to stick to just 3 pieces of clothes for 1 month, and will try to reinvent each attire everyday with accessories pulled together and all these will be documented at VCUP blog.

Support us and maybe make a donation to help the children will who need it.
We accept cash cheque and cash donations. All donations are dropped off and/or addressed to:

Assistant Professor Nanci Takeyama
Nanyang Technological University
School of Art, Design & Media
ART 2-5
81 Nanyang Drive, Level 3
Singapore 637458

You may also drop if off at Asst/Prof Nanci’s pigeonhole on the 4th floor of the staff offices in the School of Art, Design and Media (ADM).

IMPORTANT:
i. Do not send in crossed cash cheques. They will be voided.
Put “Cash” in the “Payable To” blank of the cheque.
ii. Please put ALL donations (cash or cheque) in an envelope, seal it, and write the amount donated clearly on the front of the envelope.

And here is Day 1:

Still figuring LiveJournal, will take awhile before I post the daily photos up.