Pop Denim

A hot new pop up shop and a Levi's Collectors Book

A fashion collaboration, to create the new Levi's jeans clothing line, incorporated two infamous sixties artists, Damien Hirst and Andy Warhol, was held last month at Los Angeles.
The silver brick walls, in playfully 'Warhol-esque' colours set the spirit of the launch of the new Levi's shop in Santa Monica - California, introduced in pop art mood and feel.

Indeed, and for the first time, the legendary denim brand dropped traditional media channels to feature its new collection.
Sensational English pop artist Damien Hirst had two new original art pieces exhibited, as the 'Warhol-ian factor' was highlighted in the use of a trademark style of colours applied not only to the installations, but to the denim as well.

Also, a collector's book was released, demonstrating the creation process and the people involved in this groundbreaking collaboration for the opening of Levi's Pop-Up shop. Death is the pivotal theme of the book, which happens to be a perfect fit for both pop artists, who have featured dark pictures of knives and skulls.
Aside from an interview with Hirst, the book features Hirst's signature spot paintings and his famous diamond-studded skull, 'For the Love of God.'
All the fashion photography is done by Beau Roulette featuring Vincent Gallo. It comes hard bound in black denim, with an optional plexiglass and metal display box. Available through DHW Books for US$300 (or US$200 without box).

Rockin' Illustration

Illoz is a portfolio site for Illustrators made in a way as to serve as a useful workspace for art directors. It's an experiment, of sorts, explain its founders, the same two guys who brought Drawger to life.

"The idea is to establish a new and better way for art directors to find and interact with Illustrators."

illoz is an invitation only online portfolio site for Illustrators. It's not for everyone and not everyone who wants to be featured in there will be able to do so, as admission is limited to keep the quality high.
Anyhow, it's worth a visit since, indeed you can find great artwork, brilliant illustrators from every corner of the world - no one from Lebanon though.

And here is our favourite of the pack, Edel Rodriguez, a Cuban national, whose work ranges from conceptual to portraiture and landscape. Edel's artwork is in the collections of a variety of institutions, as well as in the private collections of a variety of writers, actors, designers, businessmen, and political figures.
His work has been featured on the cover of many illustrious publications.
Edel Rodriguez is also the recipient of both a Gold and a Silver Medal for editorial illustration from the Society of Illustrators.

Pop up portraits

© Marilyn Monroe (Marilyn) Andy Warhol, 1967

© Hunt for the Best Mel Ramos, 1965. Oil on canvas, 1213 x 781mm. The Richard Weisman Collection.

© In the Car Roy Lichtenstein, 1963. Oil and magna on canvas, 1720 x 2035mm. Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art.
© Self-Portrait Andy Warhol, 1967. Silkscreen ink on synthetic polymer paint on canvas, 1867 x 1867 x 52mm. Tate, London, 2007.

Pop Art Portraits
Paul Moorhouse
With essay by Dominic Sandbrook

Pop Art defined the look of the 1960s and turned the tables on high art. By reacting against the post-war trend for abstract art, Pop Art asserted itself as a brash, bold figurative art.
With its groundbreaking use of familiar imagery from the world of advertising, magazines, pop music, cinema and comics, Pop Art blurred the boundaries between high and low culture. Although seen as subversive, Pop Art rapidly gained widespread appeal and its fascination with instantly recognisable celebrities placed portraiture at the centre of the Pop Art movement.

With the exhibition 'Pop Art Portrait' that took place at the National Portrait Gallery from October 07 till end of Jan 08, here is a book that complements the show, which both mission is to examine the role and significance of portraiture within Pop Art, one of the major art movements of the late twentieth century.

Pop Art Portrait, which can be ordered online, is published by curator Paul Moorhouse, and includes 65 pop illustrations. The book explores the vital role portraiture played in the parallel development of Pop in Britain and the USA.
Pop Art Portraits traces Pop Art's complex and creative engagement with portraiture from the early 1950s to its heyday and maturity in the 1960s.
This strikingly illustrated book shows how British and American Pop artists interconnected and differed.

Wake UP & Spray IT Loud

Jef Aerosol belongs to the first French street art generation of the early 80s.
After experimenting with copy-art in the late 70s, the French stenciler went on to work with stencils.
Inspired by music, film and literature, his trademark mix of life-size actors, musicians and poets can be seen on walls in numerous cities, including Paris, London, Lille, Chicago, Venice and Amsterdam.
Jef Aerosol started stencilling in the area around Tours, France, in 1982 and has since left his easily recognisable works all over the world.

About the 'Wake up' print Jef says:

"This print is a tremendously important image for me, as it was the first stencil I ever cut, way back in 1982, from a photobooth self portrait.
It's the very first one I spray painted on the walls of Tours (France) more than 25 years ago! The Mickey ears were added later. I've already cut this stencil many times since that time and I can't imagine never using it again! It has become my "avatar" and as much a "trademark" as my red arrow, and for a lot of people who have known my street stencils since the beginnings, it is definitely symbolic of my work.
I think I like this selfportrait for its energy, its "punk" and wild aspects, the way it can be seen as a shout as well as a laughter...The Mickey ears were added a while ago and they obviously state that I belong to the "Disney generation" even though I reject "Disney Culture" and all it implies! The "Wake up" wording underlines this and means : come on, free yourself from that consumer society and think for yourself, don't be a manipulated Mickey.
I had wanted to release this image as a print for quite a long time and here it is now, in a very limited edition... Enjoy !" (Jef Aérosol, feb.2008)

Left the USA targeted Lebanon

Discovered an interesting blog, apparently dedicated exclusively to July Israeli war on Lebanon, where some brilliant political design posters are posted, depicting the aggression on the country during that terrifying month. You could check the rest here

Le Rouge en Coke

The Red Side of Life - Coke en Vogue......


Coca-Cola design of the brand's [now] familiar campaign: "the Other side of Life"
Originally uploaded and created by zuil/ to be found on his Flickr stream

Sexy laptops laser engraved

Portland, Oregon based custom laser engraving for your laptop, iPod, mobile phone etc.


Beetles' iPod is designed by Jona Bechtolt and laser engraved by Joe Mansfield

Laser engraved black Mac Book designed by Joe Mansfield -


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