jump.

Great, fun viral video for the launch of Am I Collective illustration crew's Muti T-shirts. The music rounds it off perfectly.

Video: Rob Nicholls; music: Remy Gold.


Muti t-shirt launch from Robert Nicholls on Vimeo.

Canberra style

Don't be fooled... though it may seem small and boring and full of public servants... under the skin Canberra's got style. Just ask Nina or Canberrablog.

It's rather different from the South African (street) style, but difference is good. I look forward to unearthing some of the more edgy and arty sides to this little city as i settle in (and when the weather warms up).

5 Franklin place, New York

Oh wow! I want to live there!

(I think i'm in the wrong career for that address, but it's good to have dreams! The almost-architect inside me is screaming at the beauty and fluidity of the building. Oh the curves, the lines, the continuity inside and out. Well done UNStudio)

double good news

South Africa, the Good News is a website that recently made it onto my Bloglines feedreader roll. It helps to counteract the (bad) news that the press throws at me daily. Two recent entries caught my eye today:

• A Restorative Justice pilot project in a township in KwaZulu Natal - I'm a big fan of restorative justice, and think this is a great project. Here's a line in the opening paragraph of the article that also made me think:

"I heard someone once say that our townships were designed to be “bastions of apartheid control” but with the advent of democracy, they have become “fortresses of criminal control”

• Secondly, a piece on "The Most Beautiful Object in SA". Need i say more?

Another good news site to watch is makenewsgood.co.za which has just been launched by Jo Higgs, a friend of Julie&I. She's involved in video journalism and also wants to see a change in the way news is reported and the belief that only bad news sells. I agree!

sigh

It’s over…
I’m tired,
satisfied,
and sad to leave.

The Design Indaba Expo has been and gone. Read about it here and here and hear, follow the blog, or watch a video or two too.

Was it worth it? Yeah, I’d say. Once I got over the crazy hours, the stress on the floor and being sworn at by irate exhibitors, it was a good experience. I’ve realized that events management isn’t just about making flowers look good on tables, there is so much more that goes on behind the scenes. The skills needed range from people skills, organizing, conflict resolution, teamwork, creativity etc. It’s all there. Some of the things on our checklists even included 24hr armed security for the AngloGold and AngloPlat stands, as well as co-ordinating interviews for Top Billing and Nolene and her 3Talk crew. As I said, a lot going on!

The Indaba even made it onto dezeen.com here, here and here. Not surprising considering the dezeen founder is a speaker at the Indaba. My "Most Beautiful Object in SA" stand, was a hit, with votes coming from the floor, as well as from online. The entries are all here, and the winner is...

I also enjoyed having 4 days to roam around the floor, interact with the exhibitors and watch some of the fashion shows. I was inspired by the creativity and visions of the people there, especially young folks my age who had the guts to put their designs into production. Grandt Mason is one example with his neat shoes. There were many others. I think its about time I re-look at some of the sketched of lights and chairs I’ve done in my more creative moments, and begin to make them!

So, that’s about it. Would write more about the Expo, but today’s my last day here at Interactive Africa, and I need to do some reconciling of invoices and expenses etc to hand over. Unfortunately the office is rather empty – most of the folks are still busy with the Design Indaba Conference – but I’ll say goodbye to whoever I can find here.

As for me…
I have a weekend to prepare for my next chapter:
CPE.

From the front line..

This is just a quick note from the Ops room here at the CTICC where hall 1b, 2 and 3 are being transformed into a creative's dream. Today and tomorrow are build up days for the 260plus exhibitors and their stands. It's amazing to watch a vast empty hall grow into a maze of paths and booths. There are cherry-pickers (cool tall crane machines) with people hanging banners from the ceiling (18m up), carpenters galore building stands, electricians putting up plasma screens... all very exciting for a handyman wannabe like me. And... all this work to create SA's premier design expo - opening in two days time. Already looking interesting are the stands for Carrol Boyes, Mini Cooper and Men's Health Lifestyle Magazine. I'm sure there are many more coming. A month ago i didn't think we would do all the prep to actually get here, but here we are - on site, watching it all come together. Pretty cool, aint it?

design a new economy

An apt punt for the Design Indaba Expo on budget speech day. If you are in CT come along. Heck, i may even be able to get you in for free via our organisers office ;)

I've been managing "The Most Beautiful Object" competition. There are 10 really creative and beautiful objects entered. The winner is by public vote, so come and see the entrants and vote (you could win lots of Woolies vouchers).

Design Indaba’s Most Beautiful Object in South Africa (MBOISA) asks our diverse country: “What is beauty?” While some may consider it an aspect of taste and others know it on sight, beauty becomes far more profound than a visual sensation when design characteristics such as social significance, economic impact, aesthetic value, humanist intuitions, lifestyle functioning and sustainability are thrown into the mix.

What will the country’s consensus be? Will luxury, making life easier, basic human needs, entertainment or even sheer folly be triumphant in the ultimate beauty contest?

Monday's links: designing love

Keeping in line with my new exposure to the design world via Design Indaba (just got back from a briefing at the CTICC), as well as Thursday’s Valentines day spending spree, here are today’s links:

1. Bad fonts, style over content, margins too wide? Watch out bloggers and designers, the design police may be after you with their bright red signs telling to get your game together. Design Police: "Bringing bad design to justice".

2. Tired of the sentimental, false Valentine’s poetry? Post Secret's Sunday Secrets this week are all about love. As always, the secrets are bare honesty that will make you gasp, sigh and sometimes smile. Post Secret is a great site if you haven’t seen it before. People send in anonymous secrets in on homemade postcards.

3. I’ve been stressing about transport here in CT, wondering if I should get a fixie bicycle, splash out on a scooter, or just stay with public transport. My current wheels look nice, but aren’t that practical. If dreams came true, THIS is my dream 2 wheel transport. Beautiful, aint it? Pity they don't deliver in SA.

4. Lastly, how could i forget Ultimate - Ultimate Frisbee made no.2 on Men's Health's Cool summer sports list. Check it out. No.1 (Parkour) is a sport i've also dreamed of taking up.

Enjoy. It's back to work for me.

new job

Hello. This is me. I’ve been a bit quiet because… I’m at a new job! I finished up my contract with the SACC in style last week – completing a 40 page narrative report on the Child Rights Symposium that we held in last year. I’m hoping the report will be put up on the SACC website soon, as it is a great resource document. This month sees me helping out a friend with the Design Indaba Expo here in CT, before I move on to CPE studies at Groote Schuur Hospital in March. The Design Indaba is a really high profile conference and exhibition, and I’m excited about this insight into the SA design scene. So, things will get manic here this month, I’ll see if and when I’m able to put some thoughts up here to share with you. I’ll also look for links to some of the inspiring art and design that emerges from this Expo.