Lately, it’s all i’ve been thinking about…

For “Digit,” performance artist Julien Maire doesn’t use a writing utensil, typewriter or computer, he simply slides his fingers over paper and text magically appears below them. He can move his hand any way forming text drawings of sorts.

Apparently those that witness this in person are amazed as there is no evidence of visible hardware used. Magic.

via Today Tomorrow

A photo series by James Reynolds, Last Suppers documents Death Row prisoners’ last meals before execution (above).

The same theme done differently, Jonathon Kamboris created a similar series (below). He comments “…prisoners waiting to die choose their last meal for different reasons. Some choose from past memories while others feast on what they crave at the moment. Such fascinating details surrounding the final hours before being put to death are a matter of public record and are the inspiration of this series of photographs.”

Notice the artists different takes on the same meals.

Both series are gripping.

Last Suppers via Swiss Miss

A while back while walking through Union Square in NYC I think I saw a Sesame Street taping, although no one knows who this character is. Do you?

For the past several months a lot of my time has been devoted to curating, planning and organizing the 99% conference and it’s finally all happening this Thursday and Friday, 16 and 17 April.

A different approach to the conference scene, we joined forces with Behance, the organizational gurus of the creative class, to look at how the inspiring art, design and culture that Cool Hunting features comes to be. We’ve assembled a diverse cast of speakers to present on the successful execution of creative ideas. Each will attest to their own unique take on productivity, offering a behind-the-scenes look at their process and how their ideas come to life.

As equally inspiring perhaps as the speakers and their ideas themselves, the two-day event will be held in Renzo Piano’s new stunning NY Times Center and we’ve got a few other surprises up our sleeve.

More info is available at The 99 Percent Conference site. We’re almost sold out!

The 99% Conference
16-17 April 2009
NYTimes Center
242 West 41st Street
New York, NY 10036 map

The third Alessi to take over the Alessi Design Factory, Alberto Alessi has been credited with extending product offerings and making design more affordable for the masses. We met the man in charge a couple weeks back at the newly renovated Plaza Hotel in NYC for a short interview. An official Cool Hunting Capsule Video on the man and the family business is on its way, stay tuned.

Alessi is smart, on point, funny and deep. Above he is talking about idea generation and how Richard Sapper’s Melodic Tea Kettle (1983, below left) was developed. One of Alessi’s most successful products to date, it was followed up by a Michael Graves rendition that has also become one of their best selling items (1985, below right).

He comments, “the most perfectly designed object in the world is an egg, but then again it is made by the ass,” (in a thick italian accent).

With a stable of designers including the likes of the late Etorre Sotsass (condiment set, 1978 and cutlery set, 1987 above), Jasper Morrison, Stefano Giovanni and Alberto Mendini, it’s hard to go wrong with something from the Alessi Design Factory.

A behind the behind the scenes, na mean?

A new use for the increasingly useless phonebooth.

Transformed by artists Benoit Deseille and Benedetto Bufalino as part of the Lyon Light Festival in France, the phonebooth is filled with tropical fish. One of the more interesting pieces of public art I’ve seen in a while.

via the parata

In what originated as a suburban luxury housing development for NYC’s wealthiest back in 1895, Dyker Heights, which sits under the Verrazano Bridge, is now predominantly an Italian-American neighborhood and home to some of the most spectacular Christmas light displays you’ll ever see. In an attempt to outdo each other, professional crews work for weeks on a single house and electric bills have been known to run upwards of $5,000 for the month of December.

We went down to check it out last week and were not disappointed. It is magnificently gaudy. Just when you think you’ve seen all of NYC…it’s big.

Happy Holidays and Happy New Year.

Most of the mansions featured gothic roman columns.

Santa at his post.

A Mediterranean villa.

Looking for some professional decorators? Call the Christmas Decorators at 718-837-0225.