RONAY | RONAY | RONAY

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Matthew Ronay is a dabbler. He dabbles in this, he dabbles in that--jewelry, performance art, sculpture, installation--whatever gets him going that week. That's not to say that he spreads himself thin or suffers from a lack of vision, quite the opposite. You just need to be a jack of all trades if you're going to build a new world from scratch, fully equipped with it's own culture, religion, ritual and symbols.  He's currently on a shamanistic, earth mother trip, and residing in a mystical, African-inspired, highly ritualistic world of his own creation which is appearing (in part) at the CANADA gallery in New York City. It's full of magic-heavy symbols, elaborate costumes, simplistic shelters and bizarre tools with just a sprinkle of S&M on top. There's also some really cool Dries Van Noten looking jewelry thrown in there just for good measure. 

He's one of those people who fearlessly experiments with mediums and concepts with a child-like unselfconsciousness that I envy completely. When is the Selby going to take photos in his space?

Just when I thought I couldn't cram any more photos in this post I opened up my September issues of everything and started to see some interesting similarities between the textures and nomadic vibe of the fall collections and Ronay's work. The clearly non-runway pics are from a T Magazine editorial, while the rest is Cynthia Rowley.

Except this one, it's Etro

RadioLAB

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Every Saturday (and most Sundays) I cut myself completely off from the world in favor of putzing around my kitchen working on endless art projects, reading, writing, eating, whatever-ing--it varies--but the backdrop is always the same soothing drone of public radio. I actually set an alarm--on a Saturday, mind you--to catch my favorite shows live. When the live shows I follow end for the day I switch over to podcasts, more specifically, I switch over to Radiolab* podcasts.

*In case you haven't heard. From the horses mouth, "Radiolab believes your ears are a portal to another world. Where sound illuminates ideas, and the boundaries blur between science, philosophy, and human experience. Big questions are investigated, tinkered with, and encouraged to grow. Bring your curiosity, and we'll feed it with possibility"

I had this idea that I was going to write about how great Radiolab is because it inspires curiosity and a new found love for science. (It does this, entirely.) I was going to reminisce about when Science was my favorite class and how it felt like this bizarre rest stop between spelling tests and handwriting lessons full of mystery and danger and mess, but then. But then it occurred to me that the greatest ROI in Radiolab is not just the awe and curiosity it sparks, but the break it gives you from your purpose-driven day. The calm.

One of my favorite clips of one of my favorite episodes (Stochasticity) can be heard below. (I had this fantastically ambitious idea that I would illustrate a video to accompany it, but that hasn't happened yet, so, instead, the clip plays over an eerie recording of my curtains blowing in the wind. The video is not terribly eventful, so feel free to close your eyes or something.)

Apparently I had to cut it a little short so I could eat my soup, but you get the idea. So, every week they pick a topic and compile 4 or 5 stories with various experts and decidedly non-experts in an effort to shed some light or possibly just propose more questions on said subject. And, occasionally, when you're really lucky, they create these poignant little companion films that stop you in your tracks and slow down your day for just a moment and cause you to smile that satisfied, non-belabored, sighing smile you get when you finally have the chance to take a breath after realizing you haven't breathed--like, really breathed--all day. That kind of smile. And what could be greater than that kind of smile?

skateboard stop motion

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Tilles Singer, I don't know you, but I think your brain is sexy.

And so does LRG apparently. Nice job. Creative AND employed, who are you?

hair brained

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Nagi Noda makes some crazy shit. Really fabulous, wild, only-in-Japan kind of crazy. I dig that about her. These hair hats are just the tip of the iceberg.

She also has a book full of totally bizarre fell-down-the-rabbit-holey print and tv ad work for some really big name accounts. The likes of which we never get to see in the States. Alas.

Confession: I found Ms. Nagi Noda's hair hats via the (gulp) Urban Outfitters blog (which is actually pretty cool, despite being written in tween-ish). So anyway, I was sifting through all the "OMG, loving this!!" drivel when I noticed said hair hats and thought to myself "my that's interesting, especially considering the UO fall 2010 show looked like this:

I imagine the Nodster did it first, but I think the UO version is pretty noteworthy as well. I am all for the "what, too much?" head gear. If I could I'd work those jackrabbit ears tomorrow, but it's clearly not summer appropriate and would result in me feeling completely silly (and sweaty). Sidenote: I would kill for those furry Neanderthal eyebrows.

Aaaand--hair vid:

IN HIS HAIR from JASON LAST on Vimeo.

not in fashion

Mark Borthwick's photographs look like my memories. They're all faded or hazy or over saturated or all of those things at once and you're never quite sure where they happened, but you know that they happened and they were great. Every moment he captures is so full of life and energy and movement that it seems impossible anyone could have planed such a thing. And, apparently he didn't--never does.

Though he's best known for his fashion photography, his images read more like still frames of old Super 8 movies than glossy product placement pieces. There is nothing stiff or staged about his work--his models don't feel posed, they're alive and moving around and rarely in focus. His images are sincere--not edgy. They don't rely on shock value or sexual innuendo (no offense Terry Richardson, I think you're fantastic), they just are what they are. Happy little accidents. I've been surrounding myself with his work lately and thought I'd share some of my favorites.

Even the way he presents his work reinforces this feeling of remembering--as if looking at images of the events of your life only they're all tacked-up on the walls of someone else's home.

Then there's this guy I just love who was not photographed by Borthwick, but Kapil Das--an Indian photographer currently showing at the Mocha Arthouse in Delhi.