Data visualisation gone green

Seriously this artist must have a severe case of OCD and the patience of the Dalai Lama. Artist A.J.Bocchino collected the NY Times from 1990 to 2005. Then assorted the headlines chronologically and into colour-coded subject groups. The end result is a stunning piece of upcycled wallpaper at $1,000 a roll.

Found via PSFK 

Hidden aura

A great example of interactive art from Shantell Martin's latest project "Hidden Aura". This self-styled live-story-telling VJ interprets the personalities of people who strike a pose front of the projector. Great way to bring illustration to life

Did they do a job lot on sunglasses too?

Found on PSFK.

Social media - end technique over intellect

Planner Richard Madden's article in Marketing Week is an interesting and entertaining read. The challenge to us marketeers is to stop forcing existing content to punters through social media. Lazy exploitation he states. Instead consider having something interesting to say that has relevance in this social space.

Have a read - I love the Michelin/Michelin Guide analogy. His call to arms is, stop putting the social media cart before the horse.

A magazine worth waiting for

Adobe and Wired are collaborating on an innovative, new way to bring to life editorial content.



Found via PlayFool.

Good Brands Report 2009

Find out which brands PSFK think lead the way in 2009 in terms of innovation, environmental consciousness and social policy.

Have a read...

Ideapreneurs in the making

I saw my first Pecha-Kucha talk at a D&AD event a few years ago. A truly great presentation format. A strict 20 images in 20 seconds. Some of the presentations are now available online so take a look.

I just watched a presentation by Richard Adams who talks about the re-opening of The School of Communication Arts. It's a forward-thinking approach to finding and attracting new talent to the advertising and marketing worlds. Ideapreneurs he's calling them. The people who will lead the industry in 3 years he's says.

There are several interesting angles to this idea:
1. They're looking for students from diverse and disadvantaged backgrounds
2. Multiple mentors play a key role in the students education
3. Students will have the opportunity to work on real briefs, courtesy of the mentors
4. Curriculum content is open source - submit suggestions online
5. Students can pitch business ideas Dragons Den style at the end of their course

A potentially brilliant idea to recruit a more representative group into the advertising industry. Great news, especially at a time when it's hard for students to find work when they leave education. An awesome blurring of education, business and individuals. A fab incubator for fresh thinking.

Lets hope that these are all good intentions and that certain industry types aren't about to go exploiting a young and unpaid workforce. The jury is out...

Joining the dots

We all do it, don't we...have some time away from it all and suddenly we're over-flowing with start-up ideas. I've just been travelling for 7 weeks & I'm just the same.

Lonely Planet Guides are brilliant. So straight-talking and informative. But as a culture vulture, art loving, nosy-parker I want to get straight to the killer art spots and get inspired. Which got me thinking it'd be great if there were more publicised art/culture/creative networks & trails that you could tap into.

I've been thinking about joining up some of the cultural dots in the UK. Some new forms of guides, train deals and so on. And what about taking some like-minded visitors round your own city...and of course get them to reciprocate.

Wallpaper guides are capitalising on our love for design but to be honest they look pretty...but all in all they're pretty dull. There's definitely space in the market for something else. Watch this space.

Just in the last week I've come across a few groups who are helping folk join up the nuggets in an easy to enjoy way.  Take a look at....


Creativetourist.com - a collaboration of 9 Manchester museums and galleries who share a common goal - 'to stage intelligent, thought-provoking exhibitions and events. And to celebrate the city in which we live, work and play'. Quite right we could all do with a bit more pride in our local area - like it!  Keep up the good work

Then on the Newspaper Club I noticed a fabulous looking paper they'd picked up in Margate promoting their winter arts scene. The regeneration in the area, thanks in part to Turner Contemporary, is really picking up pace. I can't wait to head down there. Anyway, great content brilliantly shared.