ReUse And Resist, 27May11

The ReUse project is in its fourth year already! How time flies! Organised by the INSPIRE Collective, the project collects and displays pieces - predominantly of a street art nature - from around the globe for its regular exhibitions at central public locations in the Middle East. All displayed art is inspired and constructed from reused and recycled material.

ReUse inspires positive social change through its work, encouraging us to rethink what we already have and drawing us away from the notion that much of what we have and use is disposable and therefore lacking in meaningful value. Like an increasing number of art collectives in the UK and internationally, ReUse also displays artwork in empty spaces, making good use of what is already there and challenging ideas about neglected public space.

If you happen to be nearby Tel Aviv, Israel this weekend, pop along and be inspired. If it's a bit far to travel, check out previous exhibitions and work at the ReUse website and on flickr.

From: ReUse And Resist
"ReUsing IS resisting. When you rethink an object, space or, idea, you, by default, are shedding the idea that the pre-fabricated product sold to you is only created for a one time use...People around the world have their ways of reusing, but public artists display an activist role in reusing the largest thing possible: public space. Over 100 artists this year, coming together to REUSE & RESIST! By any means, possible, this is the show to see...

Witness the positive power of art in public space... watch and learn as this mid-east graffiti / street art energy inspires the collective population & challenges the social issue of neglected & abandoned space... Come and see DIY and public art culture blend as INSPIRE Collective shows us all how reusing and creatively rethinking neglected space is better for us all.

The streets of Tel Aviv will never be the same...there is a better way, no matter what they say! Present-day cities, the world over, have massive percentages of un-used & generally neglected public space. By itself, this fact quickly becomes its own negative social issue & it isn’t a phenomenon, it’s a disgusting norm of all industrialized cities at this point. WE MUST REUSE AND RESIST!!

But how?! Many social issues could be already solved by ReUsing & re-thinking public space. This year, let’s stop talking about it and started getting things done!

Location to be announced online 24 hours before the shows opening on May 27th."

Further Info: ReUse And Resist / Inspire Collective / Flickr - ReUse Project 4

Craft & Design Month

Did you know that May is officially UK Craft & Design Month? This celebration and promotion of crafty design across the UK has been organised by Craft & Design Magazine who hope to raise profiles of the plethora of creative craftspeople and groups working in the UK and encourage our support of these amazing skills.

With Workshops, Open Studios, Exhibtions, Courses, Craft Fairs and more taking place, May is the month for new-to-craft folk to get involved by supporting and exploring our craft & design heritage and future. For creatives who want to take part, sharing talents and promoting their work or business, Craft & Design Month can provide listings space.

From: Craft & Design Month
"Hundreds of craft events already take place successfully every year during the month of May; now Craft and Design Month can bring them all together under one banner to collectively target national and regional media. There are also lots of opportunities for people to organise something especially for Craft and Design Month.

The overall aim is to achieve wider publicity and public awareness of the fine craft and design that exists in the UK today.

This project receives no funding or grant aid. It is entirely based on the simple concept of people working together for the benefit of the whole creative community and is sponsored by craft&design magazine, who have launched this unique opportunity to celebrate and promote crafts across the UK.

To find out more about the aims of Craft and Design Month, download our proposal 'An opportunity to help raise the profile of British Crafts'"

Further Info: Craft & Design Month

Green Patriot Posters

The Canary Project have been working on a book called Green Patriot Posters which is full of designs based on WWII posters. The focus for the images in this publication has been updated from war-time efforts to promoting sustainable lifestyles and practices. There are some fabulous designs both in the book and on the website.

From: Green Patriot Posters - "During World War II the United States was able to mobilize industry and motivate its citizens in breathtaking speed. Factories were overhauled and consumption habits transformed. Strong, graphically compelling posters played a crucial role in the success of this campaign. These posters presented the actions of individual citizens as vital for the nation and portrayed those who took part as attractive, dynamic American heroes.
Today a similar mobilization is required to address the crisis of global climate change and achieve energy independence. That’s why The Canary Project and its partners have launched Green Patriot Posters..." More here

The Big Draw Competition

From: AccessArt
"AccessArt would like to invite you to make your mark on 2010!
As part of the Big Draw 2010, we’d like to create a drawn Visual Encyclopedia, made up of all the objects from our everyday life. We’d like to invite EVERYBODY to send us your drawings of the kinds of objects which we take for granted, and yet which over time, change in style and appearance.

Objects like…?
Anything which is relevant to you: a toy, a wellington boot, a deodorant container, a chair, a packet, a piece of furniture… NOT live things though thank you – NOT people, plants, animals…

AccessArt will then compile all the drawings into an online encyclopedia, and a pdf/book, to create not only a snapshot record of our objects in October 2010, but also a fantastic record of our drawings.

What kind of drawings?
We don’t mind what medium your drawings are in, but we would like the drawings to be on white paper, and please draw the objects in isolation (which means just the object on the white paper – do not draw a background…). And please make sure your drawings are no larger than A4.

Who can submit drawings?
We mean EVERYONE. We want to put all your drawings in one place: artist next to child, teacher next to parent… we don’t mind who you are, how old you are or where you live… And submissions are invited from all over the world; we’d love to see objects coming from ALL CULTURES.

I need help drawing..
If you’d like some drawing tips (either for yourself or to help teach others to draw), have a look at the AccessArt Draw! online workshop, or buy the Draw! PDF.

Deadline for receipt of drawings: October 31st 2010"

For more information and to find out how to submit drawings, visit the AccessArt website here

Copenhagen Comp: Open Bike & Myloop

Here is a super cool idea for a bike by LOTS Design, Koucky & Partners & Green Idea Factory. Joint 1st place winner of the CPH Bike-Share Competition, Open Bike is designed for an intelligent, floating shared bicycle scheme in Copenhagen (where else!). We hope it gets manufactured, takes off and reaches our shores very soon.

From: Erik Nohlin on Industrial Design / Behance
"IMAGINE a bike share system that...is floating and does not need any special parking installations, so you can leave the bike where you want...will learn, adapt and evolve according to needs and user patterns ...makes full use of modern technology for locating, booking and payment, but is as easy to use as ones own bicycle ..facilitates and rationalises bike management, maintenance and redistribution... defines a new level in bike sharing and strengthens Copenhagen’s position as a leader in modern urban transport solutions. This is OPEN bike!"

The CPH jury were clearly delighted with the Open Bike design:
"As a user you only need to relate to the bicycle and the individual technology you can choose to use in reserving a bicycle. In relation to the bicycle’s design the jury wishes to highlight the technological, user-friendly interface, as well as details such as clever placement of lights and seat post. The latter, with its height guide, gives the user excellent odds for adjusting the height of the saddle correctly on the first attempt.

In addition, OPENbike leads us on a beautiful and elegant journey back in time. The basic idea of a floating system sends a tip of the hat back to the white bicycles in 1960’s Amsterdam and the bicycle’s aesthetic qualities relate well to Copenhagen’s bicycle history with its visual connection to our past (and perhaps revitalised) bicycle messenger culture prior to the 1960’s.

These aspects of OPENbike are brought perfectly into play in an exciting, forward-thinking project that elegantly contributes to the branding of Copenhagen and, with its dynamic approach to systems, reminds us that cities, as well as the mobile behaviour of people, change over time." More here

The Myloop design by Thomas Coulbeaut was joint winner of the competition with another clever design incorporating a stacking system to minimise pavement space when not in use and ability to power up with electricity at the docking system.


Here's what the judges had to say:
"...the jury notices that the bicycle’s size and the way it is stacked respects the urban landscape in Copenhagen as well as the challenges of mobility and logistics in the city. Therefore the project distinguishes itself in the way that it is aimed at the future with a point of departure in the reality of the city of Copenhagen.

The end user has been thought into the process in many ways. Myloop has a simple and user-friendly interface where the technology is a help and not a challenge.

Furthermore, Myloop introduces, along with a host of other entries, the possibility of locking the bicycle - outside shops, for example - so long as the bicycle is registered as in use by the system. This angle is commendable because it offers the user of the bicycle the same flexibility that other cyclists enjoy on their route around the city." More here

Check out the other winning designs here