Month of Design in Ljubljana

Posted on 06/11/2012 by DARMA

Here in Ljubljana (Slovenia) autumn means cold, rain (and sometimes snow), beautiful colors and inspiration. A lot of events about design, theater, cinema are happening and the new light invites to see things as if it were the first time. Perhaps one of the most popular events is the Month of Design, the capital becomes a traveling museum, with exhibitions, pop-up stores, conferences, performances, parties…

Darma visited the core of the celebration just the day it opened and we were fortunate to attend the conference about Helsinki World Design Capital 2012.

Here more information about the event in the words of the organizers:

Month of Design is an annual festival of know-how and creativity in design. It offers platform for a discourse focused on exploring the role of design in creative industries, business, culture and social practices. The main aim of Month of Design is to increase the competitiveness of businesses and society, establish knowledge transfers between developed and less developed economies, and emphasise the strategic, economic and cultural advantages of design.

This unique month-long design event is held in and around the Slovenian capital of Ljubljana. This year it is dedicated to a specific topic of global relevance – Thinking the Future.

Today’s world through 1900 eyes

Posted on 20/08/2012 by DARMA

Even today, we believe that in a few years we’ll be able to fly, teleport or have a weekend house in the Moon, but how naive are these thoughts? In the 1900 some french artist presented a serie of painting and illustrations exposing how the France will look like in the early XXI century. In the Public Domain Review words:

France in the Year 2000 (XXI century) – a series of futuristic pictures by Jean-Marc Côté and other artists issued in France in 1899, 1900, 1901 and 1910. Originally in the form of paper cards enclosed in cigarette/cigar boxes and, later, as postcards, the images depicted the world as it was imagined to be like in the year 2000. There are at least 87 cards known that were authored by various French artists, the first series being produced for the 1900 World Exhibition in Paris.

We found all the creations really interesting, not only for the vintage look, but also the creativity and ingenuity of the early XX century society.
What do you think? do you like them?

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Font: Public Domain Review

All images: Wikimedia Commons

El año 2000 visto por los ojos del 1900

Cómo se veía el año 2000 en el 1900

France in the XXI century

France in the year 2000

Predicting the future with pencil and paper

That obsessive pleasure

Posted on 10/08/2012 by DARMA

The London born artist based in Brooklyn, New York Shantell Martin has definitely written her name all over it. When Ms. Strauss and her partner, Holly Hobart invited Shantell to move into the top floor of the 1890s brownstone they own in Bedford-Stuyvesant, it was understood that she would draw on the walls. “It seemed natural we’d let her have this large canvas on the top floor to do her thing,” Ms. Strauss said.The plan was to only decorate a smaller section in her bedroom, but she couldn’t put the pen down.The result makes it clear and obvious.

Via NYtimes, photos by Trevor Tondro

Don’t give up, beginner! Inspiring visual advices for new creative professionals

Posted on 03/07/2012 by DARMA

More than once I cursed myself for not having another profession, “I should have been an accountant”, “Had to studied philosophy” “Must become a plumber” (and make a lot of money). What? Impossible! I had to dedicate my youth to a profession in which a simple comment can strike down your motivation and mark you for life. All creative professionals remember a heartless teacher or a senseless criticism and despite all, here we are! We can’t imagine ourselves in the shoes of any other professional, we love what we do and we don’t give up!

This is a message to all students and trainees: you are not as bad as they say, and not as good as you think. You can survive and, sometimes, even have fun! The secret? work, work work and work, and, after that, keep on working! And if even then you have “one of those days”, take a break, refresh your ideas and reinforce your motivation with these inspiring and beautiful posters.

NOTE: If you are not a beginner, you will surely encourage yourself too, life’s also hard out there…