In recent years, it has been possible to see the data-driven work of Andrew Kuo in art galleries as well as the pages of the New York Times. His meticulously illustrated charts vary in purpose: some recounting the events of his day, while others dissect new music from Vampire Weekend and Odd Future. His neon-colored, overstated geometric patterns often represent linear time, telling stories in a compacted and distorted timeline. His annotations tie emotions, statistics, and opinions to the images, making sense of rigid patterns and intersecting lines.
Andrew Kuo's solo show You Say Tomato was held at New York's Marlborough Chelsea Gallery last month. Follow Andrew Kuo on Tumblr and Instagram. Or search his NY Times charticles online.
[images via New York Times]
Photographers with a knack for experimentation fashion DIY pinhole cameras from coffee cans, shoe boxes and pretty much any other recycled material they can get their hands on. But Elvis Halilović, the Slovenian industrial designer behind the ONDU pinhole camera, takes a more exacting approach. For his line of six cameras, Halilović uses only locally-sourced chestnut and maple wood, and shapes each camera body in his family's wood shop. His design uses strong magnets instead of visible screws, and he finishes the wood with a natural oil varnish.
Moments of information addiction are inevitable. If you find yourself stuck in a technology loop, endlessly bouncing back and forth between email and Twitter and whatever else you need to check, designer Chelsea Briganti's Blokket bag could help slow you down. The bag's fabric is made of a nylon and silver blend that blocks cell phone reception while keeping your phone out of sight. Although leaving your phone in the bag all day might drain your battery, a few minutes of peace wouldn't hurt. [via BLTD]
Chelsea Briganti is the co-founder of the New York product design studio The Way We See The World. Blokket is in stock at the MoMA store. 
For some of us the aughties were all about the emergence, or re-emergence, of dance punk (summed up by James Murphy as "live drums and synthesizers") and no one did it better than DFA, the New York record label founded by James Murphy, Tim Goldsworthy, and the often unsung Jonathan Galkin. Directed by Max Joseph, the vid does a nice tidy job of summing up the label and its sound, artists, and attitude with brevity and a sense of humor—and also gives us a gimpse inside the label offices and studio.
From the same technology that is used to design buildings, Hot Pop Factory, the jewelry line known for its 3D-printed style, has produced yet another interesting collection. The Boreal collection is made with recycled cherry and polymer wood from the Boreal forest in Canada. The collection is as unique as the forest itself; the chain and closure on each necklace appear exceptionally delicate when paired with the bold design of the wood pendant. There are eight different styles available from $74-$98.
The Boreal collection is now available online from Hot Pop Factory.
Folks who play with flowers for a living haven't always been on the radar of forward-thinking visual culture vultures—cue nightmares of the most expected arrangement in the whole world ever: stark red roses surrounded by the sweet white buds of baby’s breath. But when a group of young, cool, Brooklyn-based florists cropped up, it marked a sea change in the world of floral arrangement. Now, it’s becoming the norm to expect artful, inventive, overflowing arrangements and bouquets, often for magazine photo spreads, and sometimes for picture-perfect weddings. Our favorite of the bunch is Amy Merrick, who spends her time arranging overwhelmingly beautiful bouquets for both high-end events and favorite publications like Kinfolk (she was the mastermind behind the flowers-as-ice-cream shoot from the magazine’s latest issue.) She documents everything on her beautiful blog, which helps us feel a little more connected to visions of natural beauty, even while in front of a computer screen. And when she's not styling for editorial shoots, Merrick is imparting her skills to aspiring arrangers, teaching flower classes in Brooklyn and on a Washington state flower farm. Keep an eye on her blog and Twitter feed for updates.
Marvel at Merrick's portfolio online.
Ice cream flower photos by Parker Fitzgerald
Confessionals are inherently uncomfortable spaces. The very purpose of their existence, to allow parishoners to privately unload their transgressions to a member of the clergy—and God—is a tense and awkward premise. While modern places of worship have brighter and more inviting spaces to confess, the confessionals photographer S. Billie Mandle shot for her "Reconciliation" series come from classic church design: dark and intimidating spaces with dramatic light pouring through privacy screens. [via Wired]
With warm weather approaching and beach getaways creeping up on the calendar, some of us are experiencing anxiety. The itty bitty string bikini isn’t for everyone or every occasion—and finding a flattering swimsuit with style isn’t as easy as it sounds. So when we came across Beth Richards recently, we found ourselves excited about swimwear in a whole new way.
The Beth Richards Spring/Summer 2013 collection puts a modern twist on classic and vintage silhouettes, where iconic patterns like florals or exaggerated crosses entertain monochromatic palettes. Versions of high wasted two-pieces are ideal for flattering curves, and come with easy post-water options in crop-topped cover-ups. Richards has a way of expressing a cohesive vision for the female form, allowing the contemporary woman a chance to frolic in the sun with a generous reserve of elegance. We can imagine a Bardot or a Hepburn rocking one of these in Antibes. Bonus: Her one-piece swimsuits, made-in-Canada, double as sleek bodysuits.
Visit Beth Richards online for a list of stockists.
For the first music video from his upcoming metal album, Chinese artist Ai Weiwei recreated scenes from his 81-day imprisonment in 2011 on a set modeled after his actual jail cell. The video depicts some humiliating moments from his imprisonment, such as a forced shower in front of guards accompanied by a head shaving, as well as a bizarre drag sequence. Australian cinematographer Chrisopher Doyle shot the nightmarish clip, which has already been banned in China, as has the search term "Ai Weiwei." [via BBC]
Only a French menswear label, er "collective," could get away with the name Brooklyn We Go Hard, if it is possible to get away with at all. Now, BWGH, which calls itself a collective of "members" on its blog, has a new Paris shop at Les Docks, Cité de la Mode et du Design, a minimal and sleek pop-up inspired by Yves Klein that will be selling BWGH through September.
Visit BWGH online to see its latest collection.
