Jesse “The Font” Ventura? ‘Round these parts, mention of Jesse Ventura’s return to politics is met with strong reactions — pro, con, and comic — so when Design Observer‘s Michael Bierut mentioned the wrester-turned-governor’s name in a Newsweek piece about political bumpersticker design, it piqued my interest. But, alas, it wasn’t to be. Bierut was misquoted: He was referring to the typeface Futura — not “Ventura” — the “squared off,” “brick wall”-like, and somewhat Ventura-esque font used by Republican presidential hopeful Rudy Giuliani. (Here‘s video of Bierut, with Stuart Bailey and Debbie Millman, as part of the March 2007 Insights Design Lecture series at the Walker.)
For the shark-dressed man: Known for his installation The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living, a shark preserved in a clear tank of fluid, Damien Hirst is now lending his services to Levi’s. His design for the 2008 Warhol Factory X Levi’s X Damien Hirst clothing line will include $190 to $250 jeans and $80 to $300 tops.
Lego Contemporary: It’s not the first time Hirst’s work has been rendered as a consumer object. At a 2006 show at the UK’s Walker Art Gallery (no relation), The Little Artists, John Cake and Darren Neave, presented their Lego rendition of the shark tank. Their projects include Lego miniatures of famous contemporary artworks, with titles like Emin’s Bed, Chapman’s Dead Guys, and Catellan’s Hung Boys, to name a few.
Confessions of a Yes-Man: Gothamist interviews activist (and, one could argue, artist) Andy Bichlbaum of The Yes Men. And here’s Bill Moyers interviewing Bichlbaum and fellow Yes Man Mike Bonnano. Part 1 & Part 2.
Punched with a pen: Dan Perjovschi, a Bucharest-based artist who’ll be part of the Walker’s exhibition Brave New Worlds this fall, currently has his first U.S. solo show at MoMA. Using cartoon-like wall drawings, he creates large installations that offer incisive political critiques. He says his drawings can be deceptive: “They’re funny at first glance… But after you laugh, it’s like striking your stomach.” Hear more at MoMA’s video channel and the online exhibition.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkXXNGfx_3k[/youtube]