The University of Minnesota provides quite a few great resources that are both excellent and free. Promotion however is often not excellent so events are easy to miss and are not as well attended as they should be. The Upcoming Disruptive Effects symposium is breaking that mold. The bad news is that it isn’t free – though it is still a bargain relative to the cost of many creative industry events. The good news is that Larsen is a sponsor so there are posters and a website and I know about it far enough in advance to blog about it. This symposium is worth considering since it looks like it will break another mold as well. Namely those stale presentations of the presenter’s past work in favor of a multi-disciplinary dialogue about what could be. Take a look, take a chance and take the opportunity to challenge the participants. This may be one time they’ll appreciate the disruption.
Frontline On Our Digital Nation
PBS (which is arguably the only reason to own a television) hosts a plethora of quality programing including a fantastic, in depth, news program called Frontline. On Tuesday, February 2nd at 9:00 p.m. (In the Twin Cities) Frontline is airing “Digital Nation”. If you are reading this blog there is a good chance you work in a digital design field. But, whatever you do you are deeply immersed in the changes interactive media is having on our culture. Changes with far reaching consequences for everything from socialization to attention span, entertainment to warfare. Spending an hour pondering these consequences will likely be tremendously informing (and empowering if it is your job to create whatever comes next). You can see a preview on the pbs.org website.
Frontline has also been running a digital nation website about these issues where you can learn more, share your own story and take a quiz – while you email, txt, instant message and listen to music….
In a related vein NPR recently ran an interesting story about research that suggests many who think they are great at multitasking… aren’t.
toys in the attic sneak peek #2 (from the girls)
the second redblackbrown poster for toys in the attic, this time from the girls (colleen, jessica and zara). it will be 12 × 12.
hope to see you at the show!
toys in the attic sneak peek #1 (from the boys)
all of us here at redblackbrown are very excited to be part of the toys in the attic, a celebration of toys to benefit those without them. so mark your calendars for december 4 at the soo visual arts center.
in the spirit of collaboration (and maybe competition?), we split our little collective in two: boys vs. girls. the poster above is from bill, peet and todd and will be 18 × 24 inches.
Today is Arthur’s Day, the 250th birthday of the father of Guinness. Everyone in the world—seriously, everyone in the WORLD—is going to be at the pub at 17:59 to toast old man Arthur and the blonde in the black dress.
Cute Powder-Blue Green Machine
Efficient automobiles have long emerged from car factories having suffered extend input by the ugly department. Even the wildly popular Toyota Prius is an acquired taste. If you want a hybrid – let alone an electric car – that doesn’t require you to wear your tree-hugger credentials on your sleeve your choices are pretty limited.
The Frankfurt Motor Show however featured some cars that are downright sexy. Yes there are a few that look like they’re from your kid’s Playmobile collection (although we’d all be better off if everyone drove small cars) but check out this hip, blue mini-wagon from Volkswagen. It is a great redesign of the old Squareback from the 60’s and 70’s. It feels kind of friendly.
The Twin Cities Homes By Architects tour is coming up September 19 and 20, 2009. There are a few interesting modern numbers including 4869 Dominica Way by Altus Architecture and Design. There are quite a few – shall we say – “traditional” homes on the tour so you may want to take a look at the full portfolio before you spring for tickets. Fortunately, the site includes a detailed map so you could swing by the ones you like the look of and then get tickets if you are just dying to get a peek inside.