Howdy, my friends. No, you haven’t time-traveled to Friday. My esteemed colleague Bri and I have traded days so I can get myself to The City [Manhattan] to see some art this weekend. Tune in Friday for his fabulous link curation and art crimes. As for today- Let’s get started!
Artist Mo Gangi creates one-line tattoos that are like minimalist gesture drawing. So beautiful!
Did YOU know this exists? I didn’t! In the Arctic, on the Norwegian island of Spitsbergen, there is the Svalbard Doomsday Seed Vault with over 850,000 seed varieties and the images are arresting. I shared it with the Lab and, small world, Katie’s friend James had just been there [wut?!] and then that Courtney mentioned the Seed Lady in the Vuvulini and I think this place would be heaven to her. Anyway- mind truly blown.
This Papier Mâché Smaug Would Bring a Tear to Tolkien’s Eye. Well, I’ve tried working with papier mâché and it definitely brought a tear to MY eyes. Please enjoy artist Dan Reeder’s work. [maker video below] Via Critical Dragon
Hot Toys just revealed the Ultimate Ellen Ripley Alien Figure. And she comes complete with Jones the Cat! Her Uncanny Valley-ness even has her breaking a sweat. Jeezus.
This is totally punk rock sci fi Fury Road, but it’s real life. No males needed: All-female salamanders regrow tails 36 percent faster. Via Ethan
“Ecstatic Light” is painter Peter Bynum‘s new series of illuminated paintings on glass.
If you don’t know by now, That Long-Lost Mayan City a Teen Found Isn’t Lost … or a City. Oh man. Buzzkill. via Amy.
If Klingon is a language…then who owns it? Here then are the best parts of a legal brief on behalf of Klingon speakers. Via Stan Carey
Who can build the best system? LA to SF in 30 min: the hyperloop wars are on. Via Amy.
Our old friend Steve, erstwhile member of Mad Art Lab, has a little kindle collection of short stories: Dandelion Seeds. It all started when he engaged in the twitter hashtag #FirstLineToMyNovel. See, kids? The internet is a dangerous place—before you know it, you’re creating things. Via Amy
Catch up on your Game of Thrones recaps: OATHBREAKER by Laura Stone.
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The Doomsday Seed Vault
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Dan Reeder’s maker video
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Featured image is the Doomsday Seed Vault by Mathias Heyde.
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What James had to add about his visit to Svalbard:
It’s built into an old coal mine and has three corridors each packed full of seeds. I met the guy who had converted it from a mine to a vault. Not allowed in though as you need govermental permission!
They’re going to take some seeds out for the first time as whole species of plants have been destroyed in the Syria conflict.
Thanks, Katie- and please also thank James for me. I almost used his Svalbard beer as the featured image!
As for taking out seeds- I’m so glad the resource is there and I am heartbroken for the reason.
Many thanks from Manitoga/The Russel Wright Design Center for your shout out for Peter Bynum‘s Ecstatic Light exhibition. The exhibition will be on view to our tour participants May 13 – November 14, 2016. Tour reservations, including Artist-Led tours, are available at BrownPaperTickets.com.
Thank you for that information! It really looks like a beautiful exhibition, easily accessible to people in the tri-state area. Cheers!