Design: Infographic on Infographics - Neville Brody vs David McCandless on Newsnight

This great infographic by Toby Bradbury from Mrlerone.com has encapsulated Monday (09 Aug 2010) Newsnight's much heated debate on infographics shown on BBC2. The show featured journalist and designer, David McCandless (who also blogs about infographics), and infamous graphic designer of our times, Neville Brody. Watch all the design fuss from Newsnight infographics debate, visit the BBC iPlayer here (segment starts from about 26 mins in).

General consent is that this debate is pointless (see Creative Review Blog), I think both are too extreme from the spectrum. I am a graphic designer and I love infographics, having said that. I both agree and disagree with Brody and McCandless. There's absolutely nothing wrong with McCandless' finding from India, the bus maps which in this case to simplify complicated bus routes for people (if they have access to these maps).

I agree with Brody that when something is too overly designed to the point of losing the message, that defeats the origin and purpose of Graphic Design/Visual Communication. After all, in my opinion (see Staystylish.com click on "Manifesto"), Graphic Design is about marrying function and aesthetic, creating a system of design through thoughts, integrating design with technology, and utilizing technology to communicate. We are often too mesmerised by the new technology and let it overshadow the initial message we wanted to communicate, which is in the case with McCandless triangle diagram. Brody was right, it did not provoke any feelings. It was just "pretty" information presentation. McCandless might have presented his findings clearly but it wasn't communicating the "message".

I think Toby Bradbury has clearly mocked this Newsnight debate, read his tiny by line beneath the little colour cubes: "Just ignore this bit, it's just pretty colours. Everyone loves that s***. I can say that each colour represents a type of word. Would that be enough reason? Okay, that's it. In fact, no. The colours denote "trends" in the conversation, read by some system I'll never explain to anyone."

Design & Gardening: Design Museum's Designs of the Year 2010 & Window Farms

 Photo from www.designsoftheyear.com

I was at the Design Museum this past weekend for the Brit Insurance Designs of the Year 2010 exhibition. This exhibition was worth a see, there are lots of inspiring ideas from architecture,  fashion, furniture, graphic, interactive, product and transport designs including this year's winner Min-Kyu Choi with his Folding Plug.

The museum was also showing Sustainable Futures that showcases the changing role of the designer and reveals how design can make a difference. There were a few good ideas but I didn't feel this exhibition was very comprehensive as it focused mostly on environmental design. The food/ecology section was interesting but wasn't ground breaking.

Recently, my very good friend Heather from Backyard Farms Toronto has send me this post from Design*Sponge and I thought New York's Window Farms was much smarter, accessible and easier to build one yourself. Window Farms are vertical hydroponic vegetable gardens growing from recycled materials (such as water bottles), clay pellets, and equipment that can easily be purchased inexpensively from any local hardware store. There are kits available from the Window Farms website but unfortunately not for sale internationally. Good news is there are tutorials on how to build one from scratch in their Community section of their website.

Photo from WindowFarms Flickr

Last year, I've turned my bathroom into a greenhouse (unfortunately there was an aphids plague and killed all my plants). This year I've started a mini window still garden – basil, thyme, chilli, sage, lemon, parsley and tomatoes. I'm inspired and intrigued to build a Window Farm. It is a great alternative to curtains or to block that ugly view from your window and also grow your own fresh herbs and vegetables.

Film: Burma VJ: Reporting from a Closed Country

****1/2 Norway/Sweden/Denmark/UK. 84 min. Colour 2008. Directed by Anders Østergaard.

01.20.07.07 @ 6:30 pm ICA Cinema 1.

Many of you know that I love documentaries. I appreciate documentary films because it has a message and it is made with love — whether the message is meant to be propaganda or not, many documentaries are made with little or no budget with maximum time and efforts. "Burma VJ: Reporting from a Closed Country" is a documentary based on DVB's (does not stands for David Victoria Beckham here, Democratic Voice of Burma aka Burma VJ) Burma VJ's footage on the monks rebellion in 2007.

The film made me appreciate the life I have here and how important freedom is. Burma has been dictated by a military for more than 40 years. The people have been living in fear since. Foreign news crews were banned, the internet was shut down, and Burma was closed to the outside world. DVB found a way to broadcast and leak news footage to the rest of the world via internet. These VJs risk their lives and the chances of being caught in exchange for the journalistic spirit of reporting the truth to the world.

This documentary had me at the edge of my seat holding back to shout "GO MONKS!" until the monks were beaten and disappeared overnight. Hurting the innocent is one thing but violating a religious figure, the military is going straight to hell. Wait, they don't believe in hell do they? I wonder what happened if the monks only asked for the fuel prices to be dropped rather than involving politically to free Aung San Suu Kyi? Would the military stood its place or rather meet the demands little by little? And I wonder why no other countries are willing to help out? What about the UN? Can't they do something? Basically, the entire country is in hostage, most of the country has banned tourists and foreigners to enter, it's tough for business without foreign trade. The two rebellions (1962 and 2007) at least gave the Burmese a glimpse of hope that it will happen. They'll just have to stick to their guts and have their voices heard. If you wish enough, your dream will come true. One day.

Theatre: Samuel Beckett's "Not I"

When: Tuesday, 7 July, 2009 @ 1930
Where: The Purcell Room, South Bank Centre: 2009 London Literature Festival

I love Samuel Beckett. Waiting for Godot was one of the plays I’ve read in high school that I didn’t hate and I still love it to this day. I recently saw the play again at The Theatre Royal Haymarket starred Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart. Despite it was the most elaborate stage production of Beckett I’ve seen, it was also the best production of this play I’ve seen mainly because of the actors.

Tonight, I attended the evening of Samuel Beckett’s Not I performed by Lisa Dwan as part of the London Literature Festival at Southbank Centre. Full house. It was the most intensive nine minutes and forty-seven seconds of theatrical experience in my life! To make the Purcell Room pitch dark, black curtains was laid throughout the space, and a sole spotlight was on “the mouth” exactly eight feet from the stage. Lisa Dwan began her monologue at the speed of thought.

The play concluded with a Q&A session chaired by Michael Conevey, unfortunately due to illness, Billie Whitelaw couldn’t be present; a taped interview was shown instead. As always, Beckett had extreme specific stage direction and the length of each “.”, “..” and “…”, which was heavily guarded and monitored, by Beckett’s estate. The actresses must have “white voice” meaning — they should not “act”. “The mouth” must not move away from the light, a discipline that can only be achieved by physical restraint. Whitelaw had herself strapped; Dwan had a pair of tights, blindfolded and had her ears blocked. Whitelaw compared performing the piece to "falling backwards into hell"; Dwan says it is like driving the wrong way down a motorway without any brakes. Whitelaw being heavily coached by Beckett himself, has passed on all his and her notes to Dwan — the “Not I” legacy passes on.

Having done a bit of research about this play, I had a slight idea what I was getting into but had no idea I would be blown away by the performance. I’ve tried to read the play; it was impossible how anyone could remember word per word and dots by dots. I appreciate the performance even more after the Q&A session and the length the actresses had to go through for it. It was also an interesting concept of thoughts out-loud. A verbal stream of conscience —scattered yet alert. I’m very intrigued to read and see other Beckett plays now.

Film: La Vie en Rose

****1/2 France / UK / Czech Republic. 141 min. Colour 2007. Directed by Olivier Dahan. Written by Isabelle Sobelman & Olivier Dahan . Cast: Marion Cotillard, Gérard Depardieu, Sylvie Testud & Emmanuelle Seigner.

07.17.02.08 @ 3:35 pm Prince Charles Theatre.

I have always hated to go see films alone but I did it today. I was still in a very good mood, still on the high running into him randomly yesterday. Yes, the grin was still present. This is one film I've been wanting to see but everyone saw it without me. So I thought why not? It wasn't so bad going to see films alone. In fact, I've joined the membership, will be going quite often to see those 2nd run i haven't a chance to see the first run.

The film is about the life of Edith Piaf, whom I love, thought it was a great film. Marion Cotillard was great as young to woman to sickly elderly Edith. The film makes you laugh and makes you cry – especially when it ended with her signature song "Non, je ne regrette rien". What an extraordinary life!

Art & Culture: Antony Gormley & Damien Hirst

(left) Antony Gormley // Blind Light // 17 May - 19 August 2007
05.29.06.07 @ Hayward Gallery (Southbank Centre, Belvedere Rd, London, SE1 8XX)

(right) Damien Hirst // Beyond Belief & For the Love of God // 1 June - 7 July 2007
04.05.07.07 @ White Cube (25-26 Mason's Yard, London SW1Y 6BU)


Antony Gormley // Blind Light
Zoe and I went to see Antony Gormley's exhibition at the Hayward Gallery, Southbank Centre. As we entered into the gallery, we saw this giantic metal sculpture on our left and the infamous Blind Light installation in front of us. We couldn't help it but to experience that first. "Blind Light" is a glass room filled with fog, where the audience will became part of the art itself. We couldn't see anything but mist when we were inside, we stayed close to each other. It was bizarre, you can hear people but you can't see them until they came up real close.

Next we went to see "Allotment" which is a room full of concrete blocks which was meant to look like urban landscape. Each is cut out with a cube you can look through them and walk through the concrete forest. Then we went back to the main area and looked at "Space Station". A breathtaking sculpture of metal cubes combining together to form space. The upstairs gallery features his wired matrices of himself. Loved it!

Canada Day in London
After the exhibition we walked to Trafalgar Square to attend the Canada Day in London celebration. It was lame. None of the food promised was there, there was no poutine, bison burger was £5. So we went to the Maple Leaf instead. Met up with Matt and Audrey, had a pint of Sleemans and poutine, we went back to the Square and met up with Niki and Paul. K'naan was alright and Sam Roberts was boring. Niki insisted to go back to Maple Leaf, I wanted to meet up with Zoe's mates and Jarvis at The Phoenix. I was so bored at the Maple Leaf, and it was a MISSION to get them outta there. The phoenix was fun, I met Greg, infamous Tommy and his girlfriend Laura, and another friend of theirs. A bit of mix bag of a night...

Damien Hirst // Beyond Belief // For the Love of God
The White Cube itself is quite an interesting venue as it is situated in a middle of a square with offices around. We had to queue about half an hour for the viewing of "For the Love of God". Once our group was let through upstairs, it was curated by a security guard with a long list of instructions to put our bags against the wall, and informed us we'll be entering a pitch black room but eyes will get used to it, no touching the glass and so forth. Zoe and I entered the room, everyone's focus was on the infamous diamond skull. It was magnificent! I love how the skull had a missing tooth, it was the imperfection in the perfection. After about 3 mins of viewing, the security thanked us for visiting and our time was up. Zoe and I went back to the front and see the rest of the exhibition. Damien Hirst explores the fundamental themes of human existence -- life, death, love, truth, immortality and art. We first face a series of "Birth Paintings" which was actually paintings of his son's birth, Cyrus, by Caesarean section. The series illustrates the brutality yet tender images of horror and beauty of a childbirth. Downstairs was the series of "Biopsy Paintings" which we found was a bit eerie since it was based on a series of biopsy images of cancer patients with the rich texture of broken glass, choice of redness "blood" and razor blades. We did enjoy walking through the Natural History series, the infamous half shark, half cows, sheep, fish, butterflies. His last piece "Nativity in The Adoration" was the most amazing, it was a knife through a heart with wings, it is where Hirst questions art, science, faith, pain and religion. Amazing!

After the exhibition, we met up with Gavin at Ed's Easy Diner on Great Newport street for some malt shake and Astro Fries. It was amazing! You can read my review here on TrustedPlaces. We were soooo full!! We went to See Woo for a quicky browse and picked up some rice noodles and said our byes. It was a good day.



Damien Hirst // White Cube Hoxton Square: Beyond Belief
On Saturday, 7th July, I went to the last day of the Damien Hirst exhibition at the Hoxton Square location. I am glad I went to this one after I've seen the one at Mason's Yard. The collection is a bit smaller. But this time the "Biopsy Paintings" has deeply affected me more, especially knowing they were biopsy images of dying cancer patients and lumps of hair in the paintings. The Hoxton Square collection continues questioning about faith. The first piece as you walked in was the stunning "Saint Sebastian, Exquisite Pain" which was representation of the Saint's martyrdom -- glass tank with a black calf with arrows through the body. "Nativity of The Adoration" showed a medical scenario with 3 dead sheep in kneeling position to a silver baby skeleton. "God Only Knows" featured another 3 sheep in crucified positions. Upstairs was a small collection of the post-birth painting series of Cyrus and his wife Maia.



After thoughts
Antony Gormley challenges the human body as a habitation and how the body form interacts with space, landscape and environment. Whilst Damien Hirst challenges the deeper meaning of the human form: faith, technology, love, life and death. Most Hirst's installations were cast in glass tanks where Gormley's were free structured. Although interestingly enough, Gormley's "Blind Light" was a basically a large glass tank and filled with fog, where people can see the silhouettes from the outside and became the subject of the art form. Are we the cut up shark and dead sheep in this case? I like both exhibition, but reckon I have more emotional reaction to Hirst's collection, I suppose it was more in your face and it questions the higher meaning of life and death. But both exhibitions were well curated and I highly recommended to anyone to see them both.

Musical: Bombay Dreams

Bombay Dreams
8PM 03.16.08.06 @ The Hummingbird Centre (1 Front Street East)

Shakalaka baby, Shakalaka baby, Come and shakalaka with me...
It was openning night for the Bollywood Musical Bombay Dreams. As I arrived to the outside of the venue, it was packed with people and there were street performers, also vendors selling samosas and chai tea. The promotors really created a good buzz. After I found Amy, we checked in and recieved my "media" pass, we headed downstairs for the reception. The reception was very nicely done. Not only it was open bar, it was also fully catered by a local Indian Restaurant. During the intermission reception, they even served traditional Indian desserts completed with chai tea, and more alcohol of course.

Our seats were very decent, it was Row G, slight off-centre to the left facing stage. The musical is a play within a play of a young man's dream of becoming a Bollywood star despite he was from the slumps of Bombay. Everytime Akaash (lead character) has a solo, we would hear this gleeful cheer from behind us, we later found out it was actually Miss India-Canada 2006: Sonia Singh! The show was fabulous, entertaining and full of surprises! Of course, there was also the fabulous choreography and the sparkling costumes! We left the theatre with their catchy single "Shakalaka Baby" stuck in our heads for a few days. No kidding. Go watch the video! Ha! Now it's your turn!

Musical: Monty Python's Spamalot

Monty Python's Spamalot
2PM 07.15.07.06 @ The Canon Theatre (244 Victoria Street)

Always look on.. the bright side of life...
I scored a pair of free tickets for the touring Broadway musical Monty Python's Spamalot. This was their opening week, and the show will be leaving in September where it'll start in London, England. The show was sharp, witty, funny with cunning lines included pop cultural references and audience interactions. The set was quite amazing, with animated screens at times just like the film. The major things from the film translated well onto the stage, God, Vicious Rabbit, the famous chandelier, Knights Who Say Ni... etc. It wasn't exactly like the film but hey, it's a musical! At the end there was even a karaoke portion of "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life". The cast was charming, the crowd seemed to enjoy it and i highly recommand everyone to go see it before it leaves for London!

Film: Star Wars - Episode III: Revenge of The Sith

*** 1/4 USA. 140 min. Colour 2005. Written & Directed by George Lucas. Cast: Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman, Hayden Christensen, Samuel L. Jackson, Christopher Lee.

07.29.05.05 @ 3 pm Rainbow Cinema on Front St E with Eileen.

Eileen scored a pair of free movie passes for any films at Rainbow Cinema, we were meaning to go see Constantine but our schedule never worked out. We had to use them by the end of the month, since i'm staying at her place this weekend, and we have time to muck around before Kaiser Chiefs tonight.. so we've decided to see Star Wars.

This episode unfolds of how Anakin became Darth Vader. I almost forgot where the last film left off but it was an easy pick up. Of course the special effect for the film is excellent! Especially the CGI animation of Yoda. Apparently Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen had two months training in fencing and fitness in preperation for their fight sequences for the film. I was slightly disappointed at the fight sequence choreography, I recall it was lot more exciting for the other films. This instalment of the series was better than the previous two. Natalie Portman was horrible in this film, she was good in Closer but this one she was just reading the lines, she wasn't feeling it at all.

Exhibition: Mr. Brown vs. Val Kilmer

Mr. Brown vs. Val Kilmer
04.31.04.05 @ Artlab (457 Richmond. W., Toronto)

It was a very tiny show but it was awesome. It was awesome because it's both Mr. Brown and Val Kilmer. I was actually a bit disappointed that it was so tiny, and i was expecting more photography or video of the Mr. Browns and Val Kilmers around the city. Both artists were present, thank God, there was no cops! Also at one point of the night, a guy with a video camera asked if he could asked me a few question about Val. I agreed to it, after sourcing to the correct "lighting and background" for this video, he asked if i could hold Val, then as soon as you know it (i'm not even sure how this exactly happened) but I was pretend-making out with a cardboard cutout celebrity! ALL CAUGHT ON TAPE NEVERTHELESS!! And i bet it's going to wind up in some Asian-making-out-with-celebrity-cutout festish porn site somewhere on the interweb!

Film: Happy Together

**** Hong Kong. 96 min. B&W/Colour 1997. Directed by Wong Kar Wai
Written by Wong Kar Wai. Cast: Leslie Cheung, Tony (Chiu Wai) Leung, Chen Cheng

05.11.03.05 @ 7pm FFF: Innis Town Hall with Amy, Eileen and Makeda.

Beautiful film. It was really sad for me to see the late Leslie Cheung on the screen. I grew up listening to his music and watching his telly soaps, he was part of my childhood. He was only 40 when he suicided by jumping off from the roof of a hotel a few years ago. The film started off with a very open sex scene between the two lead characters, Lai Yiu-Fai (Leslie Cheung) and Ho Po-Wing (Tony Leung), rumoured that Tony Leung agreed to be in the film on the basis of a fake script and only learned of the requirement of doing a gay sex scene after arriving in Argentina for filming. Then they decided to go to Argentina for road holiday, they got lost and money are spent, somehow the relationship drifted apart too. It was also about Po-Wing's quest of himself through Chang (Chen Cheng) of finding "home". The storyline goes back and forth with the love relationship between Fai and Wing, and the dependence of each other. "Let's start all over again" was said frequently but never once a "I love you". The film was beautifully shot between black and white and colour. Soundtrack was very incoporated, the actors were excellent. i really like the film, it was brilliant.

Notes From the Underground v9

NOTES FROM THE UNDERGROUND v9: A selection of Northeast American Videos: Shana Moulton + Paperrad + Hilary Harp and Suzy Silver + Meeken and Negrey + Desiree Holman // World Premier of Henry Fletcher’s Aritst In Residence short film "HoteL" // Performance by Ulysses Castellanos + Henri Faberge and The Adorables
02.22.02.05 @ The Drake Hotel (1150 Queen Street W. - 416.531.5042)

So much for low profiling, Merckeda rang me last minute and asked me if i wanted to go see Henri's screening.. i couldn't resist and i went. The evening started off a series of short videos from the states: PaperRad, "The Happiest Day" by Hilary Harp & Suzy Silver, but the most rememberable and my favourite series of the nite was by Shana Moulton.

After a long wait, Henri finally arrived in his technicolour striped shirt complimenting by a blue striped tie and white/beige striped socks. He informed us that he's been drinking tequila since 5am that morning and has lost 4 days worth of work, so the screening tonite would have been the first rough cut. "Hotel" is a dectectivesque film set in the 60s, all shot at The Drake Hotel whilst Henri was Artist in Residence for the month of January. Despite that it was only the first rough cut, it was very well shot. I can't wait to see the finished product!

Ulysses Castellanos was an interesting character, a performance artist, also current Artist in Residence. His set had 3 sets of videos of himself around the venue, a bubble machine, a shopping cart like wheel chair, a huge wired heart with balloons. He stood on the chair, told the audience sexual stories and trying to smash the chair and balloons with an axe. Hmmm.. i'm not sure how i felt about that performance...

At around 11:30pm, Henri Faberge & The Adorables hit the stage.. the drunken Henri, the rockin' Gargamel jumping off stage, knocking microphones.. all too drunk, all too fun.. shall repeat again next week as the band practice at the Embassy.

Exhibition: Eamon MacMahon

Hidden Door: Eamon MacHahon
07.20.02.05 @ Pikto (55 Mill Street, Bldg. 59 - 103, 416.203.3443)

I've always love Pikto, it's a cute photo gallery/cafe/workshop in the Distillery District. I find it very inspiring and motivating everytime i go there. Steve invited me to the closing of the show tonite. The show was awesome. The 3 panaroma compositions were excellent. The pix from the flyer above is one of my favourites from this exhibit. Long exposure on a night with the palm trees and the colours are amazing, it had an luminosity quality to set a in an atmostpheric mood. I'm inspired, i'm investing in a Holga at the end of the year!

I know i haven't wrote in my blog since the new years.. i'll do a big update on all the shows and films i've been to in the next few. There have been lots of partying, met lots of good people and new friends.. but it's getting a bit too much, no offense (if anyone of you reading, i heart you all), think i'm going to stay low for the next little while. nite xox

Film: Un long dimanche de fiançailles (A Very Long Engagement)

***1/2 France/USA. 134 min. 2004. Directed by: Jean-Pierre Jeunet.
Original Novel Written by: Sébastien Japrisot.
Cast: Audrey Tautou, Gaspard Ulliel, Jodie Foster, Ticky Holgado.

19:30 @ Cumberland with Amy.

A Very Long Engagement should be renamed: a very long film; although Jeunet kept the film suspenseful and interesting. It was very strange watching the film, as if i were watching Le Fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain (Amélie) time travelled to World War I. Jeunet is a magical storyteller! He has repeated a few familiar faces from Amélie. It was beautifully shot and coloured, only this film is more realistic and believable but isn't as lighthearted as his last. The film tells the story of Mathilde's relentless search for her fiancée, Manech, who has disappeared from the Somme trenches during WWI. The story entangles 4 other missing soldiers and Mathilde's series of investigation to search for the truth if all were dead or alive. I like the ending the most, when she meets Manech (only he's amnesiac) again in his garden, and he said "Doesn't it hurt to walk?" It was the first thing he said to her when they first met as kids. The film left it open whether if they'll be in loved again. The last scene, she sat down beside him whilst he was gold-leaf-ing a wooden chest and narrator ends the film with "She carefully folds her arms on her lap and she looks at him... she looks at him... she looks at him... She looks at him..."

Film: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

**** USA. 108 min. 2004. Directed by: Michel Gondry.
Written by: Charlie Kaufman. Cast: Jim Carrey, Kate Winslet,
Elijah Wood, Kirsten Dunst.
19:00 @ Innis Town Hall with Nina.
Last nite, i finally got to see Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. I liked it. The concept was intriguing: the desire and the power to forget the bad things happened to us permanently, and the consequences that followed. The film clearly explored the character's mindscape. Although, I found it was a bit confusing at times; especially the true version when and where Joel Barish really met Clementine Kruczynski. I would never have a certain person erased from my memory even if the person has treated me badly in the past, because he/she made me who i am today and i wouldn't like to change that.