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This Just In: Jeff Koons Sculpture in London Park

casasugar — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 05:30:00 -0700

If you're lucky enough to be in London right now, head over to Saint James Square to check out the stainless-steel sculpture "Balloon Flower (Magenta)," by artist Jeff Koons, who's known for his public art and whimsical, childlike sculptures. The giant sculpture, which does indeed look like shiny twists of balloons, will be exhibited for the next 10 days in Saint James Square in London, England. The sculpture, which has an estimated worth of around $23.6 mllion, will be auctioned at Christie's Post-War and Contemporary Art Evening Sale on June 30. If nothing else, this is a great chance to get up close and personal with a rather pricey piece of art. Are you going to check it out?

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Designer Spotlight: Jason Miller

casasugar — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 07:00:53 -0700

Having worked as a studio assistant for Jeff Koons, an art director at Ogilvy and a designer for Karim Rashid between '95 and '01, Jason Miller decided it was time to step up his game and start his own design studio in Brooklyn — and he wasn't getting ahead of himself. Miller has pinned solo exhibitions all over the map, from LA to Tokyo, and everywhere in between, and been applauded with prestigious awards like Bombay Sapphire's "Rising Star" award and Wallpaper's "Best Breakthrough Designer" award, and named a "Tastemaker" by Forbes for his quirky contemporary designs, be it furniture, interiors, or bus stops. If that weren't enough of a pat on the back, his work is in the Permanent Collection of New York's Museum of Arts and Design, and he's got clients like Areaware, Persol, Brookstone, Carlo Rossi, Kikkerland, and Idee at his beck and call.

If you can't place his name, I'll give you a nudge by reminding you of his Ceramic Antler Chandelier, which single-handedly started the hunting trend that The New York Times has so lovingly already pegged "over." A brief glance at his portfolio, marked by low-res photos used as background for projects with titles like "Whatever Flowerpots" and "Dusty Tables," and you'll probably think a: he has no design experience or b: he's got to be joking. Well, that latter is only true, and in truth, the joke's on you; his terracotta flowerpots are shaped, not made, of whatever (beer cans, plastic jugs), and his table doesn't suggest that a neglected furnishing is a design, but the dusty table is coated in a finish making it only appear so — real grime is optional. It's no wonder pubs like Dwell, Domino, Metropolitan Home, and House & Garden have been all over him like, well, dust on a table; he's miraculously made everyday dirt trendy.
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Gigantic Puppy in Bloom Now!

PetSugar — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 08:00:22 -0800

When I spotted this photo yesterday, I didn't even notice the caption because I was so distracted by what looked like a huge Chia Pet! A bit of research uncovered the story behind "Puppy" and, even though the news here was the Spanish Deputy PM and others heading to a socialist party meeting for the general elections, I was a bit more interested in the story behind that giant westie! I've collected photos of the five locations (along with a bit more information) to create this slideshow for you! Source