Rendering of “Alert” (2022) by Antony Gormley. Image courtesy of Imperial College London…
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A proposed Antony Gormley statue’s giant “erect penis” draws ire at Imperial College.
“Plans to install a sculpture by Antony Gormley at Imperial College in London have caused concern among the university’s students who claim the work to be ‘phallic.’ ALERT, a six-meter-high (20-foot-high) stack of cantilever steel blocks meant to resemble a squatting human figure, is scheduled to be placed in the newly built Dangoor Plaza as part of a major redevelopment of the university’s South Kensington campus. But according to a motion released by the Imperial College Union that aims to prevent its installation, the work may ‘hurt the image and reputation of the college.’ This is due to the ‘obvious’ interpretation of its form as that of a person bearing their sizable erect penis.” [H/T The Art Newspaper]
The Guggenheim Bilbao makes progress on expanding to a Spanish natural reserve.
“The Guggenheim Bilbao’s long-gestating plans to expand to a Spanish natural reserve may finally come to fruition. Earlier this week, officials with the government of the Biscay province, whose capital is Bilbao, revealed that they were planning to put €40 million toward an expansion in Urdaibai, an estuary to the east of Bilbao that has hundreds of plant species and thousands of human residents. Deia, a Spanish-language outlet based in Biscay, reported this week that the provincial council had pegged the total cost of the new museum at €127 million ($129 million). A connector that El Correo described as a “tunnel” would reportedly link the Guggenheim Bilbao with its expansion.” [H/T ARTnews]
Plan for Berlin TXL at the former Tegel Airport. Rendering courtesy Tegel Projekt…
Construction will begin on redeveloping Berlin’s Tegel Airport into a research hub.
“Construction is set to begin on the redevelopment of Berlin’s former Tegel Airport into a technological research hub, residential district and nature reserve in the northwest of the city. Named Berlin TXL–the Urban Tech Republic (Berlin TXL), the development will include a research park, landscaped area and Schumacher Quartier—a car-free residential district that will house up to 10,000 people. Construction on the five-square-kilometer (1.93-square-mile) site will begin later this year, with completion of the first residential district scheduled for 2027. The project is led by the State of Berlin, which commissioned Tegel Projekt with the development and management of Berlin TXL and Schumacher Quartier.” [H/T Dezeen]
H&M is facing a lawsuit over “misleading” sustainability marketing for its products.
“H&M is “taking advantage of consumers’ interest” in sustainability and products that ‘do not harm the environment,’ a new false advertising lawsuit asserts. According to the proposed class action complaint that she filed in a New York federal court on July 22, Plaintiff Chelsea Commodore claims that in an attempt to target the growing segment of eco-conscious consumers who are willing to pay more for ‘sustainably-made’ garments and accessories, the Swedish fast fashion giant prominently incorporated “‘environmental scorecards’ for its products called ‘Sustainability Profiles’” into the labeling, packaging, and marketing materials for hundreds of its offerings—only to ultimately remove them after being called out for using ‘falsified information that did not comport with the underlying data.’” [H/T The Fashion Law]
Daisy May Collingridge at Sarabande Foundation’s new studios in Tottenham, London. Image courtesy Sarabande Foundation…
Sarabande Foundation will open 15 new studios in Tottenham’s new Paxton17 hub.
“Sarabande Foundation has just announced plans to expand its footprint in October 2022 with 15 new studio spaces in Tottenham as part of the borough’s new creative hub, Paxton17. Established by late visionary fashion designer Lee Alexander McQueen, the Sarabande Foundation has long championed young creative voices who are blazing trails across the creative landscape. The charitable foundation’s existing headquarters, a listed stable block in Haggerston, opened in 2015 and has since housed 130 creatives from 31 countries, offering practical advice and mentoring to talented artists, craftsmen and designers, as well as heavily subsidized studio spaces and free platforms to exhibit work.” [H/T Wallpaper]
Beyond Plastics shares a campaign that asks dry cleaners to stop using plastic film.
“Every year, dry cleaners use more than 300 million pounds of plastic film in the U.S. alone. The vast majority—96 percent—will end up in a landfill or the ocean, where it will slowly break into particles that eventually end up in the food chain, and inside animals and humans. Beyond Plastics, an organization devoted to ending plastic pollution, is working on a new campaign to get plastics out of the dry cleaning industry. In a report, it points out that disposable plastic film isn’t necessary to protect freshly cleaned clothes, and that cheaper, more sustainable alternatives already exist on the market. But the report argues that dry cleaners will be slow to change on their own, so consumers need to speak up and ask their cleaners to change.” [H/T Fast Company]
The Italian luxury brand Tod’s launches a $344 million bid to privatize the company.
“The founding family and largest shareholder in Italy’s Tod’s said it would spend up to €338 million ($344 million) to buy out other investors in the luxury goods brand and take it private, aiming to spur its revival. The Della Valle brothers said in a statement their holding company would pay 40 euros for each Tod’s share, a 20.4 percent premium to the stock’s closing price on Tuesday, valuing the company at €1.32 billion. The offer is equal to the price the company set at the time of its initial public offering back in 2000. Like other Italian brands that have built their fortunes on craftsmanship, Tod’s has struggled to appeal to younger luxury shoppers in recent years.” [H/T Business of Fashion]
Image courtesy of Creem magazine…
Today’s attractive distractions:
This air-powered concept may transform access to hand prosthetics.
Saatchi & Saatchi revives its iconic 1970 “pregnant man” campaign.
Disappear inside this “invisible” mirrored house in the Mojave Desert.
Raymond Pettibon’s work will grace the rebooted Creem’s first cover.
