Adams Street Library by WORKac in Brooklyn. Photography by Bruce Damonte…
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WORKac brings supergraphics and sculptural pavilions to a new library in Brooklyn.
“Sculptural walls and tangerine hues feature in a public library by New York studio WORKac that is housed in a former torpedo factory. Adams Street Library is the first new branch established by the Brooklyn library system in more than 20 years. Situated along the East River under the Manhattan Bridge, the library is within a historic district in Dumbo. It’s housed in a 1901, multi-story building that was once a torpedo factory, and later, a recycling facility. The entrance is marked with a red and white super-graphic that reads LIBRARY. Spaces are organized around a central pavilion with sculptural walls made of medium-density fibreboard with a maple veneer.” [H/T Dezeen]
The ringleader of a group that tried to steal a Banksy mural in Ukraine faces jail time.
“The ringleader of a group that allegedly tried to steal a Banksy mural from a wall in Ukraine could face up to 12 years in prison, the country’s Ministry of Internal Affairs said. The suspect, who has not been named, was served a ‘notice of suspicion’ after police detained the alleged thieves attempting to remove the artwork from a house destroyed by Russian shelling in the city of Hostomel last month. Depicting a woman in a gas mask carrying a fire extinguisher, the mural is one of several works completed by the street artist in cities across Ukraine, including the capital Kyiv, following Russia’s invasion. According to police, the group removed the mural from a wall and had intended to transport it from the site using wooden planks.” [H/T CNN]
Metabirkins. Images via Mason Rothschild…
Hermès and Mason Rothschild, the creator of Metabirkins, will go to trial this month.
“In a one-page ruling on Dec. 30, U.S. district judge Jed Rakoff shot down each side’s hopes of obtaining an immediate conclusion to the saga, with a trial set to commence on Jan. 30. The French luxury house first sued Mason Rothschild over his NFTs depicting fuzzy and colorful digital renditions of its famed Birkin bag nearly a year ago. Both sides moved for summary judgments, in which the court concludes there are no questions about the facts or law and decides the case based on the arguments made in the court papers submitted. In his ruling, however, Rakoff rejected the motions, saying the court would issue an opinion explaining the decision by Jan. 20.” [H/T Business of Fashion]
Dorothy Iannone, an artist who explored the spirituality of female sexuality, dies at 89.
“The artist Dorothy Iannone, who unabashedly celebrated the female sexual experience and fought censorship, has died aged 89; her death was confirmed in a post on Instagram by her Paris-based gallery Air de Paris. ‘Love and freedom has been at the heart of Iannone’s work for six decades, with full force until her unexpected death yesterday,’ the gallery said in a statement. ‘We will deeply miss her as an original artist, an intellectual and engaged human being, a most loving, fun, and compassionate friend.’” [H/T The Art Newspaper]
Ethereum eclipsed Bitcoin more than fourfold in total crypto transactions last year.
‘The Ethereum network eclipsed Bitcoin in terms of total transaction volume last year, though the king of crypto has managed to retain its crown when it comes to online search interest. According to data from Nasdaq and Ycharts shared on Reddit on Jan. 2, there were 338% more Ether transactions in 2022 (408.5 million) Bitcoin ones (93.1 million). However, transaction volumes on the Bitcoin network were steadier and more periodic than on Ethereum, which experienced much more volatility in transaction volumes. This was due to spikes in demand at certain times such as NFT launches and other gas-guzzling events such as XEN minting. However, while Ethereum may be ahead in transaction and activity terms, Bitcoin remains the most-searched cryptocurrency online.” [H/T CoinTelegraph]
Ikea’s new plant-based food hall concept. Image courtesy of Ingka Group…
Ikea plans to reinvent its popular food court with sustainable, plant-based cuisine.
“Ingka Centres, a subsidiary of the Ingka Group (IKEA parent company), has announced its reinvention of the food court concept with Saluhall, a sustainable dining center inspired by Nordic food principles. Saluhall is named after the Scandinavian-style “Market Hall.” It will serve food 80 percent plant-based, with the aim to increase to 100 percent plant-based in the future. It also has the goal of sending zero waste to landfills and having zero single-plastic usage. With 45 “Meeting Places” concepts operated by Ingka Centres globally, Saluhall will be their first food space to be entirely beef-free.” [H/T Archinect]
Cuban artists are being delisted from American NFT trading sites without explanation.
“When everything seemed to be going wrong, Cuban multimedia artist Alejandro Pablo García Alarcón found a solution in what some might consider an unusual place: NFTs. Artists like him have been dealt multiple blows in recent years: The pandemic wreaked havoc on Cuba’s tourism sector, sending art sales plummeting. American sanctions made it harder for Cubans to sell their works. NFTs offer artists a rare loophole because they can profit from their art on an international stage with few speech restrictions due to the medium’s decentralized nature. But this year, doors have begun to close for artists from Cuba and other countries facing U.S. sanctions because key NFT trading sites have gradually blocked them from doing business on their platforms, often with little or no explanation.” [H/T AP]
A picture from “Transcendent Country of the Mind” by Sari Soininen…
