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Photography

Leila Jeffreys’ Gorgeous Cockatoo Portraiture

By Leigh Patterson on

Why explore portraiture of humans when there are cockatoos to be photographed? Good question. It’s hard not to be transfixed by the Wild Cockatoos series from fine art photographer Leila Jeffreys. Born in New Guinea, she spent her adolescence in a small village in India where she was “surrounded by monkeys, mongoose, and buffaloes.” This fondness for wildlife is evident in her work: each image is titled with the bird’s name (to name a few: Matilda, Slim, Bob), and seems to aptly capture the distinct beauty of the peculiar Australian birds.

“I want to celebrate them because they are gorgeous,” Jeffreys has explained. “I photograph them in a traditional studio portraiture setting and take photos that focuses on capturing their characters, not just their beauty… The project took me two years to complete as it was hard to get access to wild cockatoos. I worked with wildlife rescue groups, wildlife parks, zoos and private breeders that are all passionate about conservation.” Take a gander at the stunning images that she was able to capture in our slideshow. … Read More

Architecture

Architectural Slants: Tilting Towers and Leaning Buildings

By Alison Nastasi on

Earlier this week, we learned about the leaning houses of Canada’s Dawson City — the second largest city in Yukon. Website Boing Boing explained the reason for the architectural anomaly:

“Dawson City exists in a subarctic climate, the sort of place with a lot of permafrost—soil that remains frozen year round. In order for permafrost to happen, the mean annual temperature has to be colder than 0 degrees Celsius (32 degrees Fahrenheit). But, in Dawson City, as in other parts of the Arctic, climate change has brought with it warmer mean temperatures. That means melting permafrost, a problem that affects the structural integrity of buildings built on the once-solid ground.”

Many slanted structures shift because of natural phenomenon, but others were intentionally designed to tilt. Bent on exploring this architectural slant, we rounded up other leaning buildings past the break. … Read More

Photography

Gallery: Intimate Photos of Australian Men’s Private Sheds

By Tom Hawking on

Anyone who’s spent any time in Australia, especially outside the big cities, can tell you that Australian men of a certain age and disposition really, really like their sheds. This realization provided inspiration for London-based photographer Jasper White, who captured a series of images of pretty amazing sheds during a recent trip down under. Some of the spaces he photographed are cluttered and intimate, some are extravagantly decked out, and at least two of them appear to double as bars. White’s photos are colorful and almost hyper-real, and work as a sort of window into a certain part of the male psyche. Check them out after the jump. … Read More

Music

Hear the Australian Cassette Magazine That Inspired the Birth of Sub Pop

By Tom Hawking on

Anyone who knows their Sub Pop history will know that the iconic Seattle label’s beginnings lay in the cassette tapes that founder Bruce Pavitt used to distribute with his early 1980s zine Subterranean Pop. What you might not know, however, is that the whole cassette zine idea was inspired by an earlier publication from the… Read More

Photography

Strangely Compelling Photographs of Abandoned Sofas in Suburbia

By Emily Temple on

Being some-time couch potatoes and lovers of photography, we were fascinated to see Melbourne-based photographer and PhD candidate Paul Batt‘s ongoing “Untitled Abandon Series” over at FeatureShoot. Batt writes, “My primary interest in the ‘Abandon Series’ is the apparent state of flux and contrast the subjects exist in. These once intimate, comfort giving, interior objects have become surreally out of place in the exterior world. Although their utilization is over, clues remaining of human habitation in the cushions and armrests formed to unknown bodies, over countless hours. It is this play between the interior and the exterior environments and the traces of human presence to absence that has informed the series as a whole.” Indeed, there is something very sad and nostalgic about a piece of furniture abandoned to the wild — unless, of course, it manages to find itself a new home. Click through to see some of Batt’s project, and then make sure to head over to his website to check out more of his work. … Read More

Partner Buzz

Flavorpill in Australia: An Insider’s Guide to The Land Down Under

By Tom Hawking on

If your vision of Australia doesn’t extend much further than Crocodile Dundee throwing another shrimp on the barbie, a trip down under will leave you pleasantly surprised. One of the most diverse and fascinating countries on the planet, Australia is full of natural beauty, as well as a surfeit of arts, culture, and great food (and wine). Now that our friends at Qantas and Tourism Australia are offering what they’re calling the Ultimate Aussie Pass — which lets you jet around Oz at pleasantly discounted prices — there’s never been a better time to go. Of course, part of the joy of discovering such a massive country is just getting out and exploring, but it does help to have a bit of a helping hand to point you in the right direction. So, with that in mind, here’s our insider’s guide to Australia’s five top destinations, including where to go, what to see, and how to find the action that only the locals know about. Read up and start planning your adventure. … Read More

Film

Required Viewing: Films That Will Sate Your Mid-Fall Wanderlust

By Romy Oltuski on

Stuck in that season between summer and the holidays that breeds stir craziness in even the most balanced of people, it’s easy to feel the pang of wanderlust. But sometimes a living room couch or movie theater is as far as our paychecks and vacation-day allotments will take us. If you’re itching to get out and get lost, these movies, filmed and set in phenomenal locations, will satisfy at least one of your senses and tide you over until you can get away for real. … Read More

Music

World Party: The Nightlife Exchange Project in Pictures

By Doug Levy on

It took months of planning and the efforts of artists and curators from across the globe, but it all proved worthwhile as 14 countries swapped culture on Saturday night. Smirnoff’s hugely ambitious Nightlife Exchange Project swept the planet on November 27, with nightfall bringing huge parties to cities everywhere from Buenos Aires to Beirut.

We tagged along to witness the planning in Bangkok and experience the event in Bangalore, but regardless of where you were, there was no way to be everywhere at once. That’s why we’re bringing you a photo roundup of what went down, spanning from South America to Australia. Check out how cultures combined, continents collided, and people partied around the world. … Read More

Daily Dose

Daily Dose Pick: Lisa Mitchell

By Doug Levy on

At only 19, Australian singer-songwriter Lisa Mitchell has served up Wonder, a folk-pop gem of a debut album that completely belies her youth.

Inviting comparisons to fellow Aussie Lenka, as well as Icelandic songstress Emiliana Torrini, Mitchell mines the quirkier side of pop music on Wonder, creating whimsical compositions hung from the catchiest of hooks.

Given the authenticity of the songs and her unassuming persona, the fact that Mitchell was a finalist on Australian Idol at the age of 16 stands out far more as an aberration than a cause for suspicion. … Read More

Books

Norman Mailer’s Not So Dirty Laundry Aired By the FBI

By Caroline Stanley on

Books – In case you needed one more reason to love NORMAN MAILER — his FBI file [American Fiction Notes]
Dance/Opera - Is CITY OPERA just a lost K-MART looking for its MARTHA STEWART? [WNYC]
Design - Public art in Brussels bridges the gap between the Flemish Parliament and the… Read More