Red Antler

Sleepwalkers Remix: Experiential Emergence

LA-based filmmaker and installation artist Doug Aitken creates captivating installations that engage viewers through multi-sensory experience.  Fluidly merging visual imagery, pulsating soundtracks and spatial interventions, his artwork frames a non-linear exploration of the contemporary conditions of daily urban life.

In 2007’s Sleepwalkers exhibition at MoMA, Aitken stepped out of the traditional museum space with his monumental film installation, adapting the streetscape as both stage and screen.  The work projected four video channels onto the museum’s architectural facade, creating a site-specific dialogue between the cinematic narratives (featuring protagonists Tilda Swinton, Donald Sutherland, Chan Marshall, Ryan Donowho, Seu Jorge) and dynamic public realm (daily life in Midtown Manhattan).

As a long-time admirer of Aitken’s work, I recently attended MoMA PS 1’s opening event for the release of Sleepwalkers Box – a collaborative experiment between Aitken, Princeton Architectural Press and DFA Records. The Box itself is beautifully designed and rich in content: featuring an in-depth sampling of inspirations driving the work, process sketches, motion sequence flipbooks, original artwork, unreleased music and conversation between Aitken and Jacques Herzog.  As a multi-media collection, it surpasses the role of re-presenting the artwork, and offers an opportunity for individuals to navigate their own experience within the work.

In support of the Sleepwalkers’ continual evolution, the launch party sampled the work in a new space and exposed previously unreleased moments from the process of making.  Musical directors Hisham Akira Bharoocha and Jonathan Galkin provided an entrancing live drum and electronic set that built upon samples of pre-recorded music.  Against the exterior sound of heavy rains, the audience lay collectively immersed in sound and visuals of Aitken’s fragmented process videos floating across the Performance Dome interior.

Taking part in this experience made me reflect upon the potential for work to continue developing beyond its initial presentation, and opportunities for art and design to emerge in new form.  In branding, our work is passed on to a client or another designer as a set of guidelines.  The next phase in the life of our work will be interpreted by someone else and inevitably reframed in new conditions.  The result of our design recommendations may stray far from the original intention, but may also reinforce our brand concept in new ways.  Sometimes the potential for design is expanded to the point that it becomes unique, independently taking on a life of its own.

Photographs by Clare Ros taken at PS1, New York, April 2012.

from Clare Ros

How well do you know your audience?

I recently went to the Whitney Museum on the Upper East Side for the 2012 Biennial event. It was a nice occasion to go out and get inspired by seeing what creative people are doing. Here I had a chance to meet with Dawn Kasper, a performance artist and musician from Los Angeles, who has been living and working on the third floor galleries of the museum for the past 3 months. Kasper’s studio has been portable with her wherever she goes since 2008, as a kind of living sculpture in a theatrical space she calls Nomadic Studio Practice Experiment. For the 2012 Biennial, she creates art, hosts studio visits and workshops, and plays music, while museum-goers have an opportunity to explore her studio and go through all of her personal belongings.

It’s really interesting to see a person living and working in a museum, but what I’m really fascinated by is the juxtaposition between the content of her work and her presence in front of the audience. She’s the one who carved a heart into her chest, branded truth and love on her biceps, and maintained the stiffness of a corpse for several hours as an art performer; yet here she is welcoming you into her world, teaching kids how to draw comics and answering the question “Where do you go to the bathroom?” hundreds of times every day. Kasper believes that the practice has helped to make her work better. Her art may seem far off and unrelated to a general audience, yet seeing her interacting and entertaining art enthusiasts makes me think that that’s how she keeps her work stay rich and relevant. A designer’s task is a little bit different. We create art with a clear message and intention, for a targeted audience. Therefore, it’s even more crucial to stay in touch and understand the people we’re designing for—who they are, what they need, and why. Without this, the result will be irrelevant and purposeless.

from Tran Huynh

Kings’ Corners

We’re excited to announce that our first mobile game, Kings’ Corners, is live. This launch is a big milestone for us- it’s the first release from Order of Leisure, our mobile gaming collaboration with the developers at Pixafy. Apart from being fun and extremely addictive, Kings’ Corners is a whole new take on a traditional card game. Game-play involves restoring order on the board by placing Kings in the corners, Queens on the top and bottom and Jacks to the sides (easier said than done). Our goal was to immerse the player in a sophisticated environment, with a polished playing surface, dramatic lighting, texture, and sound. The design was inspired by classic card games but given a sleek, modern update. Download and experience it here. Keep an eye out for the next Order of Leisure game, coming soon to an app store near you.

from the Antlerists NY

Our Newest Addition To The Office

We go through a lot of paper in the office, so we wanted to figure out a way to give at least some of our used paper a second life. We came up with the idea to cut and bind the paper into notebooks for our designers; not only are we saving paper, but the work on the used side of the paper will hopefully serve as inspiration as our designers work their magic. We are pleased with how the first batch turned out and are excited to make this a regular project.

 

from the Antlerists NY

Gradian Health Systems Launches New Website

We just finished a project with an amazing organization called Gradian Health Systems that has developed the Universal Anaesthesia Machine (or UAM), a new technology capable of operating anywhere in the world from the top hospitals to remote locations. We designed and developed a website to showcase the incredible technology backing this product as well as case studies of the UAM in action. Perfect for hospitals that don’t have consistent access to electricity or compressed gas, the UAM offers a safe and affordable solution for anaesthesia that has made many previously dangerous procedures possible.

All of our projects bring new and interesting challenges but this project really stood out for our team. We jumped at the chance to design a website that would be instrumental in spreading the word about this new technology that will potentially save thousands of lives around the world. We were also fortunate to work with Neil Powell who designed Gradian’s new identity.

from Rachel Higgins

Eagles & Stars & Bursts – Guessing The Brief of Republican Logos

I had a good time sharing my 2 cents on the remaining republican candidate logos for the 2012 election. I couldn’t help but wonder…how did they come to be? Head on over to the Yahoo! Advertising blog to see how it shakes out.

 

from JB Osborne

Lovely Is Top Silicon Valley Startup To Watch

Congratulations to Lovely who was featured as one of Business Insider’s top 25 Silicon Valley startups to watch.

Read more about our work for Lovely here.

from the Antlerists NY

Desks, Where Creativity Goes To Die

During my trip to the SXSW conference, I was surprised that the most interesting and inspiring lectures were those outside of my industry. In my latest article for Fast Company I explore three ways that you can use the unfamiliar to help you tap back into creativity and fresh thinking (and get rid of your desk routine, read: Email, Facebook, Email, Facebook).

“By seeking information and experiences that had nothing to do with my day-to-day, the conference became far more worthwhile. I was stretching my brain in new ways. I felt intellectually stimulated and energized. And guess what? It ended up inspiring me to think about my own work differently. It was a total turnaround from my first couple of days at the conference, and it got me thinking about other ways that we can step outside our comfort zones to stimulate fresh thinking.”

Read the full article here.

 

from Emily Heyward

StyleSeat Featured on Branding Served

Our project for beauty client, StyleSeat is featured on Branding Served.

StyleSeat needed an identity that could live within the beauty space while still conveying tool-like functionality. We created a brand identity and web design that is clean, approachable, and aspirational. We complimented the identity design through an easy online platform that aesthetically draws the user in, while still facilitating discovery, sharing, and booking.

To read more about our process for designing StyleSeat’s brand identity and web design, click here.

from the Antlerists NY

Show Less, See More

Recently I attended a social experiment party in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, hosted by one of our freelance designers Clare Ros and her creative friends.

Unlike other parties, the host blindfolded you before you entered the party. Once your eyes were covered, the host guided you through the room and paired you up with a complete stranger. Now you are all set for this party and welcome to start your conversation.

I was very excited when I heard about this party. Talking to an unfamiliar person when no one can see each other is a whole new mode of social interaction. Instead of seeing what we are wearing, what we look like, and what is around us, we are only “seeing” the conversation. You get to know the person by what they talk about and what they do. And those are what truly matter to me about an individual. Without the blindfold, I would not have been able to get to know people in such a focused way.

Imagine this as a metaphor for content that you are providing to a viewer. In any format –  a novel, a picture, a web site – being selective about how much you are designing and showing to people is key. Design should deliver a message directly to the user, instead of distracting users with a pretty outfit.

 

from Yuchen Zhang

InsideHook Launches

Our latest client, InsideHook, just launched. It’s the new daily newsletter for men with limited time and adventure in their souls. Want to join a zero-gravity flight taking off from around the corner at JFK? Or, spend the night at the Brooklyn zoo with your kids? IH is the wing man – with distinguished taste and inside knowledge – you’ve always wanted. For access to experiences you’ll want to spend your limited time doing, sign up here.

Learn more about InsideHook here.

Stay tuned for eventual National and Los Angeles editions.

from the Antlerists NY

Confidence, Conviction, Communication: 3 Ways Startups Can Step Up Their Game

My latest article for Fast Company explains three ways startups can step up their game. “What are these lessons that are better off learned early? What can startups adopt from their larger, more established counterparts along their journey to (hopefully) one day becoming one?”

For answers, read the full article here, and remember to check back for next month’s article.

 

from Emily Heyward

The Hummus & Pita Co. Is Now Open

We are excited to announce the grand opening of our savory client, The Hummus & Pita Co.  Beginning with the launch of their flagship location at 6th Avenue and 17th Street in Manhattan, The Hummus & Pita Co. serves authentic, fresh, fast-casual Mediterranean in an environment that captures the communal experience of the food.

Beginning with their mark, we extended The Hummus & Pita Co. identity to interior space design, decor, and brand applications, resulting in a restaurant that transports its guests not only through food, but also through design.

Our favorite is the Matbucha. Go and try it for yourself.

Read more about our work for The Hummus & Pita Co. here.

from the Antlerists NY

iTunes Store features Tasting Table’s Digital Books

Tasting Table’s latest digital book, Chef’s Recipes 2012 Winter Edition, was highlighted on the iTunes Book Store. Make sure to download it (and Tasting Table’s 3 other amazing digital books for free) for great insider recipes and tips from chefs.

from the Antlerists NY

It’s Not The End of The World

Within the last 2 months, our client Tasting Table launched 3 more digital books: “Sous Chef Series 2011 Collection,” ”Mark the Moment—Ten Forces of the Food World Recall the Moment They Made Good by Their Mentors,” and ”Chef’s Recipes’ 2012 Winter Collection.” After the first book released this past Fall, the process has gotten much smoother, and seeing the results has been a great experience.

I must admit that I started the project from an irrational standpoint. I‘m one of those people who gets super excited upon receiving a letter-pressed wedding invitation, and then spends a good ten minutes tracing my finger along the deep imprints on the card. I used to have nightmares about iPad’s evil laugh over a cowering printed book while ugly paragraphs with widows and rivers stood by watching. Not until recently have I realized that my anxiety and fear over the end of the printed world has been fading away over the course of making Tasting Table’s digital books. I learned that as we move forward, the demand for sharing information and knowledge increases, and getting assistance from technology is inevitable. However, it doesn’t mean that in order to move into the future, we have to eliminate the past. To me, they can both coexist and have their own permanent values. I can still employ my design skills and maintain my aesthetic as I do in all of my print projects. The type still needs to be legible and readable, the hierarchy must be clear, and the composition must engage viewers from cover to cover. Sometimes, I find it even more challenging than print because with all the fascinating things happening in the pixel world, it’s become even harder to get people’s attention and keep their interest at all times.

So, will we ever get to the point when we flip out and don’t know how to operate a conventional book because we’re so used to reading badly set type on screen? I don’t think so. A typographer once complained to me that he couldn’t smell the iPad, and I do agree with him. But as long as we do everything with the same integrity and standard, technology is a tool, not a threat.

 

from Tran Huynh

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