The Codex Seraphinianus

Following on from my previous post discussing creative 'books', I had a closer look at one of those mentioned on Dark Roasted Blend - the bizarre and mysterious 'Codex Seraphinianus'.













Written by Italian architect and designer Luigi Serafini over thirty months between 1976-78, the book is approximately 360 pages long and is by all estimates appears to be an encyclopedia of an unknown, almost alien world. The language in which the book is written is remains totally undeciphered; but not through lack of trying - linguists have analysed it for decades without success. The Codex is often described as the 'weirdest book in the world'.

The Codex is divided into eleven chapters, partitioned into two sections. The first section appears to describe the natural world, dealing with flora, fauna, and physics. The second deals with the humanities, the various aspects of human life: clothing, history, cuisine, architecture and so on. Each chapter seems to treat a general encyclopedic topic.

Graphically, the illustrations are often surreal parodies of things in our world: bleeding fruit; a plant that grows into roughly the shape of a chair and is subsequently made into one; and a lovemaking couple that metamorphoses into a crocodile. Others depict odd, apparently senseless machines, often with a fragile appearance, kept together by tiny filaments. There are also illustrations readily recognisable as maps or human faces. On the other hand, especially in the 'physics' chapter, many images look almost completely abstract. Practically all figures are brightly coloured and rich in detail.
































































Amazon.com has a copy of the Codex on sale for a mere $550, as does Internet Bookshop Italia for just €8,900 ($12,500?). Tempting.

Creative 'books'

In spite of the constant increase in availability of online books, it's safe to say most people still prefer to read by leafing through actual pages instead of scrolling down a computer screen; experiencing a 'real' book is undoubtedly more personal than staring a rectangle of cold, lifeless pixels - for the forseeable future at least. And even though I've been guilty of using online resources on hundreds of occasions, I nevertheless hope that books as we know them - more or less - will weather the current technological maelstrom and re-emerge at the other end.

The images below, while they all exist mainly for the purpose of art and are mostly very difficult to actually read, show some really creative examples of publishing. Some of them are so wildly modified that they would be better described as pieces of art that were once books - something that I'm actually a little unsure about since I absolutely hate the idea of books being thrown away or defaced.



















































































































More here.

Adidas ducks

Adidas took advantage of the Copenhagen Fashion Week by launching a new store in Pilestraede. They filled the fountain pool at Enhave Plads with small blue rubber ducks. On the side of the ducks reads: 'I've swum too far - help me get back home!' On the bottom it says 'Reward for my return at adidas Original store'. Customers who followed this message by taking the duck to the store received a free t-shirt (and were allowed to keep the duck).

People love rewards - especially free ones. This campaign features an intruiging and humorous call to action that encourages people to become actively involved with the Adidas brand. Such a campaign is also certain to create a 'buzz' through word of mouth.

Journalist Wears Muslim Face Veil for a Day: Her Experience

Via The Guardian.

Eye-opening article which completely changed my perspective on what it must be like for Muslim women wearing the burqa.

Adbusters

Adbusters, a Canadian-based anti-advertising magazine working towards reversing, or at least resisting, the rise of 21st century consumer culture, creates 'un-commercials' and spoof ads and has popularised the terms 'culture jamming' and 'subvertising', practices that involve undermining existing advertisements ­ especially those promoting products in a way that aims to take advantage of an audience's insecurities. Typical examples of such spoof ads are available online here. Adbusters' works strives for the 'reversal of priorities in favour of work addressing the environmental, social and cultural crises affecting us all'. My immediate reaction to the Adbusters outlook was to think of the First Things First manifesto written by Ken Garland in 1964. In fact, the magazine republished the proposal in 2000, provoking worldwide debate over the social responsibilities of the modern designer.


















Taking a more focused look at the aforementioned concept of culture jamming reveals a movement that is as absorbing as it is refreshing; revolutionary in some respects, it 'might best be defined as media hacking, information warfare, terror-art, and guerrilla semiotics, all in one'. Culture jamming plays on the icons of consumer culture to raise awareness of issues that the perpetrator deems worthy of attention; the refiguring of logos and product images as a means of challenging current trends and attitudes produces a powerful and lasting message that is, in my opinion, very relevant. Other organisations involved in the practice of culture jamming include Subvertisers; People Like Us; Deportation Alliance; The Yes Men; Mao Dada; D.SEC; Negativland; Idiosyntactix; Billboard Liberation Front; and 'I Chuj' Action.

I'm lovin' it. All night long...

Smart and very contextual design by DDB of Sydney, Australia. The reflection of the 'M' and the copy reading 'open all night' is only visible in the darkness. Full view the image to see a description from the designer.

Crude Oils

Billed as 'an exhibition of remixed masterpieces, vandalised oil paintings and vermin', I visited this free Banksy exhibition back in 2005. Sat right alongside Westbourne Grove in London, visitors waited in a democratic line before signing a form of 11 terms and conditions and entering the space where they were greeted with a warning to stay calm and tread carefully around the gallery. Initially confused by the notice, I soon found out that exhibition was full of rats, crawling in and around broken urns and snuggling into a uniform-clad skeleton. On the walls were a series of classic paintings all of which had been 'Banksified'. The rats were as much a part of the exhibition as the art.