D Young V x Eddie Colla Momento Mori

It's no secret how much I love Eddie Colla's stuff. Ever since I laid eyes on his 'If you want to achieve greatness, stop asking for permission' print, I was a goner. THis video is from an exhibition he put on with D Young V, another favourite of mine I discovered through Eddie (I like to refer to him in the first name basis and pretend that we're friends, creepy but true).

THe blurb goes:

Memento Mori, a Latin term for ‘remember death’, is an artistic symbol for remembering the inevitability of death, and is a continuing theme throughout Eddie Colla’s and D Young V’s work. The artists’ installations depict the end of the world juxtaposed to the rising up of a new world from ashes, and a future reduced to the tasks of survival and memory. (source)

d young v x eddie colla - memento mori from Eddie Colla on Vimeo.

IT's warlike, apocalyptic, industrial... all the things I like. It makes me want to make my art more, to do more and be more. That's what an awesome artist should do. When I finally take over the world, he's totally going to be my official War Artist.

The video below explains a lot of what you are seeing in the exhibition and the linkages between the objects. IT's a pretty cool little film too...

Epilogue from Eddie Colla on Vimeo.

Fucken wicked.

And you thought you knew paper cut art...

I have to admit I was a bit blown away by the Paper Cuts of Nahoko Kojima.  No not the paper cuts that sting like hell (I always thought that death by a thousand paper cuts was an awesome threat and one that I have used). No, using a single sheet of paper Nahoko intricately cuts sculptures of animals, skull, objects and textures.

I don't think I would have the patience to cut it all out, or I'd make a mistake and lose it big time.  Plus my exacto blades are always blunt because I've used them to cut something inappropriate.

Nahoko is currently exhibiting in London and there is a small film (see below) about her work.  Take a peek, she seems pretty zen, and she owns a pug dog too which should appeal to the crafter girls....

Found via Juztapoz

DIY Survival: How to make HiiRagi Army Issue Jars

Now, this may be a bit of a diversion from the usual HiiRagi survival tips and life lessons, however if HiiRagi is to be a part of your life perhaps it is time that the army began to infiltrate your home. I know here at HQ we only use HiiRagi Army Standard Issue equipment and that includes basic such a jars.

A while back I saw a picture of this:

image from here

Yes, it is all very cute and bright which I'm sure goes down a fine dandy treat with crafters but we are not crafters. We are diabolical minions of the HiiRagi Army and surely the time of cute animals be it a deer, owl or rabbit is drawing to an end? No? We shall see... I was thinking about this idea though and came up with the HiiRagi Army Jar and you can make your own, turning your house into a war zone! Hurrah! So with great joy I bring you the HiiRagi Army Standard Issue Jar:

I know. It's pretty great, isn't it?! And what is even better is that you can make your own!!!!! All you need is some jars (obviously) and some model spray can primer, some spray in Army Green or another military colour (I used NATO green, so appropriate), some PVA glue and you're ready!!!

Oh, and some army men, we can't forget them. They're important. I have army men in two sizes and used the larger ones for the larger jar and the small ones for the..oh, you get the idea, you're not stupid.

From here it is pretty basic. Spray the lids with the primer so you can paint over the top of the metal.

Then arrange your army men into little scenes, gluing them down once your happy that you have recreated that scene from 'Nam that you so wanted to capture. If you prefer your glues more toxic use epoxy, there is just something about mixing it all together that I like....

A quick spray of spray paint.

And hey, presto! You're done! All ready to fill with your ever important, nutritious survival foods.

Yep, they're awesome. You should totally make some. Your friends will be most envious and marvel at your craftiness, yet hard core militariness. No, I don't that is a real word. But it should be.

Five favourite: Steampunk Sculptors

Greg Brotherton
Greg Brotherton creates meticulously detailed sculpture, using steel, wood, glass, concrete and unusual found objects. Greatly inspired by the dystopian and political fiction of the early 20th century, his pieces emerge from Kafkaesque imagery around themes of escape and discovery. Brotherton’s vision is one of lonely isolation in a post-industrial world where one being, tinkering away with silent genius, could become the hope of the future.

Pierre Matter
Pierre Matter works mostly with scrap metal and recycled objects, using welders, plasma cutters, laser cutters and grinders to shape and sculpt. He draws inspiration from the way nature 'is being changed by science, from the hybridisation of humans and animals and machines.'

Tom Banwell
Tom Banwell has no formal art training, and is largely self taught having dabbled in a variety of media over the years, including batik, woodcarving, mixed media art dolls and leatherworking. Creating art in a steampunk genre combines several of his interests—history, costuming, mechanics and fantasy.

Doctor A
Doctor A is one of my all time favourites. His creative process involves defining the biography of each of his characters with sketches or using found objects , with the character evolving as he builds. A few of his influences include Edward Gorey, H.P. Lovecraft, Terry Gilliam and Vivian Stanshall.

Doctor Grordbort
Dr Grordbort is completely genius. Created by Greg Broadmore and the whizz heads at WETA workshop, he is the bastion of society, armourer of the free Earth and inventor of the Infallible Aether Oscillators. They're Rayguns - Wave weapons of various capability and application. I love it so much it hurts.

Sculpture Inspiration: The goggle obsession continues

The City of Lost Children...so beautiful yet creepy. Awesome design work though.

I love the little winches or gears at the side here, brassy goodness.

Steampunk...crossed with a gimp, I'm thinking....

These are cyclops night vision infrared stealth goggles. Of course they are.

These are way cool (or should I say rad?!) and sourced from here.

Johnny in Sleepy Hollow, being all scientific and stuff.

Sculpture Inspiration: Rupert Valero

I've previously mentioned my friend Sid who organises exhibitions. Anyway, today he sent me such a great link I have to share it with you. Rupert Valero makes these:

How great is that? Even more awesome is that he made it on deployment in Khandahar. Rupert Valero is in the US Army and is a total toy maker expert from found objects.

If you want to see or read more you can find an interview with him here or look at his pretty pictures here OR even buy his robots here (I've ordered one already but I'm weak).

Utility is the new black

Lately the Recon Units have been looking a bit naked. What, with all their skills and abilities they needed something practical to help them in their everyday army chores so (taking inspiration from the all too often overlooked bumbag) I set about making utility belts. Below you can see RU1014 wearing the latest in HiiRagi HQ fashion. The belt is made from soft supple leather, the dark brown colour hides stains while offsetting the mid grey of the robot colouring. Handy pockets bring to mind labourers belts yet the rounded edge of the tip softens without affecting the hardcore military edge. The Recon Unit utility belt is essential for carrying your maps, ropes, wiring and, if necessary, your dynamite. How did we do without it?!

Good old RU1014, he loves his belts slung low...

And just so none of the others feel left out, we have another utility belt followed by a slouch bag, for those who the utility belt just doesn't "fit" right.

Oh yeah, who's stylin' now?!

Recon Unit: Geisha

Ahhhhh, the mysterious world of the Geisha. What secrets hide in the teahouses of Gion? Recon Unit goes undercover to discover the feminine skills behind bringing (salary) men to their kness with the flick of a wrist. This power must be harnessed for the HiiRagi cause.

These are three geisha that I have completed recently. The luscious red Geisha will be heading off to Seattle this week as part of the HiiRagi team in the 'Plush You!' exhibition.

Arigato gozaimasu!!!

Dorothy: Casualties of War

Dorothy is a collective of like minded artists who rate winning the Co-op's under 12 drawing competition as one of their greatest achievements.   I just saw this image of the soldiers and was struck by it.  There is some really great stuff out there to make us do a double take.

Found via Culture Kings.

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

HiiRagi likes Dunny

Dunny's have been around for a while, a revolutionary idea of creating blanks and then in an endless cycle of customisation create new cool examples.  Recently I found these guys through another great toy blog Toys R Evil.  

Aren't they ace? These guys are the Japanese-themed Shinto Gods of Lore: Fujin(Wind God) and Raijin (God of Thunder) along with their own cloud-bursts.  These were both commissioned from NY-based artist ZAM.  I love his take on this, particularly when you consider their typical imagery:

 It's always cool to see how people re-interpret and put their own style onto things, like Jamie Hewlett's 'Monkey' interpretation.  Anyway, this inspired me to go to the Dunny site and check out all the others that have been done.  These are my five favourite:

2Tone Dunny Series by Doktor A

Dunny Series 2010 by Sneaky Racoon

Dunny Fatale Series by Koralie

Shogun Blue by Huck Gee

Series 5 by Frank Kozik

So hard to pick just five!  I thoroughly recommend having a look, so much variation and talent in one place, just try and pick a favourite!