A colourful, quilted textile background featuring a grid of abstract geometric shapes in red, blue, green and pink. Bold white hand-painted text laid over the centre reads “THE WEEKENDER”.

The Weekender: Lock your mum in the kitchen, it's party time! Welcome to the Weekender

Words: Liv Siddall
—
Date: 7 February 2014; Work

You know, in the ancient Egyptian times they used to bury their loved ones with a bunch of objects they may need in the afterlife. There’s been another bout of this kind of thing going around recently, with funeral directors coming forward and reporting on weird requests they’ve had. In the UK it’s more chucking in their favourite lighter, a bottle of ketchup, or the remote. Over in the US things get way more obscure, and better! This Reddit thread has got all kinds of juicy, stories on it, such as "my friend who works at a funeral home got a request to play the “Soul Bossa Nova”, the Austin Powers theme song as they walked out". The Weekender has already submitted its funeral requests, unfortunately we can’t share them with you as they (literally) violate our style guide and put us into the legal equivalent of shark-infested waters.

An illustration of a person reclining on the ground, wearing a blue sweater and yellow trousers. A large tiger stands behind them, its head positioned just above the person’s shoulder. — Above
Image by Alexis Nolla

A lovely interview with the creative director of the new Pitchfork Review

Like music? Like magazines? You’d better subscribe to this bad boy.

Do you find action film posters on the tube rather violent?

Well, they just got even more gory thanks to Jon Burgerman’s new project.

Wanna go backstage at the YouTube Awards?

If you want to hang out with Spike Jonze and Greta Gerwig that is. NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. Thomas Prior’s photos will have to do for now.

Everyone loves a one-take film

And this one is filled with iconic cultural icons, very well done Us Studio.

Quilts + art = cosy eye candy

Plus a really, really interesting interview with artist and quilt-maker, Carrie Strine.

Three cheers for Channel 4’s hip-hip hooray for gay people in Russia!

Ahead of Sochi, these guys are making a risky but beautiful move.

A person with blonde hair and blue eyes looks directly at the camera against a brick wall. Bold white text laid over the image reads “Friday Mixtape”.

This is probably the first time we’ve had an actual pop star on It’s Nice That, how exciting! Her name’s Indiana and she’s from Nottingham, she had a show in trendy new bar Oslo in Hackney last night and she’s set to conquer the world with her lovely, 80s-inspired, synthy….music. We’re art and design journalists, okay? Anyway, anyone that picks Wicked Game by Chris Isaak is a friend of ours, so without further ado, here she is with a Friday mixtape to brighten up your afternoon. Turn it up!

A collection of prints and magazines scattered across a bright yellow background. One print features a stylised illustration of two figures on a bicycle with the word “PARTIZAN” above them. — Above
This week’s Things

Squash together some prints of illustrations for beer bottles, some pictures of greenery, photographs of Las Vegas in map form, a book of cool projects from outside of the nine to five, a Spanish magazine all about things that will make you happy and a bright yellow background and whaddya get? Things! You get Things!

This week has been especially colourful so be careful not to be blinded by the rainbow hues or you might miss the life-size plastic dolls that one man surrounds himself with. Weird.

A booklet rests on a bright yellow background. The cover features a photo of palm fronds against a pale sky with the words “i’m so green” in red. — Above
Kasia Dolato: *I’m So Green*

An open book laid flat against a bright yellow background. The left page shows a pale, overexposed view of tree branches, while the right page features a single pink rose amidst dark green foliage. — Above
Kasia Dolato: *I’m So Green*

An open booklet laid against a bright yellow background. The left page shows a close-up of long, thin blades of grass, while the right page features a cluster of small white flowers. — Above
Kasia Dolato: *I’m So Green*

A folded booklet rests on a bright yellow background. The cover features a mirrored image of a palm tree against a pale sky, with the text “kasia dolato” and “i’m so green” in red. — Above
Kasia Dolato: *I’m So Green*

Kasia Dolato: I’m So Green

Kasia Dolato’s new book I’m So Green puns on the idea of naivete and uses it instead to produce some excellent photographs of London’s luscious greenery. Palm trees, roses, ivy and bushes are all in there. It’s simple but funny, and the resulting images will have you longing for spring. Fo’ real.
www.kasiadolato.com

A purple magazine cover features a photo of three people in blue and red jumpsuits performing an acrobatic stunt over a motorcycle. Large, silver reflective letters spell “PERIDIZ” across the image. Text at the top reads “LA FELICIDAD ES CONTAGIOSA - HAPPINESS IS CONTAGIOUS”. — Above
Perdiz Magazine: Issue #3

An open book displays a photograph of various small, colourful objects scattered across a light blue background. Text at the bottom of the page reads “Andrew R. Moore – Balloons”. — Above
Perdiz Magazine: Issue #3

An open magazine spread on a yellow background. The left page features the text “EN CADA HOGAR DE ENSUEÑO” and “IN EVERY DREAM HOME” with a quote by Everard Cunion. The right page shows a person’s face peering through layers of bubble wrap under the headings “For Industry...” and “For Artists...”. — Above
Perdiz Magazine: Issue #3

An open magazine shows a photograph of three people sitting in a room with Venetian blinds. A person in a grey T-shirt holds a cup and gestures towards a person sitting in a wicker chair. — Above
Perdiz Magazine: Issue #3

Perdiz Magazine: Issue #3

I had the pleasure of meeting Querida studio in Barcelona at the weekend, the clever chaps who have designed all three issues of Perdiz magazine so far, and having them talk me through the third issue has increased my admiration for it tenfold. The whole publication based on the idea that “Happiness is Contagious”, and subjects covered within it include a man who lives with four plastic life-size dolls, an organisation that takes llamas into old people’s homes,
www.perdizmagazine.com

An illustration for Partizan Brewery featuring two figures riding a tandem bicycle. They hold glasses of beer while the word “DUEL” is written in large, bold letters across the centre. — Above
Alec Doherty: Posters for Partizan Brewery

An illustration for “Partizan Brewing” featuring several figures in a bold, red, white and blue colour palette. The figures lounge and interact around a central red circle, holding glasses of beer. — Above
Alec Doherty: Posters for Partizan Brewery

An illustration for Partizan Brewing featuring the word “QUAD” in bold, white lettering. A person reclines beneath the text, surrounded by abstract geometric shapes and a molecular model. — Above
Alec Doherty: Posters for Partizan Brewery

An illustration for Partizan Brewing featuring the letters “SGB” in a bold, stylised font. The letters incorporate a face, a swan wearing a crown, and a figure in a hat smoking a pipe. Below the graphic, text reads “Strong Golden Belgian Ale”. — Above
Alec Doherty: Posters for Partizan Brewery

Alec Doherty: Posters for Partizan Brewery

We posted about the brilliant illustration Alec Doherty did for Partizan Brewery last week, and look! Here it is! Beautifully printed and all the more impressive when it’s not confined to bottle-label-size, this is excellent work. Thanks Alec!
www.alecdoherty.com

A purple booklet wrapped in clear plastic sits against a bright yellow background. It features a photo of a desert landscape and the text “Las Vegas”, “NEVADA” and “23”. — Above
This Is Not a Map: Las Vegas

An open photobook displays a series of images on its pages. The photos include a mattress abandoned in a desert, a person leaning against a brick wall, and a row of palm trees. — Above
This Is Not a Map: Las Vegas

An open magazine layout featuring photographs of Las Vegas. One image shows a replica of the Statue of Liberty overlooking a busy street with cars and hotels. — Above
This Is Not a Map: Las Vegas

An open photobook displays a series of images across two pages. The photos include a person in a white suit leaning against a doorway, a close-up portrait of an older person, and a shot of trees beside a parked car. — Above
This Is Not a Map: Las Vegas

This Is Not a Map: Las Vegas

“This is not a map but a photographic journey,” explains the Las Vegas edition of This Is Not a Map, but in actual fact it seems to be a combination of the two. It’s a nostalgic tribute to the tactility of maps as much as it is an innovative way to present a photographic publication, emphasising the notion of the journey that underpins a series. Neat!
www.thisisnotamap.com

A grey book cover features a large, orange, stylised “5–9” graphic. A white paper band wraps around the middle, with a short message from the “WEDF team”. — Above
5-9: A Collection of Creativity From Outside the 9-5

An open book displays a series of furniture prototypes. The right page shows five small-scale cardboard models of chairs and loungers set against dark blue backgrounds. — Above
5-9: A Collection of Creativity From Outside the 9-5

An open book shows a page with a small, square photograph pasted onto a card. The photo shows a person standing beside a car on a dirt road next to a sign that reads “YUKON TERRITORY”. — Above
5-9: A Collection of Creativity From Outside the 9-5

A 3D render of a figure wearing a space helmet and a black and white suit. They are fused with a chaotic assembly of musical instruments, including a tuba, drums, and a cello. — Above
5-9: A Collection of Creativity From Outside the 9-5

5-9: A Collection of Creativity From Outside the 9-5

Everybody knows that in the creative industry only 50% of most people’s creative output actually happens at work; between side projects, pub projects and nighttime projects there’s always a load of other stuff going on that the man doesn’t know anything about. Which explains why the West of England Design Forum chose to create 5-9, a book “showcasing the self-initiated creative work done by members of the design community in the West of England… Work done in their spare time without a brief, a client or a fee.” The resulting collection includes photography, design, home-brewing and animation, and makes for a very impressive read.
www.wedesignforum.co.uk

Tweet of the Week

Brian Harvey's worst nightmare – pic.twitter.com/ycrWFjt0Nn
— Michael Moran (@TheMichaelMoran) February 7, 2014

Photoshop lad of the week

And he’s funnier than ever. Here he is on a nighttime joyride with Bey and Jay.

Beyoncé and Jay-Z sit behind a person on a black scooter. The driver wears a blue sweatshirt with “KU” on the chest, while Beyoncé wears a gold patterned dress and Jay-Z wears a bright blue blazer.

TV blunder of the week

Welcome everyone to the year of the whores!

A screen capture from a Bbc News broadcast shows a red and white globe graphic. A news ticker at the bottom reads “Welcome to the year of the whores. People around the globe celebrate”.

Buzzfeed list of the week

“Which arbitrary thing are you?” is the perfect antidote to the quizzes that are taking over our rapidly diminishing Facebook feeds.

Serious but cool thing of the week

Magnum photographers doing what they do best, giving sage advice.

Accidental art of the week

Because it’s that easy.

House that has a pub in the garden of the week

Pretty self explanatory, someone’s dad has a LOT of time on his hands.

A small, rustic wooden building with a peaked roof and a dark green door. A sign above the door reads “The Watersedge Inn”.

Further Info

About the Author

Liv Siddall

—

Liv joined It’s Nice That as an intern in 2011 and worked across online, print and events, and was latterly Features Editor before leaving in May 2015.