A yellow folder with a jagged top edge and two large, googly eyes sits beside a magazine. The magazine cover reads “ART LICKS” in bold red letters, with smaller text below stating “A New Consciousness Issue 8 Summer 2012”.

Things brings us antennae, Swiss climbing walls, odor-tastic magazines, a beautiful selection of photography, and the many faces of Bart Simpson

Words: Catherine Gaffney
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Date: 21 July 2012; Things
Work

This week at “Things” we’ve got Swiss climbing walls, various smells, antennae, and a beautiful selection of photographic work. As well as various interpretations of Bart Simpson’s face, because why not. Enjoy!

A yellow piece of card with two large white eyes and black pupils, resembling Bart Simpson. Beside it lies a comic strip showing Bart transforming into a green monster, with a speech bubble reading “RRRAAAAK!”. — Above
Dr.Me: Art Simpson Zine

An open book held by two hands against a purple background. The left page shows a pixelated grey figure, while the right page features a simple line drawing of a character. — Above
Dr.Me: Art Simpson Zine

Two hands hold open a sketchbook with yellow zig-zag edges against a purple background. The pages feature two black and white drawings of a spiky-haired character, one skateboarding and one sitting on a chair. — Above
Dr.Me: Art Simpson Zine

Dr.Me Design: Art Simpson Zine

The influence of The Simpsons on anything written, directed or created over the past few decades will probably be the subject of millions of theses and doctorates in the distant future. In this case, it’s a delightful publication from Dr.Me, a Manchester-based design duo, who sent us their Art Simpson Zine the other day!

In short, Dr.Me asked a number of artists to do one thing: draw Bart Simpson from memory. The results are compiled within a wonderful spiked yellow cover with cut-out eyes – proof that the visual complexity of characters bears little or no correspondence to the extensiveness of their impact. Inside, the various illustrations are humorous, warm, and witty, with some straightforward renderings and more creative interpretations – from pixellated to monstrous.

www.dr-me.com

A white magazine cover lies on a purple surface. It features the title “ART LICKS” in red, alongside a blue-tinted image of a building and a red-tinted abstract shape. — Above
Art Licks: Issue 8 Summer 2012

Two hands hold open a magazine against a purple background. The right page features a black and white photograph of a tall antenna under the heading “New pirate television”. — Above
Art Licks: Issue 8 Summer 2012

Two hands hold open a magazine on a purple surface. The open spread features black and white photography and a yellow page with the title “My Home is My Castle (2012)”. — Above
Art Licks: Issue 8 Summer 2012

Two hands peel back the corner of a white print on a purple background. The artwork features bold pink lettering and a pink circle containing the number “1”. — Above
Art Licks: Issue 8 Summer 2012

Art Licks – Issue 8 Summer 2012

Once I had a set of Crayola crayons that “smelled” of their colours; the green one smelled like pine trees, the pink one like strawberries, and the brown one like… leather shoes, apparently. Anyway, the novelty of all this was very cool, as it added another dimension to the already audio-visual-textural experience of applying waxy colour to paper.

The latest issue of Art Licks, their summer 2012 edition, also deals in olfactory matters, with a scratch-card “odoreader”, designed by Jammie Nicholas, that reveals smells relevant to different parts of the magazine. This interactive element is interesting in that smell evokes experiences and memories in a way unrelated to how text and image work, and the associations made between each scent and their relevant article are interesting. That said, the magazine is visually and textually very engaging, and is beautifully published – with reds, creams, pinks, and blues covering a wide range of topics – from the history of transport to new pirate television.

www.artlicks.com

A person's hands hold up a large, abstract collage featuring jagged grey shapes and blue washes. A small yellow label in the centre reads “Bridge the Gap”. — Above
Rosie Lee and Luma: London Calling

Two hands hold a poster against a purple background. The design features a stylized radio tower and lightning bolts with the text “LDN CALLING” and “BRIDGE THE GAP”. — Above
Rosie Lee and Luma: London Calling

Rosie Lee and Luma: London Calling

Speaking of pirate television, these posters, commissioned by Rosie Lee design studio in conjunction with Nike, are anchored around the image of an antenna. Produced by print studio Luma, they’re a spin-off of the Rosie Lee London Calling poster, and their use of this motif recalls images of Russian Constructivist broadcasting structures and mid-twentieth century television propaganda alike.

www.rosielees.co.uk

An open magazine spread shows a wide shot of an indoor climbing centre. A large, orange climbing wall stands centrally, surrounded by beige walls and a blue lift on the floor. — Above
Kunste Halle Sankt Gallen: Opening – Petrit Halilaj

An open exhibition brochure laid flat against a purple background. Yellow panels feature the name “Etrit Halilaj” and the dates “21. Juli – 23. September 2012”. — Above
Kunste Halle Sankt Gallen: Opening – Petrit Halilaj

A yellow and green booklet rests on a purple surface. The cover features the name “Petrit Halilaj” in bold, dark lettering over a landscape image. — Above
Kunste Halle Sankt Gallen: Opening – Petrit Halilaj

Kunst Halle Sankt Gallen: Opening – Petrit Halilaj

We got this beautiful poster all the way from Switzerland, and couldn’t be more pleased with the absolutely beautiful image of St Gallen’s climbing wall. We didn’t know what it was at first – it looked like an abstract sculptural installation – but nope, you can actually scale those tremendous heights and climb from geometric plane to geometric plane. It’d be like scaling a Cubist painting… we imagine! The poster’s also advertising a new exhibition of work from Petrit Halilaj – so if you’re in that neck of the woods/Alps, go!

www.k9000.ch

A blue-tinted photograph of a person lying on their stomach is pasted onto a brown card. Vertical text to the right reads “The Next Best Thing to Loving You | Jeff Wale”. — Above
Jeff Hahn: The Next Best Thing to Loving You

A collection of printed photographs rests on a purple surface. One image shows a person in a bathtub, while another captures two people in an intimate embrace. — Above
Jeff Hahn: The Next Best Thing to Loving You

Two black and white photographs of people are laid over a purple background. In the larger image, one person embraces another from behind, both looking towards the camera. — Above
Jeff Hahn: The Next Best Thing to Loving You

Jeff Hahn: The Next Best Thing to Loving You

Next we have The Next Best Thing to Loving You, a selection of Jeff Hahn’s compelling photographic work. It features beautifully shot scenes that are engaging, thoughtful, and carefully composed. Hahn’s a bit of a whizz-kid by the looks of things; he’s just graduated from the London College of Communication and his photographic and design work has already been published in Pop, Vice, Italian Vogue and Numero. And he’s 22. Watch this space, we say!

www.jeff-hahn.com