KRAFT MAC & TWEESE

Yesterday, a flurry of new Mac & Cheese work started appearing on the internet. Each ad was inspired by a random person's Tweet about Mac & Cheese, then turned into a :30 second commercial. All shot and edited on the spot and released to the public to consume. Great use of Twitter and turning a simple tweet into something larger than 140 characters could have ever imagined.

And on top of that, my good friend—and very funny human being—Kent Carmichael made these. He's a copywriter and a great person to have on your kickball team or dodge ball team, apparently.  He's also a big UK Wildcats (Final Four bound) fan, so he's got a lot going for him right now. Way to go Kent!

BEATBOXER BEATS UP THE PIXIES "WHERE IS MY MIND?"

Beats by The Petebox  Via @buzzfeed

THE AGE OF GAIA

Gaia is one of the more recent American street artists to catch my attention. His visuals and subject matter are ambitious in size and message, and to top it all off, they look really awesome up close. The imagery appears to be created in a frantic process, but when you see them full scale, the true beauty of Gaia's methodical process really shines.

His work has been popping up around Chicago lately as part of his two week residency at Pawn Works and subsequent show, Resplendent Semblance, that opened this past Friday and runs through May 7th at The Maxwell Colette Gallery(near Chicago and Halsted). You really have to see this stuff in person. His two oil canvas' on display are huge in size and epic in subject matter. The way he incorporated his street art into the gallery space as backdrops to his canvas' really brought his work full circle. Looking forward to seeing Gaia's work evolve even further.

(Above) Oil on Canvas. Orange on Rooster face is from light reflection.

(Above) Bunny eared lion. Fun piece. This one—as well as a few others—incorporated discarded and found fliers from around Chicago to create the resulting imagery. 

(Above) Close up on detail of previous canvas. Melted wax used to preserve image.

Pieces around Chicago:

Check out more of Gaia's work and recent pieces around Chicago on his flickr page.

BLOG OF THE WEEK: GIRLS MAKING GUN SOUNDS

Man, Monday just got a whole lot better. BOW: Girls Making Gun Sounds is as dumb and enjoyable as it sounds. And you can start submitting your own directly to their site. So give them your best AK47 or M16 or Rocket Launcher. Via @triciadesjardin

See more at GMGS

FRIDAY MASHED WITH THE MOVIE FRIDAY

A much more tolerable version of the infamously—and annoyingly—catchy "Friday," by Rebecca Black. The song now tells the story of the movie Friday, starring Ice Cube and Chris Tucker. Try not to cover your ears. It's Friday! (Via @bescka)

SCENES FROM THE SUBURBS: SPIKE JONZE'S ARCADE FIRE SHORT FILM (TRAILER)

Wow. Spike Jonze worked on a short film companion piece to the video he did for the track "The Suburbs" off Arcade Fire's Grammy award winning album by the same title.

The short film will premier later this week at the SXSW Film Festival...you lucky bastards. Via Pitchfork

Scenes from the Suburbs (trailer)


(Below)Spike Jonze directed Arcade Fire's "The Suburbs," the companion piece for the above trailer.

 

EINE: BRIGHTER FASTER, FINISHED

Tweeted earlier by Ben Eine, his latest San Francisco piece, "Brighter Faster," is complete. Stunner.

Eine expressing his feelings on Twitter about his latest monster:

Update: Added pieces from the exhibition at White Walls, San Francisco, opening tonight .  Most are already sold and going fast. Via White Walls

BUDGET IMBALANCE: THE PRIVILEGED VS AT RISK PROGRAMS (INFOGRAPHIC)

Startling comparison of budget cut possibilities to valuable programs contrasted with tax break equivalents given to the wealthy.  You can argue about pork, too much government, but you can't ignore the incentives that keep the money leaders feeling entitled.  Restoring a sense of unity and sanity when assessing our economic instability is the only way out; Especially when you take into account the last figure at the bottom of this chart. Via @Good

                             Infographic via Center For American Progress

MAJOR LEAGUE: TIGER BLOOD EDITION

Because you need more Sheen in your life. Here's the winning version of Major League. Via: Buzzfeed

EINE'S TYPOGRAPHY DOCUMENTED

Nice little short doc about Ben Eine, street typist extraordinaire. He also has a painting hanging in the White House (gifted to President Obama last year by Prime Minister Cameron's Wife).

His latest exhibition opens tomorrow (March 12) in San Francisco at White Walls.  Get there! Enjoy your weekend. 



Here's video and photos of Eine's latest colossal pieces popping up in San Francisco.

ben eine wall in progress, san francisco march 2011 from Spencer Keeton Cunningham on Vimeo.

 (Above) photo: Spencer Keeton Cunningham Via Skatelegs

JWT PROMOTES FREE SALT LICK AT SXSW WITH GRAPHICALLY DELICIOUS ANIMATION

If you like different cuts of meat and southern BBQ, then this twisted animation from the folks at JWT will whet your appetite. Hit them up @JWTBBQ for some free Salt Lick when you get hungry at SXSW. No word on live animal sacrifices however.Via: Adfreak

COMMUNITY'S DONALD GLOVER (AKA CHILDISH GAMBINO) HAS A 5 TRACK EP OUT

Thanks to my buddy @broomestick09 for the find. Donald Glover plays Troy Barnes on NBC's Community. He's also written for 30 Rock. And now he has released an awesome little EP under his rap monicker "Childish Gambino."

Download it for free here

PLAY IN SLINKACHU'S 'CONCRETE OCEAN'

Slinkachu keeps it simple. He paints little tiny figures, places them in precarious situations within urban environments and then snaps a picture.  If you're lucky enough to spot one in its natural street habitat, you've scored one for serendipity.

Concrete Ocean is Slinkachu's latest exhibit currently on display at Andipa Gallery in London. Check it out. Photos were snapped by the good people over at Arrested Motion. You can also watch a sweet video that takes you behind the scenes of Concrete Ocean. I can't embed it, but you can view it over at Don't Panic. Via: Arrested Motion by way of MashKulture

FISH BOOTH: FRESH USE OF A USELESS OBJECT

Who's used a phone booth recently? I can't think of the last time I stepped into one (on purpose). Thanks to lighting designer Benoit Deseille and artist Benedetto Bufalino, the phone booth has a new life.

Taken to task to contribute to the annual Festival of Lights in Lyon, France, Benoit and Benedetto have transformed an unused phone booth into a living aquarium. The juxtaposition and intrigue this simple installation has generated gives new reason to re-examine modern day uses of abandoned and obsolete structures such as the lonely phone booth. With the right city works and community involvement, a world with street aquariums has an exciting future. Via: Good

The artists inspiration explained:

                          With the advent of the mobile telephone, telephone booths lie unused. 
                          We rediscover this glass cage transformed into an aquarium, full of 
                          exotically colored fish; an invitation to escape and travel.

LIL WAYNE 6' 7' (OFFICIAL VIDEO)

Inspired by Inception, New Orleans voodoo, decapitation and other madness. Lyrics uncensored (You've been warned if you are offended by foul language). Via: Pitchfork

TED PRIZE WINNER JR WANTS YOU TO TURN THE WORLD 'INSIDE OUT'

JR presented his wish last night to a captive TED audience and streamed live for anyone with an internet connection to see.  A truly inspiring artist, his wish is for the whole world to participate in his next art project titled 'Inside Out.' JR has already lined up the man behind Google Street view—along with countless other philanthropists in attendance last night—to document and catalog his project online. To participate in the Inside Out Project, visit http://www.insideoutproject.net/

JR spoke on March 2nd. Watch his full presentation.



Here's the video TED put together chronicling JR's brief but amazing career thus far.


TED Prize Winner JR & INSIDE OUT from TED Prize on Vimeo.