Scott Pommier is a photographer that I have been watching for a couple years now: my friend Curtis put me on to him a while ago, and ever since then I have been a huge fan. Scott documents his travels through the motorcycle and skateboarding cultures, spending a good majority of his time in Vancouver as well as all over the west coast. He shoots on 35mm giving his photos a nostalgic feel, capturing his subject matter in a very natural manner, each shot makes you feel as though you were there. Scott Pommier is one of my favorite photographers for so many reasons, keep reading to see for yourself why, and check out his new website for the rest of his work…
Japanese artist Masakatsu Iwamoto, aka Mr., recently let The Selby in to his home/studio to photograph his daily environment. I personally love Iwamoto’s work, as my obsession with all things anime/manga/Japan in general runs pretty deep. I also have a huge appreciation for the controlled chaos of his home, as the Japanese know how to utilize minimal square footage like no other… something I can relate to in my current apartment. Keep reading for more imagery from Iwamoto’s live/work space, including guns, paint, and lots of pretty girls.
Prolific graffiti artist Swet and German spray paint company Molotow have teamed up for this collaborative project titled ‘Swet goes Red.’ The premise of the project is for Danish graffiti master to complete 100 pieces in 100 days. If that isn’t enough of a feat he is only allowed to use his signature Molotow Premium 400ml Swet100 Traffic Red for his pieces. The project pushes Swet creatively, as with only the use of one color it allows him to work more with his lettering and techniques. Another major part of the project is finding the time and places to complete 100 pieces in 100 consecutive days. With the project currently on its 43rd day with just over 50 to go it should be interesting to see the progression over the 100 day span, as well as the stories that go with them. Check Molotow to see the full project and keep reading for my favourites so far…
Brendan: Both Kevin (84) and I (85) would first off like to thank everyone who has been reading and viewing the blog over the past year. Your readership deserves the utmost appreciation, as it wouldn’t be much fun doing posts with nobody to read them. 2009 has been a good one overall for the both of us, but with Kevin moving away to Montreal we found it was tough to really focus on the blog from both sides of the country. With the two of us now back together on the West coast we can now focus our combined energies on making moves to progress as a team. We have some big plans and goals for the new year, so I hope that you will be able to follow us as we take the next steps for both ourselves and collectively as 84/85.
Kevin: For our year in review we thought we’d break it down in to two sections. First off is the reader’s favorite (most visited) posts of the year, and then Brendan and I will discuss our own personal favorites and why they mattered. During our time doing the blog we’ve covered a lot of material; I think that we’re both drawn in so many directions certainly contributes to the variety of subject matter posted. Our interests shift constantly, but it’s the overall narrative of the blog that we’ve tried to be consistent with. I hope that if you’ve been reading the site for a while you feel as if perhaps you know us a little bit by now, because we’ve tried to put our own voice in to everything we comment on. Thanks again for reading, and we look forward to a productive and exciting 2010. Now on to the content…
The MTN Diaries is a new video produced by the folks at Montana Colors in conjunction of the release of their new paint line, ‘94.’ After watching the video for the second time this evening I realized how good it actually was: with footage from Se, Ques, Horphe and Tomek street bombing in Paris, to Twist and Amaze’s installation trucks in Lyon, to the catacombs of Paris’ underground, this video has it all. The other thing that is great about the video is they have released it for free in HD on Vimeo, so just click through and enjoy…
I was recently asked to do a mural for the new ivivva athletica store opening on Johnson street here in Victoria. Iviavva is a new offshoot line for kids from the ever growing Lululemon brand, who as a Canadian line have managed to make a large impact in not only the domestic but also the global markets in a relatively short amount of time. I took the opportunity to paint the store front while it was still under construction to promote the opening. I decided to paint a fun and bold classic style bubble letter piece to brighten the existing facade and have some fun with it. Keep reading for a full look at the mural and thanks to Jim Finlayson for the shots…
The 7th Day Project is a monthly video feature done by the the Seventh Letter crew based out of Los Angeles. The video featuring a new writer/artist each month with a short interview or profile on the artist and their work. This month the artist featured is Hense, the Atlanta GA representative of the 7th Letter crew. The video is nicely shot and gives insight into his start in graffiti and his progression away and into other avenues of art. Check the video and go to Known Gallery for the other 7th Day Project videos…
Artist Craig Costello aka KR and the inventor of Krink ink has been given the opportunity to customize a brand-new Mini Cooper S. Costello added his signature touch of overly drippy silver krink ink to the entire Mini. The car was done for Mini Cooper Germany and was shown on Wednesday October 28th at Erste Liebe Bar in Hamburg. The end result looks amazing with almost every area of the car covered with dripping ink, adding another great looking piece to Costello’s ever growing resume. Keep reading for more pics and check the video to watch it in action…
