Friday Finds 05.18.12

Kathryn: Constructive Reuse: Street Seats

Architects Bade Stageberg Cox collected 50 chairs left abandoned on the streets of New York, repaired them, and revived them with iconic taxi cab yellow paint as part of their project for The Armory Show. And then they gave them a pedigree: each chair is labelled with number, location, and date of collection. Now you can own one: they're up for sale on their website.

Take a gander at their other work while you're there. Their appreciation of color and form are quite inspiring!

Julia: Gale Force Winds

I just came across this portrait series by Lithuanian photographer Tadao Cern. It is quite amazing what happens to the face when enduring gale-force winds. Would you pose for a portrait like this? I'm not so sure I would!

Olivia: Yousuf Karsh's Photography

Twentieth century photographer, Yousuf Karsh, has an intimate website complete with an autobiography and anecdotes next to each of his portraits. Although his name may not be instantly recognizable, his portraits of Winston Churchill, Audrey Hepburn, Earnest Hemingway, and others have become iconic. Documenting how he caught just the right moment, Karsh lets us in on very small moments in each of these celebrities' lives.

Aaron: Graphic Design and Tattoos

More Tumblr catnip for the urban creative set, or anyone who thinks of the whole world as one big canvas for splashing around some ink. A mix of tats and supermod graphic design, this pretty hot little Tumblr delivers just what its name promises.

Jaime: Terry Gross Interview with Maurice Sendak

Earlier this week, I listened to this interview with author Maurice Sendak, who died at age 83 on May 8th. I, like many in my generation, grew up with Sendak's peculiar and transportive books, but I'd never heard his voice before. This interview with Terry Gross is touching, ranging in subjects from his 2011 book Bumble-ardy, to being gay, to not wanting kids of his own, to, most movingly, death. Here's an excerpt: "I have nothing now but praise for my life. I'm not unhappy. I cry a lot because I miss people. They die and I can't stop them. They leave me and I love them more. ... What I dread is the isolation. ... There are so many beautiful things in the world which I will have to leave when I die, but I'm ready, I'm ready, I'm ready."

Kelsey: Pretty Pegs

It's somewhat fitting that the same week a former college hacker goes public with his company's IPO, the best thing I've seen online is a commercialized IKEA hack. Meet Pretty Pegs, the freshest way to amp up a sofa or bed with something a little more interesting. The wooden legs come painted in a variety of colors (pastels, brights, and metallics) and silhouettes (peg, dowel, scallop, and even a McQueen shoe, though I wouldn't recommend that).