The simple magic of storytelling - MY OLD English teacher, Timothy Tosswill, was the first person to open my eyes to the fact that there is a limited number of stories in the world. One term we read Chaucer’s The Clerk’s Tale together with Shakespeare’s A Winter’s Tale and noted many points of resemblance between these stories of tormented wives being put through unreasonable ordeals by tyrant husbands. When we turned to King Lear the next term, Tosswill asked us if the story reminded us of another. There was the usual gormless silence, allowing the master to smile-sneer, “None of you, I take it, were read to when you were little boys a story about two ugly sisters and their patient, good little sister, Cinderella.” (via *.*)

bsimple.com. fotos.

Ilustradores japoneses: Erika Yamashiro & Scarlet. (via Cipango)

The Real Toy Story - China produces 75% of the world’s toys. The project was conceived in the spring of 2003 during a visit to the United States. As a surprise for my son Jasper, I bought a sack (app. 600) of second hand toys at the local goodwill store and distributed them on every available surface in his room - surprise! The effect was stunning. As we examined the toys closer we made a discovery – every single one was made in China. Jasper observed: “I thought Santa and his helpers made toys!” It was then the idea came to me: what if I was to make an installation and cover an entire wall with toys “made in China” and juxtapose them with portraits of Chinese toy-factory workers? @ Michael Wolf (via Conscientious)

Soviet 1980s Anti-Alcohol Propaganda (via Exclamation Mark)

Isaac Tobin, designer e tipógrafo.

Imagens do ópio. (via Penny Dreadful)

Miles van Yperen @ Outsiderart. Constructions made of rusted metal and electric tubes and driftwood… should sit still. But van Yperen’s creations will race across the bumpy surface of your mind, you’ll see them again and again throughout your day and wonder where they’ve been all this time. (via plep)

Lomoportfolio, de Yuri Syuganov. (via Scheinriese)

Perhaps more than any other artist, Ed Ruscha has captured the cool spirit of the modern American West, and of Los Angeles in particular. In 1956 he took the now almost mythical Route 66 from Oklahoma City (his childhood home) to LA, where he was to study commercial art. His experiences of the wide-open landscape and man-made billboards had a lasting impact on his work. Paintings and drawings of words set against a largely empty, coloured background and landscapes, became central to his work.