#i based their designs off of unit 01 and mark 06

[uniworu]

dragon kawoshin i drew as a birthday gift for @reikomakoto!

[coldgoldlazarus]

I had a very long and weird train of thought about set design and storytelling in Bionicle, that started out as "Maybe the Toa Mistika were intentionally drab and ugly" and turned into "Maybe G1's entire narrative around the GSR was accidentally a pollution metaphor as much as a cancer one"

To summarize my long rambling diatribe in a hopefully much more coherent way:

The Glatorian were some of the most vibrant and appealing designs, in a location completely disconnected from the GSR, in a year that was trying to go for a more lighthearted tone. (though probably mistakenly, given the mad-max premise it had, but still. Though they were still using the Inika build...)

08 and the Metru-Nui years were the most intimately connected with the robot in terms of location and story, had very dark tones, and the set design was very bleak and industrial. (Metru Nui wore it a lot better, but it was still a marked departure) The Mistika in particular were unrecognizable and low-key generically militaristic in a way that just doesn't gel with Bionicle, in my opinion.

01-03 were definitely influenced by the robot, taking place over its face and with Teridax stirring up trouble, but were still outside the robot and had a very cheerful, adventurous tone; while the set designs weren't as elementally-based as the Glatorian, they were still bright and appealing and not too greebly.

06 and 07 were also outside the robot but directly adjacent to it, and had a lot more influence from the goings-on down inside it than the island of Mata-Nui, and the story was of course still really gritty and dark. The sets were more experimental and colorful than the preceding or following years, but still mostly beholden to the dark colors and industrial texturing from Metru-Nui. (With the Barraki being the big exceptions, mostly rivaling the Glatorian in terms of vibrancy and exoticness, but they were also exiles, divorced from the GSR in spirit if not entirely in location.)

Also, the G2 Masters and Uniters were incredibly well-designed, and there were no indications at all of G2 having its own equivalent of the GSR, so in a roundabout way that also fits the pattern? Plus if G1 had continued and switched over to CCBS, we may have seen versions of the Toa that resembled the Masters to some extent or another anyway...

So point is, there seems to be a distinct correlation between the story's tone and how much or how little it has to do with the GSR, and how physically removed it may be, and the set design similarly scales between bleak and vibrant based off that level of involvement. Ergo, the GSR (or at least its internal goings-on with all the strife and violence and stuff) is like pollution, and the characters look healthier and more alive the further they are away from it, if that makes any sense?

I mean, this is all just me musing, I am 99.9% sure the set designers on G1 didn't have that kind of intention, but it's still interesting to consider.

EDIT:

Actually, nevermind pollution. The whole virus/cancer concept actually still fits better than I was thinking earlier; a lot of the issues inside the GSR are directly or indirectly tied back to either Teridax’s plan or the Matoran Civil War that caused the first shutdown/resuscitation, (Toa Jovan’s team) and the 06 and 07 stuff could be almost seen as that sickness leaking out up from it…

And also fits with the Mistika’s design, because they’re at their worst/most off looking, at the moment they’re unintentionally helping Teridax complete his plan.

[confettipizza]

Lunar Recap

How it started. How it’s going. How it ended for the last lunar cycle of 2020.

This lunar cycle began with the New Moon on Jan. 12, 2021 @ 11:01 PM CT (Jan. 13 @ 05:01 UTC). It was the 13th Moon of 2020 according to the lunar calendar. And it ended Feb. 11, 2021, just before the 1st Moon of 2021! Happy Lunar New Year 2021, Year of the Ox!

South Korean Court Orders Japan to Compensate Women Forced into Sex Slavery

Colorado AG Opens Grand Jury Probe of Police Killing of Elijah McClain

Guantánamo Bay Prison Starts 20th Year of Indefinite Detentions

Pfizer to Boost COVID-19 Vaccine Output as WHO Warns of Vaccination Inequality

Lawmakers Catch COVID-19 After Sheltering in Room Where GOP Reps Refused Masks

FBI Warns of “Armed Protests” in All 50 States and at Biden’s Inauguration

Tomorrow is Sun conjunct Pluto. Something that’s been lurking in the shadows bout to jump out. Might be pretty big, but there’s also the individual personal experience of this event and might feel more like an early Full Moon for you.

House to Impeach Trump as GOP Shows Signs of Backing Removal

Well this is dumb. Sun conjunct Pluto?

The $3,000-a-month toilet for the Ivanka Trump/Jared Kushner Secret Service detail

I also remembered/realized how much I really love Anna Sui designs since I was a kid which is pretty random to pop up on my radar, but this woman gets that all I want is sparkly heart shaped objects in lacquered black and flowy hippie dresses

Trump Tells Aides Not to Pay Giuliani’s Legal Fees as Bid to Overturn Election Fails

All I know is talking about dreams and discussing them with others makes you feel better. The tarot angle is there to shed some light on what the dream is actually telling you.

Joe Biden Unveils $1.9 Trillion Coronavirus and Economic Relief Package

ICE’s Acting Director Resigns After Two Weeks on Job

Found out today the woman at the car mechanic I've been faithfully taking my car to for the past two years can speak to the dead and had some messages for me from my dad who passed in October-

Intuitive guided tarot card pull.

Waxing crescent into Aries Monday, January 18, 2021 at 1:06 AM CT Today’s Astro x Tarot forecast valid for the next 24 hours: Feelings are flaring up for you to make a statement, a very zippy move or a quick decision about someone or something.

So long as you remain flexible and agile, whatever you choose to do with them will work to your advantage. If you decide not to impose hyper-agility into your decision making rn, then kudos to you! You’ve gained practice points in self-control experience.

More Than 760,000 Pounds of Hot Pockets Recalled

‘I Answered the Call of My President’: Rioters Say Trump Urged Them On

Raphael Warnock and the Legacy of Racial Tyranny

The Extraordinary Courage of Aleksei Navalny

Whoa, I was like a cycle early on celebrating the lunar new year! I’ve been a month into the future for a week now. My bad! I apologize for any confusion.

I was thinking that the soul's law of attraction is probably pretty unstoppable even concerning partners, so like, if someone didn't love you back then it's not some mistake or human misunderstanding that you or they need to fix.

To find one's soulmate looks something like 2 souls flying towards each other from opposite ends of the galaxy to join their physical selves together in a collision force so brutal you're stuck like that and if that's not what yours looks like then maybe that ain't your soulmate?

All the men going to jail for their poop smearing Capitol rioting have online dating profiles and that’s reason no. 2 I do not date online! Reason no. 1 is ain’t nobody cute on there.

The Witch’s Myth: The true story of the crane husband

Where are your witch stars, Circe and Hekate, located? Their location can explain your relationship to witchcraft. Circe is in my 1st house influencing my outer appearances and Hekate is conjunct Jupiter influencing my domestic style and home to be distinctively witchy.

Sun into Aquarius Tuesday, January 19, 2021 at 2:33 PM CT Here is your Sun into Aquarius forecast effective for the next several weeks of Aquarius season. 

Down to earth and grounded is our most qualified position to receive everything we need and use everything we receive. This is the reality of ourselves, the human condition.

We love reality based reality.

Get ready for reality-grounded White House press briefings

Why do people believe the lies they’re fed? Because those lies are designed to be more palatable than reality. Lies offer a quick easy patch, but what you’ve gotta ask yourself is are those lies actually designed to support the flow of all things into your life?

~* First Quarter Jan. 20 3:02 PM CT (21:02 UTC) *~

Biden and Harris Attend Memorial to Honor 400,000+ COVID-19 Victims in U.S. on Eve of Inauguration

Steve Bannon Among Final Trump Pardons and Commutations

Trump Admin Declares Multiculturalism Is “Not Who America Is” as WH Releases Racist, Revisionist Report

4,000+ Columbia Students Back Largest-Ever Tuition Strike

Today, whatever you’re doing or are wishing to become will be to the benefit of this unifying, love-aligned uprising.

Joe Biden Sworn In as 46th President of the United States, Ending Trump Era

Good inauguration Astro climate this morning feels like. #BidenHarrisInauguration

“What has shaken the U.S. population so badly, this assault on the Capitol yesterday, is really nothing by comparison to what U.S. operations have done in Latin America, in Asia, in Africa, in the Middle East, to other democratic movements and elected governments over the years.”

Progress towards wholeness can’t be made until we own up to the roles we’ve played in the past.

Read the full text of Amanda Gorman’s inaugural poem ‘The Hill We Climb’

When did politics get so vibrant and fashionably uplifting? Please and thank you! #Inauguration2021

The two of wands says to review your options, do your research, crunch the numbers, imagine the outcomes, but there’s no need to force making a choice if you don’t have to. Buy yourself some time and let the plans for a resolution find you, not the other way around.

Donald Trump Leaves Office and Washington, D.C., Threatens “We Will Be Back”

Watchdogs Demand Transparency as Corporations Pour Millions into Biden-Harris Inauguration

Senate Dems File Ethics Complaint Against Sens. Ted Cruz and Josh Hawley over Jan. 6 Insurrection

Federal Forces Arrest Ex-Marine for Beating Officer with a Hockey Stick During Capitol Riots

It’s Friday and it just feels good to be alive, a socialist and calling Bernie Sanders cute on Inauguration Day week! What a difference a pandemic makes.

Instacart Lays Off 2,000 Workers, Including Group Who Started Company’s First Union

Mars square Jupiter January 23, 2021 @ 1:49 AM CT (7:49 GMT) Someone wants you to know that you are ready to conquer your perceived limits to arrive at expansion in your thoughts, feelings, emotions and understanding today.

Waxing gibbous into Cancer January 25, 2021 @ 12:51 PM CT (18:51 GMT) It’s a supportive Moon for dreaming for mental health and well being. Begin a dream journal or review your latest dreams, reflecting on them for a few minutes today.

You are opening yourself up to an emotional practice that includes care for yourself in ways no one else (besides you and your connection to the Moon) can provide.

And too my Tarot Dream Readings are open if you would like guidance or support on a particular dream. See my pinned tweet for how it works.

When one’s soul is allowed to lead one’s life, working in the dark shadows, the invisible silence, the soul’s manifesting results are way more lasting and way more powerful than egocentric anything.

Good morning, self! A reminder my ego has never done a thing for me my soul can’t do better.

National Guard Deployment at U.S. Capitol Becomes COVID-19 Superspreader Event

Russia Violently Cracks Down on Protesters Calling for Release of Alexei Navalny

Trump Plotted to Oust Acting AG, Use DOJ to Force Georgia to Overturn Election Results

Hunts Point Market Workers in the Bronx Win Wage Increase After Week-Long Strike

This mourning brooch is a mindful way to mark the death of a loved one while paying tribute to the impact it has had on you. Bring back this Victorian trend!

Veteran Talk Show Host Larry King Dies After Hospitalization for COVID-19

Hank Aaron, Who Overcame Racist Barriers to Become Home Run Record-Holder, Dies at 86

We don’t give our bodies or our intuition enough attention and nourishment a lot of the time, so today’s the day we practice finding and sitting quietly with our inner voice.

~* Full Moon Jan. 28 1:17 PM CT (19:17 UTC) *~

House Delivers Article of Impeachment to Senate, Triggering Trump’s Second Trial

Dominion Voting Systems Sues Rudy Giuliani for Lying About 2020 Election

President Biden Increases U.S. Vaccination Goal to 150 Million Shots in 100 Days

President Biden Reverses Trump’s Transgender Military Service Ban

Biden Restores Plan to Feature Abolitionist Harriet Tubman on $20 Bill

Value is further added the more you mint your words with a most whole and complete love. Love is the greatest asset we can let appreciate in our lifetimes.

This Full Moon tomorrow sends a flash point that reminds you to circulate this wealth because it’s the greatest emotional gift we can bestow upon our loved ones, family, friends, neighbors, elders, members of our community, etc.

Venus conjunct Pluto in Capricorn January 28, 2021 @ 10:18 AM CT (16:18 GMT) Going through your day today uncovers a forgotten desire or creative goal. You find yourself asking something like: Remember when I wanted to become a pastry chef?

Although you decided to pursue a different course, take a moment to focus on and honor this memory when it arrives and then release it. What did you become instead and why?

45 Senate Republicans Back Dismissal of Trump Impeachment Trial

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene Supported Violence Against Pelosi and Others in 2018 Facebook Posts

Taking the time to recognize and honor your past desires gives the respect these memories deserve and it integrates them into the whole wider scene of the individual, both shadow and light on your path builds confidence in your steps, confidence in yourself.

You are who you are for a reason.

Had no idea how literal this grassroots King of Pentacles card was gonna materialize today, but here it is folks! When a subreddit takes down a hedge fund!

Leader of Proud Boys, Enrique Tarrio, Was a Government Informer

U.S. Freezes Arms Sales to Saudi Arabia, Reviews Deal with UAE Made Under Trump Admin

Poland Enacts Near-Total Ban on Abortions, Triggering More Protests

Honduras Locks In Total Ban on Abortions, Attacks Marriage Equality

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene Confronts Parkland Survivor David Hogg in Newly Resurfaced Video

The stock market this morning: Sh*t! Normal working class people read the market and figured out the game! Time to change the rules again. Let’s write it in ancient Babylonian hieroglyphs this time. They’ll never figure that sh*t out.

A message crucial to promote the awareness of your personal role in the collective will become evident over the next three weeks. You will come to ask yourself, What am I doing with my life?

If you aren’t familiar or comfortable with seeking your inner journey, then the greatest clue I can offer you at the start is to become open to the invisible world within you. How you learn to relate to it is completely personal and uniquely your own

Speaking in more concrete terms the next few weeks may manifest a life event for you where you must apply both logic and feeling in order to arrive at a satisfactory conclusion concerning an interpersonal relationship or the question what am I doing with my life?

This Mercury retrograde should be a cinch, but during it don’t buy tech if you don’t have to. And remember to triple check communication before hitting send. If you arrive at conflict be quick to apologize and say no more until tomorrow 

President Biden Expands Affordable Care Act Enrollment Amid COVID-19 Pandemic

House Speaker Blasts GOP for Assigning Racist Conspiracy Theorist to House Education Committee

Lawmakers Demand Probe into Trading App Robinhood After It Blocked Stock Sales That Hurt Hedge Funds

Pioneering African American Actor Cicely Tyson, Winner of Two Emmys, Dies at 96

Sun in Aquarius square Mars in Taurus February 1, 2021 @ 4:33 AM CT (10:33 GMT) The warrior’s edge has melted away and now you can take the scenic route through a field of wildflowers and mushrooms instead of blasting your way through a hillside of obstacles.

This energy catalyzes a scene that supports growth through varied experiences and it encourages everyone to seek their own way to resolutions, conclusions and understandings that are uniquely their own. Searching out your own way illuminates a strategic aspect of your purpose.

Happy Venus in Aquarius! The idea to refresh your wardrobe, hairstyle or redecorating by public opinion can be too hard to ignore under this influence. Your personal style will be influenced by the collective for the duration.

Burmese Military Stage Coup, Detain Aung San Suu Kyi

FBI Uncovers Evidence Jan. 6 Attack Was Premeditated as More Far-Right Rioters Face Charges

Trump Faces More Businesses-Related Woes as His Legal Team Departs a Week Before Impeachment Trial

It’s only the 21st day of the lunar cycle and already we’ve gone from the end of a rotten presidential era to the people’s revolution of the stock market, ok? And this moon ain’t even finished yet!

~* Last Quarter Feb. 4 11:38 AM CT (17:38 UTC) *~

U.S. Tops 26 Million COVID-19 Vaccine Shots, Surpassing Confirmed Coronavirus Cases

Moon Last Quarter in Scorpio February 4, 2021 @ 11:38 AM CT (17:38 UTC) A time for Descending, settling, closure, receiving compliments for doing a good job. Prime time for tying of loose ends and wrapping up unfinished business.

Democrats Say Trump “Singularly Responsible” for Jan. 6 Insurrection in Impeachment Brief

With consciousness humans are able to transcend the unconscious and reconfigure our relationship to it.

Though we can transcend the unconscious through viewing ourselves objectively, we are still apart of the the unconscious. Those rules still apply to us even as we contemplate their logic.

Jeff Bezos Steps Down as Amazon CEO After Amassing Huge Personal Fortune

Amazon to Pay Contract Drivers $61.7 Million After FTC Probe Finds It Stole Tips to Pay Wages

Republican Leader Won’t Punish Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene over Racist and Violent Rhetoric

Prosecutors Seek Rearrest of Kyle Rittenhouse, Wisconsin Teen Charged with Killing 2 Protesters

Sometimes the right thing to do is protect your one actual valuable thing not by defending it, but closing up all the channels the valuable thing is being attacked from the outside. Sometimes you just gotta block, delete or remove your account and move on with/to what's good.

What if we wake up one day and COVID has disappeared, like poof! It vanished into thin air? Maybe it’s the moon opposed to Uranus that’s got me wishing wild problem solvers would pop up overnight.

Poll Reveals 25% of U.S. Adults Plan to Gather at Super Bowl Watch Parties

VP Harris Casts Tie-Breaking Vote to Move Ahead with Democratic COVID Relief Bill

House Removes Marjorie Taylor Greene from Committees over Violent, Bigoted Rhetoric

Smartmatic Sues Fox News, Rudy Giuliani, Sidney Powell for Election-Related Lies

I unfollowed some lawmakers this morning after feeling second hand anxiety over the handling of their interpersonal conflicts. Realized they were me on IG two years ago and I’ve moved on since. Can relate, but don’t wanna relive, thanks!

I just want to let y’all know that I’m coping w insufficient candle syndrome & will be studying the art & science of candle making to save myself potentially hundreds of thousands of $$ by making my own delicious smelling coconut wax babies in diy terra cotta flower pots.

Wyoming GOP Censures Rep. Liz Cheney for Backing Trump’s Impeachment

Mass Protests Continue in Burma Opposing Military Coup, Removal of Aung San Suu Kyi

You may tell others like it is today, but hopefully this inspires you to check in with yourself and be honest/come clean about something you've been overlooking.

Indian Farmworkers Blockade Roads as Mass Protests Show No Sign of Slowing Down

Black Sheriff’s Deputy in Louisiana Dies by Suicide After Condemning Police Violence and Racism

Amazon Workers in Alabama Begin Historic Vote on Unionization

Second Impeachment Trial of Donald J. Trump Opens in the Senate

Georgia’s Secretary of State to Probe Trump’s Efforts to Overturn 2020 Election

Mercury square Mars February 10, 2021 @ 6:14 AM CT (12:14 UTC) Still talking about talking, it’s also Dark Moon time to shape or let a habit form. This practice can come from breaking free of outdated relationships with yourself or with others in order to spur growth.

Dreamed Jungkook was correcting my pronunciation of Korean last night. I’m sorry! I’ll try harder to take this lesson seriously

Senate Votes to Proceed with Impeachment as Managers Present Harrowing Video of Jan. 6 Insurrection

Gov’t to Send Vaccines to Community Health Centers as U.S. Continues Ramping Up Vaccinations

WHO Team Confirms COVID-19 of Animal Origin; Ghana Shuts Parliament After Outbreak Infects Lawmakers

Journalists Decry Raid on Progressive Indian News Site NewsClick

U.S. to Pursue Extradition of Julian Assange as Press Freedom Groups Warn of Dangerous Precede

Fossil Fuel Pollution Causes One in Five Global Deaths

Four Louisiana Officers Arrested over Police Brutality Cases and Other Misconduct

Two NYT Journalists Exit Paper Following Revelations of Improper Conduct

Venus conjunct Jupiter February 11, 2021 @ 8:59 AM CT (14:59 UTC) Receive the overflow of creativity into your life. Welcome it even if you aren’t sure what to do with it. Write down project ideas if you don’t have the energy to start on them now. You can work on them later.

I'm cool with double masking, but a lot of folks still aren't even doing the one :|

“The Inciter-in-Chief”: Democrats Accuse Trump of Being “Singularly Responsible” for Insurrection

U.S. COVID Death Toll Tops 471,000; Half of All Deaths Occurred Since Nov. 1

Saudi Women’s Rights Activist Loujain al-Hathloul Released After 1,001 Days in Prison

Biden Administration to Continue Trump-Era Policy of Turning Away Asylum Seekers at Southern Border

Sen. Bernie Sanders Grills Neera Tanden, Biden’s Pick to Head OMB

Sen. Bernie Sanders: “According to The Washington Post, since 2014, the Center for American Progress has received roughly $5.5 million from Walmart, a company that pays its workers starvation wages; $900,000 from the Bank of America; $550,000 from JPMorgan Chase; $550,000 from Amazon; $200,000 from Wells Fargo; $800,000 from Facebook; and up to $1.4 million from Google. In other words, CAP has received money from some of the most powerful special interests in our country. How will your relationship with those very powerful special interests impact your decision-making if you are appointed to be the head of OMB?”

Neera Tanden: “Senator, I thank you for that question. It will have zero impact on my — on my decision-making.”

[shinji-bikari-archive-blog]

I've had an idea for a fighting game based on Neon Genesis Evangelion knocking around for a while. Trying to flesh out a potential roster I compiled a list of mecha, Evangelion and not, from NGE and it's various spin-off material. Longpost ahead

EVANGELION UNITS

Unit-00: Rei Ayanami II

Unit-01: Shinji Ikari, Rei Ayanami II (NGE)(NTE?), Rei Ayanami dummy plug (NGE)(NTE?)

Unit-02: Asuka Langley Soryu (NGE), Asuka Shikinami Langley (NTE), Mari Makinami Illustrious (NTE), Kaworu Nagisa? (NGE)

Unit-03: Toji Suzuhara (NGE), Asuka Shikinami Langley (NTE)

Unit-04: no designated pilot, see potential children

Unit-05: no designated pilot, see potential children

MP Evas: Kaworu Nagisa dummy plug

NTE ONLY EVAS

Provisional Unit-05: Mari Makinami Illustrious

Mark.06: Kaworu Nagisa, Autonomous? (non-dummy plug?)

Unit-08: Mari Makinami Illustrious

Mark.09/Vessel of the Adams: Unnamed Rei series clone, nicknamed "Rei Q"

Eva 13: Shinji Ikari and Kaworu Nagisa dual-entry

UNRELEASED OR NON-CANONICAL EVAS

Unit-08+02?: Likely Asuka Shikinami Langley? and Mari Makinami Illustrious? dual-entry?

MP Evas (NTE)?: Unknown, dummy plug?, autonomous? (non-dummy plug)

Unit-α: Rei Ayanami dummy plug

Eva Type β: Kaworu Nagisa

NON-EVANGELION ROBOTS

Jet Alone: remotely controlled

T-RIDEN-T Land Cruisers: Mana Kirishima, Musashi Lee Strasberg

JA-2: remotely controlled

POTENTIAL CHILDREN

All of class 2-A?

Kensuke Aida

Hikari Horaki

Tried to format this the best I could. Tell me if I fucked up or missed anything

[astralmouseart]

2018 Book Haul

So, 2018 is over and the new year sucks so far, so it’s time to take a look back at it. Was writing it since January and only now I got to finishing it XD .

I managed to rebuild most important parts of my military history/science library after selling 90% of it in 2017. 

Books that I finished reading are marked by / and books that I re-bought for my military history library are marked * .

So, when it comes to books, in 2018, I bought:

February

24 February

Hitchcock / Truffaut - Francois Truffaut.

This was after I sold some of my comic book albums - Incal, Metabaron saga and Castaka. Actually I wonder what I did with the rest of the money. Oh, I know. I bought a collector’s edition of Torment: Tides of Numenora for 1/5 of the original price. Sold them because I considered them decadent. Regretting selling Incal now.

Original post about it.

March

20 March

J.R.R. Tolkien Artist & Illustrator - Wayne G. Hammond

Got it on my birthday. That’s something that was on my to-buy list for a few years.

Here are my two posts about it. post1  post2 .

April

In April, I started the course. Also, I got my first smartphone since there was a new phone deal and my mother still haven’t started using hers from the last one so I finally got one as a part of the new deal.

April was when the contracts finally started and also the course/internship thing started for me. So, I started having some money.

Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking - Susan Cain

This book really pissed me off because it was a lot about the author showing off her privilege. For example not being subjected to psychological liquidation. So I have sold it.

19 April

The Tale of Kullervo  - J.R.R. Tolkien

May

12 May

Durer - Ruth Dangelmaier

An album and biography of Albrecht Durer. Turned out to be a horrible disappointment because the illustrations were low resolution with visible raster. Sold it immediately.

Delta Venus - Anaïs Nin

Diary 1934-1939 - Anaïs Nin

I don’t quite understand how it happened, but I bought my first Anaïs Nin diary - 1931-1934 in November 2017. I don’t remember how it happened. The era of purity has ended only on 20180426, so it makes no sense. Though maybe I bought it without intention of indulging in decadence. I remembered reading the redacted version of the diaries around 2003 and not encountering anything especially sexual there. Perhaps I bought it out of curiosity or to enjoy her writing once again. Oh, now I remember. I saw that diary on used books market. Then it got sold before I decided to buy it so I ordered it from the internet.

My first incident with damaged book this year. Sold it in used book store because I was too exhausted to report it.

Anyway, apparently I was already reading the diary 1931-1934 because I wrote this on the same day:

link

22 May

This is where I got my course stipend. My mother allowed me to keep it all. I very rarely have this kind of money (it was, like, 100$).

HTML & CSS: design and build websites   - Jon Duckett This book was very helpful for me. It’s very nice and colour and big. I could take it to coffee houses. I got it because I always ended up forgetting the basics. Unfortunately it’s a bit outdated because it was written in the early days of HTML5 and CSS3.

books webpage

Diary 1939-1944, Diary 1944-1947 - Anaïs Nin

Nicoletto Giganti’s The School of the Sword - Nicoletto Giganti

About rapier fencing.

The Flowers of Evil COMPLETE vol 1 - Shuzo Oshimi /

Finally! One of mangas that I actually found monocle got published in 2017! It’s the one after which I named the current era of my life.

June

02 June

Little Birds - Anaïs Nin

Henry and June - Anaïs Nin /

Actually have read it and it was quite messed up and made me feel much worse. Lots of lying and cheating and she was getting worse and worse ideas with every page. From what I understand, the publication of these underacted diaries in 90s made lots of readers/critics turn against her and made her fade into obscurity. I finished reading it on 01 October. My impressions were following:

“Finally finished reading it. It was very interesting, but also very sad and twisted. Anaïs Nin had some serious issues and unfortunately she ended up making some seriously evil decisions basing on twisted way of thinking. From what I understand. From one side it was like watching a trainwreck, from another it was just distasteful, but the third side was seeing the amazing inspiring relationship between two writers - Anaïs and Henry. It was a real tragedy that they couldn't just live together but she was stuck with a wagecuck banker husband, he was stuck with a woman with which they were a horrible anti-inspiration for each other. I guess it was very interesting reading this knowing who Anaïs and Henry were on level of their inherent nature and why that stuff that happened was possibly happening on level of social alchemy. Anyway could be treated as a sordid warning tale about cost of ignorance and degeneracy. Like the level of neuroticism she experienced just from not knowing the human nature, not knowing social alchemy and living in environment poisoned with sexist memes was sad. And add to that childhood trauma and degenerate ideologies by some psychoanalyst and you get a complete trainwreck. The ending was getting more and more disjointed with her getting worse and worse ideas, like every day.”

11 June

Schhneider CA, St. Chamond - Witold J. Ławrynowicz *

24 June

Emperor’s Mercy - Henry Zou /

Pretty nice Wh40k novel about an Inquisitor. Lots of brutal combat and named characters dying left and right.

26 June

Angels of Darkness - Gav Thorpe /

Enjoyed it a lot because of discussions between characters.

War of the Worlds - H.G. Wells

Armoured Platoon of Battalion Zośka - Anna Wyganowska-Eriksson

29 June

Red Tithe - Robbie Macniven /

Another very brutal Wh40k novel.

July

July is when I got my first internship stipend. I received the stipend for three months. Being able to spend 1/5 of the stipend (again about 100$ per month) for myself was what kept me going through the whole internship and allowed me to finish the Responsive Web Design Certification (300 hours) course on freeCodeCamp.

02 July

Renault FT Tank - Witold J. Ławrynowicz *

06 July

Fall of King Arthur  - J.R.R. Tolkien

Bryan Peterson's Understanding Composition Field Guide: How to See and Photograph Images with Impact - Bryan Peterson

11 July

Battle of Monte Cassino - Melchior Wańkowicz

Polish Armour in 1939 - Krzysztof M. Gaj *

This was the most precious book from my military history/science book collection. A PHD paper about organization and equipment of Polish armoured forces in 1939. Amazing stuff. The big blue book - 800 A4 pages. Ranging from detailed tables of organization and equipment prices to information about optics and gun accuracy.

Port Arthur - Tsushima 1904-1905 - Józef W. Dyskant, Andrzej Michałek *

Another precious big book. Sold both of these only because I have quit military history.

13 July

Blackwing: The Raven’s Mark Book One - Ed McDonald /

A nice dark fantasy book written by a HEMA practitioner. Awesome! Recently finished reading it.

The Flowers of Evil COMPLETE vol 2 - Shuzo Oshimi /

It’s What I Do - Lynsey Addario

An autobiography of a war photographer.

20 July

Catechism of Hate - Gav Thorpe /

A Wh40k novella. Quite nice.

28 July

Churchill Vol 1. - Leszek Moczulski

JavaScript & jQuery: Interactive Front-End Web Development - Jon Duckett

31 July

Iran - Iraq War 1980-1988 - Jarosław Dobrzelewski

August

04 August

Infantry Combat - Emile Allehaut

11 August

The First Tank Crews: The Lives of the Tankmen Who Fought at the Battle of Flers Courcelette 15 September 1916  - Stephen Pope

Tolkien and the Great War: The Threshold of Middle-Earth - John Garth

Milton’s Paradise Lost - John Milton, illustrated by Gustave Dore

12 August

Tales of Heresy - Nick Kyme and Lyndsey Priestley

16 August

Japanese-Soviet Conflict at Khalkin Ghol River *

17 August

Tank War - Ludwik von Eimannsberger *

I remember this book especially fondly because it introduced me to the excellent Polish military history/science book publisher - NapoleonV - in 2012, I think. I was looking for new interesting books about WWI in a local history book store and saw the cover with A7V on it and immediately knew I have to have it!

I loved the theories of the author - especially that he predicted the need of massive saturation of infantry units with AT guns. He proposed giving each infantry battalion an organic AT gun company of 6 47mm infantry guns and then attaching even multiple companies of 47mm infantry guns to infantry battalions.

It’s very similar to the American tank destroyer doctrine. 

T-55AM Tank And The Derived (T-55AD-1M, T-55AD-2M, T-55AMS) - Krzysztof M. Gaj *

Another super detailed book by that author. I wish he’d publish more!

28 August

Sketchbook for the Artist - Sarah Simblet

29 August

Warhammer 40000 Rulebook 3rd and 5th editions.

Tanks in The Great War, 1914-1918 - J.F.C. Fuller *

A7V and Precursors Of German Armour - Witold J. Ławrynowicz *

September

In September I got the last payment for the internship.

04 September

Blitzkrieg Legend - Karl-Heinz Frieser *

Nuclear Weapons in Shaping of International Security - Zarychta Stanisław *

07 September

I Am Providence: The Life and Times of H. P. Lovecraft - S.T. Joshi

09 September

Ways of Seeing - John Berger

Fear: A Novel of World War I - Gabriel Chevallier

Raising Churchill’s Army: The British Army and the War against Germany 1919-1945 - David French.

13 September

Mechanicum /, Thousand Sons - Graham McNeill

24 September

Outer Dark - Robbie Macniven

25 September

The Flowers of Evil COMPLETE vol 3 - Shuzo Oshimi /

27 September

Berem and Luthien  - J.R.R. Tolkien

Forever War - Marvano, Haldeman

28 September

Harry Potter and Prisoner of Azkaban - J.K. Rowling (the illustrated one)

29 September

Permanent Fortification - Karol Kleczke, Władysław Wyszyński

Tigers, Sturmeshutzes and Jagdpanthers - Daniel Koreś *

Imperator: Wrath of Ommissiah - Gav Thorpe /

30 September

Spy in a House of Love - Anaïs Nin

Leonora Carrington: Surrealism, Alchemy and Art - Susan Aberth

October

02 October

Passchendaele the Campaign in Flanders - Krzysztof Marcinek *

03 October

Handbook of WWII German Military Symbols and Abbreviations 1943-45 - Booth Terry

04 October

The Bachman Books - Richard Bachman, Stephen King

This one contains his infamous novella - Rage.

05 October

At The Mountains of Madness - Tanabe Gou /

Amazing manga adaptation of H.P. Lovecraft’s novella. I only finished reading it in March because when I first started reading it I paid way too much attention to the details of the excellent graphics. When I’ve read it in March it took me an hour or so to finish it.

10 October

Incest - Anaïs Nin

That book was basically the breaking point where I decided I just can’t continue reading that stuff. Also, a big mistake since I already was disturbed by Henry and June.

12 October

Used ebook reader with wifi and working buttons. The cover is cracked but it doesn’t seem to affect its functioning. My old reader doesn’t have wifi and apps and has malfunctioning buttons that work randomly.

It was a great purchase because it allows browsing the internet - which means reading text-heavy blogs on e-ink screen. Also, allows me to do it from bed which puts less burden on my bad back.

I installed Brave browser on it. Have read a lot of internet fiction and blog entries on it. Great stuff. Except that it’s still basically the cheapest ebook reader with wifi and touchscreen with outdated android and is somewhat crude.

I wish more websites would be designed to be ebook reader friendly, though.

18 October

Diary 1934-1939 - Anaïs Nin

25 October

Tirant lo Blanc - Joanot Martorell, Marti Joan De Galba, D.H. Rosenthal

A medieval novel about a knight.

That was the last month where I had larger amount of money because internships and work was over.

November

02 November

Nuclear Weapons and Development of Tactics. Anti-tank Warfare

An old publication of ministry of defence from 1969. Very interesting.

Flesh and Iron - Henry Zou

Blood Gorgons - Henry Zou 

05 November

Sold almost all of Anaïs Nin books I got because of how disturbing the un-redacted diaries were.

27 November

The Flowers of Evil COMPLETE vol 4 - Shuzo Oshimi /

Great manga. Wish there was more stuff like this out there.

December

04 December

T-35 Su 14 - Maksim Kołomyjec, Ilja Moszczański

07 December

Total Sell Out - Brian Michael Bendis

Wanted to see how he draws.

Yoshitaka Amano : Illustrations - Yoshitaka Amano

Another artist I wanted to check out. He seems to be somewhat dysgraphic and draws on ridiculously large formats for the amount of details he does.

He’s the reason why I tried out brush markers.

When it comes to music:

February:

Lana Del Rey - Hollywood

Tove Styrke - KIDDO

October:

Melanie Martinez - Crybaby

November:

Grimes - Art Angels

Grimes - Visions

Send Request - Perspectives

December:

The Pretty Reckless - Light Me Up

The Pretty Reckless - Who Are You Selling For

The Pretty Reckless - Going to Hell

Aurora - All My Demons Greeting Me A Friend

All used except for Kiddo, Who Are You Selling For and All My Demons Greeting Me A Friend and got pretty sweet deals on these. Got Kiddo with a 75% discount.

It’s weird to realise that books got so much less expensive here that if I’d have a minimal wage job, for like two years, I’d fill all of my shelves.

In 2008 a Wh40k novel would cost 81% of daily minimum wage I was earning cleaning in a factory. Nowadays same novel would not only be physically cheaper - the old price in bookstore after inflation would be 44pln and new price ordered and collected in a bookstore within 1 day of order would be 31pln.

So it would cost 40% of today's daily minimum wage. It’s funny how privilege works.

Anyway, when I sold the Anaïs Nin books, I got 1/7,7th of cover price for them. When I was selling my Forgotten Realms books in 2006, I got 1/3 of cover price for them. So, nowadays, selling books essentially just buys shelf space.

Even when I was selling out my military history book collection, in the beginning, I’d get 1/4-1/3 for them but then the prices just collapsed because it would be norm for books to be available for, like 1/2 of cover prices on auction sites.

Additionally, all the cheap bookstores created a bizarre situation where ebooks are more expensive than paper or even hardcover books sent from another end of Europe.

Big problem was fear of missing out due to books going out of print and disappearing from the market. Saw multiple books disappear from stores during the first half of they year, so when I got money, I was buying everything I could.

As a result, I wasted quite a lot of money on Anaïs Nin books because I got all the diaries and erotic stories instead of buying them after finishing previous ones. So, when I gave up mid-first expunged diary/in the beginning of the second unexpunged diary, it turned out I’ll have to sell whole collection. I actually saw some disappear from a local bookstore chain to never appear again and it scared me into buying the whole thing ASAP.

The threat of books disappearing from the market is a big problem with printed books. tfw ebooks are more expensive and also not the same as hardcovers.

It’s generally a big problem because I have literally, like 90 unread books.

Though I’m slowly going through the ones I have accumulated. At least I have something to enjoy when I’m broke.

[brendagilliam2]

27 world famous buildings to inspire you

Whether you’re a busy art director or an illustrator working from home, every creative needs some downtime. And there’s no better way to both relax and be inspired than jetting off somewhere you’ve never been before.

Whenever we travel to far-flung places, we’re attracted to the famous buildings. Much like a photograph, architectural designs record details of specific moments in time. But unlike an photograph, physical structures go on to have a life of their own, becoming a central and functional part of countless people’s lives for hundreds, if not thousands, of years after they were built.

Here we have picked 27 of the most famous building designs from around the world to inspire you.

01. Lotus Temple

The temple welcomes worshippers of all faiths

The Lotus Temple is a Bahá’í House of Worship in New Delhi consisting of 27 structures resembling petals of the lotus flower that open onto a central hall around 40m high. It has nine sides, nine doors, and can accommodate 2,500 people. It’s surface is made of white marble from Mount Pentelicus in Greece, the same marble used to build the Parthenon.

Since its completion in 1986 it has become one of the most visited buildings in the world, attracting over 100 million people. 

02. Cologne Cathedral

Germany’s most-visited landmark

Cologne Cathedral is a High Gothic five-aisled basilica, the construction of which began in 1248 and stopped in 1473, before the building was complete. Work did not resume until the 1800s, and it was finally finished in 1880. Later work follows the original medieval plan faithfully. 

It is renowned as a Gothic masterpiece and houses many works of art as well as the tombs of 12 archbishops.

27 glorious geometric patterns in design

03. Dome of the Rock, Jerusalem

The Dome of the Rock is a masterpiece of Islamic architecture

A masterpiece of Islamic architecture, the Dome of the Rock is a 7th century building, located in Jerusalem. Built by Caliph Abd al-Malik between 687 and 691, the octagonal plan and the rotunda dome of wood are of Byzantine design. The Persian tiles on the exterior and the marble slabs that decorate the interior were added by Suleiman I in 1561.

The oldest extant Islamic monument, the Dome of the Rock has served as a model for architecture and other artistic endeavors for over a millennium.

04. La Pedrera, Barcelona

Gaudi’s La Pedrera is one of the most imaginative houses in the history of architecture

Nested among the urban streets of Barcelona are some unusual and beautiful buildings by infamous architect Antoni Gaudi. His unique approach to the Art Nouveau movement generated some of the most creative buildings the world have ever seen. And La Pedrera is no exception.

One of the most imaginative houses in the history of architecture, this is more sculpture than building. The façade is a varied and harmonious mass of undulating stone that, along with its forged iron balconies, explores the irregularities of the natural world. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) recognised this building as World Heritage in 1984.

05. One World Trade Center, New York

The One World Trade Center is the tallest skyscraper in the Western Hemisphere. Image © One World Trade Center

The latest addition to New York’s skyline, the One World Trade Center, is the tallest skyscraper in the Western Hemisphere. Construction began in April 2006 and the final component of the building’s spire installed five years later in 2013, making it the fourth tallest skyscraper in the world.

The One World Trade Center’s design is no coincidence, standing at a symbolic height of 1,776 feet (541m) in a direct nod to the year of the US Declaration of Independence.

Designed by David M Childs of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, the 104-story glass tower raises from a cube base before transforming from the 20th floor into eight sleek isoceles triangles. Stood adjacent to the city’s beautiful 9/11 memorial, the One World Trade Center is a shining beacon for the city.

06. St Paul’s Cathedral, London

British architect Sir Christopher Wren took 10 years to finalise his designs for St Paul’s

London’s most iconic building, St Paul’s Cathedral, was designed by English architect Sir Christopher Wren. Sitting at the top of Ludgate Hill, the highest point in the City of London, its famous dome is one of the world’s largest, measuring nearly 112 metres high.

The original church on the site was founded in the year 604AD. Work on the present English Baroque church began in the 17th Century by Christopher Wren as part of a major rebuilding program after the Great Fire of London.

Wren started working on St Paul’s in 1668, his designs for the cathedral taking a decade to complete and the actual construction taking a further 40 years. St Paul’s has played an integral part of London life ever since – as a domineering element in the city’s skyline, as a centre for tourism and religious worship, and most recently as a focal point for anticapitalist protests.

07. Petronas Towers, Kuala Lumpur

The Petronas Towers are an iconic landmark in Malaysia’s capital city Kuala Lumpur

Standing at 170 metres above ground, the Petronas Towers are twin skyscrapers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The buildings, which held the titled of tallest in the world between 1998-2004, are an iconic landmark of the capital city.

The distinctive postmodern style was created by architects Cesar Pelli and Achmad Murdijat, engineer Deejay Cerico and designer Dominic Saibo under the consultancy of JC Guinto.

08. The White House, Washington

The White House, designed by Irish architect James Hoban, took eight years to construct. Image © Matt Wade

Irish architect James Hoban was the man behind the design of the White House. In 1792 Hoban submitted a plan for the presidential mansion and subsequently got the commission to build the White House. Constructed began in 1793 through to completion in 1801. The mansion, which has been home to every US leader since the country’s second president John Adams, is made from white-painted Aquia sandstone.

09. Leaning Tower of Pisa

Due to restoration work carried out in 2001, the tower currently leans at just under 4 degrees. It is estimated that it will collapse in the next 75-100 years. Image © Alkarex Malin äger

The Leaning Tower of Pisa is one of the most remarkable architectural structures in Europe. Most famous for its tilt, the tower began to lean during construction after soft ground on one side was unable to properly support the structure’s weight.

Building work on the tower began in 1173 and went on for over a whopping 300 years. There has been much controversy surrounding the true identity of the architect behind the tower – the design originally attributed to artist Bonnano Pisano but studies have also implicated architect Diotisalvi.

10. The Kaaba, Mecca

The Kabba is a most sacred space in Islam

The Kaaba, meaning cube in Arabic, is a square building located in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. A most sacred place in Islam, the Kabba is elegantly draped in a silk and cotton veil. Every year millions of Muslims travel to the Kabba for the hajj, an annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca.

The small square building is about 60 feet high and it’s walls a metre wide, with it’s total size occupying roughly 627 square feet.

11. The Shard, London

The Shard is an 87-storey skyscraper, which sits in the heart of London

Also referred to as the shard of glass, The Shard is an 87-storey skyscraper, which sits in the heart of London. Construction began in 2009 and was completed three years later in 2012, making it Western Europe’s tallest building.

Designed by architect Renzo Piano, The Shard is the second tallest free standing structure in the UK. It’s exterior boasts 11,000 glass panels – that’s equivalent in area to eight football pitches or two-and-a-half Trafalgar Squares.

The building was developed to have multiple uses, described on the website as a ‘vertical city where people can live, work and relax’. This motto was clearly taken on board by a fox, nicknamed Romeo, that was found on the 72nd floor towards the end of construction.

12. St Basil’s Cathedral, Moscow

The unique St Basil’s Cathedral in Red Square, Moscow was designed by architect Postnik Yakolev

No, we haven’t included a piece of Disneyland architecture on our list. This garish, candy coloured cathedral is in fact Moscow’s most visited tourist attraction. The famous landmark, shaped to resemble the flame of a bonfire rising into the sky, is located just outside the Kremlin gates and marks the geometric centre of the city.

Built between 1554 and 1560, the cathedral was erected during the reign of Ivan IV (Ivan the Terrible). Little is known about the building’s architect Postnik Yakovlev, but he was clearly a fan of onion domes, sharp spikes and polygonal towers.

13. Empire State Building, NYC

Construction of the world-famous Empire State building was completed in just one year and 45 days

We couldn’t put together a list of world-famous buildings without including this grand Art Deco skyscraper. Once the tallest building in the world, construction began on the Empire State building on St Patrick’s Day 1930 and was completed just 410 days later.

The building was designed by William F Lamb of architectural firm Shreve, Lamb and Harmon. It was declared by the American Society of Civil Engineers to be one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World and is known around the world as an icon of New York City.

14. Lloyds Building, London

The award-winning Lloyds building was designed by Italian-born architect Richard Rogers. Image © Aurelien Guichard

This futuristic building looks like it belongs in a sci-fi movie rather than Lime Street in London. The award-winning Lloyds building (also known as the Inside-Out building) is an iconic architectural landmark and one of the most recognisable constructions on the London skyline.

Architect Richard Rogers was the brains behind the innovative design, which has its services – including water pipes and staircases – on the outside. Built between 1978 and 1986, the building also features 12 exterior lifts, which were the first of their kind in the UK.

15. Colosseum, Rome

The Colosseum is the largest Roman amphitheatre ever built. Image © David Iliff

This elliptical amphitheatre in the centre of Rome is considered as one of the greatest architectural feats achieved by the Ancient Romans. The stadium was capable of seating 50,000 spectators and used mainly for gladiatorial games.

Built from concrete and stone, construction began on the Colosseum began around 72AD and finished in 80AD. The design and shape of the Colosseum has been the inspiration for many modern day stadiums. Today it is one of Rome’s most popular tourist attractions, attracting thousands of visitors each year.

16. Taj Mahal, India

The Taj Mahal is a white marble mausoleum located in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India. Image © Muhammad Mahdi Karim

Recognised as ‘the jewel of Muslim art in India’, the Taj Mahal was built by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan. Often mistaken as a palace, this famous landmark was actually built as a tomb for the Emperor’s wife after she died giving birth to their 14th child.

The Taj Mahal is regarded as one of the finest examples of Mughal architecture – an amalgamation of Persian, Turkish and Indian styles. Construction on the mausoleum began in 1632 and was completed in 1648. The surrounding buildings and gardens took a further five years to finish.

17. Chrysler Building, NYC

The Chrysler building attained the title of world’s tallest in building in 1930 for just one year when the Empire State was erected. Image Joris Van Rooden

In the early part of the 20th Century, people everywhere were in a race to build the tallest building. At the time, this gorgeous Art Deco skyscraper was almost outdone by the Bank of Manhattan but its spire (which was constructed in secret) enabled it to take the title of ‘tallest building in the world’ in 1930.

It didn’t last long though. Just a year later the Empire State Building was erected. Designed by architect William Van Alen, the skyscraper was commissioned by car manufacturer Walter P Chrysler, hence its name.

18. Sydney Opera House

Sydney Opera House is the most famous Australian architectural icon

Sydney Opera House is widely regarded as one of the greatest architectural works of the 20th century. The innovative design came from architect Jørn Utzon, who was relatively unknown until January 29, 1957 when his entry to the ‘International competition for a national opera house at Bennelong Point, Sydney’ was announced the winner.

The beautiful building comprises of three groups of interlocking shells, which roof two main performance halls and a restaurant. A masterpiece of modern architecture, the opera house has become an iconic symbol of both Sydney and the Australian nation.

19. Space Needle, Seattle

40 years after its construction, the Space Needle remains Seattle’s best visitor destination. Image © Jordon Kalilich

The futuristic Space Needle in Seattle, Washington was built for the 1962 World’s fair. The famous landmark stands at 184m high and 42m wide at its widest point.

The design was a collaborative effort between architects Edward E Carlson and John Graham. Not only is the architecture a marvel to look at but the building’s impressive design can survive wind velocities of 200mph and can escape serious structural damage during earthquakes of up to 9.1 magnitudes.

20. Hagia Sophia, Istanbul

Now a museum, Hagia Sophia is located in Istanbul, Turkey

Once a church, later a mosque, and now a museum, Hagia Sophia is a architectural masterpiece. A perfect example of Byzantine architecture, Hagia Sophia is located in Instanbul, Turkey.

The building was built for the first time by the emperor Constantine the Great (306-337). However, due to many factors, including being burned down in riots and earthquakes, the ancient cathedral has been rebuilt many times since. Despite this, Hagia Sophia is widely recognised as one of the great buildings of the world. And if that wasn’t cool enough, the building also features in the opening scenes of the Bond film, Skyfall.

21. Buckingham Palace, London

Buckingham Palace is one of London’s most popular tourist attractions. Image © David Iliff

Originally known as Buckingham House, George III bought the property in 1735 when the mansion was little more than a red brick house. Since then, various architects have worked on the building to make it what it is today, including John Nash, Edmund Blore and Sir Aston Webb.

The palace also had to undergo extensive work after being bombed no less than nine times during World War II. However, still very much in operation, it’s one of the few working royal palaces remaining in the world today.

22. Fallingwater

Frank Lloyd Wright created this unique design for the Kauffman family in 1934. Image © Sxenko

Designed by famous American architect Frank Lloyd Wright in 1934, Fallingwater is quite possibly the most famous private residence in the world. But why? Well, the unique design makes it look like the house stretches out over a 30ft waterfall, with no solid ground beneath it.

This isn’t the case, obviously, but the innovative design captured everyone’s attention when it was finalised in 1939. It became famous instantly and is now a natural historic landmark. It’s so cool you can even get a Lego version of the architectural masterpiece!

23. Pantheon, Rome

Built approximately 2000 years ago, the Pantheon continues to inspire architects all over the world

Rome is home to many amazing buildings, and the Pantheon is no exception. And, like the city itself, it was not built in a day. Destroyed twice and rebuilt each time, the building started as a rectangular structure, which, over time, evolved into the gorgeous dome building seen today.

An inspiration to architects all over the world over the last 2,000 years, the Pantheon roof remains the world’s largest unreinforced concrete dome. There is much debate between historians over which emperor and architects were responsible for the Pantheon’s design although it is known that this ‘Temple of the Gods’ was built around 126AD.

24. Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao

Architect Frank Gehry developed the unique concept for the museum after winning an architectural competition to design the building

The Guggenheim museum Bilbao is one of the most admired works of contemporary architecture. California-based Canadian-American architect Frank Gehry created the unique concept after winning an architectural competition to design the building.

Since the museum doors opened in 1997, it has been hailed one of the most important buildings of the 20th century. Now with over a decade of success, the museum has homed over a hundred exhibitions and has welcomed more than 10 million visitors.

25. Flatiron building, New York

Chicago architect Daniel Burnham designed the distinctive Flatiron building, which is instantly recognisable in New York’s skyline

The eye-catching Flatiron building in Manhattan was designed by Chicago architect Daniel Burnham and built in 1902. The distinctive triangular shape allowed the building to fill the space located at the intersection of Fifth Avenue and Broadway.

Another of New York’s skyscrapers, it was never the tallest but remains one of the most memorable and has been a source of inspiration for artists and architects for over a century now.

26. Villa Savoye, France

Villa Savoye was originally built as a country retreat for the Savoye family in 1928

Designed by Swiss architects Le Corbusier and his cousin, Pierre Jeanneret, Villa Savoye is an early and classic example of the International style – a major architectural style that emerged in the 1920s and ’30s.

The property was built in 1928 and, after surviving several demolition plans, was designated as an official French historical monument in 1965.

27. Burj Khalifa, Dubai

Don’t look down! The world’s tallest building in Dubai over 800 metres high. Image © Nicolas Lannuzel

Last on our list – but by no means the least – is the world’s tallest building Burj Khalifa. The mammoth skyscraper and magnificent centerpiece of Downtown Dubai stands at a whopping 828.9 metres high.

Construction began on the 160-floor building in 2004 with its doors opening six years later in 2010. The task of creating the world’s tallest manmade structure was awarded to the Chicago office of American architectural and engineering firm Skidmore, Owings and Merril LLP.

Related articles: 

The designer’s guide to the Golden Ratio

Why VR could be a game-changer in the architecture industry

25 logo design tips from the experts

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from Brenda Gilliam http://brendagilliam.com/27-world-famous-buildings-to-inspire-you/

[caveartfair]

$1.4 Billion New York Auction Week Wraps Up—and the 9 Other Biggest News Stories This Week

Catch up on the latest art news with our roundup of the 10 stories you need to know this week.

01  An auction week totalling over $1.4 billion in sales kicked off in New York with evening Impressionist and Modern sales at Christie’s and Sotheby’s.

(Artsy)

Monday night’s sale at Christie’s finished with a within-estimate total of $289.1 million, thanks in large part to strong showings from two star lots. The result marks the auction house’s best sale in the category since 2010. The results were a 17% rise from November’s Christie’s New York evening sale, which totaled $246.3 million, and a 104% rise from the prior May, a sign that buyers’ appetites for the choicest works are undiminished. At Sotheby’s, the loss of Egon Schiele’s Danaë (1909), apparently within hours of the sale’s start, put the auction house on the back foot on Tuesday. The painting was estimated to sell for between $30 million and $40 million (roughly one-sixth of the night’s total sale estimate). Still, the evening closed with $173.8 million in total sales, falling squarely within a presale estimate of between $147 million and $210.4 million that was revised downward, following the withdrawals of the Schiele and a work by Camille Pissarro. The results represented a modest 10% uptick from the house’s November haul of $157.7 million, but fell significantly short of the Christie’s sale the prior evening, suggesting the auction market hasn’t fully landed on solid ground after a 2016 marked by uncertainty and caution on the part of sellers.

02  The week’s contemporary evening sales concluded Thursday with strong results from all three auction houses.

(Artsy, Phillips)

Sotheby’s garnered headlines with the $110.4 million sale of Jean-Michel Basquiat’s Untitled (1982), which sold to Japanese e-commerce billionaire Yusaku Maezawa, who had previously set a Basquiat record when he bought one of his paintings last year for $57.3 million. Almost immediately after winning the painting, Maezawa posted a photo on Instagram of himself taken with his prize during a previous trip to see it in New York. The blockbuster sale, which broke the auction record for Basquiat’s work as well as topping Andy Warhol’s standing record for work by an American artist, brought the total for the evening to $319.1 million, including the buyer’s premiums, for 51 lots. Sales had been estimated at $211 million to $277.1 million; the total without the buyer’s fees was just shy of the high estimate, at $276.9 million. Wednesday night’s $448 million Post-War and Contemporary sale at Christie’s had a higher total on 71 lots, but the evening lacked the drama of Thursday night’s 10-minute bidding war over the Basquiat. The result without the buyer’s premiums came to $391.3 million, falling within the estimated $339.2 million to $462.8 million range. Both sales had high sell-through rates and the majority of works falling within or exceeding estimates, a sign that the market may be finding its level. And Phillips rounded out the trio with a sale Thursday night that brought in $110.3 million (with buyer’s premium) with a 100% sell-through rate of the 37 lots (though three were withdrawn). The total is more than double what the same sale brought in last year, with this year’s top lot, a Peter Doig landscape selling for $28.8 million—making him the most expensive living British artist.

03  German artist and choreographer Anne Imhof has been awarded the Golden Lion, the Venice Biennale’s top prize.

(via the New York Times)

Titled “Faust,” Imhof’s show is on view at the German pavilion, one of 85 national pavilions across the Venice Biennale. It features a dozen performers, dressed in black athletic gear and walking through, over, and under the crowd of viewers via glass platforms while a grating, metallic musical score plays in the background. “I thought the sadistic state of hyper-visibility inside was brilliantly conceived,” Tate Modern senior curator Catherine Wood told the New York Times of the work, which won the Golden Lion for national participation. A second Golden Lion, for the best artist in the Christine Macel-curated central exhibition, was awarded to another German, Franz Erhard Walther, for his sculptural textile works that invite audience interaction. Carolee Schneemann won the Golden Lion for lifetime achievement earlier in April, with all three of this year’s Golden Lions going to artists who work with performance. London-born, Egypt-based Hassan Khan was awarded the Silver Lion, which recognized him as the most promising young artist in the Biennale’s central show, for his sound installation.

04  New York City has released a report detailing the results of roughly seven months of public engagement conducted in the lead-up to the city’s forthcoming cultural plan.

(Artsy)

New York City’s Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA) engaged 188,000 New Yorkers—via focus groups, phone surveys, and hundreds of community events—in order to compile its brief, released Monday. The report, titled “What We Heard,” provides a glimpse as to what will likely be included in the cultural plan (due to be released in early July), spanning commitments to equitably distributed funding, better disabled access, and affordable living for artists. “What We Heard” includes insight into New Yorkers’ cultural habits and perceptions and lays out a list of policy proposals. The findings reveal the robust health and value of the arts in New York, while also showing that issues of inequality and affordability are indeed felt in the cultural sector—an imbalance the cultural plan hopes to mitigate.

05  The trust of Elizabeth Taylor is suing Christie’s, claiming that the auction house improperly canceled the sale of one of the late actress’s diamonds.

(via DNAinfo)

Christie’s sold the diamond, consigned by Taylor’s trust, for $8.8 million in 2011. The auction house promoted the gemstone’s supposed history for the sale, stating it was once owned by the Indian emperor who built the Taj Mahal. However, there are doubts Indian royalty ever owned the work. After discovering this uncertain provenance, the buyer of the piece demanded that Christie’s cancel the sale and repay him—which the auction house did. But Taylor’s trust is calling the reversal “unwarranted” and has refused to return the millions to Christie’s, arguing that the object was listed simply as an “Indian diamond” in the catalogue (although representatives for the auction house did elsewhere claim a royal history). In the suit, the trust further alleges that the proceeds of several separate sales have not been transferred and notes that they are seeking the missing money or return of the objects.

06  The row over a Harper’s Bazaar jacket-decorating party continues with news of three additional allegedly stolen patch designs.

(via Jezebel)

On May 7th, a spokesperson for bi-annual erotic zine Leste accused organizers of a Harper’s Bazaar jacket-decorating party of co-opting a design by their editor Sara Sutterlin without permission or initial compensation, Jezebel reported at the time. Now, three other artists say their designs were also made into patches without permission. Emma McIlroy, of the fashion brand Wildfang, offered to sell Harper’s several designs, including a pin emblazoned with the words “WILD FEMINIST” (the magazine declined this design, though paid for others). Photos of the event, however, show that the design appeared in the party as a patch, a product McIlroy does not offer. A Harper’s marketing associate informed McIlroy that the patch had been “created inadvertently by an intern” and offered compensation. McIlroy declined, asking instead that a public apology be made on social media, a demand Harper’s representatives say they are unable to fulfill. Two more artists—Lotte Andersen and Madison Kramer—have come forward, accusing Harper’s of stealing their designs. Neither Harper’s nor its publisher Hearst have yet responded to these latest accusations.

07  Abby Bangser, currently Frieze’s artistic director for the Americas and Asia, is leaving the fair to join the Dia Art Foundation.

(via Dia Art Foundation)

Bangser will serve in the newly created leadership role of Deputy Director of Strategic Initiatives when she takes up the post in July. According to a statement, Bangser will “advance the strategic priorities of the institution and serve as the main liaison for Dia’s sites around the United States and beyond.” The departure from Frieze, where Bangser liaised with galleries and collectors, comes as the New York edition of the fair saw staid returns earlier this month, though there is no indication Bangser’s transition is a direct result. Many of the galleries under Frieze’s white tent on Randall’s Island who saw significant returns this year had, in fact, pre-sold much of their booths. For galleries relying on sustained foot traffic to generate sales, the relatively out-of-the way fair has always proved challenging—and matters were not helped this year when fierce rains forced the fair’s early closure on the Friday of its four-day run.

08  Publisher Françoise Nyssen has been appointed as France’s new culture minister.

(via Le Monde)

Nyssen, of the Arles-based publishing house Actes Sud, will become the first publisher to occupy the post. Her appointment was announced earlier this week by France’s recently elected President Emmanuel Macron. Through Actes Sun, Nyssen—a Commander in the Order of Arts and Letters—has published novels by Stieg Larsson and Nobel Prize-winner Svetlana Alexievich, as well as books on artists such as Sophie Calle and Giuseppe Penone. With her husband, she established the cultural organization Association du Méjan and the École Domaine du Possible, a school for children neglected by the French educational system. Reception to Nyssen’s appointment has been generally optimistic, especially among artists she has worked with in the past. “I hope she’ll have the means to create a visionary cultural policy that gives a social link in a divided and bruised country,” said French conceptual artist Laurent Grasso, who believes Nyssen will help create a stronger policy dialogue with artists.

09  Twelve art museums will receive $1.87 million in grants from the Knight Foundation, in order to develop immersive visitor experiences through technology.

(via Artforum and The Art Newspaper)

The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation made the announcement Thursday. The institutions—including the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, the Akron Art Museum, the New Museum, and the Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami—were selected from a pool of more than 100 applicants. From chatbots to 3D printing, each project works to incorporate digital tools into the museum experience. “People want those experiences to be personalized, interactive and shareable, just as they experience their daily lives,” said the foundation’s president, Alberto Ibargüen. The Detroit Institute of Arts, for example, will receive $150,000 to further develop an augmented reality tour of their collection—allowing visitors to explore the way their eyes process color in Georges Seurat’s paintings or the symbolism of Diego Rivera’s monumental mural at the institution.

10  Ahead of the U.K.’s general election on June 8th, the Labour Party has promised to invest £1 billion in arts and culture funding as part of its platform.

(via The Art Newspaper)

Released Tuesday, the manifesto would allow for £200 million annually over five years to go towards upgrading “cultural and creative infrastructure.” Specific cultural policies outlined in the 128-page document include a widening of access to the Government Art Collection, which curates artworks in major U.K. government buildings, and an additional £160 million diverted to primary school arts education.Recent polls put Labour at a 17-point deficit to Prime Minister Theresa May’s leading Conservative Party, which also released its manifesto this week. Matt Hancock, the U.K. minister for digital and culture, criticized Labour’s bold pledges and promising to ensure Brexit negotiations under the Conservatives would provide “the best possible Brexit deal” for the arts.

—Artsy Editors

Cover image: Courtesy of Sotheby’s.

from Artsy News