En Derin

The weather in the UK has been mad this week, but nowhere more than in Worthing, West Sussex where Jack Scrace jumped 100Ft over the pier yesterday. Nutcase and Legend!

Our fourth project follows closely on the heels of the Tokyo show. This time, back to Hong Kong, in association with the Schoeni Gallery, we will be curating a show called 321 Solstice. The show starts on November 17th, (the 321st day of the calendar year) with a live art demonstration by Graphic Airlines, which leads up to the event opening November 19th and welcoming in the winter solstice. A time when creatives take refuge from the cold, in the warmth of their studios, where they can finally get back to the business of creating! This year, we have collected 10 artists from the UK, USA & Hong Kong; Bill London (UK), Cept (UK), David Bray (UK), Friendly Liu (HK), Graphic Airlines (HK), Jon Burgerman (UK), L1ES ONE (HK), Phil Ashcroft (UK), Swoon (USA), Vesna Parchet (UK).

It has been alot of hard work, but we feel that it has all been worth it with the line up of artists we have showing this year. Adapta has handpicked some of the finest talents from a broad spectrum of artistic skills; illustration, graffiti, streetart and graphic design are all backgrounds these artists possess.

3-2-1 Solstice

Exhibition venue : Main Gallery, 21-31 Old Bailey Street, Central, Hong Kong

Opening Date : 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm, 19 November, 2009

Exhibition runs : 20 November 2009 – 3 January, 2010

Contact Details : Tel +852-28698802 Fax: +852-25221528

www.schoeniartgallery.com www.adaptagallery.com

One of HKG’s best artist-duos, Graphic Airlines are doing a live paint today as part of the opening of Adapta Gallery’s 321 Solstice show launch this Thursday. November 17th is the 321st day of the year and marks the time when the winter season really starts. If you are in central today, pls check out the artists at the Schoeni Branch Gallery on Hollywood Road.

The insect sushi is created by Shoichi Uchiyama, author of a recent Japanese cookbook on bug cuisine.

The pictures show insects from cockroaches to larvae, and even centipedes. What you think? You want to try?

Body modification is a broad category that covers anything from socially acceptable ear piercings to culturally mandated circumcisions, but there’s a small niche in this category that involves the most extreme manipulation of the human body. Some trendsetters treat their bodies like a work of art and some cultures are simply handing down tradition, but all of the following examples are shocking in their own way, so brace yourself. Here are 10 shockingly extreme body modifications that aren’t for the faint of heart (or stomach).

(Images via arkangel666, qeana, renzo_dinali)

Society has become used to seeing angsty teens with bad tattoos, but as society’s boundaries broaden, those who push against the limits continue to pave the way for the rest of us. Technological innovations now allow for the insertion of silicone based implants that won’t affect the body’s normal processes, but stand out in a way that would be hard to match with any tattoo. From horns to clovers, just about any shape can be slipped under the skin.

(Images via janicesaucier and kevinspraggett)

Tongue splitting is incredibly painful and the resulting wound is in turns hideous and prone to infection. Once the tongue has healed, however, you’re left with something surreal: a tongue that works as two. Some find it hideous and disgusting, but nobody can deny it’s interesting to see such a mundane part of the human body transformed into something spectacular.

(Images via michellekfamilysafe, tattooedfolk, madeofchalk)

When one thinks of piercing, the first object that comes to mind is not typically a stainless steel hook, but to some, it is. Suspension requires that several heavy duty hooks attached to wires are pierced through the skin. The biggest danger here is that not enough hooks will be used… resulting in a tear. Suspension looks grisly, but is apparently much less painful than you’d expect. It’s a staple for any dark underground show.

(Images via jcvigi and catpeters)

Corset piercings are a unique twist on a typically benign adornment. A series of piercings are placed in two parallel rows down the back, side, or legs (or anywhere else you can think of), and a ribbon is woven back and forth to create a beautiful design. One can change the ribbon to suit the occasion, turning one’s body into an unusual and creative accessory.

(Images via Lemmy_Caution and haabet)

Scarification is still frequently used in Africa for decoration and to mark the passage into adulthood. Children have tribal designs cut into their faces, chests, and backs, in order to show they are man enough to withstand the pain without uttering a single noise. These marks help tribes identify friend or foe, and are considered aesthetically pleasing. The technique is slowly making its way across the globe, though scarification in the United States and Europe typically takes on a different aesthetic that involves more flat red scars, and less raised bumps.

(Images via mimik and chilombiano)

Kavadi is a structure held into place on a devotee’s body to venerate the Tamil god of war. There are several ways for believers to show their devoutness, from the mundane (carrying jugs of milk) to the more exotic (fire walking). Some choose a more extreme path and prepare for 48 days before their rites. These believers have over 100 metal spikes placed through their skin in a formation that allows the Kavadi structure to remain in place on their body.

(Images via bme)

Just as some people have an innate desire to become the other sex, some have the seemingly random desire to become an amputee. These people are often straight-laced in every other facet of their lives, but cannot escape the need to have a limb removed. Since no doctor will perform a medically unnecessary amputation, most of these people have to take things into their own hands (and garage). When the need becomes uncontrollable, a tourniquet is tied around the limb, and once numbness sets in, they begin cutting. Afterwards, they’re left with a sense of relief that is not shared by friends and family.

(Images via paulnaidu and whappen)

Even the most common forms of body modification can be taken to their extremes. In a world where 2-4 ear piercings are the norm, and then, mostly on women, people love to push the limits by piercing anything and everything they can. Some choose to pierce uncommon areas, such as genitals, whereas some decide that more is better, and shoot for the moon. The most pierced woman has over 1,000 piercings on her face alone.

(Images via mainlinenation, uihealthcare, ufl)

Teeth decorations vary and span from inlaid jewels to teeth filed to points. Some like to sharpen teeth to look more like a vampire, while others show their wealth by having them all coated in gold. In Africa, some tribes file teeth into points, and knock out others, to show the participant has made the journey from childhood to adulthood. Just as in scarification, it’s important for the child to show no pain.

(Images via rudiroels, allposters, aestheticsbodymod, nygus)

What looks like disfigurement to some, is the height of beauty in others. Members of the Mursi tribe in Ethiopia judge beauty by the size of a female’s lip plug. Girls begin placing plugs into their lips at a young age and slowly increase the plug size until the lip is stretched to a surprising degree. Women have to be careful not to increase the plug sizes too quickly, as someone with a broken lip will never find a husband. It’s thought this tradition began as a way to avoid having women stolen during raids by other tribes, as their members would not find the modified women attractive.

Human Canvas: Body Painting Meets Fine Art

The human body has been featured in paintings since the dawn of time, but never has it been used so effectively as a canvas as in Emma Hack’s body paintings. Click Here to See More

Bland, unattractive and cookie-cutter? Try modern, elegant and surprising. These incredible remodels transcend all stereotypes about apartment and condo designs with unexpected materials like galvanized steel, design tricks that make small spaces appear bright and open and a masterful balance of vintage and contemporary.

Industrial Modern Metal Apartment Design

This minimalist, monochromatic metal apartment design in Moscow uses repetitive geometric shapes to add interest to what might otherwise feel like a cold and rather unwelcoming design. Remodeled by architect Peter Kostelov, the apartment is made almost entirely out of industrial materials in shades of black and gray with corrugated steel, visible welds and exposed rivets adding a little texture to this living space.

Minimalist Remodeled Warehouse Loft Apartment

To some, this apartment remodel may appear unfinished, but for those who find beauty in simplicity, it’s perfect just as it is. Once a warehouse building, this Tokyo loft was redesigned by Schemata to reveal the bare bones of the space and revel in the contrast between polished, modern surfaces and the raw, aging architecture.

Dramatically Designed Small Apartments

Tiny apartments with low ceilings can feel stifling and cookie-cutter, but the architects of A.A. Studio certainly gave this space personality and a sense of airiness with an unusual, surreal apartment redesign approach involving lots of white. Curved corners, built-in bookcases, reflective surfaces, patterned lights and niches make the space feel larger and also strangely timeless.

Glacier-Inspired Interior Design Idea

Inspired by the snow-and-glacier-capped mountains of Lucerne, architect Gus Wusterman remodeled this small apartment into a simple white living space that is somehow warm despite its chilly origins.  With strategically placed wood panels and lots of built-in surfaces including a tier of stairs leading to a rooftop deck, the design makes the space feel more like a landscape than a set of individual rooms.

21 Rooms in 1 Flat

Remodeling a 350-square-foot apartment-turned-condo on a budget, Gary Change somehow managed to create a luxurious space that transforms into 21 different layouts through the use of sliding walls, fold-down desks and other movable architectural elements. Simply by folding, unfolding and sliding some elements around, Change creates a steam room, home cinema, a guest bedroom and more.

Color- and Pattern-Based Apartment Design

Instead of making furniture and décor the focal points in a living space, why not do the opposite? This vibrant apartment design by Tham and Videgard Hansson gets all of its visual interest from the strategic use of color and pattern, with shades that shift from autumnal reds to cool blues to create different moods in various rooms. White furniture keeps the overall look of the apartment from being too busy.

Laid-Back Modern Luxury Loft

The juxtaposition of bright white surfaces with warm wood, especially when combined with metal and glass, can make a space look modern and luxurious – but achieving that effect doesn’t have to be expensive. Chart.Corb renovated this loft in Paris using affordable materials like plywood to create a cozy, contemporary living space that is simple without being stark.

Rustic Recycled Modern Home

Remodeling an unused space into a historic apartment is much easier when the space that you start with has as many beautiful features as this. Unfinished walls, peeling paint, concrete surfaces and exposed brick hardly look unkempt when finished with wood floors, white partitions and modern furniture. Designed by Gus Wusterman, this apartment is thoroughly modern, yet retains a vintage feel brimming with texture and character.

Religious Conversion: Church to Loft Condo

With its many desirable architectural features – from high ceilings to an open floor plan – it’s no surprise that a place of worship would make such a fantastic conversion into a loft. This East Village project by Manifold transformed a synagogue into a beautiful three-story private residence that is a shining example of adaptive reuse.

15 Cool Urban Art Projects and Dreamy Product Designs

Chilean artist and designer Sebastian Errazuriz creates fantastical designs and urban art. His product designs and guerrilla art are original and amazing. Click Here to See More