FEATURES
Thinking ImagesFrom the mind of Mozart to the movements of Merce, the OpenEnded Group is expanding the boundaries of art, animation, and artificial intelligence. BY JOHN CANEMAKER
The God of Small Things It took three months and $20,000 to film two amorous armchairs making love. Four years later, PES is still discovering the madness of household objects. BY JIM HANAS
Dancing About Architecture Do not adjust your high-resolution monitor: dbox is building digital worlds—from Ground Zero to the Watergate—where none exist. BY STEVE DOLLAR
Technicolor Dreamcoats Psychedelia is making its triumphant return. But in the updated Age of Aquarius, data is the new LSD. BY JAMES GADDY
Digital Design Annual The best in interactive design from our yearly competition features dolls that eat garbage, a designer out of ideas, and a gruff, yet genial, Professor Mr. T.BY RICH HOXSEY
Life in Italics New Zealand graphic designer Catherine Griffiths lives on the edge of the world and the edge of design. And that suits her just fine. BY HELEN WALTERS
Souvenir Mao On countless porcelain figurines, the Chinese dictator’s benign face, complete with homely mole, became the revolution’s trademark. BY STEVEN HELLER
Some Like It Ri Nao On the Beijing street, a monochromatic past is giving way to a vibrant, colorful present, as a booming economy invites ubiquitous signage of every kind.BY DANIEL ELSEA
Medicine Man To depict modern Japan in its own true image, Yoshimaru Takahashi channels his nation’s past through its pharmaceutical labels and erotica.BY MAGGIE KINSER HOHLE
Charismatic Cosmonauts Kinetic Singapore is rocketing through the galaxy of print and interactive design—and a small country is getting some very big cheers. BY EMILY GORDON
Business Graphics 2006 The diverse group of winners in our second business graphics competition have one thing in common: beautiful restraint. BY AKIKO BUSCH
DEPARTMENTS
CONTRIBUTORS Where we’re calling from.
F.O.B. Return of the Space Invaders, the identity of lingerie, pop-up origami, and more.
SHELF LIFEThom Yorke’s low-tech look, packaging for Philip K. Dick, and Bono gets a red card.
MONOLOGUEWord Games Two native tribes shed light on the relationship between language and design. BY DAVID WOMACK
OBSERVERGothic Extra Böld The big hair, the ax-man heroics—how could any design lover loathe heavy metal? BY RICK POYNOR
DIALOGUE Mike Mills, graphic artist and filmmaker. INTERVIEW BY STEVEN HELLER
IN PRINTVol. 7/no. 4 Who invented printing with metal movable type? Guess again, says a 1952 PRINT article. BY MARTIN FOX
DESKTOPA Chip’s RipplesBY JEFF HOWE Plus: Type tees, photo booths, and a Flash flood.
BOOKSComics as Art: We Told You So, by Tom SpurgeonREVIEW BY FRANCESCO MARCIULIANOMade in Japan, by Reed DarmonREVIEW BY GIL ASAKAWA Design Studies: Theory and Research in Graphic Design, edited by Audrey BennettREVIEW BY JEREMY LEHRERBody Type: Intimate Messages Etched in Flesh, by Ina SaltzREVIEW BY SAGE ADDERLEY
FRAMESWomen and Cartoons For half of America, the Golden Age of comics is still a work in progress. BY MEISHA ROSENBERG
END PRODUCTNoir FuturisteBY BENJAMIN SUTHERLAND