Swell Things No. 43

1. With the effects of climate change looming around us and little to no action being taken by politicians, it feels imminent that our majestic National Parks will lose their brilliance. As apart of the New Deal, artists from the Works Progress Administration’s Federal Art Project were hired to create posters that would inspire tourism to our National Parks. Using these impactful and iconic posters, artist Hannah Rothstein reimagined landscapes ravaged by climate change as a new call to action.
2. This photography series from Joanne Leah is captivating, jarring and definitely not safe for work. In her work, she is contorting and constraining the body to play with themes of exhibitionism and voyeurism, of public and private. How we inhabit our bodies, while simultaneously trying to escape them. Whatever your relationship is with your body, you will find something within these images to connect with.
3. I would love to stumble upon one of Lewis Miller Design‘s floral arrangements that are popping up around New York City in random empty trash bins.
4. If you’re looking to hire an illustrator or want some inspiration from a fellow female artist, check out Women Who Draw. This website is a great resource that not only promotes female illustrators, but puts a spotlight on women of all faiths, ethnicities and sexual orientations from all over the world. Above is the work of Liuna Virardi.
5. Swedish artist Ulla-Stina Wikander, covers common and obsolete objects, with brightly cross-stitched landscapes. Many of her picturesque scenes are reminiscent of discarded paintings one might find in an second-hand shop. But the lush colors and thick threads breath new life into both these unwanted objects and images.

6. Add a bit of flair and embroidery to your walls with Claire Coles magnificent appliqué wallpaper murals. The embroidery work is a bit chaotic and wobbly, which I love paired with the lush imagery and color palettes.
7. The British Library recently digitized one of the world’s largest books. With the aid of several people and massive supports, the 41 maps of the 1660 Klencke Atlas are now accessible for everyone. Check out the time lapse video documenting the digitization process.
8. The British Museum recently embarked on conserving one of the largest prints ever produced. Made from 195 woodblocks on 36 sheets of paper that measure to four by three meters, Albrecht Dürer’s 1515-17 Triumphal Arch was acquired by the museum in 1834 and assembled 1890 for display. Ingenuity and unconventional tools were used to tackle this massive project, such as a nasal aspirator to help disperse pulp infilling. Check out the blog, where the staff at the museum documented all aspects of the process like digitization and removing the degraded linen backing.
9. In his series, Face of A Nation, artist Guney Soykan splices together the most recognizable portraits of a countries leaders to create a composite representation of each country. The wider the splice the longer that leader was in power. These portraits create an unique visual timeline of a nation’s history with politics.
10. In The Book of Circles, Manuel Lima explores humankind’s attraction to the circle as a form of data visualization. With so many topics expressed through circular charts from celestial maps and air pollution to population growth and zoology, Lima goes in depth to our universally accepted method of communicating data across cultures and centuries.