Artists have always been looking for new mediums to create their works, there are those who work with oil paint, those who simply draw on paper or those who illustrate relying on digital. But there are also those who recreate and reimagine iconic moments of pop culture with LEGO. This is the case of Waheed Zai, a young artist who manages to merge art and LEGO by recreating album covers, TV series, films and much more with the iconic bricks of the well-known Danish company.
The young artist in this case reinterpreted with his personal style the beautiful work of Vlad Sepetov, author of the cover of an album released on April 14, 2017, which received wide acclaim from music authors and rose to the top of the charts all over the world.
From Kendrick Lamar we move on to Future and Drake, a small jump from America to neighboring Canada, also in this case Waheed Zai has transformed rappers into the world famous miniatures. Released on January 10, 2020, Life Is Good is a single by American rapper Future, a true colossal of the genre.
Staying on the topic of masterpieces, space also for Frank Ocean and his wonderful album “Blond”, an album dating back to 2016 but that seems recorded now because of the sounds so current and then there is always his voice to make everything so special. A dispassionate advice we feel to give you if you haven’t, take a few days to listen and appreciate this album.
From these four covers we understood what Waheed Zai’s musical tastes are. Here he tried his hand at another masterpiece, the first mixtape of Canadian singer The Weeknd, released on March 21, 2011, which actually consecrated his rise.
We close our selection with another absolute masterpiece, one of the best albums of the 2000s Get Rich or Die Tryin’, the first official album by 50 Cent, released in 2003. Also here Waheed Zai has not left out any detail, even reproducing the Gucci clothes that 50Cent wore at the time, of what would become the fourth best selling hip hop album of all time in the United States.
These are just few of the beautiful creations by Waheed Zai, able to recreate anything with his LEGOs, find out more following him on Instagram.
June 2 – Italian Republic Day – is a day that has the power to make feel patriotic even the Italians, who are famous for not being patriotic when compared to others, such as the Americans or the British. In fact, if we must be honest, there are more times when Italians criticize her, Italy, than the times when they pause to appreciate and love her. Perhaps, the times when Italians love her the most is when they are away from her. When what they miss is even a simple plate of spaghetti or the crazy horns in traffic. Photographer Irene Ferri, with her project IT∀LIA, reasons precisely about this. On “Italian dualism,” on the hate-love that characterizes their feelings toward what is their land. A dualism that recurs often in Italy, North and South, sacred and profane, tradition and innovation, and that characterized that day, June 2, 1946, when the choice was made between Monarchy or Republic, between an old Italy or a new, renewed and democratic one. With IT∀LIA, Irene Ferri challenges these contradictions and takes Italians to celebrate their country through a participatory project that has lasted since 2020. Online she opens a box in which she invites Italians to answer the questions: What ties you to Italy? What do you miss when you are far away? In this way, the thoughts of hundreds of Italians are translated into evocative shots capable of making us smile and move.
The Italy project stems from the personal story of photographer Irene Ferri who, after years living in Los Angeles, felt the call of her homeland. In the States she was surrounded by people who constantly told her how beautiful Italy was and how much they appreciated it. “I usually hear more appreciation from foreigners than from Italians. We are a very critical people compared to others. Social media is teeming with negative and heavy comments on everything, on every decision, even on the weather.” says Irene. Hence the decision to create something for Italians, a photo archive to remind them that this nation is worth loving. Despite the fact that they choose to leave it for a while or forever and even if they can only appreciate it if they are a little further away.
“Watching the Italian national soccer team play and hearing the same TV audio coming from all homes, cheering together or crying together.” Giulia“Italy is driving in the summer in the country and stopping at the greengrocer on the side of the road. The approximate quantities on a rusty arm scale, the total to pay scribbled on a crumpled sheet, a few extra handfuls of cherries added at the end with a wink. And getting back on the road, sinking my hand into the bag and savoring the summer, tossing the kernels out the window.” Jasmin
Back in Italy, Irene Ferri tells us how what she missed most of all was the concept of the square, that mingling of people and the din of laughter, of words spoken aloud. “On my return to Italy, I had a positive shock,” says Irene, “I went to the supermarket and once at the cashier’s desk, while I was rummaging through my wallet looking for money, the cashier said, ‘Don’t worry, if you don’t have it, bring it to me tomorrow.‘ I was stunned. It had been three years since I had heard something like that.“
Reflections like Irene’s come flooding into her inbox, and from here her Italian journey begins, in search of that Italian-ness and those memories evoked by people. Irene Ferri’s archive is now full of shots that are sometimes romantic, sometimes more ironic, telling Italy through the eyes of those who love it, from near or far. From the laundry spread out in the sun to the rosary swinging from the rearview mirror. From set tables to somewhat improvised soccer fields.
Below are some of the photographs, accompanied by the suggestions received.
“The local markets, the stalls, the people shouting, the scents assaulting you, tasting a strawberry and then buying a box.” Marta“The smell of laundry hung out in the sun mixed with the heady scents of the oven, and of Sunday lunch invading the squares from the windows of the houses….” Stefania“Since I left Italy I feel more connected to her. As they say, when you lose something you understand its importance! If I close my eyes, I can “teleport” to my grandparents’ house by the sea. In the morning, Dad would leave early to go and plant the umbrella in the front row. I love to sit under the big palm tree in the garden with the awning as blue as the sea. Grandpa, after sunset would start looking for tellinis, we would watch him from the shore.” Martina “What ties me to my country is the possibility of saying to a shopkeeper, “I’m 80 cents short, I’ll bring it to you tomorrow,” and hearing back, “Don’t worry! And that we don’t have to see each other anymore?!” Cettina “Italy is that place where the sacred and the profane meet. A statue of the Virgin guarding a soccer field in a sultry hallway in Scalea, collections of spiked clubs for sale next to souvenirs of the relics of St. Francis in the alleys of Assisi, models parading in front of Lecce Cathedral.” Manuela “The bag of fresh vegetables from the garden and the jars of preserves that my aunt and uncle hang on my doorknob when I am away. Sometimes flowers and slices of fragrant apple pie also sprout from in there, and when I get home and find it hanging there waiting for me, I already know it will be an evening of beautiful and warm thoughts.” Alessandra “Summers spent in Scauri, reading the “Cioè” magazine under the beach umbrella and falling hopelessly in love with the kids playing foosball on the lido.” Serena “For me, Italy is the Rustichella at the autogrill on car trips with my father, Edoardo Bennato’s ‘puppet without strings’ record on loop at full volume throughout the trip.” Ginevra
Frank Ocean has published a book of his photographs
After his performance at Coachella 2023 not without controversy, we are back to talking about Frank Ocean but for completely different issues.
Homer, the independent luxury brand launched two years ago by the Long Beach artist himself and whose main focus is on making and selling jewelry such as pendants, rings, necklaces, diamond earrings, and bracelets made of recycled silver and 18-karat gold, all handcrafted in Italy and featuring fun shapes and bright colors, has released a photo book.
As a matter of fact, since a few days ago it has been possible to order Mutations, a 48-page photo book that represents a retrospective of works made between October 19 and December 22, 2022, mostly photos taken by Ocean himself, on Homer’s website at the price of 90€. A series of shots that show us a new, unique side of the U.S. singer and that show, once again, how refined and refined his aesthetic is.
Frank Ocean has published a book of his photographs
Photography
Frank Ocean has published a book of his photographs
Frank Ocean has published a book of his photographs
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Alana Celii’s melancholic landscapes
Alana Celii is an American photographer who redefines time and meaning by capturing landscapes and subjects with a melancholic and timeless aura. Alana currently is a photo research editor working in tech. Previously she worked at The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and TIME. Her first monograph, Paradise Falling, is a series of photographs that redefine the feeling of loss by showing what it means to feel lost through metaphors that delve into astrology, myth, and symbolism.
For Celii, nature serves as a starting point, sometimes captured seamlessly and spontaneously. After Paradise Falling, the photographer embarked on a new project exploring the landscapes of the West Coast after moving to California. In these images, the Californian influence is evident in the textures and vibrant colors, which are unmistakable in the vast landscapes captured by the photographer.
To discover more of Alana Celii’s photographs, visit her Instagram profile.
Nicolas Polli‘s photography captures unpredictable moments, giving life to everyday objects. Not only a photographer but also a graphic designer and publisher, Polli seems to never stop. In his still life images, there is nothing ordinary; each element comes to life, assuming new meanings.
In 2012, he co-founded the photographic magazine YET with Salvatore Vitale, and in 2016, Atelier CIAO – an independent studio specializing in editorial design and still life – constantly collaborating with luxury brands and design. Now also a resident artist at Atelier Robert in Bienne, Switzerland, Nicolas Polli focuses on still life. All of this, after inventing an expedition to Ferox, an imaginary planet, in 2017.
Ferox, The Forgotten Files: A Journey to the Hidden Moon of Mars 1976–2010Ferox, The Forgotten Files: A Journey to the Hidden Moon of Mars 1976–2010
In Ferox, The Forgotten Files: A Journey to the Hidden Moon of Mars 1976–2010 Polli plays with our inability to discern the real from the unreal. In his still life works, he reflects on our fragile relationship with everyday objects. When the familiar shapes of these objects change in unusual ways, everything changes, including our perception. In When Strawberries Will Grow on Trees, I Will Kiss U, the combination of a banana peel, a croissant, and some cigarette butts takes on a particularly disturbing meaning, but it all works, managing to show us the objects of our daily lives from a completely foreign perspective.
When Strawberries Will Grow on Trees, I Will Kiss U, 2020When Strawberries Will Grow on Trees, I Will Kiss U, 2020When Strawberries Will Grow on Trees, I Will Kiss U, 2020
Ph. courtesy Nicolas Polli
To discover more of Nicolas Polli’s shots, visit his Instagram profile.
