Chinese practice Vector Architects built a futuristic, yet traditional chapel on the waterfront of Bohai Coast in China. With its unspoilt view onto the sea, visitors may feel like drifting on a boat. Vector Architects was founded in 2008 in Beijing. The relationship between architecture and living, place, perception, and tectonic are the core directions in their architecture design.
Born and raised in Lebanon, photographer Rania Matar moved to the United States in 1984. Setting aside her training in architecture, Matar embarked on a career as a photographer, with numerous projects that bring the spectator inside the intimate world of girls and women. In a particularly topical and globally relevant series titled Invisible Children, the photographer shares portraits of Syrian and third-generation Palestinian refugees in Lebanon.
The project, which began in 2014, grew organically from Matar’s other work. “I was working on a different project about mothers and girls, but this was so in my face when I went to Lebanon,” Matar shared with us. “It was before it was even on the international news because the issue started earlier in Lebanon. It was incredible for me to see these kids on the street. The first boy I started talking to looked like my son and was the same age, so it really moved me to the core. It grew into a separate project from the rest of my work.”
By engaging the children in conversation and creating a human connection, Matar is able to draw out the personality of her subject beyond their fear or initial skepticism. Through her art she aims to give a human face to a crisis that is often reduced to statistics by the news media. “I live in the US, but I am from the Middle East. When you put on the news here all you hear about is conflict and terrorism, but for me this is not the Lebanon I know. People are people. It was important for me to tell that story through the universality of the kids.”
Matar has continued her work on trips to Lebanon over the past two years, noting that while she is able to keep in touch and visit the Palestinian refugees, who are third generation and more permanently set in the refugee camps, the shifting crisis of Syrian refugees makes it difficult to know what has become of the kids unless she happens to come upon them again.
Above image: Mohammad 12, Beirut 2016
Samira 15, Bourj El Barajneh Refugee Camp, Beirut Lebanon 2015
More than anything she wishes to remind us that her subjects are children. And as the next generation, they deserve the same access to education and opportunity as children living under different circumstances. “There was one 12-year old kid, Mohammad, who was posing for me like a GQ model and there was something endearing about that,” Matar recalls. “At the end of the day, they are kids and they want to be talked to, paid attention to. We are leaving them on the street and not educating them, this is what is worrisome. This is the second year those kids are on the street and not in school.”
The children are placed carefully in their environment, against the city walls that they often call home. Perhaps harkening back to her eye for architecture, these backgrounds become an important visual key to the series. Matar notes, “All my other work was about people in their surroundings. These kids’ surrounding are the walls, so these walls became important—they have layers of history. For me these kids became an extra layer of history on the wall.”
A selection of 15 images from Invisible Children is currently on view at C. Grimaldis Gallery in Baltimore, Maryland, until October 22. A special benefit print, “Khadija 11, Beirut,” is an edition of 50, with all proceeds going to the Karam Foundation, a US-based nonprofit that aids Syrian refugees.
Tamer 6, Beirut 2015
Refugee Kids, Beirut 2014
Bayan 16, Beirut, 2015
Malek 11, Beirut 2015
Mohammad 7, Assaad 12, Beirut 2014
Amal 9, Zahra 5 (girl in the mirror), Beirut 2014
Baddoura 13, Beirut 2015
Rym 18, Beirut 2016
Hassan 15, Beirut 2014
Installation at C. Grimaldis Gallery. Image via C. Grimaldis Gallery.
Rania Matar: Website | Facebook | Instagram
My Modern Met granted permission to use photos by Rania Matar.
Earlier this year, a Reddit thread posed a simple-yet-brilliant idea. “Add ‘ing’ to the end of a movie title,” it instructed, “what is the movie about now?” With the addition of these three letters, the entire premise of blockbuster films are completely changed. Titles are transformed from nouns into verbs and communicated actions rather than a person, place, or thing. The results were both amusing and showcased the power of language from seemingly small change.
Inspired by this metamorphosis, fellow Redditor shifter2000 turned some of the submissions into movie posters. Jurassic Park became Jurassic Parking and is now an uplifting tale with the tagline, “Against all odds, a T-Rex starts a valet service despite his inability to reach the steering wheel.” Likewise, The Jungle Book is The Jungle Booking, where characters in the film have the forest all to themselves.
Once shifter2000 posted his handiwork, fellow Redditors came up with plots and even theme music for the new “films.” It sounds like we’ve got some hit movies on the horizon!
If a celebrity were to pose on a sandwich, which one would they choose? According to artist Jeff McCarthy, Sia would sit on a brioche bun loaded with veggies while Beyoncé would slay on a pepperoni and cheese panini. These amusing associations are part of McCarthy’s ongoing project called Celebs on Sandwiches, and it’s exactly as it sounds—the Los Angeles-based creative realistically paints some of pop culture’s biggest icons sitting, lying, and standing on top of delectable-looking food.
Inspiration struck for McCarthy while enjoying this classic culinary delight. “The idea came to me, naturally, while eating a sandwich,” he told the Instagram blog. In a world where a fantastic meal can garner the same attention as a movie star, McCarthy has made it easier to enjoy both at once. “Our culture has a pretty serious love for celebrities and food, so pairing the two together just made sense.”
McCarthy sells each of his paintings as fine-art prints through his website, Celebs on Sandwiches.
Above: Jason Alexander as George Costanza on a pastrami on marble rye
Ilana Glazer and Abbi Jacobson on a pizza bagel sandwich
Beyoncé on a pepperoni and cheese panini
Katy Perry on an In-N-Out Double-Double cheeseburger
Will Ferrell as Ron Burgundy on a BBQ brisket sandwich
Nicki Minaj on a turkey and pepperoni with lettuce, oil, and vinegar
Michael Phelps on a double decker fried egg and cheese
Kirsten Bell and a sloth on a fried egg white sandwich
Betty White on an egg salad sandwich
Ben Affleck on a meatball parmesan sub
Kevin Hart on a turkey and cheese with pickles and chips on whole wheat
Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool on a chimichanga sandwich
Drake on a Canadian bacon and cheese
Dwayne Johnson (aka The Rock) on a steak and egg
Sia on a grilled eggplant on a brioche bun
Jeff McCarthy: Website | Instagram | Facebook
via [Instagram Blog]
South African-born photographer John Thackwray has come up with a project to show how the lives of the same generation people from around the world differ because of the place they were born in.
He’s spent more than 6 years documenting the bedrooms of over one thousand of the millennial generation people (born in the 80s and 90s) from 55 countries. The result is a photo series John calls My Room Project, which aims to capture and compare the different values, points of view and aspirations of a single generation.
The photographer also interviews the participants to get their opinions about various topics including lifestyle, local issues, education, religion, love, and many more. All of which you’ll be able to find in his book that’s already available for pre-order on his website.
More info: john thackwray (h/t: boredpanda, brightside)
A creative and unique costume mystified audiences at New York Comic Con this past weekend. Rebecca Lindsay, who has attended NYCC for the last seven years, debuted her brilliant Mystique cosplay, which showcases the shapeshifting Marvel character mid-transformation. She knew she wanted to show off both sides of the character, so she scoured the Internet for Army costumes and electric blue bodysuits. With the help of her mother, she cut off the excess blue from the suit and sewed the uniform on top. The addition of sequins helped to cover the outfit seams and also made for an exciting makeup challenge. The sequins marching up the diagonal of Lindsay’s face give the impression that her face is in the process of transformation, too. The masterfully sewn wigs of red blending to silver complete the costume, as they cover Lindsay’s naturally blonde hair.
She writes on Cosplay in America: ”The response at the convention was super positive. Everyone (even a lot of artists and vendors) loved seeing a different type of transformation.” Perhaps even more impressive was how Lindsay proved that you don’t have to be scantily clad to be a tough comic book cosplayer.
Above photo credit: Jody Houser (@mindeclipse)
Rebecca Lindsay: Facebook
via [reddit]
All images via Rebecca Lindsay unless otherwise stated.
To many lovey-dovey couples, a Disneyland proposal is a picture-perfect way to pop the question. Ty Junemann and Ashley Idema made all of their Disney dreams come true when they got engaged in front of Sleeping Beauty’s Castle in the “Happiest Place on Earth.” Following such a magical marriage proposal, the couple aptly opted for a Disney-themed wedding, complete with a collection of one-of-a-kind centerpieces created by the blushing bride.
Each table at the reception was adorned with DIY décor inspired by a different Disney film, from Snow White to Frozen. While some of the centerpieces’ influences are obvious—like the well-known characters included in the Beauty and the Beast display—others require a bit more in-depth Disney knowledge to discern (if you’ve never seen The Little Mermaid, for instance, a kitchen-utensil-candelabra may leave you scratching your head). The entire enchanting affair was shot by photographer Dawn Browne, who beautifully captured every detail of Idema’s homemade creations to produce photos fit for a fairytale.
In addition to the movie-inspired centerpieces, Julemann and Idema incorporated other Disney details into their reception’s décor. Each magical touch—from the miniature Sleeping Beauty’s Castle on their own table to their adorable Up-inspired cake topper—worked together to perfectly capture the couple’s “happily ever after.”
via [Bored Panda, Country Living]
All images via Degrees North Images.
Inspired by architect I.M. Pei’s great glass entrance to the world famous museum, bioKamino’s new Louvre fireplace is a modern alternative to the traditional hearth.
The chic floor fireplace features a minimalist aesthetic, echoing the simplicity and understated elegance of the Louvre’s iconic pyramid and Parisian landmark. A frame—available in either black or white—connects four panes of clear glass to form the pyramid structure. Its innovative, all-around glass construction also enables a unique 360-degree view of the fire.
Like all of the company’s fireplaces, the Louvre relies on bioethanol—“an energy source of plant origin that belongs to the renewable energy family.” It features a real flame that produces heat without the soot and smoke of a traditional chimney, and does not produce any unpleasant aromas. The Louvre model is also a floor fireplace; it does not need to be installed, and is completely portable, which means it can be placed anywhere at anytime. With its simple yet sleek design and its focus on sustainability, the Louvre is both a versatile statement piece and a compact (and cozy) addition to any room.
bioKamino: Website | Facebook | Instagram |Twitter
via [Homecrux]
All images via bioKamino.
For the past year we’ve been sharing the incredibly dynamic portraits of self-taught artist Sean Yoro (Hula), which he typically paints in hard-to-reach locations, arrived at via his paddle board. The touching new short film What If You Fly, produced by The North Face and Camp4Collective, takes us inside Yoro’s world as he embarks on one of his biggest challenges yet—painting in the Canadian Arctic. One of the artist’s main motivations for working outdoors is to interact with the environment and directors Renan Ozturk and Taylor Rees share his journey to find the perfect piece of ice to use as a canvas before it comes to its natural end.
While the Canadian Arctic is quite different than Yoro’s hometown of Oahu, he nonetheless forms bonds with the Canadian Inuit. This indigenous group has a population of over 50,000 in Canada and face a wide array of issues from suicide to substance abuse. Jesse Mike, the Inuit woman Yoro photographed and painted on the ice, confirms this in the film. “For most people it’s about the polar bears, it’s not about the people.” she shares, “Well, let’s make it about the people. If i can somehow be in a position to influence the message that’s given to the rest of the world, that’s the most important thing for me.” She continues, “The message that I wanted to send is, Inuit are very skilled, smart, awesome people. And you kind of have to be to survive in this environment.”
After sleeping on the ice, Yoro and the crew race to complete his work before the ice begins to break up. To preserve the environment, a thin transparent sheet is placed over the surface. Meant to be an impermanent installation, his work is removed nearly as soon as its finished and is painted using non-toxic materials made with alkali-refined linseed oil or safflower oil and natural pigments.
The work can be seen as a continuation of his A’o ‘Ana series painted on a North American glacier. While that particular project was aimed at bringing attention to climate change, he’s now turned his focus toward the Inuit, bringing the spotlight to an indigenous culture oft overlooked and reminding of us the fragility of our environment. As a whole the film also gives clear insight into the process of artists who work outdoors and the enormous effort needed to integrate into the environment and interact with a community through the language of art.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tO3HnIGihw?rel=0&w=750&h=422]
Hula: Website | Instagram | Facebook
My Modern Met granted permission to use photos by Hula.
There are always outliers in nature—anomalies that don’t seem real. The all-white reindeer is one oddity that takes you by surprise because it’s a far cry from the creature’s typical dark-brown fur. One of these elusive caribou, antlers and all, was recently spotted roaming Malå, Sweden in early September. Redditor nlsoy posted the picture of the colorless reindeer on the side of the road, but this is a serendipitous spotting—this variation is very rare.
The cause of the all-white fur could be from a genetic mutation that strips the pigmentation from the hair. Despite the lack of color, this creature is not an albino because it doesn’t have red eyes—a tell-tale characteristic. Nsloy’s post, rather, showcases an enchanting creature who perfectly blends in with the snow. Check out some more of these magical-seeming caribou, below.
Above photo source: Reddit
Photo source: MooseOnTheLoose
Photo credit: Martin Jendrichowski
Photo credit: Hamid Sardar-Afkhami
via [Twisted Sifter, reddit]