Seven Deadly Sin Snowdomes By Ligorano And Reese

Only a select few know that I've got a ridiculously enormous collection of snowdomes ( also called snowglobes, shakies or waterglobes). Most of the over 300 that I own are packed away in boxes with the exception of a few of the more artsy and unusual ones. By that I mean limited editions, signed and numbered and sold either in museums, galleries or directly from the artist.

A few days ago I wrote about the artfully twisted snowdomes and photo prints of Walter Martin and Paloma Muniz. (I don't yet own one of theirs, but I want one... I have to wait and see if they ever go on sale, lol).

I do have the WTF snowdome (a recent purchase from Urban Outfitters) and the third edition of the more offensive version by Nora Logorano and Marshall Reese, both shown below:


Which brings me to their latest collection. Ligorano and Reese have just released their Seven Deadly Sins Snowdomes, which I would LOVE to have. Each has one of the seven deadly sins depicted in translucent colored type (in a font appropriate to the sin) on a colored wood base.


above: Close-up of LUST

above: close up of ENVY

A little too pricey for me to buy the whole collection at $100.00 each. But they are fabulous, take a look:







They’re available a la carte, $100/each. Order them online here

Dimensions: 5 1/2 inches high, 3 3/4 inch wood base, 4 inch glass globe.

about the artists:



NORA LIGORANO and MARSHALL REESE (shown above) have collaborated together as Ligorano/Reese since the early 80’s. They use collaboration to blend diverse talents into a singular voice and vision. In the process of creating their work, their individual contributions cross and criss-cross between each other from brainstorming to realizing and making the art on location or in the studio.

They use unusual materials and industrial processes to make their limited edition multiples, videos, sculptures and installations, moving easily from dish towels, underwear, and snow globes, to electronic art and computer controlled interactive installations.

They take and manipulate images, audio and text from old media: print, television, radio and combine that with the new: internet and mobile telecommunications. Their pursuit is an ongoing investigation into the impact of technology on culture and the associations and meanings that the media brings to images, language and speech in politics.

Ligorano and Reese

Pure Products, USA

special thanks to See-Ming Lee for the additional photos

Check out these other 7 deadly sins related items:

•Kacper Hamilton's 7 Deadly Wine Glasses
•Rossignol Has Artists Depict The 7 Deadly Sins On Skis.

Hans van Bentem's Custom Chandeliers For Rock And Royal Get Even Hipper

A few years ago I did a post on the chandelier designs by Dutch sculptor Hans van Bentem for Rock and Royal, a Rotterdam based company that handcrafts giant beautiful ceiling-suspended custom crystal chandeliers for a select clientele and museums (15 of the chandeliers were commissioned for the Netherlands Escher Museum).

It's time for an update on these one-of-a-kind works. Hans van Bentem's hip chandeliers continue to defy the traditional ornate crystal monstrosities that we are used to seeing, now with even edgier designs.



Made from high quality Bohemian crystal, each is a hand crafted, custom-made work of art, tailored to the customer's personal taste and specifications.

The taste of their customers has grown trendier since my last post, given that their impressive works now include more weapons, a diamond, a dick and even a 'virus':

Gun:

M-16:


Bomb:

Diamond:

Dick:

Virus:


The creations also include a Human form, a Buddha, and a pipe that seems to be inspired by surrealist Magritte's famous "This Is Not A Pipe" painting:

Human:

Buddha:

Pipe:


Of course there's the requisite Skull and Crossbones:

and a Spider:

and a Shark:


In addition to these unusual, but really beautifully crafted pieces, they do have some kinder, gentler creations.

Bird:

Seahorse:

Lion:

Bottle:

Airplane:

and some very random ones like the Communist Hammer and Sickle:

and a Wheelbarrow:

Some really incredible installations:






Rock and Royal also creates custom mosaics by artist Arno Coenen, you can see those here.

Rock and Royal
P.O. Box 21046
3001 AA Rotterdam
The Netherlands
tel. 0031 (0) 10 - 280 71 71
fax 0031 (0) 10 - 280 70 71

About Hans van Bentem:

above: Hans van Bentam

Born in The Hague, he now lives and works in Rotterdam, the Czech Republic and China. A multi-talented artist, he works in ceramic as well as glass and creates many installations and sculptures beyond the chandeliers, like his wonderful glass aliens, a few of which are shown below:


see his own website here.

Lucky Dog! Moxie, The Dachshund Of Fallingwater

Moxie, The Dachshund of Fallingwater was written by Cara Armstrong, Curator of Education at Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater.

Product Description (from Amazon):
Children experience the renowned Frank Lloyd Wright house that boldly cantilevers over a waterfall in the western Pennsylvania mountains through the eyes of the Kaufmann family’s most beloved dog in residence.



Beginning with the initial site survey, the loveable dachshund reflects on the myriad details that make the “Big House” so special. Moxie and her siblings’ preferred picnic site, the rock, becomes the foundation that supports the residence’s dramatic design, and the grand fireplace built around the big rock provides a warm stone where the dogs nap whenever they want.



A table that can be stretched out so that as many as 18 of their friends, such as artist Peter Blume and his German shepherd Manfred, can sit down with the K’s to eat dinner is so portable it can be moved to wherever they'd like. The dachshund's long, straight backs are reflected in the horizontal lines of the house—long, low tables; shelves; bands of glass in the windows—and built-in desks hang out from the walls like a diving board just as Moxie’s tail extends from her body.




Fallingwater's steep, cascading staircase mimics the waterfall and parallels the house’s dramatic descent down the hillside, and the plunge pool built into the stream is just right for a brisk, refreshing swim. A handy glossary features both images and text to explain key architectural terms.

About the Author

Cara Armstrong is the curator of education at Fallingwater, the one-time vacation residence of the Edgar J. Kaufmann family of Pittsburgh that was donated to the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy. She lives in Ligonier, Pennsylvania.

special thanks to Inside Laurel Highlands for additional images.

Pre- Order The book here