Atelier: Joana Vasconcelos

Today I'm admiring this extraordinary installation from 2012 by textile artist Joana Vasconcelos. Called "Royal Valkyrie", it was created in collaboration with the artisans of Nisa and the support of French textile maker Manufacture Prelle, and then suspended from a ceiling in Lisbon's Palácio Nacional da Ajuda. Stunning. Read more about her work here.

(via blouin artinfo)

Buffet

This week's links. Enjoy.

Vintage Vibes
Take a tour of a fantastic Dutch farmhouse that mixes a 70s vintage look with rustic details. Great individual style.

How Bugs Bunny Inspired a Generation of Opera Stars
This is great — members of the Washington National Opera discuss how their first exposure to opera came from watching "What's Opera, Doc?", the now-classic Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd cartoon inspired by Wagner's Ring Cycle.

Sleep Makes the Modern Girl
We all know the importance of a good sleep — now you can make getting those eight hours a little more of an art form with these new elixirs, luxurious sheets and beautiful sleepwear.

Salt Labyrinths Inside a Castle
Check out these two mind blowing installation pieces by Japanese artist Motoi Yamamoto, all made of salt and created inside the medieval castle tower at Aigues-Mortes, a 13th century walled city in southern France.  

The Forgotten Designer Behind Some of Fashion's Biggest Trends
Profile of Bonnie Cashin, credited by some fashion scholars as the inventor of American sportswear.

How to Decorate Like Wes Anderson
Fun post over at My Domaine that pairs Wes Anderson films with real rooms — perfect inspiration for fans of his work who want to live the film experience, too.

Vintage Office Supplies on Instagram
Treat your eyes to the beautifully photographed collections of vintage office supplies from around the world by following the Instagram account of nrpq.  

Chocolate Cobbler
What's not to like about a decadent chocolate dessert that transforms into a chewy brownie and a fudge sauce in the same dish?

(photo by richard powers via a muted palette)

Sweetness and Light

Smitten with this stunning wall mural by Argentinian-born, Antwerp-based artist Pablo Piatti, created for the BOFFO Show House, a temporary installation curated by artist Andrew Yes that took place over the summer in the Madison Jackson building on New York's Lower East Side. Gorgeous.

(photo by evan joseph. via yellowtrace)

An Artist in Paris

Step inside the beautiful Paris apartment of the artist Geraldine Cario, which she has transformed from a former company canteen into a mysterious and exquisite world all her own. Love this one. More about it here on Côté Maison.

(photography by nicolas millet)

Buffet

This week's links. Enjoy.

At Home With Suna Lock
Take a tour of the charming Santa Cruz home of designer Suna Lock — great mix of vintage and modern. Love that dining room. Via Food52.

Urban Aquarium
Artist Sayuri Sasaki Hemann creates ethereal and beautiful installations of stitched and embroidered felt and organza sea creatures — the effect is like walking in an enchanted underwater world. Stunning.

Vogue's Travel Guide to Paris
From a stay at the iconic Le Bristol hotel to hidden gems selling the best in Parisian wares, seven of Vogue's must sees in the City of Light.

Top 10 Books About Food
Via The Guardian: "From Roald Dahl to Anthony Bourdain, the author of Kitchens of the Great Midwest writes about the best descriptions of — and recipes for — food to switch on 'the lamp in the spine.'"

I'm Too Old For This
Lovely piece in the New York Times by Dominique Browning about the pleasures of aging — specifically, how it can be profoundly liberating. So refreshing to read something other than the usual gloomy articles on this subject.

7 Lightweight Summer Beauty Products to Try Now
The editors of W magazine pick their favourite products for light and easy summer beauty.

Debussy: Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune
Listen in online via BBC Radio 3 to a lovely performance of Debussy's 'Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune' (The Afternoon of a Faun), performed by the Hallé and conducted by Sir Mark Elder. Hurry, though — it's only available to listen for another 16 days.

10 (Mostly) No Cook Foods to Eat on Hot Summer Nights
Food 52 rounds up 10 healthy and easy no cook recipes for hot nights when you're hungry but really don't want to be in the kitchen.

(photo via myliving)

Atelier: Olaf Brzeski

I'm really liking this 2009 resin and soot installation by Polish artist Olaf Brzeski, called 'Spontaneous Combustion'. Works on so many different levels — including a rather sly sense of humour. More about Olaf and his work here.

(via sweet station via here)

Atelier: Faig Ahmed

Love this series of eye popping installations by artist Faig Ahmed, which disassemble traditional Azerbaijani rugs and then put them back together again, with fascinating and beautifully unexpected results. View more on his website here.

(via i need a guide)

Buffet

This week's links. Enjoy.

Influence in Fashion
Why buy one article of clothing instead of another? Intelligent Life magazine asked 11 dedicated fashion people, from Ines de la Fressange to Jenna Lyons, who influences them and how.

Mad Men's Secret Weapon: Herman Miller
Fun Co.Design article on how iconic mid century modern furniture company Herman Miller helps Mad Men set decorator Claudette Didul-Mann get the details right.

Jun Kitagawa's Giant Zippers
Fantastic installation art by Japanese artist Jun Kitagawa — for the last few years he's installed giant zippers in public spaces, with the zippers appearing to open rooms, ponds or more to allow a glimpse into what's below. So interesting.

Growing a Kitchen Herb Garden
Epicurious has put together four herb garden plans for your favourite cuisines — Italian, Asian, Tex-Mex and French.

The Sounds of Space
Love this. New album Space Project consists of 14 tracks by different artists that sample sounds sent back from the space probes Voyager 1 and Voyager 2, launched in 1977.

Around the World in 10 Film Festivals
Condé Nast Traveler previews 10 of the world's most travel-worthy cinema events, from Cannes to Sydney.

The Cats of 19th Century Japan
19th century Japanese artists loved painting their cats almost as much as today's cat owners love Instagramming theirs. A new exhibit at the Shoto Museum of Art in Shibuya, Japan celebrates their work. Check out the slide show for a sampling of the beautiful art on display.

Best Rhubarb Recipes
Saveur has a lovely round up of 15 recipes for spring rhubarb, ranging from rhubarb mousse, rhubarb-strawberry jam to classic rhubarb pie.

(photo by martin löf with styling by gill renlund. via elle decoration sweden)

Sweetness and Light

This beautiful installation by New York-based artist Doug Aitken is inspiring me today — the perfect way to start 2014.

Atelier: Berndnaut Smilde

Love this ethereal photo series called The Uncanny by artist Berndnaut Smilde, a title borrowed from Sigmund Freud's 1919 essay of the same name. It features delicate clouds hovering in various rooms, created from vapour made with a fog machine and aerogel — the lightest substance on earth — under conditions of precise temperature and humidity. The clouds took shape for only a few seconds before evaporating, a moment in time then captured on camera by Cassander Eeftinck Schattenkerk. Eerily beautiful. Read an interview with the artist on AnOther here. The Uncanny series can be viewed at the Ronchini Gallery, London from January 16 to February 16, 2013.

(photography by cassander eeftinck schattenkerk. via another)

Smitten

I'm smitten with The Snow, an extraordinary installation by Japanese artist Tokujin Yoshioka — a 15 metre-long tank filled with feathers that blow around like snow, a homage to the beauty of nature. On until November 7 2012 at the Mori Art Museum in Tokyo. More photos and info here on Dezeen.

Sweetness and Light

Love this stunningly beautiful work by Japanese artist Katsumi Hayakawa, made from paper, glue, pencil and vinyl chloride on arches paper. Gorgeous.

(via pinterest)