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2012/08/31

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Everything You wanted to Know About Andy Warhol's Soup

Posted: 31 Aug 2012 05:00 AM PDT

soupThis summer, Andy Warhol's legendary Campbell's Soup Cans turns 50. Here's everything you need to know about Pop Art's greatest masterpiece.

1. Though Warhol had been successful as a commercial artist -designing book jackets and album covers- he was still struggling to break into the fine art world in 1962.

2. New York's art scene, in particular, had little interest in warhol's work.

3. Warhol's earliest efforts were inspired by comic strips. He abandoned the style because it felt derivative of Roy Lichtenstein.

4. Warhol had to go LA for his first solo show. Irving Blum, the owner of Ferus Gallery, convinced Warhol to show there by telling him the clilentele inclluded movie stars.

5. The tomato soup painting is the most famous. But the work was actually a series of 32 different 20-by-16-inch paintings -one canvas for each Campbell's variety on the market.

6. Warhol's inspiration: "I just paint things I always thought were beautiful, things you use every day and never think about."

(Image credit: Jack Mitchell)

7. The paintings were hung on the wall for the show, but each hanging canvas also rested on a shelf to complete the grocery-store feel of the piece.

8. Warhol's show brought out the catty side of some galleries. A rival LA space filled its window with a pyramid of soup cans under a sign reading, "Get the real thing for only 29 cents a can."

9. Despite the sneers, the show put Warhol on the critical map. It didn't hurt that ArtForum's offices were upstairs from the Ferus Gallery.

10. Commercially, the show was a catastrophe. Although the 32 paintings were priced at a modest $100 each, only six sold. the first went to actor Dennis Hopper.

MoMA(Image credit: Flickr user Wally Gobetz)

11. Sales were so abyssmal that owner Blum bought back the few sold paintings to keep the 32 canvasses together as a complete set.

12. Warhol cut Blum a price break for buying them all: $1,000, paid in ten monthly installments.

13. Nice investment. In 1996, Blum sold the set to New York's Museum of Modern Art for a tidy $15 million.

14. Warhol left no instructions for arranging the paintings. For a 2006 show, MoMA arranged the pieces by the year each soup hit the market.

soup(Image credit: Flickr user Purple Slog)

15. The straightforward 1962 series is Warhol's most famous soup work, but he painted several variations, including ones of cans being crushed or painted in wild colors.

Why Campbell's soup? Warhol explained, "I used to drink it. I used to have the same lunch every day, for twenty years."

soup

Ed. Note: In honor of the 50th anniversary of Warhol's exhibit, the Campbell's Soup Company is issuing limited edition soup cans in pop art colors. Link

__________________________

coverThe above article is reprinted with permission from the Scatterbrained section of the July-August 2012 issue of mental_floss magazine.

Don't forget to feed your brain by subscribing to the magazine and visiting mental_floss' extremely entertaining website and blog today for more!

An Epic Marriage Proposal Movie

Posted: 31 Aug 2012 04:00 AM PDT

(Video Link)

New York Times columnist David Pogue wanted to make sure his wedding proposal was memorable, so he did what anyone would do and created an epic movie trailer showing how they met and that he wanted to marry her. Then he played it in front of their friends and family.

Via Laughing Squid

These Cats Rock -Literally

Posted: 31 Aug 2012 03:00 AM PDT

(Video Link)

The Rock Cats just might be the hottest band on YouTube right now and when you see this video, you'll understand why right away. After all, what they lack in technical proficiency, they more than make up for in fluffiness.

Via I Can Has Cheezburger

Large Scale Coathanger Art By David Mach

Posted: 31 Aug 2012 02:00 AM PDT

Artist David Mach creates sculptures out of a variety of odd mediums, from matchsticks to Scrabble tiles, but this time he's making drycleaner dreams come true-by creating sculptures out of coathangers.

David even left the hook on most of the hangers, creating an exterior layer of texture and adding a bit of visual interest to each piece, as if these pieces needed to be more interesting to look at!

Link  --via Laughing Squid

Tartan Hat Coin Purse

Posted: 31 Aug 2012 01:00 AM PDT

Tartan Hat Coin Bag - $16.95 (sold individually)

Are you looking for a coin pouch that reflects your rich and sophisticated personality? You need the Tartan Hat Coin Purse from the NeatoShop. This great little bag is shaped like an adorable tartan hat with pom pom.

The Tartan Hat Coin Purse is available in three different patterns. Go ahead and collect them all! 

Be sure to check out the NeatoShop for more fun Wallets, Purses & Coin Bags

Link

Sculptures Which Make The Mundane Look Strange

Posted: 31 Aug 2012 01:00 AM PDT

A button up shirt, soup spoons and a sledgehammer- what do these things have in common besides starting with the letter S? They're all subjects of surreal sculptural works by Adam Niklewicz!

Adam specializes in turning objects from normal everyday to strange in every way, and he renders each piece unusable for their originally intended purpose all for the sake of art. Yay art!

Link  --via Booooooom!

The Chocolate Eclair Hot Dog

Posted: 31 Aug 2012 12:00 AM PDT

eclair dog

Maple Lodge Farms made this. Maple Lodge Farms is in Canada. So I'm packing my bags immediately. If you want to join me, be at the car in five minutes. I'm not waiting a second longer.

Link -via That's Nerdalicious!

Documentary About Rene Magritte Featuring Music By Roger Waters

Posted: 30 Aug 2012 11:00 PM PDT

(YouTube Link)

Belgian surrealist Rene Magritte is the subject of this 1978 documentary, which just happens to have a soundtrack scored by rock icon Roger Waters of Pink Floyd!

It may be a bit dry in places, and the narrator sounds like the one heard in those terribly outdated educational films you were forced to watch in school, but if you love Pink Floyd then you'll want to watch the whole thing for the sake of the tripped out soundtrack.

--via Boing Boing

3D <i>Ms. Pac-Man</i>

Posted: 30 Aug 2012 10:00 PM PDT

Ms Pac Man

Keita Takahashi, the inventor of Katamari Damacy, had a brilliant idea. New York's Museum of Art and Design made it happen. They filled an entire room--walls and ceiling--with a playable Ms. Pac-Man game. You can watch gameplay at the link.

Link

Firefighters Rescue Cow Stuck in Tree

Posted: 30 Aug 2012 08:00 PM PDT

cowFirefighters are, of course, so frequently summoned by anxious cow owners that it's almost proverbial:

Fire crews in Cumbria were surprised to receive a call to rescue the cow, which had toppled 10 meters down a slope of the river Leith before a tree broke its fall. [...]

The animal was sedated by a vet before being winched out of the tree by firemen using specialist equipment.

"(Fire crews) had to wear body armor in case a stray hoof lashed out at them," said a spokesman for Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service.

The cow emerged from the tree unharmed.

Link -via Boing Boing | Photo (unrelated) via OliBac

8-Year Old Girls Leaves Hurricane Safety Instructions for Her Stuffed Animals

Posted: 30 Aug 2012 07:00 PM PDT

hurricane

Greg Taylor of Mandeville, Louisiana evacuated his family to escape Hurricane Isaac. His daughter Ashley joined him--but her stuffed animals did not. She did, however, give them prudent instructions about how to shelter in place safely.

Link | Photo: Greg Taylor

A Bunch Of Fun DIY Projects For The Long Weekend Ahead

Posted: 30 Aug 2012 06:00 PM PDT

If the idea of a three day weekend with nothing to do seems like torture via boredom then take a gander at these neat DIY projects and get to building!

You might not be able to build an entire TARDIS from scratch in three days, unless you have some serious carpentry skills, but a Star Trek apron is doable, and so are many of the other fun projects on this list.

This Labor Day weekend you can build something to be proud of, or head in to work on Tuesday complaining about being hung over... I choose you DIY project!

Link

Stanley Kubrick's One-Point Perspective

Posted: 30 Aug 2012 05:00 PM PDT

(vimeo link)

Stanley Kubrick was a master of the one-point perspective shot, and this supercut by  kogonada points out just how many he used.  -via Geekosystem

Photo Composites Of Women And Insects

Posted: 30 Aug 2012 04:00 PM PDT

Insectes is a photographic composite series by Laurent Seroussi that combines women and bugs into disgusting insectoid hybrids worthy of a starring role in your worst nightmares.

There's something elegant about these figure, despite the claws and various sharp bits, that makes them look rather delicate and decidedly feminine.

But you wouldn't want to show up to the ball escorting one of these bugged out femmes, at least not without feeding her first!

Link  --via Hi Fructose

Couple's Sunken Floor Turned Out to be a Medieval Well

Posted: 30 Aug 2012 03:00 PM PDT

Colin Steer has been wondering for almost 30 years why his sofa dipped at one corner of his living room. After he retired, he decided to tackle the problem as a home improvement project. That is when he discovered something very unusual:

Intrigued by the sunken floor, the retired civil servant has uncovered a 33ft medieval well in the house where he and wife Vanessa have lived for almost 25 years.

After three days of work Mr Steer, from Plymouth, Devon, stopped digging at 17ft and is now trying to date the unexpected find. Plans show the well dates back to the 16th century.

So far, he's discovered a medieval sword. Donna Bowater of The Telegraph has the story: Link

The Toilet Water Dish

Posted: 30 Aug 2012 02:00 PM PDT


The Toilet Water Dish - $24.95

Are you on the hunt for the perfect water dish for your pampered pooch? You need the Toilet Water Dish from the NeatoShop. This hilarious dog water bowl is made of ceramic and uses a regular 2-liter soda bottle (not included). It makes the the perfect gift for your favorite potty animal. 

Be sure to check out the NeatoShop for more great Pet Stuff!

Link

Is Chipotle Stealing Pennies?

Posted: 30 Aug 2012 02:00 PM PDT

Oh, Chipotle. The restaurant has been caught with its hands in the salsa container when an amateur sleuth noticed that it's been rounding its bills to eliminate pennies:

On several recent shopping trips, Jayson Greenberg wondered what the deal was with pennies — or the lack thereof — at Chipotle Mexican Grill in West Caldwell.

"The receipts at the Chipotle in West Caldwell don’t add up when there are odd amounts involved," he said. [...]

On the first, dated July 13, the nine items added up to $32.93. There was $2.31 in tax. The total should have been $35.24, but next to the "total" line on the receipt, it said $35.25.
The next receipt, with the same sale date, showed a subtotal of $8.64. The tax was $0.60, so the grand total should have been $9.24. But no. With Chipotle-style math, the total was $9.25.

The third receipt, dated July 17, had a subtotal of $17.75 and tax of $1.24. The total? $19.00, but elementary school students would have come up with $18.99.

Karin Price Mueller of The Star-Ledger has more: Link

POLL: Is rounding the bill to eliminate pennies theft or a reasonable retail policy?

  • Yes - it's fine, no one likes pennies anyhow
  • No - a theft is a theft, regardless of the amount

Celebrity Anagrams

Posted: 30 Aug 2012 01:30 PM PDT

When you rearrange the letters in certain celebrities' names, you can find wise descriptions or wonderful jokes. You'll see both in a collection of surprising anagrams at Unreality. Link

Photobombed! Making Bad Pictures Great and Good Pictures Awesomely Bad

Posted: 30 Aug 2012 01:00 PM PDT

At one time or another, you have probably snapped a photo and discovered that a grinning, devil- horn-flashing stranger has sneaked into your picture unannounced. Congratulations, you've just been photobombed!

On September 1, 2012, our friends at Oddee will release the definitive book on photobombs. Photobombed!: Making Bad Pictures Great and Good Pictures Awesomely Bad, was written by Oddee contributing writer and social media manager, Beverly L. Jenkins (@bevtastic7), and it features over 200 all new, never-before-seen photobomb images collected from web users all over the world. From animal bombs, wedding bombs, kid bombs, and beach bombs, to WTF bombs, all of your favorite funny picture-crashers are represented, and trust us when we tell you that they are letting their freak flags fly!

Here is a sneak peek at a few of our favorite images:

photobomb [fo-to_bom]: An otherwise normal picture that has been hilariously spoiled by someone (or something) unexpected.

Photobombed!: Making Bad Pictures Great and Good Pictures Awesomely Bad by Beverly L. Jenkins includes all new, never-before-seen photos submitted by fans and twisted readers of web phenom Oddee.com.

Discover the random things that can happen when your back is turned ... innocently posing for a picture is about to go awesomely wrong.

17 Fictional TV Towns with Personality

Posted: 30 Aug 2012 12:30 PM PDT

springfield

Some fictional places in which TV shows are set are highlighted to make us want to go there, sometimes just for a look, sometimes it's a place we'd like to live. If the locale ever changed, you'd feel like a character died or something. Think of Springfield in The Simpsons, Hooterville, or Twin Peaks. Read about these places and some others in shows you might want to start watching at the A.V. Club. Link 

What Americans Do All Day

Posted: 30 Aug 2012 12:00 PM PDT

If you answer "work and sleep", you'd be mostly correct! Lam Thuy Vo of NPR's Planet Money has the graph:

View the post over at NPR to find out the detailed breakdown of "Leisure" and "Cooking, Cleaning, Etc." (I was surprised to find that "Being on the Computer/Internet" takes only 8 minutes, 24 seconds of the average American's day): Link

How Long Will You Need to Save to Buy a Home In Your City?

Posted: 30 Aug 2012 11:30 AM PDT

signThe Atlantic Cities has a chart that and calculates how long it would take a person making the average wage in the top 100 American cities to save up for a down payment on a 2,000-square-foot home based on the average price per square foot in that city. This assumes you set aside 10% of your income, earn 1.5% on savings, and make a 20% down payment. The time ranges from 28 years in Honolulu to about 3 and a half years in Detroit. Paradise comes at a price.  

As the table below shows, in San Francisco you’ll need to work 20.6 years at the local average wage of $1,478 per week in order to save enough for a 20 percent down payment on a typical 2,000 square-foot home. That’s more than anywhere else in the country except Honolulu, where housing prices are high but wages are much lower.

New York is also among the 10 least affordable metros when comparing home prices to local wages. Note that six of the ten least affordable metros are located in California. With housing markets getting even tighter in California, those metros won’t get more affordable any time soon.

Check the stats for your city -if you dare. Link -via @Marilyn_Res

(Image credit: Flickr user Chris Griffith)

This Is How The Queen Rolls

Posted: 30 Aug 2012 11:00 AM PDT

Keep calm and wear a hoodie. The photo above, reports Natalie Morales of NBC's TODAY, shows how Queen Elizabeth II rolls in her Range Rover: Link - via Huffington Post

Egg Baked into a Mushroom

Posted: 30 Aug 2012 10:30 AM PDT

portobello

Here's a healthy and tasty breakfast. Just preheat your oven to 300°F. Add some thyme, salt and pepper to the overturned mushroom cap. Then gently crack open an egg and cook for 20 to 30 minutes.

Link -via Tasteologie

How Old is Too Old to Drive?

Posted: 30 Aug 2012 10:00 AM PDT

Yesterday, a man lost control of his car, which jumped the curb near an elementary school and hit 11 people, 9 of them school children.

That in itself is unfortunate, but the story gets prominent national attention because the driver, Preston Carter, is 100 years old:

Four of the children were seriously injured when Preston Carter backed his blue 1990 Cadillac into the victims, who were on their way to buy snacks from a vendor across the street from Main Street Elementary School, authorities said.

The victims ranged in age from 14 months to 48 years old. The children, some of whom attend the school, were in stable condition Wednesday evening, authorities said.

Carter, a Los Angeles resident who will turn 101 on Sept. 5, has a current driver's license and no history of traffic violations, the Department of Motor Vehicles said. The only restriction on his license, which is valid until 2013, is that he wear corrective lenses.

Ruben Vives and Robert J. Lopez of The Los Angeles Times report: Link (Photo: Jay L. Clendenin/LA Times)

POLL: Should There Be An Upper Age Limit for Driving?

  • Yes
  • No

A Little Box Of Treasures From Disneyland

Posted: 30 Aug 2012 09:30 AM PDT

Even though this may look like a box full of junk, Disney Imagineer Fritz would rather think of it as a case containing pleasant memories and important artifacts from his time working at Disneyland.

Fritz has been sharing his little box of wonders with the world via his blog since 2010, and even though the items don't look like much with a little imagination you can see how they symbolize the crafting magic behind Disneyland.

Link  --via Laughing Squid

Squirrel Pen

Posted: 30 Aug 2012 09:00 AM PDT


Squirrel Pen - $6.95 (sold individually)

Are missing pens making you nutty? Hide your favorite pen in plain sight with the Squirrel Pen from the NeatoShop. This adorable pen is disguised as your favorite tree dwelling rodent. 

The Squirrel Pen comes in Orange and Grey. Collect them both today.  

Be sure to check out the NeatoShop for more great Office & Desk items. 

Link

Be Water My Friend!

Posted: 30 Aug 2012 09:00 AM PDT

(YouTube link)

Bruce Lee gets all philosophical and then beats up Chuck Norris. If that ain't the essence of cool, I don't know what is. Here he is, remixed and Autotuned by John D. Boswell, who also gave us the Symphony of Science videos. -via Boing Boing

<i>Doctor Who</i> Toile

Posted: 30 Aug 2012 08:30 AM PDT

toile

Spoonflower is a custom, on-demand fabric maker. It produces this lovely toile pattern by Shannon Schenck that features all of the typical elements of a Rococo pastoral scene. Don't blink.

Link -via Nag on the Lake

Grand Theft Auto IV: Hill Valley

Posted: 30 Aug 2012 08:00 AM PDT

(YouTube link)

A Grand Theft Auto modification lets you play as Marty McFly! And yes, that means you're driving a DeLorean with a Flux Capacitor at 88 miles per hour. No, you can't just download this -yet. YouTube member seedyrom34 worked for months on this custom mod. You'll find a lot of links at the YouTube page, and there's a forum about the Back To The Future: Hill Valley project. Link -via The Daily What Geek

1 comment:

Keep a civil tongue.

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