I don’t have any other words for this work but WOW! Tara Donovan rocks the installation art. From fishing wire to plastic straws, her work is stunning and will leave you asking the question–How? Donovan’s work uses everyday manufactured materials such as Scotch tape, Styrofoam cups, and drinking straws to create large scale sculptures that often have a biomorphic quality. Her sculptures must be assembled and disassembled carefully, which sometimes involve an extremely tedious process. With regards to her artistic process, Donovan explained that she chooses the material before she decides what can be done with it. She noted in an interview that she thinks “in terms of infinity, of [the materials] expanding.” 

Styrofoam Cups, Hot Glue

http://www.acegallery.net/past/d-f/donovantara/taradonovan.htm

I recently found out about Chindogu - the Japanese art of inventing useful things from everyday materials. Very funny ideas that will make you think, why didn’t I think of that? The Wikipedia entry explains it well. Here are some of their sample inventions

AtelierUtopia sent over this great prototype of their Stick Lamp. It comes in 2 sizes and either black or white. Custom colors are available on request.

www.atelierutopia.com/

A fantastic bag basket made by Goodmorning designs in Copenhagen.

“The bike porter is made of tubes and is as easy to put on your bike as a normal handlebar. We have developped a whole rangee in many colors and with integrated designs bags if you wish! The patent is filled out and all intellectual propoerties belongs to Goodmorning Tehnology. The bike porter is prefect for fixies and other street bikes. The basket will form now one never be stolen, fasten destroyed and the designed bags are easy tu fill up in the shops and take along. You can also use our own bag laptop or whatever you need! We have showed it before with the New York City bike, but this is the first time as a single product without the bike, and we are very proud to present it to you!”

http://www.gmtn.dk/

Creative group, Front, received inspiration from a piece of chocolate wrapped in metal foil for this quick change vase. They have made a series of vases in one: a Changing Vase. By ripping off one of the five layers of foil, the chocolate brown glass vase becomes to a whole new vase!

www.designfront.org

Season your dish and solve t Rubik’s Cube Salt and Pepper Mills
Season your dish and solve the complex puzzle all at the same time. The 80’s style is everywhere you look so we’re not surprised to see “the cube” reinvented as kitchen utensil