A piece of my mind: James Chiu

Google Creative Lab – Tom Uglow

James Chiu — Wed, 11 May 2011 15:08:43 +0000

Tom Uglow from Google Creative Lab popped by our London offices today for a show and tell session. And what a treat it was, a presentation that was delivered with genuine charm, packed with passion and some great insights.

Below are some of the key points which I took away with me and some project highlights:

“Tell” not “Sell”
Passion driven projects are personal, emotional and can not be manufactured
Make something physical and tangible now and then
What if…?
Draw parallels.
Work in the unknown.

Better Web Better World

A Life in a Day – a singular “What if” thought that turned into a global project

Google Art Project – From street view to galleries

Search On – Google’s first ad, made for youtube. Ended up at the Superbowl

Show Your Love For Japan

James Chiu — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 16:23:31 +0000

Just want to shout out a personal project of mine, “Show Your Love For Japan” by donating your facebook photo bar. All you have to do is tag yourselves in a facebook album from right to left (photos 5 to 1)

Due to the overwhelming support, I’d suggest you to download the photos and create your own album to keep spreading the love.

Download the album photos here

Get tagging happy!

Gabriel Dawe’s Thread Art

James Chiu — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 13:16:22 +0000

Gabriel Dawe’s series of “Plexus” thread art has caught my attention and very much captured my philosophy on design. By using coloured threads in its most simplistic form and reinventing the use to create a beautiful layered installation pieces that are dynamic and detailed on close inspection, but yet simple and strikingly beautiful from a far.

Excrept from Gabriel’s Biography

“In search for creative freedom he started experimenting and creating artwork, which eventually led him to explore textiles and embroidery – activities traditionally associated with women and which were forbidden for a body growing up in Mexico. Because of this, his work is subversive of notions of masculinity and machismo that are so ingrained in his culture. By working with thread and textiles, Dawe’s work has evolved into creating large-scale installations, creating environments that deal with notions of social constructions and their relation to evolutionary theory and the self-organizing force of nature.”

Ralph Lauren 4D Experience

James Chiu — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 11:57:09 +0000

Ralph Lauren’s latest event claims to be “the world’s first 4D experience” and “the ultimate collision of fashion, art and technology”. Executed by a combination of projection mapping, green screen footage on their two flag ship stores in NYC and London.

London 4D experience:

Behind the scenes:

Performance Arts Meets Technology: Miwa Matreyek’s Glorious Visions

James Chiu — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 20:12:06 +0000

When performance arts meets technology. A magical piece.

Excerpt from TED.com “Using animation, projections and her own moving shadow, Miwa Matreyek performs a gorgeous, meditative piece about inner and outer discovery.”

LG’s short film series – Rui Vieira: Algo De Bom

James Chiu — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 13:22:44 +0000

The second installment of LG Portugal’s film series based around the concept of “Life’s Good”, directed by Rui Vieira working with the agency, Fullsix. A lovely short story with some interesting editing, brilliant scores and soft warm colour treatement.

Nokia’s Dot.

James Chiu — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 16:41:48 +0000

W+K’s launch campaign for the Nokia N8 showcases “a number of real-life examples of innovative hacks and modifications folks have devised using Nokia tech. Because it’s not about the technology, it’s what you do with it.”

The latest being the world’s smallest stop-motion animation shot on a Nokia N8 with a microscope attachment. Enjoy the film and be sure to check the making of it.

Russ Chimes – Midnight Club EP

James Chiu — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 16:48:54 +0000

The final installment of a three part film to promote Russ Chimes‘ debut release: Midnight Club EP has arrived. Directed by Saman Keshavarz (through US production company Mighty8), it’s an action packed story telling piece with some lovely visual treatment.

Credits:

Director: Saman Keshavarz
Writers: Saman Keshavarz, Nate Eggert
Executive producer: Lanette Phillips
Producers: Francis Pollara, Saman Keshavarz, Romson Niega
Associate producers: Nate Eggert, Tom Lee
Cinematographer: Justin Gurnari
Editor: Nate Tam
Production designer: Julie Chen
Stunts: Ken Arata
Graphics: Cosimo Galluzzi
Label: Eye Industries (eyeindustries.com/blog)
Production company: Mighty8 (mighty8.tv)

Outrace – London Design Festival

James Chiu — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 13:53:59 +0000

For this year’s London Design Festival, Outrace will be the featured installation in Trafalgar Square. Composed of eight industrial robots from Audi’s own production line, they will ‘write’ user submited short text messages using LED light heads from the Audi cars attached to their mechanical arms, which stretch over three metres long.

“As a user’s message is drawn, the light trace will be simultaneously recorded through a system of high definition, long-exposure cameras, encoded as a video and relayed back to be shared across social media.”

Outrace is the brainchild of KRAM/WEISSHAAR, artists Reed Kram and Clemens Weisshaar, and will be on show from September 16th to 23rd.

Book Sculptures by Jacquline Rush Lee

James Chiu — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 09:00:56 +0000

Stumbled upon a mesmorising collection of work: Book Sculptures by Jacquline Rush Lee, with some stunning pieces which I’d love to have as a centre piece in my living room.

In the artist’s own words:

“I am particularly drawn to objects that record physical processes or bear the imperfections and scars of life. Intuitively chosen, these objects suggest layered metaphors of knowledge and corporeality as an embodiment of the transitory nature of the body, thoughts, memories, or one’s life experiences.”

“…recycled books come with their own histories of use and meaning and how they serve as potent vehicles of expression”

“By scrambling the formal arrangement of the book and transposing its material and conceptual qualities, I aim to create evocative art forms that suggest an alternative narrative.”