The Olympics are coming to my city of London. One of the most memorable moments of the Olympics are when an athlete is either extremely rubbish or gets an injury, but still finishes the race. They may be last but they always get huge applause because it’s the taking part that counts, so maybe they should have their own place on the podium.
Volcano snuffer
Ok my flight is supposed to leave Milan monday night but it seems likely it will be cancelled due to the ash in the air from the volcano. So I am without transport or accommodation soon. I went down to Milan train station to see if I can get a train to paris then a eurostar to London. The scene at the station must be similar to the last ash volcano disaster in Pompeii. A mixture of chaos and people standing very still, this time queuing up for a ticket. If anyone out there has a spare seat or knows the best way to London (or Paris/Calais) please let me know. If you have any suggestions on stopping the volcano spew it’s ash add them in the comments and at least I’ll feel like I’m making progress on my escape plan. Thanks Dominic hello@variationsonnormal.com
Milan exhibition
The Entratalibera opening was last night in Milan and was fun I took some photos of the things I showed there including my 500 shoe field, see pics here
iPad simplification
My idea this week is an accessory to transform the whizzbang iPad into a simple practical object that may be useful around the home, in this case a bookend.
I will probably buy an iPad at some point. It is a beautiful object and is apparently wonderful to use. I don’t think I’ll read books on it as a paper book has higher resolution text, is about four times lighter and doesn’t need a battery. The iPad will definitely be a success as an entertainment device, looking at photos, reading an e-magazine, watching a movie and visiting websites, but whether it will become a ‘useful’ thing is a bit of an unknown. Hopefully the people who make the software apps will come up with something that turns the iPad from a delightful luxury item into an essential piece of equipment. Maybe one day we will look back and think ‘what exactly did we do before the iPad?’ or maybe we’ll think ‘Well, it made a stylish bookend’. Your comments are very welcome…
You can see my other Apple related work I did for Esquire magazine’s 75th anniversary edition a while back here. If you’re new to my site check out the other fifty ideas I’ve had by going to the home page and scrolling down. Follow future ideas via Twitter/Facebook/RSS/Email
You’re always on my back
My hips have never been angular enough to give comfortable piggy back rides. My rider tends to slip off due to the unceasing pull of gravity combined with my lack of hip ridge. Hopefully this will solve it.
In other news I am exhibiting, amongst other things, my field made from hundreds of shoes (see last years version here) during the Salone del Mobile in Milan 14th – 19th April. This time I am using even more Terra Plana shoes (500!). From the practice run in the studio its looking good. The opening is 6pm on the 14th come along and say hello. I will be around most days, if anyone has another exhibition in Milan let me know and I will visit you.
Entratalibera
Corso indipendenza 16
20129 milano
italy
map link
I like, love, loved you
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Welcome mat carpet
A prickly situation
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I just wash and go flying
If I ruled the world: 1# Cleaning up the streets
This weeks thought popped into my head as a method of relieving my passive aggressive rage on seeing someone throw something out his car window.
Two way toothpaste
My idea this week is a two way toothpaste, ideal for those who get angry with their partner for squeezing the toothpaste from the front. Simply open the other end and squeeze from the back as demonstrated below. Also quite useful for getting the last of the paste out of the bottom.
I admit that I squeeze from the front but I hope that by recognising the problem I have taken the first steps towards becoming a better person. With thanks to my excellent illustrator friend Clare Mallison for the use of her hand. For those who like this idea see my previous genetically modified egg or my home stats doorbell. <<Follow more ideas on Twitter/Facebook, © Dominic Wilcox.
Related work
Work hard, play hardly
Ironically uploaded after a day sitting behind my desk.
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Practice makes perfect
I played a lot of football when I was young, I had trials for Sunderland school boys. I failed but I’m sure having this rude ball would have helped my chances. Alas, I’ve only just come up with it now, twenty years too late, so another dream has passed me by.
Show me your shoes!
In 2000 I saw a documentary about the Royal College of Art on BBC2 that focused on a course called Design Products. There was an artist on the course and the projects seemed to be very conceptual, ideas based, so I decided to apply.
When I walked into the interview room there were about six people standing around a table looking at my sketchbooks. A man said ‘show me your shoes, show me your shoes!’ This confused me at first but later I learned that he was refering to a drawing in my sketchbook (shown above). This man turned out to be Ron Arad, a famous designer and architect. Luckily I was accepted on the course based on this and my other sketched ideas.
People of the dark, watch my talk.
I give talks about my work every now and again. The audiences are usually in darkness and I wonder what they are doing as I chatter away.
The wind in my sails, guaranteed
Facial hair? What’s under there?
My own little paradise
By a thread
Here is a new project I have done called ‘By a thread’, random colours of thread are hand wound onto a wooden walking stick.
You can see more pics and a video on my main project site dominicwilcox.com
Hill walking easyfication
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War hungry
While making my War Bowls (see below) a number of years ago I came across this little fat soldier. He was obviously a freak manufacturing defect but to me he was special.
Celebrity observations
For the new website launch of sightunseen.com I was asked to do some sketches. I did about six pages on the shallow theme of celebrity (Kanye West grabbing, Gordon Ramsey swearing, Madonna dancing and Tom Cruise bouncing). To see them all and an article about me go here.
je ne regrette rien (ish)
I have a regret that I didn’t say ‘I love you’ enough to someone before they passed on. I was shy and quiet as a child and I think those direct words just didn’t come out as often as they should have. Shyness can cause so many regrets about things that should have been said but weren’t.
Nov 10th, 2009
Don’t speak with your mouth full Dominic!
Nov 2nd, 2009
The reason we have eyebrows
Oct 28th, 2009
Dominic Wilcox 