(expect the unexpected)

French photographer Charles Fréger traveled to eighteen countries, investigating ancient tribal customs, and shooting portraits of ‘Europe’s Wild Men.’ See many more images (with explanatory captions) here.

“It all started by drinking too much “Primitivo” wine during the opening of one of my exhibitions,” says Fréger, “I decided to work on something primitive… seems that wine made the right effect to me.”

Sydney, Australia

These are clever… created for the Sydney International Food Festival.

You can find another dozen here…

Buenos Aires, Argentina

This week, a lovely little cloth-bound book of photographs arrived at my studio, Revisiting the Sixties by my long-time friend Ronald Shakespear. You can see more of his eclectic collection of images in an exhibit (PDF) here, or flip through the book online (via issuu) here.

«One day in 1964, I took a plane to Spain to go see Orson Welles, who lived near Juan Perón in Puerta de Hierro. I knocked on his door, without an appointment, and was surprised that he opened the door to me — it did not matter that I had arrived “just like that.” There he was, the great Orson, washing down an old Buick (which never actually ran). The fact that I had no appointment mattered not at all: “Never ask permission,” he said, “Never.”

That cemented my admiration for him. He invited me to the Plaza de Toros in Madrid, I spent a lovely afternoon and took some pictures that I still love. We spent an unforgettable afternoon watching the master bullfighter Curro Giron… then we went to the Plaza Butchery (to buy meat) and Giron gave the bull’s ears to Orson.»

Ronald Shakespear has accomplished what only a few chosen ones do: a total work of art, his own life. As he would say, let us draw a compassionate veil on the long years of our friendship… and throughout those long years, I do not remember him ever stopping to rest, ever taking a break from his multi-faceted creative endeavors that have brought beauty to all things around us, by adding colour to the existing grey. And that includes his photographic work, one of his many talents, where black and white give his touching images the importance of being a precious document of his world and ours.
—Edouard Golbin, Photographer (Paris)

Ronald’s photographs are, first and foremost, photographs. They are pictures of light falling unto things and somehow discovering (and covering) them: direct, strong, bold, more shadow than light. The subjects come later… They are all a self-portrait, a portrait of intensity as a photographic theme. Once again, it’s all Ronald: that is how he talks. That is his language. Those are his signs. Frontal, straightforward, no beating about the bush. Why should his photographs be any different?
—Jorge Frascara, Icograda Past President (Padova, Italy)

Narrative talent is a constant in the work of Ronald Shakespear… “Revisiting the Sixties” is flooded with a poetic yet earthly presence that can be seen in every single portrait. Ronald’s eye is a lens that encompasses all the senses and enables us to share into that intimate, personal world, not only through our eyes, but also through that which is beyond our eyes.
—Marcelo Ghio, Dean, Isil University (Lima, Perú)

Today, we know Ronald Shakespear as a designer with a wide portfolio of celebrated identity and environmental graphics projects. But in the 1960s, one of his primary modes of visual expression was portraiture, harnessing black and white photography to capture friends and celebrities in intimate moments. In his book “Revisiting the Sixties” he shares these photographs again — and today, with the benefit of time and the breadth of his design career, we can appreciate the threads that tie these photos to the rest of Shakespear’s body of work. Like his most successful logos, these portraits are simple gestures and yet they are iconic in their ability to communicate a great deal within a modest format.
—Leslie Wolke, Writer (Austin, Texas)

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David is back in Italy… after a two-year trip to the United States—corporate sponsors are acknowledged. For comparison, see a photo of David taken just over two years ago, here.

(This was sent to me individually by several friends in Europe, so I know it really must be true :-) Le David de Michelangelo est de retour en Italie après 2 années passées aux USA—merci aux sponsors…

Milan, Italy

Franco Brambilla likes to mix nostalgia from the past with cute aliens and beings from Sci Fi movies. See lots more of his creations in this genre here…

Finale Ligure, Italy

Social Design Poster is a concept launched by Sergio Olivotti in 2009. An invitational design competition on the theme of “Autism” drew in some 300 posters from around the world and began a social network of more than 2000 designers. An exhibition of selected submissions subsequently traveled to Spain, Bolivia, Venezuela, France, and Italy.

Shown above is a small sampling of the posters from 2009—you can view many more here. To participate in the current competition (with the theme SEEDS OF PEACE: the Healing Power of Dialogue) access more information here. Note that the submission deadline is 29 February 2012.

Courmayeur, Italy

Climbers in the Alps can now spend their nights sleeping in a tube that cantilevers over the edge of a mountain. New Refuge Gervasutti provides an optimal combination of comfort, safety, and respect for the environment. Installed in mid October on the Freboudze glacier (in front of the spectacular East face of the Grandes Jorasses of the Mont Blanc Range) this alpine refuge is now ready for use by mountaineers and climbers.

This innovative survival unit was designed by Italian architects LEAPfactory, who specialise in modular accommodation for extreme environments. The tube was prefabricated off-site and airlifted to the site by helicopters. The living area is lit in the daytime by a big panoramic window facing towards the valley and contains a kitchen, a table, and seating. The sleeping area is equipped with bunk beds and spaces for the storage of gear.

The comfortable wooden interior finish recalls a traditional mountain hut and is intended to make a stay in the module a pleasing and relaxing experience. A red pattern (inspired by the shaved straight stitch of mountain pullovers, to evoke warmth and comfort) decorates the structure’s exterior and aids visibility to climbers and mountaineers approaching from a distance.

Owner: Italian Alpine Club CAI Turin
30 square metres of usable space
6 contact points with the ground
2500 kg. total weight
12 bed spaces
2.5 Kwh of solar energy produced
2 days to install unit

For a full description of New Refuge Gervasutti, including drawings, interior images, links, and full creative credits, visit dezeen.com (Thanks to designer friend Oliver Oike for putting this lovely shelter on my radar).

Udine, Italy

Chris Gilmour creates incredible life-sized sculptural structures using only cardboard and glue… enjoy more here.

Ortisei, Italy

Willy Verginer is a Tyrolean woodcarver, living and working in the picturesque Val Gardena, surrounded by the Dolomites. His stunning, life-sized wooden sculptures are highlighted with a vibrant palette of acrylic colors…

See more of Willy Verginer’s beautiful figurative work here and on his own website (well worth the visit), here.

Milan, Italy

Recycled furniture meets greenery in Peter Bottazzi and Denish Bonpace’s recycled planters—presented at the recent Milan Furniture Fair. The pair breathes new life into abandoned wooden furniture… each unique planter is repurposed from everyday objects—chairs, shelving, carts, tables, and stands fused together and given new life as a home for lush greenery. (source)