Mondolithic Studios

The painting featured here was just completed – the paint is not even dry and its already been snapped up by a buyer in the magazine publishing industry. The title is ‘Science and Religion’ and is an oil on canvas version of the Wired Magazine cover we did a while back.

I am toying with the idea of doing a smaller set, a triptic, of Red, Green and Blue. The 3 pieces would be sold as a set, and each icon/cross would be approximately 35cm x 35cm. Chris and I have just started playing ‘pass around Polly’ on a couple of new pieces, but if somebody out there is interested, I am sure we can bump a current work in progress in favor of this set.

I am also in the process of commissioning a local artisan here in Guadalajara that specializes in jewlery and precious metals to assist in the creation of a 30-40 cm high three dimensional sculpture of this piece. It will involve custom sculpting and casting, and would be made up of solid gold, platinums (iridium, palladium), silver, with a half circle polished diamond inset with a Mexican Fire Opal (tribute to our new home) for Hals optics, as well as anodized metal (machined aircraft aluminum perhaps). I am thinking we will be using Titanium or stainless steel for the robotic arms as well as the main infrastructure to support the softer metals. I am also wanting to get my hands on some of the ceramic tiles they use for the space shuttle and figure it somehow into one or more elements of the piece. All the individual pieces will be assembled and secured by a set of hexagonic stainless steel machine screws. This will be an interesting, and terribly expensive undertaking - but what the hell. More news as this starts to take shape.

It’s Pride Weekend here in Guadalajara, so its time to put down the brushes – clear our minds – and get out for some dancin and drinks. Have a great weekend – I know we will!

Kenn n Chris

The illustration featured here is an unpublished digital sketch from an assignment for an article on the problems facing China (and the rest of the world) regarding the rapid, mass industrializion of the nation, and the resulting problems – industrial cities where people rarely see the sun; children and adults killed or sickened by lead poisoning and other types of local pollution; and a coastline so swamped by algal red tides that large sections of the ocean no longer sustain marine life.

The New York Times writes ‘The speed and scale of China’s rise as an economic power have no clear parallel in history, so its pollution problem has shattered all precedents. Environmental degradation is now so severe, with such stark domestic and international repercussions, that pollution poses not only a major long-term burden on the Chinese public but also an acute political challenge to the ruling Communist Party. And it is not clear that China can rein in its own economic juggernaut. Zip over to the above link to check out the rest of the article written by JOSEPH KAHN and JIM YARDLEY.

I have also gotten a few emails regarding the absence of our weekly/monthly news and updates mail out. To be honest, while we are on the subject of pollution, Chris and I decided that we were not interested in adding unnecessarily to the pollution of email that is inundating us all.

A few emails also came in about ‘how badly Blizzard sucks’ regarding the cease and desist request. While we appreciate the support, we have no interest in ’sticking it to the man’ or turning this whole thing into some kind of David vs. Goliath publicity stunt.

Have a great weekend!

Inspired by the timeless closing shot from Planet of the Apes…. Liberty is part of the World Without Us series and was originally featured on the cover of Le Scienze Magazine, Italy.

Oil on Canvas – Approx. 70 cm x 46 cm.

OSLO, May 2008.

King Harald of Norway presents mathematicians John Thompson and Jacques Tits with the Abel prize, one of the highest accolades in mathematics. There is a pleasing symmetry at the heart of this year’s award.

The winners are being honoured for ground-breaking work that led to the completion of a project started by Niels Abel, the 19th-century Norwegian mathematician after whom the prize is named. Appropriately enough, that project concerns mathematicians’ attempts to answer the question: what is symmetry?
Most people’s response is to point to the left-right reflectional symmetry of the human face. Or a flower, or a snowflake. But a snowflake has additional symmetries to that of a human face: as well as looking at its two halves, you can also turn a snowflake 60 degrees to match up …

Travel over to New Scientist Magazine to read the rest of this article or pick up your copy at your fave news agents.

This illustration… while not a ‘mathematically perfect’ symmetrical work…  was commissioned by, and is featured on the cover of the latest issue of New Scientist Magazine. Eye personally thought is came out quite well in the end.

You will recognize this latest painting based on an assignment we did for New Scientist Magazine on the building blocks of extra-solar alien lifeforms.

The painting is Oil on Canvas, approx. 60 cm high by approx. 45 cm wide.

Quite pleased I am… now into the gallery with you. Great news is, I think this piece already has a buyer.