Travelling, African dictator style

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8 October 2010
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In Design, History, Weird
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Travelling, African dictator style

As there is so much excellent work at the Brighton Photo Biennial this year, I’m going to put up a series of blog posts looking at some of the shows in more depth. First up is a series of photographs by Nick Gleis which reveal the interior opulence of the private jets owned by African dictators in the 1960s and 70s.

The photos, which belong to the Archive of Modern Conflict, are on show as part of an installation of vernacular photography at Fabrica art gallery in Brighton. Gleis has declined to reveal who’s jet these photos are taken in (I’m guessing they are all from the same one but perhaps it is two different planes), and the interior designer is also unknown, but the images all scream 70s glamour at its most extreme — via Creative Review

Amputations, acid gargles and ammonia rubs: Royal Navy surgeons’ 1793-1880 journals revealed

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2 October 2010
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In History
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It wasn’t so much rum, sodomy and the lash the men had to fear in the navy 200 years ago, as the ship’s surgeon heading towards them with a reassuring smile, a saw in one hand and a poison bottle in the other.

Brandy enemas, a strychnine injection, a sulphuric acid gargle, ammonia rubbed on the lips, and three and a half pints of blood taken from a man with pneumonia are all recorded as attempted cures in a century of gruesome and fascinating journals of Royal Navy ship surgeons revealed at the National Archives: all failed — via redwolf.newsvine.com

Vintage and Modern Concept Buses

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20 September 2010
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In Design, History
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Vintage & Modern Concept Buses

One of twelve beauties built by General Motors, this is an exhibition display and transport vehicle, designed by legendary Harley J Earl team. Opening side, lighting, retractable stage, distinctive center ‘cupola’ cockpit driving position and dual wheel front axle. Used in the ‘Parade of Progress’ touring exhibit created by ‘Boss’ Kettering that complemented the GM ‘Motoramas’ from 1940 through 1956 — via Dark Roasted Blend

Ancient Seeds In Mexico Help Fight Warming Effects

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20 September 2010
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In History, Science
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More than 500 years after Spanish priests brought wheat seeds to Mexico to make wafers for the Catholic Mass, those seeds may bring a new kind of salvation to farmers hit by global warming.

Scientists working in the farming hills outside Mexico City found the ancient wheat varieties have particular drought- and heat-resistant traits, like longer roots that suck up water and a capacity to store more nutrients in their stalks — via redwolf.newsvine.com

19th Century Chinese Ornament

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18 September 2010
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In Design, History
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The Textile Blog has an interesting post on Owen Jones’ 1867 book on Chinese ornament, Examples of Chinese Ornament.

These examples of Chinese decorative work show the real beauty of composition, colour tone and balance that was the result of centuries of constant experimentation and innovation by generations of Chinese artists and designers. Certainly a long way from the overly fussy and often trite European version that was Chinoiserie.

— via CRAFT

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