COOL PEOPLE: JOHN BRAMBLITT

THE BLIND YET VISUAL ARTIST

John Bramblitt is not who you would call ordinary. After going blind due to complications with epilepsy in 2001, John, whose dream was to become a creative writing teacher, was crushed. Feeling deeply depressed John discovered the world of painting and the results have been quite impressive:

John had never painted before going blind. Yet after about a year of practice and figuring his way through, John has mastered the concept.

Sold in over twenty countries his art has appeared in print, television, and radio. It’s also been showcased in the CBS Evening News, ABC, BBC Radio, and featured in The New York Times and Psychology Today.

John uses brailed tubes to identify colors and preconceived recipes for color combination. He also paints using his hands as a guide for the paintbrush. By doing this he states that it helps put down better lines on the canvas. John has also used different types of paint and can figure out which is which by their texture. 

Though he is self-taught, he has learned to use raised lines to help guide him through the canvas, giving him a haptic visualization of what the picture looks like.

John Bramblitt is not what you would call ordinary. No, he is in fact exceptional. In his first art show John refused to tell anyone he was blind because he “didn’t want it to affect the way [people] perceived the art.” He has also embraced his condition. This is evident in how he signs each of his pieces where you’ll see two circles with “X’s” painted over them. Absolutely fantastic.

Here is an awesome CBS interview about the man himself:

Bramblitt has demonstrated to all of us that a set back (whether minor or major) does not mean you should despair because we are much more capable than we know. Sometimes it takes setbacks to discover what those capabilities are.

By: Oliver R. Pernt

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COOL ICON: GRAFFITI ARTIST DONDI

The Color Of Unity

It’s impressive what one action is capable of achieving, isn’t it? The concept that an idea, no matter how small can make such a big impact has always been a point of inspiration for me. How creating something astounding can come from a seemingly innocent, and perhaps irrelevant act like painting a simple “name” on random structures found in a city.

That is why I fell in love with the world of graffiti. As a kid growing up in the concrete jungles of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro it was easy to get lost in the greyness of it all. But it was the murals, the creative and colorful writing, and uniqueness of each piece that molded my love for the artistic world. It was graffiti where I was initially exposed to the intricate being of art. Da Vinci, Monet, and Klimt came later.

That is why, in honor of Black History Month, I want to speak about a hugely influential African American man you’ve probably never heard of: Mr. Donald Joseph White A.K.A. Dondi. Considered one of the most influential graffiti artists in the history of the art form.  

Born in Brooklyn, on April 6^th 1961, Dondi was born into a difficult world. Brooklyn at the time was an unstable region due to racial tension and social conflicts, which was mostly brought out by gangs. Gangs ruled the streets to such a degree that he joined several of them in order to avoid any unwanted aggression.

It was in the mid 1970’s, his teen years, where graffiti started to be a big part of Donald’s life. Using the tag name (graffiti signature/artist name) “NACO” and “DONDI”, Donald progressed (much like Taki183 or Tracy168, the Godfathers of graffiti) from simple tagging to richer, more elaborate pieces. 

After being a part of the TOP (The Odd Partners) crew, he went out and started his own. With such noticeable artists as CRASH, DOC, and RASTA, the CIA (Crazy Inside Artists) crew changed the landscape and throughout the next 20 years Donald became well known as the standard for stylistic pieces, influencing countless young artists for years to come.

Throughout his career his “Children of the Grave” pieces (part 1, 2, and 3) were the most famous. Each piece covered the whole exterior of a subway car and the name was taken from a Black Sabbath song.

These pieces, along with many others helped change the perception that graffiti was a foul, criminal attempt at art, and allowed Donald to bring graffiti to the world, making him the first graffiti artist to have a one-man show in the Netherlands and Germany, and furthermore his work was collected by European museums.

Looking over this art form, what I love about graffiti is the irony of it all: How you make limitlessness from limits. Whether it is financial limits (not enough money to afford decent paint and canvas), educational limits (no proper training), or city limits (walls, buildings, bridges, trains, etc), graffiti doesn’t care. The world is your canvas. All that is stopping you is your imagination.

Another irony, and perhaps the most important part of the graffiti movement, is how this colorful movement doesn’t see color. Since its birth, graffiti was established by diversity. Race was never a limiting factor, and through its expansion, it could be considered one of the best race unifiers to date.

From New York, to São Paulo, to Rio, to Wynwood, what I’ve noticed above anything else is that creative expression in raw form is a platform for the ever-existential need to create, to show, to be. As people we continuously strive to make a mark in this world of ours, whether it be in a positive or negative light and through the expression of an idea we are able to not only make a statement, but change its perception as well. It opens our eyes to new ways of seeing, and as I sit here in Wynwood, I can’t help but feel that Dondi needs abundant acknowledgement because without his actions, the action of some before him and many after him, this beautiful part of Miami I feel blessed to work in simply wouldn’t exist.

Because of this I, as well as everyone here at COOL want to thank the late, great Donald “Dondi” White. His “irrelevant” actions made a very relevant contribution by breaking the color barrier with color.  #CertifiedCOOL

 By: Oliver Pernt

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ART SAKE : COOL TAKES BASEL WITH #TheSELFIE

Interactive Art Exhibition Shows Us 

the Two Faces of #TheSelfie

The interactive art exhibition took place in the heart of Wynwood at the Lab Miami, known as the hub of the tech movement in Miami. Guests were greeted by hosts then directed to the interactive fine art pieces featuring some of Miami’s influencers in music, fitness, fashion, art and entrepreneurship. Selfie subjects include: Cuchi Of Afrobeta, Tony Smurphio Of Afrobeta, Johanne Wilson, Julz Goodard, Terrance Wilson, Sheyla Beaujin, Rosie Pradel, Ramses Principe, Annie Vasquez, and Charles Reynolds. “It is an honor to collaborate with COOL Creative on this project,“ says photographer Adrian Ruiz of Uneeq Productions.

Each work of art features a black and white portrait one of the influencers surrounded by a vibrant custom graphic pattern inspired by their personality. The portraits are “faceless” as they are covered by a smartphone to similate the way we look as we take selfies in the real world. As they visit each piece, people are invited to scan digital codes to see the other side of each selfie, without the phone covering the face. #TheSELFIE explores the relationships between the real and digital world, the duality of selfies, and stories behind the selfies. “I took a selfie in a dressing room and when I looked at it, I realized that my entire face was covered up” explains artist, Johanne Wilson.  ”At that moment, I was inspired to do this project. It’s about the duality of our lives in the digital and real world.”

The art exhibition continued to the back of the building where artist, Terrance Wilson was completing his monumental mural that explored the relationship of nature and technology. “It’s a representation of the past, present and future,” says the artist. It is one of Wynwood’s only free-hand murals. The artist did not create a pencil drawing to trace or project the image onto the wall, “I just let my hand flow,” says the artist. The black and white mural can be seen from 25th street between 4th and 5th avenue.

Guests enjoyed art, great vibes provided by DJ Legato, and the most artful sangria by Sangria Lolea. Lance Bass of NSYNC even showed up, spent time and enjoyed the exhibition. “When he asked me to sign the prints he purchased I almost passed out,” recounts the artist. The exhibition was very thoughtful, well organized and engaging.  “This is one of the only events I’ve been to that had a great melange of art and event,” boasted Juan Carlos Arcacia of Pure Etiquette. “This is a celebration of our inaugural appearance at Art Basel. It’s only going to get bigger and more creative,” says Johanne Wilson.

To purchase prints and original pieces visit the shop: https://squareup.com/market/cool-creative-inc

Recap video can be viewed here:

To purchase prints and orginal pieces visit the shop: https://squareup.com/market/cool-creative-inc

See more COOL here.

ART SAKE: #NatureIsSpeaking

LUPITA NYONG'O, JULIA ROBERTS, HARRISON FORD, PENÉLOPE CRUZ, 

ROBERT REDFORD, and KEVIN SPACEY

are among the elite actors that have joined forces for a conservation mission.

Watch the films. Join the conversation. Do something.

This definitely a #CertifedCOOL and absolutely necessary movement.

THE HUMANIFESTO

Nature is not dependent on human beings to exist.

Human beings, on the other hand, are totally
dependent on nature to exist.

The growing number of people on the planet
and how we live here is going to determine the future of nature.
And the future of us.

Nature will go on, no matter what.
It will evolve.

The question is, will it be with us or without us?

If nature could talk, it would probably say it doesn’t much matter either way.

We must understand there are aspects of how our planet evolves
that are totally out of our control.

But there are things that we can manage,
control and do responsibly that will allow us
and the planet to evolve together.

We are Conservation International and we need
your help. Our movement is dedicated to managing
those things we can control. Better.

Country by country.

Business by business.

Human by human.

We are not about us vs. them.

It doesn’t matter if you’re an American,
a Canadian
or a Papua New Guinean.
You don’t even have to be particularly fond of the ocean
or have a soft spot for elephants.

This is simply about all of us coming together
to do what needs to be done.

Because if we don’t, nature will continue to evolve. Without us.

HERE’S TO THE FUTURE. WITH HUMANS.

TREND TALK: HELLO AFRICA!

A NEW COOL IS RISING OUT OF AFRICA

Africa’s influence in fashion, business and innovation is growing. According to trending watch.com “…Africans are expecting brands to champion, support and cater to the identities they create for themselves.”  The new Guinness ad highlights a society of “elegant” people in the Congo known as the Sapeurs. The video follows these trendsetters who believe in ‘putting more in, to get more out.’ What shapes their identity is not economic status, but creativity and respect expressed through fashion.

Beyoncé on the cover of L' Officiel Magazine

Singer Elle Varner rocks an african teacup dress on-set of video shoot

Solange in African inspired outfit on the cover of Complex magazine

Rihanna accessorizes with African bangles during her 2010 AMA performance 

African Design Makes Waves:

As African-inspired prints & patterns are becoming more popular with fashion bloggers, trend-setting celebrities (like Beyonce & Rhianna), top stylists and designers; Africa is continues to make big waves in fashion and design. African Batik fabrics such as Dutch Wax prints (also known as Wax Hollandais), Ghanaian Kente cloth and Ankara, Kanga (a fabric from East Africa) have been worn down the runways of New York, London, Milan and Paris. The Balenciaga collection for spring 2013 featured African fashion influenced by Dutch wax prints and Ankara. H&M included African elements in their 2012 collection developed by the designers of the Italian fashion label Marni.

Recently Project Makowla launched an innovative new service that allows vendors to sell their African-inspired pieces and reach their consumers all over the world in a more direct manner. Now, people can have custom pieces based created with authentic African fabrics. The process is simple. Customers send photos of their favorite design, measurements and their choice of African fabric. A seamstress from West Africa or Ghana will then create the custom piece and ship it directly to the customer.  

Nigerian-born designer Duro Olowu is another example of the impact and cultural reach that Africa is making globally. Olowu was one of the first designers to collaborate with JCPenny and released a limited edition collection in the spring of 2013. Based in London, Olowu pulls influences from his London up-bringing as well as his Jamaican and Nigerian roots. FLOTUS, Michelle Obama, is just one of the many celebrities that have been seen in his head-turning designs. 

Duro 2013 Collection for JCPenny

Another COOL movement, Africa is Now, goes beyond fashion and includes five themes to promote innovative solutions; Africa is Sharp, Urban, Tradition Reinvented, Resourceful and Transformed. As a part of the movement, the Indaba Project has been created to feature works in design, dècor and architecture across the continent. Rebranding Rwanda is is one of the projects in the works under this project. 

Other projects include developing art exhibitions and galleries in Dakar called Dak'Art. International artists are selected from all over the world with the aim of creating a global image. There is also a kickstarter campaign called BRCK which developed the first mobile wifi device built for Africa’s most undeveloped regions.

There are so many more innovative African-influenced projects happening all over  world. To get more information on these #Certified COOL and creative projects, you can visit the official Design Indaba site. You can also get in on all the cultural vibes below with our style edit! Happy shopping and stay COOL.

THE SHOPPING BAG
#CertifiedCOOL AFRICANA FASHION FINDS 

Check out more COOL here.

By: Joanne Joseph, COOL Contributor

ART SAKE : WU TANG TO SELL JUST ONE COPY OF THEIR SECRET ALBUM

Somewhere hidden in Marrakech, Morocco, inside a vault housed beneath the shadow of the Atlas Mountains, there sits an masterfully engraved silver-and-nickel box. Inside... the Wu-Tang Clan’s NEW double-album The Wu – Once Upon A Time In Shaolin, (recorded in secret over the past few years). British-Moroccan artist Yahya, whose works have been commissioned by royal families and business leaders around the world, created the one-of-a-kind work of art. The preciously crafted container took three months to make.   

WuTang will make and sell just one copy of the album. According to RZA, 1 million pounds has already been offered to the legendary hip hop group. “We’re about to sell an album like nobody else sold it before,” says Robert “RZA” Diggs, the first Wu-Tang member to speak on record about Once Upon A Time In Shaolin, in an exclusive interview with FORBES (source http://www.forbes.com). “We’re about to put out a piece of art like nobody else has done in the history of [modern] music.  We’re making a single-sale collector’s item. This is like somebody having the scepter of an Egyptian king.” 

In a recent interview with Wendy Williams, RZA explained that music has become devalued.

This is his attempt to elevate and reclaim music as true artform. The plan is to the album on a museum and gallery tour. The approach is similar to the way a priceless piece of fine art is exhibited and toured. Visitors will be able to view and listen to the 31 songs on headphones. There will be extreme measures taken to ensure that a single note doesn't gets leaked.

After the tour, the bidding war will begin.

The album produced by Tarik “Cilvaringz” Azzougarh has an air of the vintage Wu-Tang sound that made the group famous. As Cilvaringnz worked on the masterpiece, he had a lot of time to think about the shelf life of his work. “It took a long time,” says Cilvaringz. “After five years, I’m sitting here and I’m like, ‘Am I really going to release this record and see it die after a week?" (source http://www.forbes.com). That was the beginning of the "one copy" concept.

Cilvaringz hope is to inspire a shift, appreciation and renaissance of the art of sound. There's even talk of the idea this reviving the practice of commissioning private music. Everything about this is jaw-dropping and exiting! This is like a new, organic, remixed, titanium-covered Save the Music campaign and we think its #CertifiedCOOL.

This certainly a way to keep their "WuTang Forever" mantra alive.

ART SAKE : PUMA'S, PENCILS, AND BULLETS - Federico Uribe

Close up shots (Source)

Walking around Miami's Wynwood Arts District we stumbled upon one of the coolest exhibitions we have ever experienced: Frederico Uribe's, "Realm of the Unreal." The contemporary artist created a wonderland entirely made of unexpected objects including: compact discs, Puma sneakers, colored pencils, plastic forks, bullets, yard rakes and more. 

At first glance we didn't realize what we were looking at, we just thought,  "wow this a fun space." As we moved closer we discovered that the birds on the wall were made of cut open Puma sneakers, the water was made of compact discs, the swimmers had swim caps made of computer keys, and the chandelier was made of plastic forks. As we moved through the space, we got hypnotized by all the details we kept uncovering.

We soon noticed a crown surrounding what looked like a moving version of all the sculptures we had been looking at. As we moved closer we discovered that the sculpture  was actually the artist himself dressed in his unbelievable creation. 

We learned that Uribe had spent the past 7 years laboring over this epic fantasy world.

He was incredibly gracious and timid as he hid behind the thousands and thousands of colored pencils that blanketed his face and body.

Learn more about Uribe on his website.

#CertifiedCOOL