Dries 2

Dries 1

I Want You - Fiona Apple and Elvis Costello

A stunningly chilling and evocative performance by Fiona Apple with Elvis Costello of his song "I Want You." Sounds like it would be a love song until you actually listen to the lyrics, and watch Apple's performance!

Enjoy.

Lafayette Negative Archive

Miss Regall, copyright V&A 

Images found in the online catalogue to the Lafayette Negative Archive, held by the V&A museum; created by one Russell Harris. It catalogues the photos of commercial photographer JS Lauder, who went by the name of James Lafayette. You can read more about him and his photography studio here.

There are some magnificent images there, be sure to check it out!

Alla Nazimova and Rudolph Valentino
In ‘Camille’. 1921 via

Sally Rand, via.

Shirley Temple, 1933, via.

Lauren Bacall via

Wow, Lily Flexmore! 1905, via

The Blueberry Queen, 1955, via.

Louise Glaum, 1921 via.

Check out many more great images at back-then tumblr.

Intricate Curlings

The pattern of this Aubusson Rug (top) reminds me of the floor at the Uffizi Gallery (bottom). 

Constant Conversation

I kept hearing this song at work, and only today did I finally find out what it was... "Constant Conversation" by Passion Pit.

The music video features Analeigh Tiption (from Crazy Stupid Love) and Tarryn Manning, who caught my eye at the beginning (sitting on the couch, blonde hair.) She looks so different from her role as Doggett in Orange is the New Black that I almost didn't recognise her!

Constant Conversations also appears in the Ministry of Sound's album Futurism. I really like the colours of the album cover.

Which par coincidence reminds me of this Aubusson rug...

And Romany Soup's collage featuring my favourite... Maria de Medici! 

Whatever tenuous the links may be between those things, I hope you enjoy them.

Isme 

Tony Duquette - Dawnridge

Frazey Ford

Really vibing Frazey Ford's song "Done" at the moment. I particularly love her blue jumpsuit!

Bloom

Jim Lambie's staircase stripes, at the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition.

Found via A Don's Life, the blog of historian Mary Beard. 

Timelapse: installing Jim Lambie's staircase from Royal Academy of Arts on Vimeo.

Which made me think of Bridget Riley's stripes...

And then just Bridget Riley in general.

Riley's transformation of St Mary's Hospital, London.

A beautiful portrait of Riley with her work.

Soon after that, I found this wonderful installation by Choi Jeong Hwa, which has made its way all around the world.

A time-lapse video of the installation of Choi Jeong Hwa's "Breathing Flower" in San Francisco's Civic Center Plaza. On view during the "Phantoms of Asia" exhibition at the Asian Art Museum (May 18--September 2, 2012).

To my surprise, and frustration that I missed it, it was in Perth in 2012 - just around the corner from me! How did I miss it!?!?!?

This video is pretty good for getting a sense of what they mean by a breathing flower. 

Now for a tune. 

Of whose lyrics I particularly enjoyed:

'Cause he's better than the rest,

And his own sweat smells the best.

He He. Isme

Svalbard Seed Vault

I was blown away by the discovery of the Svalbard Seed Vault.

"Carved deep into the Arctic permafrost of Norway's Svalbard Islands, and located on a mountain far above the highest historic sea levels, the Svalbard Global Seed Vault safeguards some 750,000 unique crop varieties…" (source)

Photograph by Jim Richardson, National Geographic, found here

 This is total genius, and I am definitely relieved to learn of its existence. It's an amazing project, and if in an eco-mystery/ action novel, I am sure that it would be the target of an evil, moustachioed super villain. The setting itself is fit for a Bond novel.
Do you think the Svalbard Seed Vault a fitting target for an anti-eco Bond villain? Tell me what you think in the comments below.