Memes, cowboys, books and displays fonts: Things is back!

Let’s face it, January isn’t the best month around. It’s cold, it’s dark and it’s full of the guilt of failing your New Year’s Resolution in the first week. There is an upside though! For us the presents continue well into the new year as we unwrap all the goodies you’ve sent us over the last month in 2020’s first edition of Things.

This month’s round-up includes a device to help us communicate more succinctly, a celebration of the over application of hazard tape and a book dedicated to the humble meme.

If you would like to contribute to next month’s Things, please send your designs to this address.

Bill Cunningham: On the street

“The best fashion show is definitely on the street. Always has been. Always will be” – Bill Cunningham

Having photographed fashion on New York’s streets for over 40 years, Bill Cunningham amassed quite the archive before his unfortunate passing in 2016. This book of his work takes us on a tour through the decades, charting the changes in fashion and the city itself over almost half a century. It includes many of his most famous photographs from his weekly New York Times column, as well as a number of previously unseen images unearthed from his personal collection. Accompanying the photographs are a number of essays from those he photographed and worked with, including one of his favourite subjects, Anna Wintour.

Point.51 : Issue 02

Point.51 is a new photojournalism magazine that explores a different theme in each issue. Britain is the latest subject to be put under the lens, with articles exploring difficult contemporary topics such as Scottish Independence, EU membership and the demise of industry. There is a mixture of long form photojournalism accompanied by a purely photographic feature, which in this issue documents how important locations from British history look now.

The Memeing of Life: A Journey Through The Delirious World of Memes

The internet gets blamed for ruining everything, from the demise of bookshops, cinemas, newspapers, it’s usually the internet’s fault. This is probably true, however the internet has also helped contribute to endless technological advances that have been of benefit to mankind, and memes. The Memeing of Life is a compendium of some of the most famous memes out there, and is designed by Kind Studio in South London. It’s written by Angus Harrison (formerly of Vice), who has provided in-depth analysis on favourites such as Harambe, The Distracted Boyfriend and an exclusive interview with Bad Luck Brian.

Felix Salut

WOW, COD, OMG, MAP, NFL. These are just five of the 17,576 three letter acronyms (TLA) you can make with this display from Felix Salut – add in the numbers as well and there are a possible 24,336 combinations! The Amsterdam-based experimental design studio’s idea is to strip things back and provide a desktop equivalent to text speak, its simplicity helping you to communicate succinctly.

Annie Forrest: Giddyup

This photobook by Annie Forrest captures the cowboy spirit that has been transformed and modernised by Canadian musician Orville Peck. Peck and his band have championed an old-world aesthetic which is always present in the photographs, meaning you can expect tassels, bolo ties, spurs and cowboy hats a-plenty. The photographs were taken during Peck’s North American tour, combining images of a fast-paced musician’s lifestyle with tender moments experienced on the road.

Loupe

This is the tenth issue of the independent photography magazine Loupe, which as of this year will now be available to buy. This issue’s theme is National Identity, a subject that is explored throughout the magazine in some rather striking ways. Brexit is obviously included in here too, this time in the form of Olli Hellmann’s entertaining series of people peering over the white cliffs of Dover. The theme is also explored outside of the UK, with articles covering the unique identity of Gibraltar and an exploration of masculinity in Sicily.

The Happy Reader

A feature with Grace Wales Bonner adorns the cover of The Happy Reader this month. The fashion designer, whose clothes come with a reading list of their own, discusses her literary influences with writer Ben Okri in this issue. Within the beautifully laid out pages you can also find still lifes by Dutch photographic duo Blommers/Schumm, and a recollection of a nightmare from Jarvis Cocker.

This Book is Anti-Racist: 20 lessons on how to wake up, take action and do the work

This illustrated guide to race, history and society combines historical context with practical information on how to eradicate racism. The book is written by Tiffany Jewel, a US-based writer and racism educator, and is aimed at young adults in the hope that it will provide them with the tools to deal with the issue. Accompanying the text are vivid illustrations that bring the pages to life by Parisian-based Aurelia Durand.

Pentagram Papers 49

“Once there was a car, a lamp post, a door and an armchair, sitting by a road.” This is the quote on the inside cover of this edition of Pentagram papers, and to be honest it’s one that says all you need to know about this selection of photographs. Featured are streets punctuated with discarded furniture, bird poo-covered cars and buggies hanging from road signs. London appears heavily in the book, providing another reminder to us of why we love it so much…

Hazardography

This is a project by Munich-based creative, Jez Owen, who was inspired by the reckless abandon with which people use Hazard tape to fix things. Initially based on found examples of this in everyday life, Jez joined in on the fun himself, creating his own objects and leaving them in unpremeditated places. The result: hazard tape-wrapped pineapples, cutlery, suitcases and cups in some rather unexpected urban locations.