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Posts Tagged ‘makeovers’

Makeup Not War: Soviet Army Monument’s Many Makeovers

29 Jan

[ By Steve in Art & Street Art & Graffiti. ]

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In recent years the Monument to the Soviet Army in Sofia, Bulgaria has become a colorful canvas for protesters, much to the chagrin of Russian politicians.

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The Monument to the Soviet Army is quite large as military memorials go. Built in 1954, the monument is centered by a 120-ft-tall stone plinth supporting a statue of a Soviet soldier surrounded by admiring Bulgarian women. The monument also features large bronze sculptural compositions on all four sides at ground level. One of these secondary compositions was “artistically vandalized” on June 17th of 2011 by Destructive Creation, a group of street artists who for a variety of reasons have chosen to remain anonymous.

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Destructive Creation descended on the monument at night and were able to paint every figure in the pantheon of attacking soldiers without interruption. The result was breathtaking no matter what one’s political bent, as the onrushing platoon of Soviet troops was transformed into a bizarre version of the Justice League: from left to right there’s The Mask, The Joker, Wolverine, Santa Claus, Superman, Ronald McDonald, Captain America, Robin, and Wonder Woman.

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Spray-painted black text below the figures translates to “In Step With The Times”. Activists embellished the monument the next day, during the Fourth Annual Sofia Pride Parade, before city workers power-washed the monument.

Mask Communications

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The initial vandalizing of the Monument to the Soviet Army resulted in an explosion of international publicity, mainly due to the skill and content of the artwork. In general the reaction was one of bemused admiration, especially from the global geek community, but Russia’s Foreign Ministry was of a different mind. Not only did Russia vocally condemn the vandalism, they pressed the Bulgarian government to find, arrest and punish the artists. This only served to embolden a host of copycat graffiti artists and make the monument the focus of repeated street art protests.

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The next such incident occurred on February 10th, 2012 when the monument’s soldiers were fitted with Anonymous masks of Guy Fawkes in conjunction with anti-ACTA (Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement) protests being held all over Europe. Not certain if the perpetrators were anonymous or Anonymous.

Pussy Riot Act

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On August 17th of 2012, three previously arrested members of Russian feminist protest punk rock band Pussy Riot were convicted by a Russian court of “hooliganism motivated by religious hatred” and were sentenced to two years’ imprisonment each.

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The sentencing was widely criticized outside Russia and on the same day of the conviction, activists placed colorful knit balaclavas (Pussy Riot members’ trademark costume) over the heads of figures at the Monument to the Soviet Army in Sofia.

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On October 15th of 2015, Pussy Riot member Nadezhda Tolokonnikova visited the monument and participated in a reenactment of the original masking event.

Bulgar Not Vulgar

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Observed initially in 2010, the first day of February is officially the Day of Remembrance and Respect to Victims of the Communist Regime in Bulgaria. Approximately 20,000 to 30,000 Bulgarians lost their lives due to state-ordered repression between 1946 and 1990.

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On February 1st of 2013, areas on several sides of the Monument to the Soviet Army were daubed with red, green and white paint – the colors of the Bulgarian flag.

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Makeup Not War Soviet Army Monuments Many Makeovers

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[ By Steve in Art & Street Art & Graffiti. ]

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Modern Home Makeovers: 15 Dramatic Before & After Transformations

08 Nov

[ By SA Rogers in Architecture & Houses & Residential. ]

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Not every radical home makeover turns an ugly duckling into a beautiful swan, but they sure can render the original structures completely unrecognizable, for better or worse. Sometimes no more than the bones of the home stay in place as an entirely new sort of residence rises in its place, while other renovations maintain a starkly visible division between the old and the new. These transformations certainly prove the value of looking past a building’s flaws to its potential, as no matter what a house may look like when it’s purchased, it can ultimately be anything the homeowners want it to be.

Kensington Residence, Sydney, Australia

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There was nothing particularly special about this two-story 1920s bungalow residence in Sydney, Australia, before CplusC Architects got ahold of it and transformed it into a sustainable home. An existing extension to the first floor is vastly improved by a timber screen that improves natural ventilation and gives it loads more curb appeal.

Brooklyn Row House by Office of Architecture

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A 110-year-old Brooklyn row house looked very 1980s with its vinyl siding, boring sash windows and afterthought of an awning, not to mention missed opportunities for vertical expansion and a visual connection to the private outdoor space. Office of Architecture renovated the space inside and out, integrating a second-floor extension, lots of glass and a wooden facade.

Commercial Building to Modern Residence in Thailand

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A gutted five-story commercial building becomes a spacious, luxurious home for an extended family of siblings, their spouses and children in this stunning Bangkok renovation project by IDIN Architects. The first level accommodates the family’s jewelry store, while the rest serves as their private home, full of atriums planted with live trees.

Texas Ranch House Transformation by MF Architecture

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Who would ever think that a ranch house had so much potential? This residence east of Austin, Texas had already been expanded several times and was full of dark, disconnected interior spaces. MF Architecture conserved most of the exterior envelope while knocking out lots of the interior walls, but gave the facade a fresh look with white brick, timber cladding and a high row of narrow windows that bring light inside.

Modest Home in Salmon Arm, Canada

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The couple who bought this property in Canada called it a “run-down, boring sausage-box cookie-cutter house built in ’73 on a large lot with ramshackle garbage-filled sheds.” But they knew it could be more, and took on the project of renovating it themselves, adding a third-floor volume that extends to the ground in the front and back, transforming the facades and tacking on two carports.

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Modern Home Makeovers 15 Dramatic Before After Transformations

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Amazing Apartment Makeovers: 15 Brilliant & Beautiful Remodels

07 Mar

[ By Steph in Architecture & Houses & Residential. ]

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Sometimes it’s hard to see the potential hidden behind a mess of drop ceilings, darkening partition walls and hideously dated kitchens, but the bones of a residential space can be more beautiful than you would have imagined. These 15 bright, spacious, modern apartment renovations open up cramped interiors, make use of vertical space and reveal long-forgotten historic features that add lots of character.

Amazing Transformation in Istanbul
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Looking at the dim, depressing, highly ordinary ‘before’ photos of this apartment in Istanbul, would you ever have guessed at the potential it contained behind all of that plaster? SEA Architects saw the beautiful historical bones in brick and timber, tearing out most of the walls and ceilings to reveal what has been hidden for decades. The results are fresh, creative and highly unexpected.

Formerly Frightening Basement in Barcelona

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Dark and dirty with stained walls and floors, this basement in Barcelona was legitimately scary before RAS architecture got their hands on it. ‘Apartment Tibbaut’ has a single entrance from above, one of three sources of natural light to the space, but octagonal stone pillars and a domed ceiling made it seem promising. These original elements were restored while new partition walls of laminated pine help define the new private areas.

Maximizing a Tiny Parisian Apartment
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How can you live in an ‘apartment’ that’s the size of a closet? Make the best possible use of every inch of space, like Kitoko Studio has done here with a maid room in Paris. A built-in inspired by swiss army knives takes up an entire wall, with the various components pulling out or folding down to reveal a bed, storage, a table, a wardrobe, a staircase, a kitchenette and more.

Multifunctional Addition to Fashion Designer’s Apartment
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A young fashion designer gets a bold and fun new apartment in a historic space within Paris’ Montmartre district courtesy of SABO project. A white built-in storage partition with alternating tread stairs leads to a sleeping loft and separates the living room and kitchen. The latter features a small green wall and vibrant flooring comprised of 25 natural rubber strips in 14 colors.

Two-Level Play Frame in a Moscow Apartment
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The formerly uninhabitable attic of a Moscow apartment has become a fun two-story play space for the client’s children. Ruetemple added the timber structure with a nook for the kids, connecting the lower level to a playroom.

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Amazing Apartment Makeovers 15 Brilliant Beautiful Remodels

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[ By Steph in Architecture & Houses & Residential. ]

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Super Rockers: Familiar Heroes Get Edgy Modern Makeovers

24 May

[ By Steph in Art & Drawing & Digital. ]

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See all of your favorite Marvel and DC superheroes like you’ve never imagined them, covered in tattoos and wearing skin-tight hipster jeans. New York-based illustrator Andrés Moncayo gave Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Wolverine and many more edgy makeovers that are still evocative of their classic looks.

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Superman, for example, is rocking an undercut, neck tattoo and ripped t-shirt. Wonder Woman’s gone a bit rockabilly, while Batman is wearing a hoodie with ears. Thor is clearly the lead singer of a metal band.

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The characters are split up into ‘The Rocking League’ and ‘The Avengers Band.’ Other characters featured include Sue and Johnny Storm, The Flash, The Hulk, Spiderman and Iron Man.

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The artist studied how bands pose in photographs to make each superhero look like they’re too cool for everything. Can you pick out what style of music each one would perform?

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[ By Steph in Art & Drawing & Digital. ]

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extreme retouche photo photoshop cs4 me makeovers

03 Mar

Video Rating: 4 / 5