FIGHTING THE INDEPENDENT FIGHT

Say hello to our newest section, a spread dedicated to hunting out random art-related movements, organizations, and releases that we think you should know about. Write to us at letters@redefinemag.com to nominate something.




Ever had a secret you were scared to tell the world?
There are numerous places where you can divulge your deepest and darkest secrets anonymously, but none are quite like PostSecret, a fantastic blog that gives readers the opportunity to send in postcards with hand or computer-designed artwork made of any malleable materials.
Below are two postcard submissions posted on PostSecret. Maybe it’s time you made your own. Visit http://postsecret.blogspot.com to see more confessions and get information on how you too can submit the story about that one time you ran over your neighbor’s dog and blamed it on the kid down the street.


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... but the postcard journey doesn’t end with PostSecret.
The work of author Nick Bantock may be nothing new to those who read avidly, as his book Griffin and Sabine earned a spot on international bestsellers lists. In Griffin and Sabine, Bantock crafts a hypothetical story between fictional characters, Griffin and Sabine (duh), and illustrates their mail correspondence by recreating postcards and letters with envelopes that you can open up and explore. The series runs on in a trilogy, and Bantock continues his collage artwork in numerous other books.
Picture books may have lost their allure to the adult literary audience, but Bantock redefines the ways picture books operate. His latest book, Urgent 2nd Class, shows off his ability to create collage art with the best.
Bantock was first and foremost an artist and is now a writer, so it is only natural that he would attempt to meld the two. In his own words, he explains, “... my books are an attempt to marry word and image in such a way that the mind absorbs the two perceptions as a unit.” The result? A work of art that is more like an archaeological or anthropological study than a picture book. See samples online at www.griffinandsabine.com.
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Those who are familiar with cybergoth fashion most likely know about Cyber dreads and falls, but for the unacquainted, these are an innovation in typical synthetic hair. Made mostly from crinoline, cyber hair is an easy, afffordable, and versatile way of spicing up your hairstyle. They come in limitless color combinations, and because they are simple to install, can be used temporarily or for a long period of time.
Please pay a visit to http://www.cyberlocks.org to purchase some of the materials for yourself. Don’t forget to tell them we sent you!

PHOTOGRAPHY: FLUTTERBY STUDIOS, MODEL: LADY ATROPOS

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We’ve given Dave and Debbie a huge amount of love this issue, but here’s some more for them. The two have recently unleashed on unsuspecting citizens their new, 144-page collection of short stories and art, put out on Image Comics. If the few pages we’ve devoted to their work in this issue is not enough to satisfy your burning desire for more, we suggest you pick up one of these, and then write them a love letter.

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Way too many websites think they’re being innovative just because they have a spot of Flash animation, but Martin and Jordan at WeFail know how to combine graphic design, Flash, and wicked cool sounds into an almost cinematic web experience that is more like watching a film short than visiting a website. With images that zoom in and out of one another and movements that don’t apply to real-life physics, WeFail websites make some uncomfortable with their unconventional nature.
Visit http://www.wefail.com to see examples of their work. But be warned: unless you’ve got wads of cash, you probably won’t be able to afford a website by these guys. Here at Redefine, we cry, because we don’t have the wads either.


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Speaking of zooming into shit, the Zoomquilt is the epitome of Flash zooming magic. A collaboration of multiple artists, the Zoomquilt is a vivid painted journey through numerous habitats, from deep forests to what could be the remains of a long lost empire. Imagine falling straight through a neverending world of randomness, and you might have an idea of what to expect. Look for Zoomquilt online, and you’ll find one of the sweetest visual trips this side of acid.

© 2004, 2005 Redefine Magazine - PO Box 95219, Seattle, WA 98145-2219