Sneakers and Interactive Media Culture

The mysterious, ubiquitous and eminently destructive graffiti artist known as Borf was arrested yesterday after waging a months-long campaign that may have been intended to enlighten Washington, but mostly just confused us.

The man primarily responsible for Borf is, it turns out, an 18-year-old art student from Great Falls named John Tsombikos, according to D.C. police inspector Diane Groomes. He was arrested along with two other young men in the wee hours of yesterday morning after officers received a tip that graffiti artists were spray-painting at Seventh and V streets NW.

Read more.

Also in the DCist.

Who’s afraid of Niketown?
Nike-urbanism, branding and the city of tomorrow
by Friedrich Von Borries

[review by Riba Bookshops]
Who’s afraid of Niketown? illustrates the way Nike is transforming urban space into a new brand city. In his persuasive analyses, Friedrich von Borries is able to demonstrate this process with astonishing concreteness. He proceeds not just analytically, but also undertakes speculative excursions into the future. This approach endows his detailed investigations of contemporary marketing strategies with their forcefulness.

Nike has developed new marketing strategies during the last years which focus on the temporary transformation of urban space into brand-specific sites of experience. By looking at Nike’s strategies of urban interventions, this publication investigates the role that branding and marketing strategies will have on the city of the future as well as the responsibilities architects involved in the projects will have.

Get the book.

This for all the NYC Basketball heads out there. nikebasketball.com just launched a NYC-based version of it’s site. It’s got some information around the hot NYC leagues such as Pro City, West 4th, and Dyckman. There are also player profiles around NYC playground legends like God Shammgod, Fly Williams, and Junie Sanders. The comprehensive league schedules are a nice feature given that during the past few summers it’s been almost impossible to get your hands on these schedules.

Give the site a look.

Here’s a NIKE AIR MAX instore video that my good friend, Joseph Cartman, found on onesize’s site. It’s a new piece to introduce the re-release of the Nike Air Max series, including the new “blackpack” edition.

Check out onesize’s site.

Shin Tanaka is exhibiting his paper AF1 collection at VACANT CHICAGO from JULY 8th to JULY 29th. You can download the PAPER AF1 template from his site and send your designed AF1 .pdf template file to info@govacant.com. The best entries will be on display at the Vacant Chicago exhibition.

Check out Shin Tanaka’s site.

All shoes are hand designed by Seth Brau. The process begins with an all white Vans shoe in either a slipon, authentic or chukka boot. Using fabric markers Seth creates a unique and original design that covers the entire shoe. Every pair is completely one of a kind, no pair is ever repeated ensuring 100% uniqueness.

Check out the site.

Thursday July 7
LONDON :: 6.30-10pm :: Glorias, Old Truman Brewery, Brick Lane E1
Co-presented by FEIT.

Friday July 8
AMSTERDAM :: 6-10pm :: 90 square meters - Levantplein 52
Presented by Endorsed

Check out the site.