TED conference founder and author Richard Saul Wurman and @Radical Media CEO and RISD Trustee Jon Kamen, and a host of partners are now in hot pursuit of creating an understanding of the cities of the world with their landmark 19.20.21 project. The 22nd century will now get the attention it deserves. -JM

Prof. Hansy Better in our Architecture Department is on a mission to build a BIG hammock. You can help kickstart her project rightaway! I sure did. -JM

Yesterday Bob Vennerbeck in RISD’s Film/Animation/Video Department shared with me this landmark clip by Steve Gentile FAV ‘87 which as Bob describes it:

It was a 6 minute black & white 16mm animated film by Steve Gentile FAV’87 “The Ant Who Loved A Girl”; Sharpie on 3×5 index cards, filmed with a hand-cranked Bolex camera on 16mm HiCon film, which was the only flavor we could develop in-house. Reported budget of $50.

It is certain to make you smile, and reinforce the fact that content always trumps all. -JM

Sorting through the various photos I’ve taken in the last few months, I found this one from the recent 2010 graduate exhibition. It’s from the grad graphic design Make, Do Shop as noted on the Swiss Miss blog. Happy shopping! -JM

I was happy to see RISD alum Andrea Valentini on the cover of Rhode Island Business Quarterly who designs elegant handbags and unisex satchels that can be seen all over the world, including performers like one of my favorites, Kanye West. Check out her world. -JM

Official Green Bus Tour Trailer from Green Bus Tour on Vimeo.

RISD alum Matthew Canale tells me about a new project called Green Bus Tour where he’s an art director helping to serve up green vibes, green foods, and a greener world across the USA. -JM

It was nice to hear from Houston-based RISD Jewelry & Metalsmithing MFA graduate Melissa Borrell about her recent honor in Entrepreneur magazine. Congratulations Melissa! -JM

Above is courtesy of a proud RISD parent who also wishes to share his son Jacob Riley Wasserman ‘10 Furniture Design crit from Tuesday. -JM

Images from yesterday here at RISD. -JM

I picked this book up in an airport somewhere about two years ago, and have kept it by my desk at RISD ever since. It comes to mind particularly as I watch the graduates packing up their rooms and lives getting ready for their next destination in life, and I wonder to myself what is the one thing that I hope they leave RISD with as they enter this vastly changing world? There are the little things that we’re giving them as they step out the door like our new artrepreneur kit. And there are the big, big, big things they’ve mastered through their phenomenal education by our faculty to become critical thinkers and critical makers. But if there’s one more thing to reinforce in their already full minds, bodies, and souls, it would be the simple message in this book of the power of kindness and compassion — something I’ve seen abound here in the RISD culture. These times need people that can create with passion (the RISD Way) and compassion (the RISD Way also). I am hopeful for the future of this year’s graduates as they enter our new world, and that they will remember the strengths they honed at RISD as they take on all their dreams and challenges in this new century. -JM