In 2+ years, the folks at 189 Pine View (also known as the artist team Plasmosis) transformed their house into a massive piece of conceptual art. Each room sends a message and could stand alone as something that makes you stop and think. The team’s work all led up to an “Open House / Art Gallery” that lasted for two days. Two days later, the walls were painted white and the house was (gulp) put up for sale. But the pictures shall remain...

Each week, JoshSpear.com explores the latest projects by top creative professionals in the Behance Network and highlights a few that are pushing the edge of creative industry. Josh Spear also serves as an Advisor and Guest Curator for the Behance Network.

Most keyboards are designed with desk ergonomics in mind, but what if you don’t work at a desk? For those who compute in a more casual environment — such as a sofa or bed — your typical keyboard isn’t an ideal accessory. Infinium labs has remedied this problem with the Phantom Lapboard. The unique keyboard/mouse combo rotates 360 degrees in any direction and tilts forward at a 22-degree angle. These design quirks not only make it easier for Southpaws, but the incline allows ample space to slide the accompanying wireless mouse around. And yes, It works with both PC and Mac.

via Yanko Design

If you were ever wondering what gifted individual produced the beats behind those black-screen, white-text bumps on Adult Swim the answer is: a lot of people. Every music geek favorite from Madlib to Squarepusher has taken a turn, but there’s one cat you may have never heard of. Flying Lotus is an L.A.-based producer that has a way with ambient sound and atmosphere, piecing together one pretty mess at a time. Adhering to laptop sequencing, FlyLo keeps the beatstyles messy yet organized. To oversimplify, think of Jay Dee drums and Scott Herren (Prefuse 73, Savath & Savalas, etc) melodics, with the funk squeezed to the surface. His new LP, Los Angeles, is fresh out on Warp Records and will inevitably lead you to his Plug Research release, 1983, as well as other EPs since he signed to Warp. The three-part L.A. EP series will be released over the summer.

Attention Northern California art enthusiasts: If you prefer your art to be functional — which is to say classy-looking sculpture and furniture — we think you’ll be down to check out Proliferation, an exhibition being held at FiveTenStudio from now until July 29. The show is centered around the work of Bay Area artist Annalisa Vobis, whose work (like the Second Nature sculpture) is inspired by organic influences such as coral reefs, as well as her own personal childhood recollections of growing up near Odin’s Forest in Germany. The exposition also features some practical, yet artistically rendered furnishings from other well-known designers such as Mike and Maaike and Ross Lovegrove Be there for the official reception on Friday July 11th from 6 – 9 p.m.

This new guy from D.C. is smart. Wale (pronounced Wah-Lay) smashes open the vocal sampling goldmine that is Seinfeld and uses it as a framework for his Mixtape About Nothing, a record that comes off as one of the best conventional-yet-not hip-hop efforts so far this year. On the opening track, Wale establishes his chosen focus with a beat adapted from the familiar mimicking of Jerry’s stand-up (”What’s the deal with…?). Totally genius.

The tape carries over beats that are derivative of D.C.’s whole Go-Go thing, and Wale’s casual yet intelligent flow. Content-wise, he touches on everything: labels, music, love, lust, success, failure, and one of the most poignant critiques of the N-word, illustrated by Michael Richards’ infamous rant and the subsequent apology for it. Moody, layered, and yet totally accessible, this is an early example from an artist who will surely shake things up in a stagnant scene. Wale brings intelligence back to flare, and I while can’t wait for his album to come out this summer, the Mixtape About Nothing will have to tide us over.