David Adjaye’s The Dirty House, Shoreditch, East London. Image: flickr.com

1. David Adjayeis the London-based architect who made his name through the London art scene, working with Tim Noble and Sue Webster on their East London home The Dirty House in 2002 as well as with Chris Ofili and Jake Chapman. Have a look at some of Adjaye’s recent projects HERE, courtesy of the New York Times.

2. Summer reading: Some excellent books for art collectors are listed HERE, courtesy of the Wall Street Journal.

3. Artist spotlight: Jessica Thompson

Jessica Thompson makes portable audio artworks that explore parallels between physical location, psychological space, game playing and public performance.

Jessica Thompson’s Soundbike. Image: ubergizmo.com

For instance, her best-known piece, Soundbike is a laughing bicycle. Using motion-based mini-generators mounted to a bike, the sound of laughter increases as the rider picks up speed. The piece can be yours – imagine the fun! – for approximately $3000.00 Canadian.

Her gallery’s press release says “The rider simultaneously occupies the role of controller, performer and audience, becoming part of the…city through technological intervention.”

It’s sort of the anti-walkman.

VoCA witnessed VIPs riding Soundbike along Miami’s boardwalk at ABMB in 2005.

Thompson is also participating in The Show Your ID Show at HQ Gallery in Brooklyn this month, where she has agreed, “as part of an ongoing performance, to provide HQ with current and accurate location and whereabouts every hour, on the hour, during Gallery hours, for the duration of the exhibition.” (July 1st – August 31)

That should be quite a feat, since she is presently hosting a series of workshops for Thinking Metropolis in Copenhagen. The workshops, where participants create their own bicycle noisemakers (a la Soundbike), culminate in a public performance in the streets.

Jessica Thompsons’s upcoming exhibitions include SoundCycles with David McCallum at InterAccess Electronic Media Arts Centre, Toronto and Fine/Line in Viborg, Denmark, both in September 2007.

Thompson is represented by P/M Gallery in Toronto.

Click HERE for more info.