Inception is the forthcoming blockbuster from Batman director Christopher Nolan and, apparently, it’s all about the architecture of the mind (there’s your design tie-in…). Nolan wrote, produced and directed this flick (or, in the words of Little Britain‘s Dennis Waterman: "write the theme tune, play the theme tune, sing the theme tune…"), so the heat’s on him. However, thanks to a stellar cast, including Leo DiCaprio, Ellen Page and wait for it, Michael ‘ello guv’nor Caine, we think he’ll be ok.

Roadshow Films has three Inception prize packs to give away. Each pack includes: a double pass to Inception; a spinning top keychain; a morph pad (que?); and a helios anti-gravity pen. Apart from the tickets, we don’t really know what any of those things are, but to win them, email the anwer to the question below to (and your name and address) to urbanism@agm.co.nz.

In Inception, what’s the name of the actress who plays Ariadne, an architecture student who joins Cobb (DiCaprio) on an important job? Hint: It’s not Michael Caine and she was in Juno.

>> Inception, the movie

Theatre goers and fans of Stephen Sondheim (and to a lesser extent, Oliver Driver) rejoice! The Silo Theatre and The Edge present the Delmaine Fine Foods season of Assassins, written by the aforementioned Sondheim and John Weidman, and directed, here, by Oliver Driver. Here’s the blurb:

"Part vaudeville extravaganza, part exposé and wholly electrifying, Stephen Sondheim’s masterpiece Assassins and its amazing score reveal uneasy truths about the American Dream. Winner of 5 Tony Awards, this glitteringly subversive musical holds Auckland Town Hall’s Concert Chamber hostage from July 24."
Wow.

Delmaine Fine Foods has an Assassins double pass to give away for Monday 26 July at 7pm. It also has a special selection pack of Delmaine products to give away, valued at $100. Simply click the following email link to be in to win.

>> Win Assassins tickets and Delmaine Fine Food

Melbourne Jeweller, Yuko Fujita’s new exhibition at e.g.etal, a gallery specialising in Australian and New Zealand contemporary jewellery, forms part of the upcoming State of Design Festival’s ‘Look.Stop.Shop’ program. Fujita’s work, described as "transforming recycled objects of ordinary origins into bold pieces of contemporary jewellery", is based around concepts pertaining to imaginary plants, creatures or endangered habitats. Fujita’s uplifting collection is, they say, not to be missed. 

The image, left, is of two works: "Lost World" and "Memory Reading", which are made from a found wooden clog, wooden spoons, 925 silver and paint.

>> Yuko Fujita at e.g.etal

Closer to home, Michael Lett is presenting what promises to be a wonderful exhibition of new painting by Shane Cotton. Dominated by expansive skyscapes, falling birds and blurry air-brushed text, Cotton’s exhibition — featuring four large canvasses and a selection of works on paper — is both a foray into new visual territory and a re-examination of his renowned, and densely woven, politic. 

Pictured at left: Shane Cotton’s Furrows (2010, acrylic on paper, 770 × 560 mm). Visit Michael Lett’s website for more information.

>> Shane Cotton at Michael Lett

For those that live in a bubble, there’s a world cup on right now. A football/ soccer one. It’s in South Africa, and there are several rather spectacular stadiums on show, like the one on your right — the Moses Mabhida Stadium, in Durban, designed by GMP Architekten. That stadium is pretty cool, but what’s almost as cool is this: the Moses Mabhida Stadium Kirigami Paper Model. Check out how the cleverly cantilvered steel construction is reinivented ussing most delicate of materials an an ancient Japanese paper folding technique. It could almost be cooler than the real thing, except the soundtrack is just ever so slightly naff.

>> Paper Stadiums R Us

Just launched today is this great comp which could see you driving around in a sporty new MINI S Cooper Cabriolet all summer long. What better way to chauffeur clients, pick up proofs from the printer, ferry the kids to and from daycare, etc…

To win a four-month lease on this baby, all you have to do is design a wrap for the new MINI cabriolet that best reflects what you (or your company) is about. Enter on line at iwrappeditmyway.co.nz (it’s a piece of cake). Judges will eventually knock the entries down to a final six and then the voting will be turned over to Joe Public to decide the winner. If you get in early — as in one of the first 50 entries early — AGM Publishing will give you an annual magazine subscription to one of its great magazines. Get all the details and check out the entries so far at:

>> iwrappeditmyway.co.nz

Urbis Issue 56 on sale now! Inside, you’ll find great photos of all the recent Urbis Designday installations, including the spectacular Paper Sky collaboration between Poggenpohl and Oh.No.Sumo that graces the cover. There’s also a comprehensive report on the novelties, innovations and trends from the Milan Furniture Fair and editor Nicole Stock’s City Profile on this great Italian design locale. From furniture to fashion, we look at the latest events, shapes and ideas in the local and international design scene.

Subscribe now to Urbis and go into the draw to win $5000 of designer furniture from Coastal Design. Visit www.urbismagazine.com/subscribe