Emoji Art – Emoji Foundation 😂

Emojiland the Musical is Here!

Niki Selken — Fri, 13 Jul 2018 18:10:23 +0000

New York City, land of theater dreams brings the dreams of Emoji Foundation to life with the first Emoji Musical ever made. “Emojiland: the Musical” is everything we could have wished for and more. The musical follows the interconnected lives of 12 emojis inside a smartphone and stars Broadway favorite Lesli Margherita. Emojiland plays July 17, 19, 21, and 22. Full schedule here. The play was produced with the help of a Kickstarter campaign. Here is what the team has to say about it:

Emojiland is a brand new musical about emojis living inside a smartphone. It’s part comedy, part tragedy, but all emoji. We first had the idea to make an emoji musical in May 2014, right around when Apple turned on the iPhone emoji keyboard by default… over a year before “The Emoji Movie” was announced. Some people get confused about that, so now you know!

Here is what critics are saying about Emojiland.

With Award winning director, Thomas Caruso directing and Hollywood darling, Keith Harrison on book and lyrics, this show is made for success. If you don’t believe us, just take a look at their promo video. If you like what you see then grab some tickets to the show!

Emoji Foundation Founder, Niki Selken, shares Emoji secrets on a new Podcast!

Niki Selken — Mon, 26 Mar 2018 18:07:27 +0000

Nick Duska, host of the Right After Breakfast podcast interviews Emoji Foundation creator, Niki Selken

The Right After Breakfast podcast has one goal: help you discover your passions, merge them with your work, and create a lifestyle you love. Nick talks to an influential guest every week that shares their stories, lessons, and tips on how to accomplish just that.

During the interview, Niki uncovers her process in creating the Emoji Foundation and Emoji Dictionary as well as her latest Emoji project, Emoji Flower VR. Learn about Emoji in art, culture, and Emoji translation. She will uncover the role of algorithms in out daily lives. You can download Niki interviewed on Right After Breakfast podcast here.

Niki Selken ‍ is the founder of Emoji Foundation and the creator of the Emoji Dictionary and VR game EmojiFlower VR. Her work focuses around storytelling, games and interaction design. She is a resident artist and creative code teacher at in the Gray Area where she is researching VR and AR. Niki attributes her intuitive understanding of the translation and meaning of Emoji to her extensive Japanese stationery collection and study of Japanese Butoh and Noh theater. When she is not expanding her Emoji Empire she enjoys designing and playing games, Karaoke and of course, texting Emoji ❤️!

Try Emojiflower VR at OMG Emoji!

Sarah Vickers-Webb — Fri, 09 Feb 2018 20:11:17 +0000

Saturday plans consist of texting your pals bored emoji faces? How about dressing up as a fun emoji instead? Better yet? Play emoji-fueled virtual reality game EmojiFlower VR, dressed in full costume, dancing with hundreds of other emoji fans!

Celebrate emoji culture with like minded folk at Mystopias’s OMG Emoji! event at the Great Northern on Saturday, February 10th at 10 pm. The event features a full lineup of DJ’s, including NYC’s Salinger, and SF favorites DJ Brian, Bradley P, and more. Prizes, including a grand prize of $200 will be awarded for best costume.

And we’ll be there!

Visit Emoji Foundation’s table to sample EmojiFlower VR, the world’s first emoji-themed virtual reality game, currently available on the Apple Store. Created by Emoji Foundation director Niki Selken, EmojiFlower VR features delightful, 90’s inspired visuals and a 3D audio with original music by San Francisco musician Tim Vickers.

Can’t wait? Purchase Emojiflower VR, for use with Google Cardboard or other compatible virtual reality viewer here.

Mystopia is a nonprofit organization dedicated to designing inspired and dazzling experiences for the Burning Man community, and their friends, year round. Never been? OMG Emoji! is open to anyone and everyone who loves to dance and share their love of Emoji.

The Great Northern is located at 119 Utah Street, San Francisco. Tickets for OMG Emoji! are available on Eventbrite.

Real Housewives of Beverly Hills Season 7 Emoji Recap

Sarah Vickers-Webb — Sat, 18 Nov 2017 01:10:04 +0000

Queen Erika Jayne of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills never fails to deliver– on the show, the stage, or life in general. Friday seemed like a regular morning. I woke up, fed my kid, and was about to run out the door. The I saw this:

We were late to school.

My first reaction? Shame. How did I miss this? Would a maid of honor “forget” to check the date on her wedding invite? Would a midwife scan passed her client’s due date? Would Lisa Rinna miss a duster-related deadline for her QVC fashion line?

These women, particularly those of Beverly Hills, Atlanta, and New York (although this past season of Dallas was a true delight, see Leeann’s monologue ) are the friends I never thought I’d have, will never actually want to have, and who will probably never have me.

Photo Collage Credit: All About the Tea

I watch them when I am happy, I watch them when I am sad, I would have watched them while I was giving birth, except I was, disappointingly, all caught up (seriously, ask my husband). If I were to redo my wedding, each bridesmaid would dress as different housewife, and I would (obviously) wear Erika Jayne’s confessional dress/Lisa Vanderpump reunion dress from season 6.

After losing my father this year, I delved deeper into the Housewives franchises, particularly Beverly Hills, looking for stability and understanding in a world of chaos and grief. Did I find it there?

To be honest? A little. Mostly from Erika Jayne (How Many Fucks is basically my anthem). And a tiny bit from LVP.

More than anything, the Housewives shows are a dependable source of distraction, where we watch wealthy women (usually not actually housewives) hire people to make them look pretty, go pretty places, do pretty things, yet act ugly AF… and it will never change (please, Saint Andy Cohen, never let it change!).

Back to the shame… after a few moments of staring strangely at a wall, I remembered that 1) shame keeps us self centered (thanks therapy!), and 2) I had to get my kid to preschool.

So, just like Dorothy Day, I shifted my focus from shame to being of service to those with less than myself, namely the poor souls WHO SOMEHOW DID NOT WATCH RHOBH SEASON 7 !!!????

For those unable to prioritize catching up, I give you Real Housewives of Beverly Hills Season 7 in emoji translation. Because, sometimes, there are no words.

RHOBH 7, Episode 1: Stronger Than Ever

…in which we returning to the land of wealthy women arguing about strange things at boring parties, meet Dorit and her awful husband PK, and attend Erika Jayne’s surprisingly boring birthday party.

RHOBH 7, Episode 2: Buddha Bentley Birthday

… in which we attend another boring birthday party at Dorit and Pk’s, discover Erika Jayne will act on The Young and the Restless and watch Dorit ridicule Erika Jayne’s designer t-shirt dress.

RHOBH 7, Episode 3: Going Commando

…in which we witness the beginning of Pantygate–possibly the dumbest plot line ever to grace the RH franchise–and learn PK, a creepy, shiny man who enjoys looking at vaginas while twirling his finger in a circular motions, started it.

RHOBH 7, Episode 4: Pantygate

…in which Pantygate boringly dominates Dorit’s conversations, Kyle works on her tv show about her childhood, and Lisa R sells so many awful dusters on TV that she is told Harry Hamlin will never have to work again???

RHOBH 7, Episode 5: Amnesia Appetizers

…in which PK and Dorit invite Lisa R to an awkward dinner party and ask her if she and Eileen were mad at Lisa VP because their parents died, Erika Jayne voices her irritation at Dorit, and Elliot Mintz is weird.

RHOBH 7, Episode 6: Compromising Positions

…in which Kyle hosts her annual game night (requiring a party planner and an assistant for some reason), Lisa R and Kim clash again, Dorit talks more about Erika not wearing underwear that time, and Eden begins asking about people’s sobriety.

RHOBH 7, Episode 7: It’s Expensive to be Me

…in which Eden and Lisa R go shopping and discuss Kim and Kyle’s relationship and Lisa R informs us that Kim is somehow close to death, we witness the making of Erika Jayne’s “It’s Expensive to Be Me” video shoot, and we see LVP having a rough time facing her son’s search for his biological parents.

RHOBH 7, Episode 8: Boys, Blades, and Bags of Pills

..in which Lisa R shows Eden and Dorit her infamous bag of pills, Dorit and PK have another boring party where Boy George hides behind a curtain before playing an acoustic version of “Karma Chameleon”, and Kyle accompanies Erika Jayne to Greece where her Glam Squad prays for hard cocks before the show and they have sunrise photoshoots while Kyle easts spaghetti.

RHOBH 7, Episode 9: Harry’s Meat and Gatsy’s Fete

…in which Lisa R hosts a BBQ where her dogs poops on the lawn and we learn Harry Hamlin beat Cindy Crawford in a pie making contest, Kyle and Mauricio skip their annual white party to have a dull Gatsby themed party, LVP threatens to kick Eden’s butt if she hurts Kyle, and people don’t recognize Erika Jayne because she is wearing a wig.

RHOBH 7, Episode 10: Hostile Hacienda

…in which the Housewives head to Mexico for Mauricio’s Agency opening, Eileen’s kid attempts a suitcase stowaway, and Eden talks shit about Kim and Kyle to Lisa at Villa Rosa. Again.

RHOBH 7, Episode 11: Backed Into a Corner

…in which we attend a party at the Agency, where Lisa R says SHE DOESN’T REMEMBER WHETHER SHE TOLD EDEN THAT KIM WAS ON THE BRINK OF DEATH???!!!

RHOBH 7, Episode 12: Feeding a Need

…in which Dorit pulls up in a rose gold Bentley to feed the homeless, the ladies throw fish around, we watch Kyle and Erika Jayne’s friendship develop and Lisa VP buys Max an expensive couch for his condo.

RHOBH 7, Episode 13: Cake Therapy

…in which we attend Carnie Wilson’s cheesecake party, Lisa R struggles with the possibility of apologizing to Kim before doing in front of everyone, Kim says Lisa R never deals repercussions of her actions while not apologizing about the Harry Hamlin comments, Kyle demands Lisa VP “pick a lane”, in the conflict, everyone talks WAY too much about Kim’s sobriety, and Carnie Wilson is a island of deliciously flavored sense in the midst of a river of bullshit.

RHOBH 7, Episode 14: Sweet Georgia Jayne

…in which we travel with Erika Jayne and her glam squad to Georgia to see her mother act in a play, witness Kyle get a lapdance from the Fat Jewish while women drink wine out of straws, and cringe while Lisa VP invites some–but not all–the women to China.

RHOBH 7, Episode 15: Hong Kong Fireworks

…in which we travel to Hong Kong on Lisa R’s sleeping pills for Lisa VP’s dog movie, the women wear bizarrely mismatched and inappropriate outfits, Eden unleashes her plan to Fly to New York and lie in a hotel bed naked in wait for a man she’s never met (calming the women’s murder fears with the assertion that she is just as likely to kill him), Lisa R and Eden are annoying on a mountain, and Dorit reopens Pantygate on a barge.

RHOBH 7, Episode 16: Big Buddha Brawl

…in which we continue on the barge ride to hell as Dorit continues to be a bitch and makes Erika Jayne cry (eliciting Lisa VP’s statement that “the ice queen is melting), the women climb a mountain in the rain while wearing heels, Erika Jayne explodes after Eileen makes a comment about her son, and Lisa R finds the perfect time to ask Dorit if she was doing coke at a dinner party.

RHOBH 7, Episode 17: From Dogs to Diamonds

…in which Erika Jayne stuns us with sunglasses, Eden buys Erika Jayne a “friendship ring”, the women head back to Beverly Hills, Erika Jayne acts like an adult and apologizes to Eileen, Kyle works on her show, Dorit and PK are terrible people, and all the women get ready for LIsa VP’s party.

RHOBH 7, Episode 18: Diamonds Under Pressure

…in which we view another season finale at a party, where Lisa VP manipulates Kim to engage Lisa R in an argument, Dorit goes on about more Pantygate bullshit, PK oozes into the group to tell Erika Jayne she is “inherently cold”, and Eden screams “I GAVE YOU EVERYTHING YOU BITCH!” at Lisa R. THE END.

Now that you’re officially caught up, it’s time to plan your premiere theme parties, delegate outfits, and pressure your friends who are too busy watching HBO or whatever to join you in watching the best documentary series in history.

Thank you to Brian Moylen at Vulture for his amazing Real Housewives recaps (where I conducted last minute fact-checks), and Danielle Schneider and Casey Wilson of BitchSesh: A Real Housewives Podcast for forever inspiring me and reminding me I am not alone.

Turn an Emoji into Modern Art 🎨

Niki Selken — Wed, 25 Oct 2017 17:49:28 +0000

Have you ever wanted to turn an Emoji into Modern art?

SFMOMA recently launched Send me SFMOMA. Its a digital platform for turning simple texts and Emoji into art. The platform will choose a piece from their 34,678 artwork collection and deliver it to your phone!

If you text 572-51 with the words “send me” followed by a keyword, a color, or even an emoji and you’ll receive a related artwork.

Send me SFMOMA prompts interaction between the public and SFMOMA art. Jay Mollica, a creative technologist at SFMOMA, expresses the purpose of the project:

In a world oversaturated with information, we asked ourselves: how can we generate personal connections between a diverse cross section of people and the artworks in our collection? How can we provide a more comprehensive experience of our collection?

Enter Send Me SFMOMA. Send Me SFMOMA was conceived as a way to bring transparency to the collection while engendering further exploration and discussion among users. Send Me SFMOMA is an SMS service that provides an approachable, personal, and creative method of sharing the breadth of SFMOMA’s collection with the public.

I just texted an octopus and also a crystal ball . I dare you to send the good old poo Emoji !

Which Emoji will you text to SFMOMA?

The first Virtual Reality Emoji experience: EmojiFlower VR 😀 🌻

Niki Selken — Fri, 06 Oct 2017 01:16:39 +0000

Have you ever wanted to live in a musical wonderland of flowers and Emoji? Now you can!
EmojiFlower VR is a Virtual Reality art-game that combines Emoji with 90s interiors, natural environments, and original music.

Experience EmojiFlower VR with Google Cardboard. Come experience the Emoji Foundation’s latest game at Gray Area’s Incubator Showcase

EmojiFlower VR was started as a Virtual Reality research project with Gray Area Foundation for Art and Technology. I built a room that I had loved from a 90s/2000s interiors magazine, NEST. I added in Emoji because they express the culmination of culture in the last decade. Emoji are something wonderful that we embraced in the 2000s. EmojiFlower VR is a rumination and celebration of the possibility, joy, and strangeness of twenty first century American culture.

After that I debuted the piece at Emojicon. After some great feedback from visitors to the conference, I discovered that this VR experience was indeed a fun game. I began the gamification process and showed the game at the Cultural Incubator Showcase at Grey Area.EmojiFlower VR will be released for iOS by the end of the incubator in November. It was designed and Developed by Niki Selken with original music by Timothy Vickers.

Technologies Used

EmojiFlower VR was built in Unity using the Google Cardboard SDK. Read more about the development process here.

http://www.emojifoundation.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/ocean4.mp4

Apple’s new Animoji will mirror your expressions

Niki Selken — Fri, 15 Sep 2017 11:41:33 +0000

Apple is introducing animated Emoji!

The Animoji feature in iOS 11, which are animated versions of the popular emoji found on the iPhone. Animoji will use the Face ID hardware face-scanning features of the iPhone X to create custom 3D versions based on your own facial expressions.

Federighi joked,”If you were by chance wondering what humanity would do when given access to the most advanced facial tracking technology available, you now have your answer.” The answer is, Animoji.

Emoji in Fashion!

Niki Selken — Thu, 08 Oct 2015 15:55:14 +0000

ALEX S. YU is a young designer of a womenswear brand made with dream and love. ALEX S. YU creates garments that explore the fine line between reality and fantasy. The brand rollicks the happy emotions of childhood, nostalgia and wanderlust, while pondering the very definition of femininity in a modern, quirky way through garments.

Mikei Huang designed the series of emoji patterns referencing Wong Kar Wai’s 1994 movie Chungking Express.

Animated Emoji GIFs

Niki Selken — Sun, 30 Mar 2014 12:36:38 +0000

Sad Blinking

I Just Saw a Ghost

The Earnest Importance of Being

Niki Selken — Mon, 24 Feb 2014 20:25:43 +0000

This is an except of my Emoji Treatment of the Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde. It is an effort to understand how we can modify the written, performative word into virtual, networked, platforms and contexts. Its an effort to see what digital/visual translation does to original written performance texts.

As My first step of my design process, I first made a twitter treatment of the Importance of Being Earnest. Then I turn that text into a staged play, well a play staged with puppets. This was performed in fall 2013 at Parsons Center for Design in my Major Studio class. I chose to perform the entire project myself with sock puppets because Oscar Wilde is said to use the same voice for all his characters. They are all witty, funny, and seemingly shallow characters that “puppet” Wilde’s own societal critique. I incorporated the twitter conversation into the performance by projecting it behind the puppets and pulled up through a series of slides that related to hash tags within the text. Here are some excepts from that project.