If you happen to be near southwest Bosnia this July, stop by the legendary Bridge-Jumping Contest, which takes place from the World Heritage site of this country’s most revered site, the Stari Most, or Old Bridge. When reconstructed from its dusty rubble in 2004, this beautiful, ivory bridge didn’t just physically reconnect the two banks of the Neretva River, but began the process of reuniting the town’s Croat and Muslim communities. Now, divers from all over Europe arrive every summer to continue a 435-year old tradition. Up to 30,000 spectators sometimes gather to watch the 20-meter (over twice the height of a high dive) plunge and picnic along its banks. East meets West. Flesh meets water. Croats meet Muslims. Think of it as adrenaline with a history lesson.

Anyone who has spent any amount of time in NYC would have noticed the hundreds of thought and speech bubbles strategically placed on advertisements around the city–that’s The Bubble Project. “More Bubbles mean more freed spaces, more sharing of personal thoughts, more reactions to current events, and most importantly, more imagination and fun.” The book Talk Back: The Bubble Project was just finally launched in bookstores worldwide. Big congrats to author, art director and creative thinker Ji Lee for putting this idea together so nicely! Grab a copy on Amazon or directly from the Talk Back site now.

Look familiar? Soul Asylum made this image familiar to all jewel-case-keepers in the early 90’s. There’s also a photo of a buff guy with a baby that became a permanent fixture in many college dorm rooms. Both compliments of Jan Saudek. You might say this infamous Czech photographer has a lot more up his sleeve, that is, if there were any clothing in his photography. His collection only gets more naked and nympho-maniacal. Nothing is off-limits and there is plenty of knee-shifting from exhibition visitors, due to the combination of sexual, masochistic, sadist and familial images. But this is Jan’s style and I appreciated his illumination of our most instinctual, but often unspoken urges. You can catch this retrospective exhibition off the Old Town Square in Prague until June 30th. Check him out at www.saudek.com for his next opening.