Dartmouth’s Hood Museum Of Art is playing host to a collection of wonderful and witty cartoons. Honore Daumier was (and remains) one of the most adept satirists of his day, delivering with great humor an account of France during the rapidly changing 19th-century. France in Transformation covers Daumier’s career and adds insight into the cultural and political scene of his times. On view until August 24, 2009.

More caricature work by Daumier after the jump.

Here at Selectism, we love Connecticut and we especially like to celebrate the great states accomplishments in craft, invention, and manufacture. Despite what you may think about CT today, there is no doubting the pivotal role it has played in the history of American production product. Picturing Victorian America: Prints by the Kellogg Brothers of Hartford, Connecticut, 1830-1880, covers just one small chapter in that history. The Kellogg family maintained a lithography for over four decades, opening five years before Nathanial Currier opened up in New York. Aside from the glorious history of this commercial artists, the book is a grand collection of beautiful works of art. Out now from University Press of New England.

Available now from Amazon.

Forthcoming from Prestel, I’m One: 21st Century Mods delivers a series of photographs capturing the contemporary Mod lifestyle throughout the UK. Taken by Horst A. Friedrichs, the photographs are a sensitive portrayal of the Mods. That being said, the book is also a source book for the right look. The obsession with style and detail associated with the culture well documented throughout.

Retro to Go is offering a give away for 5 copies. Worth a shot.

The Goodwood Festival of Speed enters its 12th year this weekend. Hosted at a Goodwood House in Sussex, the festival celebrates the raw power and dynamism of the automobile. Each year a sculpture is erected at the site and Audi is the 2009 commissioning agent. Gerry Judah is responsible for the design and implementation. Technically ambitious, it is quite the spectacle. (via Wallpaper*).

Created by Wieden + Kennedy, the new Levi’s campaign “Go Forth” combines heritage and a sliver of sexiness. Like the Wrangler advertisements we’ve previously featured, the “Go Forth” images were shot by Ryan McGinley. The new spots will run across print, digital and television. All is designed to refresh the brands history for the current climate. (via Creative Review).

More examples of “Go Forth” after the jump.

It has been a century since Marinetti (a not so excellent Italian poet) kick started the Futurist movement with the publication of the Futurist Manifesto. Expressing dynamism and rapid change, Futurism struck a cord with artists coming to terms with new elements of modern life. The Tate Modern celebrates the centenary of Futurism with an exhibition exploring key figures, works, and also the movements that reacted to Futurism.

Read a review of the exhibition from the Telegraph. Visit the show until September 20, 2009.

This summer and into early fall, Moore College of Art hosts Bicycle: people + ideas in motion. Through a series of exhibitions, events, and films the school explores the art and design of the bicycle. Local legends Bilenky Cycle Works are well represented and “Bicycle Design’s Commuter Bike for the Masses Competition” reveals some excellent answers to the questions “just how do we get more people on bikes?” The events have started and will roll on until October 13, 2009.

Ahead of the July 2 opening of his first major showing in England, taking place at the Serpentine Gallery in London, Jeff Koons entertained the Channel 4 news crew. Focus is on the Popeye series of paintings and sculpture, giving preview to the exhibition. Worth watching for Koons’ description of his studio process. (via Arrested Motion).

Tate Britain’s newer acquisitions are presented in Classified: Contemporary Art. Included are works by Jake and Dinos Champman and Damien Hirst. Hirst’s Pharmacy (1992) has been installed for the first time, allowing visitors a great chance to become immersed fully in one of the star artist’s imagined spaces. The exhibition runs at Tate Britain until August 23, 2009. In total, the exhibition explores how artists order their world. Commentary and slide show at the Guardian.

View examples of Hirst’s work in Classified after the jump.

Through the folks at It’s Nice That, Pete Dungey’s “Alan Wrench” project is a good laugh. In 2009, Dungey set out to find out just who the most famous Alan is, and we’ll note these are English Alan’s. Happily Alan Partridge lands second. Then Dungey took the results and created some excellent functional objects. A whip through his own site is well worth the trouble.

Full view after the jump.