you have been here sometime

2012-02-01T20:56:00.000-08:00

"I’m trying to communicate transparency."

“The reward for good work is more work.” – Tom Sachs

Intermission Magazine recently posted an interesting interview with Tom Sachs, artist. (read the interview here). His thoughts are reflections on "object" making, both as consumers, viewers, and voyeurs. What do our objects mean?

"I’m trying to communicate transparency. I’m looking to show the scars of labor and the evidence of construction. I can’t afford to make things that are perfect – if you look at your phone, or your computer, everything that you buy looks as though it was miraculously hatched out of thin air. One way of making things special is to make them by hand. That’s what people look for in your jewelry as well; it’s hands-on, which is part of its charm. I would like to be an advocate for this particular politic of building. Being a builder, I think ideas translate beyond the realms of painting and sculpture. We’re seeing a global recession because we’ve been making terrible shit, terrible cars and so on, and as a result the chickens have come home to roost. But if we create things showing how they’re made, showing transparency, we’ll know how to fix them if they fail. And maybe they won’t fail because we’ll be able to see the cracks before it happens."

"TOM SACHS is a sculptor, probably best known for his elaborate recreations of various Modern icons, all of them masterpieces of engineering and design of one kind or another. In an early show he made Knoll office furniture out of phone books and duct tape; later, he recreated Le Corbusier's 1952 Unité d'Habitation using only foamcore and a glue gun.

Other projects have included his versions of various Cold War masterpieces, like the Apollo 11 Lunar Excursion Module, and the bridge of the battleship USS Enterprise. And because no engineering project is more complex and pervasive than the corporate ecosystem, he's done versions of those, too, including a McDonald's he built using plywood, glue, assorted kitchen appliances. "

Tom Sachs here..
Read the interview here.

---------------

2012-01-30T17:54:00.000-08:00

a room by Shelton, Mindel & Associates
vs.
Robert Ryman's paradoxically “realist” paintings

"White actually means taking away, eliminating. It’s not the case of painting white paintings. It’s a question of using white pigment. Of course, I use it differently today because the issues have continued to develop. I never thought that there should be a lot of things in a painting that don’t necessarily belong there. After all I didn’t simply make a decoration or paint an accumulation of things in order to see what works well.

My main concern was to develop the structure of the paintings so that it contains the essentials and everything superfluous is eliminated…the composition extends to the wall and becomes a part of the wall… when you take my paintings off the wall, they don’t exist anymore.

The painting needs a wall in order to exist. Otherwise it makes no sense."

- Robert Ryman, taken from here.

Interior space by Shelton, Mindel, and Associates

-----------------

a conversation with LEADAPRON

2012-01-26T23:53:00.000-08:00

I think at root they (my careers) are all attempts to express myself through a discipline and to understand something about what it means to be a sentient human being. - Jonathan Brown

"You see, unfortunately I am an E X P L O R E R." - Lucio Fontana

(all photos by Marco Annunziata and David John)

LEADAPRON is a capsule on Melrose Place that sells rare, signed, out-of-print art and photography books. Select titles, including books on Andree Putman, Pierre Chaveau, Basquiat, Ed Ruscha, Donald Judd, and Lucio Fontana line the shelves. Jonathan Brown, owner, is a collector, and it takes only a moment to realize that this is not your ordinary book store. It's a place that merges design, interiors, and art effortlessly. Plexiglass boxes containing postcards, books, organized in a manner that speaks of space, time, and history are scattered puroposely throughout the open and vaulted rooms. Skylights cast quiet shadows and dance upon the whiteness of the walls and floors. In one collection is rare Ed Ruscha books, while printed works on Lucio Fontana's punctured canvases dominate another tall bookshelf.

I am not interested in the kind of space you are talking about mine is a different dimension. The hole is this dimension. I say dimension because I cannot think what other word to use.

- Lucio Fontana

What is LEADAPRON, and how long has it been around?

Jonathan: LEADAPRON began as Leadapron Productions 15 years ago. I was directing theatre in Manhattan. I came up with the name during my production of the Maids by Jean Genet. A Leadapron is what you wear when you get an xray.

In short, its a protective shield.

What was in this space before Leadapron? Did you have to do any renovations when you moved in?

Rose Tarlow Melrose House. I built a few walls, a front reception booth and shelves to showcase books and artworks, painted it many times, and added track lighting, etc....I changed some small details like switches and the locks, etc, and added a few fixtures throughout. At the time it felt like quite a bit, but I essentially just tried to make the space a blank white canvas so it would disappear and the objects that I placed inside would pop. I still walk around making minor renovations all the time...just refining the space endlessly.

I've seen some amazing shows, such as the recent James Lee Byars show in your gallery space. But, you also show collections of books, such as Donald Judd, Fontana.

Are the works from your personal collection?

Thank you for the compliment. The artists you mentioned are personal favorites. I show what I like. I spent 2 years assembling the Byars works. I suppose you could say that everything in the gallery is my personal collection, but it is for sale as well so I am just a temporary guardian. I keep a few works, but then sell them later only to replace them with something else.

What sort of work did you did before LEADAPRON?

In brief it went like this: Philosophy, architecture, draftsman, boxer, theatre director, writer, behavioral neuroscience, dealer.

Ok, tell me more about all these prior careers. Is there something that links all of these occupations together you think?

Very good question. I think at root they are all attempts to express myself through a discipline and to understand something about what it means to be a sentient human being. Some are more murky waters to navigate and others might have been too direct or too clear. Some are too mental, others too physical or abstract. A dealer has to embody and encompass all of these disciplines should he be effective. He or she needs to have a perspective, an aesthetic, a sense of design and space, a daring, be able to direct and stage events and most importantly have a sense of what his/her clients want or need and furthermore, they should be able, though charm or ingenuity or force of personality to convey to their clients their ability to both understand and provide.

Where are you from? How long have you been in LA?

I was born in Korea, and then we moved around from Boston to San Francisco to settle in New York. I spent a year living in France as a child, which was wonderful. I mainly grew up in Bronxville, NY, which is a suburb 30 minutes from Manhattan. An idyllic little town with lots of tudor homes and cobblestone streets. Nothing bad ever happened there outside of perhaps the town drunk or a few divorces. If I didn’t grow up there it wouldn’t be a bad place to raise my kids.
At 18 I moved to NYC for 15 years. I’ve been in Los Angeles for the last 10 years.

Why do you think you are interested in objects? what do they mean to you? what is the obsession?

We learn about the world by manipulating objects as a child and I think this extends into adulthood. I enjoy the visual dialogue with objects. They probably give some sense of order or permanence to our lives and add to one’s narrative about their life. I practice letting them go, which is also a healthy disciple. Perhaps they punctuate space and make me aware that I exist, am existing and won’t exist someday....just like art, music and even friends.

In your office, there is an amazing collection of objects and art on your desk. Can you tell me about any of these works? What sort of works do you collect?

What were you doing in my office??? Just kidding. I've been collecting chairs.

What sort of chairs have you been collecting?

Gio Ponti, Donald Judd, Mario Botta, Gae Aulenti, etc... I just like placing them around the gallery and in my house. They make me happy. There is something about chairs that are more than sculptures (aside from their functionality). They seem half alive, which is just enough to make them endearing.

Any upcoming artists you collect or are very interested in?

Christopher Astley. He works in concrete. I am planning a show of 5 of his sculptures. He's a cross between John Chamberlain, Philip Guston, Chaim Soutine, Francis Bacon and Claes Oldenburg.

What is the attraction to James Lee Byars' work?

It's simplicity, freshness, evanescence, fragility, beauty, intelligence and ethereal-ness. Byars had a great sense of humor and play, he confronted his audience with boldness and courage and developed his own vocabulary while keeping it universal. He is totemic, mystical and truly mysterious. I do believe that Byars was one of the most important artist of the late 20th Century.

Is it difficult to run a book store in the age of the internet?

Not really. The internet helps with sales.

Any favorite galleries/stores in Los Angeles?

I like Earth Bar, Yves Saint Laurent, Prism & OH WOW. Mind and Body all covered.

What can we expect from Leadapron in 2012?

I would say more, but smaller shows. Instead of trying to be bigger and better I would like to get back to basics and create thoughtful, almost salon style shows...and of course we will continue to provide our selection of rare, unique, out of print, signed art, photography, fashion and design books.

LEADAPRON
8445 Melrose Place, Los Angeles CA 90069

----------------------

Wendy White on Freunde Von Freunden

2012-01-25T07:08:00.000-08:00

I'm thrilled to be contributing to the Berlin based magazine, Freunde von Freunden for their 100th interview, featuring NY artist, Wendy White. FvF "portrays people of diverse creative and cultural backgrounds in their homes or within their daily working environments. " They have featured stunning video interviews with Joseph Dirand, and Karen and Christian Boros. Looking forward to working with FvF on some upcoming stories!

(Read the full interview here.)

"Wendy White took us to her to studio in Chinatown, and kindly gave us a tour around her neighborhood in New York City. It’s really the ideal place to think about her latest work. Glorious rambunctious color drives the works, with collapsing angular fonts being forced off the grid. It’s easy to get lost in the energy in her work. Some canvases sloped onto the floor, others spaciously separated.

Her work is a tale of the modern city, void of logic, overflowing with spray painted emotions. Ed Ruscha captured the Los Angeles notion of light and ease, while Wendy’s work is a reflection of her home on the East Coast in New York, the quickened sensations of life."

- David John

Wendy White is showing with Henning Strassburger at Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz e.V. in Berlin, that opens January 26, 2012.

Interview: Oliver Kann, Frederik Frede
Text: David John
Photography: Fette Sans

--------------------

2012-01-22T10:04:00.000-08:00

Brett Cody Rogers' installation at ALAC

"a booth which draws inspiration from the entryway to Le Corbusier’s Maison Blanche, Villa Jeanneret-Perret in Switzerland – in which dramatic shadows are cast against a jute backdrop."

Brett Cody Rogers' confident abstractions on canvas/ paper have the ability to quietly control the air in a room with their intensity of shape, form, pattern, and color. The 2011 show, Painter's Forms, at the L.A. gallery Pepin Moore, was one of most memorable painting shows of the year. It was in South Willard that I first saw one of Brett Cody Rogers' sculptural works installed from the ceiling. Casting shadows, slowly moving as the air in the room shifted, miniature paintings from strings. To those that looked above, they were rewarded.

This weekend at Art Los Angeles Contemporary, in association with Paddle 8 and Phaidon, Brett Cody Rogers has created "a booth which draws inspiration from the entryway to Le Corbusier’s Maison Blanche, Villa Jeanneret-Perret in Switzerland – in which dramatic shadows are cast against a jute backdrop."

- David John

“It gave me the opportunity to work with ideas that I’ve been researching for my painting practice. It was an interesting thing to design the furniture and the space within my aesthetic as a painter, but not call it an artwork.”

- Brett Cody Rogers

"“…and I thought of our house, all white under the moon and I blessed Ed. that he wanted this whiteness [...] Thank you kindly for your letter that shows me how much you enjoy your home, I understand all the intimacy, the warmth, the spaciousness, the friends who visit, the objects, the music, the reproductions of the human or fantastic statues."

Albert Jeanneret, brother of Le Corbusier, letter to his parents, 19.11.1913

Maison Blanche, photo by Luis Gualtieri 2006, via here

"that both plays on my aesthetic interests and the material forms referenced in my studio practice, as well as modernist tropes in Le Corbusier’s interiors and furniture.”

- Brett Cody Rogers

"Architecture is the clever, correct and magnificent
expression of volumes in light. "

-Le Corbusier

-----------

2012-01-19T14:03:00.000-08:00

Noé Duchaufour-Lawrance
designer + interior architect

For those at MAISON + OBJET in Paris this week, Noé Duchaufour-Lawrance's design work will be in abundance. Some might know of Noé Duchaufour-Lawrance's work from Galerie BSL in Paris. Noe designed the interiors of this avant-garde showroom in Paris for Director Béatrice Saint-Laurent. After receiving an email, I began looking at some of his recent interior projects only to be transfixed by this interior in the French Alps. A monochrome palate reinforced with the beauty of concrete and wood, an updated version of a ski chalet. Lines that bend and trace the space of the room, a fireplace, a portal of warmth and energy. Transcendental living. - David John

Chalet Beranger: St Martin de Belleville
French Alps, completed 2011

"Far from the geometric construction methods of a traditional chalet, the interior architecture of this family home is a domestic landscape whose forms emerge from the ground like small functional mountains rising from a valley. Resolutely fluid and modern, the result is a set of lines and organic forms composed around a wooden ribbon. A large, main room is set above the whole construction, defining the central point of the chalet where the family comes together around a warm hearth."

"Sketch" London - 2002 : "A Victorian facade in the heart of London which reveals nothing of what goes on inside. Sketch is the place for sensory, human experiences
… a voyage in space and time in a listed, 18th century building."

"Designer and interior architect, Noé Duchaufour-Lawrance has defined his own language using natural shapes which are supple, organic, fluid and structured at the same time. A double passion for the material and for the shape embodied by a double faceted course of studies: first of all following a course in Sculpture on Metal (at the Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Arts Appliqués et des Métiers d'Art), then design at the Arts Décoratifs in Paris.

In response to a creatively rich past (his father was a sculptor), Noé Duchaufour-Lawrance very quickly displayed an unusual aesthetic quality, which stands out, beginning with the restaurant Sketch in Soho in 2002 where he served as artistic director, and his interior design was soon acclaimed by the international scene with his organic and urban style. "

some text taken from here...

------------------

a conversation with Bec Brittain

2012-01-15T11:08:00.000-08:00

...
"The growth of crystals in entirely compelling to me – growth in a non-living thing is absolutely amazing! Moreover, it's fascinating the way each mineral has its specific growth structure which is consistent, yet depending on environmental variables each specimen is unique. "

- Bec Brittain

Bec Brittain's "the SHY Polyhedron light "

Bec Brittain's latest sculptural lighting work "the SHY Polyhedron light " will be part of MAISON- OBJECT in Paris at American Design in Paris, presented by Triode Design, opening this week, January 22nd. For those in Paris for Maison, visit this collection of American Designers, pushing design + objects into the future.

When in conversation with Bec Brittain about her latest work, she told me that "the Polyhedron brings a few ideas to the SHY light system that I hadn't played with before. The lights begin as a burst in the center, as opposed to only forming the perimeter, a burst of brightness." The more I stare into her works, the more I get lost in their subtle, shape-shifting geometry. Pulsating light lines, bringing to mind Fred Sanback's yarn works, Brittain's pieces are elegant-light drawings in the sky, collecting the energy of the room, full of purpose and intent.

Bec Brittain is currently working on an as yet unnamed piece (in-house it's called mirror crystal), which utilizes a 2-way mirror. "It's a polyhedron, which when the lights are off it reflects it's surroundings, but once you turn it on there is an infinity affect and you can see through to the many dots of light." This piece will be debuting that at the Architectural Digest Home Show in New York, March 22-25.

- David John

How did you become interested in LED?

"The quality of light", and why your attraction to working in this source? The interest was actually first with fluorescent light; I became really taken by the idea that we were surrounded by these beautiful white lines, yet they had been relegated to the most banal and industrial applications. I wanted to break them out of that role. After much research, and an initial fluorescent prototype, their technical limitations made themselves quite clear; the LEDs are so nice to work with by comparison – the wiring isn't so complicated.

Right now is such a curious time for lighting technology, there are so many concerns: energy efficiency, quality of light, longevity of design, and many times they are in conflict. My first priority is to try to design things that can be passed on to grandchildren, which requires trying to design for future change. My current solution is to always make sure you can change the light bulb; I hope that this allows not only for burnt-out bulbs to be replaced, but also outdated light bulbs to be updated. A lot of LED lights don't allow for it, and I think in 20 years we're going to have a bunch of light fixtures in the trash. As for light quality, I think it's going to be really interesting how things move forward. LED technology is improving daily in terms of its quality of light. But I also think there's a real possibility of our eyes and our tastes adapting to new kinds of light.

I wonder to myself if we're all going to begin to like different colors because of how they appear under new light....

Why do you call it the Shy Light?

My grandmother is a complete inspiration – she has always had a great eye, and continues to do so past 90. She helped brainstorm about the piece, so I thought it only right to give it her initials, SHY, for Sarah Hitchcock Yerkes.

How did the idea for the LED lamps come about? Can you talk about your process, how you are able to conceptualize, all the way to production?

The SHY light was a nice confluence of the long tubular bulbs lending themselves to make these faceted forms which had been stirring around in my head for a while. For any design there are any number of tools I use, and I just try to find the quickest one for the task at hand. I made a ton of sketch models, using tubes and wire and plasticine, to test the overall shape. The first prototype was made with as many ready-made parts as possible, machining just one custom piece. I have continued to improve it in iterations, refining and making new hardware bit by bit. I suppose I'm a bit impatient and need to see the thing in front of me as soon as I can; I certainly prefer improving iterations of something to trying to get it perfect in the computer before doing anything. You can learn so much in the in-between steps.

Is there are connection between your work and Lindsey Adelman's work? How has she influenced your work, and what has it been like working with her?

It's so hard to say how mine and Lindsey's work are connected; I'm so close to both things, I'm not sure I have the best perspective on the final products and their relationship. What is much clearer to me is the process. When I began working with Lindsey I was trying to decide where to put my focus; I have always been connected to the making of things, but I just hadn't found the right fit in terms of how to try and make a living at it.

The 2 most important things I learned from Lindsey Adelman are:

1. You can be a product designer and not make mass-produced items. Instead you make relatively few pieces, mostly by hand, and they will be appreciated by the client.

2. Relax about something being perfect the first time out.

She continues to change and improve her pieces as certain issues pop up. There's a nice balance between making it the best you can at the time and understanding that you can always make it better. My description of how I made the SHY light in iterations is definitely influenced by this attitude.

You were the Lead Designer at architecture firm WORK AC, and then shifted focus to design luxury door hardware for manufacturer H. Theophile. Currently, you are Design Director at Lindsey Adelman Studio while also building your own practice in product design.

Why have you shifted from architecture to product design?

I began studying product design at Parson's in undergrad, and it was ultimately completely unsatisfying. At the time there was such a focus on mass production and saving resources in the production of the piece (flat-packing to save warehouse space, etc.), but there was no focus placed on the idea that something that will last 150 years will be more environmentally and economically sound than the 20 throw-away tables that you could have instead. I felt very outside what I understood to be the product design world. I left that program, and received a philosophy degree before getting the architecture degree; I used both of those degrees to try to solve this issue I had of wanting to make things but not feeling right about putting more stuff into the world. I tried a bit of architecture, a little furniture design, and some hardware. I think it was partly growing up and having more experience, as well as seeing some other product design practices that I admired, which threw me back into what I had wanted to do when I was 18. I also discovered I really like metal.

3 things we might never guess about you?

Don't we all need a bit of mystery? (yes!)

You speak of a more gradual appreciation of a larger idea. What larger ideas is your work moving towards?

The larger idea is specific to each piece. In the case of SHY, my interest in crystalline structures is really at the heart of it. The growth of crystals in entirely compelling to me – growth in a non-living thing is absolutely amazing! Moreover, it's fascinating the way each mineral has its specific growth structure which is consistent, yet depending on environmental variables each specimen is unique. SHY is constructed similarly, in that the hardware sets certain structural rules, yet it can be put together in a number of different ways.

Bec Brittain was born in Washington, DC in 1980, Bec Brittain studied industrial design at Parsons, earned a BA in philosophy from New York University, followed by an architecture degree from The Architectural Association in London.

Brittain's work experience has been similarly varied as her education. She was Lead Designer at architecture firm WORK AC then shifted focus to design luxury door hardware for manufacturer H. Theophile. Currently, she is Design Director at Lindsey Adelman Studio while also building her own practice in product design.

Bec Brittain's work is at MATTER in New York.....

-------------

Rose Tarlow

2012-01-13T08:29:00.000-08:00

.
“(she) balances emotion and intellect as well as any designer now living … her rooms [combine] sensual pleasures with geometric rigor, and every one of them is simultaneously a lesson in design and a lesson in living.” -

Paul Goldberger on Rose Tarlow

"Buttercup Pendant" : dark rusty distressed iron finish with resin sleeve.

What is perfection, anyhow?

In a recent article I read on Rose Tarlow, a Los Angeles based designer, she mentioned that 20 years ago, an ivy vine meandered through a crack in her home's window. 20 years later, the vine cascades down the walls, a testament to time passing. Stories like this leave a permanent imprint in my mind on "imperfection" and design. For Rose, homes should be imperfect, calm, and strive to be unpretentious.

Stories are told, and as the years pass, her work takes a deeper effect on my own design work. Designers such as Rose Tarlow and Ilse Crawford (to simply name a few) push simplicity, history, and elegance to a new height in their work. Utilizing recognizable forms, allowing the rooms to take on their own life, as if the rooms had always been there, (this is no easy feat friends.) Masters at work.

- David John

"Blotto Desk" : French Ash Veneer with six drawers in medium wood stain

“I am a solitary person. I like working alone and making my own design decisions.

I have an obsession for buying lovely things, so I occasionally consult on building a collection of antiques and art.”

"Chinese Ceramic Jar Lamp"
- Original Brown Round shouldered, ceramic in original brown finish.

Rose Tarlow is one of the most influential designers working in America today. She founded her company more than 30 years ago on once-secluded Melrose Place and has built a reputation for the finest furniture, textiles and accessories ever since. Working with local craftsmen who share her impeccable standards for the highest quality, Tarlow knows that creating a truly beautiful room is as much an emotional matter as it is one of color, light and products.

As an internationally-renowned furniture and fabric artisan, interior designer, antiquarian and author, her creations have enchanted the design community. According to New Yorker architecture critic Paul Goldberger, Tarlow “balances emotion and intellect as well as any designer now living … her rooms [combine] sensual pleasures with geometric rigor, and every one of them is simultaneously a lesson in design and a lesson in living.” All the products are offered through the company’s flagship on Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles, and are represented by the finest multi-line designer trade showrooms across the country. " (text taken from here)

visit Rose Tarlow house here..

Read a piece on Rose Tarlow on Style Saloniste here..

Also, in the NY TIMES here...

--------------

A conversation with Peter Klick

2012-01-09T10:37:00.000-08:00

Since basements usually have only a few windows, if any, they are great spaces to design.
As if to design in a shoe box…"

- Peter Klick of Klick Interiors

a drawing for the H51 residence in Zurich, by Peter Klick

Decoration can be a state of mind,
an unusual perception, a ritual whisper. - Ettore Sottsass

Why can't we be ourselves like we were yesterday? - New Order

Peter Klick's H51 project in the Zurich suburbs, which started about 34 years ago, and completed in 1990, continues to push design boundaries 35 years later. Recently, we are witnessing a strong resurgence of Postmodernism. Recent exhibitions of PostModernism at the V of A, Style and Subversion 1970-1990, and a new generation of designers discovering the works of Sottsass, Pesce, etc, brings a new light and shadow to projects such as Klick's H51 project. Sottsass' design has gained strength and validation from the auction market in the last years, as his prices have soared to all time highs, as in the recent LAMA Auction last year.

For Klick, he notes Gaetano Pesce, Ettore Sottsass, and Jaime Hayon, a contemporary Spanish designer, as some of his greatest influences. Klick's interiors utilize a complex color palette with confident sculptural forms to tell a distinct narrative of design, that references Italian/ French design, while also telling his own personal story of design.

When I asked Peter Klick to name a few of his favorite designers, he gave me a long list of inspired designers that included: Bram Boo, Maarten Baas, Mario Gamper, Jaime Hayon, Matteo Thun, Ettore Sottsas, Gaetano Pesce, Alessandro Mendini, Gae Aulenti, Arne Quinze, Marten Baas, Patricia Urquiola, Hans Wegner, Paola Lenti, Annet van Egmond, Achille Castiglioni, Michele De Lucchi, Andrea Branzi, Verner Panton, Hella Jongerius, Gam/Fratesi ...

Are you ready to tour H51?

Welcome to H51: The Pink Guest Room

Peter: Oh yes,…it was for a young family with 2 children. They had a nice house in the Zurich suburbs, Switzerland. It had a view to the mountains, and on a clear day you could see the Alps. The house had 3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms, an indoor pool, a home theater / play room, and a large unused basement. It lacked a proper guestroom, or room for the nanny who would be watching the children.

I already worked on some rooms in the house, so they simply asked me:
Can you do something interesting with this space?

"Sure I can," I replied.

Since basements usually have a few windows, if any, they are great spaces to design. As if to design in a shoe box. But how to design a space for their daughter, a girl in a basement, that she likes, and feels safe.

That was the challenge!

In the basement we did not have a view to the mountains; so the idea was to try to replace it with the forms of the walls, roofs, tables and the back of the bed. Also a roof over the bed feels safe and cozy. From inside, the illuminated, pink, translucent painted Plexiglas columns are holding the roof with is also holding 50watt halogen spots. The colors pink and grey have a low contrast which makes the space feel larger.

Peter: The master bedroom is located behind the kitchen. The remodeling of the kitchen, dining and living area, as well as the master bedroom became a major project because we eliminated some structural walls. The master bathroom is between the Bedroom and Kitchen, with dark blue tiles from floor to ceiling, walk in shower and whirlpool bathtub. The bedroom has a dark blue carpet, a walnut dresser and a large closet with mirrored sliding doors.

Illuminated by Standing lamps from Salvador Dali: Cajones and Black label from BD Barcelona. The family has a lot of guests with sit down dinners, so, the concept was to avoid a large living room area with sofas and TV, and to upgrade the dining room area with a larger table which provided more comfortable seating. The kitchen with a bar for aperitifs, and breakfast for the kids, and in the basement, a home theater with a pool table.

Office: Andrea Branzi's Amnesia shelf from Design Gallery, Milan,
Gaetano Pesce's Green Street Chair for Vitra, Alessndro Mendini's Chair,
and a custom designed desk by Peter Klick

Ron Arad's custom bar for H51

Peter: After completion of the project, they did not like my walnut bar very much. At the time we went to Salone in Milan and discovered the organically shaped bar with bays to sit in from Ron Arad. He did this beautiful bar for the Strato showroom in Milan, so I contacted Ron Arad and asked him if he would design and produce a bar like this for us.

I took the dimensions in Zurich, he designed it in London and Marzorati Ronchetti procured it in Cantu, Italy and they installed it in Zurich.

Indoor Pool: "the stones and boulders to give the pool a more outdoor feeling."

"It is important to realize that whatever we do or design has iconographic references, it comes from somewhere; any form is always metaphorical, never totally metaphysical; it is never a 'destiny' but always a fact with some kind of historical reference.

- Ettore Sottsass

Bedroom: Peter Kick custom designed the flowers for the headboard,
curtains and night stand, as well as the table.

Peter Klick received his Bachelor of Science in Classical Furniture and Fine Work Working at the Allgemeine Gewerbeschule in Basel, Switzerland after a four year hands-on apprenticeship. He continued his education at the legendary Staatlichen Akademie der Bildenden Künste in Stuttgart, Germany where he received a Master of Arts in Interior Architecture. For the next five years, Klick worked as an Interior Architect for Venzin AG where he designed, constructed and remodeled more than 200 boutique and retail stores, offices, homes and restaurants in Switzerland. Klick’s extensive experience led him to establish his own firm, Klick Interiors, which launched in 1985.

Since its launch, Klick Interiors has enjoyed a wide range of international projects ranging from an innovative classroom design for a prestigious Catholic School in Chicago to the complete interior redesign and construction of a historic 100 year old villa in Switzerland. Klick Interiors clients have included Interhome, Utoring, Hotlelplan, UBS, Swatch, Seipp and many others.

Now based in Chicago, Illinois, Klick works as a Program Coordinator and instructor of Interior Design at the renowned Harrington College of Design. Passionate about passing along his experience to senior-level Bachelor of Science students in Interior Design, Klick remains very active in the Interior Design industry, and continuously travels throughout the year to the latest Interior Design exhibits, shows, conferences and experimental design studios. Klick Interiors specializes in residential and commercial projects throughout Europe and USA.

Please visit Klick Interiors here

------------------

2012-01-06T15:04:00.000-08:00

“I like the idea of a floating space,
the idea that these sculptures are almost in a state of free fall,
that they are in a state of weightlessness”

- Patrick Hill

Patrick Hill: Curls, Kinks and Waves

Almine Rech Gallery : January 13 - February 23, 2012 : Paris

Curls, Kinks and Waves sets a stage - an abstract scene of fragmented landscapes, wavy horizons, and sensual feminine silhouettes. Precisely engineered, the sculptures are constructed from overlapping panes of glass and pieces of marble that are fixed to a wooden base with brass pins. The flatness of these materials exaggerate the sculptures' facade-like quality while recalling the graphic shapes and imagery of 1980's design.

The marble is stained with a palate similar to artist David Hockney’s pool paintings. Bright blues splash the wavy edges of marble sheets decorated with neon yellow squiggles, sperm, jelly beans - a pattern repeating throughout the show. The works evoke So Cal beaches, pools, O.P., Esprit and all the surface that came with 1980’s opulence.

Hill’s new work moves away from the blacked-out gravitas seen in his 2008 solo exhibition with David Kordansky Gallery in Los Angeles, attending to issues of market, wealth and regionalism through the whimsical and subtly erotic lines and curves of his beachy tombstones. The unreal (or extra-real?) colors buoy these heavy, sinking grave sites letting the sculptures float throughout the gallery space: “I like the idea of a floating space, the idea that these sculptures are almost in a state of free fall, that they are in a state of weightlessness” says Hill. The sculptures, levitating at the command of the artist, are bound and forced to submit again to gravity and time through a subtle fastening system inspired by the clasp on Cartier’s LOVE bracelet.

------------------

2012-01-05T09:41:00.000-08:00

a slow gentle excursion
into the still waters. (sometimes I see)

1930 vs 2012

Sometimes I See: Larcier

1. Jean Mayodon urns, pair France, c. 1930 ceramic, bronze. (here)

"A ceramist with a painter’s mind, highly inspired with hindu arts, he produced a figurative decorated pottery, after antique tradition, characterized by the practice of stanniferous earthenware with "golden fire". He made gigantic works (decorative pannels, sculptures, fountains, fire-places) of perfect quality. He fitted his own ovens and improved his knowledge in chemistry in order to achieve oxide-coloured pieces, interspersed with a gold pattern giving it a precious aspect. He got many official orders and his qualities led him to assume the artistic leadership of the Manufacture of Sèvre in 1941, after having been its artistic counsellor in 1934."
(text from here)

2. New work by Brion Nuda Rosch. These works are the starting point for a trio of exhibitions slated to open this Spring. A two person exhibit in Lisbon, a solo exhibition in Seattle and a solo project in Copenhagen.

------------------

a conversation with Troy Seidman: Caviar 20

2012-01-01T22:22:00.000-08:00

...
"During the 70's there was a lot of design activity that clarified some of the tenets of modernism and anticipated minimalism. The 80's were just crazy so much grandeur and ornament. While I wouldn't want to live in an 80's period room that is stuffed with chintz and grandfather clocks and volumes of books, I appreciate the dedication to antiques, detail and style."

Castiglioni "Taraxacum 88" Chandlier

What does the name of your store, CAVIAR 20, refer to?

I really thought "Troy Seidman 20th Century" (or something along those lines) was a bit of a mouthful. I love black lacquered furniture and Caviar just seemed evocative of the spirit and aesthetic of what I wanted to present.

How did you first get interested in Design + Art?

Seeing one of Felix Gonzales-Torres' pieces, comprised of a pile of wrapped candy in a corner available to be taken by the viewer, made a big impression on me at the age of 15. I had also been spending some time in Brussels in 2006 and discovered Ado Chale. I think he is the first 20th century furniture designer that I fell in love with.

Félix González-Torres, “Untitled” (USA Today),” 1990.

Why you were affected by Felix Gonzales-Torres' pieces?

FGT's sculpture is so radical because it requires the viewer to shift from passive observer to recipient. Normally the viewer is forbidden from physically engaging with artwork, with FGT (especially the candy sculptures) the viewer bends down, picks up, unwraps and eats (!) All these physical actions that normally have nothing to do with experiencing art. With this in mind, I think the bridge to being interested in both 20th century/contemporary design has a natural proximity.

I love Arik Levy's "Meteor" for example because it is both functional and sculptural. It can sit in a corner and just be a sexy object, or I can sit on it, put books on it, use it as a foot stool etc. If you read the descriptions on Caviar20 you'll notice that one of our favorite terms in "sculptural presence", even when a piece is good at its responsibilities (like being a chair) we want it to be engaging enough visually that it could never be sat in but still cherished.

Ado Chale? What is it that you found yourself attracted to?

I think a lot of men respond to Ado Chale's work because his pieces are like jewelry for a room. Unlike a woman, I don't have the privilege/option of wearing precious stones and gems but I still appreciate the beauty of these natural elements. (Well I could wear jewelry but Liberace is not really my choice of fashion icon or reference point)

Anyway, Ado Chale takes natural elements like lapis, malachite and even peppercorns, and he inlays them into black lacquer and the results are just breathtaking. His work has this great balance between being ornate without being ornamental or glamorous and minimalist.

Who is Caviar 20 working with at the moment?

I'm currently working with 6 contemporary designers; Bev Hisey, Tahir Mahmood, Group-Two Design, Don Howell, Reed Hansuld and Dyland McKinnon. All 6 designers represent an amazing intersection between craftsmanship and innovation. Their aesthetics vary but all of their work is sexy, clever and well-made.

USA, circa 1940, candle sconces

Who are some of the designers you are carrying in Caviar 20?

As for 20th century designers, I carry and seek out Verner Panton, Curtis Jere, Gaetano Pesce, Raymor, Bjorn Wiinblad, Piero Fornasetti, Italian glass/lighting (like Vistosi, Mazzega and Venini). I also love (non-reissued) Knoll.

3 favorite designers you passionately collect? Or any specific time/era you are drawn to?

I really love the 70's and 80's. During the 70's there was a lot of design activity that clarified some of the tenets of modernism and anticipated minimalism. The 80's were just crazy so much grandeur and ornament. While I wouldn't want to live in an 80's period room that is stuffed with chintz and grandfather clocks and volumes of books, I appreciate the dedication to antiques, detail and style. I really love Vistosi (Italian glass), Rita Letendre (a Canadian abstract artist) and Richard Serra.

Any advice for the new collector, other than "collect what you love..."?

Seek out pieces that are iconic but have unique features/elements. Avoid pieces that have been reissued (or that are in continuous production).

What is IDS11 in Toronto?

Its a cross between a trade show and a contemporary design fair. The most exciting element of IDS is a section called "Studio North" where contemporary designers have small booths or participate in a prototype competition. It is a great way to see what is happening with contemporary design in Canada.

3 things I would never guess about Troy Seidman?

-I wanted to open a laundromat when I lived in Tel Aviv.
-I've run 4 marathons.
-My father is a very serious collector of books on baseball. He has a library of over 5,000 titles. (I love passionate collectors!)

Troy Seidman is the founder of Caviar20. He has worked at Le Musée D’Art Contemporain de Montréal, Todd Merrill Antiques, Galerie Van den Akker, and Sotheby’s. He has participated in fairs including The Armory Show, Le Book, Modernism, Toronto International Art Fair, Palm Beach International Art Fair, Olympia (London), Pavillon des Arts & Design (Paris), and Design Miami.

Troy divides his time between Toronto, Montréal and New York.

visit Caviar 20

------------------

a store visit with Galerie Half

2011-12-30T10:24:00.000-08:00

....
the melodies in my mind (2011)

Galerie Half is a transcendent place. It is a store that blends American primitive works, with the lines of great Swedish, Belgian, French, and Danish furniture works. Galerie Half is for those that believe that rooms need a soul and a sense of history and purpose. On trips to the store, I've come across stunning works by Jean Royere, Kurt Olsen, Poul Henningsen, and Borge Mogensen to name a few. For those that read YHBHS, Galerie Half wrote one of my favorite Card Catalog entries last year for the site. (read it here.)

When researching furniture/design, songs are often in my mind. I see shapes and lines that will remind me of a melody, that slowly turn into muted colors, that eventually become a room. These images were taken by Marco Annunziata, a photographer based in Italy and L.A. who specializes in architecture/interior photography.

Galerie Half 6911 melrose avenue los angeles CA 90038

Zhang Huan 'Ash Painting No. 4' 2007, ash & incense

Underneath our feet, Crystals grow like plants
(Listen how they grow) I'm blinded by the lights
(Listen how they grow), In the core of the earth
(Listen how they grow)

(crystalline, listen here)

I've been looking for your touch.
I've been looking for your touch.
I've been looking for your touch.
everything, you touch....

listen here: holy other

Don't ask me when but ask me why
Don't ask me how but ask me where
There is a road, there is a way
There is a place, there is a place
I know places we can go babe
Coming home, come unfold babe

(I know places... here)

Do you feel any better now?
I'm trying to follow what you told me,
A little, lost colony from the start,
We never see what only you can say

(Relocate, KAUF, here)

Galerie Half
6911 melrose avenue los angeles CA 90038

Photography by Marco Annunziata

2011-12-29T08:36:00.000-08:00

"All beauty that has not a foundation in use, soon grows distasteful,
and needs continual replacement with something new.

That which has in itself the highest use possesses the greatest beauty."

the Shakers
vs
Helen Frankenthaler

"All beauty that has not a foundation in use, soon grows distasteful,
and needs continual replacement with something new.

That which has in itself the highest use possesses the greatest beauty."

------------------

2011-12-21T16:48:00.001-08:00

2011 light will eventually
fade into shadow 2012

resume [ri-zoom] verb: to begin again.
to take up or go on with again after interruption;
continue: to resume a journey.

Wishing you safe travels & happy holidays.
YHBHS will resume in the new year. See you soon.

(image of 2 lamps, and 2 candles from Axel Vervoordt's book, Timeless Interior. )

------------------

2011-12-19T16:42:00.000-08:00

"the backyard"
an essay by David John

text and image by david john. included in Apartamento #8

The afternoon I handed the keys to the new homeowners, there was a certain sadness I felt as I stood on the back porch, gazing off into the dense foliage, as the rain began to fall. In California, I’ve always welcomed the rain, as the sun is often in abundance. But there are always a few days during a Los Angeles winter, when the sky seems to open up, and all the water falls out.

When my ex-husband and I purchased the home, which was actually a duplex, the backyard was filled with chicken coops, half-dismantled aluminum storage sheds surrounded by waist high weeds, and broken bikes. With a lack of a proper fence, the backyard was a sort of “come as you are” meeting place. During our first year, it was not uncommon to look out from the bathroom window into our backyard to see a mariachi band and the neighbors signaling for us to join them.

Our side of the duplex was not only small, but also had an awkward floor plan that prevented any sense of true privacy. “Just imagine that we are in New York, an apartment this size would feel enormous,” I would tell him. After which he would reply, “But we aren’t, we are in Los Angeles.”

About a year later, the family of five moved out, and we took over the entire duplex, fanatically destroying the wall that joined the two kitchens with sledgehammers. A larger space it seemed would be the answer to all of our problems. We reveled in thought of the day when every room was completely finished, new plumbing installed, electrical redone, and the backyard completely landscaped with fruit trees.

With little money and lots of determination, we worked room by room, eventually into the backyard, building covered decks, so that when it rained, the sound would transport you to a faraway place. “Oh, when this tree grows tall, the backyard will be magical” we would tell each other, as if trying to convince one another of the longevity of our relationship. We had a dinner party to celebrate the home’s 100th birthday, and our friend Michael toasted us saying, “Well done gentleman, now this house truly looks loved!”

But as our home got closer to being finished, and the tasks lessened, our relationship continued to find distance. The last few years, we came to realize that though we shared a passion for our remodel, no matter how hard we tried, the foundation was not so solid. We spent less and less time together with every home project completed. And so, 8 years later, we stood in the living room, with new pocket sliding doors, and a restored gas fireplace, staring at each other, only to agree that our relationship could not be so simply repaired.

The house sold to a couple who immediately fell in love with the backyard, explaining to their realtor that it felt like Japan in the summertime. As I stood on the covered deck, I smiled at the irony, while looking at the pomegranate tree that now stood 20 feet tall, lush with fruit, next to the flowering trumpet tree where we had sprinkled our dog’s ashes years ago. Further behind, a newly purchased patio table was set where once a chicken coop had been many years ago. All I could think to myself was this is indeed the perfect home as I handed over my keys, walked down the street to my car, and drove away.

Happy Holidays to all. Safe travels, and Good Company!
Relationships are what is important, celebrate them!

----------------

2011-12-17T10:46:00.000-08:00

a store visit with Reform
6819 Melrose, Los Angeles

all photographs by Marco Annunziata

Gerard O'Brien's store Reform on Melrose in the heart of Los Angeles tells a specific story of craft & design. It is here in this store that I have been firsthand introduced to the works of J.B. Blunk, Howard Werner, David Cressey's ceramics, Gerald McCabe's sculptural furniture, Tanya Aguiniga's felted works, John Kapel, only to name a few.

For collectors or design geeks like myself, Reform is what I might call a "temple of the hands." A place where the lines are blurred between craft + art + design. Gerard's enormous collection of books in the back room is the best public archive of this sort that I know about here in L.A. I've spent many hours of the afternoon speaking with Gerard about the current state of craft in America , as well as attending the store's events. Last year he hosted Leslie Williamson for her book, Handcrafted Modern, and spoke recently at LACMA on The Legacy of California Design. Designers such as myself are extremely grateful for Gerard's dedication to telling the story of Southern California's design, and encouraging a new generation to work with their hands. Please take time to visit Reform. - David John

Pacific Standard Time since 2003.

a portion of the library at Reform....

It's All Good!...

large ceramic text based sculptural works....

Tanya Aguiniga's felted chairs

all photographs by Marco Annunziata

a store visit with Reform
6819 Melrose, Los Angeles

-----------------

---------------

a conversation with Josh Vogel

2011-12-13T11:23:00.000-08:00

...
"I believe in the beauty of basics & I believe in an essential spirit that transcends both context & material. Right now, I hope that the objects I make help people connect themselves with the spirit in which they were made."

- Josh Vogel of Blackcreek Mercantile & Trading Co.

"Art and design are a language like any other. I am not seeking to make a statement, rather participate in the conversation." "the more "technical" that our lives become the more resonance words like "craft" or "hand made'' have - simply as a reaction ..."

"We need hand made things to have a more poetic connection with life, we want to connect to something important through them (a feeling)."

-----------

the conversation with Josh:

You are an artist and craftsman. Can you talk about the objects you currently make, from the unique editions to the cutting boards, to the belt, etc. Is there a separation in your mind between your sculptures and the cutting boards?

Josh: The theme here seems to be connection. To me it all comes down to connecting with people…some objects or products are more easily accessible than others. Some of the projects that I get involved with such as the sculptural work or the larger scale turnings can take months to complete, the smaller more product oriented work can breakdown to a matter of hours. Either way, I basically have an inability to give anything less than 110% when I go to work.

I have the same focus & intensity making a spoon as I do a complicated sculpture…the sculpture reflects that focus over a much longer period of time, hopefully with different results.

Design for me has always been a very interactive process. The practical aspect of “work” and being “hands on” are an enormous part of how I do things. As a designer, making the designs helps inform my decisions, and as a maker, I constantly learn & gain experience through application & exercise of my designs.

Do you think we idealize the past?

It is just as easy to idealize the future, as it is the past.

I believe that objects are reflections of our culture, and can be read as the signs of the times. The 80's were so decadent. What do your objects say about the culture we live in?

Josh: I find it very difficult to speculate…I agree that who we are & what we do are reflections of something much larger…I also agree that, in retrospect, the 80’s seem extravagant. But that’s just it, for me, it comes down to context – a lens through which we view things. Feasting seems quite decadent in times of famine. In this respect, it’s difficult to guess what the objects are saying. I hope that they reflect my desire to connect & understand in a more fundamental way.

I believe in the beauty of basics & I believe in an essential spirit that transcends both context & material. Right now, I hope that the objects I make help people connect themselves with the spirit in which they were made.

Why do you feel people are seeking "authenticity" in design? The old fashioned filament bulb has risen to popularity in the last few years. I think this a perfect example of this. We want to be in spaces that feel real, that reflect the past, a simpler time, a more pure time, if you will.....

Yes, I think it is true…we want to be in spaces that feel real, but fundamentally it is about our desire for connection. Whether it is about maintaining & deepening a connection or finding new ones, in times of change these parts of our lives get challenged. I think culturally, icons like the light bulb are created to help define that change. In retrospect, the bulb may be from a simpler time, but it also represents the technological beginning of an entire electrical revolution. There is a connection here with something deeper…

I think the word relevance gets thrown around when we talk about this “real” connection. I am a big believer in that all things genuine, authentic, & personal are relevant.

Is your work about looking towards the past, or about the present?

There is a very big aspect of the work that I do that is rooted in a long line of craft tradition. One of my favorite quotes to paraphrase is Isaac Newton’s one about "standing on the shoulders of giants…And if I have seen further it’s because…”.

Checking in with this idea is very much a part of my daily life. But, I gather as much inspiration and motivation from my daily life, my immediate environment, & the people around me as I do from looking backwards or forwards. The instance of my own connection happens only by being absolutely present & engaged. It unfolds & reveals itself moment to moment…there is no great mystery here, it’s just the nature of work & being creative.

How did you first find craft/wood? Did you come from a family of makers?

Cattle ranchers, contractors, artists & teachers. More than being taught to make things growing up, I was taught to be respectful, resilient, inquisitive, & independent. My family has always had a very strong sense of duty, coupled with a wicked work ethic. Somehow I inherited a line to tow in all of that, a kind of “John Henry vs. the steam drill” challenge that makes more sense to me than perhaps it should.

Do you remember making things as a kid?

I drew a lot as a kid & overalls with pencil pockets were part of my uniform. I still fill up sketchbooks. Hammers & nails, scrap wood…but everything changed when I was old enough to have my first pocketknife.

What has wood taught you?

I am going to have to spend a lifetime trying to figure it out! Working with wood has become a large part of my life, I think that on one level or another I could relate every other thing to it. It has become a catalyst of sorts…maybe that is just it…through my work with wood I have come to understand a great many other things. The power of water, the genetic potential of an acorn, photosynthesis, charcoal, metallurgy, forestry etc., etc., it’s all there. I am not saying it’s only there, I am saying it’s a matter of getting into it…exercising your desire to learn, seeking out connections.

Would you consider yourself a purist of sort?

I am not a purist & if that is the impression, you simply find me at a moment of being very focused. I consider myself to be very flexible. I love conceptual thinking, challenging accepted ideas, and exploring different mediums.

Any craftsmen to recommend?

These guys, local & international, are both craftsmen & masters in their respective fields & are both hugely influential to me. Peter Zumthor & Martin Puryear.

Can you explain how a wood lathe works? Does it require a large amount of force? Do you see that force when you look at objects that have be worked on a lathe, or does that force disappear?

I think most people are a little let down the first time they see a lathe – until you switch it on & it starts to turn a rough piece of lumber. It’s a very basic machine. The concept is simple, the log spins very quickly on a fixed axis…then, chisels are levered into the spinning log removing shavings of the wood. Somewhere in there is a circular, curvilinear shape, open or hollow, round or flat, bowl or box. There is certainly magic in the making.

Turning takes great force to accomplish as with many other kinds of material transformation. If I manage it well, in my work, that very force is finally recognized in balance of form & clean shape. You mention the sound of the lathe, and you can hear it in the Scout video. It sounds incredibly peaceful....

When I blew glass for 5 years, I felt at times I was in a glorious state of otherness. Can you relate to this feeling?

Wood turning demands attention and tends to remind you if you become too distracted. I am sure not all that dissimilar to molten glass. I think that otherness that you are describing is the moment of empathy. It’s not necessarily about you or the material; it’s the moment where both meet.

There’s an unconscious give & take, an intuition, a push & a pull, resistance & give…carving an edge, choosing a path & staying with it as long as possible. There is no machine, there is no tool, your neck is not sore, your arms are not tired, it’s just happening.

Yes I can relate to that feeling.

New projects?

You know it’s funny that you brought up glass blowing. One of the most interesting new projects of ours has been making wooden tools for a glass blowing neighbor of ours. The studio uses a specific type of wood for their blocks, forming sticks & molds. Most of these tools live in water & are used in connection with the molten glass, which you might be familiar with. It got me thinking harder about a discussion we have been having about wood tools…& more particularly, specialized uses for wood.

Where can we find your works?

Joshua Vogel Turnings: Blackcreek Mercantile & Trading Co.,Karkula, MATTER, Standard Goods (Los Angeles)
Joshua Vogel Ltd. Edition Sculptural Wood Kitchen Tools:

Blackcreek Mercantile & Trading Co. & MARCH (exclusively)

Blackcreek Mercantile & Trading Co. small products: go here...

(a big thank you to Josh and Kelly for the photography, words, kindness, and work.)

--------------

Guest Post by Mary Gaudin, photographer

2011-12-12T09:00:00.000-08:00

...
"The locals call the Unité d'habitation La Maison du Fada - the crazy guy's house. Photos from the early 50s show a huge, stark concrete building floating like a enormous ocean liner in a sea of French bungalows."

The 6th floor.

We had three full days in the apartment. Time enough to discover for ourselves what life might be like living in a modular designed space; in a "machine for living" Le Corbusier style. The apartment was on the 6th floor of the Unité dʼHabitation in Marseille. We had a view out towards the sea from the living room on one side and a view of the city stretching out to the rugged limestone hills of Marseille from the other.

The locals call the Unité dʼhabitation La Maison du Fada - the crazy guyʼs house. Photos from the early 50s show a huge, stark concrete building floating like a enormous ocean liner in a sea of French bungalows.

It must have been a startling sight.
This was postwar public housing.
It was idealistic modernism.

Perhaps it could only have been built with the tenacity and ego of a man like Le Corbusier. If the building was a little didactic, it was also thoughtful and generous. This was an apartment which remarkably for most of the last 50 years had remained virtually untouched by its original owners.

The current architect owner has modernized around these original fixtures, so that Jean Prouvéʼs oak wooden stairs & window frames and the cast aluminium & tiling of Charlotte Perriandʼs kitchen, remain classic features. The kitchen was cabin like and by our modern standards perhaps too pokey. In fact Le Corbusier wanted the kitchen to be like a cockpit : “to have everything within reach, functional & easy to use”. I did like having everything close at hand. I liked the built in shelf behind the sink for soap and scourers. I liked the pull out wooden chopping board, the serving hatch opening the kitchen out onto the dining room and the cubby hole where your morning baguette & paper could be delivered.

I spent a lot of time pottering around in the apartment : reading, thinking, making cups of tea, watching the changing light, taking photos & resisting any suggestions of venturing out. My mathematician husband raided the supply of childrenʼs drawing paper to work on some computations. It was a good sign. He could concentrate in the space. It was stimulating but at the same time relaxing & intimate.

Le Corbusier was very keen on a metaphor, especially a nautical one.
He said that “life in a building is a journey on a liner”.

Our stay felt a little like being at sea, albeit in a very roomy cabin.

Mary Gaudin is a New Zealand photographer living in Montpellier, France. Currently she divides her time between France and London and as much other travelling as she can do. If you're interested in a Life Book or for any other photography please contact her at ... mail@marygaudin.com

read a previous YHBHS interview with Mary Gaudin here....
&
go to l'antipodeuse, her site with many more images..

All text and images courtesy of Mary Gaudin.

2011-12-11T22:29:00.000-08:00

to be open, and to have closed.

mark hagen
vs
donald moffett

1. Mark Hagen, new works at Almine Rech in Paris, 2011

2. The first comprehensive survey of Moffett’s investigations into art history, paint, and form, Donald Moffett: The Extravagant Vein will provide viewers with insight into the breadth and range of the artist’s practice over the past twenty years. As a painter, Moffett extends the traditional two-dimensional frame, converting the ordinariness of the flat plane into highly textured relief works with his signature oil paintings or into intricate illuminations by incorporating video projections onto the canvas. The subject matter of his paintings—from landscape and nature to politics and history—are poetic, provocative, and even at times humorous.

An astute and thoughtful painter, Moffett knows the power of the artist to critique the world at large, and his love of the Spanish romantic painter Goya (1746-1828) and Italian painter Morandi (1890-1964), are manifested in his ability to blend the subtle with the outlandish, the image with social critique. As a founding member of Gran Fury, the artistic arm of the activist group ACT UP, Moffett has remained engaged with issues surrounding the presence of gays in historical and contemporary culture. And he is fearless in addressing issues that still resonate today, such as the rights of openly gay men and women to serve in the military (Gays in the Military, 1990-91) and the aesthetics of gay subcultures (Fleisch, 2007).

Moffett is also interested in the ecstatic and its manifestation in the secular world in which we inhabit. Moffett incorporates sound and light in his work, sometimes as stand alone projects and at other times in conjunction with his paintings, creating an ambiance more reminiscent of the art and culture of the Renaissance era than of our current technological world. While this exhibition provides contemporary views on several important topics of our contemporary lives, it is, too, a meditation on the larger, timeless universal issues of love, loss, alienation, and death.

-----------------

a conversation with Azadeh Shladovsky

2011-12-10T17:03:00.000-08:00

...
"Design is very personal for me, a balance of visceral and intellectual processes.
If I am true to myself, then ultimately I know that my designs will appeal to those individuals who have an affinity for quality, nuance and imagination."

There is an attraction that I feel for the works of Azadeh Shladovsky. A few months ago, at the opening of her furniture works at the exquisite Jean De Merry on Melrose Place, I found myself transfixed by these wooden cube sculptures that echoed the floor of the atrium. As we were all chatting, I began to notice the daylight bouncing off the brass details of the Torre stumps, sending geometrical shadows around the room. Ah, space, light, and form!!

Thank you to Sean and Azadeh for inviting me to see this work.

The materials, and any challenges?

Azadeh: This collection is a play on hard and soft, focusing mainly on woods and metals and how they interact. I use everything from oak, walnut, rosewood and maple. Metal finishes are polished nickel and smokey brass, and long-haired Patagonian sheepskin is the signature softgood. Some of the simplest designs tend to be the most challenging to construct, especially when you’re marrying two different materials into a single form; the Torre stumps are a good example, by far one of the most challenging pieces in the collection.

All of the pieces are made locally in Los Angeles by the most integral team of craftsmen. The wood is all sourced in the U.S. and is responsibly forested. The long-haired sheepskin is the only material that is imported.

The most important aspect of your work?

Being true to the creative PROCESS is the most important aspect. I never know where the inspiration will come from, but the key is to allow it to take shape in my mind without restrictions. I never enter the process with the notion of designing a specific piece. It must have a bigger purpose…it has to move me.

Materials you'd like to focus on in the future?

I am a materials junkie of sorts and hope to continue exploring and experimenting with different woods, metals, stone and fabrics. The fun will always come in bringing materials together in unexpected ways.

How did the collaboration with Jean de Merry come about?

For me, deciding to be represented by Christian and Jean was simple, they approach furniture making with the same passion and respect for the process. Creating innovative yet timeless pieces using age-old techniques is something that they are masters at, and I knew my collection would be in great company at their gallery showrooms.

thank you Azadeh Shladovsky

============

2011-12-07T21:36:00.000-08:00

new work by David Gilbert
December 9 - January 22, 2012.

Klaus von Nichtssagend Gallery presents the first New York solo show by David Gilbert, a Los Angeles based artist. A few months ago, David Gilbert extended an invitation to view the work before it left for New York. On that early morning in downtown LA, I was transfixed by the light in his studio. We spent the afternoon talking about interiors (his mother is an interior designer), the power of arrangement/non-arrangement, faded colors and what they signify, and the works that would be included in the upcoming show. For those in New York, David Gilbert's show opens this weekend, with a reception on Friday evening. Take time to visit...

"David Gilbert's installations of photography and sculpture are an effort to pin down ephemeral forms, creating a dialogue between image and actuality. Gilbert’s studio practice begins by working with humble materials such as fabric, clothing, paper, cardboard, paint, and yarn. The resulting messy, fragile, and often whimsical assemblages are arranged within the studio environment as still-life compositions or theatrical vignettes.

With a nod to painters such as Ingres and Vermeer, and photographers Robert Mapplethorpe and Peter Hujar, these “portraits” generate a conceptual fetishization of their subjects. The work operates between abstraction and vérité, where the viewer recognizes the materials from which the sculptures are made, but the resulting forms are ambiguous, ghostly or crude figurations.

---------------

2011-12-07T09:29:00.000-08:00

jean royere
vs
kate bush

"The world is so loud. Keep falling. "

"Now I am falling.
I want you to catch me.
Look up and you'll see me.
You know you can hear me.
The world is so loud. Keep falling. I'll find you. We're over a forest."

Pair of stools in blackened iron with "soccerball" seat
by Jean Royère (1902-1984), France, mid-20th century.
via Gallery BAC

lyrics from new Kate Bush album, 50 words for snow.

-----------------

a conversation with APPARATUS

2011-12-05T10:04:00.000-08:00

..
"We were looking for something that spoke to the dichotomy between complexity and utility. There is something oddly complex about our fixtures, but ultimately I think the pieces achieve their function in quite a utilitarian way."

Gabriel Hendifar and Jeremy Anderson are Apparatus, a studio creating beautiful handcrafted lighting. For those in Los Angeles, selections from their latest line can be seen at Gallery L7. I recently had a conversation with Gabriel who now lives in New York about his company, and his past as a fashion designer.

How did you arrive at the name APPARATUS?

Gabriel: We were looking for something that spoke to the dichotomy between complexity and utility. There is something oddly complex about our fixtures, but ultimately I think the pieces achieve their function in quite a utilitarian way. We wrestled with this for weeks, and it came to Jeremy in an inspired moment. The word conjures a certain intricacy but has a very simple meaning.

Why did you begin to create a lighting line, did you see a need in the market?

Yes, in a way. I noticed that I wasn’t seeing what we wanted to hang in our space-- something that strikes a smart balance between utilitarian and decorative. I wanted to see fixtures that felt handled and related to the past but said something new.

Brass has become a popular choice of material in interior design again. Materials: how do you arrive at them, and any new materials you are excited to work with?

Brass was a natural choice. I love it’s warmth and I think that’s much of the reason it is being used so widely again. When we oxidize our components, it is fascinating to see the range of patinas that results from the differences in the zinc to copper ratio. Some of my favorite pieces in the collection are built around found objects, which then inspire exploration of new materials. I’m excited about working more with reclaimed wood and blown glass. A friend has been using horsehair in her jewelry design and I’m very curious to play with that in our world.

Where are these works made?

The pieces are manufactured in our New York studio. We work with artisans to develop metal and wood components, but Jeremy and I ultimately assemble every piece individually.

You have a fashion background, and also work as an interior designer. In your current interior design, talk about what sort of rooms and spaces inspire you?

I was trained as a costume and scenic designer and have been primarily designing womenswear for the past 10 years-- first with JMary then with Raquel Allegra. I took on interior design clients as a way to expand my perspective and sharpen my eye. Right now the rooms that resonate most with me are those that feel curated rather than designed-- eclectic, surprising, a little off. I have only done residential until now, but there are a few possible retail projects in the pipeline that are very intriguing, both for the interior design possibilities and because we will have the opportunity to design site-specific lighting fixtures.

A home should:

Be comfortable and familiar enough for a soft landing, but also be a little challenging. Keep you on your toes-- like a good relationship.

2 things I would never guess to ask you..

-1. Sometimes I daydream about being a concert pianist. I was trained until the age of 14 and still play. Finding an apartment in NY that would accommodate the grand piano was definitely a challenge.

-2. I’m fascinated by swimwear and underwear. I think our next project is going to be a men’s underwear line. There is a huge gap in the market for well-made, thoughtful, underwear that is not brand-emblazoned or misdirected in it image of masculinity.

for more of APPARATUS
see more images here... at Gallery L7

...............

--------

2011-12-04T10:26:00.000-08:00

ITEM is a project where an object is singled out, obsessively researched,
sourced and then held in an exhibition and sold to celebrate it.

The first ITEM is the CANDLE and the first celebration is Dec. 6, 6-8,
at R 20th Century Gallery at 82 Franklin.

"Hand made traditional Byzantine candles made in Florina, Greece"

ITEM will present a collection of candles sourced from around the world.

These unique specimens include: (1) Byzantine candles from Greece made by one of the last artisans of this style (2) Hand dipped 3 branched Swedish grenljus candles associated with Christmas (3) Jewish Havdallah candles lit at the end of the Sabbath (4) Japanese handmade sumac candles and many others.

The candles will be on display in a unified installation, at once amplifying the differences in shape and style while also suggesting a universal essence of candle-ness. ITEM is a project started in 2011 by Leah Singer and Julia Trotta. The mission is to single out and to obsess over singular objects, presenting them in an installation setting.

ITEM has no fixed address.
More of ITEM at their tumbler.

-------------------

2011-12-02T23:36:00.000-08:00

"What you SEE is what you SEE"

the interior designer
vs
the artist

“I wanted work that didn’t involve incredible assumptions about everything…I didn’t want work that was general or universal in the usual sense. I didn’t want it to claim too much…”

—Donald Judd

"All I want anyone to get out of my painting, and all I ever get out of them, is the fact
that you can see the whole idea without any confusion… What you see is what you see.”

—Frank Stella

"I don't obsess over how it looks; I care how I feel in it and I care how others feel in it."

- Larry Vodak

photograph Larry Vodak's home in Chicago, Owner of Scout

The above image is taken from the new book, Chicago Spaces, Inspiring Interiors.
Lots has changed in the neighborhood that I lived in the early 1990's. Hoping to visit soon.

"Compiled by the editors of Chicago Home + Garden magazine (a publication of Chicago magazine), Chicago Spaces is divided into two parts. The ﬁrst features homes in their entirety, while the second focuses on speciﬁc rooms: dining rooms, living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, baths, dens, foyers, and children’s rooms. Readers will learn how these spaces came together and ﬁnd tips for making changes in their own homes, as well as a directory of the best furniture and accessories shops in the area."

----------------

2011-12-01T14:03:00.000-08:00

"I think in many ways I feel more aligned to the Shakers
and other sects in which good, orderly behavior leads to a good life."

-Thad Hayes

As autumn folds himself into winter, I've begun to pull some books from the shelf. I'm counting on the colors fading, and beginning to notice the grey light disappearing from the sky.

There is a clarity in design that is made to last a lifetime, to endure, and push through until the morning sun rises.

Thad Hayes: The Tailored Interior, 2009

"Since establishing his office in New York in 1985, Thad Hayes has become one of the most sought-after young interior designers. As the twenty-two residences here show, he is noted for light-filled interiors characterized by calm colors, quietude, and elegance.

His interiors embrace the period and the modern, significant objects and simple ones, furniture he finds and pieces he designs. Hayes’s rooms resound in meditative understatement but are not afraid of being daring. From a penthouse on Central Park, a Deco duplex on Park Avenue, or a pied-à-terre at the Pierre Hotel to a Palm Beach retreat and Hamptons hideaway, his designs are remarkable for their symbiotic sensitivity to the client and his own subtle, extraordinarily beautiful aesthetic."

-----------------

2011-11-30T10:33:00.000-08:00

all colors will eventually fade into winter.
vs
"Look for comfort now, within these walls
For all these different days yeah, these autumn ways
Will slowly disappear: Will slowly fall apart.
Drifting slowly, drifting clear"

Shades of color/texture for a declared interior.

Seek light and transparency in the California fall.

(above lyrics by neil halstead, first image from world of interiors magazine, 2nd image from cabin fever._

--------------

2011-11-30T09:28:00.000-08:00

Lempertz :Contemporary Art
Saturday, 3 December 2011
upcoming auction

Lempertz :Contemporary Art
Saturday, 3 December 2011
upcoming auction

photographs by Candida Hofer

"Lempertz is one of the leading auction houses in Europe and the eldest in family posession. The history of the company reaches back to the beginning of the 19th century. In 1802, Johann Matthias Heberle established the „Antiquargeschäft mit Auktionsanstalt (Antiquarian Book Shop including Auctions)" that held important auctions of rare books and art works. After the death of the founder in 1840, his employee Heinrich Lempertz, at that time 24 years old, took over the company that was than renamed „J. M. Heberle (H. Lempertz)“

---------------

2011-11-29T09:38:00.001-08:00

the rectangle vs the square,
fucking trivial details man.

"There is a black which is old and a black which is fresh. Lustrous black and dull black, black in sunlight and black in shadow."

"Here and now I would be, I should be But how? I could have been One of these things first I could have been One of these things first." (nick drake)

the rectangle vs the square,
applaud the details man.

1. Rectangular dining table with frame in jacaranda and inset black underpainted glass top. Designed by Joaquim Tenreiro, Brazil, 1949. via R20th

2. "In the last ten years of his life, Reinhardt focused solely on square, black paintings. In his unpublished writings, the artist indicates that these pictures relate aesthetically to monotonal Chinese paintings rather than Western painting's concepts of light and dark. These canvases are intentionally enigmatic, painted to resist interpretation and to represent the beginning of a new way of seeing and thinking about art. In 1961, Reinhardt described them thus:

A square (neutral, shapeless) canvas, five feet wide, five feet high, as high as a man, as wide as a man's outstretched arms (not large, not small, sizeless), trisected (no composition), one horizontal form negating one vertical form (formless, no top, no bottom, directionless), three (more or less) dark (lightless) no–contrasting (colorless) colors, brushwork brushed out to remove brushwork, a matte, flat, free–hand, painted surface (glossless, textureless, non–linear, no hard-edge, no soft edge) which does not reflect its surroundings—a pure, abstract, non–objective, timeless, spaceless, changeless, relationless, disinterested painting—an object that is self–conscious (no unconsciousness) ideal, transcendent, aware of no thing but art (absolutely no anti–art)." (text image taken from here)

................

2011-11-29T01:04:00.000-08:00

LAMA : Los Angeles Modern Auctions

"The December 11, 2011 Important Modern Art & Design Auction features over 500 lots of exceptional material from a prominent West Coast collection and includes rare examples of modern art and design by iconic 20^th century artists."

California design is not a superimposed style, but an answer to present conditions… It has developed out of our own preferences for living in a modern way."
- 1951 Greta Grossman

Greta Grossman : Step table
Lot 341: est. $2,000 - $3,000 designed c. 1952
"Walnut frame and lower shelf with Thermoset Plastic upper shelves and black iron legs with round walnut tips."

go see the Auction Preview:
December 1 – 10, 2011 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.

-----------------

2011-11-28T09:56:00.000-08:00

Design Masters @ Phillips de Pury & Company
December 13, 2011, New York
&
"the fun of the century" piano magic

Could it be that you drove me into your fleet of hand-melt candy
Could it be that you sent me falling off the roof backwards, gently
Do not let my words depress you - I'm here to uplift you now
(I'm here to uplift you now) (here)

1. Property of an East Coast Gentleman, Pierre Chareau
Important desk, model no. MB 405, and stool, model no. SN 3, ca. 1927 Rosewood-veneered walnut, painted iron. 36 1/4 × 64 × 40 3/8 in. (92.1 × 162.6 × 102.6 cm.) ESTIMATE $475,000-525,000

2. Scott Burton, Rare pair of chairs, ca. 1988 Stainless steel. From the edition of five (2). Each: 31 1/2 × 21 2/3 × 32 in. (80 × 55 × 81.3 cm.) ESTIMATE $225,000-275,000 PROVENANCE Max Protetch Gallery, New York, 1988; Private collection, New York

3. Piano Magic return to Antenna Studios, Crystal Palace, London on Dec 2nd to play their final show of the year. Again, this will be a special "quiet" set with support from the wonderful Directorsound. This is a no-alcohol, all ages affair that runs strictly from 7.00 - 9.30pm.

-----------------

2011-11-27T11:06:00.000-08:00

chasing light into "the nothingness."

Uta Barth: "a mantra that allows us to tune into the subtlest, most ephemeral information that I am trying to chase down."
vs
"Quincy Jones-designed house in Beverly Hills' Trousdale Estates "

1. Uta Barth 27 Oct 2011 - 22 Dec 2011

Tanya Bonakdar Gallery is pleased to present a remarkable group of new works by Uta Barth. As the artist's ninth solo exhibition with the gallery, this show will bring together two of Barth's latest series of color photographs within the main floor exhibition spaces. This series is installed in the main gallery space as a sequence of diptych and triptych paneled photographs that trace a growing ribbon of light against the curtains of the artist's home. Created over the course of a single afternoon, this project follows a distinct chronology that diverges from the circular nature of her earlier series.

Here, Barth captures glimpses of the ephemeral as it exists between two fixed points in time, beginning with the very first sliver of light that snakes across her textured curtains and culminating in large ribbons that fill the final frame. Despite this sequential ordering, however, these photographs do not invite a linear narrative. Rather, they coalesce to transform observations as simple as a ray of afternoon sunlight into a lyrical description of the passage of time, heightening our awareness of such subtleties and, in turn, the process of looking itself."(here)

2. "The Cox-Arquettes put some work into the place--architect Cory Buckner, who's known for her work on the Jones/Whitney Smith-designed Crestwood Hills tract in Brentwood, did a "Complete house remodel," according to her website. That included: "bedrooms reconfigured with new hall, new kitchen, all new finish materials and outdoor Fireorb fireplace." The house sits on nine-tenths of an acre and has that totally killer swimming pool featured in Architectural Digest back in 1974."

a conversation with IKO IKO, Kristin Dickson

2011-11-25T09:25:00.000-08:00

...
"I think you keep making things in search of beauty
and what you want beauty to mean within your work. It's infinite."

-Kristin Dickson, of IKO IKO

photos by Marco Annunziata

It was not surprising when Kristin Dickson of IKO IKO told me that they don't think about IKO IKO as a job they go to. She said "It's more like who we are and what makes us completely happy." Over the years, I've had the pleasure of slowly getting to know Kristin and Shin of IKO IKO.

IKO IKO is the perfect place to pick up the latest Apartamento magazine, check out one of their curated shows, or purchase a gift for someone, or yourself. The store carries MerkelWare a line of everyday ceramics by Matt Merkel-Hess, Hannah Keefe's exquisite jewelry, as well as Shin's line of furniture & objects under the name WAKA WAKA. IKO IKO also hosts Zachary Leener's ongoing ceramic sculptures, which now have been shown at Salon 94 and in the pages of PIN-UP Magazine. Read an interview here with Zachary...

They recently moved to a new location on 931 North Fairfax Avenue, in the heart of Los Angeles. If you have not been to their new store, now is the perfect time! For those not here in LA, shop online with IKO IKO....

Thank you to Kristin and Shin.....

your own, personal, zig zag... by waka waka

How do you view the "space" of the store?

As for the offerings of IKO IKO I want it to feel like an experience. So there's a balance in "space enhancing" sculpture, utilitarian work and then work that points to various traditions. I think the artists we show and the work Shin and I produce reveal a particular personality--a fascination with process, texture, pattern, humor and the unexpected.

The idea of limited editions and one-offs is also motivating in who we work with and gives a nice platform to what an artist or designer might want to make outside of their everyday practice. We try to make this a very personal space where ideas are moving around and the work is rotating. The arrangement of the space is determined by how these objects can articulate our story but also give a sense of being in a live space where you are interacting with these pieces.

How do you think about space, in your home, or in your store?

I think they both center around personal expression but more like private versus public expression. I think we view our home as a place with things that inspire us--a big library, our own travel finds and personal effects, but arrangements are created with the idea of living with our collection of things and objects. The store is where we want to inspire an audience, so the artists and makers we show at the store excite us and speak a language we feel is important to share with others. The store is our statement of what we find beautiful, intelligent, unusual and curious.

Tell us about the name of the store & how your store has evolved over the last few years.

It's credited as an old creole song with an original 1953 version (entitled Jock-A-Mo) by James "Sugar Boy" Crawford. A few other musicians had a try at it..the Dixie Cups, Cyndi Lauper, the Grateful Dead. In Gambian it means "attention!" or "listen up!" and in Japanese, "lets go!" I like the possibility it insinuates.

You recently moved your store from Echo Park to Fairfax in Hollywood. How is it?

Our Echo Park space felt more like you were window view into our tiny IKO IKO clubhouse (workshop included). Our new location feels like we've evolved to a more open architecture where there are white walls, big windows and a larger landscape for arranging pieces. It feels a bit more public and like were getting the chance to present our ideas to more people.

The space issue is a huge plus because it provides more opportunity to develop and show new pieces to a larger audience. We are lucky to have built relationships with some amazing artists who we continue to collaborate with on pieces specific to the store and to our concept of IKO IKO. What we are trying to do is build outside of the repetition and overlap that retail can be and create strong work and creative connections with the artists and designers we work with.

Anything you fear?

I try not to.

3 things I would never guess about you?

Tater tots
I would love to live in Spain and study lacemaking.
Art Laboe request line... here...

ROWENA SARTIN, Kristin Dickson's clothing line is sold exclusively at IKO IKO. What is your definition of beauty in regards to your clothing line?

I think you keep making things in search of beauty and what you want beauty to mean within your work. It's infinite. I find that working outside of the idea of a fall or spring collection is easiest for me, so it's more of a long stream of an idea with each clothing piece. I think also when I design it's less about accentuating the female form and more about the conversation the clothing can have on your body--how interesting is the shape, the construction, the finishing details. Those elements make a piece a beautiful idea when the balance is right.

Is there a specific time or place in "history" that occupies your mind?

Not completely, but I do think that the 80s were really visually liberating. It was exaggerated, ridiculous, and so obvious and open to interpretation in fashion. I like the geometry of clothing then, with all the over-sized proportions and how that translated to messages about power, movement, gender.

What colors, shapes, and materials are you attracted to these days?

I'm always attracted to texture and how to work variations of it together and how to drape it in a way that might feel unusual. I also like when fabric recalls certain textural effects like crumbled paper or a plastic bag. I think I also relate comfort to texture as well with the silks and washed rayons. I would have 20 colors all at once if possible, but I typically work with navy, black, white, natural and a few other color favorites--salmon, lavender and grey. I also try to have polka dots somewhere in there, too.

Shins furniture line is called WAKA WAKA. Are your names connected?

We wanted them to sound like family members or at least have a sing-along effect.

How does Shins work influence yours?

He has an incredible identity to his work. Everything he makes maintains a certain character and consistency in design which I think shows his individuality as well as a clear confidence in the process start to finish. I try to be conscious of the distinctions in my designs in the way he effortlessly does.

Is it fair to say your artistic relationship is becoming harder to distinguish?

We feel lucky to work with each other and also share so many similar reference points, inspirations, and creative goals. Its so rewarding to be able to have a creative partnership with your life partner but still have individual perspectives. There's a harmony but also a healthy discord which makes the final pieces work well.

What have you learned from your last few trips to traveling to Japan? Historically or socially? Have these trips altered your ideas of beauty & design?

The idea of respect is so profound from human interactions, to architecture and how people interact with space, honoring seasons, and how art is incorporated in life there--from ceramics to textiles, to plantlife to food. Leaving your comfort zone is much more enlightening when the idea of normal becomes indefinable and where customs and repetitive gestures show you a really everyday beauty.

How does life compare in Japan to Los Angeles?

I think in Los Angeles I'm more aware of the force in how people speak, drive, and interact in general. In Japan there's a marked consideration to certain details and how dutiful people are to those details--trash and recycling (at least 4 different recycling categories), the ceramics you use during each season (even applying it to chopstick rests), interior and exterior architecture (always removing your shoes when entering a home) and the intense presence of nature (flower arrangements both formal and casual in business and homes). Again, its a different application of respect in Japan that I think is really thoughtful.

Thank you to Kristin, for taking the time.
Looking forward to more conversations......

IKO IKO 931 N. FAIRFAX AVE. LOS ANGELES, CA 90046
323.719.1079 : HOURS : TUES-SAT 12-7 // SUN 12-5

photos by Marco Annunziata

--------------------

2011-11-21T13:38:00.000-08:00

YHBHS store visit with Gallery L7

"authentic 20th Century European lighting, furniture & objects."

Sven Neumann, owner of Gallery L7
5619 melrose ave, los angeles, ca 90038

What does your store specialize in?

We specialize in collecting important and/or exciting authentic 20th Century European lighting, furniture & objects. All items are handpicked, most of them are found during our frequent trips back to the German homeland, others we acquire through several European dealers that we work with.

Any specific items at the moment you are in love with?

Obsessed with Kaiser Idell lamps as well as kandem lights (both are German Bauhaus-aera lighting manufacturers) love Gaetano Sciolari cubic chandeliers for their exquisite composition. The “grasshopper” lounge chair by Preben Fabricius & Jørgen Kastholm.

photography courtesy of Marco Annunziata

Favorite architects / lighting designers?

Alvar Aalto, Charlotte Perriand, and Serge Mouille

What did you do before L7?

For the past 7 years I worked for Frank Gehry as a 3D Coordinator & Job Captain on medium to large scale projects. Before that I had engagements with Greg Lynn, Graft Lab & Imaginary Forces as a project architect.

2 new works by APPARATUS, a lighting studio in New York.

Visit Gallery L7 on 1st dibs here....
all images courtesy of Marco Annunziata

-----------

2011-11-20T13:51:00.000-08:00

when paintings become a building.
when a building becomes a painting's memory.

Matthew Marks Gallery,
1062 North Orange Grove, Los Angeles, opening January 19, 2012

"This 3000 square foot gallery for Chelsea gallery owner Matthew Marks, with a facade embellished with an Ellsworth Kelly sculpture, will open in January of 2012."

"ZELLNERPLUS is an award winning architectural design firm located in Culver City, California. ZELLNERPLUS has designed public and private art galleries, residences, institutional facilities and corporate work spaces in Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York. ZELLNERPLUS has been recognized in publications such as Art and Auction, Architectural Record, Domus, IDChina, The Architects Newspaper, Harper's Bazaar, The Los Angeles Times and The New York Times for its ability to deliver uniquely tailored spaces for art, living and working. ZELLNERPLUS was named by Domus Russia and the organizational committee of the ARCHIP International architectural committee as the laureate and winner of the ARCHIP-2009 Innovations award."

-----------------

2011-11-19T09:50:00.000-08:00

new works by Ricky Swallow
@ Marc Foxx, opens tonight

"The narratives that these new works create ask for quiet reflection on what might be considered the small pleasures of life, as they are made in proximity to our daily rituals in the moments where object-hood is more than just function or form, but rather an intimate relationship and exchange with ourselves."

Binder With Magnifying Glass 2011 Patinated Bronze.

Ricky Swallowʼs practice has always addressed materiality and transformation, as seen with his previous woodcarvings and their processes of reduction. This new area of Swallowʼs practice involves addition, improvisation and construction. The subtle evidence of the cardboard and tape used to construct the original model is quietly at play on the tactile surfaces of the works. The artistʼs careful and specific use of color in the patinas references utilitarianism, modernism and the rudimentary design palettes of Native American Art. The color of the patinas seem effortless, but are, in fact, a very intricate process, which is in contrast to a classical, more traditional approach to treating bronze. References can also be seen in this collection from Mid-Century modernist art, design, architecture and ceramics.

Variations on the form of the French curve appear throughout the show as an adaptive and playful motif, which echoes the nature of the cardboard tubing material from which each work was created. The use of the top hat, in “Blowing Hats”, 2011 and “Hat Clock/Open Study”, 2011 has been adapted to signify both playful dynamism as well as formal contemplation.

Ricky Swallow, at Marc Foxx
November 19 - December 22, 2011

all text courtesy of Marc Foxx

----------------------

2011-11-18T12:02:00.000-08:00

Old Plank Road : Chicago

"The fuel to feed this fire is most often found in the English Midlands, Italian Countryside or the charming South of France. Dozens of European trips have yielded thousands of treasures brought back to America in shipping containers and suitcases (when necessary)."

"Unique margarine store counter from England with a stone top and marble surround. Ideal as a kitchen accent piece or utilized as a small island or desk, this is fantastic... "

Old Plank Road has been importing and restoring European antiques and vintage furniture since 1992. In January 2011 they moved to their new location in a beautiful restored vintage building in Chicago with 31,000 square feet of space - a fitting backdrop for our spectacular inventory. (more here)

-------------

2011-11-17T15:55:00.000-08:00

"I like to think of my work as a threshold between
in and out, object and space, heavy and light."

- Peter Shelton

Peter Shelton: eyehand
Selected sculpture from 1975 - 2011 at L.A. Louver, Los Angeles
19 November - 30 December 2011

"A lot of my early work started off nominally geometric and constructed, but I would sneak in a reference to the body without depicting the body, which was a way of creating a kind of subversive connection. Desire, memory, humor, even wistfulness are powerful psychic qualities that I do not avoid. I wanted to enter the work directly and have its narrative understood as much in the body as the mind."

"I like to think of my work as a threshold between in and out, object and space, heavy and light. You can see a preoccupation with the piercing of a membrane as a theme in flattop, 1975, with its overhead plane extended endlessly by mobility of it wheels. holecan, 1980 is an anthropometric planetarium of perforations. And recently blackslot, 2008-10 pushes its elusive objectified inner out to its edges where its containing skin defuses into an indefinite surface bleeding off into space.

-- Peter Shelton

Born in 1951, Peter Shelton was a pre-medical student at Pomona College, studying sociology, anthropology and theatre, before he switched to major in fine art. Shelton went on to earn a trade certificate in welding from the Hobart School of Welding Technology in his hometown of Troy, Ohio, in 1974, and a MFA from the University of California Los Angeles in 1979.

more here....

2011-11-14T22:16:00.000-08:00

new works by Abel Auer

"They are dream worlds, parallel worlds,
contrary to the artist’s own urban living environment."

Abel Auer: In the future
till 10 December 2010 at Sies + Hoke

"The American philosopher David K. Lewis says that everything we can think of inherently contains the possibility of existence. Abel Auer goes one step further. He constitutes a possible world not only on the intellectual level, he shows it to the viewer in his paintings. The question of whether this world is parallel, alternative or contrary to ours remains unanswered. The unshakable duration of this reality is based on his use of unreal colors, bizarre shapes and distorted perspectives, culminating in the borders of arabesque crochets.  ..

Sentimentalism and nostalgia are manifest in his paintings, the longing and the substitute for a lost nature. At once they are personal and reaching to an universal level of human understanding. The figures creeping through fantastic landscapes are reminiscent of heroic characters in the works of Poe, Kafka, Baudelaire or Ensor’s paintings. The strange other-worldliness and unity of the self-contained, hermetic world is drawing the viewer into the narrative, testing his or her sensitivity.  Abel Auer’s images are an exploration of 19th Century landscape painting... They are dream worlds, parallel worlds, contrary to the artist’s own urban living environment."

all text taken from here..

--------------------

2011-11-13T11:12:00.001-08:00

"from where you just arrived"
vs
"a square with returns eventually returns to a corner."

"When we are honest – that’s my saying – if we are honest then we will reveal ourselves. But we do not have to make an effort to be individualistic, different from others. You see that is the nonsense of the last 15, 20 years, the two decades, of the great famous American decades of Abstract Expressionism.

What is wrong there is that everyone wants to be different from the already different ones. And then they ended up all alike. And we are tired of that. And the youngsters feel that now. And they don’t continue, you see. They see this will not last."

- Josef Albers.... 1968, Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution

"from where you just arrived"
vs
"a square with returns eventually returns to a corner."

1. Andree Putman, from the book "Complete Works." Paris 1992. "The bathroom, containing a bathtub, square sink composed as a single block, and recessed soap holder is covered entirely in gray ceramic 5 x 5 tiles. Along the walls runs a rhythmic frieze of glass squares gilded with white gold. Hidden in niches behnd a beveld mirror are storage spaces. An illuminated groove is recessed in the false ceiling, under a pane of sandblasted glass. The pendant lamps are covered in shades made of parchment, similar to Chinese lanterns.... (here)

2. Manuel Canovas, Paris, textiles... see the entire collection here... perfect for sofa upholstery, faded squares of light.

3. Laura Owens. at Pepin Moore... "From Where You Just Arrived".... A brilliant show of paintings in Chinatown. This smaller work by Laura Owens captivated me with its pink and blue grids, and has stuck in my mind throughout the weekend. Other works by Jonas Wood and Ruby Neri, and lots of impressive smaller works at Pepin Moore....

"Organized by Ryan Schneider in New York and Jonas Wood in Los Angeles. Schneider and Wood draw comparisons between the painting scenes in their respective cities by including the work of artists in their immediate circles of friends and contemporaries. The exhibition, inclusive of works by nine artists from each city, exposes the dialog between these two centers of contemporary American painting. "

----------------------

Apartamento #08

2011-11-10T08:22:00.000-08:00

....
"there are always a few days during a Los Angeles winter,
when the sky seems to open up, and all the water falls out."

"The afternoon I handed the keys to the new homeowners, there was a certain sadness I felt as I stood on the back porch, gazing off into the dense foliage, as the rain began to fall. In California, I’ve always welcomed the rain, as the sun is often in abundance. But there are always a few days during a Los Angeles winter, when the sky seems to open up, and all the water falls out."

- "The Backyard" by David John, in APARTAMENTO #08

Thank you Apartamento for asking me to be part of the latest edition. From the looks of the cover, this is going to be another mind-melting edition. Faye Toogood, Rafael Cardenas, Michael Stipe, Marcelo Krasilcic, Nathalie Du Pasquier, Patrick Parrish, and tons more....

2011-11-09T08:30:00.000-08:00

"Time is transparent.
We move through it unwittingly,
conditioned by its constancy."

Sam Falls, Untitled (West Hollywood, CA. Green)
2011 hand-dyed green cotton and metal grommets

M+B is now showing works curated by Sam Falls & Matt Moravec. TIME AND MATERIAL will be on view from November 4 to December 22. Participating artists include Sam Falls, Jacob Kassay, N. Dash, Kyle Thurman and Joe Zorrilla.

"Time is transparent. We move through it unwittingly, conditioned by its constancy.

It's passage is recorded on everything: obtaining, detaining, reflecting and detecting the subtle morbid dance of existence and material."

Jacob Kassay, Untitled 2011 sand, jute

The work in this exhibition embraces the inevitable. The wrists acknowledge the object's empirical place in linear time. A place which is at no moment more complete, and at the end of which, awaits an unavoidable fate: that of its devolvement. Despite this material dissolution, the concept persists through time's weathering wash. The life of the object is to exist as we do, between two bookends, gathered up and let out."

---------------------

2011-11-08T09:30:00.000-08:00

Tonight's event is full! Hope you reserved a spot for de Lab's latest design excursion! Tonight, Daniel Ostroff curator & editor is giving us a guided tour. Directly after, we will be getting boozed up across the street, at street, feverishly getting drunk on cocktails. Not a bad way to spend a Tuesday night! Cheers.

"de LaB (dee-lab) unites Los Angeles creatives in efforts to improve and engage the city with events that are one part education, one part inspiration, and one part libation."

"Our next de LaB ducks into the showroom of legendary furniture dealer JF Chen for their latest show, Collecting Eames. The show features 425 products designed by Charles and Ray Eames, making it the largest and most diverse gathering of Eames objects in the U.S. In addition to the pieces of furniture for which the duo was best known, the show also includes rare posters, toys, and graphics, and extremely unique pieces like an Eames-designed tube radio.
Our tour will be guided by curator and editor of EamesDesigns Daniel Ostroff, who will point out some of the gems in this fascinating collection, and talk about the book which is being published about the show."

read more here..
941 North Highland Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90038 USA

a conversation with Christopher Farr

2011-11-06T10:21:00.000-08:00

....
"A slow and deliberate process that allowed for an honest and inimitable collection that speaks entirely of their integrity throughout the stages of selection, translation and manufacturing."

"The question as ever is one of excellence and quality as opposed to medocrity and plagiarism these forces battle it out and occasionally you see something breathtaking."

748 N. La Cienega Boulevard Los Angeles...

Last week, I spent the afternoon absorbed in the works of Christopher Farr's Omega Group Collection. Tucked away down a small walkway is Christopher Farr's showroom, two floors of color, historical stories, fabrics samples, and inspiration in every room. Christopher Farr's work inspires so many designers for obvious reasons: pure beauty and a commitment to historical and contemporary artistic discoveries.

He has collaborated with design icons such as Ilse Crawford, John Pawson, Allegra Hicks, Gunta Stolz, and Gary Hume, to name only a few. I'm honored to have had this conversation with him, and hope that the future will lead to more conversations with him about his various styles of workings, and mediums.

Thank you Christopher, Christina, and Joe..... - David John

a detail shot of one of the rugs....

Christopher Farr selects a series of existing designs by the Omega Group, and brings them back to life in a series of 5 exceptional rug creations, based on the designs of Roger Fry, Vanessa Bell, Duncan Grant and other key members of the Omega Workshop and Bloomsbury collective from 1912-1919.

Christopher Farr has chosen to work with some of the most beautiful and challenging of the Omega designs. This is testimony to the Omega artists’ design abilities in that they were able to create works of art that also function perfectly as rugs."

"The Omega Workshop were a laboratory of design ideas, creating a range of objects for the home, from rugs and linens to ceramics, furniture and clothing all boldly coloured with dynamic abstract patterns."

upstairs at the showroom... until Nov 19, 2011

Who are the OMEGA Workshop, and why is their work relevant today?

Christopher Farr: The Omega Workshop was an experiment conducted by the founder Roger Fry. An important aspect was practical in that it enabled the well educated but cash poor artists to earn a living with as little compromise and as much enjoyment as possible. Omega is relevant today in terms of it's spirit and spontaneity as opposed to the contrived cleverness of so much of the output of today's art and design practitioners.

Did you grow up in London? Do you feel that British Design is different from American Design?

Farr: Yes I'm a Londoner by birth and have lived there most of my life. I relate to European design more as I know it better.The difference for me is that product design is celebrated much more in Europe, in the US it seems that interior designers are lauded and to a lesser extent architects. If you go back to the fifties and sixties I would say American designers and architects were easily as influential and perhaps more famous than their European counter parts.

How you are able to translate images to rugs? What are the obstacles and difficulties that arise?

Farr: The success of making historic designs is dependent on our understanding of the essence of the art you're working with. The process is basically a series of questions and sampling till it feels close to the spirit of the artist. I try to imagine myself in dialogue with the artist. It's a slow and painstaking business but deeply satisfying.

You have an ability to control, energize, and define color. Would you call yourself a colorist? Any artists who use color you look to as inspiration?

I find any self definition limiting so no I'm not a colorist as such. I try to stay as open as possible when I'm drawing as if I'm a kid playing with a cardboard box. As for artists well the usual suspects... Joseph Albers, Mark Rothko, Pierre Bonnard, Henri Matisse Sonia Delaunay .....

the studio wall of color! colors fading & communicating.....

You've had a history of incredible collaborations. What does collaborating mean to you? Any specific one that you are especially proud?

Collaborating means to surrender ones slavery to ego in order to listen and understand another artists process. I'm proud of all the collaborations, and if I had to pick standouts it would be Kate Blee of the living artists and Gunta Stolzl of the dead ones.

In your art studio, what do you find yourself creating? What mediums seduce you?

Black ink drawings by the hundred and painting both acrylic and oil. I also play with tape.

How has the rug business changed in time from when you began?

The contemporary rug business has moved from almost zero when I started in 1984 to a status of dominance - you only have to look at the editorial and advertising then and now to see how dramatic it has been. The question as ever is one of excellence and quality as opposed to medocrity and plagiarism these forces battle it out and occasionally you see something breathtaking.

samples of Christopher Farr cloth....

Christopher Farr has been at the spearhead of contemporary rug design for over twenty years. Together with his business partner Matthew Bourne, they were the catalyst that revolutionised contemporary rug design. Starting with a small shop in a leafy area of north London, a stone's throw from Primrose Hill, this one time painter, trained at the Slade School, wrought a vision that combined the art of the times with a different form. From cool minimalism to bold neo-expressionism influenced by the artists Ryman, Albers and Martin, his medium was no longer oil on canvas, but wool and dye, spun and woven by hand into objects that were more than mere floor coverings. They were themselves works of art.

---

-----------------------------

--------------------

2011-11-04T10:03:00.000-07:00

"The pitchfork needs earth or it isn't really a pitchfork. It only, it needs something else in order to be activated, and my, the light-bulb needs electricity, it needs a socket to go into, you know. "

Michael Craig-Martin
vs
Old Plank Road

Michael Craig Martin, 1960's
vs
Old Plank Road

"Well I've, I've always considered that the, all of the image, the images that I use have to do with some play between presence and absence.

I mean all of the objects, because each object is seen individually, it always needs another object in order to be completed. The pitchfork needs earth or it isn't really a pitchfork. It only, it needs something else in order to be activated, and my, the light-bulb needs electricity, it needs a socket to go into, you know. All the different things need something, and the other thing that's, that's present and also absent in all of them is human presence, they are all the most human of objects.

No one looks at these things without thinking of their own life, without thinking of these things mean something to absolutely everybody."

- Michael Craig-Martin, interview here...

second image via here...
Antiques on Old Plank Road, Inc.
1750 N. Springfield Avenue

--------------------------

2011-11-02T23:12:00.001-07:00

"I'm shape-shifting from place to place,
bending time, curving space" (here)

Jean Michael Frank
vs
Jochen Weber

Have you ever wanted to believe something so much,
that you actually believed it?

"A cousin of Anna Frank, author of the celebrated “diary”, Jean-Michael Frank was born into a well-to-do Parisian family. Before working as an interior designer, he travelled at length around the world, an experience which profoundly influenced his work. Frank practiced his trade as an interior designer with enormous success. A relatively new concept for the time, interior design distinguished itself from both architecture and industrial design. Among Frank's patrons were some of the most renowned personages of his age, from poet René Crevel to artists such as Giacometti, Dalì, Bérard, Paul Eluard, Louis Aragon and Nelson Rockefeller.

In 1939 he was forced to leave Paris to avoid Nazi persecution, taking refuge first in Argentina and then in the USA, where he died tragically, committing suicide as his brother had already done in Paris. His style – defined as “poor luxurious” or simply “Frank style” – was highly successful during the 1930s and ’40s, and still today remains a benchmark for contemporary interior design. His furniture are elegant and rigorous, sophisticated in its use of materials yet simple in its classic, refined lines." (here)

sculpture by Jochen Weber, via here.....
2 lamps by Jean Michael Frank, BAC Gallery.

------------------

2011-11-01T13:09:00.000-07:00

new work:
Michael Rey @ Young Art gallery
till Nov 20, 2011

big gay heart, 2011
primer, wood, steel 53 x 12.25 x 120 inches

Young Art Gallery, one of LA's defining galleries at the moment, continues to show some of the most interesting sculptures in a tiny gallery space tucked away on a small street in Chinatown. Michael Rey's latest works should be fully encountered.

Michael Rey’s shaped wall works and sculptures issue from an encounter between high modernism and traces of ’80s goth culture—a collision of nostalgias that mutually undermine each other. Rather than hold up modernism as a patriarchal presence against which to mount a heavy handed Oedipal attack, Rey treats it as a source of some of the diverse free-floating signifiers from his childhood, made meaningful associatively rather than through art historical reference. Eschewing any heroic anti-heroism, the artist opts for a playful reinvention of lost objects he knows to be culturally phantasmic. Although Rey’s objects can be (partially) read as exercises in de-sublimation, they are best understood as libidinal configurations always in the process of metamorphosis and which refuse any singular fixed meaning.

The 8 monochromatic wall works are panels entirely surfaced in oil-based plasticine clay. The peculiarity of this material is that it remains forever malleable even after its oil paint finish has dried. The resulting surfaces are epidermal in their fragility and suggestive of these works’ metaphoric permeability to their surroundings and to the viewer’s gaze, a permeability enhanced by the orifices that pierce their surface planes. The plastic quality of the clay, with its infinite capacity to accept impressions, hints at corporeal vulnerability while simultaneously evoking fetishistic display.

Young Art: 418 Bamboo Lane, Unit B
Los Angeles CA 90012

-----------------

2011-10-31T15:01:00.001-07:00

we will never fade.
we can never disappear.
we can ever fade bright.
we will forever brightly disappear.
(catch the light while you can my dearest friends.)

Peter Hujar Three Lives: Peter Hujar, Paul Thek, & David Wojnarowicz
October 22 - December 23, 2011 @ Matthew Marks, NY
523 W 24 Street, New York, NY 10011

The exhibition, at 523 West 24th Street, includes 30 photographs made between 1958 and 1985. Focusing on some of Hujar’s most intimate photographs: self-portraits and portraits of his lovers and fellow artists Paul Thek (1933-1988) and David Wojnarowicz (1954-1992), the exhibition includes many works that will be shown for the first time.

Hujar was a leading figure in New York’s downtown cultural scene in the 1970s and 80s. His life was defined by his friendships with other artists, writers, and musicians, and few people were closer to him than Paul Thek and David Wojnarowicz. The portraits he made of them attest to the intimate, complex, and productive nature of their relationships. All three artists were to die of AIDS within a few years of one another, and the highly emotional portraits he made of them are always beautiful, although rarely in a conventional way.

Thek and Hujar met in 1956 at the outset of their careers, and shared a relationship that was both romantic and intensely productive. They visited the catacombs in Palermo, Italy, together in 1963. The trip helped inspire Thek’s best-known sculptures, the Technological Reliquaries. Hujar’s photographs of the catacombs make up half the images for his seminal 1976 publication, Portraits in Life and Death, the only book of his work produced during his lifetime.

"Dont need a mountain for a wall
See the big old moon spin around the world
Somehow it makes me feel so small"
("question of faith")

Hujar met David Wojnarowicz in 1980 and immediately became a source of profound influence and inspiration for the younger artist. They collaborated on numerous works and remained friends until Hujar’s death in 1987.

A selection of Hujar’s photographs and Wojnarowicz’s video A Fire in My Belly, which includes footage of Hujar, will be on view at the Brooklyn Museum this fall in the exhibition Hide/Seek: Difference and Desire in American Portraiture.

---------------------

2011-10-31T10:36:00.000-07:00

"Consider the momentous event in architecture
when the wall parted and the column became."

-Louis Kahn

ghetto, 2010

Ric Warren: "I believe that urban structures have effects beyond their basic functions and I try to explore the symbolic meanings of these materials and forms. In addition to investigating conditions of contemporary urbanism, I am interested in the historical and hypothetical changes of our human habitat (physically, politically, culturally, socially and environmentally) as well as the everyday maintenance and progress of our built surroundings.

City Limits: Revanchism and the Redevelopment of Spatial Separation
(Shields 1-7), 2011

"Spaces that are visually concealed or made physically inaccessible intrigue me and I try to explore these concerns within my work. Often exploring themes of exclusion, I am interested in structures that effect to conceal, edit, remove, obstruct, imprison, or deny access. I am also interested in distorting functionality by exploiting of the formal tradition of sculpture to occupy space rather than create it. Similar to my intentionally flawed ‘faux architectural’ drawings, my structures and models attempt to mimic the language of architecture, or intervene with it, to create structures that hold space but do not offer it."

--------------------------

2011-10-29T08:39:00.001-07:00

"I have always aimed for simplicity.
For me simplicity is searching for the most simple means to achieve the most essential functions."

- Juliaan Lampens

Take a trip to the mountain, take a moment to breathe and to enjoy books. A book that I received last week, "Belgian Architects and Their Houses" published by Luster is an absorbing exploration of architect's private homes.
Enjoy the weekend with a book. - David John

"Our own house in Eke was built in 1960, it was an experiment in my new style. It shocked a lot of people because it didn't conform to the idea of a normal house with a number of rooms with walls and doors, linked by corridors. For me a house is an open concept where everything is joined up with everything else..."

"I have always aimed for simplicity. For me simplicity is searching for the most simple means to achieve the most essential functions. The function should dictate the beauty of the form, and not the other way around."

-Juliaan Lampens

"The interior decoration blends into the architecture, and the architecture blends into the environment. This vision of architecture is linked to a way of life where people are close to nature, nature teaches us to appreciate the beauty of the weathered, the imperfect, and the asymmetrical. The patina is the result of a process of becoming, a principle that is strongly present in vernacular architecture."

-Eddy Francois and Caroline Dewolf

-------------------

a conversation with Uglycute

2011-10-27T09:36:00.000-07:00

....
"We were thinking a lot about the Austrian-Hungarian empire from the 19th century.
A random railway station somewhere in the middle of Europe. "

Bar Central, Stockholm 2011: designed Uglycute

Uglycute. How did a name like that come about?

Uglycute is from the beginning a direct translation of a Swedish expression describing a person or an object that is not necessarily beautiful but fascinating. This has for us developed into a method for us where we try to look for beauty in unexpected places. To dare to open the wrong door in your head in order to surprise yourself. To avoid your own good taste that's blocking the way. As a designer you are always running the risk of getting stuck in old familiar patterns and ideas about beauty and we tend to forget that beauty is a concept in constant movement. Our job is to define new beauty otherwise there is no point with the profession.

Talk about concept, the food they serve, and did that influence any of your decisions in designing this restaurant?

They serve food from central Europe. Think Hungaria, Bavaria and the northern part of the balkans. We were thinking a lot about the Austrian-Hungarian empire from the 19th century. A random railway station somewhere in the middle of Europe. There is also a Tintin cartoon that takes place in a fictive Central European country called Slavonia. We where looking to find the same feeling of an imaginary lost period.

How long did this project take to complete from the original concept?

2.5 months

How do you go about selecting materials for a project?

We often start with the material when we design. We try out different combinations to get the right feel to it. We have worked a lot with masonite in the past. It is an old Swedish patent from the 30's that was high tech back then but now is regarded as a "cheap" material. The idea of letting it clash with a more exclusive material like brass was interesting to us as designers.

The floor design and materials?

The floor in the bar section is green and white terrazzo from Italy layed in a zigzag pattern. The inspiration for this came from the Chrysler building, that opened the same year as the building the restaurant is in was built. The antiquarian approach was another important design idea along with the Central European one. We wanted it to look as the floor had always been there, that it felt natural for a building from that time. In the dining room we kept an existing oak floor that we discovered during the renovation. And the material of brass. I'm obsessed with brass at the moment in design, mixed with the masonite board.

Designed by Lars Stensö : Staple is a stool. The name reveals that it’s stackable. Staple is a beautiful alternative to the folding extra chairs and it goes perfect with the Shaker table.

Who designed the bar stools? How did this collaboration come about?

The chairs and stools are designed by Lasse Stensö, an old professor to us at the design academy. We have been fans of his work for a long time. His work has never been in production though, and therefore a bit secret. Now his son, who is a friend of us, started this new company (Woodstockholm) and are producing some of his stuff. So it all seemed like the perfect match. We have done a lot of collaborating in the past. In this particular case we where able to change the material and color to Lasses furniture so that it matched the overall design concept.

What is the design community like in Stockholm?

That's a big difficult question. I would say that the talk of the town at the moment is the royalty system. New producers are emerging and designers are starting to take control of the production themselves as a result of the lousy royalty system where designers only get 5-7 percent. That only works if you sell big quantities but no one can compete with IKEA, who doesn't pay royalties to the designers by the way. They pay you once in the beginning, otherwise the designer would become a millionaire. The question is how to survive on a small production? Then you need a bigger share of the pie than 5-7 percent.

Future projects?

We are discussing a new restaurant with a client. Waiting for building permission for a public sauna in a recreational area outside Stockholm. We are also designing a new shop in London for Cheap Monday. Planning for our first separate exhibition in Sweden opening in february next year together with a book on our first ten years.

When did Uglycute as a design practice begin, and why?

We started out ten years ago with a small fanzine called Katsenjammer, German slang for hangover, that we handed out to friends. We did this as a reaction to a design climate in Sweden that we experienced as too quiet. Nobody was really talking about what they were doing and why. We thought that its better to say something, even if it's not so articulate, than to say nothing at all.

There where four of us from the beginning, me who was studying to become an architect, Andreas who was studying to become an interior architect, Jonas and Marcus who where studying to become artists. After a while we got our first exhibition in an arts and craft gallery called Agatha and the name Uglycute came about.

Uglycute:Kvarngatan 14: 118 47 Stockholm, Sweden
(Photos by Idha Lindhag)

--------------------