Architecture History: A Study in Contrasts

Two different eras-- the Rococo interior of the first picture typifies the extravagant emblishments of 18th Century design, whereas the rustic ruins of the second is a perfect representation of the so-called Dark Ages of 860 AD. I have never been a big fan of the Rococo era, finding its confection too saccharine for my taste, and I certainly do not romanticize life in the Dark Ages where Europe was wracked with war and disease; however, I love the historicity of seeing both in the same city of Mainz, Germany. In the first, I can almost hear the harpsicord plunking out a new tune by Mozart, and in the second, there's the earnest sound of Gregorian chant, each note like the individual stones adding to the Church's structure as a testimony of devotion.

School Space

It's been chronicled how important clean and safe surroundings are to a student's education, but shouldn't a school's space be even more than that? Now I won't blame architecture for my ambivalence about my own education; however as a person who works in a public high school, I can attest to the dreariness of its institutionalized aesthetic. How is one supposed to inspire a love of learning while surrounded by blue concrete blocks and beige linoleum flooring? The heights of literature, the richness of art, the brilliance of science must be conveyed in the most mundane of spaces. But not in this German school James visited. This modern and colorful building seems to embody the energy and the imagination needed to inspire students. Even the gymnasium seems festive. If we want to encourage students to have a passion for knowledge, shouldn't that somehow make its way into the space itself?

Sacred Space

If we ever needed evidence of the importance of space, we simply have to look at the cathedral. James photographed this thirteenth century cathedral this week when he was in Mainz, Germany. The vaulted ceiling and Romanesque arches create a lofty place where one feels the symbolic spiritual connection between soul and space.

Playing With Food

It seems as if everyone these days is generating a list of possible gifts for the people in your life. Very rarely do I consult them; however I'm throwing a suggestion out there. I'm a great fan of Joost Elffers' photographs of emotive foods. Collaborating with Saxton Freymann, the images serve as the basis for the books How Are You Peeling?, Food For Thought, Fast Food, and and Play With Your Food which are perfect for the foodie or kiddie in your life.

A Brief Film

A friend of mine, Charu Vardhan, acted in this great four minute spoof of a 1960's spy film by directed by Jarrod Labine. Talk about a mix of elements-- the music, the cinematography, the styling-- all amount to one hellova short film.

New Work

It's the combination of elements-- the juxtaposition of images, the mix of colors and texture, the choice in composition-- which allow some images work better than others. With that said, in thinking about new work, I am finding it best to set aside some of those formal considerations in order to work more intuitively. Call it Malcom Gladwell's Blink influence, where he argues that some of the best decisions are made with the blink of an eye, aesthetic ones in particular. Right now I'm working on a couple of 'house paintings', as well as some oil sketches, trying to play a bit with a looser, more painterly style.

This Is Not a Chair

I am a big fan of pulling objects out of people's trash cans. I've been known to pick up a life-sized plastic Santa or a pool ladder on my morning run, and evidently I'm not alone. Blu Dot, the modern furniture design studio, capitalized on trash-picker mentality in their new marketing ploy. The concept, detailed in yesterday's New York Times, is genius: In random locations all over Manhattan and Brooklyn, leave chairs fitted with hidden GPS monitors and track where they wind up. Cute hipsters from all parts of the city picked up the Good chair for free, which normally retails for $129, only to discover that they had been the target of a sales pitch.

I'm not sure about this new type of product placement. Part of me loves the conceptual end of it, as I was incredibly curious about who picked up the chairs and where they went. But another part of me wonders where this technique might lead. True, we've all grown accustomed to pop up ads, telemarketers, and movie product placement, but tracking a product's physical movements strikes me as a bit too invasive. But it is a nice chair, so if I saw it in the trash on my morning run, I'm certain I'd jog off with one too.