Category Archives: A Closer Look Series

A Closer Look Series

A Closer Look: Isa Genzken

Isa Genzken is a German artist who combines the bric-a-brac of everyday life to create unusual sculptures that shock and amaze.  Sometimes her work looks more like a pile of garbage than a sculpture.    But take a closer look, and you’ll see poetic arrangements of  color and texture balancing in space.  Her work has been aptly described as “contemporary ruins.”  Take a closer look:

Genzken’s work seems to warn us against taking ourselves too seriously, combining carefully-composed arrangements with a playful sense of humor.  Through this process, she creates inventive works that never cease to surprise me, and that’s why she’s one of my favorite artists.

-Robert

 

 

A Closer Look Series, Architecture

A Closer Look: A Walking Tour of Philadelphia

While in Philadelphia for Light Fair International, Judy and I took a quick walking tour of Center City.  It’s amazing how many beautiful examples of architecture can be found just steps from the Convention Center located at 13th and Market.  You can do the whole circuit in about a half hour.

We began by walking west from the convention center to Broad Street, where we caught a glimpse of two of Philly’s most handsome buildings – the Masonic Temple (left) and City Hall (right).  Completed in 1901, City Hall is an excellent example of the Second Empire style.  It was Philadelphia’s tallest building until 1987, and it is still the tallest and largest all-masonry building in the world.

We also walked by the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art building, designed by Frank Furness.  Built in the Vicotrian Gothic style, this building is a masteripiece of architectural ornament.

We also saw saw great examples of public artwork very close to City Hall, including impressive sculptures by Claes Oldenburg and Jacques Lipchitz.  The nearby Fabric Workshop and Museum houses cutting-edge contemporary art shows and is also worth a visit.

Our final stop was the PSFS building (now the Loews Hotel), built in 1932.  It is said to be the world’s first skycraper built in the International Style of Modernism.  Filled with fine examples of marble from around the world, Judy and I marveled at it’s beautiful interiors.  But one of the building’s custom Cartier clocks told us it was lunch time, so we descended to the first floor and ate lunch at the hotel’s restaurant – Sole Food.

Finally, we headed back to the Convention Center, which itself is an architectural landmark.  Originally the Reading Terminal Train Station, the building also houses many restaurants and food markets on the first floor.  It’s a great place to grab a quick lunch.

-Robert

A Closer Look Series

A Closer Look: 30 Americans

The North Carolina Museum of Art is a fantastic museum.  I’ve already written about the new wing and what a perfect place it is for art.  But through September, you’ll find some of the best surprises in the old wing, as part of the show 30 Americans.  The 75 works in this show were pulled from the Rubell Family Collection in Miami, and represent a sampling of some of the best American Art from the past 4 decades.  All of the artists in the show are African American, and their work often addresses issues of identity and race.  There are so many beautiful and interesting pieces, that it’s hard to choose favorites – but I’ll try:  Highlights for me included the following works by Wangechi Mutu, Kerry James Marshall, Shinique Smith, and Jean-Michel Basquiat.

(above: Wangechi Mutu, Non Je Ne Regrette Rien)

(above: Kerry James Marshall, Souvenir: Composition in Three Parts)

 (above: Shinique Smith, A Bull, A Rose, A Tempest) 

 (above: Jean Michel-Basquiat, Untitled Self Portrait)

I hope you’ll head to the NCMA to see this show – it’s definitely worth the trip.  30 Americans runs through September 4th – more info at http://www.ncartmuseum.org/

-Robert

images: Rubell Family Collection

A Closer Look Series, Designer Inspiration/Trends

A Closer Look: Heart Felt

Sharon Parker is an artist who works out of Artspace in downtown Raleigh (if you haven’t been there you should really check it out during First Friday!).  She makes vibrantly-colored sculptures and wall-hangings out of handmade felt.  I was amazed to learn that she makes it all from scratch, using raw wool that is worked and dyed to perfection.  I think the results of her labor speak for themselves!

 

 

But Felt is not only for artists!  Designers are increasingly using the material in a wide range of projects from headboards to impromptu rugs.  One of the most unique applications can be found in the Fluff Bakery (pictured below), where Lewis Tsurmaki Lewis layered strips of felt on end to create a unique wall covering.

Felt comes in a lot of thicknesses, and in a broad range of colors if you are buying in the thinner range. The basic colors are grey and white, and many have a pleasantly warm, creamy consistency. 

Check out this great chair by Cappellini, executed in purple felt!

 

And check out this rug by Mary Ann Williams – it must feel amazing underfoot.

 What can you imagine doing with this unique material?

-Robert

image 1,2,3: by the author

image 4: Lewis Tsurmaki Lewis

image 5&7: Apartment Therapy

image 6: Cappellini

A Closer Look Series, Designer Inspiration/Trends

A Closer Look: Modern Art in Traditional Spaces

Opposites attract.  Believe it or not, this can also be true when choosing art for your home.  Modern art can look fantastic in a traditional home.  The key is to carefully place the artwork, making the juxtaposition of styles look intentional and well-considered.   Here are some excellent examples to inspire you:

1. A painting by Joseph Albers hangs above the mantle in a dining room.  I love the pop of color.  Albers was a famous colorist and once taught at North Carolina’s Black Mountain College.

2. A painting by Joan Mitchell, one of my favorite artists, hangs above the couch in a room designed by Peter Marino. 

3.  In this example, a painting by Fernand Leger hangs in a traditional room.

4. Here’s a great example, which was taken from the set of the movie Meet Joe Black – a beautiful Marc Rothko painiting hangs on a paneled wall.  Somehow, it works beautifully!

 

5. And finally, a cozy scene from a house with a giant canvas on the wall (by Egon Schiele?).

Where can you see modern art in your home?

-Robert

image 1: Apartment Therapy

image 2, 3: Architectural Digest

image 4: Sweet Sunday Mornings

image 5: Traditional Home


A Closer Look Series, Flowers

A Closer Look: Art in Science

I recently spent some time at the archives of NC State University searching for art to adorn the walls of the new Chancellor’s house.  The University has a rich history in science, and many of the images I found were made for scientific purposes.  Although they weren’t always intended as art, I was pleased to find that many of them could look beautiful as decorative pieces.

Above is an image by B.W. Wells (1884-1974), a naturalist who created hand-colored glass slides to aid in scientific presentations.  NC State has a large archive of his work online.

One of the classic examples of scientific illustration are prints of birds by John James Audubon, like the one above found in his book Birds Of America.  Below: a framed Audubon print adds interest to a paneled room.

 

Similar in aim to Audubon’s work and even more colorful, are illustrations like this one by E.A. Seguy.  His book on Butterflies, Papillions,  can be found in the NC State archives.

NC State’s website also features a series called “Inside Wood” featuring microscope images of wood fibers – these bold, textured images would look perfect as large-scale black and white prints.

Every year, Princeton University hosts a contest for the best “Art of Science.”  Here’s last year’s winner, a photo of a Plasma Accelerator:

 

Scientific images are a source for artwork that can be refreshing and beautiful.  Can you see it on your walls?

-Robert

image 1, 4, & 5: NCState Archives

image 2: Telegraph UK

image 6: Princeton Art of Science Competition

A Closer Look Series

A Closer Look: Your Art Collection

Deciding on the right art for your home can be intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be.  Here are 6 tips to get you started.

1. Buy art because you like it, not because it goes with your curtains.  Art is an investment, so make sure you will enjoy looking at it for a long time to come.  I would never get tired of looking at the excellent painting below by Joan Mitchell.

2. You can never have enough art.  If the walls fill up, put some pieces in storage.  Rotate the work you show on your walls, changing it out as little as twice a year or with the changing seasons.

3.  Don’t worry about making all of your artwork “match” in style, size, or media.  Often, the best displays of artwork are made from interesting and varied collections.

 

 4. Develop your eye!  Visit museums, spend time in galleries, and read about art.  Seeing the best art possible will help you develop an eye for what you like.  Eventually, you can build a personal style that will shape your collection.   An excellent source for learning about current art is the Oxford History of Art Series.

5. Decide how much you like a piece before you see the price tag.  Good art is not always expensive.  Expensive art is not always good.  Often, work by a street artist or child can hold its own next to a painting by a modern master.  The picture below was made by Chicago street artist Lee Godie. 

6. And finally – keep an open mind!  You might be surprised by what you like if you look closely.

Good luck!

-Robert

credits: image 1; image 2; image 3; image 4; image 5.

A Closer Look Series, Designer Inspiration/Trends

A Closer Look: Living In Fashion

 

Design Lines Blog Yves Saint Laurent Moroccan Villa Mabrouka interior view court

Yves Saint Laurent, one of the greatest names in fashion, was known for his sophisticated and beautiful clothing.  But he brought style into every aspect of his life – including the places where he lived.  I stumbled across these images of his home in Morocco, a 92,000 square foot villa which sits on a cliff overlooking the Strait of Gibraltar. 

Design Lines Blog Yves Saint Laurent Moroccan Villa Mabrouka on cliff exterior view 

Designed by the master of French interiors, Jacques Grange, the villa offers a blend of African and European influences. Laurent considered Morocco his home away from home, and often included Moroccan flourishes in his clothing collections.   Now, here’s a lesson on how to live in style!

  Design Lines Blog Yves Saint Laurent Viall interior view 4

Design Lines Blog Yves Saint Laurent Villa Morocco Interior View 3

Design Lines Blog Yves Saint Laurent Moroccan Villa Mabrouka interior view 2

Design Lines Blog Yves Saint Laurent Moroccan Villa Mabrouka interior view sitting

 

-Robert

photos: interiordesign.net

A Closer Look Series, Designer Inspiration/Trends

A Closer Look: Design and Process

Here at Design Lines, all of us are involved in the creative process every day.  From sketching by hand to setting-up material boards, we are always working hard to envision how our projects will come together.  A big part of our job is being able to understand how something will look before it actually materializes.  But this ability isn’t unique to interior design.   I thought it would be interesting to see how people in other professions follow their own unique strategies to design anything from clothing to skyscrapers.

Design Lines Ltd. Yves Saint Laurent Sketch with Material Samples Fashion Design

Here’s a board created by the great fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent, in which he has selected fabrics for each dress in a collection.  It doesn’t look all that different from some of the fabric and material board we set up at Design Lines.

Design Lines Ltd. Blog Alvin Lustig Preliminary Sketch for Fabric 1940s Fashion Design

This drawing is a concept for a patterned fabric by Alvin Lustig (1940s).

Design Lines Ltd. Blog Eva Hesse Sketch for Repetition Nineteen Moma Drawing Graphite Watercolor

Here’s a drawing by Evan Hesse showing the a famous sculpture she would make called Repetition Nineteen.  In the sketch, the sculpture could be made of almost anything, and in any scale.  After a few iterations, the final product was completed out of translucent fiberglass. 

Design Lines Ltd. Blog Dallas Shaw Fashion Sketch drawing

Here’s a fashion sketch by Dallas Shaw, showing the basic elements of an ensemble.  Again, it’s just a concept, and the possibilities are almost endless.

Design Lines Ltd. Mies Van Der Rohe perspective sketch of a room

And here’s a beautiful collage by Mies Van Der Rohe to envision an interior space in a tall building, along with the view of the landscape beyond.  I love how it is so simple that it can be interpreted in a number of different materials.  This indistinct approach is actually very helpful – allowing the designer to see what is there, but also what could be.   Can you envision the completed project?

 -Robert

image 1: The Lux Chronicles, image 2: Birds of Oh, image 3: Moma, image 4: Dallas Shaw, image 5: Posterious

A Closer Look Series

A Closer Look: Art Project by Google

Have you heard of Art Project powered by Google?  It’s an art lover’s dream come true.  It works a lot like Google’s street view, allowing you to “walk” through famous museums ranging from the Uffizi Gallery in Florence to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.  You can stop at most of the artworks and see them up-close.  And I mean really close!  The zoom ability is amazing, allowing you to view paintings at more than life size, and examine every brushstroke.  One painting even lets you turn off the light to see it glow in the dark.  While nothing compares to an actual trip to the museum, this is the closest you’ll come without leaving your house! 

Design Lines Ltd. Google Art Project Van Gogh Closeup Starry Night

Here’s a screenshot of Starry Night by Vincent Van Gogh – as you’ve never seen it before!

-Robert

image: google