a store visit with Galerie Half

....
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
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"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."




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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. )





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APARTAMENTO # 8
 the backyard," an essay by David John



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



Huge thank you to the guys at Apartamento to reaching out to me and asking me to write an essay for their journal. It's opens edition #8 and is available now. - David John


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!

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a store visit with Reform, Los Angeles

....
"There are your good friends and I like them fine.
'Cause they are your past and your present time.
But would you even be the same if you left them behind?"

- Kathleeen Edwards



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





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a conversation with Josh Vogel

...
"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.
)



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Guest Post by Mary Gaudin, photographer

...
"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.
















Link


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.
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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.






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a conversation with Azadeh Shladovsky

...
"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




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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.










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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.










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a conversation with APPARATUS

..
"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

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


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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.





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"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."






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You have read this article chicago spaces and interiors / interior design chicago / larry vodak / scout andersonville with the title December 2011. You can bookmark this page URL http://gigibytes.blogspot.com/2011/12/what-you-see-is-what-you-see-interior.html. Thanks!
"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."





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