WASSILY

Two distinct experiences prompted Wassily Kandinsky to change careers and become a painter in Münich.

One, he saw Monet's Haystack series at an Impressionist exhibition in 1895 and was intrigued by how the focus was entirely on color and composition rather than subject matter.

Two, while attending a Wagner concert in 1896, he observed how music could elicit such a strong emotional response without connection to any recognizable subject.

He decided painting should be as abstract as music.

His woodblock prints are our absolute favorite.

LURES

PLATE B

Typeface

French graphic designer and typographic genius, Robert Massin, roused the design world in the 1960s by dramatizing typeface, introducing what we now call expressive typography.

These images are from Massin's book of Eugene Ionesco's play The Bald Soprano. Each character has his/her own typeface. No word balloons necessary. Every subtle incline, elongation, or slant of the text expresses the certain nuances and inflections of the spoken language.

This play is loaded with truisms --like a jolly, absurdist version of Jenny Holzer's truisms ...with no LED.

Fantastique !

DISCUSSION NO. 1

What we talk about when we talk about

John Lurie

So we're on a John Lurie kick. Ever since trotting over to Chelsea's Fredericks & Freiser gallery last November to see Lurie's art exhibition, we've revisited his Jim Jarmusch films and his TV show Fishing with John-- and reveling in his downtown-cool persona and dashing good looks.

Lurie's artwork is perfect. Some pieces resemble quirky Dadaist drawings, others follow bizaare Surrealist compositions, and others take after Basquiat sketches--but all are marked with his sardonic humor and smirky titles.

His painting entitled Davy Crockett Has Lost His Fucking Mind.

Another one. Bird Has Absolutely No Face.

A still from Jarmusch's film Down By Law with Tom Waits and Robert Benigni. Of note: Waits's gold-toe pirate boot that he wears is our next shoe-making project.

John Lurie is perhaps at his best in this episode of Fishing with John, where he hosts Tom Waits on a fishing trip in the Caribbean. Expect an ample serving of Lurie's biting wit, Waits's incomprehensible growls, and male camaraderie complete with poker, booze, and of course fishing. Other episodes from this short-lived series from the 90's include Lurie sharking with Jim Jarmusch and ice fishing with Willem Dafoe. Yay!

PLATE A

Typefaces.

Check out these typefaces. The whole creative emphasis that was put on font development in the 50's is so intriguing.  As with most other design professions, everything then was done by hand- with a straight edge and pen. Call us old fashioned but we're total believers that something in the design process is lost when ideas go straight from your head to the computer screen.  You lose this tactile relationship with what you're making. Fonts are especially this way. The curves of the "a" and the proportions of descenders are far more considered when your hand is guiding the pencil along the paper. You feel the design.  Anyway, if this kind of thing interests you- watch Helvetica, a documentary film by Gary Hustwit that looks at the proliferation of one typeface as a part of a larger conversation about the way type affects our lives. It's a nice film.

GERMAN BOYS 1955

These are photographs by Josef Heinrich Darchinger, a photojournalist who documented the cultural restoration and "economic miracle" in West Germany in the 1950's and 60's.

We want to dress like the boy on the far right. Oily, über-short lederhosen with two front zippers, floral button-up shirt, ankle socks with quality leather boots. And a super-cool pose to boot.

Purportedly, the greasier the leather shorts, the more prestige. No boy in twill shorts would be the gang's leader. These kids are tough--their childhood playgrounds were mountains of rubble and war debris.

Had to include this guy. On the cusp of the economic boom in post-war West Germany, he sets up this grocery shop in in his garage with home-made shelves, hand-painted sign (translates as "Those who take my goods once, come again as loyal customers"),local produce, and an impeccable display!

*photos by Darchinger, Bonn, 1955

OLD PROJECTS

Here are some of our old projects.  More photos of our current stuff coming...

LOUISE BOURGEOIS POEMS

'Once there was a girl and she loved a man. They had a date next to the eighth street station of the sixth avenue subway. She had put on her good clothes and a new hat. Somehow he could not come. So the purpose of this picture is to show how beautiful she was. I really mean that she was beautiful.'

'Once a man was telling a story, it was a very good story too, and it made him very happy, but he told it so fast that nobody understood it.'

[1982 Robert Mapplethorpe]

"The hour is dedicated to revenge"

Louise Bourgeois

JEWELRY WE LIKE

Rajasthani jewelry

*image from kamat.com

It hurts me to look at this photo- I missed out on this ebay gem a while ago... it's some sort of mourning bracelet. I wish I knew more.

Giles & Brother

Pretty much anything in Maryam Nassir Zadeh is great. Even if we wouldn't (or couldn't) buy it, it's inspirational.

ELSEWHERE

We are from Greensboro, North Carolina, a city we have just recently come to appreciate for its (largely under-appreciated) art scene. Our mom spent the last year working with the contemporary art museum, the Weatherspoon, where she met a whole slew of "new" people who introduced us to the side of Greensboro we now love! The top of the list is a little place called Elsewhere. Today it's a living museum set within a former thrift store.

So the (much condensed)story goes...a lady called Sylvia Gray opened a thrift store on South Elm Street following the death of her husband. Basically, she collected far more than she sold and the store became inundated with things. Sylvia was notorious for selecting who she would sell to- apparently she would size you up as you walked in the door and would often deny certain people the honor of buying junk from her shop. She was also known for upping the marked price if you tried to bargain with her.

So in 2003(about 6 years after her death), George Scheer went down to his grandmother's old shop on South Elm Street and, with the help of his writer-buddies, turned the place into a gallery/ artist residency. The artists are free to do whatever the please during their residencies.... as long as they use ONLY objects found in the shop. Very cool.

LABOUR AND WAIT

"Timeless, functional products for daily life"

I tried to explain how great this place is in my own words, but in the end, the people at Labour & Wait do such a perfect job....

"...we believe in a simple, honest approach to design, where quality and utility are intrinsic. We endeavour to search out specialist makers from around the world, many continue to manufacture their goods in the traditional way to their original designs. From hardware to clothing we offer an evolving selection of timeless products which celebrate functional design and are therefor appropriate in a traditional or contemporary environment. A carefully chosen assortment of new and vintage items, some familiar, others to be discovered. Everyday classics which will not date but will mellow and improve with age and are destined to become favourites."

I kick myself for not having bought every single thing in this shop when I lived in London. But for now, Brook Farm General Store in Williamsburg can fill in until I return to Hackney.

OUT AND ABOUT

SECRET SCIENCE CLUB

The Secret Science Club is, in our opinion, a genius way to spend a Tuesday evening. Intelligent and super credible speakers talking to a bunch of beer-drinking normal folks about fairly obscure, but totally relevant topics in the scientific world. Perfect. Last month's discussion was given by a leading molecular biologist, Gregory Hannon, who spoke about his research with RNAi. To be honest, I followed what he was saying about 12% of the time... but it's a great way to spend a night at the bar. Check out the next one on March 9 at the Bell House in Gowanus. It's free!