Esoteric Survey

  It was pretty slim on the picking front last weekend.  With Downtown Modernism this coming weekend, I'm sure I'll make up for it.  Weed Pot by Cliff Stewart. He was in some California Design exhibitions. Up until now, I've never really been that in love with his work. He did a good one here. Victor Bisharat. You can never have too many, right? A pretty wild Ikebana vase from Japan Also from Japan. The plinth is by the National Craft Council of Japan. 

Mathematica: A World of Numbers and Beyond at The Henry Ford Museum  in Dearborn Michigan. IBM was asked by the California Museum of Science and Industry to contribute a display to its new wing, which would open in 1961. IBM hired the Eames Office, who had already made a number of films for them.  Charles and Ray Eames were assisted by Gordon Ashby and John Neuhart; designers. Dr. John Redheffer; consultant. Parke Meek, Jeremy Lepard; film production. Displaymasters, Seale Design, and Remanco; construction.   UCLA’s Dr. Raymond Redheffer, was the math consultant who helped with the concepts. One of the best kept secrets in science is how unpompous scientists are at their science, and the amount of honest fun that for them is part of it. In doing an exhibition, as in Mathematica, one deliberately tries to let the fun out of the bag. The catch is that it can't be any old fun but it must be a very special brand. The excitement, or joke, must be a working part of th...

Tucson Modernism Week is happening November 4th - 9th. The list of events looks amazing. This year’s home tour has six residences and two exclusive bonus stops, Architects and designers include Judith Chafee, Bruce Goff, William Wilde, Charles Clement, Ralph Haver, and Russ Symes.  I've been wanting to see inside the Goff Barby House house forever. I wonder if it still looks like this?? The carpet is wild. In addition to the home tour, the are a number of lectures and exhibitions. To celebrate the acquisition of the Bondante House by the Tucson Historic Preservation Foundation, there will be a special exhibit on Charles Clement at the house, which he designed. The house joins the  Ball-Paylore house (1952) by Arthur T Brown as part of their collection.  Charles Clement maquette More about Tucson Modernism, here . In addition to all of that, Tucson is just awesome. Make sure to go see A Z Modern , Saturday Generation  and Holt Modern when you're in town.  Check...

The Smith House by Frank Lloyd Wright (1950) Located in Bloomfield Hills, this Usonian was commissioned by two school teachers, Sara Stein Smith and Melvyn Maxwell Smith.  In 1939, during a graduate art history class at Wayne State University, Melvyn was inspired by a presentation on Wright's Fallingwater. Immediately in class, he declared his intention to have a house designed by Wright. Sarah and Melvyn were married in 1940. The Smiths went to meet with Frank Lloyd Wright at Taliesin in 1941 and he agrred to design a home for them. The project was delayed when Melvyn was drafted into the Army. He served from 1942 to 1945.  The couple used their entire saving to purchase the site in 1946 and Wright delivered the plans in 1947. Melvyn acted as the general contractor to save on costs. The Smiths must have been the most likeable couple because all the trades people and suppliers gave them generous deals. Even the notoriously arrogant and abrasive Wright was smitten by them. Arch...