Esoteric Survey

  Eventually Everything Connects: Mid-Century Modern Design in the US Inspired by Charles Eames’s quote, “Eventually everything connects: people, ideas, objects,” the exhibition   included over 200 works by100 designers and artists.  It centers on the Cranbrook Academy's role in the evolution of modern design along with emphasizing the often-overlooked contributions of women, LGBTQ+ individuals, and designers of color. The exhibition at  Cranbrook Art Museum  an d accompanying book were curated by Andrew Blauvelt and Bridget Bartal. Near the beginning of the exhibition is the Wartime Experiments section, with pieces from the 1941  Organic Design in Home Furnishings  competition, which was sponsored b MoMA. On the left is a chair design  Eero Saarinen and Charles Eames submitted to the competition. This example has original upholstery and was donated to Cranbrook by the Saarinen family. Ralph Rapson rocker. He studied at Cranbrook and then worked a...

I came across this painting I've had for years in storage while I was pulling things out for Downtown Modernism. I decided I would sell it. I don't remember when or where I bought it but it was several years ago. Anyway, after second thought, I decided to leave it at home and do some research. It turns out there's an interesting story. The artist is Ivan Bartlett, who was California-born and a Graduate of Chouinard Art institute of Los Angeles. He is most known as a textile designer but was also muralist. This includes a number of  WPA murals .  His work was also exhibited at the San Francisco and New York World Fairs. He was the winner of the 1947 award of the American Institute of Design. He also had a piece in An Exhibition for Modern Living, which was curated by Alexander Girard and held at the Detroit Institute of Arts in 1949.  The painting shows points of interest around Chicago, including the Ambassador East hotel. For some reason that stood out to me  The Am...