Mod South

Architectural photographer, Julius Shulman doing his thing. California, 1960.

And one of the resulting images, Case Study House #22

When I wrote about the Julius Shulman documentary back in September of 2009, I had no idea it would take so long for it to come to Atlanta. But come it will in June to the High Museum. (As much as I love Atlanta, I hate waiting for movies to wind their way around to us). The good news is, not only is the screening free, but it will be a part of Modern Atlanta 2010.

While MA is only in its fourth year, it is quickly becoming one of my favorite design events in town, the highlight of which is the Modern Atlanta Home Tour. You may remember this home from last year's tour, photographed here for Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles.

Yes, this is the same house. Business up front, party in the back.

The interiors use the same logic, morphing from traditional turn-of-the-century roots into something unmistakably modern. I could not get over the guest bedroom, suspended in glass above the kitchen. While Atlanta is not really known so much for modernism, we do have a few surprises to share.

For more on the house and designers, visit Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles and the BLDGS website.

Modern Atlanta events run from June 1st to June 6th. Hope to see you there!

Plaza Towers Tour

Claire from High Gloss Blue has been sharing her fabulous photographs from last Sunday's Plaza Tower Tour of Homes. She even has a post specifically dedicated to the various Saarinen Tulip Tables in the building!

Stay tuned to High Gloss Blue as she promises there are other pictures to come.


For more on the architecture and the local design celebrities who call Plaza Towers home (Phoebe Howard & The Peak of Chic, to name a few) be sure to read this article in the April Issue of Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles.

Visual Acoustics

Yes, it's another movie post--this time about architectural photographer, Julius Shulman. What can I say? I am thrilled that Hollywood is producing more design films and less comic book adaptations this fall. Trailer below. Official website here.

School of Athens

In honor of my Alma Mater's first home game this season, I thought I would post an image of "The Happening" by Lamar Dodd, a painting depicting the frenzy on the field after the Georgia Bulldogs won the National Championship in 1980.

Football tie-in aside, as many locals know, Lamar Dodd (1909-1996) is the namesake of the University of Georgia's School of Art and was a highly influential administrator and respected artist of the mid 20th century. (How cool are his Chuck Taylors?)

St. Mark's Cathedral, 1956

Cityscape, 1952

When he wasn't teaching, Dodd spent much of the 1950's traveling the world and developing his talent for symbolic abstraction and cubism. In 1963, he was hired as one of NASA's official artists. Thankfully, he returned to Georgia to continue to teach and support southern artists. Because of his influence, the Lamar Dodd School of Art is one of the best art schools in the country.

The 1963 painting above entitled "Modern Abstract" appears to be the University of Georgia Redcoat Marching Band at halftime, which leads me back to game day.

Good luck today UGA. Go Dawgs!

Centerfold

1961 Playboy photo spread of mid-century designers with their designs. Sexy.

From left to right: George Nelson, Edward Wormley, Eero Saarinen, Harry Bertoia, Charles Eames and Jens Risom.

(Photo and corresponding article via Lushpad).

Mad Summer

I. Can't. Wait.

Season Two comes out on DVD tomorrow (hopefully with more insight behind the fabulous mid-century production design). Season Three starts in 34 days. (But who's counting?)

Photo courtesy of AMC.

What is Swanky?

How design fabulous was last week's "Jet Set" episode of Mad Men? I was lamenting the fact that there are no good photos of the Palm Springs interiors until I found a this delicious assortment on Hatch (posted by fellow Atlantan, The Bubb Report). I am seriously crying over the fact that there are only two more episodes to go until the season ends.

According to commenters, "The Jet Set" could have been filmed at Frank Sinatra's former Palm Springs home, Twin Palms. This could also be totally wrong, since mid-century modern architecture can start looking overly familiar to my untrained eye. Still, it is fun to imagine. Take a photo tour (or rent it for the weekend) here.

Poolside at the Twin Palms, then and now.

Update: The "Jet Set" house is not Twin Palms. It was designed by California architect Ed Niles and it was built in the late 1990's in Malibu. Whatever--it is still makes for an awesome backdrop.

In other Mad Men news, the show will be a featured category on one of my longtime TV favorites, Jeopardy, this Friday night. It will be a perfect storm for this television nerd.

Let's Pretend We Know What 1963 Looks Like

Congratulations to Mad Men on their Best Outstanding Drama Emmy. This has been one of my favorite shows as of late--in large part to the early 1960's set design.

In case you have yet to catch an episode, perhaps this little behind-the-scenes segment with set decorator Amy Wells and production designer Dan Bishop will put you in the mood for some good old fashioned television. The Season One DVD extras explore the design background even further.
For refurbished, mid-century modern antiques and furnishings, I love exploring Atlanta's Belvedere showroom. To date I have only been a browser, but one of these days...

Sex and the Sixties

Are you watching this show? Because until about 48 hours ago, I was not aware of the brilliance that is AMC's Mad Men. Now I am eleven episodes deep--thanks to the newly released DVD box set. (Thank you, TV Gods for sending me something good to watch this summer). Season Two starts Sunday, July 27. Yeay!!

For a small sampling of what makes this TV show so great, click here. (Photograph via Entertainment Weekly).

I Saarinen-der

In honor of the ongoing Eero Saarinen exhibit at Atlanta's modern design museum, aka MODA, I began to prepare what was going to my personal ode to the Tulip Table. Then I stumbled upon the Turkish design blog, A Mad Tea Party with Alis, and realized there was no way I could do it better than this.

The Furniture of Eero Saarinen: Designs for Everyday Living at MODA through May 5th.

Photograph of Saarinen Tulip Table with Norman Cherner Armchairs from Design Within Reach.

In other "Current Exhibition News", one of my favorite Atlanta artists, Carolyn Carr is now showing at the Spanierman Modern in New York City through April 5th. I promise this is the last time I show this photo, but don't the two look great in the same room? 

Photograph via PaperCity.

Friday Flair

In a 2006 issue of Domino, Julia-Carr Bayler of Belvedere listed vintage Flair Magazine as one of the "10 Things That Make Me Happy".

The brainchild of Fleur Cowles, Flair was dedicated to covering all the things the "style blogs" love: design, fashion, travel, art, literature and film. Produced between February 1950 and January 1951, the glossy mag was considered to be years ahead of its time due to innovative layouts, including novelties like fabric swatches, fold outs and removable booklets. Flair also hosted a vast array of contributing writers such as Gypsy Rose Lee, Tallulah Bankhead and the Duchess of Windsor.

Die-cut covers which opened to reaveal another scene inside are still a model of discussion for graphic design classes today.


Even though Flair was widely acclaimed as the peephole into the life of the jet set, the magazine's production costs ran at almost three times the cover price, resulting in an untimely demise. Vintage copies of the original 12 issues can occasionally be found on ebay and in 1996, Rizzoli published The Best of Flair, an exquisite (and pricey) compilation of the magazine's highlights.

Being Jackson Pollock

Here is fun way to waste time (discovered on the Kate Spade website).

Case Study

Notice any similarities? It appears that Brad Pitt is a fan of architectural photographer, Julius Shulman.

Shulman is best know for defining the image of the mid-century modern California home. In particular, his photograph Case Study #21 (top photo) is a portrait of suburban life within the context of 1950's design.

The writers at Goldenfiddle speculate as to how the idea for the infamous, July 2005 W Magazine photo spread, "Domestic Bliss" came to be. The 60 page essay, featuring the newly anointed "Brangelina" was conceptualized by Pitt and photographed by Steven Klein.

High Happenings

There are only three weeks left to see "Annie Leibovitz: A Photographer's Life, 1990-2005" at the High Museum in Atlanta. A special gallery talk and tour of the exhibition will be led by Julian Cox, the High's Curator of Photography, this Thursday night at 6:30. It is open to members and public with museum admission in the Wieland Pavillion.

From the Leibovitz collection, this pensive portrait of Philip Johnson (2000) looking out of the Glass House was a standout. For a look inside, Habitually Chic did a fantastic post on Philip Johnson's masterpiece the other day.

Upcoming at the High are two more lectures that look interesting:


Judith Miller of Emory University will lead a lecture, "Sensational Scandals on the Eve of the French Revolution", linking arts and politics in the late 1770's and 1780's. Saturday, September 1, 2 p.m. in the Hill Auditorium and free to members and the public with museum admission.



Ronald T. Labaco, the High's Curator of Decorative Arts will lead his "Masterpiece of the Month" series, this time highlighting a Rhode Island Chippendale Secretary (Desk and Bookcase), ca. 1760-70. Thursday, September 6, 7 p.m. in the Hill Auditorium and free to members and the public with museum admission.

Bargello Pillows

It may conjure up memories of the early 1980's, but flame stitch, aka Bargello needlework, has been around for centuries. The earliest accounts of this embroidery work date back to a set of 17th century chairs at the Bargello palace in Florence. The patterns are generally characterized by diagonal lines in gradating tones to resemble a flame or in some cases a curved or geometric floral motif.

From top:
A pair of flame stitch pillows adorn the sofa of designer Evan Lobel, a champion of the eighties resurgence. (photo from New York Magazine).

Jonathan Adler "Bargello" pillows adorn Liz Lange's New York Apartment (photo from Domino).

Flame stitch pillows are spotted in Trina Turk's mid century living room in L.A. (photo from Elle Decor).

Welcome to the Parker

With television decorating shows being notoriously unwatchable, there is one bright light this season on Bravo. While not a traditional design show, "Welcome to the Parker" is actually an unscripted drama about the everyday, goings-on inside the lush, Jonathan Adler designed Parker Palm Springs hotel.
Watching the daily routine of the hotel staff is fairly entertaining, but the real star of the show is the unique, mid-century hotel and surrounding desert property. This former Holiday Inn was redesigned and opened in 2004 with Adler's artistic vision. He occasionally visits the show (with his dog, Liberace) to lend a manic decorating hand. Meanwhile, the frazzled management team rolls their eyes at some of his more outlandish suggestions (like that they hire a full-time pillow fluffer/macrame curtain untangler for the lobby). Great TV!
On Bravo Thursdays 10/9 c.

The Slum of Legs

This sculptural, iconic table was designed in 1956 by Finnish American architect Eero Saarinen.

Explains Saarinen of his classic 20th century design: "The underside of typical chairs and tables makes a confusing, unrestful world. I wanted to clear up the slum of legs."

Though Saarinen designed matching pedistal chairs to go with this table, I prefer the eclectic combination of a more traditional four-legger, like the Klismos style shown here.

(Photo by Paul Costello for Domino Magazine).