Modern Girl

Some very cool designs by Jens Risom

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 22:57:45 -0400

Some very cool designs by Jens Risom

Empire of Space by Todd Eberle - architectural photographer 258...

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 22:52:00 -0400

Empire of Space by Todd Eberle - architectural photographer

258 pictures take over 30 years and is now curated as a show at MoMA

Modern's Staff

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 22:48:00 -0400

The masterhead of Modern contains its full-time staff of editors, directors, assistants, managers, publishers, editorial contributors, and a few others. There are not different editors for separate pieces of the magazine but there is a lineage – editor, editorial director, deputy editor, general editor, associate editor, and in the newest issue editor at large was added. Continuing on there are contributors who are highlighted that do not solely work for Modern but provided an article. The staff writers are not found in the masterhead, and you must look into to articles to find each individual author. Contributors are for the most part the freelance writers, who are very experienced, but some are highlighted for creating the caricatures on the contributor page, like in the Spring 2012 issue. It really only highlights the newcomers. I would send my profile piece to the General Editor, who is second from the bottom in the line of the many editors at Modern. The Associate Editor holds little power, so the General Editor would most likely receive the incoming query letters.

Historical Revision Prompts

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 22:29:15 -0400

The prompts I chose to focus on were 2, 3, and 6.

Prompt 2 focuses on the introduction. It was proposed by my peer reviewer that the introduction was misleading and thought it was going to be about something completely different. With this is mind, I decided to switch my first two paragraphs and add in some things that were to come, without giving too much away.

Prompt 3 focuses on the main idea. This went hand-in-hand with prompt 2 for me. The overall feature had decent structure but the main idea was unknown until getting to the body. After focuses on the first two paragraphs the main idea looks to be clearer.

Prompt 6 focuses on the title. I have been throwing around many ideas, but many seem to be misleading. I want to grab people’s attention and have a bit of mystery to it. Admin is a cool building, but if just titling it Administration Building, I doubt many will read it. “The Ever-changing Administration Building” might be by best so far. It’s not very memorable though. “The Maze of Main Complex: a focus on the Administration Building” is intriguing though.

Prompt 7 focuses on audience. My piece has a lot of facts, but lacks a bit of personal connection. Adding something about student thoughts would be good to add. Looking into Setonians.

After the activities and peer review I thought about adding in more student thoughts on the changing building. I have plenty of facts but the personal aspect is lacking. I looked at my transitions as well, working to make the paper flow better. A larger focus for me though was definitely on my introduction, trying to get the main idea out there.

Photo

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 21:56:39 -0400

Phillip Johnson - Glass House

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 01:09:00 -0400

Phillip Johnson - Glass House

Frank Lloyd Wright - Tallesin

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 01:07:17 -0400

Frank Lloyd Wright - Tallesin

Modern Article Critique #2

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 01:05:06 -0400

1. What is the length of the article?

The article, “Progress and Utopia”, by Michael Boyd covers 4 pages accompanied by pictures.

2. What kind of lead is used?

The lead is a quote lead.

“The key difference from the 1950s and a Frank Gehry house from the 1980s… is that the former uses architecture to resolve contradiction and the latter uses it to dramatize, or even redouble, contradiction.” – Christopher Hawthorne

3. What’s the writer’s tone like?

The writer’s tone was opinionated, assertive, and persuasive, but in a calm manner.

4. Does the writer’s tone in first person, second, or third?

The writer is in the first person, as it is based on his opinions.

5. How many sources are quoted?

There are two quoted sources in the article- one in the lead and the other in the conclusion.

Conclusion – The designer Eva Zeisel, who recently passed away at the age of 105, said, “Never try to create anything new.” For a true (almost Buddhist) test of humility, we can turn to Zeisel. How does one make something beautiful? She responded: “You just have to get out of the way.”

6. Are there any anecdotes?

No anecdotes are present in the article.

7. What’s the topic, and does it seem to be aimed at readers of a certain age, group, gender, or background?

The article is aimed at those who are fond of the contemporary and modernism styles. Although, those who like the contemporary may be annoyed with Boyd at the end as he says contemporary is not as good as modernism. He puts up a good argument about how progress is not always the best and not always found in what is new, but can be found in what has past in history to propel us forward, specifically in architecture and design during the Modern era.

8. What’s the vocabulary like?

The vocabulary was easy to follow. Definitions were provided for a handful of words. I could easily see this article used at the college level to provoke artists/designers about the pros and cons of modern and contemporary designs.

PPG Building - 1980's architecture

Fri, 16 Mar 2012 16:08:00 -0400

PPG Building - 1980's architecture:

Dan Cirucci tells why he thinks the PPG building is a real gem.

Chrysler Building - art deco architecture

Fri, 16 Mar 2012 16:01:41 -0400

Chrysler Building - art deco architecture

ART DECO - HENDERSON MOTORCYCLE - I am blown away by this. Who...

Fri, 16 Mar 2012 15:58:00 -0400

ART DECO - HENDERSON MOTORCYCLE - I am blown away by this. Who knew?!? Art Deco used on a motorcycle. I thought it was more for paintings, sculptures, and furniture. PURE AWESOMENESS!!!!!

indiakiera: Vintage. Color Blocking. Stripes. I can totally see...

Fri, 16 Mar 2012 00:07:07 -0400

indiakiera:

Vintage. Color Blocking. Stripes.

I can totally see myself wearing this common dress of the 60’s

Modern: Titles and cover lines

Thu, 15 Mar 2012 23:45:20 -0400

Modern Magazine is very different from others that I have read before. Unlike other magazines that catch your attention with crazy cover lines and a beautiful celebrity, Modern does not use any cover lines to attract readers. The cover always has MODERN in a different eye-catching color and a bold piece of modern or contemporary furniture or sculpture. I find it to be quite appropriate as the subject matter is precise that cover lines would only take away from the serious content of the magazine itself. As a reader of Modern I would expect nothing less and definitely nothing more.

1970's anyone???

Thu, 15 Mar 2012 11:49:57 -0400

Taken from - American Cultural History at http://kclibrary.lonestar.edu/decade70.html

ART & ARCHITECTURE

Seventies art reflected a slowing and refinement of some of the avant-garde trends prominent in the Sixties. Earth art, a movement that combined environmental and minimalist ideas on a large scale, was promoted by artists such as Michael Heize r, Walter de Maria, Robert Smithson, James Turrel, Alice Aycock, Claes Oldenburg, and Richard Serra. Massive earthworks such as Smithson’s Spiral Jetty, challenged all the rules regarding mass, time, size, and space. Land art and environmental art, variations of earth art, were also prominent. Other notable schools of art were illusionism, which sought to surprise viewers and cause them to question their interpretation of reality, and photo realism and hyperrealism, which imitated
photography, created by such artists as Richard Estes. Pop Art was still represented by artists such as Andy Warhol and David Hockney; and George Segal continued to sculpt his white plaster, such as Three Figures on Four Benches (1979). The influence of the women’s movement was represented by Lynda Benglis, Jackie Winsor, and Judy Chicago, who created the feminist art exhibition, The Dinner Party. Performance art challenged the traditional, stationary aspect of art. Andrew Wyeth began painting his Helga pictures.

In architecture, the “modern movement” retreated and there was a gradual move toward architectural humanism and a renewed respect for traditional and historical design. Increasingly architects attempted to consider the needs and feelings of the people who would use their buildings.

The historical element is evident in the pyramid form of San Francisco’s Transamerica Building (William L. Pereira, 1972) and the classical Piazza d’Italia in New Orleans (Charles Moore, 1979). Houston’s Pennzoil Place (Philip Johnson and John Burgee, 1976) combined modernism with humanism utilizing an eight-story atrium to connect two trapezoid-shaped towers. Architect Paolo Soleri, advocated Arcology, a new theory of architecture embodying the fusion of architecture with ecology. Modernism survived in buildings such as the Frank Gehry House in Santa Monica, California (1978), and the Dallas City Hall , designed by I.M. Pei (1978).

Other noteworthy structures of the decade include:

Kimball Art Museum, Fort Worth, Louis I. Kahn (completed 1972)
Contemporary Arts Museum, Houston, Gunnar Birkerts (1972)
Sears Tower, Chicago, Bruce Graham (1973) - later renamed Willis Tower (2009)
National Air & Space Museum, Washington, D.C., Gyo Obata (1976), and
I. M. Pei’s East Wing of the National Gallery in Washington, D.C. (1974 to 1978).

LINKS

Links to Later 20th Century Art | Resources for the Study of Art History from the Department of Art History, Sweet Briar College, Virginia.
American Architecture - Twentieth Century - 1970 to 1979 | From the Great Building Collection.
Digital Archive of American Architecture | By century and building type from Boston College.
Great Buildings Collection from Architecture Week.
Art on the Internet | Art research guide from Kingwood College.
Art History Resources on the Web | Impressive research guide by Christopher L. C. E. Whitcomb, Professor of Art History at Sweet Briar College, Virginia.

BOOKS

N6490 .L792 1997    Visual Arts in the Twentieth Century | History of art in the 20th Century which includes all art forms and architecture. Arranged chronologically by decade.
Ref N6512 .A578 1985     American Artists: Illustrated Survey of Leading Contemporary Americans |   Reviews and biographical data on more than 1,000 living American artists.
N6537 .C48 A2 1996     Beyond the Flower: the Autobiography of a Feminist Artist |   Autobiography of Judy Chicago.
N6537 .W86 W55 1987     Andrew Wyeth: the Helga Pictures |   Photographs with criticism and interpretation.
N6797 .H57 A4 1993     Hockney, David. That’s the Way I See It.
NA712 .L4 1993     20th Century American Architecture |   Photographs and discussions of 200 key buildings.
NA712 .R86 1989      Architecture and Design, 1970-1990 | Discusses architectural trends as a reflection of the times.
NA737 .J6 A4 2002 The Architecture of Philip Johnson | includes almost 400 photographs of Johnson’s creations with detailed building descriptions.
NA737 .K32 B73 1992     Kimbell Art Museum | Architecture in detail, an examination of the building with photos, drawings and discussion.
NB237 .S44 H86 1989     George Segal | Essay and 132 photographs of his true-to life sculptures, which often capture the pulse of the time.
NB237 .S46 A4 1998      Richard Serra: Sculpture | Retrospective study of more than 100 of his works.

What a difference!!!

Thu, 15 Mar 2012 00:24:21 -0400

What a difference!!!

Inspiration for Historical piece

Thu, 15 Mar 2012 00:21:00 -0400

Inspiration for Historical piece

I wouldn’t mind this in my home :-)

Thu, 08 Mar 2012 22:32:20 -0500

I wouldn’t mind this in my home :-)

Photo

Thu, 08 Mar 2012 22:27:51 -0500

Kony 2012 - Let’s stop him to bring peace to the children...

Thu, 08 Mar 2012 22:23:00 -0500

Kony 2012 - Let’s stop him to bring peace to the children he has horrifyingly abducted to fight a war.

Modern Article Critique

Thu, 01 Mar 2012 23:15:00 -0500

1. What is the length of the article?

The article covers six pages, accompanied by pictures.

2. What kind of lead is used?

The lead starts with “You.” A direct lead for sure.

3. What’s the writer’s tone like?

The writer’s tone is formal with a flare of a nouveau-sophistication. You have the feeling you are reading something of Sacs 5^th Avenue or the Upper East Side. For example, “His pieces regularly appear in the haute décor created by a swathe of high-flying decorators…”

4. Does the writer’s tone in first person, second, or third?

The writer begins in third person, giving a background of the designer being profiled. Then transitions to first person when incorporating the writer’s visit the designer’s shop.

5. How many sources are quoted?

The two people quoted in the article is the person profiled, Hervé van der Straeten, the designer profiled, and Flore de Brante, the secondary interviewee.

6. Are there any anecdotes?

There is one anecdote I found. van der Straeten shares with the writer about his journey about studying engineering, but knew that he would not follow in the footsteps of his father and brother. He knew design would take hold being that at nineteen clothing designers were already asking to use his jewelry on the runway.

7. What’s the topic, and does it seem to be aimed at readers of a certain age, group, gender, or background?

The article is a profile of Hervé van der Strataen a designer and architect from Paris. The article is aimed at people interested in design and who want to know what designers and/or architects are highly sought after in their line of work.

8. What’s the vocabulary like?

The vocabulary is fairly easy, but academic and in the vernacular of designers, architects, and artists. I advise that anyone, not familiar with design take their time through it, and to not be afraid to look things up as they go along, so they can understand everything by the end.