Billy Erb's CHANDLER/CHANDELIER

In further Metropolitan Opera House art-news Billy Erb's photo/multimedia exhibition "Chandler/Chandelier" features images of the beautiful Chandler Moss AND the spectacular crystal chandeliers in the opera house. Some of the other images in the show include Lady Kier in magnificent profile and the giant diamond-light-sculptures that adorn the exterior of the New York State Theater, across the plaza from the opera house at Lincoln Center (image below). The opera house chandeliers were designed by Hans Harald Rath and made by Lobmeyr of Austria. They were described in the 1966 opera house guide (see also my 1 November post):

As far as is known, crystal has never been used in such quantity for the purpose of illumination as may be seen in the radiant chandeliers of the auditorium and Grand Lobby. Suspended from the white dome of the auditorium are a central chandelier nearly seventeen feet in diameter and eight other starbursts of various sizes. On the circumference of the ceiling are twelve satellite clusters, . . . Each chandelier contains a black core from which golden beams cast their glow: some of these bear lamps, others are embellished by massive pieces of crystal and scores of crystal pearls.

Info on Billy Erb and his exhibition at:

http://www.billyerb.com/

http://billybeyond.blog-city.com/

http://www.youtube.com/BILLYBEYONDTV2000

from "Chandler/Chandelier" by Billy Erb

Installation view, Billy Erb

Last Day For LUXURY

Tommorow, Saturday 10 November, is the last day to see LUXURY, the permanent collection installation at the Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology. A new selection of pieces from the permanent collection, organized around the theme of EXOTICISM will open on 27 November. If you can't make it tommorow you can still see an online version of LUXURY at:

http://www3.fitnyc.edu/museum/luxury/

Also currently on view at the Museum at FIT is "Chic Chicago" a magnificent display of fashion from the collection of the Chicago History Museum, until 5 January 2008:

http://www.fitnyc.edu/museum

Two ensembles by Norman Norell, in "Luxury," at the Museum at FIT

Metropolitan Opera

There's a really outstanding contemporary art exhibition in the gallery at the Metropolitan Opera house here in New York. On view are works on paper, collage and mixed media by Guillermo Kuitca: http://www.metoperafamily.org/metopera/season/schwartzgallery/kuitca.aspx
The works display a perfect balance between aesthetics and concept. Coincidentally I just came across a copy of the "Official Guide Book" to the opera house that was published when the building was completed in 1966-67. The descriptions of the design and lavish materials used are really interesting: bianco de nieve, travertine and cremo marble; 23K gold leaf; silk velvet handrails supported by posts of crystal balls on polished bronze; book-matched teak paneling, etc. There is a photograph (below) of the Eleanor Belmont Room, a sort-of VIP lounge, named after the founder of the Opera Guild. The room was designed by Billy Baldwin and has glazed pearwood walls, a portrait of Mrs. Belmont by Simon Elwes and . . . well the picture says it all. The guide book describes, but does not illustrate the Opera Club (a private dining room) designed by Angelo Donghia and the executive offices designed by Mario Buatta. Maybe someone out there can let me know whether these (now historic) interiors are still intact. On a personal note, my uncle, Philip Rosenberg, the well-known film production designer, began his career as an assistant to Eugene Berman designing sets at the Met. Berman also got him a job assisting Marcel Vertes on his murals at the Cafe Carlyle. On another personal note, I spent alot of time at Lincoln Center as a child attending the Little People's concerts. I'm not sure that the music had such a big influence on me but the modern architecture and luxurious ambiance had a very strong impact on my sensibility.

Eleanor Belmont Room, Metropolitan Opera House, New York

Allison Malinsky

Take a look at the delightful paintings by Allison Malinsky. She has been loitering in the lobbies of hotels like the Carlyle and the Pierre here in New York and her observations are reflected in these oil on linen interpretations. Opening 6 November, 6:00-8:00pm, 80 Washington Square East, http://allisonmalinsky.com/

Samuel Marx

The long-awaited book on architect/designer Samuel Marx is now available. In Ultramodern Samuel Marx: Architect, Designer, Art Collector Liz O'Brien has combined extraordinary archival photographs with a thoughtful and exhaustively researched text. The result is a magnificently produced book that is both lavish and scholarly. Marx's first major building was the 1909 New Orleans Museum of Art (http://www.noma.org/) and his most visible project was the 1940 May Company department store building, now part of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (http://www.lacma.org). Marx was equally adept at furniture and interior design and the book documents all of his output into the 1950s including his collaborations with textile designer Dorothy Liebes and interiors designed for great art collectors such as Mary and Leigh Block. You can purchase the book directly from Liz O'Brien (http://www.lizobrien.com/): stop in to her gallery, see furniture designed by Marx and have Liz sign your copy of her book.

Ultramodern: Samuel Marx by Liz O'Brien

May Company Building

Liz O'Brien's gallery, Marx cabinet in background

Bad Design

My nominations for the worst designs of all time:

CD Jewel Case:
The case cracks and the hinges break on your first attempt to open it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewel_case#Jewel_case

Ear Buds:
"fit comfortably in your ears and sound great"???--they don't sound too great to everyone within 20 feet of you on the subway or bus!
http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/AppleStore.woa/wa/RSLID?mco=3CAB62F7&fnode=home/shop_ipod/ipod_accessories/headphones&nplm=MA662G/B

Miss Blanche by Shiro Kuramata:
Only because it is totally overrated; I was around in 1988 when it appeared and at that time it was trivial and irrelevant: somehow it has become an "icon of design"?? (apologies to Agnes Gund and Patricia Cisneros, two great ladies and true "icons" of art)
http://www.moma.org/collection/printable_view.php?object_id=2630

More LA

Coverage in Los Angeles Magazine of their Style issue party, hosted by the fabulous Laurie Pike, LAMag Style Director. Photo bottom center shows me, right, Laurie, center and my twin brother Charles, left.

Is Hicks All there Is?

I find it really tiresome that so many design bloggers, interior designers, design editors and design "gurus" cite David Hicks as their favorite interior designer and greatest influence. I love David Hicks' work--he was one of the most brilliant and important interior designers of the 20th century--but at this point proclaiming David Hicks as your primary inspiration is not exactly the most original citation. I wonder if any of these people know anything about some of the other 20th century decorating greats. My favorites?:

Serge Royaux:

Georges Geoffroy:

Michael Greer:

Ward Bennett:

. . . more coming soon.

Museum of California Design

Please visit the site of the wonderful Museum of California Design:

http://www.mocad.org/events/index.html

MOCAD just just hosted their annual award benefit event at the Los Angeles home of architect Steve Erlich, with honors going to the legendary Heath Ceramics . Check out the pics of the cool crowd of MOCAD supporters below:

Sexy Gerard O'Brien of Reform (http://www.reform-modern.com) and brilliant Bill Stern of Mocad:

Wendy Kaplan, Curator of Decorative Arts Los Angeles County Museum of Art (http://www.lacma.org):

Los Angeles

I just returned from a trip to Los Angeles to see my brother Charles, visit museums, see friends, etc. We also drove down to San Diego for a two day visit for more museums, gardens and to see old friend Joanna Seetoo. One highlight of LA was our expedition to Compton to see the Abbey Memorial Park, a historic cemetery composed of several 1920s Moorish style mausoleum buildings. The pictures pretty much give you an idea of the amazing atmosphere (sorry, the photo of the incredible columbarium is a bit blurry).