PLACES : DONALD JUDD & ELIZABETH FELICELLA

101 Spring Street

Earlier this week we featured a review of two new books about Donald Judd, focusing on the relationship between his art and his live/work environments in New York City and Marfa, Texas. We are pleased to follow with an essay by Donald Judd, on the cast-iron building in Soho where he lived and worked for years, and selected images of some of its interior spaces, by New York photographer Elizabeth Felicella.
READ MORE

OBSERVERS ROOM : JULIE LASKY

Out of Israel

“Bezalel: Legacy, Innovation, Inspiration,” which opens today at Sotheby’s London, features projects by former and current students of the celebrated Israeli design school.
READ MORE

FROM OUR SPONSORS

Two great MFA programs: The Interaction Design program, which explores the role of design in shaping everyday life and the Graduate Program for the Designer as Entrepreneur.
Visit MFA Interaction Design >>
The Designer as Entrepreneur Podcast >>
SVA Website >>

Being sustainable has never been so profitable. See how the country's most innovative companies are improving their bottom line by staying the course on sustainability. Look into Sappi's paper mills that are setting a new standard for environmental responsibility.
Find out more about Sappi here >>
Order a copy of eQ003 >>
Download a PDF copy >>

OBSERVERS ROOM : JOHN THACKARA

Open: A Survival Issue

In 1909, Peter Kropotkin was asked whether it was possible to learn a trade so difficult as gardening is, from books. "Yes, it is possible" he replied, "but a necessary condition of success, in work on the land, is communicativeness — continual friendly intercourse with your neighbors."
READ MORE

OBSERVATORY : LOUISE FILI

Louise Fili's Collection of Italian Tins

Louise Fili shares her collection of Italian tins, which she has found in the far-flung reaches of Emilia-Romagna, Tuscany, Italian Ebay and Great Barrington, Massachusetts.
READ MORE

OBSERVERS ROOM : MARK LAMSTER

The Architecture of the Secret Lair

"Whatever it is, it's not a mansion." This was the reaction of a friend, an architecture writer, to the term used so often in the press to describe Bin Laden's seedy concrete bunker, with its crummy striped awnings and tacky furnishings. Certainly, it's a long aesthetic way from Newport. Disparage it though we may, however, it remains rather astonishing that this large compound was built without drawing the attention of our many intelligence services.
READ MORE

OBSERVERS ROOM : ALEXANDRA LANGE

Science Gets Around to Architecture

Jonah Lehrer reports on new studies that light, airy rooms make us more productive. I think the Larkins could have told you that.
READ MORE

OBSERVERS ROOM : MARK LAMSTER

Towers in NY

As a critic, you're supposed to have firm ideas about the subjects of your review. I find that it doesn't always work that way. Some works take time to digest, and maybe there isn't time to fully do so before your deadline calls. Sometimes you're just left with profoundly conflicting ideas. With architecture there's the added problem that we're often asked to review buildings before we see how they truly operate.
READ MORE

OBSERVERS ROOM : JOHN THACKARA

A Smooth Journey

Two images have preoccupied me in recent days.

The first one was taken in a lounge at a Paris airport. On the tv screen were images of the revolt that is unfolding, bloodily, in Yemen. But the sound was off. The second image that's bugged me is this new shot of Unit 3 at Fukushima.
READ MORE

CHANGE OBSERVER : GAVIN BROWNING

Community Hero: Queens Museum of Art

Today, the future of the United States looks like Queens, New York: multicultural, urban, not necessarily English-speaking or native-born. The Queens Museum of Art has long served this variegated community. It will reach out even more productively with its new expansion.
READ MORE

OBSERVERS ROOM : MARK LAMSTER

Justice for the City

There is a part of me that wishes Osama bin Laden had been captured alive, so he might be tried here in New York City for his crimes, much as Adolph Eichmann was fifty years ago in Jerusalem. It is, nevertheless, satisfying to know that some justice has been served for the great crime against this city and its residents, and against the rest of this nation.
READ MORE

OBSERVATORY : STEVEN HELLER

Paul Rand, Painter

Paul Rand had more in common with Paul Klee than a four letter first and last name. One thing, like Klee, he enjoyed playing with childlike hieroglyphs. Another, also like Klee, he used geometric forms combined with letters, numbers, and arrows that he transformed into sketches of animals and people.
READ MORE

OBSERVERS ROOM : MARK LAMSTER

Forgotten New York: The Lenox Library

The New York website Gothamist recently posted some wonderful images of the hidden spaces of the Frick Museum, including its antique bowling alley. (I caught the post via a link from Jason Kottke.) I love the Frick, but reading about its forgotten spaces makes me think about the truly lost space on the same site, namely the Lenox Library.
READ MORE

OBSERVATORY : JOHN FOSTER

Accidental Mysteries, 05.01.11

Accidental Mysteries, a weekly cabinet of visual curiosities curated by John Foster, highlights images of design, art, architecture and ephemera brought to light by the magic of the digital age.
READ MORE

OBSERVERS ROOM : JULIE LASKY

Hug a Worm

Curated by Laetitia Wolff, ExpoTENtial is a collection of 10 design labs that investigate ideas for a smarter, livelier and healthier New York.
READ MORE

PLACES : GITA LENZ & GORDON STETTINIUS

Gita Lenz: New York Views

Earlier this week we featured articles exploring the legacy of Jane Jacobs and Andy Warhol. Both Jacobs and Warhol did their pathbreaking work in mid 20th-century New York City, and each came to exemplify particular ways of inhabiting the metropolis. Here we present a gallery by another mid-century New Yorker. Gita Lenz was a rising photographer in the '50s and early '60s before her career was cut short. Her work, largely neglected since then, is now gaining new attention.
READ MORE

OBSERVERS ROOM : ALEXANDRA LANGE

In T: High Fiber

Where can one find new midcentury design? Beneath your seat! An exhibition at the Bard Graduate Center puts Knoll Textiles on par with the company's furniture.
READ MORE

OBSERVERS ROOM : JESSICA HELFAND

The Royal Tweet

Long criticized for not being relevant in contemporary culture, the British royal family announces the engagement of the future King of England in 144 characters, including a hyphen.
READ MORE


WEEKLY EMAIL: MAY 05, 2011
FEATURED THIS WEEK : ADAM YARINSKY Donald Judd and the Blooming of Reality The legacy of Donald Judd comprises not only his art but also the extraordinary environments he created at 101 Spring Street in New York City and in the West Texas town of Marfa. Here architect Adam Yarinsky, in a review of two new books about Judd's work and life, explores the artist's painstaking process and strong ideas, his conviction that "the space surrounding my work is crucial to it." Yarinsky argues that Judd's complex intermingling of art with place over time offers valuable insights to architects who aspire to "a more vital connection to our world today." READ MORE
PLACES : DONALD JUDD & ELIZABETH FELICELLA 101 Spring Street Earlier this week we featured a review of two new books about Donald Judd, focusing on the relationship between his art and his live/work environments in New York City and Marfa, Texas. We are pleased to follow with an essay by Donald Judd, on the cast-iron building in Soho where he lived and worked for years, and selected images of some of its interior spaces, by New York photographer Elizabeth Felicella. READ MORE OBSERVERS ROOM : JULIE LASKY Out of Israel “Bezalel: Legacy, Innovation, Inspiration,” which opens today at Sotheby’s London, features projects by former and current students of the celebrated Israeli design school. READ MORE FROM OUR SPONSORS Two great MFA programs: The Interaction Design program, which explores the role of design in shaping everyday life and the Graduate Program for the Designer as Entrepreneur. Visit MFA Interaction Design >> The Designer as Entrepreneur Podcast >> SVA Website >> Being sustainable has never been so profitable. See how the country's most innovative companies are improving their bottom line by staying the course on sustainability. Look into Sappi's paper mills that are setting a new standard for environmental responsibility. Find out more about Sappi here >> Order a copy of eQ003 >> Download a PDF copy >> OBSERVERS ROOM : JOHN THACKARA Open: A Survival Issue In 1909, Peter Kropotkin was asked whether it was possible to learn a trade so difficult as gardening is, from books. "Yes, it is possible" he replied, "but a necessary condition of success, in work on the land, is communicativeness — continual friendly intercourse with your neighbors." READ MORE OBSERVATORY : LOUISE FILI Louise Fili's Collection of Italian Tins Louise Fili shares her collection of Italian tins, which she has found in the far-flung reaches of Emilia-Romagna, Tuscany, Italian Ebay and Great Barrington, Massachusetts. READ MORE OBSERVERS ROOM : MARK LAMSTER The Architecture of the Secret Lair "Whatever it is, it's not a mansion." This was the reaction of a friend, an architecture writer, to the term used so often in the press to describe Bin Laden's seedy concrete bunker, with its crummy striped awnings and tacky furnishings. Certainly, it's a long aesthetic way from Newport. Disparage it though we may, however, it remains rather astonishing that this large compound was built without drawing the attention of our many intelligence services. READ MORE OBSERVERS ROOM : ALEXANDRA LANGE Science Gets Around to Architecture Jonah Lehrer reports on new studies that light, airy rooms make us more productive. I think the Larkins could have told you that. READ MORE OBSERVERS ROOM : MARK LAMSTER Towers in NY As a critic, you're supposed to have firm ideas about the subjects of your review. I find that it doesn't always work that way. Some works take time to digest, and maybe there isn't time to fully do so before your deadline calls. Sometimes you're just left with profoundly conflicting ideas. With architecture there's the added problem that we're often asked to review buildings before we see how they truly operate. READ MORE OBSERVERS ROOM : JOHN THACKARA A Smooth Journey Two images have preoccupied me in recent days. The first one was taken in a lounge at a Paris airport. On the tv screen were images of the revolt that is unfolding, bloodily, in Yemen. But the sound was off. The second image that's bugged me is this new shot of Unit 3 at Fukushima. READ MORE CHANGE OBSERVER : GAVIN BROWNING Community Hero: Queens Museum of Art Today, the future of the United States looks like Queens, New York: multicultural, urban, not necessarily English-speaking or native-born. The Queens Museum of Art has long served this variegated community. It will reach out even more productively with its new expansion. READ MORE OBSERVERS ROOM : MARK LAMSTER Justice for the City There is a part of me that wishes Osama bin Laden had been captured alive, so he might be tried here in New York City for his crimes, much as Adolph Eichmann was fifty years ago in Jerusalem. It is, nevertheless, satisfying to know that some justice has been served for the great crime against this city and its residents, and against the rest of this nation. READ MORE OBSERVATORY : STEVEN HELLER Paul Rand, Painter Paul Rand had more in common with Paul Klee than a four letter first and last name. One thing, like Klee, he enjoyed playing with childlike hieroglyphs. Another, also like Klee, he used geometric forms combined with letters, numbers, and arrows that he transformed into sketches of animals and people. READ MORE OBSERVERS ROOM : MARK LAMSTER Forgotten New York: The Lenox Library The New York website Gothamist recently posted some wonderful images of the hidden spaces of the Frick Museum, including its antique bowling alley. (I caught the post via a link from Jason Kottke.) I love the Frick, but reading about its forgotten spaces makes me think about the truly lost space on the same site, namely the Lenox Library. READ MORE OBSERVATORY : JOHN FOSTER Accidental Mysteries, 05.01.11 Accidental Mysteries, a weekly cabinet of visual curiosities curated by John Foster, highlights images of design, art, architecture and ephemera brought to light by the magic of the digital age. READ MORE OBSERVERS ROOM : JULIE LASKY Hug a Worm Curated by Laetitia Wolff, ExpoTENtial is a collection of 10 design labs that investigate ideas for a smarter, livelier and healthier New York. READ MORE PLACES : GITA LENZ & GORDON STETTINIUS Gita Lenz: New York Views Earlier this week we featured articles exploring the legacy of Jane Jacobs and Andy Warhol. Both Jacobs and Warhol did their pathbreaking work in mid 20th-century New York City, and each came to exemplify particular ways of inhabiting the metropolis. Here we present a gallery by another mid-century New Yorker. Gita Lenz was a rising photographer in the '50s and early '60s before her career was cut short. Her work, largely neglected since then, is now gaining new attention. READ MORE OBSERVERS ROOM : ALEXANDRA LANGE In T: High Fiber Where can one find new midcentury design? Beneath your seat! An exhibition at the Bard Graduate Center puts Knoll Textiles on par with the company's furniture. READ MORE OBSERVERS ROOM : JESSICA HELFAND The Royal Tweet Long criticized for not being relevant in contemporary culture, the British royal family announces the engagement of the future King of England in 144 characters, including a hyphen. READ MORE		BECOME A FAN ON FACEBOOK \| FOLLOW US ON TWITTER The Graduate Program for the Designer as Entrepreneur. See the information podcast here >> From Mohawk Fine Papers a curated marketplace of designer papergoods and gifts. Browse the shop >> Good design can influence positive change! Learn more Ideas that Matter >> The leading health conference where design matters. Register today >> AUDIO: DESIGN MATTERS ARCHIVE Jan Wilker & Hjalti Karlsson Jan Wilker & Hjalti Karlsson of karlssonwilker are designers and authors of Tell Me Why. Listen >> More Design Matters Archive >> CHANGE OBSERVER: PROJECT ARCHIVE DesigNYC, Round 2 Report on second round of pro bono design initiatives fostered by DesigNYC. READ MORE OBSERVATORY ARCHIVE Squareness & Milk Containers Seeing Ovals Everywhere All Things Matter PLACES ARCHIVE: WINTER 2003 Portfolio: Timothy Hursley Tim Hursley photographs the pro-bono buildings of the Rural Studio and the legal brothels of Nye County, Nevada. READ MORE CHANGE OBSERVER: RESOURCES Academic Programs >> Competitions >> Conferences & Events >> Fellowships & Prizes >> Organizations >> Programs & Initiatives >> Publications & Websites >> Social Networks >> RECENT BOOKS RECEIVED Scripts: Elegant Lettering from Design's Golden Age Steven Heller & Louise Fili ArtWork: Seeing Inside the Creative Process Ivan Vartanian The 3D Type Book Tomi Vollauschek & Agathe Jacquillat
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WEEKLY EMAIL: MAY 05, 2011

FEATURED THIS WEEK : ADAM YARINSKY

PLACES : DONALD JUDD & ELIZABETH FELICELLA

OBSERVERS ROOM : JULIE LASKY

FROM OUR SPONSORS

OBSERVERS ROOM : JOHN THACKARA

OBSERVATORY : LOUISE FILI

OBSERVERS ROOM : MARK LAMSTER

OBSERVERS ROOM : ALEXANDRA LANGE

OBSERVERS ROOM : MARK LAMSTER

OBSERVERS ROOM : JOHN THACKARA

CHANGE OBSERVER : GAVIN BROWNING

OBSERVERS ROOM : MARK LAMSTER

OBSERVATORY : STEVEN HELLER

OBSERVERS ROOM : MARK LAMSTER

OBSERVATORY : JOHN FOSTER

OBSERVERS ROOM : JULIE LASKY

PLACES : GITA LENZ & GORDON STETTINIUS

OBSERVERS ROOM : ALEXANDRA LANGE

OBSERVERS ROOM : JESSICA HELFAND

AUDIO: DESIGN MATTERS ARCHIVE

CHANGE OBSERVER: PROJECT ARCHIVE

OBSERVATORY ARCHIVE

PLACES ARCHIVE: WINTER 2003

CHANGE OBSERVER: RESOURCES

RECENT BOOKS RECEIVED