Art Tour: Dennis Hopper

 

Irwin Weiner ASID - My partner and I went to Vienna several years ago and saw an amazing art exhibit of works by artist/actor Dennis Hopper. We came away astounded that this man could tackle basically any kind of artistic project - not to mention movie acting. His photographs, large-scale paintings, collages, sculptures, and other works had great energy and color sense. And they were beautifully executed. He wasn't a "sprinkle paint on a canvas" kind of guy.

So no surprise when we found this video interview of Hopper, now deceased, talking about his extensive art collection. He began collecting in the 1950s and selected works that "he got," works that added to his understanding of himself and the world, defining and challenging him. I was particularly touched by his reference to only being a "steward" of these works of art, that with our ephemeral humanity, we can only take good care of art as long as we are alive.

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Future of Architecture

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Irwin Weiner ASID - Ignore the fact that our featured video is a video advert for Hewlett-Packard; we love the cinematography and the vision of what's happening today in the professional design world. The video's message underscores what's happening at an increasing rate with architecture and interior design: more collaboration with teams and clients all over the world, and a demand for a mobile office reliant on simple, efficient technology to transmit drawings and sketches, plans, and feedback in real time. My goal this year is to migrate from paper to tablet-based technology. My drawing skills will be much better utilized if I were to use a tablet-based drawing program on a client's job site, make my sketches right there - or sketch on top of an architect's blueprints - in front of my client and their vendors, then email copies right away to everyone. It's time to embrace technology for its mobility, freedom, and efficiency. 

Here are some of the architects and firms represented in this video; looks like they're doing fantastic, imaginative work (an example is in the above photo showing a housing project from Span in Vienna):

Field Lines Architecture, New York

BIG - Bjarke Ingels Group, Copenhagen

Span Architecture & Design, Vienna 

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Working from Home

More people are working from home than ever before, and turning whole rooms into a chaotic nightmare of files, loose papers, books, and disarray. Design2Share Q&A has been flooded with questions about storage and home organization, and we decided to focus our response on the home office (or library, study, den, spare room). In this episode, Irwin and Nicola share tips and advice on what essentials belong in a home office, how to use storage containers to maximize utility and minimize clutter, how to combine the home office with a library look to avoid sterility, how to decorate the home office to make it a relaxed and quiet space, ways to make the home office serve several functions, and the importance of good lighting. And don't miss our tip on feng shui and the proper placement of your desk!

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Renovations

It's all in the planning. Home renovations always cost more money, take more time, and cause more aggravation than we anticipate. The end result, however, is almost always worth your painful efforts. Watch Irwin and Nicola, our Design2Share Q&A co-hosts, as they advise you about getting all your design specs in writing, help manage your expectations for how a remodeling job should turn out, demonstrate their favorite renovation tricks and tips, walk you through one of their remodeling successes, and discuss special details that can make your next remodeling job that much more satisfying. And don't miss their recommendation for greening up your next home renovation!

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