Rolling Huts

Tom Kundig’s Rolling Huts was designed as a mountain retreat for a client in Mazama, Washington. This client owned a great expanse of land and had a vision of creating a series of private cabins to be enjoyed by his friends and family.

After being informed by the local planning department that permanent cabins would not be approved for the site, the architect hit upon the idea of placing the structures on wheels- effectively making them mobile homes.

I love this project because it challenges the thought that creativity happens best without limits. I’ve always believed that the best, most original ideas come not by escaping restrictions...but by adding them.

William Kentridge's The Nose

I’m curious about William Kentridge’s The Nose, his latest foray into opera that opens at the Met on March 5. An adaptation of an adaptation, Kentridge’s The Nose is based on Dimitri Shostakovich’s (Russian composer 1906-1975) opera from 1930, which was based on Nikolai Gogol’s (Russian novelist 1809-1852) short story published in 1836. The story focuses on a Russian civil servant who wakes up one morning to find his nose missing from his face. When he finds the rogue nose, it refuses to return to his face. I’m not sure if this is just a silly story or if the nose is a metaphor for something else. Either way, the trailer looks really cool with its shadow puppetry and Russian constructivist aesthetic.

Alex Prager

I stumbled upon Alex Prager’s photography while looking for art to recommend for my client’s new apartment. They went to view her work, which is currently displayed at Yancy Richardson Gallery, and loved it so much that they ended up taking “Sophie” home with them. I personally love Alex’s work because her photography is a little old-fashioned, a little glamorous, and a little eerie all at once.

See by Chloě

On the total opposite end of the spectrum from Alexander McQueen's work is this See by Chloě dress, which I believe to be the perfect spring/summer dress. I love the color (one shade too bright to ever be considered “hospital” blue), the opening in the back, the ivory detail on the sleeves and cinched waist. It’s effortless yet completely flattering.

Alexander McQueen

Last night I caught a documentary on Hulu about Alexander McQueen. The guy was a bona fide genius.

McQueen came from a blue collar, working-class family and therefore considered himself to be the “pink-sheep.” Some of McQueen's most memorable designs were outlandish, unconventional and just plain bizarre. McQueen didn’t just create fashion, he created spectacles. On the runway he sprayed models with paint, encased them in butterflies, and shackled their arms and legs together forcing them to walk the runway like discombobulated puppets.

But McQueen’s work wasn’t only about shock value. He started out learning the disciplines of traditional tailoring from the best in the business. It was the foundation that enabled him to experiment with extremely difficult fabrics and earned him a reputation in the fashion world as an expert at creating an impeccably tailored look.

Paul Pfeifer

I was reading a review of Paul Pfeifer’s exhibition at the Hamburg Bahnhof Museum in Berlin and it reminded me of how much I like his work.  I’m especially into his video works that focus on professional sports. In this still image from a video, Pfeifer digitally removed the bodies of the other players, the branding in the stadium, the number on the jersey, as well as the hoop and basketball. As a result, he creates this saint-like image that speaks to our obsession with athletes.

Leon Gaspard

Army pilot, international spy and painter, Leon Gaspard (1882-1964) has recently caught my eye. I love his use of color, especially the gorgeous pinks and blues in this painting on silk.  Based on this image, you wouldn’t think Russian-born Gaspard spend the majority of his life in Taos, New Mexico, but his larger body of work feature scenes of Native American life. Check out his work, particularly in real life if you can. The reproduction doesn't even come close to doing it justice.