Flying Off the Shelves

The problem in our country is not with books being banned,

but with people no longer reading.

You don't have to burn books to destroy a culture.

Just get people to stop reading them.

The above quote is on the website of a blog-pal,

Dive of Small Glass Planet. The words were spoken by

the author of one of my favorite books, whose name

I won't reveal, out of deference to Dive's quiz.

  The installation in the main entry of the IMA,

Richard Wentworth's False Ceiling,

seems to pair perfectly with two bookcases

from The Public Collection.

While the installation is in place, the IMA

is requesting that visitors submit a guess estimating

the number of books used to create the display.

Each month, an entry will be selected 

to receive either a Dual/Family Membership 

or a $75 Museum gift card.

Just past Wentworth's installation, 

there are two additional bookcases from 

The Public Collection series. 

The one in the middle picture, called PlayStation,

is by LaShawnda Crowe Storm, and

 provides children with an irresistible invitation 

to read and play. The area in the IMA

has been made into a comfortable gathering 

place for children and other living things,

with couches, chairs and carpets where visitors 

may relax and enjoy the books and passers-by.

Adults will be fascinated by the wooden

"refrigerator" provided by Tom Torluemke.

Of course, its called Cool Books - Food for Thought.

Tord the Lights

As a rule, it seems to me that people like 

the little twinkling lights used to trim Christmas trees, 

so much so the lights are left up well beyond the holidays. 

Years ago, the lights used as a part of outdoor 

holiday decor around downtown Indy have become 

permanent fixtures in the trees lining the streets. 

They light the sidewalks, adding a bit 

to pedestrian security.

 Not that that has anything to do with Tord Boontje's

lighting projects, but I find the crystal branch

shown above reminiscent of the trees lining the

Ohio Street near Monument Circle.

This chandelier, called Night Blossom, 

created in 2002 for Swarovski, 

has flashing LED lights next to the crystals. 

In addition to the one shown above,

another one was wall-mounted.

Unfortunately, I've lost the notes 

related to this fixture. The decorative elements 

inside the shade seemed like the floral motifs 

found on ornately plastered ceilings 

or on porcelain dinnerware.

Affordable Delicacy

I love this stuff.

The interplay of delicate light and 

shadowy forms holds my attention. 

Whenever I see one of industrial designer 

Tord Boontje's creations, I want to look 

at it forever. I don't know whether 

I first saw a big book devoted to his work, or

a large, lacy curtain made out of Tyvek, 

but his stuff ranges from vases, to textiles, 

to lighting and furniture. I wanted one of the curtains

to hang in a window of my boat, so I could

watch how the reflections off the river interacted

with the tracery of the curtain.

And it's affordable!

Heck, he's even created a line

for Target!

Into Antiquity ...

This past weekend I explored a new gallery at the 

Indianapolis Museum of Art, 

one showing a large part of the museum's 

growing collection of decorative and industrial design. 

A lot of the items I've been familiar with since college, 

such as the work of Charles and Ray Eames; 

their work transformed our lives in ways we cannot 

imagine until we have it pointed out to us.

There are examples of beautifully made silverware,

twinkling chandeliers, clever lighting,

wonderful furniture, and a Dyson vacuum cleaner

to keep it all tidy. 

And then there was this, 

the 1985 Macintosh Plus computer.

Using elements from Pagemaker -- bullets, borders, 

Dingbats, lines and textures, I used the computer 

to design display ads for a local agency.

The bosses I had at that agency were evil cusses,

but I loved their Macs. Still do.

It was the first computer I'd ever used. Period.

The user-friendly Mac was a revelation to me. 

It felt odd to see my old friend on show 

in a Plexiglas case like some 

archaeological curiosity, but I guess it is.  

IMA: Autumn Equinox: A Girl and Her Guitar

The beautiful young woman above 

was among fifty to sixty other guitarists 

who joined composer Stuart Hyatt 

in the performance/sound installation, 

E is for Equinox.

The musicians stood in a circle beneath

an existing sculpture, Team Building (Align),
 installed in the IMA 100 Acres.

The sound of the E chord being played was nice,

although it didn't seem to take over 
the (air) space with as much power as I'd 
have thought sixty guitars could make. 

Nevertheless, it was an enjoyable afternoon; 

people were everywhere on the IMA grounds, 

with family and friendly dogs in tow.

Purple Strand

As the sun began to dip behind the main entrance

of the Indianapolis Museum of Art,

someone seemed ready to make their entrance;

This strand of purple blooms stood tall 

above their green leaves, like an amethyst necklace 

set off against a dark green gown.

IMA Model

It hasn't yet been two weeks 

since the Indianapolis Museum of Art welcomed

Roy Lichtenstein's sculpture, Five Brushstrokes 

to the Sculpture Garden on the east lawn.

As I was leaving, I saw that one of the pieces

was already being used as the backdrop

for a fashion photo session. 

Families were all about, many with small children 

in strollers, happily exploring the grounds, 

and taking the time to lounge under 

the tree-lined promenade.

On one of the park benches, I saw 

the model's accouterments, 

shopping bags full of fashionable clothing

and her own, neatly folded and piled.

The nice young woman taking the pictures 

told me her name was Evelyn Binkley, 

while the pretty model's name 

was Ciera. I doubt I've spelled their

names correctly because I didn't

write either down until after 

I left the Museum grounds. My bad.