Lots of changes going on here between Manuma, Analogue Chic, work, and life.
I took a break a couple of weekends ago, and my timing was perfect as I made my way to the New Britain Museum of American Art during the grand opening of the new Art & Education Building.
I loved this triptych by Willie Cole— it reminded me of Shadi Ghadirian's photography, pairing identity with a seemingly mundane domestic object, and Paul Anthony Smith's texturized photos, where identity is obscured by decorative patterns.
Taking an everyday object out of context, giving it space and considering its symbolism and associations, and abstracting it until it becomes more than the sum of its parts… The human inclination to assign meaning to inanimate objects, even worshipping them; our apparently hard-wired ability to see faces in burnt toast…
That process of considering material objects, their design, their use– their relationship with us– is what fascinates me about fashion and material culture in general. And probably explains why I love the work of Ghadirian, Smith, and dancer/sculptor Nick Cave.
On the other end of the spectrum are Shaker baskets and furniture, forging their own aesthetic language by stripping away decoration and highlighting the elegance of function and use. The NBMAA has newly set up a permanent gallery for Shaker artifacts, which will feature a rotating collection of objects on a theme.
Postcard of William Morris in my space at my day job
"Have nothing in your home that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.''– William Morris
The tension between function and beauty, ergonomics and decoration is my challenge as I develop the philosophy of Manuma.