methinks, to truly be a 'modernist' one must go beyond clothes / music, and delve deeper, to art, architecture and design. by this, i'm not preaching that everyone should be - say - collecting modernist art or furniture excessively but a certain knowledge / interest in these things is definitely a must-have.

as a collector of objects, i'm far from perfect. living in finland, i've got a few bits of bobs by aalto + furniture bu lesser known finnish modernist designers. however, i have a certain objection  towards purism in just about every walk of life, thus, say, my  home does not look like a museum of modernist furniture. instead, i've got contemporary stuff and antique stuff alngside with purely modernist things.

as for art, i have a keen interest in the works of finnish modernist painters, such as sam vanni, unto pusa, otto mäkilä, lars-gunnar nordstrom, ernst mether-borgstom, edwin lyden, max salmi and what have you.

ikea has been copying many (scandinavian) designers excessively. over here in finland, though, other manufacurers have been at it as well.

I realise that the mass marketing of the style after the Second World War was part of the process of 'democratising' the USA in terms of what was available and to whom, and that the chemicals industries had a role to play.  I'll still wear a rayon scarf.  But the rediscovery of natural fibres must have been a joy for some, so that I'll automatically reject any knitwear or shirt that isn't 100 per cent natural.  Outerwear tends to be a slightly different matter, unfortunately. 
It's part of the history, but any forward movement must be towards 100 per cent natural.  Even if the bloody collars burst.

^ Did you see, Rodchenko & Popova.. Defining Constructivism? if not,get the catalog.

The tate still has the catalogue from the exhibition.

I understand he is in the Indian Ocean shark wrestling. He parachuted in while taking a break from the World Chess Masters in Moscow. He has a couple of days to kill before he addresses the U.N on his solution to Climate change.
We should meet up at his sculpture exhibition in Paris, on route to premier of his latest movie in Cannes.  In the meantime check out his new album... His duet with Jay Z is Fabulous...

Last edited by Beatnik's ghost (2010-09-24 13:23:53)

And so Beatnik finally succumbed and joined the disciples of John. Spread the word B!

Out of the Mexico beers, he always preferred that Pacifica brand. Those corn based beers tend to be extremely light on the stomach, as per the Canadian whiskies.

I think you can be into the clothes without being into modern architects, which invariably lack soul, a sense of aesthetic beauty and therefore moral decency. 

Those of us, who did not shop, or meet the man himself, will only have the words of the inner sanctum and the new shop and website to judge by. Let's hope our hero does not let us down.

The concepts have no value outside the hallowed, anaemic halls of academia.  The heavy concepts only have relevance if they produce the physical embodiment of beauty, or a comfortable building to live/visit/work in. If you need a degree in art appreciation to understand or appreciate it, then we are fucked.

Of course, you are right, modernist architecture doesn't necessarily lack soul or beauty, I go with that, but a lot of it, especially when designed for the poor huddled masses does. Why is this, by design?  On purpose, quite possibly. And if so, the architect and his sponsors have committed a moral crime.

Indeed, the spaces where you live and work, definitely influence your life and well being.