French Film Fest: Comme Ci, Comme Ca

I love foreign films more than most. I don’t mind the subtitles. I can get over slow-moving plots. And I definitely don’t need a star, action sequence or CGI to get sucked in. I’m looking for escapism at the movies and what better way to get it than by looking through the lens of another culture.

So, one of my favorite weekends in Richmond is when the VCU French Film Festival takes over The Byrd Theatre, the gorgeous old movie palace that’s just two blocks from our house. French natives and Francophiles come from all over (this year from Oregon and Washington state and elsewhere), the streets were filled with buses from area lycees, or French schools, and Can Can Brasserie was brimming all weekend with espresso-sippers (including us). But the French Film Festival let us down this year.

It did everything right, as it always does. Festival directors Francoise and Peter Kirkpatrick went to Cannes and elsewhere to scout for current French films, many that hadn’t gained distribution yet and premiered at the festival. Top French actors and directors flew over to introduce their films and answer questions in stilted English afterwards. The crowds flocked (reportedly 10,000) filling seats all the way to the last row of the balcony.

We just chose wrong. The first film we saw “L’après-midi de Monsieur Andesmas” or “The Afternoon of Mr. Andesmas” (above) was incredible. No American would have ever made that movie — and many refused to sit through it. This is a movie about an old man waiting for his daughter at the top of a valley, who — spoiler alert — never shows up! Two hours later we’ve heard the wind gush, we’ve seen him adjust himself in his rickety chair but we never get the satisfaction of seeing the daughter he (and we) patiently wait for all damn movie long. How rude.

Our second film, however, was a winner. ”Cliente” was a lighthearted glance the at the complicated life of a male gigolo. He goes into it for the money and all is fine until his wife finds out. Desperate for money, she begs him to continue but it tears them apart. It reminded me of “Requiem for a Dream” in that way. It’s all over once you ask your loved one to do something horrible for you. “Cliente” is both heavy and humorous. A thoughtful look at sacrifice and trust.

Two films we missed but that got rave reviews from others at the festival were the documentary “Tabarly“ and the father-daughter comedy “15 Ans et Demi.”

Warhol Getting Another 15

Could it be said that Warhol was an early, imbedded paparazzo?

Close to 30,000 images taken by the artist were recently unearthed and donated to universities across the country by the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts. Considering the artist’s obsession with fame, it sounds like a strategic move by the foundation to insure his popularity among the next generation of art collectors. Note to artists: Save everything.

The University of Richmond held an opening last Thursday to show off about a third of its new gift of 153 photos, both candid and studio shots. UR was one of 183 collegiate museums to receive the gift. Take a look at some of their pictures.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mick Jagger, Mackenzie Phillips, and Nicky Lane Weymouth, circa 1970-1987; gelatin silver print on paper

 

 

 

“A good picture is one that’s in focus and of a famous person doing something unfamous,” Warhol once said. It’s interesting to see how fascinated he was with fame. He seemed to have been attracted by sensation, not necessarily talent. He would have loved him some Paris Hilton.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dorothy Hamill, 1977;

Polacolor Type 108 on paper

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“A good reason to be famous is so you can read all the big magazines and know everyone in all the stories.” 

 

Warhol loved Polaroids and apparently the company continued making a certain model just for him. Some of his Polaroid portraits would later go on to become silk screens. The pictures are not remarkable or even very memorable. They serve as more of a view into Warhol’s life and fascinations, and as a snapshot of the times, than as examples of exceptional art. 

 

Paul Anka, 1975; 

Polacolor Type 108 on paper

 

“What I’m most impressed with is when I meet somebody that I thought I could never meet — that I’d never dream I’d be talking to some day …”

 

 

What’s interesting about this quote is that he goes on to site several people who are insignificant today — Paul Anka of “Put Your Head on My Shoulder” fame, anyone? —  leading me to think, what’s the use if celebrity and fame are so fleeting? Seems like a superficial muse to chase. Though that doesn’t make it any less fascinating. We are now watching Warhol watch the celebrities of his time and interestingly, he’s the one who ended up with the fame.

 

“Warhol’s Photographs and Pictures: Selections from the Gift of The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts”
is up through May 15 at the Joel and Lila Harnett Museum of Art at the University of Richmond.

Enough About Art, Lets Talk About Me

I interrupt your regularly scheduled blog post to make a small announcement:

I won some stuff!

This past weekend I was presented with three awards for my writing in R.Home from the past year at the Virginia Press Association Awards. No, unfortunately the awards were far, far less weighty than the above trophy, but hey, a piece of paper with a gold-ribbon sticker is cool, too. I mean, I’ll take it.

So what did I win? 

Glad you asked. Well, first there was a 2nd Place in Arts Writing for “Ones to Watch,” a story about emerging Richmond artists to collect before they hit it big, which appeared in R.Home’s Art At Home issue. Looking to start a collection? Check it out. Really. (Richmond’s turned out THREE MacArthur Geniuses in the last five years.)

Then there was a 2nd Place in Leisure, Lifestyle or Home Writing for “Sail Away,” a story I wrote about Stove Point, a close-knit sailing community on the Chesapeake Bay where some lucky Richmonders vacation. 

And last but not least, a 1st Place in Headline Writing for an entry that included five headlines I wrote during 2008. Maybe I can thank my creative-director Dad for inheriting his snappy-header gene. Two of my favorites were: “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree: Kim Vincze’s glamorous style revs up clients’ homes each holiday season.” and “Couture Digs: Enter the world of fashion and stay for a while at these designer-decorated hotels.”

O.K. I’m done patting myself on the back. Thanks for indulging me.

“Bubba Likes Trees”

A friend decided to impart this particular nugget about her boyfriend, Bubba, while taking a road trip during college, and boy did that stick with her. But, you know, Bubba has a point. I was reminded of this notorious quote recently when I spotted this amazing house on interior designer Amanda Nisbet’s web site. 

Nothing can make a house like trees.

I wrote about this eco-friendly house in the Woodland Heights neighborhood in Richmond several years ago. Architect Patrick Farley designed the structure, and its bridge-entrance, narrow enough to squeeze between mature trees on the property. The owner helped maintain the character of the ‘hood by building around the land’s already existing occupants. How refreshing. Apparently he liked trees, too. 

In other tree news

The new book, Remarkable Trees of Virginia, is a reminder that big, old trees have personalities, too. A forestry professor and horticulturist spent two years seeking out the biggest, oldest, most unique and culturally significant trees in the state. People could submit their suggestions and the resulting 200-page book is filled with magical photographs by landscape photographer Robert Llewellyn.

On the cover, a boy plays around an ancient Tulip Poplar tree in Richmond’s Maymont park.

Yesterday I spotted blooms on our dogwood and even better, a cherry tree in our neighbor’s yard. The cherry is boring 50 weeks of the year but when it blooms for those precious two weeks each March/April, life is good. I mean really, I’m literally happier. I sit on the porch and stare at it a lot. Last year I decided I’d rather have that ephemeral beauty than a year of lackluster leaves. Isn’t the fact that it’s not around all year what makes it better?

Some day I’ll check out the Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, D.C. This year it’s March 28-April 12.

This Man Will Not be Throwing Stones

After researching the post about the new Kimber Modern hotel in Austin, I got curious about architect Burton Baldridge’s other work. Turns out he caused a stir in a one of Austin’s historic bungalow neighborhoods when he built this amazing glass house (below) for himself.

He cleverly hid the glass with the wooden screen. And look at that amazing fireplace and patio. Read an article about Baldridge’s plight in Metropolis magazine. Read  my post about his work on Austin’s Kimber Modern hotel.

Mid-Week Escape: Far Out Stay in Austin

The South by Southwest festival is upon us, do you know where you’re staying? The first (and only) time I was in Austin we stayed at the super-funky (in a good way) Austin Motel, with its irresistible slogan: “So close yet so far out.” I remember we shared some pooltime with a band named Estradasphere who played a gig nearby. Although that felt like the quintessential Austin experience, this time, I’d like to bump it up a notch and stay at the five-month-old KimberModern.

Built by two women who love to travel and had hospitality in their blood. Partners Kimber Cavendish and Vicki Faust spent $1 million to build the modernist five-room hotel in the South Congress neighborhood. With rates at $250 to $320 a night it\’s a tad steep, but take a look at some of the cool features.

 Architect Burton Baldridge had to contend with a steeply sloped 1-acre lot. Because it was facing the back of a strip of stores, he decided to create an inner courtyard. I love the way they built the deck around the old Texas oak tree.

They feature three Austin artists’ work in the hotel. This bunny painting by Martha Gannon is fun and intriguing and totally makes the room.  

The exterior is clad with energy efficient concrete board that resist’s the sun’s heat, the windows and doors are made with low-e glass. Modernist details appearing throughout the property include bath fixtures by Philippe Stark, Arne Jacobsen egg chairs in the common area and Eames desk chairs. The design is top notch, lets just hope there’s a band staying.

For more, check out the recent New York Times Real Estate section piece, or the post at Apartment Therapy.

Black and White and Cool All Over

A little Ikea goes a long way. Or make that A LOT of Ikea.
Richmond interior designer Janie Molster used this graphic, black-and-white Ikea fabric to great effect in her son’s room by repeating it for curtains, headboards and bedskirts. See, even designers shop at Ikea.

 

 

Here’s a latter version of the same room. No doubt an interior designer’s home is always in flux.

 

 
Molster is a master of mixing patterns and colors. I notice she often throws a black-and-white pattern in with other multi-colored fabrics and rugs. Below is a shot of her Swedish-cottage-meets-Southern-debutante  library that we featured in R.Home magazine. Although here the David Hicks fabric on the sofa is actually chocolate brown, not black (available through Lee Jofa).

And the fabulous mix of Iranian, Moroccan and Turkish tribal rugs in the dining room is totally unexpected, especially paired with the black-and-white wallpaper in the foyer. 

This room has evolved, too. Now the chair seats sport fragments of the rugs. A fun, and probably comfortable, idea. Molster also runs an online shop featuring some of her favorite pieces. See more of Janie’s design work here.

Robots Invade Brooklyn

One-time Richmond artist, Nick Kyuzyk, is still working on his robot invasion. A Culture Fix associate was recently in New York and spotted a Kyuzyk mural on the side of a bagel shopin Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Makes me wish I bought one of his paintings when they were $25 at Cafe 821 in Oregon Hill.

Kyuzyk’s last appearance in Richmond was at ADA gallery in September and according to a story in Brick Weekly at the time, he illustrated a children’s book for Penguin coming out July 2009.

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Falling for it?

Two years ago I walked into the Irvine Contemporary gallery in Washington, D.C. to see this startling photograph by Brooklyn artist Kerry Skarbakka. I was transfixed and it stayed with me.

Recently I was reminded of Skarbakka’s work when I came across Elijah Gowin’s “Of Falling & Floating” series while researching a previous post on his recent exhibit at Richmond’s Page Bond Gallery. Both photographers explore a loss of control and those slow-motion, mid-air moments of terror or joy. Take a look…

ABOVE: Skarbakka’s “Studio,” 2002 

LEFT: Gowin’s “Falling in Trees 2,” 2006 

Gowin collects images from the internet and layers them together. He’s interested in questions of doubt and faith. Who are these people and what is happening to them? We know less information; their clothes are ambiguous and the locations a mystery.  

 

 

LEFT: Skarbakka’s “Trestle,” 2006

Skarbakka is the person in his photos. He harnesses himself, performs the stunts then photoshops out the harness later. There was a fascinating story in the Chicago Reader about him growing up in a fundamentalist commune in Tennessee with a militant stepfather and constant anxiety. 
 

Skarbakka said this series, called “The Struggle to Right Oneself,” was an artistic response to seeing people jumping from the Twin Towers on 9/11.

“They had released themselves completely,” he told the Reader. “They left the constructs of society, they left their family, they left their bills they had to pay. They left everything but the choice  of what they were going to do in their final moments.”   

Some critics called him insensitive especially when he staged a fall from the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago in June 2005.

I’m all for artistic expression but the office-setting falls are harder for me to look at, especially the one below. They almost feel like reenactments.

 

 

 

Elijah’s photos are more dreamlike. The falls suggest a peaceful, almost spiritual moment, rather than the helplessness in Skarbakka photos. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Skarbakka’s latest series of underwater photos is called “Fluid.”

Interestingly, Gowin has a series of baptism photos called “Watered.”