Inside the Baltimore Museum of Art
Located in the beautiful Wyman Park area of Baltimore, the BMA is a treat. I visited recently with my Modern Textiles and Contemporary Fiber Art class because my Professor is a textile curator at the museum. They have an extensive collection of modern textiles and a host of other great 19th century and modern pieces. If you make it to the museum don’t forget to stop into Gertrude’s - the swanky cafe.
For more info see: http://www.artbma.org/
Inside the USS Arizona Memorial and Museum - Honolulu, HI
A journey to Hawaii just wouldn’t be complete without a trip to Pearl Harbor, especially for an Exhibition Designer. Luckily, I got the inside scoop from a friend who works as a historian at the museum (thanks Amanda!). The recently redesigned space provided a balanced experience with videos, artifacts, images and text. Japanese strategy and innovation was explained, while American valor and strength was emphasized. The memorial itself is a sleek and modern white structure suspended over the permanently submerged ship in shallow water. The only complaint I have is that the leaking oil should be extracted. I would argue it’s more important to protect Hawaii’s beauty than to remember our fallen through pollution.
My annual report design for the Textile Museum is published online. Check it out!
http://issuu.com/textile_museum/docs/textilemuseum_annualreport_2010?mode=window&viewMode=doublePage
USGBC @ Corcoran - NEW Student Group
On my path toward becoming a LEED AP, I got swept into heading up a new USGBC Student Group @ the Corcoran College of Art + Design. The group consists mainly of MA Interior Design and Exhibition Design students who are pursuing a LEED GA or AP accreditation. We are planning site visits to LEED certified spaces, guest lectures from local green professionals, and of course, study groups to prepare for LEED exams.
I created these graphics to build some buzz about the group. Now I need to figure out when I am going to study for this epic exam!
Inside the Museum of the Moving Images - Queens, NY
AMAZING! Vast improvement on the museum I saw years ago was I was in middle school (flashback). The crisp, clean redesign by architect Thomas Leeser makes the subject matter come alive. Why so critical NY Times? (http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/14/arts/design/14image.html?_r=1&ref=museumofthemovingimage) This is a fun, entertaining, educational, and beautiful museum for people of all ages. Congrats to the museum for honoring its content and moving into the 21st century with pride! See you next time Exorcist doll ;)
MORE INFO: http://www.movingimage.us/
Inside MOCA - Los Angeles
I wasn’t sure what to expect of MOCA LA, and a trip to the main building on Grand Ave felt like a pretty typical tour through any contemporary art museum. I did love the William Leavitt exhibit - a strange mix between fine art and set design.
The trip really picked up when we ventured over to the MOCA’s Geffen Center for the highly stimulating and immersive exhibit “Art in the Streets”. It felt like a playground for grown-ups with automated graffiti robots, illuminated tents made of cut paper, a black-light room, and so much more. I’d like to think this exhibit was about “street cred” or the history of street art, as much as it was just a wonderland created by young artists who took over a museum. One word: fun!
Inside the California Academy of Sciences
This San Francisco museum was on my “must see” list for a long time and I finally got to experience it this summer. Although $24 for student admission is a bit steep, the experience was well worth it. The LEED platinum rated building is by far one of Renzo Piano’s greatest masterpieces. Not to mention there is an aquarium, planetarium, natural history museum, 4-story rainforest, 3D theater, lecture hall, and Naturalist Center. My moment of serenity came when standing on the green roof looking out at Golden Gate Park and the deYoung Museum as a family of hawks flew overhead. Wow.
My First Project Dispatch subscription came through - money in da bank!
I sent my first subscriber this drawing…
Inside Explus Inc.
On a recent trip to Explus Inc. in Dulles, VA, I got a unique look at the tools and trade of an exhibition fabrication studio. From CNC routers, to mechanical interactive exhibits, to large-format all surface printers, to sculpted scenic elements, Explus really does it all. It was fascinating to see the design elements that are popular in today’s exhibition design world as well - lots of bending ply, circular exhibit cases + graphics, over-sized or overhead structures, and interactive and moving components. This hands-on approach really gets your gears turning…
More info: http://www.explusinc.com/
CANDOR is a place to share my exhibition reviews, creative projects and inspirational findings. For more info visit: www.isitcandor.com
