Friday Snippets 7.31.09
The winners of the International Design Excellence Awards have been announced. From
the most technologically sophisticated gadgetry to gloves that protects workers hands from serious injury, 150 products or programs were deemed worthy of a 2009 IDEA gold, silver or bronze gong. [BusinessWeek]
You don't have to understand French to read the online database of the Louvre any
longer. The museum will have an English version available this week. The database will provide information on 22,000 works of art from the Louvre as well as high resolution images. [NY Times]
Even with art prices in free fall and art galleries closing, there is some good news.
[LA Times]
Build a big, over-designed 1,776 foot tall building in New York and call it Freedom Tower -
no problem. Build an innovatively designed, one-story, border crossing facility between the U.S. and Canada in upstate New York with the words United States in large lettering along the facade, and it's deemed a security risk. Remove the letters says Homeland Security, the facility could be a target for terrorists by so boldly announcing you're entering the country. [NY Times]
James Russell writes great reviews of buildings. I loved his take on the new Bank of
America tower in Manhattan: this glinting bundle of shards, nearing completion across from Bryant Park, could be considered a monument to bonus-coddled, overindulgent, corporate excess -- if it weren’t so dumpy. [Bloomberg]
Chicago's phenomenal resource for the best in architectural and design books is closing.
Prairie Avenue Bookstore will shut it's doors for good on September 1st after 48 years in business, unless a new owner is found. [Cityscapes]
Otto Heino, ceramicist extrordinaire, died at the age of 94. Along with his wife Vivika,
Heino created simple, elegant, beautifully glazed pottery. His work commanded high prices, which made Heino a millionaire many times over. See his artistry here, and read his obit here. [NY Times]
We're having a somewhat culturally diverse weekend. The Oriental Institute Museum at the University of Chicago on Saturday, and North Halsted Street Market Days on Sunday. Hope you can get a little cultcha in this weekend as well.
See you Monday.
Posted by designslinger at 7/31/2009 2:40 AM 
Categories: Slinger SLinks
Tags: art prices Louvre database IDEA Awards Otto Heino Prairie Avenue Bookstore
Categories: Slinger SLinks
Tags: art prices Louvre database IDEA Awards Otto Heino Prairie Avenue Bookstore
It's great to see the Louvre's catalog now in English. Though be wary of the term "hi-res". I looked at the "hi-res" images from their Recent Acquisitions section and the first three images are 717x630, 488x650 and 768x567. Those sizes really can not be classified as hi-res.
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Viewer beware!
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