Great Houses of Chicago, Mrs. Huxtable's "Terroir" & Financial Times Montage

This post has three subjects that have a random, subtle relationship. I didn't plan it but they share ideas about the sense of place that surrounds a design.

The first is an extended review of a great and heavy new book about rich people's houses in Chicago. My review was originally published on the Society of Architectural Historians Chicago Chapter Blog - this version is more personal and wanders a bit.

The second is simply a recommendation that you buy the Wall Street Journal if for no other reason than to get Mrs. Huxtable's occasional essay - especially her recent exploration of context vs. destination and spectacle architecture.

The third subject is an image - the Financial Times widespread campaign that uproots all the world's major modern banks and trading structures (some imagined, I suppose) and plops them on an island.

Great Houses of Chicago 1871-1921

Susan Benjamin and Stuart Cohen

Foreword by Franz Schulze and Arthur H. Miller

9 x 12 inches, 334 pages, ISBN: 978-0-926464-39-8 •

$75.00 Acanthus Press

Synopsis: An essential reference tool for Chicago architecture, interior design, decorative art and history libraries.

SAH and Chicago Chapter members Susan Benjamin and Stuart Cohen have produced the most comprehensive overview on Chicago’s mansions, castles and residential fortresses.

This outstanding volume balances diverse sources and matches the pantheon of architects with those early patrons - the pioneers, nouveau riche and old eastern money. Nearly 350 sepia toned photographs, drawings, and floor plans are breathtaking in scope and detail. The visual content effectively evokes the muffled footsteps of parlor maids and rebukes by gruff railroad barons.

Rare figures of inhabitants intervene only occasionally; a child on a tricycle, Mr. Eliphalet Blatchford in his library but mostly the human presence consists of portraits above highly embellished fireplaces. The majority of these pictures were taken as silent documents of wealth and expressions of erudition but they evoke a surprisingly shaky, unconfident sense of style.

Even so, readers will derive a clear sense of each family’s private aesthetic and public facade. Interior design and decorative arts are as compelling as the structures. Paintings, sculpture, textiles, carvings, animal skins, all manner of souvenirs from grand tours and chotzkes galore - are piled in impeccable abandon.

It's tempting to search for the very few objects that found their way to the Art Insitute's collection.

The Editorial content is superb in providing the ontology of Chicago’s residential style, social context, family history and the sources of wealth.

Great Chicago Houses is also peppered with aridly amusing anecdotes. It makes a surprisingly entertaining read.

I was especially touched by the 1903 Julius Rosenwald House by Nimmons & Fellows and the authors' treatment. The book’s testimony to one of the greatest of Chicago’s early entrepreneurs and philanthropists is gracious and the house itself is uncomplicated but beautifully designed.

The strange sadness that pervade the book - especially for a lifelong Chicagoan - is linked with the number of demolished structures. I've been thinking about this a lot lately. These captains of industry built these palazzo's on the prairie to last. The quality of workmanship and materials was meant to echo the european structures that they saw on their trips. It was one of their frequent and futile, strikes at immortality. I wonder if they imagined that their children would inhabit the houses after them, shuddering from the capitalistic ghosts of their patriarchs or if they thought there would be tremendous competition to acquire their peculiar ornate newel posts (done - but in salvage yards).

For the great majority - their ghosts left with a wrecking ball within fifty or sixty years! They built with a sense of permanence and luxury that would institutionalize their memories but technology, location and that wierd, short cycle - 30 years after construction - when vernacular architecure becomes distasteful - killed a lot of them.

Chicago's growth continues -- inevitable, consistent and totally unrepentant in ravaging the past.

One note for the 2nd edition: while some photo dates are available in the Illustration Credits, label dates or indication of the probable range when the pictures were taken (circa) or even “date unknown” would provide an even richer context. Knowing if the varnish on the spindles is dry or decades old would add polish to this significant volume.

Below: Julius Rosenwald Residence: Demolished

Images courtesy of Acanthus Press.

Again, With Mrs. H.

Mrs. Huxtable's brilliant contruction in the Wall Street Journal includes an archicentric use of the word "terroir" and this ruthlessly correct phrase:

"None of this matters; superperfectionism seems stale and out of date."

As usual, I agree with every character she writes even though a good friend has admonished
not to idolize, deify or carve a pedastal - I can't help myself. Why don't we hear her.

It reminds me of what Frank Lloyd Wright said about Adlai Stevenson: "He didn't win because Americans don't like a thinking man in the White House."

The Financial Times Version of the Island of Doctor Moreau

Try to get a cab or a 2 bedroom vintage rental.

Random Images from 2007

More Kitschmas

______________________________________

STREET ART

_____________________________________________

STREET FASHION

She won best costume - need a hint?

She travels from north to south and for most of the year, she took

an hour from North Ave. to Belmont.

That's right - she's the CTA's Red Line!

One of the judges said, "Does she smell like urine? That would be real."

Christmas with Howard in Hinsdale included...
Ruby trout...

And a sublime red in a Lalique glass.

Hope for 2008

MERRY KITSCHMAS: MY PRESENT

x

x

x

PRThese are actual current or recent Christmas ornament offerred by lovely people on the largest internet auction site in the world. This is a virtual installation piece that I've wanted to do for the last couple of years.

The thing that spurred me on was the recent 23 million dollar sale (?) of Jeff Koons' "Hanging Heart". Koons appropriated this design from another designer and then Jeff made it big. Whoop.

I'm sure you'll find my endeavor a better, deeper and obviously cheaper art experience and a special Christmas parade of the tragic, hillarious, bizarre, immoral and gorgeous remnants of our century old capitalist and media sponsored rush toward dumping our year-end disposable income. Save the ECONOMY! Spend in December! I'm giving it away!!!!

The text in gold is my narative. The text in white is either a descriptive term from the seller or a comment made by one of my twisted friends in response to the images. Many of the images are low resolution but some of them are larger files and are actually quite beautiful. I've indicated which images have larger "click-throughs". Despite the tenor of the text, I do respect and admire the love people have for these ornaments.

The irony of this will come in a follow up posting in february.

xxx

THE NIGHT BEFORE KITSCHMAS

They come from subterranean worlds or lofty heights,

boxed carefully or in jumbled piles but rarely in between.

They signify a distant shadow of our national origin and the imaginary dress of our ancestors who were more often in rags - like the slaves that make them.

Secretly, with inner joy, they shout our handicaps.


And insure infirmity from mother to child.

They share secrets in plain site.

Their beauty belies their substance,

and courts obscenity.

Their love of nature is false and hidden.

But Everybody likes this.

Everybody cheers their anthem of love.

Because they confirm our similarity while defining our style.

And sometimes they provide some proof about something we know.

Things come out of storage in a jumble.

It is impossible to make sense all at once.

But types are sorted...

"MADE OF A BRITTLE RUBBER-LIKE MATERIAL"

and form a tribe.

By hook or by crook

through thick and thin

"MADE OF 'TAVERN WAX'"

we all come together to worship as one.

"completly unused - mint in box"

Our fears make us simple.

"Why can't you have fun?"

"The party's just started!"

There's always a moment when the one turns to tears.

Don't make us all sad now because presents are coming!

Good boys wear Prada.

Bad girls wear none.

Beauty becomes us,

As booties we buy...

'till beauty consumes us,

"Ben, the two of us need look no more

We both found what we were looking for

With a friend to call my own I'll never be alone

And you, my friend, will see You've got a friend in me (you've got a friend in me).."

and we're all just fried.

"I think this is a complete set of McDonalds McNugget Christmas Ornaments."

It's over too soon and maybe forever

"all are made of unbreakeable plastic - safe for kids and pets..."

We see ourselves fading back to the world.

We took ourselves out - now we're not mint in box.


---------THE END--------

CONCEPT AND CONTENTS k. bringe 2007

POSTSCRIPT & ADDENDUM

I ask you to think about the history of these objects - the line to market; the artist or designer responds to the trends and last years sales (pixies grabbing their knees) and they infuse aesthetic and champion their idea for resources to the company - who is rarely if ever the manufacturer. The company goes to the manufacturers in poor third world companies -with slave wagers. Prototypes are made. Formen are beaten. And the stuff is shipped back here. The consumers makes exquisite choices with their little money. They die and the family members and peers hating their decisions prompt the estate sale...

"Sometimes I think the Grandmother died and they took her good stuff. And then they threw the Christmas crap on the carpet and took a polaroid and shoved it on the auction site." --Previewer of the 2007 Kitschmas Bizare.

I liked these:

"MADE OF A BRITTLE RUBBER-LIKE MATERIAL"