The cabinet and drawing should be familiar to regular blog readers from an earlier post that discussed the visit of an expert in French wood-carving techniques. After the cabinet had been carefully studied in the lab, it was time to figure out how to install it. Ideally, the goal was to place the cabinet in a permanent position, create a small focus area with the preparatory drawing, and situate them in the gallery without displacing many of the paintings already on view.
The cabinet was carefully reassembled and installed on a newly-built riser in the northeast corner of the gallery, adjacent to the drawing and a new introductory wall text written by Ellen Lee, Wood-Pulliam Senior Curator and resident Pont-Aven expert.

Here are some more images of the installation crew, Brose Partington and Scott Shoultz, working with objects Conservator Richard McCoy before transporting the work and then installing it in the galleries.

A painting by Henry Moret went into storage to provide space for the drawing and didactic panel. The paintings on the adjacent east wall were shifted down the wall and moved closer together. The resulting extra inches were enough space for all of the paintings on that wall to remain on view.

An additional problem arose in lighting the two objects to reveal their full aesthetic potential. The drawing is light-sensitive and can only be on view for a limited period of time before it needs to go rest in the dark in storage (The constant cycle of the galleries: when the drawing goes into storage, the painting by Moret that it displaced can come back on view). Additionally, the cabinet’s carving is relatively shallow and the polychromy is subtle, providing another lighting challenge.

On the cabinet, IMA lighting guru Carol Cody used light levels that she normally uses on paintings, hitting the top of the nine-foot tall piece with a little extra light to highlight the carving on the finials and to define the shape. The drawing next door received a lower light, as per conservation requirements for works of art on paper. She kept the brighter lights hitting the cabinet away from the drawing by using several spotlights on the figures. Carol’s biggest challenge was making the subtle paint colors and white areas on the cabinet really “pop,” which she accomplished by using a cooler, bluer  light than she normally would use on the paintings in the European galleries. She used slightly raking light to bring out relief and texture of the wood carving.

Now that the work is up in the galleries, please come see it and let us know what you think. We think it complements and enhances the already great Pont-Aven collection perfectly.

Simply put, what I like most about my job is that I get to look at works of art. I probably spend more time looking in one week than most people do in a whole year. When I’m looking, I always start with trying to figure out from what and how a work is made. For me, these are the most interesting questions to investigate. If you can’t put together at least some rough answers, then you really can’t make any further assumptions (art historical or otherwise), and you’re certainly not going to be in a good position to make good conservation decisions.

I rarely ever get to the question of whether or not I like an artwork; in conservation, answering that question doesn’t really get me anywhere.

This week I’ve had the exceptional opportunity to look at a rare corner cabinet with carvings by Emile Bernard. This cabinet is one of only four known examples produced by the Pont-Aven School (one is at the Norton Simon, one is at the AIC, and the other in Paris). It made quite a big splash when we acquired it this year.

In an effort to better understand the construction of the cabinet, I’m working alongside the IMA’s Pont-Aven specialist, Ellen Lee, The Wood-Pulliam Senior Curator, and Jérôme Séré, ebéniste restaurateur de mobilier (cabinetmaker and furniture restoration specialist) who specializes in this type of cabinetry.

We’ve started our technical examination of the piece by measuring and inspecting each element, and then making radiographs of certain joins, and finally producing IRR images to look for under drawings. The IMA’s New Media folks were down in the lab yesterday to make a video about the work, so stay tuned for that. Also, the cabinet will be featured in the forthcoming IMA Magazine.

But today, I want to share a few sneak peaks of our work.  Here are some digital radiographic images I produced yesterday that show the refined joinery of the cabinet and the hardware used to make the cabinet doors swing open.

Bernard Corner Cabinet, Lowest Section, Top Proper Left

Bernard Corner Cabinet, Lowest Section, Bottom Proper Left

Michael Shapiro of ModernCaptital (left) and Barrett "Baz" Crites of Atomic Indy (right)

Taken together, the participants constituted a pretty impressive group. (By the way, has there yet been coined a word for a group of bloggers?)  Atomic Indy’s Baz was there, along with the Urbanophile (that’s some SERIOUS blogging), Apartment Therapy, and many others, about 15 in all.  I had visited some of their blogs prior to the June 12 tour, but my own digital world is on the narrow side, I have to confess, so most were new to me.  Suffice it to say that as folks were introducing themselves, I could only smile and nod, and reflect inwardly on my opportunity to see the Miller property act as one of the agents that would transform – if only for a weekend – a virtual community of iPhone-addicted hipster inhabitants of the blogosphere into a real-time, flesh-and-blood fellowship of Columbus, Indiana, architectural enthusiasts.

Group photo of bloggers at another mid-century modern residence in Columbus

It’s been great to have opportunities to conduct individuals and groups through the property; I’ve been able to get a sense of what has the greatest impact on people and of possible rhythms of a tour experience.  For many people – and for a lot in the bloggers’ group (where’s that word I need?) – seeing the central living area of the Miller House for the first time is an experience that doesn’t require much chatter from the docent or tour guide.  It’s pretty powerful.

Miller House interior

And that’s a hard one for me, having given tours of one kind or another since I was working at Nissley Vineyards before being old enough to taste the wine samples I was pouring.  Left to my own devices, I will talk ‘til my mouth is dry and I am out of breath, but the Miller House has taught me the value of silence as an interpretive tool as nothing else has done.

Individuals find in that silence time to form their own responses, questions perhaps, or to remember and compare other sites they have visited.  For some, the response can be quite deeply emotional.  One of the bloggers – OK, it was Baz – mentioned to me at one point while lagging behind others that the house had brought tears to his eyes.  I sympathized, having experienced the same thing many months earlier while viewing the landscape and feeling the impact of the soft green, near-perfect turf of the expansive west lawn stretching away beneath me in the glow of afternoon sunlight.

Miller House exterior

After having lived for almost 10 years in Indiana, the day of the bloggers’ tour was the hottest, most oppressive I can recall.  Thank goodness for the air conditioning in the house (Mr. Miller originally thought that central air wouldn’t be necessary – glad he changed his mind).  After seeing the interiors, we adjourned to the outdoors for a look at the gardens, and for some cocktails and refreshments.  Beads of perspiration glistened on every forehead and moistened every hairdo, but in spite of the soupy atmosphere, folks seemed glad for a chance to linger in the garden.

Miller House exterior

With dinner awaiting at another location, the bloggers’ party at the Miller House eventually shifted its venue.  Violent thunderstorms were just about to erupt in the superheated and saturated twilight. The bloggers and I took the property’s calm beauty away with us as the storms broke.  The electricity of the experience later crackled through the blogosphere.

I’ve had my eye on the IMA for years. In that time I’ve found a home here. Case in point; my obsession for modern and contemporary design was fueled by the great lectures, films and social events that the IMA is known for. So when the position I have now became available, Purchasing Manager, I all but beat down the glass doors to get my resume in. Where else could I utilize my OCD-like organizational skills while working for such a cultural heavy-hitter?

(photo by Nikki Sutton)

OK, enough gushing (for now). The above picture was taken almost a year ago in front of the retail store at the IMA. See that chair in background? That’s an Eames. I actually now own one! I can either blame or thank the IMA for that… Thank you.

How many people can say they enjoy staying after work? Not many. But I get to attend some great events like the one pictured below, Summer Nights. The film was Roman Holiday and a bunch of my friends and I rode our scooters here for the movie.

(photo by polinaosherov.com)

Scooters?

Yes, I said scooters. I own a bright orange scooter and you’ll likely see me riding it to work some days. The picture below is of me tearing up the downtown streets.

So with all of that being said, (and I don’t know how to end my first blog) the past few months of work here at the IMA have been very rewarding, while also challenging. It’s the best of both worlds. So, if you see me wandering these halls today- say hello. I might even teach you the secret scooter handshake.

Here is an excerpt from Andrea’s description of the project.

Here at the IMA we are preparing for a new design center. One of the recently acquired pieces is a side board by architect and designer Eliel Saarinen. Saarinen was a Finnish architect who is better noted for his art nouveau buildings in the early years of the 20th century, and national romantic style than for his furniture.  Our side board was created in 1929, shortly after Saarinen immigrated to the United States. … The side board is a 49 5/16 x 77 9/16 x 20 13/16 in. rectangular chest on four legs, with four doors on the front of the piece, covering three compartments (two sides and one larger, central)and its surface is decorated with a diamond pattern of walnut and burl wood veneers. The diamond appliqué follows an alternating pattern of light and dark burled wood over most of the planar surfaces of the piece.  The piece when acquired has diverse cosmetic and structural issues to its surface. For this specialized treatment the IMA’s conservation lab invited conservator and wood specialist Mark Minor to work on the piece.  In addition to the stabilization and preservation of the cabinet, the goal of the treatment was to bring the artist/designer’s intent back to view—to reduce the muddiness of the varnish and clarify the grain/figure of the veneers.

Sounds cool, right?  Did you know that we also have another IMA conservation project on Flickr?  Don’t miss the treatment of a Thornton Dial work.

Maybe because my great grandmother was French, maybe because I studied French for seven years, or maybe because of my admiration for French women’s uncanny ability to make any outfit look stylish simply by adding a scarf. Whatever the reason- I’ve been fascinated by all things French for as long as I can remember.

Therefore, it should come as no surprise that one of my favorite designers is Philippe Starck, a Frenchman. To me, he is the master of style, and for certain, the king of cool.

His product designs exude imagination and originality, and his interior designs ooze style & sex appeal.

Speaking of his ingeniously creative interiors, I always feel a bit like Alice in Wonderland each time I stay at the Hudson in New York City- a hotel designed by Starck and Ian Schrager. Instead of falling down a rabbit hole however, upon arrival, I ascend an escalator bordered by illuminated, chartreuse walls. I know that when I reach the top, I will be in a different world- a world much hipper, sexier, and much more stylish than the one I just left.

You see, The Hudson, is not just a hotel- it’s a mecca of style, where ultra hipsters from around the world seem to flock. Case in point- during recent visits I had the pleasure of meeting an impeccably tailored reporter from Paris, a curly-top, blue-eyed, ‘street preppy’ vacationer from Germany, and a casually stylish, devilishly handsome, Sting look- alike, grad student from Rotterdam.

Starck and Schrager have left no stone unturned – their attention to detail is impeccable. From the white, lightweight, semi opaque drape that serves as a portal to every room, to the stark (no pun intended) white bathrooms, beds with headboards capable of being backlit via an elegant, tassel pull cord, and dimly lit lobby where (once your eyes adjust) you discover ultra vogue chairs of varying style and material, tucked away in every corner- each one cooler than the last. Every inch of this lodging masterpiece contains an unexpected and completely pleasing style treasure. Simply put, this design collaboration has yielded a space with off the chart cool.

I was fortunate enough to attend a lecture here a month or so ago by GQ columnist, Scott Schuman, a.k.a. ‘The Sartorialist.’ In speaking about the photos he takes (and posts on his blog), he stated ‘I shoot what inspires me and helps me dream.’ He went on to explain that there is an element in every photo that represents how he wants his life to be.

That is exactly how I feel when I stay at the Hudson. Its uber-stylish décor, equally stylish guests, and blatantly cool, sexy vibe inspire me.

I’m not saying that I feel compelled to paint some of my walls chartreuse, cover others with ivy, or infuse every room in my house with polycarbonate and brushed aluminum furniture. And I certainly don’t have the financial means to feature an Eames ‘La Chaise’ in my front room. I am saying however, that I want to dwell in a world marked by creativity, imagination, and personal style– with many unexpected, pleasurable visual encounters thrown in for good measure.

Ok, now for the shameless plug- – many Philippe Starck products can be purchased right here at the IMA. Their home will eventually be in the Design Center, which opens in October, but for now, you can find such items as: the Mademoiselle chair (including a stunning version upholstered in leopard print fabric designed by Dolce & Gabbana), the Ghost chair (both Louis and Victoria), the Hudson counter stool, the Juicy Salif lemon juicer, and more at the IMA store.

A few other Starck / Schrager temples of style are on my radar. If all goes well, upcoming travels include stays at The Delano in Miami, The Clift in San Francisco, and the Sanderson in London. I will keep you posted.

I couldn’t be happier to be part of the team working on the Design Center, because I have been obsessed with style, fashion, and design for as long as I can remember.

I think it must have started in second grade when I got my white bean bag chair. Some of my friends and family members had them too- – but nobody had one in white. I remember feeling so lucky to have one in what was surely the coolest color for this staple of 70’s interior.

Despite the fact that my bean bag chair was riddled with pen and marker spots within the first week of landing in my room, I loved looking at it, I loved sitting in it- – in short, it made me happy.

Fast forward a couple of years to fourth grade. I had hoped for months that I would be in Mrs. Fortner’s class. Her room looked absolutely amazing- I was mesmerized by its unique appearance. In an effort to foster creative thinking through unique environments, her husband had built 3-dimensional, wooden, octagonal cubes for every student to use as auxiliary workspaces. They were all equipped with carpet (each one had a different color), a pull-down work surface, and a back cushion. I was thrilled beyond belief to see my name on her posted class list the first day of school.

We got to pick our cubes about a week or so later. They were arranged in clusters, and built two high. I quickly chose a ‘downstairs’ cube with textured, light blue carpet. ‘Cube time’ was my favorite part of the day. Even more interesting than its look, was the ‘feel’ of my cube. I loved sitting in it, reading a book in it, even taking a quiz in it. And just like my bean bag chair- – it made me happy.

The excitement I felt upon learning that I would be in such a uniquely-designed, cool room was equaled only once that year, when I was one of the first kids in my school to own a cropped, sporty, satin jacket – the kind made popular by Shaun Cassidy and Cheryl Ladd (a.k.a. Chris Monroe on Charlie’s Angels).

Fast forward once again to today. My age now starts with a 4 instead of a 1, it’s not a bean bag chair that makes me happy when I come home- it’s my Eames Lounge & Ottoman, and my excitement about fashion now stems mainly from shoe and handbag purchases rather than satin jackets. But that’s just it- – although my taste and fashion preferences have evolved over the years, my fascination with design and style has remained steadfast- and I think that is fantastic. I hope I always look forward to the arrival of the Fall Fashion issue of Vogue, where I spend hours looking through its pages for style inspiration and formulating ideas for my own wardrobe. I hope I always get excited about wearing a new pair of beautiful black pumps, and I hope I continue to be awestruck by the sheer beauty and ‘cool factor’ of well-designed furniture and interiors.