"Pictures by Women": A History of Modern Art

A Gathering of Women with Cameras
At MoMA

Pictures by Women: A History of Modern Photography

May 7, 2010–March 21, 2011

The Edward Steichen Photography Galleries, third floor

For much of photography’s 170-year history, women have expanded its roles by experimenting with every aspect of the medium. Pictures by Women: A History of Modern Photography presents a selection of outstanding photographs by women artists, charting the medium’s history from the dawn of the modern period to the present. Including over two hundred works, this exhibition features celebrated masterworks and new acquisitions from the collection by such figures as Diane Arbus, Berenice Abbott, Claude Cahun, Imogen Cunningham, Rineke Dijkstra, Florence Henri, Roni Horn, Nan Goldin, Helen Levitt, Lisette Model, Lucia Moholy, Tina Modotti, Cindy Sherman, Kiki Smith, and Carrie Mae Weems, among many others. The exhibition also highlights works drawn from a variety of curatorial departments, including Bottoms, a large-scale Fluxus wallpaper by Yoko Ono.

Julia Margaret Cameron (1867)          Gertrude Kasebier (1899)

Ilse Bing (1931)

Tina Modotti (1926)

Cindy Sherman, 2010

Kineke Dijkstra, 2008

Helen Levitt, 1981

Courtesy of MoMA
On view at MoMA via the NYTimes / slideshow

"Chewing in Venice" by Simone Decker

"Chewing in Venice,"an amazing series by Luxembourg artist Simone Decker. Extra-large pieces of chewing-gum are displayed in various places of the lovely town of Venice, Italy.

Chewing in Venice: monumental sculptures of bubble-gum for Sérénissime? One nothing visual attention, a minimum of direction of reality and the aesthetic credit granted to Simone Decker brings which looks at these photographs being included/understood: a small form made with the sticky one and delicious delicacy, like it of mastic regularly in our mouths (2), was photographed on bottom of Venice according to a point of view such as it appears to bar a lane, to run along a frontage, to decorate a campo or to decorate the edges of the Large Channel. Similar photographs constitute an answer to the question that the artist, guest with the 48e Biennale de Venise, had not failed to be posed: how to make a monumental sculpture with few means? By using a cheap material, the chewing gum, and by adopting a camera angle which gives the illusion which sculpture is larger than it is it actually. The sculptures in chewing-gum thus, very temporarily but well really, took seat in Venice; the image that we have under the eyes is not by no means the result of a photomontage. There is in some fraud measurement only on their scale. 
-Michel Gauthier

Thanks to fubiz for the tip

Favorite Cocktails (1941-2009)

I thought it would be the perfect time to post this guide of Favorite Cocktails from the archive of Gourmet magazine. Lounging by the pool on Memorial weekend and getting ready for the summer.....
There are 21 recipes of amazing cocktails, here are a few of those exquisite concoctions. The rest can be found on this site.

Sloppy Joe's Mojito

JULY 1943

La Floridita, La Bodeguita del Medio, and Sloppy Joe’s Bar were the three most famous Havana watering holes during Prohibition. Sloppy Joe’s slogan at the time was “First port of call, out where the wet begins,” and Charles H. Baker Jr. clearly spent a fair amount of time there. “Let’s not sneer at the place … simply because it’s a raucous tourist dump. I have mentioned elsewhere, and still insist, that at least as many good drinks have been mixed on this plank of mahogany as on any equal area on earth, with the possible exception of the old Waldorf.”

Put a teaspoon of sugar in a highball glass, squeeze in the juice of 1/2 small lime, and toss in the squeezed lime shell. Muddle for a moment with 3 sprigs fresh mint, add 1 jigger light rum and handful of fine ice, fill with chilled soda, and relax.

Aristocrat Sparkling Punch

FEBRUARY 1942

Starting in September 1941, Don Summers wrote a great four-part series called “Mixology Unmixed,” but this recipe comes from “Punch Is for Parties.” In it, he counsels: “Feature the unusual for zip and zing, and your artifice will be the talk of the social whirl. The use of special teas—even plain black tea, brewed double strength, or weak green tea—often adds a distinctive flavor to a punch, and then there is that old chef’s standby, a dash of vanilla.” The “Burgundy” Summers calls for would probably have been a California red, since French wine—already in short supply—would’ve been nonexistent in 1942. You can use any relatively light dry red wine. 

Dissolve 1 cup cube sugar in 1 cup—from a quart—of sparkling water, and pour into a punch bowl. Add 1 bottle Burgundy and 4 ounces brandy, stirring well. Place a block of ice in the bowl, and pour in 2 bottles Champagne and the rest of the sparkling water. Garnish the top of the ice block with strawberries or raspberries, or other fruit in season, and float thin slices of 2 oranges on the punch.

Frozen Daiquiri

JUNE 1945

The idea of making a frozen daiquiri without a blender is daunting. Happily most of us are among the fortunate who own one of those newfangled devices and can limit our arm workouts to the gym. 

To 3 ounces good rum add 1 ounce lime juice, 1/2 teaspoon fine granulated sugar, and 3 drops—or more—white maraschino liqueur. Add 1 1/2 cups finely cracked ice, about the size of peas, but not snow ice, and shake. If you are fortunate enough to possess a Waring Blendor, use it instead of an overdose of elbow grease.

Blood 'N' Sand Cocktail

NOVEMBER 1947

Blood and Sand, the 1922 film starring Rudolf Valentino (billed in that one as “Rodolph”), is a classic silent-movie romance. Blood and Sand the cocktail is one of the few classic mixed drinks that includes Scotch. It’s not the easiest leading man to marry, but improbably its wife, sweet vermouth, and mistress, cherry brandy (Cherry Heering is probably the easiest to find; Cherry Marnier is also good in this recipe), get along really well. Modern tastes might prefer slightly less of each of the ladies (try an ounce each of blended Scotch and orange juice and 3/4 ounce each of cherry brandy and sweet vermouth).

Pour into a cocktail shaker 1 jigger each Scotch whisky, cherry brandy, sweet vermouth, and orange juice. Shake well with cracked ice and strain into cocktail glasses.

Peach in Champagne

JULY 1948

Dates for the origins of the Bellini (white-peach purée and Prosecco), said to be invented by Giuseppe Cipriani of Harry’s Bar in Venice, range from the late ’30s to 1948. If the latter is correct, and it’s what the Cipriani website says, could this be where the idea came from? Or is this yet another case of simultaneous discovery? You know, like Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace with evolution. And speaking of evolution, peaches are much larger now than they were 60 years ago. You can prepare this in a pitcher instead of a glass, although the bubbles will dissipate a bit more quickly.

Place in a peach Champagne glass or oversized goblet a sound, ripe white-peach. With the tines of a silver fork perforate the skin of the peach all around. Fill the glass with ice-cold Champagne, start the punctured peach to spinning, and let the Champagne fizz for a minute before drinking. The peach should be good for half a dozen or more refills—oo-la-la!! A special dash may be added to this already fascinating drink with just that—a dash of peach brandy or Cognac.

Photos by Romulo Yanes

Thanks to Mini Boss for the tip

Treehouses: A new style of living, part 2

More.....
“I once saw a witch whilst walking in the streets of Brussels. She gave me seeds and told me I would have to dig if I wanted to succeed in fashion. So I planted them in various places about town, and now they've grown into human trees.” 
- Jean Paul Lespagnard

Jean Paul Lespagnard - Whimsical treehouse in Hyeres, France

Tree house restaurant of a Banyan tree - Japan

The Yellow Treehouse Cafe - New Zealand

Up in a Fig Tree in Brazil

On top of a set of Eucalyptus trees - Brazil

Among Mango trees - Brazil

Home - office - Brazil

Images, courtesy of Casa Na Arvore

TreePee - Los Angeles

Magistree , bed-and-breakfast, Oregon

Forest Den 

Darcel at Louis Vuitton-London

Meet Darcel, a cynical, one eyed, Humpty Dumpty hipster on stilts. This charming little character was created by the Australian-born artist-animator Craig Redman. Darcel delivers scenes of everyday life. Follow him on his journey from downtown New York to Paris and London. Darcel's latest destination was London where he boozed his way through the Louis Vuitton Maison Store opening. 

Images, courtesy of Nowness

Inside the New LV store

Art by Murakami

Deck Chairs by Famous Artists

Ready for the summer ! Here is an eclectic collection of deck chairs and other trendy outdoor pieces designed by famous artists.
Surprisingly, Damien Hirst's deck chair does not feature a skull, but rather colorful butterflies.....

By Damien Hirst

by Aldoberto Abbate

by Rovella Enzo

by Giacon Massimo

by Sir Peter Blake

Hand-made eco-friendly birdhouse by Bill Samios

Images, courtesy of Artware

Thanks to Examiner.com for the tip

Douche de Jardin / Outdoor shower by French designer Inga Sempe for Tectona