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Ask Casa: Framing Fine Photography

CasaSugar — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 08:00:13 -0800

Hi Casa,

I am adding, for the first time ever, fine photography to my apartment. However I am at a loss when it comes to framing styles and arrangement.

One set of four photographs is horizontally-oriented and black-and-white. I'd like this set in my bedroom but don't know how to arrange them so they look more interesting seeing that they're all horizontal. Tips? Regarding framing them, I'd like to know which types of frames (color, matting, etc.) you recommend for my room seeing that the walls are white but most of the accessory pieces in my room are either antique brown wood or a few wood pieces I've painted bright coral and Yves Klein blue. Are white frames my best bet? Can you frame b&w photographs in brown wood?

The other set of photographs are two color photographs, also horizontally-oriented, that will be nearly facing each other on opposite walls. Tips on framing, matting, and color? They need not match, do they?

I appreciate any tips you might be able to offer me!

Best,
Daniela

To see my suggestions for Daniela, read more.

Hi Daniela,

How exciting! First of all, I wouldn't worry too much about making them "look more interesting" - adding fine art to your home will instantly give it a face-lift regardless of how it's arranged! But, I'll give you a few tips.

As for color, I do think white frames are your best bet. They won't compete with the artwork, and they go with everything. But, you can also go with silver or stainless steel for a more contemporary look. And yes, you can definitely frame black and white photography in brown wood. Another option is to use frameless glass clip frames, which have a more contemporary, minimal look.

I'd say for the set of four photographs, keep the frames cohesive. If you want to choose two different mat colors for the set, you can do that to give it a little edge. But don't get too crazy, maybe go with a gray mat.

For the set of two color photographs, go with a white or off-white mat. For the frames themselves, you can do two different colors or finishes if you like seeing as they'll be on different walls. Select colors that will make the images pop. But make sure the two colors don't clash.

As for arrangements, one option is to use picture ledges. This style allows you to easily move around your photography when it's feeling stale. You can also add a smaller piece of artwork, or even a knickknack, to play with scale. A layering effect (setting one frame slightly in front of the other) is nice, too.

You can't go wrong with a box-shaped arrangement. Just make sure you keep them evenly spaced.

You can also hang two rows of frames a bit off-kilter from one another. It should be enough that the arrangement doesn't look like a mistake, but not too much that the bottom frame is hung between the top two. If you choose an off-kilter arrangement, make sure the distance between the top two frames and between the bottom two frames is the same.

Or, if you happen to have a really long wall, you can hang the four of them side by side. This will give you more of an art gallery effect.

Hope that helps!
Cheers, Casa

Source and Source

Emma Thompson Tells Trafficked Woman's Story in Art

TresSugar — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 07:00:00 -0800

Academy-award winning actress Emma Thompson was so moved by the plight of a Moldovan woman who survived being trafficked for sex, she decided to create an art installation that would help viewers to put themselves in Elena's shoes and bring attention to this growing problem.

"Journey," which will be exhibited in New York City Nov. 10 to 16 in Washington Square Park, tells the story of Elena, a woman from the Eastern European republic of Moldova who, at age 18, was promised a secretarial job in England. Instead, once she got there, her passport was confiscated and she was forced into prostitution.

"Journey" consists of seven shipping containers. Each has a keyhole through which the viewer can peer to see a chronology of Elena's story. The first shipping container depicts Elena's childhood and the loss of her father. In another, the viewer can see Elena approached in a Moldovan marketplace and offered work.

Thompson personally curated one of the more disturbing of the shipping containers which depicts Elena's forced prostitution in England. She had Oscar-winning costume designer Sandy Powell design the clothes she was forced to wear, and when the viewer looks into the keyhole, she sees her face superimposed onto the body of a woman in prostitute's clothing. They wanted the viewer to have an experience of what it meant to lose one's identity. Thompson said that even men "didn't laugh or find it funny. They understood absolutely what it meant."

Thompson met Elena while doing work with UNODC (United Nations Office on Drug and Crime) to help raise awareness about the practice of trafficking women, and it sounds as if she's not only telling her plight, she's giving Elena the voice that was taken away from her. In the last shipping container, Elena tells her story on tape.

Artists Plan to Freeze a Vacant Detroit Home

CasaSugar — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 08:00:27 -0700

This Winter, photographer Gregory Holm and architect Matthew Radune plan to freeze one of the thousands of abandoned homes in Detroit to draw attention to the city's foreclosure crisis. The house will be sprayed with water and gradually covered in ice, and Holm will photograph its transformation for the project, called Ice House Detroit. The property that's chosen will be one that is already due for demolition, because it is fire damaged or dangerous to the public. After the freezing, the duo will work with Architectural Salvage Warehouse Detroit to salvage what they can from the house to be recycled. It will then be demolished, and they hope to donate the lot to a group like Greening of Detroit or Earthworks Urban Farm to be used as a community garden or other public space.

I'm sure these four frozen walls and a roof will stand out against the landscape of thousands of other vacant homes throughout what was once Motor City. But it's not Detroit natives who need a reminder of the plight of the city, which is why it's nice to see that this project, not yet begun, is getting attention on a national stage. I'm intrigued to see Holm's photographs of the house in frozen form.

Do You Frame Children's Artwork?

CasaSugar — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 06:15:06 -0700

A recent SFGate article tackled the question of what to do with children's artwork. Although I don't have any kiddles myself, friends' children have given me some lovely drawings, and I've often displayed them on the mantel for a while. However, I've never gotten around to framing anything. In the article, one mom is noted to "proudly displays walls' worth of her children's work. Her family's guest bathroom is covered floor to ceiling with art by her 11- and 13-year-old daughters."

Are you in this camp, or do you chuck the little ones' art in the recycling after it's served its time on the mantel or fridge?

Source: Flickr User Childrens Book Review

Michael Jackson Art Exhibit - Love It or Leave It?

TresSugar — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 11:00:00 -0700

The King of Pop would have been halfway through his comeback concert series in London right now if not for his sudden passing, but his presence is still being felt in that city. Michael Jackson: The Official Exhibition is showing right now at London's O2 Arena, the site of Michael's ill-fated comeback tour. Personal belongings from the superstar's Neverland Ranch are featured, along with costumes, props, and other memorabilia from his epic career. Would you ever check it out, or does it freak you out?

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Oh Snap! Larger Than Life Love

TresSugar — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 16:00:00 -0700

Two statues kiss at South Korea's outdoor sex-themed sculpture park, which sits on an island often visited by local honeymooners. The park displays 140 sculptures depicting people in a variety of sexual positions, and visitors can also watch films on sex education. Check out some of the more PG exhibits.

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Casa Quickie: Plywood Pleasure

CasaSugar — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 06:15:37 -0700

Can't afford to wallpaper your whole room? Not allowed to wallpaper your rental? Instead, cover a cheap sheet of plywood or even cardboard with a patterned wallpaper. This trick still makes an artistic statement, but it's not permanent and it's also portable. Take it with you when you move! You can make more of an impact by papering a couple of panels, or several, and placing them around your room to give it cohesion. Check out House & Home for more budget-saving tips.

Legendary Comic Book Artist Takes On the Book of Genesis

TresSugar — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 16:14:40 -0700

Widely regarded as the father of underground comics, the famously T & A-obsessed R. Crumb surprised many by deciding to take on the first book of the Bible, the Book of Genesis.

How to reconcile the sacred with the profane? The Book of Genesis Illustrated, which contains all 50 chapters, comes with a warning: "Adult Supervision Recommended For Minors." And it's not because R. Crumb changes or adds words to the original, but rather because his art graphically depicts what he calls the the Book of Genesis's inherent violence:

"[It's about] ruling elites, victimizing people in sadistic ways, which is human beings at their nastiest. They have power over others, and they derive pleasure from inflecting pain on other humans. That's about as nasty as people get."

Crumb's French publisher, Jean-Luc Fromental, thought Crumb might be able to achieve an interpretation of Genesis only through "blasphemy." Now? He thinks that he was trying to "[r]eread the whole text from a humanistic point of view . . ."

In a press conference for The Book of Genesis Illustrated, Crumb said that although he "seeks knowledge" of God and believes that there is a force ruling us, we can't ever truly understand it. As for regarding the Bible as a sacred truth? He thinks it's crazy, adding, "But the human race is crazy if nothing else." (If you're interested in R. Crumb, check out the amazing documentary about him and his crazy family, titled, simply enough, Crumb.)

Get the Look: (Untitled)

CasaSugar — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 08:00:35 -0700

I am beyond excited for Jonathan Parker's new satirical indie comedy (Untitled), about a brooding avant-garde composer who falls for a trendy NYC gallerist, which stars Adam Goldberg and Marley Shelton - watch the trailer here. Seeing as the plot is set in the quirky world of contemporary art and music, it's no surprise that there's lots of modern design to drool over. The sets look downright hip and are full of furnishings that bridge the gap been art and décor. Many are also furnishings readily available to you! So let's see how you can get the look of this exciting flick.

Photo courtesy of Samuel Goldwyn Films

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Cool Idea: Invest in Art and Save Desert Habitat

CasaSugar — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 07:00:23 -0700

Artist, sculptor, and furniture maker Alma Allen, who I've featured in a designer spotlight post, has partnered with the Mojave Desert Land Trust to celebrate art and conservation. Allen has created two bronze sculptures in editions of 50, each exclusively for the Mojave Desert Land Trust. The sculptures, a tortoise and a rabbit, are two of the animals that depend on this land for their survival. Seventy percent of the proceeds from the sale will be donated to the Land Trust's campaign to support The Quail Mountain Project.

To find out about how you can help, and to see more photos, read more.

The Quail Mountain Project encompasses 955 acres of pristine wildlife habitat in Joshua Tree, CA, just adjacent to the northern boundary of Joshua Tree National Park. Saving this land would help support its diverse population of bighorn sheep, bobcat, desert tortoise, coyote, and dozens of bird species, to name just a few of the creatures that depend on this land for habitat.

This project is immensely personal to Allen, as he and his partner live on the edge of the park in a green home they built themselves. Order one of Allen's charming sculptures (priced at $150 each) to help support this project. Allen also has a show at Heath Ceramics in LA on Nov. 5, and you can check out more of his work here.

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