Lille Accumulations

Well it has to be said Lille was a bit of a washout ! after a huge storm on Saturday night I arrived on the train from Paris to a sodden rainy flea market on Sunday morning. Despite not making a single purchase, I did manage to take some nice photos. In this first post proof to the notion that you can't beat a nice collection of something to make a top display.

Lille next weekend

Next weekend is the grande braderie de Lille , I'm going to be in Paris so I'll be heading up by train, it's only and hour away, also about and hour from London by Eurostar. Ever since last year I have been dreaming about this work bench I saw there ! it would have been perfect for my new kitchen. Even if by some weird stroke of luck I find it again this year I still wont be able to take it home on the train !

Illustrated Book Of The Week : Shop America

If you put all my favorite things into a pot, stirred them up and made them into a book. You might well get this.

Shops! America!! Mid Century Design!!! Who could ask for anything more?





Shop America is a large format collection of 'style suggestions' for shop design from the Thirties and Forties. Idealised images of dream stores from one of the most romantic eras of design in the Twentieth Century.





Everything from sporting good shops and pharmacies





to cosmetic stores and opticians





The use of colour is particularly inspiring - just look at the tones suggested for a supermarket (Much as I love Waitrose, this is far more alluring, isn't it?)





And the illustrations are incredibly stylish - even the sweetshops have a hint of 30's pulp fiction..





Others are straight out of classic film noir. I could swear that this woman is about to pull a revolver out of her purse and shoot the other chick dead. I've watched enough Joan Crawford films to know, eyebrows like that can only mean one thing...





...Trouble.

Shop America: Mid-Century Storefront Design, 1938-1950 Edited by Jim Heimann, with an essay by Steven Heller is available from Taschen Books

Stijl-ish

It's amazing how really inspiring exhibitions just keep on, well, inspiring.

It's been nearly eighteen months since I saw the van Doesburg exhibition at the Tate Modern (I've already written about it here) - but I'm still feeling the after effects today. A couple of new acquisitions have brought it back to mind.

Like this.

Which really makes me think about some of the less well known artists that were shown. I'd never heard of Ilya Bolotowsky before, but his use of colour is very exciting. Paintings like this one take the classic forms of 'De Stijl', but elevate them with a very sensual ,stimulating palette

This blanket has an equally compelling colour range. Lilac, yellow and two tones of brown? Very unusual. The man I bought it from claimed it was Scandinavian, but I think it's probably a classic American camp blanket. Wherever it's from, it's a beauty.

Then there's this little darling.

Which totally reminds me of some of van Doesburgs archectural projects, like his design for the cinema and dance hall at, L'Aubette in Strasbourg.

It's actually a card table that has had lino inset into it. I've never been much of a fan of lino - as it has too many bad connotations of damp loos and shabby kitchens circa 1974 - but I may have to rethink that. The work on this table makes me want to start creating 30's inspiring patchwork lino floors in my bathroom, cubist lino-covered furniture, linoleum light fittings...

Stop! I'm getting carried away. I need to calm down and have a cup of tea.

I'm not sure that van Doesburg would approve of that pompom though...

Madame Grès : Couture as Sculpture

Last weekend The Curious Eye made a little pilgrimage to the wonderful Madame Grès exhibition in Paris. This elegant artful mid century couturier has been overshadowed by many of her contemporaries, but this exhibition has launched her amazing creations back into the fashion headlines. Mounted in the museum which houses the sculptures of Antoine Bourdelle, the choice of venue takes an already stunning collection of dresses to the next dimension .

Hurry if you want to catch this delightful show. It has been extended till the end of August.
Musee Bourdelle

A Malarky on Redchurch Street

A Sunday stroll in the east end now obliges a swagger down Redchurch Street, especially when, as was the case a few weeks ago this provides an opportunity to dip into the last days of the sales. Although there was not much remaining a few super-discounted items were purchased, but far more exciting was the discovery of this sumptuous piece of wall are signed Malarky .

Malarks' blog