Art and Architecture

Mar162006

The Last Moviehouse

According to Sean Means of the Salt Lake Tribune, the old Avalon Theater in South Salt Lake is being converted into a live-music venue. I haven’t been to the Avalon in years — I think the last film I saw there was a documentary called Microcosmos about a decade back — and I didn’t even realize it had closed, which, apparently, it did some time ago. Still, I mourn its passing. If I’m not mistaken, the Avalon’s repurposing leaves the Tower as the only single-screen theater still operating in the Salt Lake Valley. And I find that terribly sad.

Jan172006

The Girlfriend’s First Art

Jennifer Broschinsky, who occasionally comments in these parts, is a friend of mine and Anne’s. She’s also a painter of considerable talent who somehow manages to find time to create in between the demands of raising both a son and a comic-book-loving husband, as well as working a full-time job. A while back, Anne saw one of Jen’s works on her LiveJournal and fell head-over-heels in love with it. One quick ‘n’ easy financial transaction later, and my lovely girlfriend became the proud owner of her very first piece of genuine art. Here it is, just back from the frame-shop and ready for hanging:

One of Jennifer Broschinsky's children.

Now, I must admit that what I know about art would maybe fill a metaphorical shot glass, but I think this is a very impressive piece. Anne is greatly pleased with how the frame turned out, and Jen, if you’re looking at this, we both hope you are as well. On behalf of The Girlfriend, thanks again for being willing to part with one of your children…

Mar032005

Architecture Out of Context

You may recall that a while back I was lamenting how our public architecture has evolved into “post-postmodern” monstrosities that may function as individual works of art but fail to integrate with their more prosaic surroundings. Here’s an extreme illustration of what I was talking about: the Frank Gehry-designed Disney Concert Hall in LA is undergoing some renovations because its reflective surface is focusing ordinary sunlight into high-temperature heat-rays that are frying pedestrians and annoying residents of nearby condos.

And this isn’t the only Gehry building that has issues with its neighbors. The Peter B. Lewis Building in Cleveland has a nasty tendency to drop ice and snow on pedestrians as well as producing the same kinds of heat and light effects as the Disney Hall. It appears that it’s not only aesthetically unsettling to be in the vicinity of a Gehry building, it’s also downright dangerous.

Nov172004

Wednesday Afternoon Rant

It’s one of those days when there’s so much stupidity floating around that I don’t know what I should be outraged at first.

Aug182004

Miscellaneous Points of Interest

It’s another one of those grab-bag days here at Simple Tricks when I’ve got a whole mess of items that I want to write about, including celebrity deaths, human achievement, human striving, and stuff that’s just plain cool. Some of these have been kicking around my brain pan for a couple of weeks now, so my apologies if this is old news to some folks.

Aug042004

The Bean

Chicago’s Millenium Park must have been built on an old Indian graveyard or something. It’s the only explanation for the evil I keep seeing in that place.

Jul232004

End-of-Week Linkage

Well, it’s Friday afternoon, and if you’re at all like me, you’re just watching the clock in the corner of your desktop and waiting for Mr. Slate to pull that little pteranodon’s tail feathers for the last time this week. Under these circumstances, it’s a fair bet that you won’t be too interested in reading anything too heavy, so in place of the usual pedantic rantings and meandering attempts at criticism, I’ll offer up a selection of the fun stuff I’ve encountered during my recent surfing.

Jun082004

Trolley Corners closes

I’m still working on a couple of additional entries about CONduit, but I wanted to note that the last of the Salt Lake movie theaters I remember attending as a kid, Trolley Corners, quietly closed its doors on Thursday after 27 years of business.

May222004

Architecture is Dead

For those who may be keeping a list, another of my random interests is architecture. I’ve never taken any classes in the subject and don’t have the vocabulary to articulate many of my ideas about it, but I nevertheless have some strong opinions. I tend to approach the subject like I approach art — I may not know who painted something or why it’s considered important by the initiated, but I can tell you whether or not I like it, and whether or not I’d want it hanging in my home. And I have to say that, for the most part, I don’t like what passes for public architecture these days. (I’m not too keen on modern domestic architecture either, but today I’m talking about a public building.)

May162004

Weekend Museum Tour

Yesterday Anne and I wanted to break our usual weekend routine so we took a field trip to the Springville Museum of Art. It’s a place we’ve known about for some time and have often threatened to check out, but we never managed to make it down there until yesterday. If you live in the Salt Lake or Provo area and are interested in visual arts, I highly recommend this little-known treasure.

Art and Architecture

The Last Moviehouse

The Girlfriend’s First Art

Architecture Out of Context

Wednesday Afternoon Rant

Miscellaneous Points of Interest

The Bean

End-of-Week Linkage

Trolley Corners closes

Architecture is Dead

Weekend Museum Tour

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