Ten/Ten/Ten

-
October 10, 2010— Exploring the power of perspective.

Shane Hood of Modern Tulsa
coordinated the presentations.
Charles and Ray Eames sought to vindicate the lowly zero in their 1977 short film, Powers of Ten. Each year on October 10th aficionados celebrate everything Eames with ceremonial viewings of the film. This year was extra special as numerology added another ten.

Philbrook Museum of Art hosted a Powers of Ten Celebration today. Co-sponsored by the Tulsa Foundation for Architecture and Modern Tulsa, it featured 5 short films by Eames and 5 brief presentations. Like a total of ten. Get it?

I was happy to be one of those presenters, and related the story of Jackie and her red LCW chair. Some revelers even recreated the picnic scene featured in the film. But the really big news was delivered by Philbrook director, Rand Suffolk, when he announced a five year deal with Vitra. Beginning in 2012 Tulsa will see some exciting modern exhibitions produced in collaboration with the German company.Two will premiere at Philbrook.

So if you missed the festivities today- here's a small condolence: the Powers of Ten.

Comments

Post a Comment

Most Popular Posts

Oklahoma State Capitol Bank

-
Image
On the Trail of Julius Shulman: Stop 2 "This is a bank," the sign outside the futuristic building read. According to legend a prankster added a strategic question mark and echoed the sentiment of many passers-by: "This is a bank?" That was back in 1964 when it opened. Today the Arvest on Lincoln Boulevard looks a bit less Jetsonian, mostly due to replacement of structural glass below the "saucers," but it's still an unusual bank. Designed by Robert Roloff of the architectural firm Bailey, Bozalis, Dickinson & Roloff, the State Capitol Bank caused quite a stir in Oklahoma City when it opened. Heck, it's still pretty shocking today! Originally the flying saucers appeared to hover above the building (as seen in this vintage postcard). All the glass that made that effect possible also made heating and cooling an expensive proposition. Security concerns also mandated replacement of those windows with solid materials and small square portholes...
Read more

Home of ORU Architect on the Auction Block

-
Image
Frank Wallace is best known as the man behind the futuristic look of the Oral Roberts University campus. On October 14, 2010 his unique home overlooking ORU will be sold in a public auction conducted by Mister Ed's Auctions . Jackie and I recently had a chance to visit with Mr. Wallace and learn more about the house, his career and his thoughts on architecture. When we visited we expected to snap a few photos of an empty house and speak with a representative from the auction company. To our surprise the door opened, and we were greeted by Mr. Wallace himself! After assuring him we were not architects, he let us look around. Unfortunately we were not prepared to interview the man whose buildings incite such extremely diverse reactions- but that didn't stop me from asking him several questions anyway.  The home, completed in 1980, was designed and built by Wallace who is now 87. The expansive home is so large that Wallace spends most of his time in a room that was his la...
Read more

Visit to the Prairie Chicken House

-
Image
This unique house on the edge of Norman, Oklahoma is known to most as the prairie chicken house. Designed by Herb Greene in 1960, he preferred to call it simply the Prairie House .  Thanks to the  Prairie House Preservation Society  (PHPS) it is now possible for the public to experience one of Oklahoma's most unusual architectural treasures. 
Read more