Being a designer, one of the things I crave in life is creativity, inspiration and joy from looking at beauty, art and design. You will find I talk quite a bit about art and will go to a museum any time I can…though that never seems to be near as often as I would like. At the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City recently, I turned the corner to find this…
I was ahhh struck…both at it’s size and its simplicity. I wanted to stand there forever. This exhibit brings a peacefulness, a calm inside you. While simplistic in it’s concept, it is joyful. It carries the Wabi-Sabi rule to a tee, which is something I find fantastic. It is texture, scale and pattern woven through the feeling of endless beauty. If you missed Without Place-Without Time-Without Body by Wolfgang Laib in the amazing Bloch Building at the Nelson while it was on exhibition, please study these photos a bit more…it filled the room. wow.
You can barely see the yellow pollen mounds amongst the rice on the very top photo here. There are five of them on the left side, about 1/4 of the way down and roughly 5 columns in.
Make it fab!
-Jill
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Photos: Jill Tran Interior Design and Co.
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Jill Tran is a Kansas City Interior Designer and creates beautiful, custom interiors for Kansas City Interior Design clients and clients around the country.
More photos from the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art in Kansas City. The exhibit: The Poetics of Space. So interesting what each piece “says” about the people that live and breath there… (Please see the previous blog to this blog by scrolling down)
Notice the position of the bed in the room, the small oddly placed artwork, the plain sheets...
Top description applies to above photo
This is a wedding.
The lack of enough furnishings (indicated by the glass tank on the cold floor) says quite a bit about the girl (assuming she lives there), the wrinkled rug, the sheet on a futon and the disheveled sheers...yet a tight focus on the bird...
-Jill
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Photos taken by Jill Tran
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To follow: a series of shots I took of photographs at the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art. The series is called The Poetics of Space and will be on display until March 15th, 2010. I urge you to visit! It is a fascinating group of pieces (among many more) that is a study into people’s lives. I am constantly fascinated at what a person’s space reveals about them:
- what is important to them
- their travels
- their past
- what they love most
- how they feel or want to feel when they are home
- how they want to welcome family and friends
- their successes
- their culture
- where they came from
- who lives there
- who they are
- what they do every day
I invite you to study these interesting pieces and think about what they say to you. I will add a few more in my next blog. Enjoy!
Note: The information on each piece(s) is below the photo.
Clearly, this photo was staged a bit...yet someone lived there at one time. Why is the space in such bad shape? Why did they not treat the surfaces properly to have them in such need of help? why is the ceiling layered off? Who owns it now and can I buy it from them?
Closed drapes pooling on the floor is interesting in itself, as generally that is not easy to live. Did the homeowner make ill fitting window treatments themselves? Are there windows on the other side? I see no movement of the fabrics or window outlines yet the light goes to the floor. Do you suppose the boy lives there or is visiting someone older?
While this piece gives the feel of times passed with the lighting and design, the laptop on the desk says otherwise. What just happened here? Note the toy horse in the same room. Is it a children's room? Maybe, but the nude says otherwise...
I adore this piece and am fascinated by what I see in the mirror. The mirror itself is either propped on the wall (dangerous in a child's room) or sagging on the dresser from age. If propped, this must be a gentle child. In the reflection: wallpaper in more dull colors for a child's room. The drapes are creased to show they are more open than closed in a dated fabric.
Information on the exibit
-Jill
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Photos taken by Jill Tran
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People ask me all the time about how to select art for their home. I have one answer, it must “move” you!
I am not a big believer that art must “match” a room. One thing I love in a great interior design, is when art stands on it’s own. It makes a statement. It tells us something about the owner. We, as humans, are all multi-dimensional and our art and rooms should reflect who we are.
The photos below are a small series of me looking at a piece I fell in love with at the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art. It is privately owned piece by the Kemper family created by Joan Mitchell, is an oil on canvas and untitled…so I guess I won’t be bringing it home (I am wiping a tear…). I think it is spectacular. To someone else, it may be the opposite. Yet, it was teaching me something about myself and what I naturally am drawn to, so the next piece I purchase may be a little different. That is what makes art so great. Art influences us and makes us feel something. Doubtful there will ever be one piece everyone will like…and I love that.
The basic bottom lines for choosing art is to purchase only what you love. If it “haunts” you after you have seen it, then it should be yours (unless the Kemper’s already own it, ha!) Don’t just purchase to fill a space, fill your soul.
There are many other things to consider when purchasing art of which I will touch on soon. Stay tune and keep your eyes open for your next great piece.
Tags: Joan Mitchell, Kansas City, Kansas City Museum of Contemporary Art, Kemper family, Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art
Art, Art Galleries, Contemporary style, Designer Tips, Museums, Uncategorized | admin | 
December 15, 2009 2:41 pm | 
Comments (0)
What can we say? We are fabulous, aren’t we?
I do love Kansas City and think this is a most flattering article published by Elle Decor. I enjoyed our local Patricia Shackelford’s incredible ability to capture our cities graces and she did so by highlighting the best and brightest, yet not the most obvious. Well done Patricia (she also has a great blog you just MUST see), well done!
I just had to add this to the blog one more time, but this time with regards from Margaret Russell, Elle’s Editor in Chief. Enjoy…again!
Tags: Elle Decor, Kansas City, Margaret Russell, Patricia Shackelford
Art, Art Galleries, Kansas City, Magazine Articles, Margaret Russell, Museums, Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art | jilltran | November 19, 2009 2:37 am | Comments (0)
LOVED Elle Decor’s article on Kansas City. My clients, friends and I fully agree it is the fabulous and creative heart of our nation. What a pleasure to have such a gorgeous publication highlight it’s fine beauty, talent and history. It was a wonderfully written piece we can proudly add to our city’s résumé…thanks to our local Patricia Shackelford who did such an excellent job of sharing KC with the world.
Many thanks from the City of Fountains, Elle!
Tags: Elle Decor, Kansas City, Patricia Shackelford
Art, Art Galleries, Elle Decor, Kansas City, Magazine Articles, Museums, Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Patricia Shackelford | jilltran | July 1, 2009 3:24 am | Comments (0)
Had a wonderful time at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art during their Party Arty, a benefit for the museum. We are so lucky in Kansas City to have such a spectacular museum. The clothing designs were spectacular and the art, of course, was dramatic and amazing. Looking forward to the event in January 2010. Check their site and join us!
My husband Steve and I.
The delightful Alex and Laura Hobbs, myself and Steve.
I just had to sneak another look at the contemporary exibit after it closed it's doors for the evening. Striking.
