ROMI CORTIER’S BLOG

Portrait of Costanza Bonarelli
Gian Lorenzo Bernini, 1636-8

www.Brocadehome.com

Moda Collection

Romolo Stanco

Baroque is a word that many of us have heard, however few of us actually know what it means or how to identify it’s look. Coined in the 1700’s from the Portuguese word for an irregular pearl, (barroco) the period originated in Rome in the late 1600’s and includes most of the 1700’s. It was the dominant style of European art between the periods of Mannerism and Rococo, and shows the qualities of vigorous movement and emotional intensity. Particularly of fascination is how Baroque has had a modern revival in the applied arts during the last few years, particularly in the world of furniture design, interior design, and fashion. Above are some beautiful examples of Baroque shapes reinterpreted. And if you’d like to see the real deal in person, the Getty Museum in Los Angeles has an exhibition of Baroque busts by the Italian artist Bernini. The exhibition includes over 60 works from both private and public collections, and is the first important exhibition on Bernini in North America.

To learn more about this exhibit go to: www.getty.edu
Closes October 26, 2008

In case you missed this addition to my Interior Design page, I’ve added a new video to my repertoire of ‘Do It Yourself’ wall mural videos. In this video I’ll show you how to create a dynamic mural while also sharing the history of Art Deco. My video editor Aza Allen did an outstanding job with his research, adding graphics and music to supplement my concept taking it to a whole new level. Enjoy!!

Tired of politics, the wall street bailout and a stock market ticker that looks like the Northridge earthquake? Turn off the news, take a media break, and tune into downtown L. A.’s booming arts scene this coming Thursday October 9th between 12 noon and 9pm.

Started in 2003 with only 3 galleries and about 75 visitors, this monthly event has grown to include over 40 galleries and upwards of 3,000 visitors on this ’second thursdays’ event. Shuttle service, hosted by the Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council (DLANC) is in it’s second year of service and provides transportation from 6pm - 10pm, looping through Gallery Row along Spring and Main streets from 2nd to 8th streets.

For Galley Maps and more on the shuttle service go to: www.downtownartwalk.com

‘Men Seldom Make Passes at Girls Who Wear Glasses’
Alexis Smith, 1985
Photo: Philipp Scholz Rittermann

In an attempt to forget about wall streets 700 Billion Dollar bail out plan, and the recent presidential debates, I turned off the news, hopped in the car with a friend, and headed for San Diego. Our destination, the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, located on the beach in La Jolla California. Focusing on works created after 1950, the permanent collection boasts over 4100 works in all medias and genres including: painting, sculpture, photography, video, film, and works on paper. The museum features several permanent installations, such as this wall painting above, which uses mixed media collage for the eyeglasses.

The current exhibition, WEIGHING AND WANTING: Selections from the permanent collection, features works acquired during the last 25 years. What’s most intriguing about the art is the way that it’s presented. Various works by different artists are shown in tight groupings as you might do in your home, as opposed to being evenly spaced across the wall, which most museums favor. For anyone who’s ever tried to hang artwork in their own home, you know how difficult this can be.. it may look easy, but it isn’t.

While you’re there, be sure to check out their fantastic museum store. Never in my life did I imagine I’d be going home with a chrome gnome.. it was just to quirky and cool to pass up.

For more info on this show go to:www.mcasd.org

Photos: Romi Cortier

The Jacobsen Residence, created by architect John Lautner in 1947, was recently open to the public for touring through the Hammer Museum, as part of the Lautner exhibition ‘Between Earth and Heaven’. Built as an architectural prototype, this structure has 3 tapered steel truss columns which support a hexagonal steel and timber roof system. This design concept allowed the roof to be built independent from the walls, thus, the walls are non load bearing, allowing for a flexible floor plan. The home has recently undergone extensive renovation, maintaining its original radian heating, concrete floor, and living room terrace.

The Lautner retrospective closes October 12, 2008. Go to www.hammer.ucla.edu for more info.

Lot 1152
22in x 11in

Lot 1154
23in x 15in

Lot 1157
11in x 12in
1930

Lot 1158
21in x 13in
1936

Bonhams and Butterfields is hosting one of my favorite auctions that happens only twice a year, The 20th Century Decorative Arts auction, with a focus on contemporary studio works.

Featured above are 4 prototypes for wallpaper designs, created by The Societe Francaise des Papiers Peints, a French company established by Jules Roger in 1881. These original works of art are actually gouache on paper and were created by various fashionable French designers during this time period. Some of the designers employed by this company were: Emile-Jacquess Ruhlman, Henri Stephany and Sue et Mare. While it’s hard to know who actually created these images, they’re certainly beautiful to look at. These pieces of art are available at auction this Monday September 22, 2008.

For more info on this auction go to: www.bonhams.com

Opening Saturday September 20th in Los Angeles, is an art show curated by Brad Benedict. Referred to as ‘Now Brow’, this collection of eclectic artists seek to express their unconventional and iconoclastic visions through irony, exaggeration and humor.

To learn more about SIDESHOW and it’s artists, go to: www.sideshowfinearts.com

‘View-203M’
16 X 20
Oil on Canvas
Photo: Romi Cortier

In the spirit of Mondrian and Geometric Abstraction, which seems to be making a comeback, I created an image that’s a distillation of my home’s view in Palm Springs. These lean lines represent the San Jacinto Mountain Range, palm trees, a corrugated metal wall, and the pool. While this painting looks simple, it took hours to sketch, paint, tape, and refine. I’m not sure if I’ll be creating more images in this genre, but it was definitely a fulfilling experiment.

The home will be photographed this weekend for my rental page on the Vacation Palm Springs web site.

For more info on renting this home go to: www.vacationpalmsprings.com and look for the home named ‘Mid Century Life’.

Playa Vista’s Mondrian Town Homes
Photo: Romi Cortier

Gerritt Rietveld’s 1924 Schroder-Schrader House

Gerritt Rietvelds original Red Blue Chair

Rietveld furniture reproductions: Rietveld by Rietveld

Piet Mondrian’s bold geometric abstraction was the jumping off point for these town homes built in the new Playa Vista Development by Lee Homes, in the restored Riparian Corridor below the Playa Vista Bluffs. Designed by the nationally acclaimed architectural firm Van Tilburg, Banvard & Soderbergh, these 16 town homes feature 6 possible floor plans, varying in size from 2,062 - 2,681 square feet, with prices ranging from $1,175,000 - $1,435,000 respectively. Over half of these homes have sold during pre-construction, remarkable considering the current real estate market.

Piet Mondrian was part of a Dutch movement in the early 20th Century, known as the ‘De Stijl’ group who embraced abstraction, depicting space and the space between spaces, using the bold primary colors of red blue and yellow, as well as shades of grey with black and white. Gerritt Rietveld, also part of this movement, built the ‘Schroder-Schrader House’ complete with furniture, which would later mark the beginning of the ‘International Style’ and 20th Century Modernism.

I think it’s very exciting to compare the original Schroder-Schrader House with these new town homes. Nearly 100 years later, history is coming full circle once again. Notice the varied vertical planes of both homes, the black metal work around the windows, black railings, the bold use of primary colors, and the floating overhang above the door of the town home giving a nod to the floating plane above the Schroder House window. This an an excellent reinterpretation of a modernist esthetic.

To learn more about these homes go to:www.playavista.com

For more on this furniture go to www.rietveld-by-rietveld.com

Photos: Romi Cortier

This shopping center at 639 N. Larchmont Blvd was recently renovated by the renowned architectural firm Rios Clementi Hale Studios. With the new Larchmont/Melrose Lofts to the north, and another new loft complex to the south, the north end of Larchmont is fast becoming a modern destination spot, which is a beautiful counterpoint to the eclectic nature of Larchmont Village.

Clearly a lot of thought went into this renovation. The beautiful metal lace treatment, which looks to be laser cut metal, gives the ultramodern structure a feeling of softness and dimensional modernity, while also drawing the viewer into the deep parking lot to the retail spaces. Beautiful lace like shadows stretch across the walk ways when the morning sun rise’s, while simultaneously reflecting the morning sky and adding color to the monochromatic color scheme of the building. Upon closer inspection, the metal lace detail appears to have tribal motifs, including a tribal mask that is repeated multiple times, as well as in profile.

Rios Clementi Hale Studios web site features completed projects in multiple design genres including: Commercial, Residential, Institutional and Entertainment design, as well as Landscape design. Check them out at: www.rchstudios.com.

For leasing information contact: Ramsey Shilling at 323 851-6666. Price per square foot, $6.50 monthly.