Was on a Lovecraft pilgrimage in Providence, RI today when, summoned by air conditioning, I drifted in to the Rhode Island School of Design’s Museum of Art and overheard that today is free day. So the elevator breezes me up to the third floor, the doors open, and to my left there are blown-up 1954 René Bouché illustrations for Vogue and on the wall ahead are cycling movie clips of stylish people drinking. Whoa. Ok. It’s the museum’s “Cocktail Culture” exhibit. It’s outstanding, and tomorrow’s the last day (10am-5pm).

Red silk dress with cartridge pleats from the “Cocktail Culture” exhibit at the RISD Museum of Art. Designed by Norman Norell and Anthony Traina (under the Traina-Norell label), ca. 1949. From InStyle’s great slideshow of the highlights. The exhibit ends tomorrow (July 31st).

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For folks near Cambridge, MA, the Mobilia Gallery is showing “The Teapot Redefined 2010″ now until at least November 6th. Donna Rhae Marder’s sewn lace and wire teapots are included in this exhibit, which “explores the possibilities of the teapot form” using a variety of techniques and materials.

“Oval Geometric Lace Teapot”

“Oval Geometric Lace Teapot”, detail

Marder’s teapots are an homage to her mother, who passed away earlier this year. They are brilliantly crafted from her lace garments.

“Steaming Lace Teapot”

“Beige Lace Teapot”

“Beige Lace Teapot”, detail

I am so impressed and inspired by Renata Morales’ Fall 2010 collection. The output from her Montréal atelier over the last three seasons shows a delightfully idiosyncratic and highly technical style. It is a rare treat to find designers who aren’t slaves to the trend weathervane; who blaze their own trail. Below are some looks from her Fall 2010 collection.

From the Renata Morales Fall 2010 collection modeled by the stunning dancer, Mistaya Hemingway.

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I meant to write about Lois Nesbitt’s Brodsky & Utkin: The Complete Works sooner, but until recently it was buried in one of my “to be processed” stacks of reading material (easily confused with my “to sit and collect dust” stacks, but I know the difference). Russian paper architects Alexander Brodsky and Ilya Utkin formed a partnership in the late Seventies that lasted roughly a decade. Their fantastic work, according to Nesbitt, “constitutes a graphic form of architectural criticism” of the dehumanizing effects of Soviet utilitarian architecture.

Doll’s House 1982
from Nesbitt’s Brodsky & Utkin: The Complete Works (New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 2003)

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