Tag Archive | 1974

Modern Art Monday Presents: Roy Lichtenstein, Artists Studio: Foot Medication

Jul29

Artists Studio Foot Medication
Photo By Gail

By the 1970s, Roy Lichtenstein’s comic-strip style of painting had become his trademark. While he had adapted his early compositions from actual comic books, here Lichtenstein referred to an art historical rather than a pop culture source: Henri Matisse’s Red Studio (1911, in the collection of MoMA), which features Matisse’s canvases casually set around a room. Into the flattened studio space of Artists Studio Foot Medication (1974), Lichtenstein similarly inserted whole of partial versions of his own real and imagined artworks across a range of subject matter, including geometric abstraction. This painting’s title calls out the 1962 print Foot Medication, reimagined as a monumental painting at the upper left. This kind of self-quotation, at once playful and thoughtful, would become anther feature of Lichtenstein’s production.

Photographed in the Art Institute Chicago.

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Eye On Design: Platform Boots Worn By Elton John

Nov22

EJ Boots
All Photos By Gail

In the 1930s, companies like Delman and Ferragamo popularized chunky sandals and shoes. The trend continued during and immediately after World War II in shoes produced in materials that were not restricted by rationing, such as cork, woven straw, and wood. British brand Biba proposed platform sandals for women that emphasized the individualistic, expressive flare characteristic of that decade’s fashion accessories — an attitude that men confidently adopted as well. Inventive and sometimes flamboyant, platform shoes were favored by musicians in the late twentieth century. In the 1970s especially, lavish platform boots in bright, metallic, or shiny materials intensified the glamorous look of male pop and rock stars including David Bowie and Elton John.  These metallic silver and red leather boots bearing John’s initials were co-designed by Elton himself and Lionel Avery in 1974.

EJ Boots

Club Kids wore multicolored platform shoes to raves in the 1990s, and pop sensations the Spice Girls made them fashionable, especially for young women. In the twenty-first century, platform shoes have reached new heights in the work of designers such as Alexander McQueen and Noritaka Tatehana.

EJ Boots

Photographed as Part of the Exhibit, Items: Is Fashion Modern, on View Through January 28th, 2018 at The Museum of Modern Art in NYC.

Kiss Release Debut Album

Feb18

Kiss Debut Album Cover 1974

On This Date in 1974: Kiss released its self-titled debut album on Casablanca Records. The album eventually peaked at number 87 on the Billboard 200 album chart. Five songs from the album — including “Cold Gin”, “Strutter” and “Deuce” — remain permanent staples in Kiss’ live set to this day.

John Lennon: 31 Years Gone

Dec8


“So Long Ago…”

John Lennon was murdered 31 years ago today. I found this really cool video on Youtube which is a tribute to John and The Beatles sound tracked by John’s 1974 single, “#9 Dream” – which is my very favorite song from John’s solo career. Please enjoy remembering John today.

Lyrics Of The Day: “The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway” By Genesis

Nov22

Lamb Lies Down

And the lamb lies down on Broadway

Early morning Manhattan
Ocean winds blow on the land
The Movie-Palace is now undone
The all-night watchmen have had their fun
Sleeping cheaply on the midnight show
It’s the same old ending, time to go
Get out!

It seems they cannot leave their dream
There’s something moving in the sidewalk steam
And the lamb lies down on Broadway

Nightime flyers feel their pains
Drugstore takes down the chains
Metal motion comes in bursts
but the gas station can quench that thirst
Suspension cracked on unmade road
The truckers eyes read Overload

And out on the subway
Rael Imperial Aerosol Kid
Exits into daylight, spraygun hid
And the lamb lies down on Broadway

The lamb seems right out of place
Yet the Broadway street scene finds a focus in its face
Somehow its lying there
Brings a stillness to the air
Though man-made light, at night is very bright
There’s no whitewash victim
As the neon dims, to the coat of white

Rael Imperial Aerosol Kid
Wipes his gun, he’s forgotten what he did
And the lamb lies down on Broadway

Suzanne tired her work all done
Thinks money-honey-be on-neon
Cabman’s velvet glove sounds the horn
And the sawdust king spits out his scorn
Wonder women draw your blind!
Don’t look at me! I’m not your kind
I’m Rael!

Something inside me has just begun

Lord knows what I have done

And the lamb lies down on Broadway

On Broadway
They say the lights are always bright on Broadway
They say there’s always magic in the air