Umbrella outside the Duomo
Umbrella outside the Duomo, Florence, Italy. An inter-continental rendezvous with Claire, while on a trip to Rome. Taken after ascending Brunelleschi's dome.
From the photo collection 'In Italy'.
Two Shelves
Working in a library, I am surrounded by shelves. Uniform, bland, easy to maneuver and reassemble. In that pale composite wood which feels like plastic (and probably is). Unmarkable, resilient against dust and made to withstand the daily grind of careless university students.
In the grand scheme of things, library shelves are nothing to write home about.
In libraries, shelves and collections are measure by metres.
"Well, the 300's are taking up 80 meters at present, but are growing rapidly," someone might say.
I have never actually bothered to find out if a standard library shelf is in fact, one metre long. The thought only struck me now, typing this, and I feel I am only one day away from a crucial discovery into the inner workings of the library world.
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Shelves are like bridesmaids - there as a support, but not intended to distract from the object on display. I consider myself a sort of shelf personality: there to lend a helping hand, bolster my friends, a shoulder to lean on. I would love to be a bridesmaid one day.
As far as I know, there is no such furniture personality test.
More often than not these shelf supports - brackets, frames and what not - are nondescript or non-existant. Great effort is made to make shelves appear as self supporting as possible, stand-alone objects, as if a plank of wood suddenly emerged from a wall,or is sitting balanced there by sheer force of will.
"Look Mum! No hands!"
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I have started building shelves as sculptural objects. Above are my first two efforts, utelizing discarded bookends sourced from the library. Objects not only functioning as weight-bearing horizontal surfaces adjacent to walls, but as explorations of differing ways by which to affix these boards to said walls. Supports supporting other supports - a network of brackets, braces, and wires tensing and compressing. Juxtaposing different materials, colours, forms in a balanced and harmonious manner.
A shelf should be just as pleasing to look at empty.
Frames
Metal grids found in Paris in botanical creeper supports and an excellent modernist chair frame.
From the photo collection 'In Paris'.
Suddig Ash
Ash, with her pompom, a tad blurry. But blurry isn't always bad.
From the photo collection In Paris
Safari hat print
Att plugga
Patterns of Paris
Patterns seen in Paris: the stained glass windows at the Château de Vincennes Chapel / Particle board & the ornate doors of Notre Dame / the grid within a grid covering a well / marble facade outside of a special wine bar / large dappled folios holding posters everywhere / a slab of marble as a table top at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs
From the photo collection 'In Paris'.
Sacré-Cœur with signs
Forest green bench, legs, COS
Book displays of Paris
2 x 3 arches, plus a cat & 3 succulents - triptych
Straight lines in Tuileries
Straight lines in Tuileries - promenaders form sight lines similar to Caillebotte's Paris Street, Rainy Day, and a close-cropped Ash stands by some crew-cut trees.
From the photo collection 'In Paris'.
Paris through the blinds with furniture - a series
Kjell looking upwards
Dilapidated Denmark
Arne Jacobsen designed Bellevista apartments - 1932-36, at Klampenborg are a sorry sight with paint peeling, crumbling balconies, cracks in the concrete and rotting wooden windowsills.
Copenhagen's Little Mermaid poses upon her pedestal of rocks avoiding the swathes of seaweed and tourist rubbish surrounding her.
Bleak vistas.
Denmark not taking care of their cultural heritage.