A History of Art part 12

Okay, back to work now. I started up top on the 5th level on the right, adding two somewhat industrial environments above the Erector Set parts. I started with the far right, putting in the White Manna, a tiny 1930's era diner in Hackensack, a classic of art deco diner design in addition to making the best little cheeseburgers in the world. As a New Jersey born and bred artist, diners have to be part of this and White Manna will do nicely. Next to that I started blocking in a space that represents buildings reclaimed by artists for studio/gallery purposes. This can refer to such things as the Glove Factory studios in Carbondale, or my current space in the basement of an abandoned high school, but I was specifically thinking of SoHo, at least the SoHo of the 80's when it was still an environment safe for artists and little else. Back then there were hundreds of galleries spread out in this former manufacturing district- some very proper white box spaces, some looking like the factories they had been. (locally SICA in Long Branch carries some of the spirit of the latter) As is the typical cycle, eventually people started coming around, artists were kicked out for retail, and now the district is an outdoor shopping mall. (still a few holdouts- I was in a show in SoHo a few years ago, the space a 7th floor walkup with a floor that was not really level) I still have to resolve the transition between the gallery and diner and pick work for the walls.

Then I went down to the base of the tower and put in a vehicle parked in front, a Ford Ranch Wagon circa 1969, out of the family photo album. We had a series of large station wagons growing up, big long powerful vehicles. The wagon style has pretty much disappeared, split between mini-vans and SUV's. For me, this represents vehicles of the past. When I use a car in an image, it's often an older model- they have an individual style lacking in contemporary cars, where pretty much one looks like another. Same goes for appliances- stoves, refrigerators, etc. I just think that in the past things looked more like the things they are.