{"id":3136,"date":"2011-09-16T13:29:48","date_gmt":"2011-09-16T06:29:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/maggiemaggio.com\/color\/?p=3136"},"modified":"2011-09-16T14:26:34","modified_gmt":"2011-09-16T07:26:34","slug":"from-missoni-to-post-modernism","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/maggiemaggio.com\/color\/2011\/09\/from-missoni-to-post-modernism\/","title":{"rendered":"From Missoni to post-Modernism"},"content":{"rendered":"

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We started this week with the new line of products designed by Missoni for Target. Over the years Target has worked with a number of famous designer to produce affordable, well designed products.\u00a0Remember Target’s whistling bird teapot?\u00a0The designer was\u00a0\u00a0architect Michael Graves<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Michael Graves also designed the Portland Building – one of the most controversial projects in the history of architecture. \u00a0I graduated from architecture school the year it was built, 1982, so needless to say, we talked a lot about it at the time. \u00a0A colorful, gift wrapped box of a building, it’s located next to city hall downtown and houses city administrative offices.\u00a0\u00a0Even though it has major problems, structural as well as functional, I still appreciate its brilliantly colored facade, especially when the rains start.<\/p>\n

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The 35′ statue of Portlandia towers over the main entrance on the west side of the building.\u00a0That leads us to the wacky IFC television series dedicated to the weirdness of my beloved city – Portlandia<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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\n<\/a>Oops – that’s not the direction this is going. Regardless of what you think of it, the Portland Building is internationally recognized as a seminal post-Modern building and\u00a0that takes us to the upcoming exhibit at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, \u00a0Postmodern<\/a>ism: Style and Subversion, 1970 t0 1990.<\/p>\n

Here are a few classic images from the exhibit that opens next Saturday, September 24th.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Grace Jones in maternity dress designed by John Paul Goude and Antonio Lopez \u00a0in 1979.<\/p>\n

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Hans Hollein facade for Venice Biennale 1980.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Blade Runner, 1982.<\/p>\n

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Post-Modernism was a departure from the starkness and simplicity of Modernism but I have to admit I never quite understood all the philosophy, and seriousness, behind it all. I like this definition that comes from the Simpsons. (And please note that Matt Groening, creator of the Simpsons, was born in Portland – connecting the dots from Missoni to Portland to post-Modernism and back to Portland.)<\/p>\n