EAMES EXHIBIT

Spy Vibers interested in Mid-Century Modern design have an opportunity to check out a new exhibit spotlighting Charles and Ray Eames at the Oakland Museum! Originally curated and organized by the Barbican in London, the Eames exhibit is scheduled to run through February 17th, 2019. From the press release: "Fueled by their belief in design as a way of life, the innovative husband and wife duo Charles and Ray Eames were two of the most influential designers of the twentieth century. Go beyond their most well-known designs in this intimate and inspiring exhibition portraying their legacy and lives in California. The Eameses—who founded The Eames Office—valued knowledge and discovery, embraced the joy of trial and error, and saw no separation between life and work. Through multi-media installations, films, rare prototypes, photography, furniture, toys, products, as well as personal letters, drawings, and artwork, discover the story of the Eameses from a fresh perspective. Explore the breadth of their work across many fields in this interactive exhibition that brings their ideas and playful spirit to life." More info at the Oakland Museum. If design is your bag (baby), check out Spy Vibe's article Set For Adventure about the great spy set designs. Related posts: 1968 Exhibit, Mid-Century Modern Schulz. Spy Vibers, also please check out my new book (over 700 pages!) about one of America's great cartoonists. On other creative fronts, folks might not know that I began exhibiting as a fine art photographer in the late 1980s. I haven't shared that part of my life here, but readers might like to see some of my work on Instagram. Enjoy!

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1968 EXHIBIT

I recently went to an exhibit at the Oakland Museum that examines the year 1968. There was an introduction area that celebrated political fliers and posters addressing issues of the times. The graphics and messages did a good job setting the tone for the main exhibit. Visitors then entered a large space that was divided up into thematic rows, as well as a few room spaces devoted to specific topics. The chaos of the era was captured in how the displays were loosely organized and in its focus on both violent conflicts and colorful sizzle of 1968 design. The juxtaposition was actually overwhelming at times. The scope of the show was largely about turbulent change, yet we got glimpses sprinkled throughout of groovy pop culture and plastic house-ware items. It was surreal, for example, to stand next to a real Huey helicopter, with terrifying war testimony and footage, as the theme to The Monkees played in the background. 

Surreal, but the juxtaposition also provided an accurate context to 1960s entertainment. There were numerous displays that featured artifacts and information about the Vietnam War (including the helicopter), the space race (with a reproduction of the Apollo space capsule), the Black Panthers, Martin Luther King jr, Robert Kennedy, and Feminist demonstrations.

Some highlights that Spy Vibers will want to check out if they visit the museum are the music room (with Yellow Submarine and Janis Joplin), the fashion displays that feature Twiggy and Jane Fonda, a 1968 living room, and a groovy TV room that features video loops (including Spy/crime shows: Man From U.N.C.L.E., Get Smart, Mannix, and Mission Impossible). Want a movie snapshot of 1968? Try this marathon of Vietnam-era stories being filmed and released: The Green Berets, The Monkees Head, Easy Rider, Barbarella, and Yellow Submarine. The 1968 exhibit runs through August 19th. More info at the Museum website. Photos by Jason Whiton.