Exactly two years ago we found the apartment that would soon become our first Cincinnati home. A few frantic weeks later, we pulled up in a U-Haul at the gate to the Compound in Over-the-Rhine.
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April 30, 2008
Compound Alchemy
April 29, 2008
Policemen Around the World by Richard Erdoes
With yesterday’s post about surveillance as a jumping-off point, here are some illustrations by Richard Erdoes from his children’s book Policemen around the World, circa 1967. Erdoes was born in Vienna and emigrated to the US. In addition to several children’s books, he did a lot of editorial illustration work for LIFE magazine.
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April 28, 2008
Walking Tour of Downtown Cincinnati Surveillance Cameras
Yesterday I took part in a walking tour of surveillance camera locations in downtown Cincinnati, led by Bill Brown of the Surveillance Camera Players. Having become acquainted with Brown’s work about ten years ago, it was an honor to finally meet him and hear his first-hand perspective on surveillance technology in the contemporary city. If you’re interested, he will lead another tour in June.
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April 27, 2008
Streets and Trails by Bernhard Fuchs
Hassla Books, an independent publishing house in NYC, just published Streets and Trails, a monograph by Austrian photographer Bernard Fuchs. It is Fuchs’ third monograph and Hassla’s fourth publication.
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April 26, 2008
Our Veils Are Wearing Thin by Christine Bonenfant
Thursday night, I attended the opening reception at Northern Kentucky University for the senior Fine Arts thesis exhibit of work by Sarah Cork, Brandy Bader, Joshua White, Lauren Wells, and Christine Bonenfant. It’s up through 2 May 08 at the Main Gallery in the Fine Arts Center. I feel compelled to single out the installation Our Veils Are Wearing Thin by Christine Bonenfant.
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April 25, 2008
Elsewhere
Nonsense to Greensense: a four-venue art and music extravaganza dedicated to the environment happens tonight in downtown and Over-the-Rhine. Yes, yes, y’all, I’m in in the exhibit at Nicholas Gallery; stop by and say hello!
Topping Out, Parts One, Two, and Three: an extensive tour of Cincinnati’s Union Terminal by Cincinnati Revisited. Wow!
Lilly, the Map Master: [or mistress?] is a two-year old who knows more geography than I do. Oh, yeah? At least I know how to read a map…
Regional Roundup: Iceland: a guest blog on Design*Sponge fuels my ongoing fascination with Iceland and the design scene in and around Reykavik.
Ludacris’ Rap Map of US Area Codes: Ludacris has an extensive network of women friends; geography student Stephanie Gray has provided an insightful visual analysis of their respective locations.
Solar House: Just for View reviews the University of Cincinnati’s entry into the Solar Decathlon.
Natalie Port-a-potty: actress Natalie Portman ably serves as an amenity in a NYC dog park.
April 24, 2008
Illustrations by Jenny Bowers
Jenny Bowers is a London-based illustrator whose clients include Penguin, New York Times, and Random House.
April 23, 2008
Ghost Sign in the West End
This ghost sign is on Chestnut St. in the Betts-Longworth Historic District in the West End. The “blocked” sign got blocked!
April 22, 2008
New York Delft Plates by Lovegrove & Repucci
The appropriation of street culture is often cringe-inducingly embarrassing or offensive. In the case of these porcelain Delft plates by Lovegrove & Repucci for Areaware, I’m just amused by the silliness of the endeavor. And, at $100 for a five-piece place setting, it’s a better value than the City Plates by notNeutral.
April 21, 2008
20 Cent Payphone in OTR
One of my favorite Over-the-Rhine anomalies — the 20 cent payphone! There are several of these north of Liberty St. [this one is on Elm]. There’s probably a mundane explanation, but all I can think is, when was this installed? I remember payphones costing a quarter back in the mid-80s. Now, if you can even find one, it’s usually 50 cents. But 20 cents?!? The mind wobbles…
