Category Archives: Art

How do you define museum ?

Posted on September 6, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

After a vote at their 26th general conference on August 24th, the International Council of Museums (ICOM) has refined their official definition of the term “museum,” that they previously established nearly half a century ago. The updated definition—which now incorporates … Continue reading →

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The Ballad of Holland Island

Posted on September 2, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

I recently had the opportunity to road trip along the Mid-Atlantic coast of the U.S. in the states of Delaware, Maryland and Virginia. The highlight was a visit to Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge, on Assateague Island, which has stunning beaches, … Continue reading →

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Forewarned is Forearmed

Posted on August 30, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

 

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Venice Through The Eyes of Monet

Posted on August 28, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

Claude Monet first discovered Venice in 1908 when he was 68 years old. The two months Monet spent there are documented in letters he and his wife Alice sent to friends and family in France. They tell of the highs … Continue reading →

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When Museumgoers Gotta Go

Posted on August 27, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

Over the years I’ve visited hundreds of museums in dozens of countries and I’ve seen my share of museum bathrooms. Many are unmemorable institutional facilities, but many are worthy design destinations. The American Alliance of Museums polled their members on their favorite … Continue reading →

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We trained some birds to steal their wheat

Posted on August 24, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

After a wonderful but all to brief road trip and light news diet, I spent some time catching up on world events. Sadly, the news of the day reminded me of the powerful Thomas Lux poem “The People of the … Continue reading →

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A Novel Way to Tell Time

Posted on August 23, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

The Author Clock by Mechanical Design Labs is a novel digital clock that uses quotes from well known books to tell the time. The clever timepiece lifts passages from hundreds of years of literature to provide quotes that refer to the exact … Continue reading →

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Life Jackets

Posted on August 21, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

The renowned Chinese dissident artist Ai Weiwei has created a wall from 2,000 life jackets that were discarded by Syrian refugees while attempting to escape the war in their homeland by crossing the Aegean Sea as part of an installation … Continue reading →

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A Unique B & B Pop-Up

Posted on August 14, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

This charming adult pop-up book by Jan Pieńkowski’s was published in 1996 by Simon & Schuster. The book opens up into a house, decorated and inhabited by over fifty artistic works. A small guidebook tucked in over the staircase opens with … Continue reading →

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Welcome to the AI Generation

Posted on August 13, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

It seems that each day we are introduced to yet another form of AI-generated art, literature, news, or advertising. This series of AI-generated travel posters, commissioned from research lab Midjourney for the luggage storage company Stasher, is the inevitable blend of … Continue reading →

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