Book Description
Robert Venturi exploded onto the architectural scene in 1966 with a radical call to arms in Complexity and Contradiction. Further accolades and outrage ensued in 1972 when Venturi and Denise Scott Brown (along with Steven Izenour) analyzed the Las Vegas strip as an archetype in Learning from Las Vegas. Now, for the first time, these two observer-designer-theorists turn their iconoclastic vision onto their own remarkable partnership and the rule-breaking architecture it has informed.
The views of Venturi and Scott Brown have influenced architects worldwide for nearly half a century. Pluralism and multiculturalism; symbolism and iconography; popular culture and the everyday landscape; generic building and electronic communication are among the many ideas they have championed. Here, they present both a fascinating retrospective of their life work and a definitive statement of its theoretical underpinnings.
Accessible, informative, and beautifully illustrated, Architecture as Signs and Systems is a must for students of architecture and urban planning, as well as anyone intrigued by these seminal cultural figures. Venturi and Scott Brown have devoted their professional lives to broadening our view of the built world and enlarging the purview of practitioners within it. By looking backward over their own life work, they discover signs and systems that point forward, toward a humane Mannerist architecture for a complex, multicultural society.
Customer Reviews:
"Nothing is fair or good alone".......2006-08-22
It is difficult to imagine an architect more genuinely American than Robert Venturi. His Americaness consists in a horizontal vision of history, in a method that embraces case data as its system, and in an obstinate realism with regards to the punctilious registration of the material furnished by daily life . This is well summarised in one of the two slogans on the back cover: "Evolutionary Pragmatism rather than Revolutionary Ideology." Architecture as Signs and Systems can be considered as a kind of "scientific autobiography" by Venturi and Scott Brown.
The couple from Philadelphia develops the theories contained in their preceding books in the light of their own projects, which are presented here as being demonstrative. It is not easy to distinguish the personal contributions coming from an association that has lasted longer than that of Burnham & Root. Thanks to the book's autobiographical confessions, the decisive influence that Denise Scott Brown had on her husband now emerges completely.
A South African architect and urban planner, Scott Brown was trained in Europe. The interests they have in common for functionalism, industrial architecture from Modernism's beginnings, and the social and urban context of design are the fruits of her apprenticeship at Architectural Association in London. London was the new pulsating centre for post-war architectural culture. It was also the capital of the Modernist Architectural Movement's internal criticism, spawning the Brutalism of which Alison and Peter Smithson (and Team X in general) were primary exponents. Above all, it was Scott Brown's fascination with South African folk art incorporating Western imagery (frowned upon by purists) that prepared Scott Brown for the impurity of Las Vegas, allowing us to understand the other slogan featured on the back cover: "Serious beauty may lie in what you see and can't, at first, accept."
Scott Brown's influence on Venturi was legible as early as 1966, with the publication of Venturi's brilliant manifesto Complexity and Contradiction in Architecture, ending with a picture of a billboard-lined street. It is a known fact that Learning from Las Vegas (1972) is based more on her urban studies than his theoretic and historical research. However, Venturi's realism comes from his interest in all that is ordinary and, above all, vernacular. Without doubt, Pop Art was one of the fundamental basis for his vision of architecture as a means of communication for the multiculturalism of the present and future world. This brings him to see Times Square and certain areas of Tokyo (dominated by enormous electronic screens relentlessly bombarding pedestrians and motorists with information and advertising) as a Saint Mark's Square of our times. It is impossible to not see Ed Ruscha's Twenty-six Gasoline Stations (1962) behind today's annoying electronic panels with their giant connotative Venturian writing. Moreover, being a Realist in the USA cannot be the same as in Europe, as Ruscha so clearly stated: "I don't have any Seine River like Monet. I just have U.S. 66 between Oklahoma and Los Angeles." One of the book's theoretic centrepieces is indicated by its subtitle "for a Mannerist time".
After all the isms (Modernism, Post-Modernism, Deconstructivism, etc.) it is time for a new Mannerism in architecture that recognises conventional order instead of original expression, and that recognises and looks for ambiguity for a new era of complexity and contradiction. If it is true that there is no clear and exhaustive definition of Mannerism, as Venturi reminds us by quoting Arnold Hauser, it is also true that Venturi's definition remains quite weak. In reality, the book does not make a fresh proposal. Venturi has written definitions of it on more than one occasion, but here the analysis suffers, possibly due to its autobiographical character and the short pamphlet-like format of its essay.
It remains anchored at the level of slogans, counting on historical examples and several of their own projects to provide all additional specifications. This is a shame, because ever since Mannerism returned as a central theme in international artistic culture around the mid-Sixties, very little repositioning has taken place (concerning architecture) with respect to definitions like the one given by Manfredo Tafuri in Mannerist Architecture of 16th-Century Europe, which was published, incidentally, exactly in 1966: "A cultural practice able to extend its tools and means of communication, attain experimental values through the emancipation of experience, install consultation with history, and lastly, to be based on open and semantically polyvalent linguistic structures."
More recently, Giorgio Agamben noted how Mannerism possesses an almost elective affinity with nihilism, and it is certainly no coincidence that Rem Koolhaas, "who enjoys flying a trapeze across the Olympus", described Venturi and Scott Brown's office as being part of his genealogy, despite the irreducible differences between them. Koolhaas personally interviewed the couple in his latest book Content (2004).
In any case, Architecture as Signs and Systems has the great merit of offering a strong theoretic basis that took shape during a historical period that saw casual pragmatism prevail in architecture and the absence of structured theoretic constructions in just about all disciplines. Moreover, it has the merit of going counter current by explicitly focusing on the taboo subject of form, a theme greatly opposed by new carefree post-critical generations. Aldo Rossi, an architect that Venturi never mentions, defined the designer's task with clarity in 1966 (the same fateful year of his treatise The Architecture of the City): "I think that the first principle of a theory is the insistence on a few themes. I think that it is particularly typical of artists and architects that they focus on a theme to explore, to work on a choice issue from architecture and to keep wanting to resolve that issue."
Robert Venturi and Denise Scott Brown, in the course of their long and mostly solitary career, have carried out this task with courage and responsibility. It is especially their example that they convey in this book, as a legacy of our times.
(Published on "Domus" no. 883, July/August 2005, pp. 106-107)
Excellent!!!!.......2004-11-10
This book is a pleasure to read. The words taste almost of chocolate. It is the best book by Venturi, Scott Brown since Learning from Las Vegas. Whether you are an architect, interested in architecture, or just their ideas, you won't be disappointed.
Book Description
This new full color edition is significantly up-dated to new interviews with "old masters" and successful "divas" of the industry, up-dated safety tips, and additional insights into the business of scenic design. Expanded to include a new chapter dedicated to painting techniques, the book will now feature detailed step-by-step descriptions of common two-dimensional painting techniques. Wood graining, marble and stone, and brick painting are few examples of the new techniques to be covered.
*New interviews with "old masters" and successful "divas" of the industry
* Insights into the business of scenic design
* A new chapter dedicated to painting techniques and detailed step-by-step descriptions of common two-dimensional painting techniques
Customer Reviews:
A great book for painters.......2005-12-12
Scenic Art for the Theatre is a book you should own if:
1) You are interested in the history of scenic art.
2) You are a designer who needs to understand painting better.
3) Are interested in a career painting scenery, especially drops.
4) Most of all if you are a designer who needs to "paint their own stuff."
Scenic Art for the Theatre is by far the best painting book on the market. Susan Crabtree is a fabulous painter with years of experience, and also a GREAT teacher. I was very fortunate to take a class of hers at Cobalt studios, and even after designing and painting scenery for 25 years, she definitely improved my knowledge base.
Buy this book!
John Holloway
An Excellent Beginning.......2005-10-24
I've decided to use this book as my primary text for a scenic painting course I'm teaching. The book is chock full of interviews with professionals, has a very nice section on the history of scenic painting, and really goes into depth in explaining why some things are done, why other things are not, and why sometimes you have to make it up. The authors go out of their way to make sure the reader understands the complicated relationship between the designer and the painter, and how the paint shop fits in to the larger context of producing a show. The examples and samples are all in color, and some of them are quite breathtaking. If you have a student thinking seriously about going into scenic design or scenic painting, you should make sure this book finds its way into their hands.
Book Description
Basic. This is the key word in Scenic Design and Lighting Tecniques: A Basic Guide for Theatre, written by two seasoned professionals with over twenty years of experience. This book is designed to show you how to turn a bare stage into a basic set design, without using heavy language that would bog you down. From materials and construction to basic props and lighting, this book explains all you will need to know to build your set and light it.
* Be inspired by the images of real productions and learn from the instructional images
* Learn from designer's concepts and drawings from actual professional and university productions
* Know that after reading this book, you'll be equiped with exactly what you NEED to know to design your stage scenery and lighting
Book Description
Scenic Art for the Theatre is a visual and written guide to the tools and techniques used in modern scene painting. The authors guide the reader through the complex role of the scenic artist, discussing his or her relationship with the scenic designer and production staff; the variety of tools used in scenic artistry including paints, materials, and surfaces; and the techniques, both traditional and non-traditional. The book also includes a history of scenic artistry beginning with the Renaissance and Baroque theatres through the Romantic theatre to the present day Modern theatre.
Scenic Art for the Theatre is written in easy-to-understand language for both the student and the professional. The tools and techniques sections, complete with hints and how-to's, make this book a handy reference for anyone studying or working in this field.
Customer Reviews:
EXCELLENT REFERENCE GUIDE.......2000-11-12
As a working scenic artist far from the lights of broadway, (or even a theater department that teaches scene painting) I find this book to be one of the most helpful in my library. Step by step information on materials and techniques are easy to use. I often get ideas for solving scenic problems just by browsing. Thanks for finally writing a book just for scenics.
For the serious painter and the student.......2000-01-20
This is a truly excellent book for scenic painters. It covers all the basics, gives a good historical context and a smart look at the "biz". This is not a retread of some hack mural painting text, it's an excellent source and guide for the person who would like to paint scenery for the theatre.
DISAPPOINTING !.......1999-11-19
Despite the title, this book contains only ONE colour plate, and hardly any visual graphics depicting scenic techniques.
This is an informative and inspiring book........1999-05-19
This book will be valuable for the amateur and professional alike.It's splendidly illustrated and the photos of scenic drops,scrims,and translucencies show some first-rate work. Best of all this book is by two WORKING professionals who not only know what they're doing but also have the ability to cogently and effectively communicate the multiple ways scenic art is produced.The two authors are not "bookish theorics" as Shakespeare would put it, but accomplished pros who are out there doing it! A must for anyone who's interested in becoming a scenic artist or simply wants to paint their school or community theatre production in a more effective, efficient, and beautiful way.
Customer Reviews:
Not new. Not innovative. Poorly written and illustrated........2005-05-21
Mr. Miller has two books, virtually identical, available on the subject of folding, freestanding scenery. Neither, unfortunately, is very well written. He intimates that he "discovered" or developed this system himself. His method consistes primarily in using fabric hinges to connect two flats. By finishing both sides fo each flat, they can then be used without jacks or weights by simply setting them up at an angle. To all non-theatre people, this is called a decorative screen, like the one your auntie Minerva had in the drawing room.
This is hardly a new idea. I have been in theatre for over forty-five years, half of that as a technical director, and I learned this technique in college. At that time, we were taught that early European travelling shows used the same method.
Mr. Miller is also an avid user of burlap to cover his frames. Burlap is only slightly more desireable than glass for a flat. It is coarse, loosely woven, therefore porous, fragile and deteriorates very quickly under bright stage lights or natural light.
Finally, the author uses hand drawn stick figures and flat perspective to try to illustrate his "innovative" system. These are terrible. Not only are they crude and ugly, they fail to adequately illustrate his points. Would it have killed this man to buy a camera to record such an important "new" technology for posterity?
If you intend to build sets of cardboard for children under 5, you may get a few ideas from Miller's books, but don't count on it.
Breaking out of the proscenium.......2000-08-29
James Hull Miller's life-time work in the area of self-supporting scenery is neatly organized and laid out in this book. This reference is especially useful to those producing a play, musical, etc., in a setting that is not the typical theater. Mr. Miller demonstrates that utilizing free-standing set pieces allows greater versitililty than the conventional set. His ideas are innovative, invigorating and inspiring! "Self-Supporting Scenery for Children's Theater and Grown-up's Too" contains both the theory behind free-standing sets and the practical "how-to" for building pieces. I like this book because it offers practical solutions to the problem of staging in an area that has no proscenium arch. The sets are light in weight, store easily, transport well and look good. Mr. Miller's expertise is obvious and appreciated.
Book Description
Two experts offer an outstanding hands–on guide for anyone involved in the art and construction of theatrical scenic elements.
Book Description
From Broadway to regional and college stages and back again, the plays of Eugene O'Neill have been widely presented to audiences around the world. This work brings together biographical information on more than 3300 individuals who have appeared in or been a part of O'Neill productions. Some came famous to their roles; some used a play as a springboard to success; many had their O'Neill moment and were heard from no more. All—including actors, directors, producers, and other personnel—are listed here. Each entry includes either the role played (for cast members) or the position filled (for crew) and the opening dates and place of the production. Where possible, fuller biographical data, including birth and death dates and information on other performances, is provided. Indexes offer access to titles, characters, and theater names.
Product Description
Catalog published in conjunction with the Israel Goor Theater Archive and Museum exhibition entitled Invitation to the Shtetl: Meir Axelrod: Sketches fro Scenery and Costumes, 2005.
Average customer rating:
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Scenic Design on Broadway: Designers and Their Credits, 1915-1990 (Bibliographies and Indexes in the Performing Arts)
Bobbi Owen
Manufacturer: Greenwood Press
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Book Description
This book profiles scenic designers who worked on Broadway between the 1915-16 and 1989-90 theatre seasons. The more than 900 biographies provide information about the designer's backgrounds and professional credits. The profiles (approximately 200 words each) are followed by a chronological list of Broadway credits--in scenic design, followed by lighting design and costume design credits. The introduction outlines the profession in the twentieth century on Broadway and the development of American design from the "New Stagecraft". The appendixes cover four major awards that have acknowledged the contributions of scenic designers, among others, to the Broadway stage--The Tony, Maharam, Donaldson, and American Theatre Wing Awards. The index alphabetically lists each play followed by the designer's name when that information is available. A selected bibliography is included, as are 12 renderings, the designers' original work, as illustrations. These illustrations span the history of the American theatre in the twentieth century, beginning with The Man Who Married A Dumb Wife, designed by Robert Edmond Jones in 1915, and generally regarded as the beginning of the modern era on Broadway. The most recent design included is Grand Hotel, the musical, designed by Tony Walton in 1989 which was nominated for a Tony Award for outstanding scenic design.
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Theatrical Design in the Twentieth Century: An Index to Photographic Reproductions of Scenic Designs (Bibliographies and Indexes in the Performing Arts)
Manufacturer: Greenwood Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0313297010 |
Book Description
Pictorial references are essential to illustrate any discussion of theatrical design. There are resources that locate original scenic designs, but access to original work is often restricted. The easiest way for most people to research stage designs is to consult photographic reproductions, but finding photographs from hundreds--if not thousands--of sources requires much time and effort. This index of 7000 productions by more than 2000 scenic designers focuses on photographs of 20th-century sets, renderings, and models of theatre and opera productions appearing in 114 selected books and journals likely to be held by most research libraries. The selected works include books about theatre history, scenic design and stagecraft, as well as design exhibition catalogs and works on specific designers or types of productions. The listing of these sources provides publication information with each work assigned a bibliographic code. The bulk of the volume is an index of productions with entries arranged alphabetically by play title. Each entry provides subentries for productions with which individual designers were involved, along with citations for the works in which photographs of the production appear. A separate index lists the designers and their productions.
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- Contemporary Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice: Essays in Honor of Gilbert Geis
- Corporations and Business Associations Statutes, Rules and Forms, 1999 Edition
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