Miniman
Let me introduce to you the Miniman M-702 Germanium Radio. According to Wikipedia, “Germanium is an important semiconductor material used in transistors and various other electronic devices. Its major end uses are fiber-optic systems and infrared optics, but it is also used for polymerization catalysts, and in electronics and solar cell applications. It is finding a new use in nanowires.” As an element, it didn’t really come into its own until after WWII when it became an important component in the manufacturing of electronics. This particular radio was produced circa 1950’s or 60’s in Japan. These radios are still readily available on ebay and elsewhere. Check out this great flickr set of other germanium radios. And this one. And while you’re at it…these are amazing!
Scratch That
As a rule, I don’t particularly like eating or drinking from a black plate or cup. It has something to do with wanting to let light into the composition. There are exceptions of course. But these scratched melamine plates made my case. The upside is that the patterns created by all of the knife marks looked like little drawings.
Fencing
Just a couple of shots of what isĀ actually a city of fencing. Roll upon roll, row upon row, of wire fencing in every possible configuration. My camera died halfway through. Lesson learned.
Brush Brush Brush
Mark Keoppen is a builder in upstate NY. He and his wife Wendy Townsend, a writer, live in a restored barn that Mark spent 10 years building with his own hands. Their home gives meaning to the idea of a structure being more than just the sum of its four walls. This place is literally transcendent. Their aesthetic is both minimal and lush — there is nothing extraneous in evidence. It seems to me that everything they bring into their lives has some purpose or deep significance. And the place itself is firmly rooted in its physical surroundings. That said, when I walked in the other day, I glanced to my left and saw these giant paintbrushes leaning up against a ledge in the entryway. My heart leaped at the sight of them. These aren’t just for decoration. Mark will, in all likelihood, use them. But in the meantime, they will continue to grace our presence.