From time to time I get talking to customers about pictures or art they have seen in movies or on TV. Some of them are pictures that are just in the background; others are used as a prop or a parody, while still others have the entire plot revolving around them. Some customers want to know if they can get the picture to put in their home; others want to know more about the artists; and some pictures just spark a conversation about history, art and museums in general.
For example in the TV show Friends, Monica has a big picture by her TV that is a reproduction of a French advertisement from the late 1800′s. Posters like this are representative of the era and are particularly well known for the Moulin Rouge area, which is the most well known establishment of the time. Vintage posters have been a popular decorating trend for a while because they are fun, bright, romantic, and nostalgic. Plus, they work well with all types of styles from traditional to contemporary.
To see more Anitique prints check out Lieberman’s at http://liebermans.net/advancedsearch.aspx?s=lb4%2c88
For those who have already seen Iron Man 2, you may have noticed a very familiar-looking poster image, but couldn’t quite put your finger on why it looked so familiar. The poster I am referring to is the one featuring Iron Man in the style of Shepard Fairey’s Obama HOPE poster. Though this parody wasn’t designed by Fairey himself, he gave it his blessing. Fairey is apparently friends with the Iron Man movie’s production designer Michael Riva, who asked if he could use a HOPE poster spoof in the movie. As far as I can tell the Iron Man version is only a prop and hasn’t been reproduced for resale…yet.
To learn more about Shepard Fairey or see some of his work you can visit : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shepard_Fairey
Then there is The da Vinci Code. The story follows symbologist Robert Langdon, played by Tom Hanks, as he investigates a murder in Paris’s Louvre Museum. The title of the novel refers to, among other things, the fact that the murder victim is found in the Denon Wing of the Louvre, naked and posed like Leonardo da Vinci’s famous drawing the Vitruvian Man.
Throughout the movie famous works of art are shown and talked about, such as the Mona Lisa and the Last Supper by da Vinci, history is discussed and the Louvre is prominently displayed. During this time it seemed that more people coming into the store were talking about what was going on at the Detroit Institute of Arts, interested in classic paintings and artists, and planning trips to various museums in Europe.
It’s funny how so many people are intimidated by “art”, thinking only of it in a hifalutin’ cultural context. Something they don’t know much about, would only see in a museum or that would be in some famous person’s private collection. When in reality, art is all around us, and we talk about it more than we might think. It’s in artwork and props we see in movies and on TV. It’s used in campaign posters and advertising. And it’s in your home and in your garden. It moves us and inspires us. It calms us and energizes us. It sparks emotions and brings back memories. So the next time you are watching something on TV or at the movies pay attention to how the art work in the background is setting the “scene” and how it makes you feel.
Footnote: How Ironic….
I just finished writing this piece and a Set Decorator walks into the store scouting for artwork. Apparently they are filming “Scream 4” around here and need artwork to put on the walls of one of the sets. Filming starts at the end of June. So keep your eyes open when “Scream 4” hits a theater near you…you might see artwork by one of our Michigan artists!
Orchard Lake Concierge
