Mid–Century Bright

David Klein is one of my favorite artists from one of my favorite design eras.

His vibrant saturated palette and exuberantly decorative designs reflect

the optimistic spirit of the times and his personal fascination

with bright colors and abstract shapes and patterns. 

David Klein was born in El Paso in 1918 and studied at the Art Center School in Los Angeles. 

During the 1930s he worked and exhibited as a fine art painter in California.

After serving in the army during World War II, Klein moved to New York and 

became the art director of a theatrical advertising agency where he produced 

window cards and posters for many successful Broadway shows.

Most of these images come from the David Klein website curated

by his estate, which hosts a rich selection of his works.

Around 1957, Klein was commissioned to illustrate a series of travel posters 

for Trans World Airlines. The gorgeous, colorful and innovative artworks 

which ensued have become his most famous and beloved creations

and many of them can be found here and there on the web.

 Recently, the very informative Today's Inspirations has posted 

beautiful high quality scans of some of these posters, and 

you can see a tribute by contemporary artists on illostribute.

Klein also illustrated children's books, but unfortunately 

I have no information about the titles, dates or publishers.

A lovely series of limited edition prints featuring animals

created by Klein in 1966 is now available at Rosie Hippo.

Mad Men & Crazy Critters, 11th episode – Hohlweinstil

Before winter ends, some seasonal visual candy from a master 

of German poster art, the wonderfully stylish Ludwig Hohlwein.

(sadly, he also created handsome propaganda art for the Nazis)

For many of the images in this post I thank Susanlenox 

and her great Ludwig Hohlwein flickr set.

Children of the Revolution, part 3

Eduard Krimmer for Orkestr, 1925

At last, more treasures from the rich vaults of late 1920s Soviet Russia.

I scanned these images from L'illustrazione del libro per bambini e l'Avanguardia russa,

 a book written by Erast Davidovic Kuznecov and published by Cantini, Firenze in 1991.

Eduard Krimmer for Port, 1926

Peter Sokolov, Dzangyr-baj, 1926

Kirill Zdanevic for Cto ni stranica, to slom, to l'vica by Majakovsky, 1928

Vladimir Konasevic for Vot tak kartinski, 1928

Vladimir Konasevic for Igra, 1931

Alekxandr Samochalov for Mstitel'nyj Chudzar, 1929

Nison Sifrin for Begut, vezut,rabotajut, 1929

Ivan Efimov for Mena, 1929

For the first two parts of this series, look here and here.

Voilà Les Lalanne

Fauteuil Crapaud, François-Xavier Lalanne, 1969

The Musée des Arts décoratifs in Paris is hosting a major retrospective 

of Claude and François-Xavier Lalanne until the 4th of July. 

Claude and François-Xavier met in 1952 and started working together in 1956. 

Since their first exhibition entitled "Zoophites" in 1964, this inseparable couple 

of surrealist artists have always exhibited and worked together, and consequently 

have often been regarded as a single entity, although they rarely collaborated 

on a piece of work.Their unconventional sculptures have individual styles but share 

a common inspiration in animals and nature, and an ironic vocation to become whimsical

 but functional objects that can be touched, sat upon, worn and sometimes even eaten.

Detail of the exhibition featuring Claude Lalanne's 

Petits Lapins à Collerette and Dragonnets

Banc crocodile, Claude Lalanne, 2005

Tortuga deyrollensa, Claude Lalanne

Claude’s works, often designed to be used as jewellery, furniture and tableware, 

tend to be more delicate, intricate and baroque. Her late husband (François-Xavier 

passed away in 2008 at 81) crafted more weighty, monumental and stylized forms, 

often remindful of ancient Egyptian sculptures.

Cocodoll, François-Xavier Lalanne, 1964

Rhinocrétaire II, François-Xavier Lalanne, 1966

La mouche, François-Xavier Lalanne, 1966

Hippopotame I, François-Xavier Lalanne, 1968-69

Les Lalanne's mischievous creatures are a playful and unique combination of fine 

and decorative art, design and figurative sculpture, surrealism and Nouveau Realisme.

 They gathered a cult following among important private collectors around the world,

 including fashion icons like Yves Sain Laurent, Coco Chanel and Tom Ford.

BoÎte des sardines, François-Xavier Lalanne, 1971

Oiseau à bascule, François-Xavier Lalanne, 1974

Grue lumineuse, François-Xavier Lalanne, 1991

Sheep by François-Xavier Lalanne on Park Avenue, by the New York city parks 

public arts programme in conjunction with Paul Kasmin Gallery, 2009.

The exhibition's "Minotaure" and "Singeries" rooms

The exhibitions was designed by the American architect Peter Marino, 

a collector and promoter of Les Lalanne for more than 30 years, as a thematic journey

 through over 150 of their artworks. I hope I'll be able to get to Paris and see this in person!