William Krisel

William Krisel-designed home in San Diego. Photo ©Darren Bradley

Modernism was initially meant to be a popular movement. It is not just a design or an aesthetic but a way of life. Its early promise was to improve living conditions for the average person and make houses and objects more affordable through efficiencies gained in streamlined and simplified production techniques. Alas, it has never quite lived up to this promise.

The work of William Krisel is a rare exception to this rule. 

A visit to the de Young Museum

Watching the fog and clouds overtake the museum at the end of the day. Photo ©Darren Bradley

I've been to the de Young museum many times, but it always seems to be a quick visit - just to spend an hour or two. I've never really been able to spend the time I'd like to seriously photograph it. And this trip was not that time, either.

Embarcadero Center

Photo ©Darren Bradley

San Francisco's Embarcadero Center, at the foot of Market Street in the heart of the city was meant to be a sort of Modernist version of New York City's Rockefeller Center. There was even a Rockefeller involved in the project. 

Tiki Modern

Humphrey's on Shelter Island in San Diego. Photo ©Darren Bradley

Tiki is a sub-culture of the Modernist era (1930s through the 70s) which really exploded in popularity with the return of many GIs who'd experienced Polynesian and Asian culture for the first time while fighting WWII in the Pacific theater, and fueled by popular novels and movies like South Pacific. 

Amen...

Me, photo by Chris Dodkin

The other day, I was wandering around Carlsbad with a friend, looking for something to photograph, and we decided to visit St. Michael's by the Sea Catholic Church. This well-known landmark was designed by the architect team of Albert Frey & Robson Chambers (See the post on Palm Springs for more on Frey).

Let's do the Time Warp again!

Photo ©Darren Bradley

When I was in Palm Springs a few weeks ago for the photo festival, I stayed at The Hideaway. This is a tiny little classic modern motel that was built by Herbert Burns in 1947. At the time, it was originally called the Town & Desert Motel.

New Modernism on the Berkeley Campus

Photo ©Darren Bradley

One final post about my quick trip to Berkeley. I spotted this building while walking across campus, the C.V. Starr East Asian Library. 

Palm Springs Photo Festival

I spent the first week of May in Palm Springs for the annual Photo Festival. Each year in the spring, thousands of photographers - both amateurs and professionals - descend on this small desert city for the opportunity to eat, sleep, and play all things photography. For me, anyway, it's a rare opportunity to get to spend three or four days focused only on making photos, without having to worry about family or work obligations.