Last week I was in Los Angeles and visited the LACMA California Design, 1930-1965 “Living In A Modern Way” exhibit and not surprisingly Ray and Charles Eames’ work was prominently displayed - down to a replica of their house filled with the actual contents of their house. With the exhibit fresh in my mind, I sat down to watch Eames: The Architect and The Painter.
Filmmakers Jason Cohn and Bill Jersey have made the first film about the Eames since their death. Narrated by James Franco, Eames: The Architect and The Painter takes us into the Renaissance-style design studio in Venice Beach, California. The documentary includes stunning archival materials from love letters to photographs, from films to artifacts: Interviews with Eames family members, designers from the Eames studio and industry leaders fill in the gaps.
I’m a huge fan of the husband-wife design team and when my husband and I finally took a step away from IKEA, our first real furniture purchases included Eames chairs. Even though I’ve done some reading on the Eames, I learned so much from this documentary. Eames: The Architect and The Painter gives you the full picture - from the romance, design processes, innovations and breadth of projects - you are able to view the Eames body of work in a larger context. Whether you have an interest in the Eames, Modern Design or creativity, Eames: The Architect and The Painter is inspiring. It’s the kind of film that I want to keep in my collection and watch over and over again - it will invigorate and inspire you to create.
Eames: The Architect and The Painter opens in San Francisco this Friday December 2 at the Balboa Theater. For information on other cities please visit the playdate list online. You can also pre-order the DVD, which releases on December 13 - the perfect gift or stocking stuffer for the creatives in your life!