Hasta La Ideas

The old saying goes is “First in, first out” but it’s most usually used when talking about positive things, like in accounting or military service. The city of Beverly Hills has just applied it to themselves by removing their name from the list of cities vying for Eli Broad‘s new museum. From the get-go, back in 2008 when Broad first formally announced his intentions, Beverly Hills sounded like it was a shoe in. But then late last year, the billionaire art collector decided to let three cities fight for it; the other two being Santa Monica and the Broad-connected Grand Avenue Project in Los Angeles-proper, who will now keep battling until only one remains and King Broad is pleased. Here’s the official word:

The Beverly Hills City Council has confirmed that it has concluded discussions with The Broad Art Foundation regarding the potential site of a museum at the intersection of Wilshire Blvd. and Santa Monica Blvd. As part of upcoming discussions on the adoption of the City’s fiscal year 2010-2011 budget, the Council will be reallocating to other project priorities the funds it had set aside for the potential acquisition of the property.

In a letter to Eli Broad, Beverly Hills City Manager Jeff Kolin said, “While our City Council remains convinced that Beverly Hills offers an attractive location for your renowned art collection, we understand that The Broad Art Foundation is now considering other locations.” Kolin went on to say that should alternate sites not come to fruition, the City remained open to further partnership discussions.

The LA Times‘ Culture Monster blog has a few words in response from Broad about the dropping out.

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The Whitney Museum store recently tapped Portland-based print, clothing and design wares shop Stand Up Comedy to conceive a new tote that would accommodate the weight and size of the typical art book. The resulting limited edition Book Bag is functionally pleasing, designed with super long straps and durable reinforced handles. Treated with abstract color washes in either gorgeously muted gray or pink, as well as a warm yellow tone, the look resists “popular graphic rhetoric.”

The label sewed each of the 300 canvas bags in Portland and inked, stamped and numbered them by hand. Book Bag comes in three colorways—Hard (gold), Neutral (gray) and Soft (pink)—and sells online as well as the Whitney Museum store for $36.

In the past, to help them get over their sluggish gift shop sales, the Smithsonian has licensed out their name for branded merchandise, like 2007’s furniture line, The Smithsonian Collection. But while that extension didn’t land the organization all that much attention, nor likely billions upon billions of dollars, now they’ve made a move that’s sure to fill their coffers with piles upon piles of filthy lucre, as they’ve announced that they’re teaming with the end-all-be-all of home shopping, the QVC television network (PDF). The National Museum of History will be spearheading the licensing deal, allowing QVC to create pieces of jewelery based on items in the National Gem and Mineral Collection, including the Hope Diamond and the Marie Antoinette Earrings. The items should be available for you to accidentally purchase at 3am after a long night at the bar sometime this fall.

“The Smithsonian is delighted to work with QVC, a proven leader in multimedia retailing,” said Carol LeBlanc, director of consumer products for Smithsonian Enterprises. “Together, we will create jewelry that is not only fashionable, but also serves to educate the public about the Smithsonian and the jewelry, gems and minerals found in its collections.”

The jewelry will include earrings, rings, bracelets, pins and brooches, as well as replicas of pieces in the museum’s collection. This is the first time that the Smithsonian has entered into a relationship with a retailer to sell high-quality jewelry based on the museum’s collection.

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Given all the incessant buzz this weekend, we’re fairly certain that you’re all now reading us on your fancy new iPads. While it feels a little weird to be poked and squeezed and multi-touched all over, we’re happy you’re here. But iPads aren’t important right now. What is important is DEVO. This weekend, the design-friendly, synth pop band announced that it has donated a number of personal artifacts to the Ohio Historical Society, including an original Energy Dome (one that appeared in “Whip It” no less), which the group first created as students at Kent State University in Kent, Ohio. So while we we perhaps a little too hard on the Buckeye State last Friday, knowing that DEVO still loves the place makes us want to take back all those mean things we said. Slightly unrelated, but if you haven’t been watching the band’s market research tests (we talked about them a few weeks back), you should be. Here’s the latest, released on Friday afternoon:

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After taking a look at Italian design origins in one exhibit by designer Italo Rota and exploring production contradictions with curator Andrea Branzi’s “Serie Fuori Serie,” this time the Triennale Design Museum turns to another maestro, Alessandro Mendini, to conceive the latest installation “Quali Cose Siamo?”

Asking “what things are we?,” the exhibit journeys through collective and private memories, defined through over 800 objects on display. From gigantic to small and common to odd, the objects in the historic rooms of the Triennale offer both a sense of familiarity—like coffee machines and corkscrews—and surprise, such as with the Prada shoes or the Lenci ceramics.

A memorable demonstration of childlike attitude and lucid wisdom, Mendini explained “While preparing the exhibition, I thought about my life’s encounters with objects and people. I didn’t want institutional items, very well shown during the previous editions. Of course some objects are not to be forgotten, like the Olivetti Lettera 22, but I have chosen the one used by Indro Montanelli. The shift is clear, from the things to their unique stories. That is to say, a fascinating jump from critics to anthropology.”

Silvana Annichiarico, director of the Triennale, also created an interesting “path inside a path” entirely dedicated to children, who will receive a complimentary illustrated book where the character Frisello guides them through a sort of treasure hunt with the objects. Will the kids be able to find answers? And will the visitors be able to discover what things we are?

“This is an interrogative pathway,” concludes Mendini. “At the end, every guest will have some doubts cleared, but also some new legitimate questions.”

Check out more images after the jump.