Office of Charles and Ray Eames

Last Friday I attended the Blanton Museum’s B scene B cool. I had never been to a B scene so I was not exactly sure what was in store for me, but when I arrived my ears perked up to the sounds of DJ Chicken George spinning his special array of jazztronica.

This event featured the Blanton’s temporary exhibit – Birth of the Cool: California Art, Design, and Culture at Midcentury. What a fun exhibit too! Birth of the Cool takes you back to the 1950s where mod was in and everyone owned a swivel chair that was just as artistic as the paintings in the room. The collection contains paintings by Karl Benjamin, photography by Julius Shulman, and popular album covers of the day (Miles Davis, Dave Brubeck Quartet, and Chet Baker). Much of the abstract and mod aesthetics born from this era still influence art and architecture today.

What I liked about Birth of the Cool is that it does an excellent job transporting museum visitors to a specific location and time. And the B scene event tied it all together with great music and food. You can check out Birth of the Cool at the Blanton Museum on the UT campus through May 17, 2009. Bobby socks not mandatory.

Judy Watts
Development Coordinator