Editor's Letter

Are we Mod!

From the roof over your head to the packaging of your favorite skin cream, design matters more today than ever. It captures our attention, energizes our spirit, and inspires us to act (usually with a thoughtful purchase or a bright twist on the way we live).

There is no place like home for good design — and no place like Palm Springs to experience so many outstanding examples of iconic modern architecture, furniture, and décor. Only today, new buzz words, such as “green” and “sustainable,” permeate every conversation — evidence of the progressive nature of  the design style.

This month, Palm Springs Life celebrates modernism as enthusiasts from around the world converge on the desert for Modernism Week (Feb. 15-24) and the Palm Springs Modernism Show. In “Mad for Mod”, Janice Kleinschmidt talks to Philip K. Smith of The Art Office about his vision for Palm Springs Re-Imagined, a “fictional competition” sponsored by the Palm Springs Preservation Foundation, and previews the events and provides information about the organizations that make Palm Springs the epicenter for all things Modern.

Our cover story, “The Man Behind the Camera”, puts the spotlight on Julius Shulman, the legendary photographer of midcentury modern homes and subject of a one-man exhibition opening this month at Palm Springs Art Museum. The show’s curator and Julius Shulman: Palm Springs author, Michael Stern, offers a firsthand account of what makes Shulman tick.

We hope to see you at the museum, the Modernism show, and all of the lectures and symposiums that have made Palm Springs today’s modernism Mecca.

Corrections
In “Our Hollywood Connection” (January 2008) noted an incorrect date for Jack Jones: Celebrating 50 Years in Show Business, With Special Guests Patti Austin, Alan and Marilyn Bergman, and Bob Anderson. The event is March 15 at McCallum Theatre. Call 340-2787.

“DAP, GAY, and VIPs” (Sand to Sea, January 2008) misidentified the beneficiary of “Evening Under the Stars.” The popular fundraiser, set for May 3 at O’Donnell Golf Course in Palm Springs, benefits AIDS Assistance Program. Call 325-8481.