If you've known Oliver and I for any amount of time, you'll know one of the many great things we love in each other is our individual love of reading. However, our interests couldn't be more opposite. Oliver absorbs motivational books and literary classics, while I live for free PDF's of dense theory and critical writing from the 60's & 70's. During this time the entire genre of "critical writing" was in flux and younger creatives sought new ways to circulate their ideas. In college, a professor introduced me to Pamphlet Architecture-- a series of brief explorations into some facet of design. The original twenty pamphlets span topics from Stairwells (Livio Dimitriu - 1979) to Planetary Architecture (Zaha Hadid - 1981).
When the 21st pamphlet went to reprint and I snagged a copy. Too excited to even read the synopsis, its title and content are the most appropriate summation of 2020.
The very first essay lays the foundation for the projects ahead. SNAFU
"Coined during the early years of World War II, the acronym snafu--a condensation of the phrase,"situation normal all fucked up"--was used by the American soldiers to describe a condition of disorder created by an excess of conflicting Army rules and regulations. Absorbed into vernacular speech, its profanity largely forgotten, the term snafu now signifies a general state of confusion, disruption, and system breakdown...In a culture fixated on efficiency, speed and information exchange, snafus are the anathema to progress and production."
We emerge into the new year with hope of leaving the disorder and inefficiency behind, but the previous 365 days (no matter the year) propel us into the beauty and challenges of the next 365 days.
We are endlessly thankful for the support we've received, the help from our church family, Oliver's parents who give us the house we live in, new friends, new collaborations, and of course the opportunity to bring art into each of your lives.
Below is a collection of images from our year. The good and the bad. Our triumphs and losses.
January:
Oliver began to learn to carve
February:
Oliver continued to develop and visualize his new carvings
March:
April:
May:
Miranda's father suddenly passed away in his home in Tennessee. We took a necessary break to grieve and travel to finalize his affairs.
June:
July:
August:
September:
October:
November:
December:
Oliver and Miranda