|
Satellite City ‘Cincinnati Modern’
cat. no. mf004 : june 2007
After moving back to my hometown of Cincinnati a few years ago, I discovered a whole new city that I previously didn’t know existed. Buried in this modest mid-western town was a bastion of Modernist art and architecture. I bought a mid-century post and beam house, with giant walls of glass that looked out onto a forest of trees in a quiet suburban neighborhood. It took all my time and energy to renovate and restore, until it finally reached that designation I often wished for, but never thought I’d reach, “dream house”.
Soon after, I began to meet other Modern obsessives like myself. People that would pore over past issues of Dwell and Atomic Ranch, and had stacks of books featuring Neutra and Charles and Ray Eames. I got involved in a brand new non-profit organization called CF3 (Cincinnati Form Follows Function), whose goal is ‘to promote, preserve, educate, document, enjoy, and raise awareness of modern design in and around Cincinnati’. House parties and walking tours soon followed and I began to realize that my hometown had an incredible history of Modernism.
Around this time I also fell in love with the paintings of Charley Harper, a wildlife artist who’s work was getting a fresh round of wide national recognition, thanks in part, to designer Todd Oldham’s enthusiastic endorsements. My sister had taken some great photo’s of Frank Gehry’s Vontz Center for Molecular Studies building, one of my favorites in Cincy. Those pictures have been with me for years, but not until I moved back to Cincy did I discover Zaha Hadid’s amazing Center for Contemporary Art building. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I came upon, by accident, the retro-futurist concrete lillypads that grace Bellevue Hills Park (and grace this CD’s cover as well).
My new record, under the pseudonym Satellite City, is called ‘Cincinnati Modern’. It’s an exploration of all things Modern in Cincinnati. The music combines so many elements that make up who I am as an artist... classic song-craft and cutting edge sound design, found sounds and vintage electronics, digital tools and acoustic instruments. It was a joy to make, and hopefully to listen to.
Tony Miracle
Satellite City
|
