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    Gift of John R. Eckel, Jr.

    Welcome to the set of Mad Men: Spirit of Modernism lives on in MFAH exhibit

    Joseph Campana
    Sep 3, 2011 | 1:06 pm
    • Designed by Edward Wormley, manufactured by Dunbar and upholstery designed byJack Lenor Larsen, Listen to Me Chaise, Model No. 487
    • Lucia DeRespinis for George Nelson and Company Inc. and manufactured by HowardMiller Clock Company, Zeeland, Mich., Custom Clock, 
c. 1957
    • Ralston Crawford, Red Barge No. 1, 1942
    • Margaret Bourke-White, U.S.S. Akron, 1931
    • Paul Evans, Argente Two-Door Cabinet, c. 1968
    • Vladimir Kagan, Contour Lounge Chair
, c. 1953
    • Grouping of Harry Bertoia sculptures from the John R. Eckel Jr. collection
    • Harry Bertoia, Gilt Bronze Cactus Sculpture, c. 1965

    The ghost of the past never looked so new.

    Last month witnessed the unveiling of The Spirit of Modernism at the Museum of Fine Arts, a show built around a major gift of 73 mid-century modern works from the John R. Eckel, Jr. Foundation. The array of photography, painting, decorative arts, and sculpture not only dazzles but demands you not merely appreciate individual objects but enter a world of elegant minimalism you may never want to leave.

    As assistant curator of decorative arts Christine Gervais put it as we entered an area of the exhibition dominated by furniture by Edward Wormley, Vladimir Kagan, and Paul Evans, "Welcome to the set of Mad Men."

    The array of photography, painting, decorative arts, and sculpture in The Spirit of Modernism not only dazzles but demands you not merely appreciate individual objects but enter a world of elegant minimalism you may never want to leave.

    Eckel, a native Houstonian and energy entrepreneur was no stranger to art collecting, though his philanthropy on behalf of the MFAH began more recently, in 2005. Though brief-lived, his efforts on behalf of the organization were matched only by his generosity after his death. The Whitney Museum in New York and the MFAH were the only museums to benefit from this largesse. The gift adds works by artists yet to enter the collection and provides insight into the intersections of art, architecture, and design.

    A team of Houston curators had the enviable task, over a series of months, of sorting through storage areas in New York and Houston so as to select works most suited to the MFAH. "Everything was very carefully chosen for impact," curator Emily Neff indicated.

    Neff joined Gervais, Cindi Strauss, modern & contemporary decorative arts & design curator; Alison de Lima Greene, contemporary art & special projects curator; and Anne Wilkes Tucker, The Gus and Lyndall Wortham curator of photography, in crossing curatorial disciplines to assemble works that impressively strengthen the collection.

    In one sense, walking into the Spirit of Modernism is like walking into the universe of Eckel himself. As de Lima explained, "Most curators work in vertical silos of knowledge but collectors work on a different paradigm," which produces a wonderfully holistic vision of a moment in time.

    Two of the most important visual works in the gift — Ralston Crawford's 1942 "Red Barge #1" and Margaret Bourke-White's USS Akron (1931) — at one point hung in Eckel's office. Crawford was born in Canada but died in Houston, and his precise but joyful colors invite you to step onto the barge.

    Bourke-White was a photographer of Life Magazine fame for whom industrial shapes served as muse. Her USS Akron is an image of a silvery dirigible, a Goodyear zeppelin, in its hangar. Neff described "an optimism, that positive energy directed at new American technology" at this particular moment. The zeppelin's fate was not a happy one — it tragically crashed two years later, killing all its passengers. But an American enthusiasm pervades the image. It is as if the Akron might rise up at any moment.

    Don't miss the frame, either, which is made of duralumin, the same material as the USS Akron, and mimics its girder construction. Oddly enough, these frames were once given to Goodyear tire salesmen as rewards for exceptional sales. Neff explained, "This is a moment in American culture in which the some of the greatest artists most amazing artists were allied with industry to create some of the most amazing, glamorized pictures of American industry."

    Perhaps the greatest single focus of Eckel's gift came in a series of sculptures by Harry Bertoia, famous for designing an iconic and still popular webbed chair. Bertoia trained in metal craft at the Cranbrook Academy of Art. His skill with metals allowed him to unify industrial materials and organic shape.

    "This kind of work by Bertoia has been on my wish list for years," Greene admitted. Viewers will be treated to bushes, dandelions, cactus, willow, and sprays of vegetation all in a wonderful array of colors. Metal has rarely looked so delicate and so vibrant. One larger work made of gilded copper and brass, Untitled, has the feel of the exposes innards of a beehive, the color dripping down like honey.

    If the furniture Wormley, Evans, and Kagan wow you, wait until you get to beautifully furnished Alice Pratt Brown Gallery, where the temptation to sit on the furniture and enjoy the view might prove irresistible. The great surprise for me was Japanese designer Shrio Kuramata, whose How High the Moon Chair provides an instantly recognizable twist as the solidity of metal feels downright airy. His wit continues in the gravity-defying Umbrella Stand and clever K-Series Floor Lights, which mimic the silhouettes of ghosts.

    The Sprit of Modernism indicates that the modern is brash and sleek, like Mad Men. But my favorite object in the Alice Pratt Brown gallery, Kuramta's delicate Floating Feather, a feather delicately suspended in acrylic, tells another story. It proves modern can also be subtle and graceful.

    unspecified
    news/entertainment

    Rich's reborn

    Essential Houston LGBT dance club reopens in original Midtown location

    Eric Sandler
    Jun 17, 2025 | 1:00 pm
    Rich's nightclub Houston
    Courtesy of Rich's
    The new Rich's intends to be a concert venue.

    Houston nightclub Rich’s has reopened its original location on San Jacinto, but the venue aims to reach a broader audience than it did as a LGBTQ-focused dance club.

    First opened in 1983, owner Jeff Harmon moved Rich’s to 202 Tuam in 2019. Earlier this year, Harmon rebranded the property that property as the Montrose Country Club, an all-day restaurant and bar with a pool. Those changes paved the way for Rich’s to return to 2401 San Jacinto with an upgraded audio-visual system and a refreshed interior.

    While Rich’s will always welcome the LGBTQ community — it will host the official afterparty for this year’s Pride Parade on Saturday, June 28 — its new iteration is primarily an event space that will host everything from weddings and corporate meets to concerts of all musical genres. Notably, Rich's will only be open for events and concerts. It won't be open on weekends for regular service.

    “It is now a multipurpose venue open to all types of events,” entertainment consultant and talent booker Rich Pangilinan tells CultureMap. “It is no longer strictly a nightclub. It is no longer just a LGBT venue.”

    One of the most noticeable changes is the interior. Instead of the dark walls one might expect in a nightclub, the walls and floor are a more neutral shade.

    “Event planners can come in and hold different types of events that are catered to their needs. There’s no limitations to this venue now,” Pangilinan says.

    Harmon also invested $1 million into upgrading the lights and sound, according to Pangilinan. Rich’s is one of a handful of venues in Houston using Void speakers, an internationally-recognized name for venues of this type. Since it reopened in April, the venue has hosted hip hop concerts and a performance by superstar DJ Paul Oakenfold.

    “Jeff is proud of the way the renovations have turned out. It’s a lot more upscale,” Pangilinan says. “Previously, the second floor had multiple rooms. They've been removed. It’s one big space with areas for people to socialize.”

    For the Pride Parade party, Rich’s will host Italian DJ Danny Verde. The evening will also include photo installations, surprise performances, and pride-themed cocktails. Tickets start at $25 for general admission with various VIP packages available. Get more details at the Rich’s website.

    Rich's nightclub Houston
      

    Courtesy of Rich's

    The new Rich's intends to be a concert venue.

    nightlifeopeningrich's houston
    news/entertainment
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