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Cats and Their Designers
Mies, a Devon Rex cat. Gary Venter, New Zealand
Three days before I was born, my grandfather's business partner passed away, and I was named for him. Had he survived, I would have been named Rebecca. But instead, I was named for Jack — Jewish tradition allowing for the first initial to honor the name of the deceased loved one.
Jack's last name was Katz and I've always wondered: what if Jewish tradition bowed to the last instead of the first name? Would I have been Katherine, Karen, Kimberly? Or might things have taken an even odder turn, like that which befell the immigrant haberdasher, Horatio Katz, back in 1849 when his name was mis-translated as "feline" which was subsequently misinterpreted as Filene?
No such problem for our true feline companions, who dwell in and around the studios of so many designers, a sampling of whom are shown here. Not one of them is named Jessica, by the way. (Nor, for that matter, Jack or Horatio.) But we've got an Adolf and a Fyodor, a Mies and a Monotone, even a Fred and a Lucy. (No Ethel or Ricky, however.)
Behold: our collection of feline wonders, and the designers who named them.
[Canine lovers can find solace in our original post, Dogs and Their Designers.]
Comments (35) | JUMP TO MOST RECENT COMMENT >>
Maybe it says that people with less pigmentation value animals as equals
-or they
Invite them readily onto their designed spaces with expectations that pets are more adaptable to their design than
humans accepting of a lessor creatures natural habitat?
-or they
Invite them readily onto their designed spaces with expectations that pets are more adaptable to their design than
humans accepting of a lessor creatures natural habitat?
Devin and Nancy are right: this mix of designers is hardly representative of the variety within the design world. Despite this being an open call for submissions (we did not edit participating contributors), ethnic representation was not achieved. We will try harder next time.
excellent photos! thanks for posting.
to name a cat Mies is to insult the hell out of the master Mies Van der Rohe. he was no feline. would the genius be cuddled like in the picture?
William,
This was not an attack on DO regarding political correctness! Not at all!
I think it's just interesting. I think it's VERY interesting. And it isn't DO that is responsible for the situation at hand.
This was not an attack on DO regarding political correctness! Not at all!
I think it's just interesting. I think it's VERY interesting. And it isn't DO that is responsible for the situation at hand.
My comment was more about pigmentation. Though I do realize I am seeing this in a rgb color space.
As I have noted elsewhere I find it interesting to notice people's tendency of color to lean toward either magenta or yellow or even tinged with cyan instead of just evaluations in shades of K on that scale.
As I have noted elsewhere I find it interesting to notice people's tendency of color to lean toward either magenta or yellow or even tinged with cyan instead of just evaluations in shades of K on that scale.
Matthew & Abby, you are handsome! Great Picture.
designobserver should not be called to task on not featuring a representative sample of the designer population. even if they did so, what's the big deal? this is not the pseudo aesthetic of abercrombie or the gap et al which is forced to include a black or mixed race person (usually black/white) in every campaign by default.
This was great. I just wish I had remembered to upload my photo. Devin I wonder if my photo would have given you a different perspective?
@Herman
Please read below, I did not call out DO on being Politically Correct.
My question was speaking to a larger issue; Is there racial diversity among Designers in the community; period. Many founders and famous contemporaries are racially homogenous (for the most part).
Though, I would be happy to be disproved.
Please read below, I did not call out DO on being Politically Correct.
My question was speaking to a larger issue; Is there racial diversity among Designers in the community; period. Many founders and famous contemporaries are racially homogenous (for the most part).
Though, I would be happy to be disproved.
If I had seen the call, my cats and I could have added some Canadian "colour"...
How depressing. I love cats, I love design, and I love that some designers are crazy about their felines as i am. I'm not exactly a frequent poster here, but I find the conversation stifling when people notice skin color of these people before their sense of affection. No offense Devin. This isn't to attack you. It was probably a passing observation and no big deal, but it's just the reason why some designers avoid this kind of place... it's sort of hyper-racial-diversity policing that makes something that was easy into something positively rigid.
@Kevin
I thought meticulous scrutiny of detail and the visual is the life and job of a designer?
Mind you, I'm not saying what I said is normal for DO.
I thought meticulous scrutiny of detail and the visual is the life and job of a designer?
Mind you, I'm not saying what I said is normal for DO.
I won't be back. It's just dry as sawdust, Dev. Any sense of surprise and wonder gets fucked by meticulous scrutiny.
I wish I knew about this, I'd have sent a pic!
FWIW I totally agree that a discussion of race seems spectacularly out of place here. A bit baffline.
FWIW I totally agree that a discussion of race seems spectacularly out of place here. A bit baffline.
I fond this site after reading a post at "moderncat.com" and I have to say I LOVED the slideshow! I am a fan of design and of kitties...thanks for this.
I am sorry to see that some people were offended or did not want to come back, etc etc. I thought this was all about our furry friends, the gorgeous, mysterious, beautiful CATS. I loved every single picture. I loved the cat and the owner. They do bring out the best in us, they do bring out the love in us, don't they? Thank you. I am inspired to photograph my two kitties even though the task is next to impossible.
Ciao!
Ciao!
I'll go out on a limb here and say that not everyone in these photos is white - Ahrum Hong? (though you can't see much of him in the photo). And there was at least one person who seemed to be hapa. . .
But that just falls into the trap of assuming that we can tell whether people are 'diverse' or not by looking at them. Just as not all asians 'look same' or are the same, not all white people are either.
Just food for thought! I appreciate the well-considered comments from most of the people above.
Thanks for a cute and inspiring slideshow.
But that just falls into the trap of assuming that we can tell whether people are 'diverse' or not by looking at them. Just as not all asians 'look same' or are the same, not all white people are either.
Just food for thought! I appreciate the well-considered comments from most of the people above.
Thanks for a cute and inspiring slideshow.
As a designer and cat fanatic let me recommend two books - they are obvious frauds, but two of the funniest books you'll ever get:
Dancing With Cats
and
Why Cats Paint: A Theory of Feline Aesthetics
Dancing With Cats
and
Why Cats Paint: A Theory of Feline Aesthetics
actually, i think the end all in cat publishing came in 1949.
The Color Kittens. Are there people in America who have grown up not knowing about Brush and Hush? and all the colors in the world?
The book's famous catch phrase is "Blue is blue, and red is red! They still need green!" RGB
and now look about us, they have marketed green allover, but have the people really seen it?
The Color Kittens. Are there people in America who have grown up not knowing about Brush and Hush? and all the colors in the world?
The book's famous catch phrase is "Blue is blue, and red is red! They still need green!" RGB
and now look about us, they have marketed green allover, but have the people really seen it?
That Norwegian Forest Cat is the most magnificent cat I have ever seen.
hope that geezer isnt just about to do anything nasty to that little cat. he has it looking bloody terrified.
Very funny collection, I love it! My cat also has a designer. I made a picture of us some time ago Link
Where's Martin Venezky's cat Baby Girl? She's the most famous design cat of all time. She put the kool in "kool kat!" Check her out at: http://www.appetiteengineers.com/
This post could be subtitled "designers and their glasses." Everyone, (with the exception of those iconoclasts the Skolos/Wedells), is sporting the squished-rectangle frames du jour.Hmmmmm!
I really enjoyed the slide show. It's not often that we get to visually observe the dynamics of the cat-human relationship. It's as mysterious, funny, and mischievous as the cat itself. You have shown us the nature of this quiet interaction woven with dry humor and affection. It's absolutely lovely. Thank you.
micah mcdaniel
micah mcdaniel
>Everyone, (with the exception of those iconoclasts the Skolos/Wedells), is sporting the squished-rectangle frames du jour.
The reason is obvious. The cats prefer them. (q.e.d.?)
The reason is obvious. The cats prefer them. (q.e.d.?)
cats don't see color...
God had give you a gift....
You nullify the Word of God through your TRADITIONS! JESUS CHRIST(a Jew)
LOL, cats don't see colour... spanner in the works
orale yo soy mexicana, no sabia nada de sus tradicciones.
http://respuesta-rapida.net
http://respuesta-rapida.net
While reading the excellent biography on Cipe Pineles by Martha Scotford, I was delighted to find numerous references to another famed designer who loved cats. William Golden was apparently given any freelance job his wife could come up with that might involve photographing, painting or sculpting his favorite subject: felines.
(I'm writing this as my own little five-week old tries climbing up my pant leg)
(I'm writing this as my own little five-week old tries climbing up my pant leg)
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jessica Helfand is a partner, with William Drenttel, in Winterhouse, a design studio in Northwest Connecticut. She is Senior Critic at Yale, where she is an Associate Fellow in Jonathan Edwards College.
More Bio >>
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DESIGN OBSERVER JOBS
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01.14.09: Ten Things That Need to be Redesigned
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