RANDOM THOUGHTS
Journal ICONIX
Art Publishing | Art Restoration | Print Specs | Partners
Thank you for your interest in Pop-Arts-Iconix (PAI). Here's some background on what we're doing and why.It started with a disaster.
The idea flashed into existence inside a jam-packed Hollywood Memorabilia Shop. I was meeting Roy Windham at his store, Baby Jane's of Hollywood. We were reviewing 8X10 original negatives from his vast collection of Hollywood Photography.
Roy opened an envelope I was returning with 24 negatives inside. As he opened the flap a strong smell (like vinegar) exploded out. Roy's face went white. At first I thought he was going to pass out -- overcome by the fumes. But instead, he went in to hyper-speed, flipping through the negatives.
Then he stopped, held a shot of Hedy Lamarr in his hand and said in the saddest possible voice, "Oh, see. There it is." and handed me the negative. It had horrible cracks, like earthquake fissures, running through the emulsion. It was ruined.
Time is the enemy.
What happened? The last time I looked (just a week earlier) the negative was pristine, perfect. Roy is very careful with his collection. But, it turns out that the marriage of photographic emulsion and plastic is not a perfect union -- sooner or later all negatives implode. Even the ones sitting in museum vaults and newspaper archives.
You may have heard that 50% of the motion picture film shot prior to 1950 has deteriorated to the point of total loss. Well, this is also true of still photographs. Color slides exposed as late as the 1970's are starting to lose resolution and color saturation. And it gets worse -- original illustrations, paintings, and sketches from magazine covers, fashion designs, patent applications, sheet music and album covers are disintegrating.
Everyday, important artwork is lost forever.
Re-mastering the past.
That day in Hollywood, we decided to fight back, to take on father time. And so, PAI has embarked on an ambitious plan to create digital clones of original artwork and vintage prints before they're lost to the ages.
We're focusing our efforts by working with private collectors and artist estates that don't have the resources to engage in a digital restoration program of their own. Our plan is to build (over time) an important archive of commercial art that can be enjoyed and studied by future generations.
Helvetica, sans-serif">Why pop-arts.com?
To help fund our efforts, we've launched this site. We want to create an online center that keeps classic pop culture alive and relevant. Please know we reinvest a large portion of each sale into scanning, restoring and exhibiting these works of art. The site is designed to for everyone - whether you're a true aficionado looking for interesting items or a casual fan trying to find something cool for your den. We hope you enjoy the art.
Thanks again for your time, please feel free to email us with any comments and questions. Constructive criticism is always appreciated.
