On Summit

When people talk about men's ties, you can expect to hear opinions about width, pattern, and color. At a higher level (and usually among tie aficionados and devotees), the conversation inevitably drifts to the knot; the shape of the knot, the size in relation to the collar, and the number of moves it takes to execute a particular knot. What's rarely brought up in these conversations is proper tie length. Maybe people don't notice. Maybe they think it doesn't matter. Maybe they assume that length is simply a function of the cut and shape of the tie (and therefore beyond the wearer's control). To these points, I offer the following: there is a proper length, you should notice, it does matter, and it can be controlled. To be clear, the tip of your tie should land at the middle of the waistband/belt buckle. "Tie length? Yuuuge, right?" Donald Trump consistently wears his ties at cartoonish lengths. Maybe it's part of the Republican platfo...

I recently reviewed Sold Out , the Tim Rietenbach exhibition at Angela Meleca Gallery for Columbus Underground. If you haven't had the chance to see it, go now. It's a terrific show that plants its flag in that aesthetic sweet spot just between incisive and cynical. It's an exhibition that's piercing in its cultural observations, but somehow generous as well. Rietenbach has an approach to art making that acknowledges the conceptual elements of art in the 21st century while managing to hold a high degree of visual interest. And while I discussed a number of the pieces in the show in some detail, I made absolutely no mention (save an illustration) of what was undoubtedly my favorite piece. For all it's apparent simplicity, Rietenbcach's Brutus serves as ground zero for so many potential discussions it's hard to know where to begin.   Tim Rietenbach, Brutus , 2015 33 1/2" x 31 1/4" Let's start with the formal elements. Brutus clearly ...