a conversation with Blackman Cruz

<br style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;">"Style is a simple way of saying complicated things."</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">- Jean Cocteau</span><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7029/6812378619_441dbefc8b_b.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7029/6812378619_441dbefc8b_b.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 769px; height: 1024px;" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7163/6812381739_619b60a43d_b.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7163/6812381739_619b60a43d_b.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 1024px; height: 769px;" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">(all photography by <a href="http://lendonflanagan.com/">Lendon Flanagan</a>)</span><br /></div><br /><br />"And what costume shall the poor girl wear<br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">To all tomorrow's parties </span></span><br />Why silks and linens of yesterday's gowns<br />To all tomorrow's parties"<br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 153, 153);">- Velvet Underground, "All Tomorrow's Parties"</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; color: rgb(51, 0, 0);font-size:180%;" >Adam Blackman and David Cruz</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 0, 0);font-size:180%;" > </span> begin in 1993 as a resource for adventurous collectors and designers who "share their passion for exceptional, idiosyncratic furniture and accessories." Their 9,000 sq/ft showroom is in the heart of Los Angeles on Highland. Their product line, BC Workshop, is produced locally by artisans and craftsmen. Both of their exquisite homes were featured in last year' s coffee table book, <span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(51, 0, 0);font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dealer’s Choice</span></span>:<span style="font-style: italic;"> At Home with Purveyors of Antique and Vintage Furnishings</span>. Whether you are a designer, collector, or a voyeur, their newly redesigned website is a perfect entry into what they find beautiful. Their palette is textural, masculine, full of shape-shifting shadows, utilizing materials of bronze, velvets, and glass. And if you are very quiet, you might just hear the whispers.... <br style="font-style: italic;"><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7024/6812381463_2b15cc36a7_b.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7024/6812381463_2b15cc36a7_b.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 750px; height: 999px;" /></a><br /><br />"Stay a while my inner child<br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">I'd like to learn your tricks</span></span><br />Know what makes you tick...<br />Some <span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(102, 0, 0);font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">universal elegance</span></span>....<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">- Conor Oberst</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><br />How would you describe the Blackman Cruz design philosophy & general vibe of Blackman Cruz?<br /><br /></span></span>Masculine.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">Your work has level of detail in the fabrication process. What’s the attraction to working with metal, and bronze in specific?<br /><br /></span></span>The permanence of bronze. It will be around for generations to come.<br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:130%;" ><br /><br style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Are your BC Workshop pieces fabricated in Los Angeles?<br /><br /></span></span>We are proud to say that all of the pieces that we have designed for the BC Workshop are in fact completely manufactured in Los Angeles.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">If Blackman Cruz was a song or a musical group, what would it be?</span></span><br /><br />Conor Oberst. "Bright Eyes"<br />The Velvet Underground.<br />or perhaps, Leonard Cohen.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">How many designers are currently working on BC WORKSHOP pieces? </span></span><br />There are 3 of us.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">How many pieces are created each year?</span></span><br /><br />Depending on our inspiration....about a dozen each year.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">Does BC do interior design projects? </span></span><br /><br />No, we don't do design projects. We are asked frequently..<br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:130%;" ><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Countries to travel to looking for items for Blackman Cruz?</span></span><br /><br />Italy, Mexico and Belgium.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">The bat incense holder?<br /><br /></span></span>The bat incense burner was based on a 19th century Japanese piece. As you very well know, bats are a symbol of good luck and bring happiness and peace.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">PROBE, the gay dance club that was once featured in American Gigolo, is the LA headquarters for Blackman Cruz. I’m bummed I never got to go PROBE, because there is a certain joy in seeing spaces transformed.<br /><br />Do you still feel the energy of that old gay dance club?</span></span><br /><br />The feeling of our showroom is alive with the days of The Probe. The energy of our space is very fluid and every once in a while we get a subtle smell of sweat and poppers. Lol.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">Any reservations when you first saw the space?</span></span><br /><br />We fell in love with the space immediately. It has great provenance and all kidding aside, the feeling and flow is marvelous.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">Any particular <span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);">BC WORKSHOP</span> piece that you have a particular fondness for?</span></span><br /><br />We love all of our children just the same.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7160/6812379097_b7493818f0_b.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7160/6812379097_b7493818f0_b.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 1024px; height: 652px;" /></a><a href="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7155/6812381347_e2db18a00f_b.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7155/6812381347_e2db18a00f_b.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 1024px; height: 769px;" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 153, 153);">Hard lines carved in your face </span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">The sunshine's so cliche </span></span><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 153, 153);">Just like love and pain </span><br style="color: rgb(153, 153, 153);"><span style="color: rgb(153, 153, 153);"> You tried your best the rorschach test </span><br style="color: rgb(153, 153, 153);"><span style="color: rgb(153, 153, 153);"> But there's just nothing to see</span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UIWCxSmAI_w" style="font-style: italic;">- Bright Eyes, The Beginner's Mind</a><br /><br /><br /><span class="white"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blackmancruz.com"><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(51, 0, 0);font-size:180%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">Blackman Cruz</span></span></a> <span style="font-style: italic;">is a ride through a curated collection of intriguing objects and design — brought together by two adventurous minds. </span></span><span style="font-style: italic;">Adam Blackman and David Cruz created Blackman Cruz as a resource for collectors and designers who share their passion for offbeat curiosities. The ever-changing selection of unexpected oddities is housed in an equally offbeat location — a former infamous nightclub once featured in American Gigolo. The 9000-square-foot showroom is also home to Blackman Cruzʼs own product line, BC Workshop.</span><br /><br /><p><span class="gray2"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Visit:</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">836 North Highland Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90038</span></span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span class="gray2"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span></span></p><br style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">-----</span>

a conversation with Blackman Cruz

"Style is a simple way of saying complicated things." - Jean Cocteau (all photography by Lendon Flanagan ) "And what costume ...

Read more »