Ray & Charles Eames

Eames Demetrios, the grandson of Ray (1912-88) and Charles Eames (1907-78), has recently made historic footage and photographs of his grandparents' work available to the public. His short presentation includes a clip from the earliest Charles Eames film (1939), shot at Cranbrook Institute and featuring legendary Finnish ceramist Majlis Grotell (1899-1973).

The Prints and Photographs Division of the Library of Congress retains extensive holdings related to Ray and Charles Eames, more than 750,000 items dating from roughly 1940 to 1978. Ten years ago, the LC partnered with the Vitra Design Museum to organize an exhibition of the Eameses' considerable oeuvre. The online manifestation of this exhibit is still available to the public here.

Eames Demetrios curates the online Design, Architecture and Sustainability FilmFest (DASFilmFest.com). Currently screening is Ross Lovegrove's Bamboo Bicycle (2009), but the archive includes footage of St. Mary's Church in Helena, Arkansas (1935) and the Meyer House in St. Louis, Missouri (1936). Check out the Mozart Symphony No. 40 in G-Minor in the brick!

Image above: Clip from The Design Genius of Charles & Ray Eames (Eames Demetrios on TED Posted July 2009) at: http://www.ted.com/talks/the_design_genius_of_charles_and_ray_eames.html