"In the work of every American playwright at the end of the twentieth century, there are only two stages: before she or he has read Maria Irene Fornes -- and after." Though Paula Vogel's words are a fitting tribute to this dramatist's sensitive works, it's not surprising if Fornes' name draws a b

Contemporary plays, Dark, Enigmatic, Event, Feminist theater, Ironic, Kinetic, Surreal

Crowds, conspiracies, consumer society, and futile attempts to thwart despair -- these are the trademark features of the work of Don DeLillo, a prolific American novelist at the edge of contemporary trends. DeLillo is undoubtedly an ironist, as his characters relentlessly mock their relation to

Catastrophe, Death, Ironic, Neo-ironic, Postmodern fiction, Smart, Witty

"Windows are the great unsung heroes of image communication: They are 3-D billboards bolted to the front of your store." In the early '80s, Simon Doonan changed our concept of "window shopping." Part elaborate artistic creation, part unbridled sales promotion, Doonan's windows heralded a new phase of

Glamour, Ironic, Pop, Quirky, Surreal

We say that the French have a certain "joie de vivre," but Italians have something else more difficult to label. Italian culture couples a love of beauty with an ability to laugh at itself. The designs of Milan-born architect Alessandro Mendini embrace this attitude with their color and humor -- thou

Decorative, Funny, Ironic, Pop/surrealism/anti-design, Repetition