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Unpacking the Archive
Unpacking Wright's archive of more than two million objects, on the 150th anniversary of the master architect's birth
Published for a major exhibition at The Museum of Modern Art, this catalog reveals new perspectives on the work of Frank Lloyd Wright, a designer so prolific and familiar as to nearly preclude critical reexamination. Structured as a series of inquiries into the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation Archives (recently acquired by MoMA and Avery Architectural & Fine Arts Library, Columbia University), the book is a collection of scholarly explorations rather than an attempt to construct a master narrative. Each chapter centers on a key object from the archive that an invited author has -unpacked--- tracing its meanings and connections, and juxtaposing it with other works from the archive, from MoMA, or from outside collections. Wright's quest to build a mile-high skyscraper reveals him to be one of the earliest celebrity architects, using television, press relations and other forms of mass media to advance his own self-crafted image. A little-known project for a Rosenwald School for African-American children, together with other projects that engage Japanese and Native American culture, ask provocative questions about Wright's positions on race and cultural identity. Still other investigations engage the architect's lifelong dedication to affordable and do-it-yourself housing, as well as the ecological systems, both social and environmental, that informed his approach to cities, landscapes and even ornament. The publication aims to open up Wright's work to questions, interrogations and debates, and to highlight interpretations by contemporary scholars, both established Wright experts and others considering this iconic figure from new and illuminating perspectives.
Published for a major exhibition at The Museum of Modern Art, this catalog reveals new perspectives on the work of Frank Lloyd Wright, a designer so prolific and familiar as to nearly preclude critical reexamination. Structured as a series of inquiries into the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation Archives (recently acquired by MoMA and Avery Architectural & Fine Arts Library, Columbia University), the book is a collection of scholarly explorations rather than an attempt to construct a master narrative. Each chapter centers on a key object from the archive that an invited author has -unpacked--- tracing its meanings and connections, and juxtaposing it with other works from the archive, from MoMA, or from outside collections. Wright's quest to build a mile-high skyscraper reveals him to be one of the earliest celebrity architects, using television, press relations and other forms of mass media to advance his own self-crafted image. A little-known project for a Rosenwald School for African-American children, together with other projects that engage Japanese and Native American culture, ask provocative questions about Wright's positions on race and cultural identity. Still other investigations engage the architect's lifelong dedication to affordable and do-it-yourself housing, as well as the ecological systems, both social and environmental, that informed his approach to cities, landscapes and even ornament. The publication aims to open up Wright's work to questions, interrogations and debates, and to highlight interpretations by contemporary scholars, both established Wright experts and others considering this iconic figure from new and illuminating perspectives.
- GenresArchitectureHistory
256 pages, Hardcover
Published June 27, 2017
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About the author
Frank Lloyd Wright
466 books146 followersFrank Lloyd Wright was one of the world's most prominent and influential architects.
He developed a series of highly individual styles, influenced the design of buildings all over the world, and to this day remains America's most famous architect.
Wright was also well known in his lifetime. His colorful personal life frequently made headlines, most notably for the failure of his first two marriages and for the 1914 fire and murders at his Taliesin studio.
He developed a series of highly individual styles, influenced the design of buildings all over the world, and to this day remains America's most famous architect.
Wright was also well known in his lifetime. His colorful personal life frequently made headlines, most notably for the failure of his first two marriages and for the 1914 fire and murders at his Taliesin studio.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
March 21, 2018
A propósito de los 150 años del natalicio del genio de la arquitectura el Museo de Arte Moderno de Nueva York presento una exposición de gran trascendencia, este libro es parte de ese esfuerzo y siguiendo la misma temática se publicó paralelamente
En 2012 el MoMA de NY llegó a un acuerdo sin precedentes incorporado a su acervo miles de dibujos y documentos integrantes de los archivos del arquitecto Lloyd Wright, integrando así el más vasto cúmulo de información sobre la vida y obra de este talentoso creativo.
Para festejar su 150 aniversario el museo propuso a un vasto grupo de curadores y expertos en el tema explorar el archivo y profundizar en un tema de su interés. Fue así como se logró una muy interesante investigación, que sin seguir las clásicas líneas monográficas y biográficas diaron luz a nuevos aspectos sobre el trabajo del arquitecto norteamericano.
Este libro enriquece enormemente lo que hasta ahora se sabía del arquitecto, se dan matices no pensados y se acerca a sus creaciones desde nuevos ángulos. Dieciséis exploraciones comprenden la estructura del libro, dieciséis historias sobre dieciséis momentos claves en la trayectoria de este maestro universal.
Indispensable adición a la biblioteca de cualquier arquitecto, sobre todo de los fanáticos de Frank que no somos pocos.
En 2012 el MoMA de NY llegó a un acuerdo sin precedentes incorporado a su acervo miles de dibujos y documentos integrantes de los archivos del arquitecto Lloyd Wright, integrando así el más vasto cúmulo de información sobre la vida y obra de este talentoso creativo.
Para festejar su 150 aniversario el museo propuso a un vasto grupo de curadores y expertos en el tema explorar el archivo y profundizar en un tema de su interés. Fue así como se logró una muy interesante investigación, que sin seguir las clásicas líneas monográficas y biográficas diaron luz a nuevos aspectos sobre el trabajo del arquitecto norteamericano.
Este libro enriquece enormemente lo que hasta ahora se sabía del arquitecto, se dan matices no pensados y se acerca a sus creaciones desde nuevos ángulos. Dieciséis exploraciones comprenden la estructura del libro, dieciséis historias sobre dieciséis momentos claves en la trayectoria de este maestro universal.
Indispensable adición a la biblioteca de cualquier arquitecto, sobre todo de los fanáticos de Frank que no somos pocos.
September 9, 2017
Full of essays that analyze Wright's approach to architecture and the phases and ideas he evolved through over the course of his career, this is not light reading. We bought the book as we saw the related exhibit at MoMA. As with the exhibit, it is a fascinating look at how his career developed, and how he continually pondered the role of architecture in American societies both urban and rural.
November 17, 2019
Featuring architectural drawings, this book focuses on a few buildings. In our we see how he incorporated landscaping into his designs.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews