Wright Now!

Yes .... we've been gone a few days trying to finish up a project and get caught up on some other things, but we're back and couldn't be more excited about an exhibition happening right now here in New York! Fifty years after the realization of Frank Lloyd Wright’s renowned design, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum celebrates the golden anniversary of its landmark building with the exhibition Frank Lloyd Wright: From Within Outward. We were fortunate enough to get a sneak preview of this incredible show that starts today and runs through August 23rd and we're eager to share some photos with you and give some insight on what you can expect to see. The show brings together sixty-four projects designed by one of the most influential architects of the 20th century including privately commissioned residences, civic and government buildings, houses of worship and performance spaces, as well as unrealized urban mega-structures. This includes more than 200 original Frank Lloyd Wright drawings, many of which are on view to the public for the first time, in addition to newly commissioned models and digital animations.

Highlights of the exhibit include newly created three-dimensional scale models that examine the internal mechanics of functional space in relation to exterior form in a variety of Wright’s projects. Among these are an exploded version of the Herbert Jacobs House (Madison, Wisconsin, 1937); a mirrored model for Unity Temple; and a sectional model of Beth Sholom Synagogue (Elkins Park, Pennsylvania, 1953). Large-scale models of unrealized urban projects, including his Plan for Greater Baghdad (1957), the Crystal City for Washington, D.C. (1940), and the Pittsburgh Point Civic Center (1947), provide insight into Wright’s visions for the landscapes of the city. Several of the architectural models on display were done by Kennedy Fabrications and are so beautifully and masterfully executed that they can stand alone as true works of art.

Wright designed over 400 built structures of which about 300 still survive as of 2005, but we found many of his unrealized designs on display truly fascinating. They seem to really showcase just how incredibly imaginative and groundbreaking this design visionary truly was. What's also nice about this particular show is how comprehensive it is without being overwhelming. The CEO of the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, Phil Allsopp, told us this approach was quite purposeful so that viewers could really enjoy each aspect of the exhibit. He went on tell us that they have enough archival material from Mr. Wright to put on a similar show every year for the next one hundred years without ever displaying the same thing twice. That's pretty impressive, but do yourself a favor and go enjoy this particular show happening "Wright Now." And if for some reason you can't make it, click here to purchase the book that documents this landmark exhibition. (above photos courtesy of Brad Ford I.D.)