Hammer Museum exhibits 'Between Earth and Heaven ~ The Architecture of John Lautner' |
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| Monday, 21 July 2008 04:00 |
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LOS ANGELES.- John Lautner (1911-94), one of the most important and influential architects of the twentieth century, had a remarkable career spanning nearly six decades. Residing and working in Los Angeles during much of that time, his designs are known for their radical innovation with specific attention to materiality, space and a consciousness of the natural environment. The Hammer Museum brings John Lautner’s legacy and creative process by presenting the first major exhibition survey of his work: Between Earth and Heaven: The Architecture of John Lautner, on view through October 12, 2008. While Lautner has attained a cult-like status in the world of architecture and design, until now his achievement remains little known and often misunderstood by the public at large –- from his infamous coffee-shop “Googie” style at the start of his career; the misperception of his poetic experiments with form as Space Age or dystopic; to the dismissal of his later, perhaps most meditative houses, as Hollywood showcase. An aesthetic, philosophical and social visionary, Lautner made buildings that continue to amaze architects and patrons alike with their formal variety and freedom, their structural originality and their sculptural force. Lautner’s work has come to represent some of the most important examples of architecture in Southern California including private residences such as Elrod House (1968) in Palm Springs and Malin House (1960) in Los Angeles -- also known as the “Chemosphere,” which hovers high over a canyon balanced on a single support -- all iconic examples of his work and vision. Lautner is often referred to as an architect’s architect and many renowned practitioners, such as Frank Gehry, have cited him as an abiding influence. One can see the influence and legacy of his vision time and again in the work of architects that have followed him. “This exhibition is long overdue as it recognizes one of architecture’s greatest visionaries,” says Ann Philbin, Director of the Hammer Museum. “We hope it will encourage wider recognition of Lautner’s work and working methods which have contributed so greatly to Southern California’s art and design history.”  Curated by historian Nicholas Olsberg and architect Frank Escher, Between Earth and Heaven will feature an exhibition design that is as visceral an experience as Lautner’s buildings themselves. Newly crafted large-scale models will give a sense of the internal spaces and scale of key projects and digital animations will reveal Lautner’s construction processes. Short color films by prize-winning documentarian Murray Grigor will convey the sensation of movement through these buildings and their sites, helping the visitor to feel the “vitality within repose” that Lautner sought to create. Surrounding this dramatic core will be a wealth of archival materials, including never-before-seen drawings, architectural renderings, study models and construction photographs which will offer visitors insight into how the structures and spaces unfolded in Lautner’s mind and emerged physically in their settings. An international tour is planned for Between Earth and Heaven: The Architecture of John Lautner, which will bring the exhibition to audiences in cities in the United States as well as Europe. Accompanying the exhibition at the Hammer will be a richly illustrated and comprehensive full-color catalogue published by Rizzoli International Publications, Inc. HAMMER MUSEUM 10899 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles CA 90024 | 310-443-7020 | www.hammer.ucla.edu Click on logo below to add this article to your favorite Social Website ~ |
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