Frank Lloyd Wright at 150
A new show at MOMA examines his artistic side
Embracing new angles, opening oneself to experimentation, and concluding before the passion is gone – initiating a design piece is much like exploring a new lover. Few architects exemplify this as well as Frank Lloyd Wright, whose work is the subject of the Museum of Modern Art’s new show, Frank Lloyd Wright at 150: Unpacking the Archive, now through October 1.
The unpacking is both figurative and literal, as audiences are invited to consider Wright as a whole artist. Lesser-known pieces remind viewers that creatives of Wright’s iconic status often work in multiple areas, not solely that in which they earned fame. A musician sketches, a designer sings, and in this case, an architect designs textiles that reverberate the geometry of Fallingwater. The exhibition comprises roughly 450 examples of architectural drawings and models, films, television broadcasts, furniture, textiles, paintings, scrapbooks, and other rarities from Wright’s oeuvre. When absorbed collectively, one sees why his work remains evergreen, and glimpses how he kindled his passion for design.
