Wright’s building made it socially and culturally acceptable for an architect to design a highly expressive, intensely personal museum. In this sense almost every museum of our time is a child of the Guggenheim. ~ Paul Goldberger
Today is Frank Lloyd Wright’s birthday (June 8, 1867 – April 9, 1959), architect of the loved Guggenheim Museum in New York. According to architect Philip Johnson, this is Wright’s ‘greatest building, New York’s greatest building.’
There is an old saying about the Guggenheim; you come to see Kandinsky or Picasso, but you stay to see Frank Lloyd Wright. ~ Ultan Guilfoyle
Unfortunately, Wright didn’t get to see the museum open as he passed away 6 months prior.
I wrote about the Guggenheim, and the controversy surrounding it, in a previous blog post, here: The Guggenheim Museum: in ‘All’ its glory
On the West Coast, one of his residential achievements, made famous in particular by the movie Bladerunner, is the Ennis House. Set in the hills of Los Feliz with wonderful views over a low lying Los Angeles, Wright designed the home for Charles and Mabel Ennis in 1923. It was built a year later.
Frank Lloyd Wright designed over 1000 structures, and completed half of them.
I’ll leave you with a quote by the architect himself that, for me, sums up the success and beauty of these two works especially:
Form follows function – that has been misunderstood. Form and function should be one, joined in a spiritual union.
love him, he really has a way with lines and curves
yes, I agree! As he was quoted as saying, a’spiritual union.’ Thank you!
😉
Hi Marina, I’m so glad you’ve marked this anniversary. He truly was a remarkable architect. I love the quote ‘form and function should be one’. I’m also glad you included the link to the blog post containing the photograph that started my blogging career, I enjoyed the post once again. Thank you. 😉
Hi Adrian! What a great quote that is – I am so glad you enjoyed it. And of course, I saw that empty gallery space as I scrolled through the blog post and thought of you! It’s lovely to note that moment 🙂 Congrats on sharing your love for photography with us since then! I have yet to see more of his works – these two buildings are standouts for me. Thank you!
Hey Marina – I’m with Chillbrook – I love the quote “Form and function should be one, joined in a spiritual union.” There-in lies the challenge with design.
Have a great weekend. 🙂
Wright did a pretty good job of it – I think the Guggenheim NY is an excellent example. Where else is such a rotunda used so very well? Especially in that exhibit I blogged about a while back – Cattelan’s exhibit ‘ALL’. They used the centre of the space! genius! Thanks Syders! have a great weekend too.
Nice. One of the stairwalks I do goes past the house. I like the shot of LA thru the rod iron.
Hi Karen! Great to hear from you. It’s a great area isn’t it? Thanks for the comment about the photo – I just love the details of the home. Thank you!
Sweet opening shot! So much grace and drama! Have a great weekend Marina!! 🙂
I love that – grace and drama! I took that in my first few days of dslr use end of last year. I must have fluked it 🙂 thanks Shira, and happy weekend!
Love the first shot and all the white and black in it. Really dynamic.
Barbara, thank you! You’re mastering the b/w so your comment is lovely to read 🙂 I appreciate it and happy you like it!
Beautiful opening shot. I have wonderful memories of a visit to the Guggenheim in NY.
Thanks so much Roger. It’s a great building and happy to bring some of those moments back to you 🙂
Very informative again! And I hope you have a nice weekend!
Glad you enjoyed this post sweetkitten! Happy weekend to you!
love the first pic…where every one in the fame is taking a pic!
That’s when the exhibit was hanging within the rotunda as opposed to being along the edges. Thank you!
Great quote and photos! When I lived in Pittsburgh, I visited Falling waters twice. Fascinating architecture!
Thanks fergiemoto, glad you liked the words and pics 🙂 I have a pen all from grade 8 in Pittsburgh! May need to visit him and his family of 5 soon 🙂
I remember reading your blog about this museum! Happy belated birthday Frank Lloyd Wright! I love the last picture, great composition of the panorama of the city through the ornaments!
Hi Kristina! yes, that last picture is through the gates of the home. Can you imagine having such a beautiful gate, and a view of LA, and a house as masterfully built as that?! Thank you!
Late reading this – playing catch up since returning from May Misadventures. FLW – a fav – your photos capture his brilliance well. Cheers!
Hi! Yes, I have been reading about your gallivants in Europe! Glad you liked these pics – these are the only masterpieces of his I have seen! Thank you!
I was just there a week ago. It truly is an awesome building the Guggenheim. I was so disappojnted that I couldn’t bring in my camera.
But I got some shots standing at the entrance section, will post it soon.
No camera? Not even in the rotunda? The Guggenheim is wonderful – glad you enjoyed it there last week!
Another wonderful post!
Karen, thank you! I am happy you enjoyed it 🙂
Great post! 🙂
Thank you 🙂
Wright’s works are a national treasure- I didn’t realize that Ennis House was in Blade Runner!
yes! the exteriors were shot on location but interiors reproduced! I am going to have to watch the movie again as I have a post I need to pull together on the Bradbury Building!Thank you!
Marina…..As I’m cleaning out 3000 email notifications my eye caught your FLW post title and I just had to run over here! Bravo to you to celebrate his birthday with a lovely series of photographs! Each one is a gorgeous shot. I’ve not been to any of these buildings. But they are on my bucket list. I’ve seen the Ennis home in a book, and I was enthralled with the detail of the exterior. I love your shot through the gate! The Guggenheim, of course, is a must-see for me, too! But I’ve never been to NYC, even though I grew up in upstate NY! 😉 I hope to post Fallingwater soon. We saw it this spring. Thanks again for a great post!
Judy – 3000 email notifications? Wow! Where did they come from?! So glad you took a look at this post – it makes me so happy that you were able to take a look at it 🙂 The Ennis House is a real gem – and you must visit NYC (in fall! not as hot and humid) Great to hear from you!
oh…they’ve been piling up in my account since we went on vacation in April. I never took the time to get it cleaned out. I finally did tonight! Thanks for great posts!
Oh wow!! Good luck 🙂 Enjoy some blog reading time!
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