The extreme contrast of sharp poetic lines from the Guggenheim Museum in Manhattan to Taliesin West located in Arizona’s Sonoran Desert is not surprising considering that the architect of both projects, Frank Lloyd Wright, was heavily influenced by nature (he always spelled it with a capital N). ), and developed a style known as “organic architecture” whereby the built environment of his design blends with the natural environment in which it is located.
The Guggenheim, designed as a vessel for one of America’s leading museums, located on Fifth Avenue, eventually became Wright’s most iconic piece, while Taliesin West is Wright’s winter camp, where he shared his genius. with resourceful architects willing to participate in grueling constructions in exchange for privacy. with such greatness. He did not begin this odyssey in the desert until the age of 70. His genius graced the earth for nearly a century and he died at the age of 91 with dozens of projects still in the works.
I have had the privilege of visiting these two magnificent architectural masterpieces, but most recently I was at Taliesin West. This was Wright’s architecture factory where he constantly experimented. His students were literally at work as they continually built and destroyed.
Coming from a family full of architects, one story in particular sounded a bit more than close. Wright’s wife, Olga (Olgivanna), used to say that she had to be careful what she said to Wright, a man who needed no more than 4 hours of sleep at night. “I mentioned that we might consider breaking down a wall,” Olga stood out for saying, “and immediately called the kids to bring their pickaxes. Well, I said, ‘at least I thought we could have lunch first.'”
This energy is evident everywhere in Taliesin West, where both teacher and student originally lived in tents while sculpting a structure from the sand and rocks of the desert. The allegorical reference to the structure as a ship is everywhere, from the concrete bow walkway that overlooks the desert, to the canvas roof that provided perfect natural light for the hunched doorways, both surely inspired by the experience of living. in tents.
Anyone interested in art should be something of a student of Wright, as his structures built in my mind were literally huge and functional sculptures. In fact, at one point in his career, Wright supported his family with an income by acquiring and selling Japanese art.
In fact, I fell in love with the work of sculptor Heloise Crista, whose sculptures grace the grounds of Taliesin West. Be sure to check back here for more information about her life and work in the future.
So, if you’re near Scottsdale, Arizona, be sure to head to Taliesin West. It will be an event that will change your life!