Friday, September 23, 2011

Frank Gehry (Bonus Blog)

This is another response to an artist, but this time I'm choosing the architect Frank Gehry. Gehry is a current, Canadian, Pitzer-Prize (an annual award to honor "a living architect whose built work demonstrates a combination of those qualities of talent, vision, and commitment, which has produced consistent and significant contributions to humanity and the built environment through the art of architecture") winning, architect. He creates ridiculously cool modern buildings and his works are cited as being among the most important works of contemporary architecture, he was named "the most important architecture of our age" by Vanity Fair in 2010. (http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/features/2010/08/architecture-survey-201008?currentPage=all) His work falls in the postmodern architecture offshoot, deconstructivism (meaning it's based off the ideas of fragmentation). Deconstructivism is very different from other forms of architecture in that it doesn't try to express overwhelming ideas of society or even a belief that form follows function (the shape of the building is based upon the building's specific use). His architecture just is. 

This is an actual building in New York, finished in February. It's 76 stories high with a titanium and glass facade. 
The Experience Music Project in Seattle, Washington

The reason why I like Gehry's work so much is the fact that most of his buildings have nothing to do with being functional. That isn't his first thought when he sits down and drafts, he wants his buildings to be visually interesting and he gets a lot of criticism because of it. 

Dancing Hall in Prague 

Gehry isn't only an architect, he also created a line of jewelry, furniture, and sculptures.  
A chair designed by Gehry based off his fish motif.

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