Thursday, October 21, 2010
The Guggenheim at 51
Today marks the 51st anniversary of the opening of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York City, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and opened six months after his death at the age of 91. There is a brief but excellent description of the history of the building in today's Writer's Almanac.
I visited the museum two years ago. As with many other Wright buildings, the Guggenheim is a space that has the ability to transform the senses, and in keeping with that spirit the museum has partnered with YouTube to sponsor and host a biennial festival of the best in creative online video, a medium that has had transforming effects on our society in the last decade. There is an impressive display of some of this video in the clip above. This evening YouTube will live stream the announcement of the best of those videos submitted for consideration.
It's not lost on me that the building is just a little older than I am; the commitment to embracing change, and showcasing the best of that change in celebration of both the medium and the messenger, is one way that the Guggenheim remains relevant to both society and the intentions of its namesake and its architect.
Have a good day.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
As a self-described museum wonk, you'd think I would have been to the Guggenheim, but I've never been there. Spent part of the day at the Hirshhorn at the Smithsonian last week. It's an interesting building, but I guess I'll never be avant-garde enough for modern art!
Definitely worth the trip. I'm more of an FLW wonk, which is why I went. Can't wait to see Fallingwater again on the next trip to Pa.
Post a Comment