Famed Spoke Art Gallery Hosts Pop-Up Exhibition at Taliesin West Inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright
Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation | May 21, 2019
The Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation and Spoke Art gallery have joined forces for a special Wright-inspired art exhibition, which will feature work from over a dozen international artists.
Art by Steve Thomas
For years, Spoke Art gallery, based in San Francisco and New York City, has invited artists of all mediums, from all over the world, to find inspiration in pop culture and cult classics including everything from Star Wars and Lord of the Rings to Bob’s Burgers. Their latest show focuses on the work of a figure who has stood the test of time, Frank Lloyd Wright.
The Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation and Spoke Art gallery have joined forces to host a pop-up art exhibition, “Frank Lloyd Wright: Timeless,” at Wright’s lauded winter home, Taliesin West in Scottsdale, from June 14 – June 16.
Following the debut of the show, the exhibition will travel to Spoke Art’s sister gallery in New York, Hashimoto Contemporary, July 26 – July 28. The show will feature artistic interpretations of Wright-designed buildings and guests will have an opportunity to purchase limited-edition, hand-numbered prints starting at $50.
The show features work from over a dozen international artists, with pieces designed in the style of a 1930s-era Works Progress Administration (WPA) travel poster. Some participating artists include Steve Thomas from Minnesota, George Townley from the United Kingdom; Max Dalton from Argentina; Martin Ansin from Uruguay; Nico Delort from France; Matt Taylor from the United Kingdom; Alison King from Phoenix.
Art by Max Dalton
Art by Rory Kurtz
“For this upcoming exhibition, we’ve curated an international roster of contemporary designers and artists, each of whom will be interpreting Wright’s work in their own unique styles. Keeping in mind Wright’s personal interest in affordable housing, we’ve extended that interest to reflect in the show by focusing specifically on artists who specialize in the medium of serigraphy; this allows us to create limited edition screen printed works that are both handmade and affordable, a duality that I hope Wright would have appreciated,” said Ken Harman Hashimoto, Spoke Art Gallery Curator.
“The decision to use WPA posters as an inspirational starting point arose from a few considerations. First, we wanted to convey the aesthetics of the time when Wright was working. The WPA published hundreds of poster designs from the mid-1930s to the early-1940s, which was the same period that Wright was designing and building Taliesin West and Fallingwater. Additionally, the cultural impact of both the WPA and Wright are still felt today in their own respective fields, if not across fields, and the cultural impact from this period still resonates as clearly today as then.”
Spoke Art is internationally known for its exhibitions that feature a curated selection of stunning artistic interpretations of popular movies and shows, the work of famed director Wes Anderson, and more. The pop culture themed exhibitions have attracted art admirers and pop culture enthusiasts, in turn creating an audience that excitedly awaits the announcement of the theme of the next show.
Art by Francois Schuiten
Hashimoto Contemporary gallery in New York City
“Frank Lloyd Wright’s timeless work and ideas are more relevant today than ever before. We see this over and over again as his work inspires popular culture, showing up in TV shows like HBO’s Game of Thrones and Westworld, movies like Wes Anderson’s Isle of Dogs, along with music, comics, anime, and more,” said Jeff Goodman, Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation Vice President of Communication and Partnerships.
“We are very excited to partner with Spoke Art to pair some of the best contemporary pop culture artists with the greatest architect of all time. The result is an extraordinary collection of new artwork that will excite longtime fans of Wright and introduce the breadth his designs to new generations.”
The Taliesin West show in Scottsdale will be held June 14 through June 16 with Friday, June 14 being a VIP reception from 7-9 p.m. for Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation members and invited guests. Foundation members will also receive a 10% discount on the artwork. Saturday and Sunday will be open to the public from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. The New York City show will be held at Spoke Art Gallery (210 Rivington St.) July 26 through July 28 with Friday, July 26 being an invitation-only VIP reception from 7-9 p.m. The show will open to the public on Saturday from 6-9 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
To learn more about the Spoke Art Frank Lloyd Wright show, or to purchase these limited-edition prints (after the New York show closes), visit franklloydwright.org/spokeart. To become a member of the Foundation to be invited to the VIP reception and receive a 10% discount on the artwork, visit franklloydwright.org/membership.
