i heart the arthouse (rooftop)
I was fortunate enough to get a seat for the first screening to the Rooftop Architecture Film Series at the Arthouse.
Inspiration for the film series came from the building itself, which dates back to 1851. It was recently re-designed by an architecture firm with an emerging national presence, Lewis Tsurumaki Lewis (NYC). It has caused such a stir, it is in both the February issues of Architectural Record, and Dwell magazine.
The Rooftop Architecture Film Series proposes a dialogue between the new architecture of Arthouse and the built environment of past and present through film. These documentaries investigate not only celebrated architects and their projects, but also the people who activate their buildings.
Koolhaas HouseLife directed by Ila Beka & Louise Lemoine (PARIS), is a film that takes the viewer on an intimate journey into a residential home built by one of the Pritzker Prize winning Dutch Architect, Rem Koolhaas (OMA). Beka and Lemoine’s series, Living Architecture seeks to develop a way of looking at architecture which turns away from the current trend of idealizing the representation of our architectual heritage. The cult of perfect, disembodied forms entirely devoid of people, inevitably leads to a break-up between architecture and living space. This film takes the viewer to a place that gets beyond the formal introductions. The view is breathtaking, as one would expect when the featured house resides in Bordeaux. Other times, the scene is not so glamourous. Through the lens, this Parisienne duo leads an incredibly fascinating tour through the life of a house and it’s keepers.
I beamed with pride as Sue Graze, the Executive Director thanked the crowd for the membership and support of the privately owned gallery. ”What your membership does is make all of this possible,” she said. A dear friend gifted a membership to the Arthouse to me, during the opening events in October. This gesture touched me more than I could express in words.
Arthouse has provided countless hours of entertainment. In a past life, on any common Saturday, I could be found cruising the city solo, just a notebook and time. The afternoon was usually spent sitting on a chair and writing about what I had seen on my gallery and museum tour.
Pictured is an info card about Daniel Bozhkov that I have taped inside an old journal. The scribbles read,
“Approx 3.5 hours viewing. 2 visits as of 10.11.2006″.
Paintings, documentaries, and video installations, all for Learn How to Fly Over a Very Large Larry (Crop Sign). The entire exhibition is about Larry King. The talk show host. Daniel Bozhkov learns to fly a plane to pay homage to Larry King. It is brilliant. And, one of the most entertaining viewings to date.
Thank you Arthouse. Again. And again.
+ Support Arthouse by attending events like The Rooftop Architecture Series or by becoming a member.
Community Room, Arthouse
