Noted for her distinct fusion of Modernist principals with the colorful Latin American landscape, Italian-Brazilian architect and designer Lina Bo Bardi left a rich legacy of inspired, human-centered work across numerous disciplines. In an attempt to capture the breadth of her work, a recently opened exhibition at Chicago's Graham Foundation, "Lina Bo Bardi: Together," celebrates Bardi's original strain of Modernism. Showcasing videos of her work, projects inspired by her practice and a recently reissued chair designed in the '50s, this show further reinforces why this modernist icon is having a moment.
Curated by Argentine architect Noemí Blager and designed by London-based collective Assemble, recently nominated for the Turner Prize, the show's Chicago stop, its first in the U.S., runs through July 25th. Spread over the first two floors of the foundation's Madlener House, a Prairie-style mansion, "Together" offers an overview of her architectural and design achievements. Filmmaker Tapio Snellman's video projections showcase many of Bardi's most famous buildings, such as the Museu de Arte Popular do Unhão, Bahia (1959) and the Glass House (1951), Bardi's personal residence. A photo display by Ioana Marinescu explores the Glass House's interior in depth, presenting a view of Bardi's personal design for her own home. A trio of Bardi's famous spherical Bowl Chairs, originally developed in the 1950s and recently reissued in a limited run of 500 by furniture maker Arper, showcases her humanistic industrial design. Finally, a playful interpretation of her work comes in the form of objects created during a series of workshops in Brazil led by Office for Metropolitan Architecture co-founder Madelon Vriesendorp, a nod to Bardi's interest in local craftsmanship.
·Prolific Midcentury Brazilian Architect Lina Bo Bardi is Having a Moment [Curbed]