"Drawn In" CP Review

"Drawn In" is full of great work and it was difficult to limit myself to the 600 or so words...what's great about this show is that even if you are not an architecture fan, you can get into it; its more than . like the designs for a prototype of a female urinal (J. Yolande Daniels) or the Amanda Williams "Blackness Study." its inspiring to see a show that allows for such a wide range of ideas.

my review of the work in "Drawn In" at the AWC in the Pittsburgh City Paper --
http://www.pittsburghcitypaper.ws/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A25144

"Drawn In"

"Drawn In" is a great exhibition of African and African american architects organized by Felecia Davis for the August Wilson Center (Pittsburgh). It includes some great works by artist/architects Darrell Fields, Amanda Williams and Carlos Peterson.

when you go make sure you leave yourself plenty of time. The show includes works by 22 architects; I spent about two hours.

Gritty Brits: New London Architecture @ CMOA

In general architecture exhibitions are tough. Perhaps designed for architects, the material doesn't always "grab" immediately. And otherwise interesting design comes across dull. This show is no exception.

On view at Carnegie Museum of Art, Heinz Architectural Center (Pittsburgh) http://www.cmoa.org/exhibitions/exhibit.asp#void

Though it included one of my favorite architects, David Adjaye, "Gritty" lacks energy the meaty title suggests. The photographic images seemed dull, and the placement of the models dont' make sense. It felt difficult to orient oneself, -- i overheard one visitor lament, "i can't tell what i'm looking at." everyone seemed genuinely puzzled.

The installation includes two models, I think, a text panel and a film. The film is very interesting virtual tour of his "Dirty House" work and the "Idea Store Whitechapel." Yet, we don't really get a sense of Adjaye's process -- the way his projects seamlessly enter the context within which they exist (neighborhood/streets/culture).

i paid most attention to Adjaye; but there's other interesting work in the show including the urban planning work from Muf Architects.

Overall, not a winner; definitely not the excitement of the Zaha Hadid's Guggenheim show last summer. But if you're into architecture and design, and happen to be in Pittsburgh, its worth checking it out.