The Harmony of Form and Function ~ Lighting Masterpieces of Frank Lloyd Wright
Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation | Jun 9, 2023
The Japanese lighting company Yamagiwa comes back to Fuorisalone after twelve years with its own installation “The Harmony of Form and Function” to present to the international audience of Milano Design Week the TALIESIN®series of light fixtures designed by legendary American architect Frank Lloyd Wright.
Exhibition Concept
In this era of technological advancements, where artificial intelligence and virtual reality are rapidly gaining traction, Yamagiwa Studios has chosen to showcase the human-centered design of Frank Lloyd Wright in their exhibition. Renowned for his philosophy of “Organic Architecture,” Wright advocated for the harmonious integration of architecture and nature, as a response to the dehumanizing impact of functionalist architecture of the time. The mesmerizing geometric forms and warm, indirect lighting of the TALIESIN® series of light fixtures stirs one’s senses and evokes a sense of joy and happiness that is often lost in our contemporary world.
Taliesin 2® Floor Lamps & Robie 1® Wall Sconce.
Interior Concept from Shigeru Ban
Prominent global architect Shigeru Ban designed the showcase for Yamagiwa. “To best accentuate the beauty of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin® Lamp,” said Ban, “I thought it would be ideal to use the lamp in a space with shadow, a sense of texture, and materiality, rather than in a museum-like white box. When Wright designed the Taliesin® Lamp, he must have envisioned its use in such a space.”
Paper tubing used to create the exhibit display.
Architect Shigeru Ban designed the exhibit space for Yamagiwa.
The simple paper tube tunnel runs through the exhibition space from the entrance to the end of the room. By using the same paper tube material from the bottom all the way up to the ceiling, the tunnel becomes an immersive space, allowing visitors to experience the Taliesin® lamp’s soft quality of light and its texture of wood without being disturbed.
The paper tube tunnel is reminiscent of the glass tube corridor in the Johnson Wax Building, one of Wright’s masterpieces. A similar tunnel-like space can also be seen in the entrance area of the V. C. Morris Gift Shop, a late work from Wright that is uses a spiral ramp similar to that found in the Guggenheim Museum. There, he used long, thin bricks, whose coloration resembles that of paper tubes.
Ban explained that “by using recyclable materials such as paper tubes, I believe that Frank Lloyd Wright’s philosophy is effectively expressed for this temporary exhibition, without wasting building materials.”
Taliesin 2® Floor Lamps.
Taliesin 2® Floor Lamps.
Videos
We invite you to watch the interview with architect Shigeru Ban as he shares his vision for The Harmony of Form and Function exhibit for Yamagiwa at Milian Design Week in April of 2023.
Watch a recap of The Harmony of Form and Function exhibit during Milan Design Week in April 2023.
Photos: Giuseppe de Francesco
