9
P RO F I L E
Art in a structure Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art celebrates the beauty of Frank Lloyd Wright’s organic design in Bachman-Wilson House reconstruction.
tino (New Jersey), Hight-Jackson Associates PA (Rogers, AR), Bill Faber Construction (Benton- ville, AR), and Scott Eccleston, the museum’s direc- tor of operations and the Bachman-Wilson House project manager. While the typical notion of art focuses on painting and sculpture, the Wright home stretches the con- ventional definitions. “The Bachman-Wilson House is a work of art, rep- resenting Wright’s organic design philosophy,” Eccleston says. “The house embodies the Crystal Bridges mission to celebrate the American spirit in a setting that unites the power of art with the beauty of nature. Preserving the house offers a rare opportunity to share this significant work with the public and enhance our grounds, educational pro- grams, collection and to tell the unfolding Ameri- can story.” Originally located in Somerset County, New Jer- sey, the house flooded at least four times, in 1999, 2007, 2010, and 2011. The Tarantinos saw the writing on the wall: Sell the house and have it re- located or let it be destroyed. They eventually con-
By RICHARD MASSEY Correspondent
R ebuilding a masterpiece isn’t easy, but it’s re- warding. That’s the big takeaway from the Bach- man-Wilson House, which is being reconstruct- ed on the grounds of Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Arkansas. While the typical notion of art focuses on painting and sculpture, the Wright home stretches the conventional definitions. Set to open this fall, the Frank Lloyd Wright design will stand as a monument to American architecture in addition to serving as a living tool for public ed- ucation. The 1954 house, at around 1,700 square feet, will be the largest piece in the museum’s col- lection, and with its own place inside a walled yard overlooking the museum’s Great Hall, will have pride of place. The reconstruction is the work of a team of ex- perts: former owners Lawrence and Sharon Taran-
See BACHMAN-WILSON, page 10
THE ZWEIG LETTER AUGUST 24, 2015, ISSUE 1117
Made with FlippingBook Annual report