Archives to Avery Library/ Columbia University

Rood · Post by **Rood** » Tue Sep 04, 2012 10:48 am

This name business has become rather hilarious and I'm sitting here trying to control my giggling ... Of course Oscar and Oskar are pronounced the same, but Oskar is such an unusual spelling that it should be pretty obvious. The KauFFman bit was started by BBP in his letter to the Fellows. Let's all gang up on him, OK? One after the other now.

Roderick Grant · Post by **Roderick Grant** » Tue Sep 04, 2012 11:34 am

In addition to the Getty, I wonder if the Smithsonian was in the mix. I have no problem with this transfer, since the ultimate alternative could have been catastrophic, but I do wonder about the selection of MoMA and Columbia. New York as a center for the study of Frank Lloyd Wright might not have appealed to FLW any more than Philadelphia.

Years ago, Stephen Nemtin designed a visitors' center for TW that included a tower large enough to put the 26' long drawing of the Illinois on permanent display; do you suppose such an amenity might be considered by the new partners?

m.perrino · Post by **m.perrino** » Tue Sep 04, 2012 11:50 am

Greetings All :

Please know that moving forward, I will strive for accuracy both in communication and in the mechanics of my posting activity.

Best
Michael Perrino

outside in · Post by **outside in** » Tue Sep 04, 2012 12:03 pm

i believe TWest has been looking into constructing a building to house the archives since - forever - and each Fellow was pushing an different agenda, e.g. recycling a FLW design, creating a new 'visionary" design, etc. but its my understanding that the tough nut was the financial stability and curatorial discipline of maintaining the collection over time. I wish it could have ended up at the Burnham Library in Chicago, after all, he was a midwestern lad.

KevinW · Post by **KevinW** » Tue Sep 04, 2012 1:02 pm

As difficult of a decision this must have been, it was the right move. The archives have always needed more money, more space, more and better archival equipment, and true archivists to properly care, preserve and catalog.

RonMcCrea · Post by **RonMcCrea** » Tue Sep 04, 2012 2:32 pm

One last note on this name business. I was able to find the treasure trove of Taliesin I photos for my book Building Taliesin in Utah in part because I was able to spell the last name of Taylor Woolley (FLLW always got it wrong) and the archivist did not know how to spell Taliesin. It was spelled "Taliesen," probably throwing off a number of searches.

My own name, McCrea, is often misspelled, recently in the acknowledgements to a scholarly text ("McCrae"), and I once lost an important job because someone confused me with another journalist whose byline was Ron McRea. It never feels good.

Matt · Post by **Matt** » Tue Sep 04, 2012 3:31 pm

As long as the drawings are preserved. Man, do I love those drawings.

Matt

jmcnally · Post by **jmcnally** » Tue Sep 04, 2012 4:46 pm

I hope this doesn't become the warehouse scene at the end of Raiders of the Lost Ark. Preservation of historic materials is essential, but they do the most good if they are accessible to researchers, etc. I hope the new repositories have the resources to digitize the material so it can be shared on-line.

Jeff Myers · Post by **Jeff Myers** » Tue Sep 04, 2012 4:49 pm

I know Columbia has a huge library and archive so I know they will do good with the archives.

Wrightgeek · Post by **Wrightgeek** » Tue Sep 04, 2012 5:01 pm

Mr. McCrea-

Your apology was gracious and seems very sincere. I think I should apologize as well for being so blunt with my response.

BTW, thanks for your wonderful new book on Taliesin, and for your contributions here on the forum.

Now that we have taken care of that, let's carry on, shall we?

RonMcCrea · Post by **RonMcCrea** » Tue Sep 04, 2012 6:23 pm

No apologies needed but yours is accepted, and please accept my thanks for your kind words as well. You said it well, let us carry on.

DavidC · Post by **DavidC** » Tue Sep 04, 2012 6:32 pm

Now that this will be the future of the Archives - what of the future of the Foundation itself? In essence, the Foundation now becomes a museum curator of two properties in AZ & WI â€“ and keeps the right to put itâ€™s name on â€“ and take a cut of - any new kitsch items it wants to see out there.

It also continues to be a ward over those still living at and shuttling between the two properties - all coming at at cost, of course.

So, beyond having it's name associated with these various things - and offering tours and gift shops, etc - what else could be in the future for the Foundation?

David

RonMcCrea · Post by **RonMcCrea** » Tue Sep 04, 2012 11:04 pm

Are you forgetting the school of architecture? It is flourishing and serving as a center for architectural outreach projects. Both Taliesin and Taliesin West are playing host to a full schedule of gatherings of architects and environmental thinkers to deal with the kind of big topics Wright always liked. The two campuses also are musical and cultural venues, drawing high-quality performers.

The archives are the crown jewels, but only a relative few ever get close to them, as at the Tower of London. It is traumatic to part with them, but it appears they will be expensively well-maintained and accessible.

hypnoraygun · Post by **hypnoraygun** » Wed Sep 05, 2012 7:26 am

I'm glad the drawings will be taken care of. I do wish the location of choice would have been Chicago, but all the same it will be nice that they will be in a safe location.

The thought of the drawings being digitally scanned makes my mouth water! And if they are available to be viewed on line? Faint!!

Any guesses if they will find a few "lost" designs during the move/processing?

Roderick Grant · Post by **Roderick Grant** » Wed Sep 05, 2012 1:40 pm

I still maintain that the best transformation (which could include all functions listed above) would be a foundation similar to Yaddo or the MacDowell Foundation.