July 16, 2008 (John Lautner’s birthday)

The Hammer museum accommodated huge crowds Saturday night, at a cocktail reception for Lautner home owners, Foundation members, Hammer exhibit personnel, and a wealth of other Lautner enthusiasts and donors. Attendees were invited to view the exhibit prior to its official opening Sunday afternoon, and many hundreds did so, to the extent that there was a constant line to get in.

The exhibit is comprised of three main elements:

* Plans laid out on slanted boxes, with corners taped (preservationists made sure the tape does not actually touch the paper) like they would be on a drafting table. Thick sheets of clear acrylic protect the plans, so visitors can lean on them, look closely, show others details in a way that is much easier than if they were mounted on the wall.

* Large-scale models of six “representative” buildings. The models are all partial so that visitors can look through them and get an idea of how it would feel and look to be inside the building itself. To complete this experience viewers can see a photographic backdrop (projected on the wall) that emulates what would actually be visible from that location.

* Film loops of the six houses, shot under the direction of Murray Grigor. The loops take viewers into and through the buildings, giving a sense of being there that would be more difficult to convey with still photographs.

A partial list of articles on the exhibit:

• The NY Times Blog – “Seeing Things: John Lautner’s Architecture”
• LA Times – “John Lautner’s ground-breaking style”
• LA Times – “John Lautner retrospective at the Hammer Museum”
• Apartment Therapy (blog) – “To Do: John Lautner at the Hammer Museum”
• Lovely LA Luxury Homes (blog) – “Between Earth and Heaven, Lautner @ Hammer Museum

Entrance fees to the exhibit vary:

$7 adults

$5 seniors (65+) and UCLA Alumni Association Members with ID

FREE for Hammer Members, students with ID, UCLA faculty and staff, visitors under 17

FREE every Thursday for all visitors

The exhibit will be open until October 12. Visit the Hammer website for up-to-date information:

Hammer Museum Exhibition – “Between Earth and Heaven: The Architecture of John Lautner”

If you have seen the exhibit and would like to share your impressions, please let us know by email: comments@johnlautner.org. The Foundation will offer a compilation of comments at a later date.

Photograph by Dorothy Tomilson