My Architect: A Son's Journey (2003)
"Truly a work of Art is one that tells us, that Nature cannot make what man can make."
****
Continuing the trend I started with the last documentary I ‘reviewed’, I feel its necessary to again add a little more insight into this film. My Architect is a fascinating journey by a son attempting to understand his famous father’s life and work. The filmmakers father, Louis Kahn, perhaps the first great modern American architect of the 20th Century, led a very private, almost secretive life and died alone, deep in debt in a train station in Pennsylvania at the age of 72 in 1974. His son was 11 at the time. Kahn’s influence is such that even world famous architect Frank Gehry admitted his early buildings were strongly influenced by Kahn’s work. Virtually every architect interviewed (with one demonstrative exception) said the same thing…Kahn was one of the best…of not the best…of his generation…and one of the greatest of all time.
There were two things that really drew me into this film. The first was the whole ‘son-trying-to-understand-his-father’ theme, something all men battle with as they grow older. Nathaniel Kahn, Louis’ son, is very sincere in his confusion as to why his mostly absentee father, who was married to another women (not Nathaniel’s mother) and had 3 children by three different women, chose to live his life the way he did. Over the course of the film, Nathaniel seems to slowly come to terms with his fathers choices, while still retaining a sense of bitterness that things couldn’t have been different. But as the film reveals, when it comes to great people, and great artists, personal relationships often take a back seat to the passion and energy needed to pursue their interests. (Note to self...)
The second thing that really struck me was how I went from being one of those people who appreciates architecture, but has never really seen it as an art form, to being absolutely gob smacked at the beauty and gravity some of these buildings produce upon examination. The Capital Building in Bangladesh, conceived by Kahn, built over a 20+ year span, and finished nearly a decade after his death, is simply a modern wonder. That it was built in one of the poorest countries in the world, and is seen by its citizens as the foundation of the countries democracy makes its completion even more impressive. Other great buildings, such as the Kimbel Art Museum in Texas and The Salk Institute in California, are truly beautiful American landmarks.
If you’re an artist, an avid viewer of documentaries, or simply interested in the human condition, this film will not disappoint.
****
Continuing the trend I started with the last documentary I ‘reviewed’, I feel its necessary to again add a little more insight into this film. My Architect is a fascinating journey by a son attempting to understand his famous father’s life and work. The filmmakers father, Louis Kahn, perhaps the first great modern American architect of the 20th Century, led a very private, almost secretive life and died alone, deep in debt in a train station in Pennsylvania at the age of 72 in 1974. His son was 11 at the time. Kahn’s influence is such that even world famous architect Frank Gehry admitted his early buildings were strongly influenced by Kahn’s work. Virtually every architect interviewed (with one demonstrative exception) said the same thing…Kahn was one of the best…of not the best…of his generation…and one of the greatest of all time.
There were two things that really drew me into this film. The first was the whole ‘son-trying-to-understand-his-father’ theme, something all men battle with as they grow older. Nathaniel Kahn, Louis’ son, is very sincere in his confusion as to why his mostly absentee father, who was married to another women (not Nathaniel’s mother) and had 3 children by three different women, chose to live his life the way he did. Over the course of the film, Nathaniel seems to slowly come to terms with his fathers choices, while still retaining a sense of bitterness that things couldn’t have been different. But as the film reveals, when it comes to great people, and great artists, personal relationships often take a back seat to the passion and energy needed to pursue their interests. (Note to self...)
The second thing that really struck me was how I went from being one of those people who appreciates architecture, but has never really seen it as an art form, to being absolutely gob smacked at the beauty and gravity some of these buildings produce upon examination. The Capital Building in Bangladesh, conceived by Kahn, built over a 20+ year span, and finished nearly a decade after his death, is simply a modern wonder. That it was built in one of the poorest countries in the world, and is seen by its citizens as the foundation of the countries democracy makes its completion even more impressive. Other great buildings, such as the Kimbel Art Museum in Texas and The Salk Institute in California, are truly beautiful American landmarks.
If you’re an artist, an avid viewer of documentaries, or simply interested in the human condition, this film will not disappoint.
posted by neil at 11:01 PM
1 Comments:
This is definitely going on my list. Having just watched the wonderful documentary on Gehry that Sydney Pollack directed, this seems like a logical follow-up. Thanks for the recommendation!
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