220 East Chicago Avenue, Chicago
America
14 March – 21 June 2009
Philosopher, forecaster, designer, poet inventor, advocate of alternative energy; this is what R. Buckminster Fuller is as one of the greatest American thinkers of the 20th century.
This exhibition “Buckminster Fuller: Starting With The Universe” is the first major exhibition in America of Fuller’s work in 3 years as a testament to his fascinating mix of utopian vision and organic pragmatism.
A combination of models, sketches, and other artefacts, many on view for the first time, represent six decades of the artist's integrated approach to housing, transportation, communication, and cartography.
A man of remarkable prescience, Fuller's credo was "more for less," and by the late 1920s he recognized the need for environmentally sound design that would benefit the largest segment of society while using the fewest resources–a decidedly contemporary concern.
Believing in the interconnectedness of all things, Fuller's ambition in life was to close the gap between the sciences and humanities for the genuine good of humankind. His work has extensively influenced the artists, designers, architects, engineers, environmentalists, and mathematicians of today.
Fuller's designs reflect his enthusiasm for technology as well as his faith in "how nature builds." He is perhaps best known for his 1949 design of the geodesic dome, one of the strongest, most economic structures ever devised.
In addition to several geodesic study models, the MCA's presentation features numerous models of Fuller's projects, including his Dymaxion designs and dome structures, as well as the Tetrascroll portfolio.
Fuller's extensive connections with Chicago are also highlighted through photographs and documents from his years spent living, teaching, and working in the city.
The MCA invites you to plumb the mind of this self-proclaimed "comprehensive anticipatory design scientist."
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