Photo by Troy Thies
Behind every male genius is a strong, extremely talented, and highly organized woman—or so the adage goes, right? This year’s annual conference of the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy, Sept. 27 to Oct. 1 in the Twin Cities, pays homage to the many women who make Frank Lloyd Wright’s work possible. The conference theme, “Colleagues & Clients: Women’s Roles in Frank Lloyd Wright’s Architecture,” explores the significant but underexamined roles women played in the creation of Wright’s work. Tours include visits to four privately owned Wright-designed buildings, and to Twin Cities and Owatonna landmarks by Wright apprentice John Howe and others, including Purcell & Elmslie, Louis Sullivan, Eliel Saarinen, and more.
The conference talks promise to illuminate many hidden corners of Wright’s legacy. Some of the more intriguing presentations include: (Mis)Fitting Taliesin: The Women of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin Fellowship; The Unclosed Circle: Frank Lloyd Wright and Georgia O’Keeffe; Marion Mahony Griffin and Frank Lloyd Wright: Creativity and Tension; Susan Lawrence Dana and Her Frank Lloyd Wright-Designed Home; and Pauline Gibling Schindler and the construction of Californian modernity.
Photo by Matt Schmitt
The Conservancy’s Homeowner Committee presents a Notable Women Homeowners Project panel Saturday morning, Sept. 30. Talks will focus on the women who commissioned homes from Wright, their unique histories, the stories of their houses, as well as the roles that each has played in the conservatorship of their Wright homes. An opening reception at Orchestra Hall, dinners, a silent auction, a gala, a post-conference tour, and more are also on the schedule. Choose to attend the whole conference or select events a la carte.
