The exhibition ¡°Frank Gehry: I Have an Idea,¡± currently at 21_21 Design Sight and curated by fellow architect Tsuyoshi Tane, crams in a lot, but it¡¯s not exactly a linear retrospective. Rather, it¡¯s an upward look at a man on a tightrope ¡ª a man who must balance form and function; rein in creativity with efficiency, precision and organization; square the client¡¯s objectives with his own desire to stretch the medium; and make magic on a large scale. Naturally, it¡¯s no cakewalk.
The exhibition¡¯s preface depicts the scale of his work with aerial footage of Gehry¡¯s masterpieces ¡ª Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, Walt Disney Concert Hall, Foundation Louis Vuitton ¡ª projected on several walls. The takeaway: These creations are simply too large and complex to be viewed from one spot.
In the next section is a random collection of inspirational touchstones ¡ª books, a hockey jersey, etc. Nearby are iterations of shapes constructed in various materials, early prototypes of buildings along with examples of Gehry¡¯s cardboard furniture. It¡¯s a jumble, but as Gehry himself has said, clutter is comforting and inspiring.
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