Impact Versus Intention in the Work of Frank Lloyd Wright and Heather Beardsley

Description/Abstract/Artist Statement

Artists frequently address nature in their works to spotlight humanity’s influence on climate change and to raise awareness for nature conservation efforts. Frank Lloyd Wright was known for implementing themes of nature into the details of his designs, most famously in the 1938 residential home known as Fallingwater. However, Wright’s single-minded attachment to his vision contradicted his admiration of nature. He claimed his intention was to allow the waterfalls to be appreciated more deeply and more often. Yet, his design choices make it apparent that Wright cared more about the house he was building than he did the falls themselves. In contrast, Heather Beardsley’s series Strange Plants focuses on the relationship between plant life and human societies. Her mixed media works give us a glimpse into possibilities of what our future world might look like depending on whether people learn to live more respectfully with the land, or they continue to compete against it. Considered together, the works of Wright and Beardsley highlight the importance of thinking critically about intention versus impact.

Presenting Author Name/s

Kathleen Grimes

Faculty Advisor/Mentor

Dr. Vittorio Colaizzi

Faculty Advisor/Mentor Department

Art Department

College Affiliation

College of Arts & Letters

Presentation Type

Oral Presentation

Disciplines

History of Art, Architecture, and Archaeology

Session Title

Art History 2: Critical Role of Women (Artist, Spectator, Patron, & Subject)

Location

Learning Commons @Perry Library, Room 1306

Start Date

3-25-2023 10:45 AM

End Date

3-25-2023 11:45 AM

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Mar 25th, 10:45 AM Mar 25th, 11:45 AM

Impact Versus Intention in the Work of Frank Lloyd Wright and Heather Beardsley

Learning Commons @Perry Library, Room 1306

Artists frequently address nature in their works to spotlight humanity’s influence on climate change and to raise awareness for nature conservation efforts. Frank Lloyd Wright was known for implementing themes of nature into the details of his designs, most famously in the 1938 residential home known as Fallingwater. However, Wright’s single-minded attachment to his vision contradicted his admiration of nature. He claimed his intention was to allow the waterfalls to be appreciated more deeply and more often. Yet, his design choices make it apparent that Wright cared more about the house he was building than he did the falls themselves. In contrast, Heather Beardsley’s series Strange Plants focuses on the relationship between plant life and human societies. Her mixed media works give us a glimpse into possibilities of what our future world might look like depending on whether people learn to live more respectfully with the land, or they continue to compete against it. Considered together, the works of Wright and Beardsley highlight the importance of thinking critically about intention versus impact.