Lewis & Maese Auctioneers & Appraisers hosts a film festival that showcases the legacy of American modern and progressive architects who made Palm Springs, Calif., the hub that has influenced modern architecture throughout the world.
April 15 - Desert Utopia: Midcentury Architecture in Palm Springs
Hosted by author, architect and architectural historian Alan Hess, this film traces the history of modern architecture in Palm Springs from the first bold forays into modernist design to the preservation challenges facing the region today. Modern designers such as William F. Cody, Albert Frey, William Krisel, John Lautner, Richard Neutra, R.M. Schindler, Donald Wexler and E. Stewart Williams left their collective mark on this desert paradise. A talk with Hess will follow the movie.
Location: River Oaks Theater
April 16 - Journeyman Architect: The Life and Work of Donald Wexler
Hosted by Alan Hess, this film highlights the career of Don Wexler. During the 1950s and 60s, Wexler pioneered commercial and residential construction using steel and prefabrication. He applied his groundbreaking techniques and unique style to projects for clients such as Dinah Shore, Frank Sinatra, the Alexander Construction Company and Walt Disney World Resort. Today Wexler's work is garnering new appreciation worldwide and providing inspiration for a new generation of architects. A talk with Hess will follow the movie.
Location: River Oaks Theater
April 18 - William Krisel, Architect
Hosted by Alan Hess, this film celebrates the career of William Krisel. Over the course of his 60-year career, Krisel as brought modernism to the masses, designing more than 40,000 individual housing units across the U.S. Krisel's influential work has become synonymous with mid-20th century Southern Californian design. The documentary explores his life and work with ground-breaking designs for modern living. A talk with Hess will follow the movie. A reception with wine and light bites will follow the talk.
Location: Architecture Center Houston
April 21- Coast Modern
An independent documentary by directors Mike Bernard and Gavin Froome, this film showcases the pioneers of West Coast Modernist architecture and the homes that have become their legacies, including some of the most respected names in architecture such as James Steele, Barbara Lamprecht, Ray Kappe, Henrik Bull, Pierluigi Serraino, Michael Folonis, Dion Neutra, Douglas Coupland, John Cava, Barbara Bestor and legendary photographer Julius Shulman.
Location: Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
April 22 - Visual Acoustics: The Modernism of Julius Shulman
Narrated by Dustin Hoffman, Visual Acoustics celebrates the life and career of Julius Shulman, the world's greatest architectural photographer, whose images brought modern architecture to the American mainstream. Shulman, who passed away in 2009, captured the work of nearly every modern and progressive architect since the 1930s including Frank Lloyd Wright, Richard Neutra, John Lautner and Frank Gehry. His images epitomized the singular beauty of Southern California's modernist movement and brought its iconic structures to life.
Location: River Oaks Theater