Buckminster Fuller exhibition comes to the MCA
Fans of architecture, innovative ideas and even geodesic domes will be well-served at the Chicago Museum of Contemporary Art’s new exhibition dedicated to visionary thinker Buckminster Fuller.
Running from March 14 to June 21, the exhibition titled Buckminister Fuller: Starting with the Universe features designs, models, maps and books by the famed early 20th century philosopher/poet/inventor.
Born in 1895, Fuller served in the U.S. Navy during World War I, and later worked in the meat-packing industry. After a series of tragedies, including the death of his young daughter due to polio, Fuller set out to “find what a single individual can contribute to changing the world and benefiting all humanity.”
In subsequent years, Fuller designed the Dymaxion home, an energy-efficient, environmentally friendly, easy-to-install structure. Next, he invented the Dymaxion car, a three-wheel vehicle with a minimal turning radius that went on display at the 1933 Century of Progress International Exposition in Chicago.
In the 1940s, Fuller designed and built the geodesic dome (Disney’s famed Epcot centerpiece Spaceship Earth is a later model), which could sustain its own weight with no internal support. He wrote more than 20 books, held 28 U.S. patents and won the Medal of Freedom before his death in 1983. His work has inspired countless architects and inventors ever since.
The MCA’s exhibition represents the most inclusive show of Fuller’s work ever and offers compelling sketches of Fuller’s designs, models of his most famous architectural buildings. There are even some of the inventions themselves, along with historical footage of Fuller explaining and demonstrating his creations.
The MCA will also host a series of talks dedicated to the impact of Fuller’s work, led by architects, authors, designers and Fuller’s daughter Allegra Fuller Snyder.
The exhibition is open to the public Wednesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. with a suggested admission price of $12, but Tuesdays are an ideal time to go with extended hours until 8 p.m. and no entrance fee. Free or otherwise, the exhibition is a great display of art, creativity and culture in Chicago.
Posted on Apr 6, 2011 by D.J. Siegel
