Contemporary Arts Center
Encyclopedia
The Contemporary Arts Center (CAC) is a pioneering contemporary art museum located in Cincinnati, Ohio
. The CAC is a non-collecting museum that focuses on new developments in painting, sculpture, photography, architecture, performance art and new media. Remaining committed to programming that reflects "the art of the last five minutes," the CAC has displayed the works of many now-famous artists early in their careers, including Andy Warhol
.
. In 1964, the CAC moved to the Women's Exchange Building in downtown Cincinnati. In 1990, a highly publicized exhibit of controversial Robert Mapplethorpe
photographs led to a trial that was chronicled in the 2000 television movie
Dirty Pictures
.
In 2003, the CAC moved to its first free-standing home, the Lois & Richard Rosenthal Center for Contemporary Art
, which was designed by Zaha Hadid
.
, Michael Graves
and Bernard Tschumi
. Together the works, designed exclusively for the CAC and constructed in innovative materials provided by Formica Corporation, explore a range of artistic expression from the most creative designers working in architecture today, with designs ranging in scope from domestic pieces to conceptual sculpture.
CAC and Formica Corporation presented the architects with a challenge: to design an object that people could "sit upon, lie upon, lean upon, play upon." The architects present a broad range of approaches to the challenge. The result is a collection that runs a spectrum of scale, design and intent, but the works all share superior attention to detail, elegant design and luxurious form. Though the designs vary greatly from one another, all include an element of delight, inspiring the title FORM: Contemporary Architects at Play.
Participating Architects include:
Across Walnut Street from the Aronoff Center
for the Arts in downtown Cincinnati's cultural and entertainment area known as the Backstage District.
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
. The CAC is a non-collecting museum that focuses on new developments in painting, sculpture, photography, architecture, performance art and new media. Remaining committed to programming that reflects "the art of the last five minutes," the CAC has displayed the works of many now-famous artists early in their careers, including Andy Warhol
Andy Warhol
Andrew Warhola , known as Andy Warhol, was an American painter, printmaker, and filmmaker who was a leading figure in the visual art movement known as pop art...
.
History
Founded in 1939 as the Modern Art Society, the Contemporary Arts Center was one of the first institutions in the United States dedicated to exhibiting contemporary art. Its inaugural exhibition, Modern Paintings from Cincinnati Collections, opened in the basement of the Cincinnati Art MuseumCincinnati Art Museum
The Cincinnati Art Museum is one of the oldest art museums in the United States. Founded in 1881, it was the first purpose-built art museum west of the Alleghenies. Its collection of over 60,000 works make it one of the most comprehensive collections in the Midwest.Museum founders debated locating...
. In 1964, the CAC moved to the Women's Exchange Building in downtown Cincinnati. In 1990, a highly publicized exhibit of controversial Robert Mapplethorpe
Robert Mapplethorpe
Robert Mapplethorpe was an American photographer, known for his large-scale, highly stylized black and white portraits, photos of flowers and nude men...
photographs led to a trial that was chronicled in the 2000 television movie
Television movie
A television film is a feature film that is a television program produced for and originally distributed by a television network, in contrast to...
Dirty Pictures
Dirty Pictures (television movie)
Dirty Pictures is a 2000 American docudrama directed by Frank Pierson. The teleplay by Ilene Chaiken focuses on the 1990 trial of Cincinnati Contemporary Arts Center director Dennis Barrie, who was accused of promoting pornography by presenting an exhibit of photographs by Robert Mapplethorpe that...
.
In 2003, the CAC moved to its first free-standing home, the Lois & Richard Rosenthal Center for Contemporary Art
Rosenthal Center for Contemporary Art
The Contemporary Arts Center in Cincinnati, Ohio chose to honor two of its major donors by naming its new home, designed by Zaha Hadid, the Lois and Richard Rosenthal Center for Contemporary Art. The Rosenthal Center was Zaha Hadid's first American project...
, which was designed by Zaha Hadid
Zaha Hadid
Zaha Hadid, CBE is an Iraqi-British architect.-Life and career:Hadid was born in 1950 in Baghdad, Iraq. She received a degree in mathematics from the American University of Beirut before moving to study at the Architectural Association School of Architecture in London.After graduating she worked...
.
Projects and Exhibitions
In March 2008, the Contemporary Arts Center announced the exhibition and auction FORM: Contemporary Architects at Play, a collection of remarkable, new artworks from ten world-renowned architects, including Zaha HadidZaha Hadid
Zaha Hadid, CBE is an Iraqi-British architect.-Life and career:Hadid was born in 1950 in Baghdad, Iraq. She received a degree in mathematics from the American University of Beirut before moving to study at the Architectural Association School of Architecture in London.After graduating she worked...
, Michael Graves
Michael Graves
Michael Graves is an American architect. Identified as one of The New York Five, Graves has become a household name with his designs for domestic products sold at Target stores in the United States....
and Bernard Tschumi
Bernard Tschumi
Bernard Tschumi is an architect, writer, and educator, commonly associated with deconstructivism. Born of French and Swiss parentage, he works and lives in New York and Paris. He studied in Paris and at ETH in Zurich, where he received his degree in architecture in 1969...
. Together the works, designed exclusively for the CAC and constructed in innovative materials provided by Formica Corporation, explore a range of artistic expression from the most creative designers working in architecture today, with designs ranging in scope from domestic pieces to conceptual sculpture.
CAC and Formica Corporation presented the architects with a challenge: to design an object that people could "sit upon, lie upon, lean upon, play upon." The architects present a broad range of approaches to the challenge. The result is a collection that runs a spectrum of scale, design and intent, but the works all share superior attention to detail, elegant design and luxurious form. Though the designs vary greatly from one another, all include an element of delight, inspiring the title FORM: Contemporary Architects at Play.
Participating Architects include:
- Peter EisenmanPeter EisenmanPeter Eisenman is an American architect. Eisenman's professional work is often referred to as formalist, deconstructive, late avant-garde, late or high modernist, etc...
, Eisenman Architects - Michael GravesMichael GravesMichael Graves is an American architect. Identified as one of The New York Five, Graves has become a household name with his designs for domestic products sold at Target stores in the United States....
, Graves Design - Zaha HadidZaha HadidZaha Hadid, CBE is an Iraqi-British architect.-Life and career:Hadid was born in 1950 in Baghdad, Iraq. She received a degree in mathematics from the American University of Beirut before moving to study at the Architectural Association School of Architecture in London.After graduating she worked...
, Zaha Hadid Architects - Thom MayneThom MayneThom Mayne is a Los Angeles-based architect. Educated at University of Southern California and the Harvard University Graduate School of Design in 1978, Mayne helped found the Southern California Institute of Architecture in 1972, where he is a trustee...
, Morphosis - Bill Pedersen, Kohn Pedersen Fox
- Laurinda Spear, Arquitectonica
- Bernard TschumiBernard TschumiBernard Tschumi is an architect, writer, and educator, commonly associated with deconstructivism. Born of French and Swiss parentage, he works and lives in New York and Paris. He studied in Paris and at ETH in Zurich, where he received his degree in architecture in 1969...
, Bernard Tschumi Architects - Jaime VelezJaime VelezJaime Velez, played by Christopher Rivera, is a Latino inmate on the HBO drama Oz.-Character overview:He wants to follow Miguel Alvarez and tries to kill Carmen Guerra to get in his good graces. The attempt backfires however as Guerra kills Jaime....
, Skidmore, Owings and Merrill, LLP - Massimo VignelliMassimo VignelliMassimo Vignelli is a designer who has done work in a number of areas ranging from package design to furniture design to public signage to showroom design through Vignelli Associates, which he co-founded with his wife, Lella...
, Vignelli Designs, Inc. - Buzz Yudell, Moore Ruble Yudell Architects and Planners
Location
44 East 6th Street (Corner of 6th & Walnut), Cincinnati, OH 45202Across Walnut Street from the Aronoff Center
Aronoff Center
The Aronoff Center is a large performing arts center in downtown Cincinnati, Ohio. Events that can typically be found at the Aronoff Center include: plays, ballet, popular music concerts, stand-up comedy shows, and musicals...
for the Arts in downtown Cincinnati's cultural and entertainment area known as the Backstage District.
External links
- The Contemporary Arts Center (CAC) Official Site