Claude Parent The Architectural Fictions exhibition

On October 14, 2023 from 6-9pm, The Front located at 2207 North Broadway in Los Angeles, California, will host the opening of the Claude Parent – Architectural Fictions exhibition. This special event marks a rare opportunity for collectors and architects to view and acquire Claude Parent’s visionary drawings before they are returned to the archives in Paris in November. This exhibit will showcase the iconic French architect’s graphite works on paper from the Claude Parent Archives, many of which have never been seen in Los Angeles. These drawings are not representations of actual buildings, rather they are speculations on the implications of the Oblique Function in various capacities. In addition to these futuristic works, Claude Parent’s study and preparatory sketches will be on display, demonstrating the master architect’s exploration of the Oblique Function in terms of cities, territories, and interiors.

In 2010, the Architecture and Heritage Cité in Paris held a retrospective of Claude Parent’s drawn and built work, introducing the revolutionary style of ramped architecture to a younger generation of digital drawing architects. This pioneering architect is largely responsible for the sharp break French modernism took in the 1950s, producing multiple books, manifesto-drawings, and constructed projects to redefine societal perceptions of space. The Oblique Function theory developed with Paul Virilio in 1963 comprises Parent’s sentiment that buildings should reject orthogonality and incorporate slopes. This concept has since been credited for reviving the role of the building’s inhabitants and for transforming cellular plans into interpretive-social spaces. Claude Parent’s influence is backed by renowned architects like Zaha Hadid, Frank Gehry, Rem Koolhaas, Jean Nouvel, Daniel Libeskind, and Thom Mayne, all of whom have expressed their heartfelt tributes to his work. Meanwhile, architecture historians Frédéric Migayrou and Joseph Giovannini have extensively documented the historical impact of Claude Parent’s creations. Don’t miss your chance to witness the immense caliber of his works firsthand at The Front this October.

Exhibition on view: OCTOBER 14-22, 2023

Open to public: Saturday and Sunday from 12pm to 6pm

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