Variations in Space: The Architectural Sculptures of Richard Lippold
Variations in Space: The Architectural Sculptures of Richard Lippold
THIS IS A CONTINUATION OF FFS-AA1289, PART I AND II. REPRESENTED HERE ARE PARTS III AND IV. "Part III: THE FOUR SEASONS further develops the architectural sculptures, with emphasis on Lippold's work with master architects, culminating in The Four Seasons restaurant in the Seagram Building, NYC. FI on drawing then actual sculpture in Boston, Financial Center #1, of sculpture UNTITLED hanging over lobby. We see Lippold and his assistant, Gianni Morselli, hanging the sculpture. Lippold narrates his BG VO during the action scenes-- how he developed his style. We have now spanned 35 years of his career. Dissolve to formal opening of building, as Lippold looks down on the sculpture (5 min sequence). FI on Gianni and Lippold at Harvard Law School where we see Lippold's stainless steel tree structure WORLD TREE (was featured in TIME magazine when it debuted). Students still plant steel ball bearings under the "tree" every Arbor Day. FI on the revolutionary Mies van der Rohe designed Seagram Building, and dissolve to interior shots of the FOUR SEASONS sculpture in said restaurant. FI on Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center, NYC, showing Lippold's ORPHEUS AND APOLLO over the lobby entrance. FI on J. Walter Thompson advertising agency HQ lobby, HOMAGE TO OUR AGE. Dissolve to Pan Am building, NYC, cut to interior and FLIGHT, a sculpture that works with the escalators. Lippold discusses his work with Walter Gropius of Bauhaus fame and tells how they worked together to produce the first sculpture that works with the architecture rather than being featured in it. FI on montage, Lippold's sculptures around the world: UNTITLED in a Kish Island casino (in the Persian Gulf); IN SKYSPACE, Kish Island airport; HOMAGE TO H.I.H. THE LATE KING FAISAL in King;s retiring room in the conference center in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; BALDACCHINO canopy over the altar at St. Mary's cathedral, San Francisco; SUNWINGS and SUNTREE in Kyoto, House of God Shinto shrine, Japan; TRINITY, in the Benedictine priory designed by Belluschi in Portsmouth, Rhode Island; CRUCIFIX ET RESURREXIT, a work for a 12th century duomo in Viterbo, Italy. ENCOUNTER, shopping center in Dearborn, Michigan; UNTITLED, in a South Carolina shopping center. Smithsonian magazine features article on Lippold's newest, WINGED GAMMA, in a Park Avenue atrium; GREAT LONE STAR, a Texas bank sculpture; HOMAGE TO NORTH CAROLINA in Atlanta Hyatt Regency hotel; dissolve to interior of Lippold sculpture, FLORA RARIS, the first (1975) atrium work. PART IV: WINGS OF WELCOME shows the sculptor still actively at work, and follows one of his latest works in the atrium of the Milwaukee Hyatt hotel. FI on the Milwaukee Journal/Sentinel newsroom. Art critic James Auer discusses Lippold's new Milwaukee sculpture. Lippold is now 65. Exterior of Hyatt hotel. Interior follows Lippold as he supervises and works at the erection. The artist shows plans and drawings, then goes to work. The sculpture grows as we watch. At the formal opening reception Lippold views his work from the elevator, to the accompaniment of his organ playing. The film concludes with Richard, now 70 years old (in 1985) summarizing his life and work while sitting beside MAN, a self portrait sculpture. The end titles identify and locate the sculptures shown in the film and are accompanied by Richard playing the organ he has sculpted in his Long Island studio." Frink has A & B rolls, orig overs, tracks and ancillary materials. Also video masters: VHS and 3/4". From Maurice Frink: "This film was planned for Public Television and was completed with their encouragement. But in the 10 year period I spent making this film Public Television lost interest and to date the film has never been publicly shown. Richard also changed his viewpoint, from original encouragement and enthusiasm to a request that the film be extensively recut as he flet some sections did not do him full justice. And finally--after a screening in his own home with a few friends, and after screening a copy of the completed film, and after a July 1979 30 min 16mm sound color print of an early version-- he has shown no interest in the project. Without his support and without interest from Public TV and without interest from educational film distributors since government cutbacks in education film funding and with other projects occupying my time I have put this film aside, with regret, and hope to someday reintroduce it to the market. My beginning intention was to not to produce an art film but rather show those who are not artists what it is like to be an artist, how one man decided to become an artist, how he achieved his goal. What it taught me instead was 1) I can make a 2 hour documentary which maintains an interesting viewpoint throughout 2) it is futile for me to invest time and money in a project for which there is no demand and 3) get a commitment, not a promise when starting a new project for Public Television and 4) it would be easier to shoot this today on a small video camcorder. But it's a good film, though."