LINA & GIO: THE LAST HUMANISTS: An Exhibit at the Architectural Association School of Architecture

Opening on February 24th at the Architectural Association School of Architecture in London, Lina & Gio: The Last Humanists will explore for the first time the relationship between two seminal figures in twentieth-century design: Lina Bo Bardi (1914-1992) and Gio Ponti (1891-1979). More details after the break.

Bo Bardi is best known for her work built in Brazil, a country she adopted as her home in the 1940s and is often mentioned under the Brazilian Modern Architects, such as Oscar Niemeyer and Mendes da Rocha.  She design the House of Glass (1950-1951), Museum of Art in  São Paulo (1957–68), the Sesc Pompéia (1977–86), just to name a few.  Prior to Brazil, she lived in Milan which is were she forged her collaborations with Gio Ponti.  He worked with many renowned designers, including Piero Fornasetti and Pier Luigi Nervi.  He is best known as the founding editor of Domus magazine.

In her autobiographical text ‘Currículo Literário’, Bo Bardi pays tribute to the lessons she learnt from Ponti, whom she affectionately defines as the ‘last of the humanists’ – for his commitment to the social and cultural agenda of architecture, his interest in traditional forms of craft and his all-encompassing approach to design, ‘from cups and chairs to fashion, including also urban design, curatorial and editorial work’. It was with this same all-encompassing, humanistic approach that Bo Bardi entered the Brazilian scene, and became one of its most influential characters.

The exhibition will focus on the crossovers in Bo Bardi’s and Ponti’s design approaches, including drawings, artifacts, film footage and writings from both architects.  A special selection of photographs, by Barcelona-based photographer Iñigo Bujedo Aguirre, of Bo Bard’s work are commissioned for this exhibit.

The exhibition is curated by Ana Araujo, AA tutor and founder of the Travesia Institute.  The Private View will be available on Friday, February 24th.  The exhibit officially opens and runs from February 25th to March 24th.  A Roundtable Event at the Lecture Hall will be held on Thursday, March 15 at 18:00. In addition, on February 25 at 14:00, the AA will host a free talk in the New Soft Room between photographers Paolo Rosselli and Iñigo Bujedo Aguirre about contemporary modern photography. Find more details here.

Curator: Ana Araujo
Co-curator: Catalina Mejia
Photos: Inigo Bujedo Aguirre
Dates: 24 Feb – 24 March 2012
Venue: Architectural Association (Gallery and Front Member’s Room)

RELATED EVENTS
Saturday 25 February:

• 2pm New Soft Room
• Contemporary Architectural
• Photography: Iñigo Bujedo Aguirre in conversation with Paolo Rosselli, followed by gallery talks.
• Free event.
• rsvp: events@aaschool.ac.uk

Thursday 15 March:

• 6pm Lecture Hall
• Roundtable discussion with Marcelo Ferraz, Isa Grinspum Ferraz, Giancarlo Latorraca and Marco Romanelli

The exhibit is sponsored by Embassy of Brazil in London.