Two interrelated exhibitions celebrating the work of the late architect Myron Goldfinger will open this month at two locations in New York. Circle, Square, Triangle: Houses I Never Lived In.
The Residential Work of Myron Goldfinger 1963-2008 will open at The Paul Rudolph Institute For Modern Architecture (PRIMA) on September 19. Circle, Square, Triangle: A World I wanted to Live In.
The Public and Unbuilt Work of Myron Goldfinger 1963-2008 will open at the Mitchell Algus Gallery on September 20. The two locations for these interconnected exhibitions offer complementary studies of Goldfinger’s work, exploring his built residential projects and his unbuilt community architecture.
Both exhibitions consist of original material uncovered during the Paul Rudolph Institute’s process of archiving and indexing Goldfinger’s estate, much of which has never been seen.
At PRIMA, there will be multimedia studies outlining the designs for several houses, including contemporary and historical models, a range of original drawings, from conception to construction – either graphite on vellum or ink on mylar – and original photographic prints by Norman McGrath.
Projects include the Goldfinger Residence in Waccabuc, NY (1969); the Zack Residence in Sands Point, NY (1977), and Roberta Flack’s apartment at the Dakota building in New York City (1975).
The Mitchell Algus Gallery will explore unbuilt projects that Goldfinger designed, including several for New York City, providing a local context for the exhibition.
This includes a housing proposal for Roosevelt Island from 1975 and a proposal for the Dag Hammarskjöld Plaza from 1970. Again, a collection of renderings and models outline the evolution of Goldfinger’s design process.
The curation of Circle, Square, Triangle sets out to demonstrate Goldfinger’s characteristic and distinctive approach to architecture, which is embedded in the title itself.
The phrase “Circle, Square, Triangle” originates from Goldfinger’s own words—he considered these three basic shapes to be the heart of his design, shapes he would transform and assemble into dramatic volumes.
His playfulness with geometry led to spectacular interior and exterior architectural features in his work, such as soaring ceilings and gravity-defying cantilevers. Goldfinger insisted that “the fashion of the moment is so temporary.
Only the timeless basic geometry repeats in time”. His work was both deeply intuitive while also conveying a clarity of vision. With its clean lines and careful volumetric assemblage, it was honest and direct, described best by Goldfinger himself as “ordered simplicity”.
- Location: The Paul Rudolph Institute For Modern Architecture, The Modulightor Building, 246 East 58th Street, New York, USA
- Opening reception: Thursday September 19, 2024, 5-8 PM
- Dates: September 19, 2024-March 22, 2025
- Hours: Tuesday-Wednesday: 1-4 PM, Thursday: 1-7 PM, Friday-Saturday: 1-4 PM; and by appointment other days/times
- Press Contact: Courtesy of Kate Robertson, Susan Grant Lewin Associates
