WUHO Gallery Presents "Now What?!" Exploring 50 Years of Activism
Woodbury University Hollywood Outpost presents Now What?!, an exhibition examining the little-known history of architects and designers working to further the causes of the civil rights, women’s, and LGBTQ movements of the past fifty years. The exhibition content, conversations, and stories aim to inspire a new generation of design professionals to see themselves as agents of change by looking at the past to see new ways forward.
Now What?! Reception
Saturday, September 8, 2018 at 6-9pm
6518 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028
ArchiteXX’s Now What?! Advocacy, Activism, and Alliances in American Architecture since 1968 shines a new light on the discipline’s response to post-1968 activism. The civil rights, women’s, and LGBTQ movements impacted every facet of US society, including architecture and design. Now What?! Advocacy, Activism & Alliances in American Architecture since 1968 links the US design community to larger social and political movements of the late 20th century, placing design practice in the foreground and engaging viewers in critical conversations of history, progress, and the built environment. Now What?! acknowledges national and grassroots efforts by a wide coalition of organizations and professionals to change the face of architecture and design in the US.
In recent years, there has been a new wave of initiatives and advocacy emerging in the US that draws attention to these critical issues. This exhibition writes the overlooked histories of activist architects and organizations who were—and still are—at the forefront of the profession’s participation in larger social and political movements over the last 50 years, and suggests ways forward. This intersectional and interdisciplinary look at the design professions draws historical connections and serves as the only comprehensive narrative of activism in US architecture and design that spans these generations and disparate causes. Now What?! offers an in-depth look at diversity and activism in the design professions since 1968 while crafting a space for public debate and dialogue that is interested in looking back as much as projecting forward.
After debuting in May at Pratt Institute, the show will open with new material added in Los Angeles on September 1, 2018 at Woodbury University’s WUHO Gallery, with an opening reception Saturday September 8, 6-9pm. Programming for the exhibition is organized in conjunction with Woodbury University SOA, WUHO, LA Forum for Architecture and Urban Design, Free School of Architecture, Association for Women in Architecture + Design, and Architecture Lobby, with more on the way.
After visiting Los Angeles the exhibition will travel, incorporating local histories of the different cities it visits and telling the largely unknown history of how US architects and designers have responded to the major social movements of the late 20th century.
See www.nowwhat-architexx.org for more information and traveling venues.
Curators: Lori A. Brown, Andrea J. Merrett, Sarah Rafson, Roberta Washington
Los Angeles Liaison: Nina Briggs, with invaluable support from Ingalill Wahlroos-Ritter
Curatorial Advisors: Pascale Sablan, S. Surface
Exhibition Designers: Michele Gorman, Lisa J. Maione, Florencia Vetcher
Project Management: Point Line Projects
ArchiteXX is a nonprofit, independent organization that aims to transform the discipline for women in architecture by bridging the academy and practice.
Press Contact: Sarah Rafson, [email protected]