FRONT International: Cleveland Triennial for Contemporary Art
Weltzheimer/Johnson House
Oberlin College
534 Morgan St., Oberlin
July 14–September 30, 2018
Juan Araujo has created a site-specific installation for the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Weltzheimer/Johnson House that mines its multi-layered history and highlights features of its impeccably balanced mid-century design, which the artist finds imbued with a “sense of tranquility.” Born in Venezuela and now based in Portugal, Araujo has long been interested in modernist architecture and how it circulates in reproduction, approaching a classical painting practice through a conceptual framework. Based on firsthand observation of the site (the first Wright home Araujo had ever experienced), interviews with docents, and visits to the collections of the Allen Memorial Art Museum and the Oberlin College Archives, the installation, titled Redwood after Wright’s material of choice, comprises a video and a cycle of paintings for the interior and exterior of the house.
Through September 30, the Weltzheimer/Johnson House will have extended hours: Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sundays from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. See details below for related public programs, including two Sunday Open Houses that require advance registration.
This project was commissioned by FRONT International: Cleveland Triennial for Contemporary Art, and organized by Andrea Gyorody, Ellen Johnson ’33 Assistant Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art. Redwood is presented by FRONT International: An American City: Eleven Cultural Exercises with support from the Eric & Jane Nord Family Fund and the Nord Family Foundation. Juan Araujo is a FRONT artist-in-residence. The Madison Residencies are made possible with support from the Cleveland Foundation’s Creative Fusion program.
FRONT International: Cleveland Triennial for Contemporary Art is an exhibition comprising artist commissions, performances, films, and public programs launching, in its inaugural edition, in July of 2018. An American City: Eleven Cultural Exercises, in collaboration with museums, civic institutions, and alternative spaces across Cleveland, Akron, and Oberlin, showcases an ambitious roster of projects, including performance and theater throughout the landscape and built environment. With a roster of national, international, and area-based artists at all points in their careers, FRONT examines the ever-changing and politically urgent conditions of an American city.
For more information about the FRONT Triennial, which extends across venues in Cleveland, Akron, and Oberlin, visit FRONTart.org and follow @FRONTtriennial on Facebook and Instagram.
Curator-Led Tour: FRONT at Oberlin
Saturday, July 14
1:15-3:45 PM
Andrea Gyorody, the AMAM’s Ellen Johnson ’33 Assistant Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art, leads this tour of all three FRONT exhibitions in Oberlin. The tour starts at 1:15 PM at the museum and concludes at 3:45 PM at the Weltzheimer/Johnson House. Shuttle service will be provided between venues. Capacity is limited; spots are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Frank Lloyd Wright Happy Hour
Friday, July 27
5:30-7:00 PM
Join us for happy hour drinks and extended hours at the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Weltzheimer/Johnson House. Andrea Gyorody, Ellen Johnson ’33 Assistant Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art at the AMAM, will offer a brief introduction of Juan Araujo’s FRONT commission and its relationship to the history of the house. Capacity is limited; tickets are $15 per person, which includes wine and light refreshments; 534 Morgan St.
Weltzheimer/Johnson Open House
Sunday, August 5
Noon-5:00 PM
Timed tickets are available for docent presentations about the house, which will cover the history of the site and offer an introduction to the FRONT-commissioned installation by Juan Araujo. Capacity is limited; tickets are $5 per person; 534 Morgan St.
Frank Lloyd Wright Happy Hour
Friday, August 24
5:30-7:00 PM
Join us for happy hour drinks and extended hours at the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Weltzheimer/Johnson House. Andrea Gyorody, Ellen Johnson ’33 Assistant Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art at the AMAM, will offer a brief introduction of Juan Araujo’s FRONT commission and its relationship to the history of the house. Capacity is limited; tickets are $15 per person, which includes wine and light refreshments; 534 Morgan St.
Weltzheimer/Johnson Open House
Sunday, September 2
Noon-5:00 PM
Timed tickets are available for docent presentations about the house, which will cover the history of the site and offer an introduction to the FRONT-commissioned installation by Juan Araujo. Capacity is limited; tickets are $5 per person; 534 Morgan St.
