In The United States…
In the late 1940’s, the second red scare slowly crept into America as Soviet Russia hung it’s Iron Curtain, and began tests for nuclear weapons. No man knew the power of that fear like Joseph Raymond McCarthy, who served as a Republican for the state of Wisconsin from 1947 until his death in 1957. His name may sound familiar to you, as the practice of wildly accusing public figures for being spies or attempting to subvert American values was named after him. McCarthyism is still a word we hear often in politics, modern American politicians still can’t seem to escape seeing anything left of bible belt America as pure communist filth. Many stood up to this childish lack of intellectualism, notably a famed architect.
Frank Lloyd Wright was known for his remarkable work in architecture, but the man was just as striking with the written word. On September 22nd of 1952, the famed world class architect was published on the front page of his local newspaper, with a column entitled “Wake up, Wisconsin!.” His words were both perfect for the issues facing his era, and ours.
“Fear is the real danger in any democracy, Our worst enemy is the craven fear managed by conscienceless politicians.” He wrote of McCarthy and the republican party sarcastically as “These fighters of communism! Do they really know what communism means? Ask them. Their answers will make you laugh. Do they know what democracy means? Ask them and they will weep.”
Frank Lloyd Wright was an architect, but he was also a man who was more than aware where his country was headed. He scoffed at the New York City Skyline, calling it a “Monument to greed.” His statements show that even in the 1950’s, a time close to his death he was still someone who thought ahead about where America and his society was going. Listening to Lloyd talk about architecture proved he didn’t just think about architecture as placing and building great structures, but what kind of world that architecture would be in.
In Bagdad
While Wright was very much ahead of his time when it came to America, the same could not be said for his planned work outside of his country. One of Wright’s most notable unfinished projects was for greater Baghdad. The plans were originally commissioned by King Faisal the second, funded by a boom in Iraq’s oil. The plans, while bold and certainly recognizable as his style, were incredibly tacky and impractical. Some of the almost humorous additions to the plans include a giant statue of Aladdin, golden fountains and another 300 foot statue of Harun al-Rashid.
The plans were later scrapped after the king’s monarch fell and Abd al-Karim Qasim took hold of the country. The reasons were best summarized by Robert Twombly, “the people needed food, clothing and shelter more than floating gardens, gold fountains, and a mammoth zoo.”
Frank Lloyd Wright was an intelligent, innovative and influential architect, but he was by no means an infallible. While he understood the US and where it was going, he didn’t always grasp what was tasteful and what wasn’t. After reading and researching the legacy of Wright, I’m sure he would be more than happy, but perhaps praising him is more damaging than anything. After all, if there is one he hated, it was praising a dream of exceptionalism that didn’t reflect the skyline in front of him.
SOURCES
Frank Lloyd Wright Is Not Who You Think He Is – Bloomberg
Plan for Greater Baghdad – Wikipedia
John Nichols: Frank Lloyd Wright despised and decried demagoguery | John Nichols | madison.com