Buckminster Fuller Events NYC
h elmer | espeance
About the Exhibition
on view June 26 - September 21, 2008
One of the great American visionaries of the twentieth century, R.
Buckminster Fuller (1895-1983) endeavored to see what he, a single
individual, might do to benefit the largest segment of humanity while
consuming the minimum of the earth's resources. Doing "more with less"
was Fuller's credo. He described himself as a "comprehensive
anticipatory design scientist," setting forth to solve the escalating
challenges that faced humanity before they became insurmountable.
Fuller's innovative theories and designs addressed fields ranging from
architecture, the visual arts, and literature to mathematics,
engineering, and sustainability. He refused to treat these diverse
spheres as specialized areas of investigation because it inhibited his
ability to think intuitively, independently, and, in his words,
"comprehensively."
Although Fuller believed in utilizing the latest technology, much of
his work developed from his inquiry into "how nature builds." He
believed that the tetrahedron was the most fundamental, structurally
sound form found in nature; this shape is an essential part of most of
his designs, which range in scale from domestic to global. As the many
drawings and models in this exhibition attest, Fuller was committed to
the physical exploration and visual presentation of his ideas.
The results of more than five decades of Fuller's integrated approach
toward the design and technology of housing, transportation,
cartography, and communication are displayed here, much of it for the
first time. This exhibition offers a fresh look at Fuller's life's
work for everyone who shares his sense of urgency about homelessness,
poverty, diminishing natural resources, and the future of our planet.
- Jennie Goldstein