The exhibition "Frank Gehry: I Have an Idea," currently at 21_21 Design Sight and curated by fellow architect Tsuyoshi Tane, crams in a lot, but it's not exactly a linear retrospective. Rather, it's an upward look at a man on a tightrope — a man who must balance form and function; rein in creativity with efficiency, precision and organization; square the client's objectives with his own desire to stretch the medium; and make magic on a large scale. Naturally, it's no cakewalk.
The exhibition's preface depicts the scale of his work with aerial footage of Gehry's masterpieces — Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, Walt Disney Concert Hall, Foundation Louis Vuitton — projected on several walls. The takeaway: These creations are simply too large and complex to be viewed from one spot.
In the next section is a random collection of inspirational touchstones — books, a hockey jersey, etc. Nearby are iterations of shapes constructed in various materials, early prototypes of buildings along with examples of Gehry's cardboard furniture. It's a jumble, but as Gehry himself has said, clutter is comforting and inspiring.
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