Achievements
The Cranbrook Collection & Saarinen House
I did give an immediate response to Mark, saying that I thought that the exhibition and catalog ‘Design in America: The Cranbrook Vision 1925-50’ and the restoration of Saarinen House were among my achievements; as was the ‘Cranbrook Collection’. I have written about the collection and restoration but not about the exhibition….
The Cranbrook Vision
Soon after my arrival at Cranbrook, the director of the Detroit Institute of Arts, Fred Cummings, invited me to lunch. We sat in his office and talked; Fred said that he was most interested in organizing an exhibition on Cranbrook. Later, we met again and he said he was moving forward and, indeed, had appointed a curator to work on the exhibit. In an ironic twist, Fred appointed Davira Tarrigan. She was the graduate student who had drafted the essay on William Wilson Corcoran for the Bicentennial exhibition at the Corcoran, celebrating the founder. Now, she was to work with me again; this time on an exhibition and catalog on a celebration of Cranbrook!
In the publication, “Design in America: The Cranbrook Vision 1925-50”, the preface reiterates this saying: “The idea of a show that would present the history of Cranbrook in its early years was first suggested by Frederick J. Cummings in early 1978. This idea was immediately and enthusiastically taken up by Roy Slade, President of the Academy, who, since his arrival in 1977, had been aware of the extraordinary level of achievement that marked the institution’s beginnings. At the same time, the Metropolitan Museum of Art was exploring the idea of an international exhibition devoted to Eliel and Eero Saarinen; a meeting between Slade and R. Craig Miller, Assistant Curator in The American Wing of the Metropolitan Museum of Art who was completing his doctorial research on the Saarinens, led to a joint venture by the three institutions. The Metropolitan’s participation in the organization of the show was secured with the support of James Pilgrim, Deputy Director, and Lewis Sharpe, Curator and Administrator of the Department of American Art. A group of scholars was then invited to serve on a Scientific Committee to organize the exhibition; their contributions to the realization of the show and enthusiastic involvement in the assembling of this catalogue cannot be overestimated.”
In the preface, written by Cummings and Philippe de Montebello, Director of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, countless individuals were acknowledged. I was gratified by their statement that “The assistance of Cranbrook of Art, particularly of its President, Roy Slade, who has been continuously involved in the development of the exhibition, has been crucial; the show would not have been conceived without his participation.”
I could add my thanks to many, indeed all, of the individuals mentioned but one individual deserves my personal gratitude. James Pilgrim, now deceased, was a dear friend. Jim was curator at the Corcoran when I became Dean in 1970; we had many arguments and conflicts, particularly over space. At the same time, I began to socialize with him and his wife Dianne; we went to art exhibitions together. We would go to private galleries on Saturday mornings; Jim called them ‘artathons’! He learnt a lot about contemporary art while I began to understand museums as never before; I am eternally grateful to Jim for that and for his support at the Met. Without his calming influence and ongoing reassurances, the Cranbrook exhibit may not have moved forward; tensions did exist between individuals and institutions. Enough said!
I have the highest admiration for Philippe de Montebello; his commitment to and support of the Cranbrook endeavor were critical and appreciated. Philippe was most gracious in every way. I had first met him when he was director of the Houston Museum of Art; my first impression, one that remains to this day, was of an imposing intellectual and sensitive scholar. I met him again at meetings of the Association of Art Museum Directors; he served on the AAMD Education Committee, which I chaired. Philippe kindly hosted a meeting in his office; he is committed to museum education. Of course, his achievements during his tenure at the Met are appreciated and admirable. Philippe de Montebello enhanced and enriched the museum, its galleries and collections, beyond belief; his accomplishments benefit us, our country and culture.
The story of the preparation and politics involving the Cranbrook exhibition and catalogue could be a book in itself; as could the raising of funds and organizing a show of this magnitude. Endless meetings occurred; I spent so much time at the Met that some thought I was on the staff. At one of the early meetings the curators and scholars agreed on the title; I was delighted that their choice reflected design in America was synonymous with the Cranbrook vision!
I will tell of one humorous moment in Finland; that will suffice. Craig Miller and I were at Vistrrak, the original home of Eliel Saarinen; our hosts had arranged for us to use the sauna. After the scalding sauna, we were urged to swim in the lake; we ran along a pier and jumped into the water, icy cold. We shrieked and turned for the shore; mothers were wheeling perambulators and fathers walking with their families. Vistrakk is a park as well as Saarinen’s home. Craig and I looked at one another and I said “It’s either our honor or our lives!” He agreed and we fled naked from the lake and no one gave us a glance; this was Scandinavia!
1 and 2 : The Detroit Institute of Arts: exterior with banner and entrance to Cranbrook exhibit with boys' school gates. 3 : The Metropolitan Museum of Art : contemporary design with Ray & Charles Eames and Eero Saarinen, Knoll Furniture in Cranbrook exhibit 4 : Magazines and articles on Cranbrook.
B&W below : The Met banner of "The Cranbrook Vision"!
The exhibition opened at the Detroit Institute of Arts in December 1983. The crowds were overwhelming; as was the attendance at the lecture I gave there on Cranbrook. In that coming year, the press and national acclaim was staggering from throughout the world. Indeed, I mounted the reviews and articles on big boards; over 200 hundred of these boards, each with different articles and photographs, filled the walls of our museum’s south gallery, then the
lecture hall. Again, I was gratified.
The show came to the Metropolitan Museum of Art that following April; I was staying across the avenue at the Stanhope. I received a phone call and was told to look out of the window; I did, to see a huge banner unfurled in front of the museum. The banner was for the exhibition on Cranbrook; those letters were writ large! The banner was hung between two others but took center place, hanging directly over the entrance to the Met, one of the greatest museums in the world. The room bell rang and a busboy stood with a bottle of champagne on ice; Agnes and I toasted the banner in one of the proudest moments of my career and life.
Metropolitan Museum of Art: many receptions were hosted
for the Cranbrook exhibit. Governor James Blanchard is
seen here at the State Of Michigan reception; on the left,
actor Norman Fell of TV series "Three's Company". 1984.
The exhibition made a triumphant debut in Helsinki; one of Finland’s native sons and genius, Eliel Saarinen, was being recognized and honored. The outpouring of national pride was obvious; the Finns are proud of their independence, gained in 1917. As their national flag, the reverse of the Greek flag was chosen; reflecting the Finnish commitment to culture. On an island in Helsinki harbor, a small replica of the Acropolis welcomes visitors; Finland has a reputation for fine design, good architecture, stirring music, discos, vodka, saunas and seafood. I mention the latter because of party given in our honor, held at the famed restaurant designed by Alvar Alto. Agnes and I were sitting at the head table; next to us was our dear young friend, Kippy Swanson, grand daughter of Eliel Saarinen. The meal started and bowls of crayfish were served.
Carl Milles: studio, Millesgarden, Stockholm.
On an earlier visit to Sweden, a dinner had been given in my honor; held at Millesgarden. Twelve of us sat around a table in the studio of Carl Milles; the sculptures lit by flickering candlelight. The evening was memorable; made more so by the abundance of crayfish and vodka! Agnes and I realized that crayfish was the main and only course; we indulged ourselves.
At the dinner in Helsinki, we remembered this and advised Kippy to dig in and eat hearty; crayfish was the meal. We did notice our fellow diners, the Finns, delicately selecting and slowly nibbling a crayfish; not us, we gorged ourselves on what we thought was the dinner but not so! That evening, the crayfish was the appetizer! Much to our surprise, we were served fish and venison, course after course. We were to learn, much to our embarrassment, that the crayfish at that time was an expensive delicacy; one or two should suffice, not so for us!
On my first visit to Finland in 1979, I was met at the Helsinki airport by Juhani Pallasama, the architect who had visited me earlier at Cranbrook. Our immediate friendship was heartfelt and led to a renewal of relationships between Finland and Cranbrook; beneficial to both and ongoing to this day. He said he was driving me to the hotel and then he was off to a party celebrating Midsummer Day. Juhani thought that after a transatlantic flight I would be too tired to party; not me! We squeezed into his Volkswagen bug and drove off into the country. As we approached the farm of our hosts, he said that people would be partying, taking saunas in the nude; this was Finland. Ah well, when in Rome, do as the Romans do; the same is true in Finland?!
The next day I sent a postcard back to the office, on which I wrote, “In Finland, in a sauna, in the nude, in trouble!” Over the years, I have been entertained lavishly on my visits to Finland. My friends and colleagues gave many dinners and parties in my honor as President of Cranbrook. In some small way, I felt this major exhibition and publication “Design in America” was a way of thanking them. The people of Finland were proud of the recognition and acclaim brought to Eliel Saarinen and to their nation.
‘The Cranbrook Vision’ was celebrated in other exhibitions, nationally and internationally. A smaller version of the major ‘Design in America’ exhibition was presented in various museums in this country; design shows were presented in the Middle East, India, and Japan; exhibitions of work by the artists in residence were shown in South America. Cranbrook was acclaimed throughout the world; I had fulfilled my promise “to bring the art world to Cranbrook and take Cranbrook to the world”