Michael Graves Collage for the Portland Building

View Similar Items

"The Embrace (Shunga Study)" Collage by Michael Thompson

Dracula Has Risen from the Grave

Gaetano Pesce Exhibition Poster Bernini, Italy, 2001

Large Scale 15th Annual Community Holiday Festival Lincoln Center Framed Serigra

"Red Headed Drummer" Collage by Michael Thompson

"Parts of Another" Collage by Michael Thompson

"Graphiti" Mixed Media Collage by Michael Thompson

Gene Davis Pencil Signed and Numbered Limited Edition Exhibition Poster

Ben Shahn Original Lithograph Exhibition Poster 1960's, Signed in Plate

Set of Five Large 1970s Acupuncture Charts

Lithograph Poster by Georges Braque, Musée D'art Moderne- Céret, France, 1983

About the Item

An iconic collage made by the architect Michael Graves in honor of the October 2, 1982 dedication of The Portland Building in Portland, Oregon (a landmark building considered the first major built work of Postmodernist architecture, which he designed), in mixed-media--including paper, cardboard wood, pastel, pencil -- entitled The Portland Building in Graves's own hand, underlined, in pastel. Below the collage is printed the dedication date, Michael Graves's name and the then Mayor of Portland's name, Francis J. Ivancie. Framed in its original light blue painted wood frame. "The Portland Building, by architect and product designer Michael Graves, is considered the first major built work of Postmodernist architecture. The design, which displays numerous symbolic elements on its monumental facades, stands in purposeful contrast to the functional Modernist architecture that was dominant at the time. As Graves explains of his architecture: it’s “a symbolic gesture, an attempt to re-establish a language of architecture and values that are not a part of modernist homogeneity.” In 1979 the City of Portland sponsored a competition for the design of the Portland Service Building, located on a 40,000 square-foot block in downtown Portland. The project, aimed to hold the city’s municipal offices, was uniquely located adjacent to City Hall, the County Courthouse and the Chapman Square Park. The young Michael Graves submitted his ambitious design, despite his lack of experience, partially due to an ally he had in the jury—his friend Philip Johnson. Graves’ colorful low-cost design impressed the jury, who discarded his competitors' costly glass and concrete designs, and awarded Graves the commission, knowing the design was bound to put Portland on the map—which it did. The building attempts to create a continuum between past and present: it’s a symmetrical block with four off-white, stucco-covered rectangular facades featuring reinterpreted Classical elements, such as over-scaled keystones, pilasters and belvederes. The building is set on a two-story base, reminiscent of a Greek pedestal, which divides it into the Classical three-part partition of base-body-top. Furthermore, Graves added symbolism through color—green for the ground, blue for the sky, etc—in order to visually tie the building to its environment and location. The Portland building is considered a major key-point in architecture history, bringing Postmodernism out of the academy and into the public realm. It paved the way for later, more mature Postmodernist buildings, such as the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort (1990), Denver Central Library (1996), and the St. Coletta School (2006). Despite its faults, The Portland building marked an undoubted departure from the monotony of Modernism. As Graves playfully explained: “I thought, ‘Why are they so upset?’ Modernism has given them a choice between vertical and horizontal, white, gray or black. Come on.” (Source: AD Classics: The Portland Building / Michael Graves,28 July, 2013 by Gili Merin)

Creator:
Michael Graves (b.1934) (Designer)
Dimensions:
Height: 32 in (81.28 cm)Width: 20.75 in (52.71 cm)Depth: 1.5 in (3.81 cm)
Style:
Post-Modern (Of the Period)
Materials and Techniques:
Paper,Wood
Place of Origin:
United States
Period:
1980-1989
Date of Manufacture:
circa 1982
Condition:
Wear consistent with age and use.
Seller Location:
Essex, MA
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU83775665533

More From This Seller

View All

Herbert Matter Swiss Exhibition Poster on the History of Bathing and Swimming

By Herbert Matter

Located in Essex, MA

A large, original vintage Swiss exhibition poster by celebrated graphic designer, Herbert Matter, for an exhibition at the Museum of Art & Craft in Zu...

Category

Mid-20th Century Swiss Mid-Century Modern Posters

Materials

Paper

Herbert Matter Swiss Exhibition Poster on the History of Bathing and Swimming

$1,400 Sale Price

20% Off

Wengen Swiss Ski Poster by P. Senn and P. Marti

By P. Senn and P. Marti

Located in Essex, MA

A striking pre-war collage ski poster featuring both photographic and graphic images advertising the alpine resort of Wengen, Switzerland, featuring an e...

Category

Vintage 1930s Swiss Posters

Materials

Paper

Wengen Swiss Ski Poster by P. Senn and P. Marti

$1,520 Sale Price

30% Off

Giant French Horse Racing Poster Mural by Jacquot, circa 1930s

By Michel Jacquot

Located in Essex, MA

A rare, giant original French horse racing poster or mural, lithograph on paper, mounted on linen, in four panels joined to form one large image b...

Category

Vintage 1930s French Art Deco Posters

Materials

Linen, Paper

Giant French Horse Racing Poster Mural by Jacquot, circa 1930s

$7,600 Sale Price

56% Off

Hayward Veal Australian Nocturne Cityscape Painting

By Hayward Veal

Located in Essex, MA

An oil on board painting by Australian painter W. Hayward Veal (1913-1968), entitled Nocturne No. 4, depicting a night scene of a park and tree in the foreground with a man walking, ...

Category

Vintage 1940s Australian Mid-Century Modern Paintings

Materials

Pine, Masonite, Wood, Paint

Hayward Veal Australian Nocturne Cityscape Painting

$1,152 Sale Price

41% Off

Black Forest Carved Walnut Hunting Presentation Cup

Located in Essex, MA

A beautifully crafted Black Forest hand carved walnut hunting presentation cup, the basket weave bowl supported by the figure of a gentleman hunter l...

Category

Antique 1870s German Black Forest Decorative Bowls

Materials

Walnut

Black Forest Carved Walnut Hunting Presentation Cup

$880 Sale Price

67% Off

19th C Octagonal Table with Inlaid Marble Top with Brass Shells and Flowers

Located in Essex, MA

A late 19th century Italian or Spanish carved oak octagonal center table, the top with beautifully inlaid specimen marble top decorated with cast brass scallop shells and flower head...

Category

Antique Late 19th Century Italian Baroque Revival Center Tables

Materials

Marble, Brass

19th C Octagonal Table with Inlaid Marble Top with Brass Shells and Flowers

$3,600 Sale Price

36% Off

21st Century and Contemporary American Minimalist Contemporary Art

Materials

Paper

"The Embrace (Shunga Study)" Collage by Michael Thompson

$3,280

Dracula Has Risen from the Grave

Located in London, GB

Original Japanese film poster for the 1968 horror film staring Christopher Lee and directed by Freddie Francis. This poster is linen backed and would...

Category

Vintage 1960s Japanese Posters

Materials

Paper

Dracula Has Risen from the Grave

$1,306

Dracula Has Risen from the Grave

Located in London, GB

Original US movie poster for the 1968 horror film staring Christopher Lee and directed by Freddie Francis. This poster is unfolded and conservation paper backed and conservation fram...

Category

Vintage 1960s American Posters

Materials

Paper

Dracula Has Risen from the Grave

$1,719

Gaetano Pesce Exhibition Poster Bernini, Italy, 2001

By Gaetano Pesce

Located in Roosendaal, Noord Brabant

Rare exhibition poster designed by Gaetano Pesce for Bernini, Italy 2001. This poster was an exhibition poster for the Bernini Exhibition at Gal...

Category

Early 2000s Italian Post-Modern Contemporary Art

Materials

Glass, Wood, Paper

Gaetano Pesce Exhibition Poster Bernini, Italy, 2001

$1,158

Large Scale 15th Annual Community Holiday Festival Lincoln Center Framed Serigra

By William Conlon

Located in Miami, FL

Large Scale, 15th Annual Community Holiday Festival Lincoln Center Framed Serigraph by American artist William Conlon. Dated 1985. Professionally framed and protected with plexiglass. In excellent original condition with very minor signs of wear and age. The frame shows some minor marking from normal wear and age. Please see close up pictures for more details Dimensions framed: H 69" x W 43" William Conlon is a New York artist known for large-scale paintings and prints to prominence in the 1980s. He is Professor of Visual Arts and the Director of Visual Arts Department at Fordham University...

Category

Vintage 1980s American Post-Modern Posters

Materials

Plexiglass, Paper

Large Scale 15th Annual Community Holiday Festival Lincoln Center Framed Serigra

$2,280

"Red Headed Drummer" Collage by Michael Thompson

By Michael Thompson

Located in Chicago, IL

Based in Chicago, IL, contemporary artist Michael Thompson creates unique kites, collages and mixed media works assembled from material fragments of past and present collected in his...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Art

Materials

Paper

"Red Headed Drummer" Collage by Michael Thompson

$2,480