John Loomis, FAIA, will present a lecture on his critically acclaimed book, “Revolution of Forms, Cuba’s Forgotten Art Schools” (Princeton Architectural Press, 2011), which tells the story of the most outstanding architectural achievement of the Cuban Revolution, which for many years stood neglected in the western suburbs of Havana. The Escuelas Nacionales de Arte (National Art Schools) were conceived and initiated by Fidel Castro and Che Guevara soon after the Revolution’s victory, in a burst of utopian optimism. The schools represent an attempt on the part of their three architects: Ricardo Porro, Roberto Gottardi , and Vittorio Garatti to reinvent architecture, just as the Revolution hoped to reinvent society. Moreover, the architects sought to integrate issues of culture, ethnicity, and place into a revolutionary formal composition hitherto unknown in architecture. m

All attendees who arrive before 7:15 will enjoy FREE admission and are requested to stay for the Hidden ARTifacts closing reception and Special announcement immediately following.

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