I visited the American Framing exhibit at the Wrightwood Gallery last month. There is a striking structure in the main three story atrium as you enter the museum. The structure is framing, meaning its typical construction of 2x4s and 2x6, which is intricate and fascinating. (I think a lot of the architects enjoy the framing stage the most).
The walls of structure have diagonal bracing within the studs , which is not often seen anymore, and the inverted roof makes you think twice about what it represents. While standing inside the structure, the docent gave a brief history of the exhibit and invited us to visit the accompanying gallery on the third floor.
There, a naked 2x6 stud wall lines the left hand wall, with a rough opening that guides you into a space with a few architectural models and photographs by Daniel Shea and Chris Strong. If you go back out into the hallway with the stud wall and continue further, you find yourself in a more intimate space with photographs and video work.
The photography work is really beautiful. It captures the life behind stud framing. There are sunset images of partially framed houses, and there are also intimate shots of the tradespeople hard at work, shedding light (literally) on the hard labor associated with this work.
The frames for the photographs are also works of art. They are seemingly semi-deconstructed. Like the larger structure in the atrium, it makes you think about how it was built.
The museum label summarized the exhibit really well. Stud framing epitomizes the American dream. The simplicity and versatility of the construction (both in the material and labor) makes it very democratic. And, the lumber is a readily available local resource.
There was an elegant simplicity in the exhibit itself, too. You could certainly find delight in the details, especially the custom designed furniture by Ania Jaworski and Norman Kelley. But, you could also step back and just appreciate the craft inside the walls of our buildings.
